Remarks on the Kaieteur Savannah. 231 
the character of the vegetation in any particular region 
very much depends, the composition of the surface is 
found to vary from a dark humus accumulated in 
the low-lying parts, to a thin coating of sand and gravel 
in the upper, drained parts ; all however rests on a sub- 
stratum of sandstone or conglomerate rock, which, except 
where the boggy humus lies, may be seen almost every- 
where protruding through the shallow covering. As 
might be inferred from this description of the ground, the 
vegetation is neither dense nor unintermittent over the 
greater part of the savannah. Stretches of open rock 
occur on which a tuft or two of grass or sedge may here 
and there be found, or a clusiad or bromeliad is lodged in a 
favorable crevice ; or even, from some narrow fissure, into 
which its roots can penetrate, a stunted tree struggles 
against the inimical conditions ; but the rocks are as often 
barren and bare. Wider areas of pure gravel almost as 
hard as concrete occur, or gravel with a slight admixture 
of sand ; with tufts of half withered grass, patches of fern 
and low shrubs and, if wet, scattered dwarf herbaceous 
subjects, some of which are very tiny, partially clothing 
their surface. Distributed here and there in varying 
order — if order it may be called — some close together or 
running one into the other, with winding intricate path- 
ways between, others apart or widely separated by the 
morass — are small copses composed of trees ten to thirty 
feet high. Under their shade and among their roots 
leaf, and other vegetable mould has accumulated ; 
and this sustains shrubs and smaller plants in 
great variety. In addition, these trees, as well as 
their near standing neighbours of the surrounding 
FF I 
