India Rubber and Gutta Percha. 45 
tlement, for which place she had a considerable quantity 
of goods, the landing of which caused a further delay to us 
as we wished to go on shore at Kalacoon, on the opposite 
bank, near which place the steamer has her moorings. 
About five o'clock she reached there, and the Captain 
very kindly put us and our goods on shore. On our way 
up, a barque lay loading greenheart timber at the 
mouth of the Groote Creek, and another was passed at 
Bartica Grove taking a similar cargo. During the after- 
noon squalls and heavy showers of rain were experienced 
on the river. Kalacoon is the residence of Mr. McTurk, 
the Special Magistrate of the river. His house is on the 
brow of a hill, and commands one of the best views of 
the river in the colony, better I believe than any other 
occupied place. The Mazaruni runs immediately beneath ; 
on the opposite shore is the Penal Settlement with its 
quarries, prisons, and residences open to view. Far down 
to the right stretches the Essequibo river with Kaow 
Island, and one or two others more remote, in sight ; 
while the left commands a fine view of the Cuyuni river, 
and the range of mountains beyond, with much heavy 
forest to the north. Having seen no other high ground 
in the colony, I looked with much interest on these 
mountains, the vegetation of which is as yet untouched, 
and would certainly reward investigation with a rich 
harvest. A heavy, sombre mist was rising from the river 
and adjacent lands, drifting along the range, and hang- 
ing on its sides. 
In the absence of Mr. McTurk, I took the liberty of 
sheltering our goods in his boat-house, and to save mak- 
ing a clearing and rigging hammock coverings strung our 
