The First Ascent of Roraima. 25 
which, invisible from below, really separated it from the 
summit. No other point seen by him seemed, he said, 
to afford any hope of access. 
The question which now had to be decided was 
whether to delay for a time on this south-western face of 
Roraima, which had been, comparatively speaking, so 
often visited and always pronounced inaccessible, in the 
hope that, with our greater advantages in the way of the 
longer time at our disposal and the sufficient, though by 
no means too abundant, supply of provisions, we might 
succeed in finding a way where others had failed ; or 
whether it would be better at once to follow out our 
programme of walking round the mountain till per- 
chance we might find an accessible way up one or 
other of its less known sides. While debating this, a 
glance at the ledge decided us to try it at all risks ; 
and we returned down the mountain to our old quarters 
at Teroota, there to make preparation for re-ascending 
and building a house close to SlEDEL'S. 
The next day, Saturday, was spent in telling off 
twelve of our Pomeroon Indians, who were to leave us 
and start for home the next morning, in order to reduce 
the demand upon the provision-store ; in writing letters 
to be carried home by these messengers ; and in sorting 
the baggage so as to take up with us only the most neces- 
sary things and even of these only such as our four 
remaining Pomeroon Indians with a few Arekoonas 
could carry up. Early on the morning of Sunday, 
our twelve companions who had come with us from 
home filed off in one direction across the savannah, 
while we who remained marched in the other direction 
up the slopes of Roraima. 
D 
