170 
RORAIMA MOUNTAIN. 
The mountain is of a very singular and unique form ; the 
base rises with a gradual slope all round of about 1,500 feet 
height, and the mountain then suddenly shoots up with nearly 
vertical cliffs several hundred feet high to the full height of 
6,000 feet above the sea; these vertical cliffs extending all 
round, and making the mountain exceptionally difficult of 
ascent. The ascent has now been made by Mr. Everard F. Im 
Tliurm, who was sent out jointly by the Royal Society and the 
Royal Geographical Society, and was accompaied by Dr. 
Siedel, a German orchid collector; this ascent of Roraima has 
been a cherished object of botanical exploration in South 
America for the last quarter of a century. 
The ascent, though laborious, was not dangerous, but in 
order to make the ascent of the latter steep portion, “the 
travellers were compelled to climb trees and to leap from 
rock to rock.” The top of the slope is described as “ a most 
beautiful spot, a very garden of orchids and most beautiful 
and strange plants,” and “ when they ultimately reached the 
summit they were surprised to find that it consisted of a 
broad plateau, twelve miles in length by four in breadth, on 
which they discovered some forms of vegetation previously 
unknown to science, and a vast number of fantastically-shaped 
rocks.” Mr. Im Tliurm states—“ The vegetation on the 
top was most wonderful, but somewhat scanty and quite 
dwarf. I have, I believe, 800 to 400 species ; also some living 
plants, including Heliampliora and three most exquisite 
Utricularias, two of which are I fancy new.” It has hitherto 
been assumed that the mountain was crowned with trees, 
whereas they could find nothing of larger growth than shrubs 
about three feet high. Another delusion which has also been 
dissipated is that the loftier altitudes of Roraima sheltered 
strange animals ; but these existed only in the imagination of 
Indians, for, with the exception of a few butterflies, the 
travellers saw no trace of animal life. All the explorers of 
British Guiana refer to the cascades that abound on the sides 
of the mountain ; and these, it appears, are fed from nume¬ 
rous pools of water on the top plateau, the view from which 
is described as being of surpassing grandeur. Mr. Im Tliurm 
by his achievement has added another page to the history of 
successful geographical research, and has fully justified the 
support he has received from the Royal Geographical Society. 
He started on his exploration on 16th October last, made the 
ascent of the mountain on December 3rd, and reached 
George Town, the port of British Guiana, on his return 
journey on January 31st. 
