Occasional Notes. 351 
Guiana, Hakluyt'S Voyages, Vol. 3," confirmatory of 
the opinion, expressed in the article The Guiana Gold 
Mines of the Past* that gold was highly valued by the 
Indians of South America at the time of its discovery, 
has been given me by Mr. RODWA.Y : — 
•' This river, (the Corantyne) as also most of the rest, is not navigable 
above six days' journey by reason of rocks. It is ten days' journey to 
the head, where the Guianians do dwell. Honey, yarn or cotton, silk, 
balsamum, and brasil-beds, are here to be had in plenty, and so all the 
coast along eastward. Some images of gold, spleenstones, and others, 
may be gotten on this coast, but they do somewhat extraordinarily 
esteem of them , because everywhere they are current money. They get 
their moons, and other pieces of gold, by exchange, taking for each one 
of their greater canoes, one piece or image of gold, with three heads ; 
and after that rate for their lesser canoes, they receive pieces of gold of 
less value. One hatchet is the ordinary price for a canoe." 
♦ 
The Cocoa Industry and Insetl Pests. — One of the 
most pleasing and promising features in connection with 
the minor industries of the colony, has been the rapid 
development of. and advance in, an export trade in 
Cocoa. In 1886, which was the first year of export, the 
quantity amounted to less than 2,000 lbs., while in 
1887, it has amounted to more than 13,000 lbs. The 
markedly high appreciation, by English experts, of the 
British Guiana cocoa and the prices realisable, give 
promise not only of a continuous successful development, 
but of a chance of ousting the hitherto more successful 
competitors from the first place in the market, when the 
best methods of preparation, on which its appreciation will 
really depend, have been adopted and become normally 
recognised. The Government Botanist has already, in his 
annual report, pointed out the special adaptability of 
* See Timehri, New Series, Vol. I., part i. 
YY 2 
