334 TlMEHKl. 
larger amount of work per day, and less likelihood of 
undesirable men being engaged to go to the diggings ; 
for the hands would find it to their advantage to be 
certain of the fitness of their companions for the 
life and work, and would take care to warn their 
employers against the engagement of lazy, worthless or 
unhealthy men. The interest too which they would 
naturally feel in the work, under such favourable 
circumstances, would no doubt incite them to work 
harder and better than they now usually do. 
The absence of fresh vegetable food is a great draw- 
back to life in the district. There is no reason why the 
vegetables commonly grown on the coast lands of the 
colony should not thrive and bear abundantly in the soil 
of the Puruni district, for in many places it consists of a 
stiff yellow clay very similar to that of the coast. There 
is an absence of leaf mould, which, considering the 
primeval nature of the forests is very curious ; and when 
the leaves which have not long fallen are swept 
away, the yellow soil is met with immediately underneath. 
In swampy places, however, where the ground is low 
lying and wet for the greater part of the year, there is a 
certain but very small amount of leaf mould to be seen, 
and here also it is not uncommon at night to see 
some of the leaves that have been turned over and 
disturbed, glowing with a pale, ghostly, phosphorescent 
light. 
I planted behind my benab a quantity of cassava, 
plantains, bananas, ochroes and tomatoes, which at first 
did not promise well, but which gradually improved, and, 
when I left, were thriving. Since my return to George- 
town, I have heard that v^ry fair returns have been given 
