A Trip to the Upper Demerara, 279 
nothing but flashes of lightning and peal after peal of 
thunder accompanied by a deluge of rain. 
The next morning after an early bath, we sent the 
boat forward over the rapids, and by means of a short 
cut across the hill, met it on the other side, when we again 
began to travel onwards as on the previous day. The 
scenery as before became wilder : there were more 
frequent indications of animal life, especially birds and 
insects, and the river being narrower, there was plenty 
of opportunity to note the various forms of vegetation 
that fringed its banks on either side. The most delight- 
ful characteristic of this part, however, were the long 
" itaboos," or water paths, cutting off long bends in the 
river ; and which being wide enough only to allow the boat 
to pass through them, were completely covered over by the 
forest trees, thus forming most delightfully cool avenues, 
resembling in appearance small creeks. We passed 
through as many as four of them, one occupying us nearly 
half an hour. Just as it was getting dusk we reached 
" The Retreat," Mr. G. COUCHMAN'S well-known 
residence, where we had been kindly invited to stay for 
the night. A fine large meadow lies at the back of the 
house, affording pasturage to cows, sheep, and other 
domestic animals, and constituting a splendid poultry 
yard, where a large amount of stock was evidently being 
raised. In the centre of the meadow some young men were 
playing cricket. The scene was inviting enough to make 
one wish it were one's home. What splendid home- 
steads might there not be, established on the banks of all 
these rivers of ours, if — well, we must leave others more 
competent to discuss these '' ifs." The next morning 
we were off by daybreak for our destination at 
