The First Ascent of Roraima. 37 
It should perhaps before have been explained that 
what had appeared from below the broken part of the 
ledge really consists of three rounded spurs, or shoulders, 
running from a little way up the cliff down on to the 
ledge ; and that these spurs are all wooded, though not 
so densely as the ground below the ledge, while in parts 
a few huge boulders stand out over the tree tops. These 
three spurs occupy about two thirds of the ledge as seen 
from below ; then comes the part of the ledge on to 
which the fall dashes from the cliff above. After that 
the shelf slopes gradually upward to the top of the 
mountain, its surface, as we saw it through the field- 
glasses, covered with rocks and low vegetation, its up- 
per part passing behind a sort of false face to the cliff. 
To return to our progress after we left Whitely's 
station. The way, which was very difficult and wearisome 
though at no point dangerous, was again over, under 
and along more tree-roots, branches and trunks, again 
over, under and along more rocks and boulders, and 
over and up steep slopes of wet slippery mud, — tree, 
rock and mud being alike wrapped in the usual covering 
of wet moss. Over such ground as this we made our 
way round the three spurs, and at last came in sight of 
the part of the ledge on to which falls the stream from 
above. A fairly gentle slope, covered with coarse grass, 
taller than ourselves, led down, for a considerable dis- 
tance, to the a6lual point on to which the water fell, which, 
to our great delight, we saw was no deep impassable pool 
or ravine, but a broad, sloping reach of broken 
rocks; on the other side of this the ledge sloped 
almost as gradually upward, but this upward slope 
consisted for some distance of a slippery expanse 
