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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8159-8.txt b/8159-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b201b09 --- /dev/null +++ b/8159-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8881 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Wanderings in South America, by Charles Waterton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wanderings in South America + +Author: Charles Waterton + +Posting Date: March 28, 2014 [EBook #8159] +Release Date: May, 2005 +First Posted: June 22, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + + + + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + +By CHARLES WATERTON + + + + + + + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + + +I offer this book of "Wanderings" with a hesitating hand. It has little +merit, and must make its way through the world as well as it can. It +will receive many a jostle as it goes along, and perhaps is destined to +add one more to the number of slain in the field of modern criticism. +But if it fall, it may still, in death, be useful to me; for should +some accidental rover take it up and, in turning over its pages, imbibe +the idea of going out to explore Guiana in order to give the world an +enlarged description of that noble country, I shall say, "fortem ad +fortia misi," and demand the armour; that is, I shall lay claim to a +certain portion of the honours he will receive, upon the plea that I +was the first mover of his discoveries; for, as Ulysses sent Achilles +to Troy, so I sent him to Guiana. I intended to have written much more +at length; but days and months and years have passed away, and nothing +has been done. Thinking it very probable that I shall never have +patience enough to sit down and write a full account of all I saw and +examined in those remote wilds, I give up the intention of doing so, +and send forth this account of my "Wanderings" just as it was written +at the time. + +If critics are displeased with it in its present form, I beg to observe +that it is not totally devoid of interest, and that it contains +something useful. Several of the unfortunate gentlemen who went out to +explore the Congo were thankful for the instructions they found in it; +and Sir Joseph Banks, on sending back the journal, said in his letter: +"I return your journal with abundant thanks for the very instructive +lesson you have favoured us with this morning, which far excelled, in +real utility, everything I have hitherto seen." And in another letter +he says: "I hear with particular pleasure your intention of resuming +your interesting travels, to which natural history has already been so +much indebted." And again: "I am sorry you did not deposit some part of +your last harvest of birds in the British Museum, that your name might +become familiar to naturalists and your unrivalled skill in preserving +birds be made known to the public." And again: "You certainly have +talents to set forth a book which will improve and extend materially +the bounds of natural science." + +Sir Joseph never read the third adventure. Whilst I was engaged in it, +death robbed England of one of her most valuable subjects and deprived +the Royal Society of its brightest ornament. + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + +FIRST JOURNEY + REMARKS + +SECOND JOURNEY + +THIRD JOURNEY + +FOURTH JOURNEY + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + +GLOSSARY + +INDEX + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + + +FIRST JOURNEY + + ----nec herba, nec latens in asperis + Radix fefellit me locis. + +In the month of April 1812 I left the town of Stabroek to travel +through the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo, a part of _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, in South America. + +The chief objects in view were to collect a quantity of the strongest +wourali poison and to reach the inland frontier-fort of Portuguese +Guiana. + +It would be a tedious journey for him who wishes to travel through +these wilds to set out from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust him +in his attempts to wade through the swamps, and the mosquitos at night +would deprive him of every hour of sleep. + +The road for horses runs parallel to the river, but it extends a very +little way, and even ends before the cultivation of the plantations +ceases. + +The only mode then that remains is to proceed by water; and when you +come to the high-lands, you may make your way through the forest on +foot or continue your route on the river. + +After passing the third island in the River Demerara there are few +plantations to be seen, and those not joining on to one another, but +separated by large tracts of wood. + +The Loo is the last where the sugar-cane is growing. The greater part +of its negroes have just been ordered to another estate, and ere a few +months shall have elapsed all signs of cultivation will be lost in +underwood. + +Higher up stand the sugar-works of Amelia's Waard, solitary and +abandoned; and after passing these there is not a ruin to inform the +traveller that either coffee or sugar have ever been cultivated. + +From Amelia's Waard an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the +river, saving here and there where a hut discovers itself, inhabited by +free people of colour, with a rood or two of bared ground about it; or +where the wood-cutter has erected himself a dwelling and cleared a few +acres for pasturage. Sometimes you see level ground on each side of you +for two or three hours at a stretch; at other times a gently sloping +hill presents itself; and often, on turning a point, the eye is pleased +with the contrast of an almost perpendicular height jutting into the +water. The trees put you in mind of an eternal spring, with summer and +autumn kindly blended into it. + +Here you may see a sloping extent of noble trees whose foliage displays +a charming variety of every shade, from the lightest to the darkest +green and purple. The tops of some are crowned with bloom of the +loveliest hue, while the boughs of others bend with a profusion of +seeds and fruits. + +Those whose heads have been bared by time or blasted by the +thunderstorm strike the eye, as a mournful sound does the ear in music, +and seem to beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a moment or two +and see that the forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, +have their periods of misfortune and decay. + +The first rocks of any considerable size that are observed on the side +of the river are at a place called Saba, from the Indian word which +means a stone. They appear sloping down to the water's edge, not +shelvy, but smooth, and their exuberances rounded off and, in some +places, deeply furrowed, as though they had been worn with continual +floods of water. + +There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge stones amongst them +produce a pleasing and novel effect. You see a few coffee-trees of a +fine luxuriant growth, and nearly on the top of Saba stands the house +of the post-holder. + +He is appointed by Government to give in his report to the protector of +the Indians of what is going on amongst them and to prevent suspicious +people from passing up the river. + +When the Indians assemble here, the stranger may have an opportunity of +seeing the aborigines dancing to the sound of their country music and +painted in their native style. They will shoot their arrows for him +with an unerring aim and send the poisoned dart, from the blow-pipe, +true to its destination: and here he may often view all the different +shades, from the red savage to the white man; and from the white man to +the sootiest son of Africa. + +Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white men or free +people of colour. + +In a country so extensively covered with wood as this is, having every +advantage that a tropical sun and the richest mould, in many places, +can give to vegetation, it is natural to look for trees of very large +dimensions. But it is rare to meet with them above six yards in +circumference. If larger have ever existed they have fallen a sacrifice +either to the axe or to fire. + +If, however, they disappoint you in size, they make ample amends in +height. Heedless, and bankrupt in all curiosity, must he be who can +journey on without stopping to take a view of the towering mora. Its +topmost branch, when naked with age or dried by accident, is the +favourite resort of the toucan. Many a time has this singular bird felt +the shot faintly strike him from the gun of the fowler beneath, and +owed his life to the distance betwixt them. + +The trees which form these far-extending wilds are as useful as they +are ornamental. It would take a volume of itself to describe them. + +The green-heart, famous for its hardness and durability; the hackea for +its toughness; the ducalabali surpassing mahogany; the ebony and +letter-wood vying with the choicest woods of the old world; the +locust-tree yielding copal; and the hayawa- and olou-trees furnishing a +sweet-smelling resin, are all to be met with in the forest betwixt the +plantations and the rock Saba. + +Beyond this rock the country has been little explored, but it is very +probable that these, and a vast collection of other kinds, and possibly +many new species, are scattered up and down, in all directions, through +the swamps and hills and savannas of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana. + +On viewing the stately trees around him, the naturalist will observe +many of them bearing leaves and blossoms and fruit not their own. + +The wild fig-tree, as large as a common English apple-tree, often rears +itself from one of the thick branches at the top of the mora, and when +its fruit is ripe, to it the birds resort for nourishment. It was to an +undigested seed passing through the body of the bird which had perched +on the mora that the fig-tree first owed its elevated station there. +The sap of the mora raised it into full bearing, but now, in its turn, +it is doomed to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices towards +the growth of different species of vines, the seeds of which also the +birds deposited on its branches. These soon vegetate, and bear fruit in +great quantities; so what with their usurpation of the resources of the +fig-tree, and the fig-tree of the mora, the mora, unable to support a +charge which nature never intended it should, languishes and dies under +its burden; and then the fig-tree, and its usurping progeny of vines, +receiving no more succour from their late foster-parent, droop and +perish in their turn. + +A vine called the bush-rope by the wood-cutters, on account of its use +in hauling out the heaviest timber, has a singular appearance in the +forests of Demerara. Sometimes you see it nearly as thick as a man's +body, twisted like a corkscrew round the tallest trees and rearing its +head high above their tops. At other times three or four of them, like +strands in a cable, join tree and tree and branch and branch together. +Others, descending from on high, take root as soon as their extremity +touches the ground, and appear like shrouds and stays supporting the +mainmast of a line-of-battle ship; while others, sending out parallel, +oblique, horizontal and perpendicular shoots in all directions, put you +in mind of what travellers call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, +above a hundred feet high, uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its +fall by these amazing cables of nature, and hence it is that you +account for the phenomenon of seeing trees not only vegetating, but +sending forth vigorous shoots, though far from their perpendicular, and +their trunks inclined to every degree from the meridian to the horizon. + +Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope; many of their +roots soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot +will sprout out perpendicularly from near the root of the reclined +trunk, and in time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees +and few weeds, except in the swamps. + +The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to +sever the small bush-ropes it is not difficult walking among the trees. + +The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and decayed trees, is +very rich and fertile in the valleys. On the hills it is little better +than sand. The rains seem to have carried away and swept into the +valleys every particle which Nature intended to have formed a mould. + +Four-footed animals are scarce considering how very thinly these +forests are inhabited by men. + +Several species of the animal commonly called tiger, though in reality +it approaches nearer to the leopard, are found here, and two of their +diminutives, named tiger-cats. The tapir, the lobba and deer afford +excellent food, and chiefly frequent the swamps and low ground near the +sides of the river and creeks. + +In stating that four-footed animals are scarce, the peccari must be +excepted. Three or four hundred of them herd together and traverse the +wilds in all directions in quest of roots and fallen seeds. The Indians +mostly shoot them with poisoned arrows. When wounded they run about one +hundred and fifty paces; they then drop, and make wholesome food. + +The red monkey, erroneously called the baboon, is heard oftener than it +is seen, while the common brown monkey, the bisa, and sacawinki rove +from tree to tree, and amuse the stranger as he journeys on. + +A species of the polecat, and another of the fox, are destructive to +the Indian's poultry, while the opossum, the guana and salempenta +afford him a delicious morsel. + +The small ant-bear, and the large one, remarkable for his long, broad, +bushy tail, are sometimes seen on the tops of the wood-ants' nests; the +armadillos bore in the sand-hills, like rabbits in a warren; and the +porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head. + +This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures +and his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These +are the only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While +other animals assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these +boundless wilds, the sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot +escape from you. It is said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and +turn out of the way. Do not then level your gun at him or pierce him +with a poisoned arrow--he has never hurt one living creature. A few +leaves, and those of the commonest and coarsest kind, are all he asks +for his support. On comparing him with other animals you would say that +you could perceive deficiency, deformity and superabundance in his +composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though four stomachs, he +still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He has only one +inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet nor has he +the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and puts you +in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too short; +they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the +body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to +be of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant +has only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to +mark down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority +amongst the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim +would be the last upon the lowest degree. + +Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and +beautiful productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious +stones are far surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The +naturalist may exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in +forming new species and painting her requisite shades. Almost every one +of those singular and elegant birds described by Buffon as belonging to +Cayenne are to be met with in Demerara, but it is only by an +indefatigable naturalist that they are to be found. + +The scarlet curlew breeds in innumerable quantities in the muddy +islands on the coasts of Pomauron; the egrets and crabiers in the same +place. They resort to the mud-flats at ebbing water, while thousands of +sandpipers and plovers, with here and there a spoonbill and flamingo, +are seen amongst them. The pelicans go farther out to sea, but return +at sundown to the courada-trees. The humming-birds are chiefly to be +found near the flowers at which each of the species of the genus is +wont to feed. The pie, the gallinaceous, the columbine and passerine +tribes resort to the fruit-bearing trees. + +You never fail to see the common vulture where there is carrion. In +passing up the river there was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the +king of the vultures; they were sitting on the naked branch of a tree, +with about a dozen of the common ones with them. A tiger had killed a +goat the day before; he had been driven away in the act of sucking the +blood, and not finding it safe or prudent to return, the goat remained +in the same place where he had killed it; it had begun to putrefy, and +the vultures had arrived that morning to claim the savoury morsel. + +At the close of day the vampires leave the hollow trees, whither they +had fled at the morning's dawn, and scour along the river's banks in +quest of prey. On waking from sleep the astonished traveller finds his +hammock all stained with blood. It is the vampire that hath sucked him. +Not man alone, but every unprotected animal, is exposed to his +depredations; and so gently does this nocturnal surgeon draw the blood +that, instead of being roused, the patient is lulled into a still +profounder sleep. There are two species of vampire in Demerara, and +both suck living animals: one is rather larger than the common bat, the +other measures above two feet from wing to wing extended. + +Snakes are frequently met with in the woods betwixt the sea-coast and +the rock Saba, chiefly near the creeks and on the banks of the river. +They are large, beautiful and formidable. The rattlesnake seems partial +to a tract of ground known by the name of Canal Number-three: there the +effects of his poison will be long remembered. + +The camoudi snake has been killed from thirty to forty feet long; +though not venomous, his size renders him destructive to the passing +animals. The Spaniards in the Oroonoque positively affirm that he grows +to the length of seventy or eighty feet and that he will destroy the +strongest and largest bull. His name seems to confirm this: there he is +called "matatoro," which literally means "bull-killer." Thus he may be +ranked amongst the deadly snakes, for it comes nearly to the same thing +in the end whether the victim dies by poison from the fangs, which +corrupts his blood and makes it stink horribly, or whether his body be +crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this hideous beast. + +The whipsnake of a beautiful changing green, and the coral, with +alternate broad traverse bars of black and red, glide from bush to +bush, and may be handled with safety; they are harmless little +creatures. + +The labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown colour, and can +scarcely be distinguished from the ground or stump on which he is +coiled up; he grows to the length of about eight feet and his bite +often proves fatal in a few minutes. + +Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and +unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the counacouchi glides +undaunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is commonly known by +the name of the bush-master. Both man and beast fly before him, and +allow him to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes grows to the +length of fourteen feet. + +A few small caymen, from two to twelve feet long, may be observed now +and then in passing up and down the river; they just keep their heads +above the water, and a stranger would not know them from a rotten stump. + +Lizards of the finest green, brown and copper colour, from two inches +to two feet and a half long, are ever and anon rustling among the +fallen leaves and crossing the path before you, whilst the chameleon is +busily employed in chasing insects round the trunks of the neighbouring +trees. + +The fish are of many different sorts and well-tasted, but not, +generally speaking, very plentiful. It is probable that their numbers +are considerably thinned by the otters, which are much larger than +those of Europe. In going through the overflowed savannas, which have +all a communication with the river, you may often see a dozen or two of +them sporting amongst the sedges before you. + +This warm and humid climate seems particularly adapted to the producing +of insects; it gives birth to myriads, beautiful past description in +their variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of +them noxious in their qualities. + +He whose eye can distinguish the various beauties of uncultivated +nature, and whose ear is not shut to the wild sounds in the woods, will +be delighted in passing up the River Demerara. Every now and then the +maam or tinamou sends forth one long and plaintive whistle from the +depth of the forest, and then stops; whilst the yelping of the toucan +and the shrill voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo is heard during the +interval. The campanero never fails to attract the attention of the +passenger; at a distance of nearly three miles you may hear this +snow-white bird tolling every four or five minutes, like the distant +convent-bell. From six to nine in the morning the forests resound with +the mingled cries and strains of the feathered race; after this they +gradually die away. From eleven to three all nature is hushed as in a +midnight silence, and scarce a note is heard, saving that of the +campanero and the pi-pi-yo; it is then that, oppressed by the solar +heat, the birds retire to the thickest shade and wait for the +refreshing cool of evening. + +At sundown the vampires, bats and goat-suckers dart from their lonely +retreat and skim along the trees on the river's bank. The different +kinds of frogs almost stun the ear with their hoarse and +hollow-sounding croaking, while the owls and goat-suckers lament and +mourn all night long. + +About two hours before daybreak you will hear the red monkey moaning as +though in deep distress; the houtou, a solitary bird, and only found in +the thickest recesses of the forest, distinctly articulates "houtou, +houtou," in a low and plaintive tone an hour before sunrise; the maam +whistles about the same hour; the hannaquoi, pataca and maroudi +announce his near approach to the eastern horizon, and the parrots and +paroquets confirm his arrival there. + +The crickets chirp from sunset to sunrise, and often during the day +when the weather is cloudy. The bête-rouge is exceedingly numerous in +these extensive wilds, and not only man, but beasts and birds, are +tormented by it. Mosquitos are very rare after you pass the third +island in the Demerara, and sand-flies but seldom appear. + +Courteous reader, here thou hast the outlines of an amazing landscape +given thee; thou wilt see that the principal parts of it are but +faintly traced, some of them scarcely visible at all, and that the +shades are wholly wanting. If thy soul partakes of the ardent flame +which the persevering Mungo Park's did, these outlines will be enough +for thee; they will give thee some idea of what a noble country this +is; and if thou hast but courage to set about giving the world a +finished picture of it, neither materials to work on nor colours to +paint it in its true shades will be wanting to thee. It may appear a +difficult task at a distance, but look close at it, and it is nothing +at all; provided thou hast but a quiet mind, little more is necessary, +and the genius which presides over these wilds will kindly help thee +through the rest. She will allow thee to slay the fawn and to cut down +the mountain-cabbage for thy support, and to select from every part of +her domain whatever may be necessary for the work thou art about; but +having killed a pair of doves in order to enable thee to give mankind a +true and proper description of them, thou must not destroy a third +through wantonness or to show what a good marksman thou art: that would +only blot the picture thou art finishing, not colour it. + +Though retired from the haunts of men, and even without a friend with +thee, thou wouldst not find it solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi +will sound in thine ears like the daybreak town-clock; and the wren and +the thrush will join with thee in thy matin hymn to thy Creator, to +thank Him for thy night's rest. + +At noon the genius will lead thee to the troely, one leaf of which will +defend thee from both sun and rain. And if, in the cool of the evening, +thou hast been tempted to stray too far from thy place of abode, and +art deprived of light to write down the information thou hast +collected, the fire-fly, which thou wilt see in almost every bush +around thee, will be thy candle. Hold it over thy pocket-book, in any +position which thou knowest will not hurt it, and it will afford thee +ample light. And when thou hast done with it, put it kindly back again +on the next branch to thee. It will want no other reward for its +services. + +When in thy hammock, should the thought of thy little crosses and +disappointments, in thy ups and downs through life, break in upon thee +and throw thee into a pensive mood, the owl will bear thee company. She +will tell thee that hard has been her fate, too; and at intervals +"Whip-poor-will" and "Willy come go" will take up the tale of sorrow. +Ovid has told thee how the owl once boasted the human form and lost it +for a very small offence; and were the poet alive now he would inform +thee that "Whip-poor-will" and "Willy come go" are the shades of those +poor African and Indian slaves who died worn out and broken-hearted. +They wail and cry "Whip-poor-will," "Willy come go," all night long; +and often, when the moon shines, you see them sitting on the green turf +near the houses of those whose ancestors tore them from the bosom of +their helpless families, which all probably perished through grief and +want after their support was gone. + +About an hour above the rock of Saba stands the habitation of an Indian +called Simon, on the top of a hill. The side next the river is almost +perpendicular, and you may easily throw a stone over to the opposite +bank. Here there was an opportunity of seeing man in his rudest state. +The Indians who frequented this habitation, though living in the midst +of woods, bore evident marks of attention to their persons. Their hair +was neatly collected and tied up in a knot; their bodies fancifully +painted red, and the paint was scented with hayawa. This gave them a +gay and animated appearance. Some of them had on necklaces composed of +the teeth of wild boars slain in the chase; many wore rings, and others +had an ornament on the left arm midway betwixt the shoulder and the +elbow. At the close of day they regularly bathed in the river below, +and the next morning seemed busy in renewing the faded colours of their +faces. + +One day there came into the hut a form which literally might be called +the wild man of the woods. On entering he laid down a ball of wax which +he had collected in the forest. His hammock was all ragged and torn, +and his bow, though of good wood, was without any ornament or polish: +"erubuit domino, cultior esse suo." His face was meagre, his looks +forbidding and his whole appearance neglected. His long black hair hung +from his head in matted confusion; nor had his body, to all appearance, +ever been painted. They gave him some cassava bread and boiled fish, +which he ate voraciously, and soon after left the hut. As he went out +you could observe no traces in his countenance or demeanour which +indicated that he was in the least mindful of having been benefited by +the society he was just leaving. + +The Indians said that he had neither wife nor child nor friend. They +had often tried to persuade him to come and live amongst them, but all +was of no avail. He went roving on, plundering the wild bees of their +honey and picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When he +fell in with game he procured fire from two sticks and cooked it on the +spot. When a hut happened to be in his way he stepped in and asked for +something to eat, and then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They +did not know what had caused him to be thus unsettled: he had been so +for years; nor did they believe that even old age itself would change +the habits of this poor harmless, solitary wanderer. + +From Simon's the traveller may reach the large fall, with ease, in four +days. + +The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a stone +appearing above the water in the rainy season; and those in the bed of +the river barely high enough to arrest the water's course, and by +causing a bubbling show that they are there. + +With this small change of appearance in the stream, the stranger +observes nothing new till he comes within eight or ten miles of the +great fall. Each side of the river presents an uninterrupted range of +wood, just as it did below. All the productions found betwixt the +plantations and the rock Saba are to be met with here. + +From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations of the +Indians: two of them close to the river's side; the other three a +little way in the forest. These habitations consist of from four to +eight huts, situated on about an acre of ground which they have cleared +from the surrounding woods. A few pappaw, cotton and mountain-cabbage +trees are scattered round them. + +At one of these habitations a small quantity of the wourali poison was +procured. It was in a little gourd. The Indian who had it said that he +had killed a number of wild hogs with it, and two tapirs. Appearances +seemed to confirm what he said, for on one side it had been nearly +taken out to the bottom, at different times, which probably would not +have been the case had the first or second trial failed. + +Its strength was proved on a middle-sized dog. He was wounded in the +thigh, in order that there might be no possibility of touching a vital +part. In three or four minutes he began to be affected, smelt at every +little thing on the ground around him, and looked wistfully at the +wounded part. Soon after this he staggered, laid himself down, and +never rose more. He barked once, though not as if in pain. His voice +was low and weak; and in a second attempt it quite failed him. He now +put his head betwixt his fore-legs, and raising it slowly again he fell +over on his side. His eye immediately became fixed, and though his +extremities every now and then shot convulsively, he never showed the +least desire to raise up his head. His heart fluttered much from the +time he laid down, and at intervals beat very strong; then stopped for +a moment or two, and then beat again; and continued faintly beating +several minutes after every other part of his body seemed dead. + +In a quarter of an hour after he had received the poison he was quite +motionless. + +A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which indeed is the +only one which can be called a fall, large balls of froth come floating +past you. The river appears beautifully marked with streaks of foam, +and on your nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. + +At first you behold the fall rushing down a bed of rocks with a +tremendous noise, divided into two foamy streams which, at their +junction again, form a small island covered with wood. Above this +island, for a short space, there appears but one stream, all white with +froth, and fretting and boiling amongst the huge rocks which obstruct +its course. + +Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel or two, and +trees grow on the rocks which cause its separation. The torrent, in +many places, has eaten deep into the rocks, and split them into large +fragments by driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are in +bloom and vigour, though their roots are half bared and many of them +bruised and broken by the rushing waters. + +This is the general appearance of the fall from the level of the water +below to where the river is smooth and quiet above. It must be +remembered that this is during the periodical rains. Probably, in the +dry season, it puts on a very different appearance. There is no +perpendicular fall of water of any consequence throughout it, but the +dreadful roaring and rushing of the torrent, down a long rocky and +moderately sloping channel, has a fine effect; and the stranger returns +well pleased with what he has seen. No animal, nor craft of any kind, +could stem this downward flood. In a few moments the first would be +killed, the second dashed in pieces. + +The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the forest, where +prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this path they drag their canoes and +launch them into the river above; and on their return bring them down +the same way. + +About two hours below this fall is the habitation of an Acoway chief +called Sinkerman. At night you hear the roaring of the fall from it. It +is pleasantly situated on the top of a sand-hill. At this place you +have the finest view the River Demerara affords: three tiers of hills +rise in slow gradation, one above the other, before you, and present a +grand and magnificent scene, especially to him who has been accustomed +to a level country. + +Here, a little after midnight, on the first of May, was heard a most +strange and unaccountable noise: it seemed as though several regiments +were engaged and musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, +terrified beyond description, left their hammocks and crowded all +together like sheep at the approach of the wolf. There were no soldiers +within three or four hundred miles. Conjecture was of no avail, and all +conversation next morning on the subject was as useless and +unsatisfactory as the dead silence which succeeded to the noise. + +He who wishes to reach the Macoushi country had better send his canoe +over-land from Sinkerman's to the Essequibo. + +There is a pretty good path, and meeting a creek about three-quarters +of the way, it eases the labour, and twelve Indians will arrive with it +in the Essequibo in four days. + +The traveller need not attend his canoe; there is a shorter and a +better way. Half an hour below Sinkerman's he finds a little creek on +the western bank of the Demerara. After proceeding about a couple of +hundred yards up it, he leaves it, and pursues a west-north-west +direction by land for the Essequibo. The path is good, though somewhat +rugged with the roots of trees, and here and there obstructed by fallen +ones; it extends more over level ground than otherwise. There are a few +steep ascents and descents in it, with a little brook running at the +bottom of them, but they are easily passed over, and the fallen trees +serve for a bridge. + +You may reach the Essequibo with ease in a day and a half; and so +matted and interwoven are the tops of the trees above you that the sun +is not felt once all the way, saving where the space which a +newly-fallen tree occupied lets in his rays upon you. The forest +contains an abundance of wild hogs, lobbas, acouries, powisses, maams, +maroudis and waracabas for your nourishment, and there are plenty of +leaves to cover a shed whenever you are inclined to sleep. + +The soil has three-fourths of sand in it till you come within half an +hour's walk of the Essequibo, where you find a red gravel and rocks. In +this retired and solitary tract Nature's garb, to all appearance, has +not been injured by fire nor her productions broken in upon by the +exterminating hand of man. + +Here the finest green-heart grows, and wallaba, purple-heart, +siloabali, sawari, buletre, tauronira and mora are met with in vast +abundance, far and near, towering up in majestic grandeur, straight as +pillars, sixty or seventy feet high, without a knot or branch. + +Traveller, forget for a little while the idea thou hast of wandering +farther on, and stop and look at this grand picture of vegetable +nature: it is a reflection of the crowd thou hast lately been in, and +though a silent monitor, it is not a less eloquent one on that account. +See that noble purple-heart before thee! Nature has been kind to it. +Not a hole, not the least oozing from its trunk, to show that its best +days are past. Vigorous in youthful blooming beauty, it stands the +ornament of these sequestered wilds and tacitly rebukes those base ones +of thine own species who have been hardy enough to deny the existence +of Him who ordered it to flourish here. + +Behold that one next to it! Hark how the hammerings of the red-headed +woodpecker resound through its distempered boughs! See what a quantity +of holes he has made in it, and how its bark is stained with the drops +which trickle down from them. The lightning, too, has blasted one side +of it. Nature looks pale and wan in its leaves, and her resources are +nearly dried up in its extremities: its sap is tainted; a mortal +sickness, slow as a consumption and as sure in its consequences, has +long since entered its frame, vitiating and destroying the wholesome +juices there. + +Step a few paces aside and cast thine eye on that remnant of a mora +behind it. Best part of its branches, once so high and ornamental, now +lie on the ground in sad confusion, one upon the other, all shattered +and fungus-grown and a prey to millions of insects which are busily +employed in destroying them. One branch of it still looks healthy! Will +it recover? No, it cannot; Nature has already run her course, and that +healthy-looking branch is only as a fallacious good symptom in him who +is just about to die of a mortification when he feels no more pain, and +fancies his distemper has left him; it is as the momentary gleam of a +wintry sun's ray close to the western horizon. See! while we are +speaking a gust of wind has brought the tree to the ground and made +room for its successor. + +Come farther on and examine that apparently luxuriant tauronira on thy +right hand. It boasts a verdure not its own; they are false ornaments +it wears. The bush-rope and bird-vines have clothed it from the root to +its topmost branch. The succession of fruit which it hath borne, like +good cheer in the houses of the great, has invited the birds to resort +to it, and they have disseminated beautiful, though destructive, plants +on its branches which, like the distempers vice brings into the human +frame, rob it of all its health and vigour. They have shortened its +days, and probably in another year they will finally kill it, long +before Nature intended that it should die. + +Ere thou leavest this interesting scene, look on the ground around +thee, and see what everything here below must come to. + +Behold that newly-fallen wallaba! The whirlwind has uprooted it in its +prime, and it has brought down to the ground a dozen small ones in its +fall. Its bark has already begun to drop off! And that heart of mora +close by it is fast yielding, in spite of its firm, tough texture. + +The tree which thou passedst but a little ago, and which perhaps has +laid over yonder brook for years, can now hardly support itself, and in +a few months more it will have fallen into the water. + +Put thy foot on that large trunk thou seest to the left. It seems +entire amid the surrounding fragments. Mere outward appearance, +delusive phantom of what it once was! Tread on it and, like the +fuss-ball, it will break into dust. + +Sad and silent mementos to the giddy traveller as he wanders on! +Prostrate remnants of vegetable nature, how incontestably ye prove what +we must all at last come to, and how plain your mouldering ruins show +that the firmest texture avails us naught when Heaven wills that we +should cease to be! + + The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, + The solemn temples, the great globe itself, + Yea, all which it inhabit, shall dissolve, + And, like the baseless fabric of a vision, + Leave not a wreck behind. + +Cast thine eye around thee and see the thousands of Nature's +productions. Take a view of them from the opening seed on the surface +sending a downward shoot, to the loftiest and the largest trees rising +up and blooming in wild luxuriance: some side by side, others separate; +some curved and knotty, others straight as lances; all, in beautiful +gradation, fulfilling the mandates they had received from Heaven and, +though condemned to die, still never failing to keep up their species +till time shall be no more. + +Reader, canst thou not be induced to dedicate a few months to the good +of the public, and examine with thy scientific eye the productions +which the vast and well-stored colony of Demerara presents to thee? + +What an immense range of forest is there from the rock Saba to the +great fall! and what an uninterrupted extent before thee from it to the +banks of the Essequibo! No doubt there is many a balsam and many a +medicinal root yet to be discovered, and many a resin, gum and oil yet +unnoticed. Thy work would be a pleasing one, and thou mightest make +several useful observations in it. + +Would it be thought impertinent in thee to hazard a conjecture that, +with the resources the Government of Demerara has, stones might be +conveyed from the rock Saba to Stabroek to stem the equinoctial tides +which are for ever sweeping away the expensive wooden piles round the +mounds of the fort? Or would the timber-merchant point at thee in +passing by and call thee a descendant of La Mancha's knight, because +thou maintainest that the stones which form the rapids might be removed +with little expense, and thus open the navigation to the wood-cutter +from Stabroek to the great fall? Or wouldst thou be deemed enthusiastic +or biassed because thou givest it as thy opinion that the climate in +these high-lands is exceedingly wholesome, and the lands themselves +capable of nourishing and maintaining any number of settlers? In thy +dissertation on the Indians thou mightest hint that possibly they could +be induced to help the new settlers a little; and that, finding their +labours well requited, it would be the means of their keeping up a +constant communication with us which probably might be the means of +laying the first stone towards their Christianity. They are a poor +harmless, inoffensive set of people, and their wandering and +ill-provided way of living seems more to ask for pity from us than to +fill our heads with thoughts that they would be hostile to us. + +What a noble field, kind reader, for thy experimental philosophy and +speculations, for thy learning, for thy perseverance, for thy +kindheartedness, for everything that is great and good within thee! + +The accidental traveller who has journeyed on from Stabroek to the rock +Saba, and from thence to the banks of the Essequibo, in pursuit of +other things, as he told thee at the beginning, with but an indifferent +interpreter to talk to, no friend to converse with, and totally unfit +for that which he wishes thee to do, can merely mark the outlines of +the path he has trodden, or tell thee the sounds he has heard, or +faintly describe what he has seen in the environs of his +resting-places; but if this be enough to induce thee to undertake the +journey, and give the world a description of it, he will be amply +satisfied. + +It will be two days and a half from the time of entering the path on +the western bank of the Demerara till all be ready and the canoe fairly +afloat on the Essequibo. The new rigging it, and putting every little +thing to rights and in its proper place, cannot well be done in less +than a day. + +After being night and day in the forest, impervious to the sun's and +moon's rays, the sudden transition to light has a fine heart-cheering +effect. Welcome as a lost friend, the solar beam makes the frame +rejoice, and with it a thousand enlivening thoughts rush at once on the +soul and disperse, as a vapour, every sad and sorrowful idea which the +deep gloom had helped to collect there. In coming out of the woods you +see the western bank of the Essequibo before you, low and flat. Here +the river is two-thirds as broad as the Demerara at Stabroek. + +To the northward there is a hill higher than any in the Demerara; and +in the south-south-west quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears +like a bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not the least opening on +either side. Hills, valleys and low-lands are all linked together by a +chain of forest. Ascend the highest mountain, climb the loftiest tree, +as far as the eye can extend, whichever way it directs itself, all is +luxuriant and unbroken forest. + +In about nine or ten hours from this you get to an Indian habitation of +three huts, on the point of an island. It is said that a Dutch post +once stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige of it remaining +and, except that the trees appear younger than those on the other +islands, which shows that the place has been cleared some time or +other, there is no mark left by which you can conjecture that ever this +was a post. + +The many islands which you meet with in the way enliven and change the +scene, by the avenues which they make, which look like the mouths of +other rivers, and break that long-extended sameness which is seen in +the Demerara. + +Proceeding onwards you get to the falls and rapids. In the rainy season +they are very tedious to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry +season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians soon manage to get a +canoe over them. But when the river is swollen, as it was in May 1812, +it is then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one, too. At that +time many of the islands were over-flowed, the rocks covered and the +lower branches of the trees in the water. Sometimes the Indians were +obliged to take everything out of the canoe, cut a passage through the +branches which hung over into the river, and then drag up the canoe by +main force. + +At one place the falls form an oblique line quite across the river +impassable to the ascending canoe, and you are forced to have it +dragged four or five hundred yards by land. + +It will take you five days, from the Indian habitation on the point of +the island, to where these falls and rapids terminate. + +There are no huts in the way. You must bring your own cassava bread +along with you, hunt in the forest for your meat and make the night's +shelter for yourself. + +Here is a noble range of hills, all covered with the finest trees +rising majestically one above the other, on the western bank, and +presenting as rich a scene as ever the eye would wish to look on. +Nothing in vegetable nature can be conceived more charming, grand and +luxuriant. + +How the heart rejoices in viewing this beautiful landscape when the sky +is serene, the air cool and the sun just sunk behind the mountain's top! + +The hayawa-tree perfumes the woods around: pairs of scarlet aras are +continually crossing the river. The maam sends forth its plaintive +note, the wren chants its evening song. The caprimulgus wheels in busy +flight around the canoe, while "Whip-poor-will" sits on the broken +stump near the water's edge, complaining as the shades of night set in. + +A little before you pass the last of these rapids two immense rocks +appear, nearly on the summit of one of the many hills which form this +far-extending range where it begins to fall off gradually to the south. + +They look like two ancient stately towers of some Gothic potentate +rearing their heads above the surrounding trees. What with their +situation and their shape together, they strike the beholder with an +idea of antiquated grandeur which he will never forget. He may travel +far and near and see nothing like them. On looking at them through a +glass the summit of the southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The +one to the north was quite bare. The Indians have it from their +ancestors that they are the abode of an evil genius, and they pass in +the river below with a reverential awe. + +In about seven hours from these stupendous sons of the hill you leave +the Essequibo and enter the River Apoura-poura, which falls into it +from the south. The Apoura-poura is nearly one-third the size of the +Demerara at Stabroek. For two days you see nothing but level ground +richly clothed in timber. You leave the Siparouni to the right hand, +and on the third day come to a little hill. The Indians have cleared +about an acre of ground on it and erected a temporary shed. If it be +not intended for provision-ground alone, perhaps the next white man who +travels through these remote wilds will find an Indian settlement here. + +Two days after leaving this you get to a rising ground on the western +bank where stands a single hut, and about half a mile in the forest +there are a few more: some of them square and some round, with spiral +roofs. + +Here the fish called pacou is very plentiful: it is perhaps the fattest +and most delicious fish in Guiana. It does not take the hook, but the +Indians decoy it to the surface of the water by means of the seeds of +the crab-wood tree and then shoot it with an arrow. + +You are now within the borders of Macoushia, inhabited by a different +tribe of people called Macoushi Indians, uncommonly dexterous in the +use of the blow-pipe and famous for their skill in preparing the deadly +vegetable-poison commonly called wourali. + +It is from this country that those beautiful paroquets named +kessi-kessi are procured. Here the crystal mountains are found; and +here the three different species of the ara are seen in great +abundance. Here too grows the tree from which the gum-elastic is got: +it is large and as tall as any in the forest. The wood has much the +appearance of sycamore. The gum is contained in the bark: when that is +cut through it oozes out very freely; it is quite white and looks as +rich as cream; it hardens almost immediately as it issues from the +tree, so that it is very easy to collect a ball by forming the juice +into a globular shape as fast as it comes out. It becomes nearly black +by being exposed to the air, and is real india-rubber without +undergoing any other process. + +The elegant crested bird called cock-of-the-rock, admirably described +by Buffon, is a native of the woody mountains of Macoushia. In the +daytime it retires amongst the darkest rocks, and only comes out to +feed a little before sunrise and at sunset: he is of a gloomy +disposition and, like the houtou, never associates with the other birds +of the forest. + +The Indians in the just-mentioned settlement seemed to depend more on +the wourali poison for killing their game than upon anything else. They +had only one gun, and it appeared rusty and neglected, but their +poisoned weapons were in fine order. Their blow-pipes hung from the +roof of the hut, carefully suspended by a silk-grass cord, and on +taking a nearer view of them no dust seemed to have collected there, +nor had the spider spun the smallest web on them, which showed that +they were in constant use. The quivers were close by them, with the +jaw-bone of the fish pirai tied by a string to their brim and a small +wicker-basket of wild cotton, which hung down to the centre; they were +nearly full of poisoned arrows. It was with difficulty these Indians +could be persuaded to part with any of the wourali poison, though a +good price was offered for it: they gave to understand that it was +powder and shot to them, and very difficult to be procured. + +On the second day after leaving this settlement, in passing along, the +Indians show you a place where once a white man lived. His retiring so +far from those of his own colour and acquaintance seemed to carry +something extraordinary along with it, and raised a desire to know what +could have induced him to do so. It seems he had been unsuccessful, and +that his creditors had treated him with as little mercy as the strong +generally show to the weak. Seeing his endeavours daily frustrated and +his best intentions of no avail, and fearing that when they had taken +all he had they would probably take his liberty too, he thought the +world would not be hardhearted enough to condemn him for retiring from +the evils which pressed so heavily on him, and which he had done all +that an honest man could do to ward off. He left his creditors to talk +of him as they thought fit, and, bidding adieu for ever to the place in +which he had once seen better times, he penetrated thus far into these +remote and gloomy wilds and ended his days here. + +According to the new map of South America, Lake Parima, or the White +Sea, ought to be within three or four days' walk from this place. On +asking the Indians whether there was such a place or not, and +describing that the water was fresh and good to drink, an old Indian, +who appeared to be about sixty, said that there was such a place, and +that he had been there. This information would have been satisfactory +in some degree had not the Indians carried the point a little too far. +It is very large, said another Indian, and ships come to it. Now these +unfortunate ships were the very things which were not wanted: had he +kept them out, it might have done, but his introducing them was sadly +against the lake. Thus you must either suppose that the old savage and +his companion had a confused idea of the thing, and that probably the +Lake Parima they talked of was the Amazons, not far from the city of +Para, or that it was their intention to deceive you. You ought to be +cautious in giving credit to their stories, otherwise you will be apt +to be led astray. + +Many a ridiculous thing concerning the interior of Guiana has been +propagated and received as true merely because six or seven Indians, +questioned separately, have agreed in their narrative. + +Ask those who live high up in the Demerara, and they will, every one of +them, tell you that there is a nation of Indians with long tails; that +they are very malicious, cruel and ill-natured; and that the Portuguese +have been obliged to stop them off in a certain river to prevent their +depredations. They have also dreadful stories concerning a horrible +beast called the water-mamma which, when it happens to take a spite +against a canoe, rises out of the river and in the most unrelenting +manner possible carries both canoe and Indians down to the bottom with +it, and there destroys them. Ludicrous extravagances! pleasing to those +fond of the marvellous, and excellent matter for a distempered brain. + +The misinformed and timid court of policy in Demerara was made the dupe +of a savage who came down the Essequibo and gave himself out as king of +a mighty tribe. This naked wild man of the woods seemed to hold the +said court in tolerable contempt, and demanded immense supplies, all +which he got; and moreover, some time after, an invitation to come down +the ensuing year for more, which he took care not to forget. + +This noisy chieftain boasted so much of his dynasty and domain that the +Government was induced to send up an expedition into his territories to +see if he had spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. It appeared, +however, that his palace was nothing but a hut, the monarch a needy +savage, the heir-apparent nothing to inherit but his father's club and +bow and arrows, and his officers of state wild and uncultivated as the +forests through which they strayed. + +There was nothing in the hut of this savage, saving the presents he had +received from Government, but what was barely sufficient to support +existence; nothing that indicated a power to collect a hostile force; +nothing that showed the least progress towards civilisation. All was +rude and barbarous in the extreme, expressive of the utmost poverty and +a scanty population. + +You may travel six or seven days without seeing a hut, and when you +reach a settlement it seldom contains more than ten. + +The farther you advance into the interior, the more you are convinced +that it is thinly inhabited. + +The day after passing the place where the white man lived you see a +creek on the left-hand, and shortly after the path to the open country. +Here you drag the canoe up into the forest, and leave it there. Your +baggage must now be carried by the Indians. The creek you passed in the +river intersects the path to the next settlement; a large mora has +fallen across it and makes an excellent bridge. After walking an hour +and a half you come to the edge of the forest, and a savanna unfolds +itself to the view. + +The finest park that England boasts falls far short of this delightful +scene. There are about two thousand acres of grass, with here and there +a clump of trees and a few bushes and single trees scattered up and +down by the hand of Nature. The ground is neither hilly nor level, but +diversified with moderate rises and falls, so gently running into one +another that the eye cannot distinguish where they begin nor where they +end; while the distant black rocks have the appearance of a herd at +rest. Nearly in the middle there is an eminence which falls off +gradually on every side, and on this the Indians have erected their +huts. + +To the northward of them the forest forms a circle, as though it had +been done by art; to the eastward it hangs in festoons; and to the +south and west it rushes in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it +at every step as you advance along. + +This beautiful park of Nature is quite surrounded by lofty hills, all +arrayed in superbest garb of trees: some in the form of pyramids, +others like sugar-loaves, towering one above the other, some rounded +off, and others as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills rise +up in spiral summits, and the wooded line of communication betwixt them +sinks so gradually that it forms a crescent; and there the ridges of +others resemble the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these appear +others, and others past them, and others still farther on, till they +can scarcely be distinguished from the clouds. + +There are no sand-flies nor bête-rouge nor mosquitos in this pretty +spot. The fire-flies, during the night, vie in numbers and brightness +with the stars in the firmament above; the air is pure, and the +north-east breeze blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. Here the +white-crested maroudi, which is never found in the Demerara, is pretty +plentiful; and here grows the tree which produces the moran, sometimes +called balsam-capivi. + +Your route lies south from this place; and at the extremity of the +savanna you enter the forest and journey along a winding path at the +foot of a hill. There is no habitation within this day's walk. The +traveller, as usual, must sleep in the forest; the path is not so good +the following day. The hills over which it lies are rocky, steep and +rugged; and the spaces betwixt them swampy and mostly knee-deep in +water. After eight hours' walk you find two or three Indian huts, +surrounded by the forest; and in little more than half an hour from +these you come to ten or twelve others, where you pass the night. They +are prettily situated at the entrance into a savanna. The eastern and +western hills are still covered with wood; but on looking to the +south-west quarter you perceive it begins to die away. In these forests +you may find plenty of the trees which yield the sweet-smelling resin +called accaiari, and which, when pounded and burnt on charcoal, gives a +delightful fragrance. + +From hence you proceed, in a south-west direction, through a long +swampy savanna. Some of the hills which border on it have nothing but a +thin coarse grass and huge stones on them: others quite wooded; others +with their summits crowned and their base quite bare; and others again +with their summits bare and their base in thickest wood. + +Half of this day's march is in water nearly up to the knees. There are +four creeks to pass: one of them has a fallen tree across it. You must +make your own bridge across the other three. Probably, were the truth +known, these apparently four creeks are only the meanders of one. + +The jabiru, the largest bird in Guiana, feeds in the marshy savanna +through which you have just passed. He is wary and shy, and will not +allow you to get within gunshot of him. + +You sleep this night in the forest, and reach an Indian settlement +about three o'clock the next evening, after walking one-third of the +way through wet and miry ground. + +But bad as the walking is through it, it is easier than where you cross +over the bare hills, where you have to tread on sharp stones, most of +them lying edgewise. + +The ground gone over these two last days seems condemned to perpetual +solitude and silence. There was not one four-footed animal to be seen, +nor even the marks of one. It would have been as silent as midnight, +and all as still and unmoved as a monument, had not the jabiru in the +marsh and a few vultures soaring over the mountain's top shown that it +was not quite deserted by animated nature. There were no insects, +except one kind of fly about one-fourth the size of the common +house-fly. It bit cruelly, and was much more tormenting than the +mosquito on the sea-coast. + +This seems to be the native country of the arrowroot. Wherever you +passed through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it +growing luxuriantly. + +The Indian place you are now at is not the proper place to have come to +in order to reach the Portuguese frontiers. You have advanced too much +to the westward. But there was no alternative. The ground betwixt you +and another small settlement (which was the right place to have gone +to) was overflowed; and thus, instead of proceeding southward, you were +obliged to wind along the foot of the western hills, quite out of your +way. + +But the grand landscape this place affords makes you ample amends for +the time you have spent in reaching it. It would require great +descriptive powers to give a proper idea of the situation these people +have chosen for their dwelling. + +The hill they are on is steep and high, and full of immense rocks. The +huts are not all in one place, but dispersed wherever they have found a +place level enough for a lodgment. Before you ascend the hill you see +at intervals an acre or two of wood, then an open space with a few huts +on it; then wood again, and then an open space, and so on, till the +intervening of the western hills, higher and steeper still, and crowded +with trees of the loveliest shades, closes the enchanting scene. + +At the base of this hill stretches an immense plain which appears to +the eye, on this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The +mountains on the other side are piled one upon the other in romantic +forms, and gradually retire, till they are undiscernible from the +clouds in which they are involved. To the south-southwest this +far-extending plain is lost in the horizon. The trees on it, which look +like islands on the ocean, add greatly to the beauty of the landscape, +while the rivulet's course is marked out by the æta-trees which follow +its meanders. + +Not being able to pursue the direct course from hence to the next +Indian habitation, on account of the floods of water which fall at this +time of the year, you take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. + +At last a large and deep creek stops your progress: it is wide and +rapid, and its banks very steep. There is neither curial nor canoe nor +purple-heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a wood-skin to carry you +over, so that you are obliged to swim across; and by the time you have +formed a kind of raft composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass to +ferry over your baggage, the day will be too far spent to think of +proceeding. You must be very cautious before you venture to swim across +this creek, for the alligators are numerous and near twenty feet long. +On the present occasion the Indians took uncommon precautions lest they +should be devoured by this cruel and voracious reptile. They cut long +sticks and examined closely the side of the creek for half a mile above +and below the place where it was to be crossed; and as soon as the +boldest had swum over he did the same on the other side, and then all +followed. + +After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is well wooded, it +is a brisk walk of nine hours before you reach four Indian huts, on a +rising ground, a few hundred paces from a little brook whose banks are +covered over with coucourite- and æta-trees. + +This is the place you ought to have come to two days ago, had the water +permitted you. In crossing the plain at the most advantageous place you +are above ankle-deep in water for three hours; the remainder of the way +is dry, the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this spacious +plain put on somewhat the appearance of a lake during the periodical +rains, it is not improbable but that this is the place which hath given +rise to the supposed existence of the famed Lake Parima, or El Dorado; +but this is mere conjecture. + +A few deer are feeding on the coarse, rough grass of this far-extending +plain; they keep at a distance from you, and are continually on the +look-out. + +The spur-winged plover and a species of the curlew, black with a white +bar across the wings, nearly as large again as the scarlet curlew on +the sea-coast, frequently rise before you. Here too the muscovy duck is +numerous, and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you as you +pass on, but keep out of gunshot. The milk-white egrets and jabirus are +distinguished at a great distance, and in the æta- and coucourite-trees +you may observe flocks of scarlet and blue aras feeding on the seeds. + +It is to these trees that the largest sort of toucan resorts. He is +remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his fine yellow bill. +He is very scarce in Demerara, and never seen except near the sea-coast. + +The ants' nests have a singular appearance on this plain; they are in +vast abundance on those parts of it free from water, and are formed of +an exceeding hard yellow clay. They rise eight or ten feet from the +ground, in a spiral form, impenetrable to the rain and strong enough to +defy the severest tornado. + +The wourali poison procured in these last-mentioned huts seemed very +good, and proved afterwards to be very strong. + +There are now no more Indian settlements betwixt you and the Portuguese +frontiers. If you wish to visit their fort, it would be advisable to +send an Indian with a letter from hence and wait his return. On the +present occasion a very fortunate circumstance occurred. The Portuguese +commander had sent some Indians and soldiers to build a canoe not far +from this settlement; they had just finished it, and those who did not +stay with it had stopped here on their return. + +The soldier who commanded the rest said he durst not, upon any account, +convey a stranger to the fort: but he added, as there were two canoes, +one of them might be despatched with a letter, and then we could +proceed slowly on in the other. + +About three hours from this settlement there is a river called +Pirarara, and here the soldiers had left their canoes while they were +making the new one. From the Pirarara you get into the River Maou, and +then into the Tacatou; and just where the Tacatou falls into the Rio +Branco there stands the Portuguese frontier-fort called Fort St. +Joachim. From the time of embarking in the River Pirarara it takes you +four days before you reach this fort. + +There was nothing very remarkable in passing down these rivers. It is +an open country, producing a coarse grass and interspersed with clumps +of trees. The banks have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and +crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. + +The tapir frequently plunged into the river; he was by no means shy, +and it was easy to get a shot at him on land. The kessi-kessi paroquets +were in great abundance, and the fine scarlet aras innumerable in the +coucourite-trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou +was seen the troupiale. It was charming to hear the sweet and plaintive +notes of this pretty songster of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the +nightingale of Guiana. + +Towards the close of the fourth evening the canoe which had been sent +on with a letter met us with the commander's answer. During its absence +the nights had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, +the days cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet hammocks. Exposed +thus, day and night, to the chilling blast and pelting shower, strength +of constitution at last failed and a severe fever came on. The +commander's answer was very polite. He remarked, he regretted much to +say that he had received orders to allow no stranger to enter the +frontier, and this being the case he hoped I would not consider him as +uncivil: "however," continued he, "I have ordered the soldier to land +you at a certain distance from the fort, where we can consult together." + +We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which brought the letter +returned to the fort to tell the commander I had fallen sick. + +The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after when the +Portuguese officer came to the spot where we had landed the preceding +evening. He was tall and spare, and appeared to be from fifty to +fifty-five years old; and though thirty years of service under an +equatorial sun had burnt and shrivelled up his face, still there was +something in it so inexpressibly affable and kind that it set you +immediately at your ease. He came close up to the hammock, and taking +hold of my wrist to feel the pulse, "I am sorry, Sir," said he, "to see +that the fever has taken such hold of you. You shall go directly with +me," continued he, "to the fort; and though we have no doctor there, I +trust," added he, "we shall soon bring you about again. The orders I +have received forbidding the admission of strangers were never intended +to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." + +As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river towards the fort, the +commander asked with much more interest than a question in ordinary +conversation is asked, where was I on the night of the first of May? On +telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the great +fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden noise had alarmed +all the Indians, he said the same astonishing noise had roused every +man in Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under arms till +morning. He observed that he had been quite at a loss to form any idea +what could have caused the noise; but now learning that the same noise +had been heard at the same time far away from the Rio Branco, it struck +him there must have been an earthquake somewhere or other. + +Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied attention and kindness of +the Portuguese commander, stopped the progress of the fever and enabled +me to walk about in six days. + +Fort St. Joachim was built about five and forty years ago under the +apprehension, it is said, that the Spaniards were coming from the Rio +Negro to settle there. It has been much neglected; the floods of water +have carried away the gate and destroyed the wall on each side of it, +but the present commander is putting it into thorough repair. When +finished it will mount six nine- and six twelve-pounders. + +In a straight line with the fort, and within a few yards of the river, +stand the commander's house, the barracks, the chapel, the +father-confessor's house and two others, all at little intervals from +each other; and these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The +neighbouring extensive plains afford good pasturage for a fine breed of +cattle, and the Portuguese make enough of butter and cheese for their +own consumption. + +On asking the old officer if there were such a place as Lake Parima, or +El Dorado, he replied he looked upon it as imaginary altogether. "I +have been above forty years," added he, "in Portuguese Guiana, but have +never yet met with anybody who has seen the lake." + +So much for Lake Parima, or El Dorado, or the White Sea. Its existence +at best seems doubtful: some affirm that there is such a place and +others deny it. + + Grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est. + +Having now reached the Portuguese inland frontier and collected a +sufficient quantity of the wourali poison, nothing remains but to give +a brief account of its composition, its effects, its uses and its +supposed antidotes. + +It has been already remarked that in the extensive wilds of Demerara +and Essequibo, far away from any European settlement, there is a tribe +of Indians who are known by the name of Macoushi. + +Though the wourali poison is used by all the South American savages +betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque, still this tribe makes it +stronger than any of the rest. The Indians in the vicinity of the Rio +Negro are aware of this, and come to the Macoushi country to purchase +it. + +Much has been said concerning this fatal and extraordinary poison. Some +have affirmed that its effects are almost instantaneous, provided the +minutest particle of it mixes with the blood; and others again have +maintained that it is not strong enough to kill an animal of the size +and strength of a man. The first have erred by lending a too willing +ear to the marvellous and believing assertions without sufficient +proof. The following short story points out the necessity of a cautious +examination. + +One day, on asking an Indian if he thought the poison would kill a man, +he replied that they always go to battle with it; that he was standing +by when an Indian was shot with a poisoned arrow, and that he expired +almost immediately. Not wishing to dispute this apparently satisfactory +information the subject was dropped. + +However, about an hour after, having purposely asked him in what part +of the body the said Indian was wounded, he answered without hesitation +that the arrow entered betwixt his shoulders and passed quite through +his heart. Was it the weapon or the strength of the poison that brought +on immediate dissolution in this case? Of course the weapon. + +The second have been misled by disappointment caused by neglect in +keeping the poisoned arrows, or by not knowing how to use them, or by +trying inferior poison. If the arrows are not kept dry the poison loses +its strength, and in wet or damp weather it turns mouldy and becomes +quite soft. In shooting an arrow in this state, upon examining the +place where it has entered, it will be observed that, though the arrow +has penetrated deep into the flesh, still by far the greatest part of +the poison has shrunk back, and thus, instead of entering with the +arrow, it has remained collected at the mouth of the wound. In this +case the arrow might as well have not been poisoned. Probably it was to +this that a gentleman, some time ago, owed his disappointment when he +tried the poison on a horse in the town of Stabroek, the capital of +Demerara; the horse never betrayed the least symptom of being affected +by it. + +Wishful to obtain the best information concerning this poison, and as +repeated inquiries, in lieu of dissipating the surrounding shade, did +but tend more and more to darken the little light that existed, I +determined to penetrate into the country where the poisonous +ingredients grow, where this pernicious composition is prepared and +where it is constantly used. Success attended the adventure, and the +information acquired made amends for one hundred and twenty days passed +in the solitudes of Guiana, and afforded a balm to the wounds and +bruises which every traveller must expect to receive who wanders +through a thorny and obstructed path. + +Thou must not, courteous reader, expect a dissertation on the manner in +which the wourali poison operates on the system: a treatise has been +already written on the subject, and, after all, there is probably still +reason to doubt. It is supposed to affect the nervous system, and thus +destroy the vital functions; it is also said to be perfectly harmless +provided it does not touch the blood. However, this is certain: when a +sufficient quantity of it enters the blood, death is the inevitable +consequence; but there is no alteration in the colour of the blood, and +both the blood and flesh may be eaten with safety. + +All that thou wilt find here is a concise, unadorned account of the +wourali poison. It may be of service to thee some time or other +shouldst thou ever travel through the wilds where it is used. Neither +attribute to cruelty, nor to a want of feeling for the sufferings of +the inferior animals, the ensuing experiments. The larger animals were +destroyed in order to have proof positive of the strength of a poison +which hath hitherto been doubted, and the smaller ones were killed with +the hope of substantiating that which has commonly been supposed to be +an antidote. + +It makes a pitying heart ache to see a poor creature in distress and +pain; and too often has the compassionate traveller occasion to heave a +sigh as he journeys on. However, here, though the kind-hearted will be +sorry to read of an unoffending animal doomed to death in order to +satisfy a doubt, still it will be a relief to know that the victim was +not tortured. The wourali poison destroys life's action so gently that +the victim appears to be in no pain whatever; and probably, were the +truth known, it feels none, saving the momentary smart at the time the +arrow enters. + +A day or two before the Macoushi Indian prepares his poison he goes +into the forest in quest of the ingredients. A vine grows in these +wilds which is called wourali. It is from this that the poison takes +its name, and it is the principal ingredient. When he has procured +enough of this he digs up a root of a very bitter taste, ties them +together, and then looks about for two kinds of bulbous plants which +contain a green and glutinous juice. He fills a little quake which he +carries on his back with the stalks of these; and lastly ranges up and +down till he finds two species of ants. One of them is very large and +black, and so venomous that its sting produces a fever: it is most +commonly to be met with on the ground. The other is a little red ant +which stings like a nettle, and generally has its nest under the leaf +of a shrub. After obtaining these he has no more need to range the +forest. + +A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is used, but this he has +already planted round his hut. The pounded fangs of the labarri snake +and those of the counacouchi are likewise added. These he commonly has +in store, for when he kills a snake he generally extracts the fangs and +keeps them by him. + +Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he scrapes the wourali +vine and bitter root into thin shavings and puts them into a kind of +colander made of leaves. This he holds over an earthen pot, and pours +water on the shavings: the liquor which comes through has the +appearance of coffee. When a sufficient quantity has been procured the +shavings are thrown aside. He then bruises the bulbous stalks and +squeezes a proportionate quantity of their juice through his hands into +the pot. Lastly the snakes' fangs, ants and pepper are bruised and +thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow fire, and as it boils more +of the juice of the wourali is added, according as it may be found +necessary, and the scum is taken off with a leaf: it remains on the +fire till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. As soon as +it has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with it, to try +its strength. If it answer the expectations it is poured out into a +calabash, or little pot of Indian manufacture, which is carefully +covered with a couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin +tied round with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part of the hut, +and from time to time suspend it over the fire to counteract the +effects of dampness. + +The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the +savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and +make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or +in the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali +poison, many precautions are supposed to be necessary. + +The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the +Yabahou, or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it +has been boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He +who makes the poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue +fasting as long as the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled +must be a new one, and must never have held anything before, otherwise +the poison would be deficient in strength: add to this that the +operator must take particular care not to expose himself to the vapour +which arises from it while on the fire. + +Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing +the face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; +and the operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself +to be, sick for some days after. + +Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a +gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it +affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one +evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having +anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child! + +Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned +necessary in order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions +and conjectures may militate against the absolute necessity of some of +them, still it would be hardly fair to pronounce them added by the hand +of superstition till proof positive can be obtained. + +We might argue on the subject, and by bringing forward instances of +Indian superstition draw our conclusion by inference, and still remain +in doubt on this head. You know superstition to be the offspring of +ignorance, and of course that it takes up its abode amongst the rudest +tribes of uncivilised man. It even too often resides with man in his +more enlightened state. + +The Augustan age furnishes numerous examples. A bone snatched from the +jaws of a fasting bitch, and a feather from the wing of a +night-owl--"ossa ab ore rapta jejunæ canis, plumamque nocturnæ +strigis"--were necessary for Canidia's incantations. And in after-times +Parson Evans, the Welshman, was treated most ungenteelly by an enraged +spirit solely because he had forgotten a fumigation in his witch-work. + +If, then, enlightened man lets his better sense give way, and believes, +or allows himself to be persuaded, that certain substances and actions, +in reality of no avail, possess a virtue which renders them useful in +producing the wished-for effect, may not the wild, untaught, +unenlightened savage of Guiana add an ingredient which, on account of +the harm it does him, he fancies may be useful to the perfection of his +poison, though in fact it be of no use at all? If a bone snatched from +the jaws of a fasting bitch be thought necessary in incantation; or if +witchcraft have recourse to the raiment of the owl because it resorts +to the tombs and mausoleums of the dead and wails and hovers about at +the time that the rest of animated nature sleeps; certainly the savage +may imagine that the ants, whose sting causes a fever, and the teeth of +the labarri and counacouchi snakes, which convey death in a very short +space of time, are essentially necessary in the composition of his +poison; and being once impressed with this idea, he will add them every +time he makes the poison and transmit the absolute use of them to his +posterity. The question to be answered seems not to be if it is natural +for the Indians to mix these ingredients, but if they are essential to +make the poison. + +So much for the preparing of this vegetable essence: terrible importer +of death, into whatever animal it enters. Let us now see how it is +used; let us examine the weapons which bear it to its destination, and +take a view of the poor victim from the time he receives his wound till +death comes to his relief. + +When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of feathered game or other +birds he seldom carries his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he then +uses. This extraordinary tube of death is, perhaps, one of the greatest +natural curiosities of Guiana. It is not found in the country of the +Macoushi. Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south-west of +them, in the wilds which extend betwixt them and the Rio Negro. The +reed must grow to an amazing length, as the part the Indians use is +from ten to eleven feet long, and no tapering can be perceived in it, +one end being as thick as the other. It is of a bright yellow colour, +perfectly smooth both inside and out. It grows hollow, nor is there the +least appearance of a knot or joint throughout the whole extent. The +natives call it ourah. This of itself is too slender to answer the end +of a blow-pipe, but there is a species of palma, larger and stronger, +and common in Guiana, and this the Indians make use of as a case in +which they put the ourah. It is brown, susceptible of a fine polish, +and appears as if it had joints five or six inches from each other. It +is called samourah, and the pulp inside is easily extracted by steeping +it for a few days in water. + +Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the other, form the blow-pipe +of Guiana. The end which is applied to the mouth is tied round with a +small silk-grass cord to prevent its splitting, and the other end, +which is apt to strike against the ground, is secured by the seed of +the acuero fruit cut horizontally through the middle, with a hole made +in the end through which is put the extremity of the blow-pipe. It is +fastened on with string on the outside, and the inside is filled up +with wild-bees' wax. + +The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It is made out of the leaf +of a species of palm-tree called coucourite, hard and brittle, and +pointed as sharp as a needle. About an inch of the pointed end is +poisoned. The other end is burnt to make it still harder, and wild +cotton is put round it for about an inch and a half. It requires +considerable practice to put on this cotton well. It must just be large +enough to fit the hollow of the tube and taper off to nothing +downwards. They tie it on with a thread of the silk-grass to prevent +its slipping off the arrow. + +The Indians have shown ingenuity in making a quiver to hold the arrows. +It will contain from five to six hundred. It is generally from twelve +to fourteen inches long, and in shape resembles a dice-box used at +backgammon. The inside is prettily done in basket-work with wood not +unlike bamboo, and the outside has a coat of wax. The cover is all of +one piece formed out of the skin of the tapir. Round the centre there +is fastened a loop large enough to admit the arm and shoulder, from +which it hangs when used. To the rim is tied a little bunch of +silk-grass and half of the jaw-bone of the fish called pirai, with +which the Indian scrapes the point of his arrow. + +Before he puts the arrows into the quiver he links them together by two +strings of cotton, one string at each end, and then folds them round a +stick which is nearly the length of the quiver. The end of the stick, +which is uppermost, is guarded by two little pieces of wood crosswise, +with a hoop round their extremities, which appears something like a +wheel, and this saves the hand from being wounded when the quiver is +reversed in order to let the bunch of arrows drop out. + +There is also attached to the quiver a little kind of basket to hold +the wild cotton which is put on the blunt end of the arrow. With a +quiver of poisoned arrows slung over his shoulder, and with his +blow-pipe in his hand, in the same position as a soldier carries his +musket, see the Macoushi Indian advancing towards the forest in quest +of powises, maroudis, waracabas and other feathered game. + +These generally sit high up in the tall and tufted trees, but still are +not out of the Indian's reach, for his blow-pipe, at its greatest +elevation, will send an arrow three hundred feet. Silent as midnight he +steals under them, and so cautiously does he tread the ground that the +fallen leaves rustle not beneath his feet. His ears are open to the +least sound, while his eye, keen as that of the lynx, is employed in +finding out the game in the thickest shade. Often he imitates their +cry, and decoys them from tree to tree, till they are within range of +his tube. Then taking a poisoned arrow from his quiver, he puts it in +the blow-pipe and collects his breath for the fatal puff. + +About two feet from the end through which he blows there are fastened +two teeth of the acouri, and these serve him for a sight. Silent and +swift the arrow flies, and seldom fails to pierce the object at which +it is sent. Sometimes the wounded bird remains in the same tree where +it was shot, and in three minutes falls down at the Indian's feet. +Should he take wing his flight is of short duration, and the Indian, +following the direction he has gone, is sure to find him dead. + +It is natural to imagine that when a slight wound only is inflicted the +game will make its escape. Far otherwise; the wourali poison almost +instantaneously mixes with blood or water, so that if you wet your +finger and dash it along the poisoned arrow in the quickest manner +possible you are sure to carry off some of the poison. Though three +minutes generally elapse before the convulsions come on in the wounded +bird, still a stupor evidently takes place sooner, and this stupor +manifests itself by an apparent unwillingness in the bird to move. This +was very visible in a dying fowl. + +Having procured a healthy full-grown one, a short piece of a poisoned +blow-pipe arrow was broken off and run up into its thigh, as near as +possible betwixt the skin and the flesh, in order that it might not be +incommoded by the wound. For the first minute it walked about, but +walked very slowly, and did not appear the least agitated. During the +second minute it stood still, and began to peck the ground; and ere +half another had elapsed it frequently opened and shut its mouth. The +tail had now dropped and the wings almost touched the ground. By the +termination of the third minute it had sat down, scarce able to support +its head, which nodded, and then recovered itself, and then nodded +again, lower and lower every time, like that of a weary traveller +slumbering in an erect position; the eyes alternately open and shut. +The fourth minute brought on convulsions, and life and the fifth +terminated together. + +The flesh of the game is not in the least injured by the poison, nor +does it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife. +The body of this fowl was kept for sixteen hours in a climate damp and +rainy, and within seven degrees of the equator, at the end of which +time it had contracted no bad smell whatever and there were no symptoms +of putrefaction, saving that just round the wound the flesh appeared +somewhat discoloured. + +The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends his blow-pipe from +the top of his spiral roof, seldom placing it in an oblique position, +lest it should receive a cast. + +Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended while you take a view of the +arms which are made to slay the larger beasts of the forest. + +When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or surprise the deer, or +rouse the tapir from his marshy retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, +which are very different from the weapons already described. + +The bow is generally from six to seven feet long and strung with a cord +spun out of the silk-grass. The forests of Guiana furnish many species +of hard wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and excellent +bows are formed. + +The arrows are from four to five feet in length, made of a yellow reed +without a knot or joint. It is found in great plenty up and down +throughout Guiana. A piece of hard wood about nine inches long is +inserted into the end of the reed, and fastened with cotton well waxed. +A square hole an inch deep is then made in the end of this piece of +hard wood, done tight round with cotton to keep it from splitting. Into +this square hole is fitted a spike of coucourite-wood, poisoned, and +which may be kept there or taken out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo, +about as thick as your finger, is fitted on over the poisoned spike to +prevent accidents and defend it from the rain, and is taken off when +the arrow is about to be used. Lastly, two feathers are fastened the +other end of the reed to steady it in its flight. + +Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a little box made of +bamboo which holds a dozen or fifteen poisoned spikes six inches long. +They are poisoned in the following manner: a small piece of wood is +dipped in the poison, and with this they give the spike a first coat. +It is then exposed to the sun or fire. After it is dry it receives +another coat, and then dried again; after this a third coat, and +sometimes a fourth. + +They take great care to put the poison on thicker at the middle than at +the sides, by which means the spike retains the shape of a two-edged +sword. It is rather a tedious operation to make one of these arrows +complete, and as the Indian is not famed for industry, except when +pressed by hunger, he has hit upon a plan of preserving his arrows +which deserves notice. + +About a quarter of an inch above the part where the coucourite spike is +fixed into the square hole he cuts it half through, and thus, when it +has entered the animal, the weight of the arrow causes it to break off +there, by which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured, so that, +should this be the only arrow he happens to have with him and should +another shot immediately occur, he has only to take another poisoned +spike out of his little bamboo box, fit it on its arrow, and send it to +its destination. + +Thus armed with deadly poison, and hungry as the hyæna, he ranges +through the forest in quest of the wild-beasts' track. No hound can act +a surer part. Without clothes to fetter him or shoes to bind his feet, +he observes the footsteps of the game where an European eye could not +discern the smallest vestige. He pursues it through all its turns and +windings with astonishing perseverance, and success generally crowns +his efforts. The animal, after receiving the poisoned arrow, seldom +retreats two hundred paces before it drops. + +In passing over-land from the Essequibo to the Demerara we fell in with +a herd of wild hogs. Though encumbered with baggage and fatigued with a +hard day's walk, an Indian got his bow ready and let fly a poisoned +arrow at one of them. It entered the cheek-bone and broke off. The wild +hog was found quite dead about one hundred and seventy paces from the +place where he had been shot. He afforded us an excellent and wholesome +supper. + +Thus the savage of Guiana, independent of the common weapons of +destruction, has it in his power to prepare a poison by which he can +generally ensure to himself a supply of animal food: and the food so +destroyed imbibes no deleterious qualities. Nature has been bountiful +to him. She has not only ordered poisonous herbs and roots to grow in +the unbounded forests through which he strays, but has also furnished +an excellent reed for his arrows, and another still more singular for +his blow-pipe, and planted trees of an amazing hard, tough and elastic +texture out of which he forms his bows. And in order that nothing might +be wanting, she has superadded a tree which yields him a fine wax and +disseminated up and down a plant not unlike that of the pine-apple +which affords him capital bow-strings. + +Having now followed the Indian in the chase and described the poison, +let us take a nearer view of its action and observe a large animal +expiring under the weight of its baneful virulence. + +Many have doubted the strength of the wourali poison. Should they ever +by chance read what follows, probably their doubts on that score will +be settled for ever. + +In the former experiment on the dog some faint resistance on the part +of Nature was observed, as if existence struggled for superiority, but +in the following instance of the sloth life sunk in death without the +least apparent contention, without a cry, without a struggle and +without a groan. This was an ai, or three-toed sloth. It was in the +possession of a gentleman who was collecting curiosities. He wished to +have it killed in order to preserve the skin, and the wourali poison +was resorted to as the easiest death. + +Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor +ill-formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after +it has received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal, and +it may be said, on seeing a mortally-wounded sloth, that life disputes +with death every inch of flesh in its body. + +The ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor about two feet +from the table; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and +fastened itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last +advancing step: life was ebbing fast though imperceptibly, nor could +this singular production of Nature, which has been formed of a texture +to resist death in a thousand shapes, make any stand against the +wourali poison. + +First one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its +side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost +their strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body and placed its head +betwixt its hind-legs, which still adhered to the table; but when the +poison had affected these also it sunk to the ground, but sunk so +gently that you could not distinguish the movement from an ordinary +motion, and had you been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned +arrow you would never have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was +shut, nor had any froth or saliva collected there. + +There was no _subsultus tendinum_ or any visible alteration in its +breathing. During the tenth minute from the time it was wounded it +stirred, and that was all; and the minute after life's last spark went +out. From the time the poison began to operate you would have +conjectured that sleep was overpowering it, and you would have +exclaimed: "Pressitque jacentem, dulcis et alta quies, placidæque +simillima morti." + +There are now two positive proofs of the effect of this fatal poison: +viz. the death of the dog and that of the sloth. But still these +animals were nothing remarkable for size, and the strength of the +poison in large animals might yet be doubted were it not for what +follows. + +A large well-fed ox, from nine hundred to a thousand pounds weight, was +tied to a stake by a rope sufficiently strong to allow him to move to +and fro. Having no large coucourite spikes at hand, it was judged +necessary, on account of his superior size, to put three wild-hog +arrows into him: one was sent into each thigh just above the hock in +order to avoid wounding a vital part, and the third was shot traversely +into the extremity of the nostril. + +The poison seemed to take effect in four minutes. Conscious as though +he would fall, the ox set himself firmly on his legs and remained quite +still in the same place till about the fourteenth minute, when he +smelled the ground and appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a +pace or two, staggered and fell, and remained extended on his side, +with his head on the ground. His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and +lively, now became fixed and dim, and though you put your hand close to +it, as if to give him a blow there, he never closed his eyelid. + +His legs were convulsed and his head from time to time started +involuntarily, but he never showed the least desire to raise it from +the ground. He breathed hard and emitted foam from his mouth. The +startings, or _subsultus tendinum_, now became gradually weaker and +weaker; his hinder parts were fixed in death, and in a minute or two +more his head and fore-legs ceased to stir. + +Nothing now remained to show that life was still within him except that +his heart faintly beat and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty +minutes from the time of his being wounded he was quite dead. His flesh +was very sweet and savoury at dinner. + +On taking a retrospective view of the two different kinds of poisoned +arrows, and the animals destroyed by them, it would appear that the +quantity of poison must be proportioned to the animal, and thus those +probably labour under an error who imagine that the smallest particle +of it introduced into the blood has almost instantaneous effects. + +Make an estimate of the difference in size betwixt the fowl and the ox, +and then weigh a sufficient quantity of poison for a blow-pipe arrow, +with which the fowl was killed, and weigh also enough poison for three +wild-hog arrows, which destroyed the ox, and it will appear that the +fowl received much more poison in proportion than the ox. Hence the +cause why the fowl died in five minutes and the ox in five and twenty. + +Indeed, were it the case that the smallest particle of it introduced +into the blood has almost instantaneous effects, the Indian would not +find it necessary to make the large arrow: that of the blow-pipe is +much easier made and requires less poison. + +And now for the antidotes, or rather the supposed antidotes. The +Indians tell you, that if the wounded animal be held for a considerable +time up to the mouth in water the poison will not prove fatal; also +that the juice of the sugar-cane poured down the throat will counteract +the effects of it. These antidotes were fairly tried upon full-grown +healthy fowls, but they all died, as though no steps had been taken to +preserve their lives. Rum was recommended, and given to another, but +with as little success. + +It is supposed by some that wind introduced into the lungs by means of +a small pair of bellows would revive the poisoned patient, provided the +operation be continued for a sufficient length of time. It may be so; +but this is a difficult and a tedious mode of cure, and he who is +wounded in the forest, far away from his friends, or in the hut of the +savages, stands but a poor chance of being saved by it. + +Had the Indians a sure antidote, it is likely they would carry it about +with them or resort to it immediately after being wounded, if at hand; +and their confidence in its efficacy would greatly diminish the horror +they betray when you point a poisoned arrow at them. + +One day, while we were eating a red monkey erroneously called the +baboon, in Demerara, an Arowack Indian told an affecting story of what +happened to a comrade of his. He was present at his death. As it did +not interest this Indian in any point to tell a falsehood, it is very +probable that his account was a true one. If so, it appears that there +is no certain antidote, or at least an antidote that could be resorted +to in a case of urgent need, for the Indian gave up all thoughts of +life as soon as he was wounded. + +The Arowack Indian said it was but four years ago that he and his +companion were ranging in the forest in quest of game. His companion +took a poisoned arrow and sent it at a red monkey in a tree above him. +It was nearly a perpendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in +the descent struck him in the arm a little above the elbow. He was +convinced it was all over with him. "I shall never," said he to his +companion, in a faltering voice, and looking at his bow as he said it, +"I shall never," said he, "bend this bow again." And having said that, +he took off his little bamboo poison-box, which hung across his +shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and arrows on the +ground, he laid himself down close by them, bid his companion farewell, +and never spoke more. + +He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded by a poisoned arrow from +Macoushia had better not depend upon the common antidotes for a cure. +Many who have been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in +water, or to take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth +full of salt; and they recommend these antidotes because they have got +them from the Indians. But were you to ask them if they ever saw these +antidotes used with success, it is ten to one their answer would be in +the negative. + +Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable and of no +avail. He has got an active and deadly foe within him which, like +Shakespeare's fell Serjeant Death, is strict in his arrest, and will +allow him but little time--very, very little time. In a few minutes he +will be numbered with the dead. Life ought, if possible, to be +preserved, be the expense ever so great. Should the part affected admit +of it, let a ligature be tied tight round the wound, and have immediate +recourse to the knife: + + Continuo, culpam ferro compesce, priusquam + Dira per infaustum serpant contagia corpus. + +And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. The two ends +proposed have been obtained. The Portuguese inland frontier-fort has +been reached and the Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of +this excursion through the interior of Guiana has been submitted to thy +perusal in order to induce thy abler genius to undertake a more +extensive one. If any difficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they +have been caused by the periodical rains which fall in torrents as the +sun approaches the Tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there would be no +difficulties or sickness. + +Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou wouldest be able +to draw during the journey there is one which, perhaps, would please +thee not a little, and that is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no +doubt, thou hast heard it hotly disputed that dogs existed in Guiana +previously to the arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. Whatever the +Spaniards introduced, and which bore no resemblance to anything the +Indians had been accustomed to see, retains its Spanish name to this +day. + +Thus the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Macoushi and Carib tribes +call a hat _sombrero_; a shirt or any kind of cloth _camisa_; a shoe +_zapalo_; a letter _carta_; a fowl _gallina_; gunpowder _colvora_ +(Spanish _polvora_); ammunition _bala_; a cow _vaca_; and a dog _perro_. + +This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in Guiana before it +was discovered by the Spaniards, and probably may be of use to thee in +thy next canine dispute. + +In a political point of view this country presents a large field for +speculation. A few years ago there was but little inducement for any +Englishman to explore the interior of these rich and fine colonies, as +the British Government did not consider them worth holding at the Peace +of Amiens. Since that period their mother-country has been blotted out +from the list of nations, and America has unfolded a new sheet of +politics. On one side the Crown of Braganza, attacked by an ambitious +chieftain, has fled from the palace of its ancestors, and now seems +fixed on the banks of the Janeiro. Cayenne has yielded to its arms, La +Plata has raised the standard of independence and thinks itself +sufficiently strong to obtain a Government of its own. On the other +side the Caraccas are in open revolt, and should Santa Fé join them in +good earnest they may form a powerful association. + +Thus on each side of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana most unexpected and +astonishing changes have taken place. Will they raise or lower it in +the scale of estimation at the Court of St. James's? Will they be of +benefit to these grand and extensive colonies? Colonies enjoying +perpetual summer. Colonies of the richest soil. Colonies containing +within themselves everything necessary for their support. Colonies, in +fine, so varied in their quality and situation as to be capable of +bringing to perfection every tropical production, and only want the +support of Government, and an enlightened governor, to render them as +fine as the finest portions of the equatorial regions. Kind reader, +fare thee well! + + * * * * * + +_Letter to the Portuguese Commander_ + +MUY SEÑOR, + +Como no tengo el honor, de ser conocido de VM. lo pienso mejor, y mas +decoroso, quedarme aqui, hastaque huviere recibido su respuesta. +Haviendo caminado hasta la choza, adonde estoi, no quisiere volverme, +antes de haver visto la fortaleza de los Portugueses; y pido licencia +de VM. para que me adelante. Honradissimos son mis motivos, ni tengo +proyecto ninguno, o de comercio, o de la soldadesca, no siendo yo, o +comerciante, o oficial. Hidalgo catolico soy, de hacienda in +Ynglatierra, y muchos años de mi vida he pasado en caminar. +Ultimamente, de Demeraria vengo, la quai dexé el 5 dia de Abril, para +ver este hermoso pais, y coger unas curiosidades, especialmente, el +veneno, que se llama wourali. Las mas recentes noticias que tenian en +Demeraria, antes di mi salida, eran medias tristes, medias alegres. +Tristes digo, viendo que Valencia ha caido en poder del enemigo comun, +y el General Blake, y sus valientes tropas quedan prisioneros de +guerra. Alegres, al contrario, porque Milord Wellington se ha apoderado +de Ciudad Rodrigo. A pesar de la caida de Valencia, parece claro al +mundo, que las cosas del enemigo, estan andando, de pejor a pejor cada +dia. Nosotros debemos dar gracias al Altissimo, por haver sido servido +dexarnos castigar ultimamente, a los robadores, de sus santas Yglesias. +Se vera VM. que yo no escribo Portugues ni aun lo hablo, pero, haviendo +aprendido el Castellano, no nos faltará medio de communicar y tener +conversacion. Ruego se escuse esta carta escrita sin tinta, porque un +Indio dexo caer mi tintero y quebrose. Dios le dé a VM. muchos años de +salud. Entretanto, tengo el honor de ser + +Su mas obedeciente servidor, + +CARLOS WATERTON. + + * * * * * + +REMARKS + + Incertus, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur. + +Kind and gentle reader, if the journey in quest of the wourali poison +has engaged thy attention, probably thou mayest recollect that the +traveller took leave of thee at Fort St. Joachim, on the Rio Branco. +Shouldest thou wish to know what befell him afterwards, excuse the +following uninteresting narrative. + +Having had a return of fever, and aware that the farther he advanced +into these wild and lonely regions the less would be the chance of +regaining his health, he gave up all idea of proceeding onwards, and +went slowly back towards the Demerara, nearly by the same route he had +come. + +On descending the falls in the Essequibo, which form an oblique line +quite across the river, it was resolved to push through them, the +downward stream being in the canoe's favour. At a little distance from +the place a large tree had fallen into the river, and in the meantime +the canoe was lashed to one of its branches. + +The roaring of the water was dreadful: it foamed and dashed over the +rocks with a tremendous spray, like breakers on a lee-shore, +threatening destruction to whatever approached it. You would have +thought, by the confusion it caused in the river and the whirlpools it +made, that Scylla and Charybdis, and their whole progeny, had left the +Mediterranean and come and settled here. The channel was barely twelve +feet wide, and the torrent in rushing down formed traverse furrows +which showed how near the rocks were to the surface. + +Nothing could surpass the skill of the Indian who steered the canoe. He +looked steadfastly at it, then at the rocks, then cast an eye on the +channel, and then looked at the canoe again. It was in vain to speak. +The sound was lost in the roar of waters, but his eye showed that he +had already passed it in imagination. He held up his paddle in a +position as much as to say that he would keep exactly amid channel, and +then made a sign to cut the bush-rope that held the canoe to the fallen +tree. The canoe drove down the torrent with inconceivable rapidity. It +did not touch the rocks once all the way. The Indian proved to a +nicety: "medio tutissimus ibis." + +Shortly after this it rained almost day and night, the lightning +flashing incessantly and the roar of thunder awful beyond expression. + +The fever returned, and pressed so heavy on him that to all appearance +his last day's march was over. However, it abated, his spirits rallied, +and he marched again; and after delays and inconveniences he reached +the house of his worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek, which +falls into the Demerara. No words of his can do justice to the +hospitality of that gentleman, whose repeated encounters with the +hostile negroes in the forest have been publicly rewarded and will be +remembered in the colony for years to come. + +Here he learned that an eruption had taken place in St. Vincent's, and +thus the noise heard in the night of the first of May, which had caused +such terror amongst the Indians and made the garrison at Fort St. +Joachim remain under arms the rest of the night, is accounted for. + +After experiencing every kindness and attention from Mr. Edmonstone he +sailed for Granada, and from thence to St. Thomas's, a few days before +poor Captain Peake lost his life on his own quarter-deck bravely +fighting for his country on the coast of Guiana. + +At St. Thomas's they show you a tower, a little distance from the town, +which they say formerly belonged to a bucanier chieftain. Probably the +fury of besiegers has reduced it to its present dismantled state. What +still remains of it bears testimony of its former strength and may +brave the attack of time for centuries. You cannot view its ruins +without calling to mind the exploits of those fierce and hardy hunters, +long the terror of the Western world. While you admire their undaunted +courage, you lament that it was often stained with cruelty; while you +extol their scrupulous justice to each other, you will find a want of +it towards the rest of mankind. Often possessed of enormous wealth, +often in extreme poverty, often triumphant on the ocean and often +forced to fly to the forests, their life was an ever-changing scene of +advance and retreat, of glory and disorder, of luxury and famine. Spain +treated them as outlaws and pirates, while other European powers +publicly disowned them. They, on the other hand, maintained that +injustice on the part of Spain first forced them to take up arms in +self-defence, and that, whilst they kept inviolable the laws which they +had framed for their own common benefit and protection, they had a +right to consider as foes those who treated them as outlaws. Under this +impression they drew the sword and rushed on as though in lawful war, +and divided the spoils of victory in the scale of justice. + +After leaving St. Thomas's, a severe tertian ague every now and then +kept putting the traveller in mind that his shattered frame, "starting +and shivering in the inconstant blast, meagre and pale, the ghost of +what it was," wanted repairs. Three years elapsed after arriving in +England before the ague took its final leave of him. + +During that time, several experiments were made with the wourali +poison. In London an ass was inoculated with it and died in twelve +minutes. The poison was inserted into the leg of another, round which a +bandage had been previously tied a little above the place where the +wourali was introduced. He walked about as usual and ate his food as +though all were right. After an hour had elapsed the bandage was +untied, and ten minutes after death overtook him. + +A she-ass received the wourali poison in the shoulder, and died +apparently in ten minutes. An incision was then made in its windpipe +and through it the lungs were regularly inflated for two hours with a +pair of bellows. Suspended animation returned. The ass held up her head +and looked around, but the inflating being discontinued she sunk once +more in apparent death. The artificial breathing was immediately +recommenced, and continued without intermission for two hours more. +This saved the ass from final dissolution: she rose up and walked +about; she seemed neither in agitation nor in pain. The wound through +which the poison entered was healed without difficulty. Her +constitution, however, was so severely affected that it was long a +doubt if ever she would be well again. She looked lean and sickly for +above a year, but began to mend the spring after, and by midsummer +became fat and frisky. + +The kind-hearted reader will rejoice on learning that Earl Percy, +pitying her misfortunes, sent her down from London to Walton Hall, near +Wakefield. There she goes by the name of Wouralia. Wouralia shall be +sheltered from the wintry storm; and when summer comes she shall feed +in the finest pasture. No burden shall be placed upon her, and she +shall end her days in peace. + +For three revolving autumns, the ague-beaten wanderer never saw without +a sigh the swallow bend her flight towards warmer regions. He wished to +go too, but could not for sickness had enfeebled him, and prudence +pointed out the folly of roving again too soon across the northern +tropic. To be sure, the Continent was now open, and change of air might +prove beneficial, but there was nothing very tempting in a trip across +the Channel, and as for a tour through England!--England has long +ceased to be the land for adventures. Indeed, when good King Arthur +reappears to claim his crown, he will find things strangely altered +here; and may we not look for his coming? for there is written upon his +gravestone: + + Hic jacet Arturus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus. + + Here Arthur lies, who formerly + Was king--and king again to be. + +Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous king did not die, +but that he was changed into a raven by enchantment and that the +English are momentarily expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is +certain that when he reigned here all was harmony and joy. The browsing +herds passed from vale to vale, the swains sang from the +bluebell-teeming groves, and nymphs, with eglantine and roses in their +neatly-braided hair, went hand in hand to the flowery mead to weave +garlands for their lambkins. If by chance some rude, uncivil fellow +dared to molest them, or attempted to throw thorns in their path, there +was sure to be a knight-errant not far off ready to rush forward in +their defence. But alas! in these degenerate days it is not so. Should +a harmless cottage-maid wander out of the highway to pluck a primrose +or two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner sternly bids her +retire; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort her back, he is perhaps +seized by the gaunt house-dog ere he reach her! + +Æneas's route on the other side of Styx could not have been much worse +than this, though, by his account, when he got back to earth, it +appears that he had fallen in with "Bellua Lernæ, horrendum stridens, +flammisque, armata Chimæra." + +Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps; and as such a conductress +nowadays could not be got for love or money, it was judged most prudent +to refrain from sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with +patience the return of health. At last this long-looked-for, +ever-welcome stranger came. + + + + +SECOND JOURNEY + + +In the year 1816, two days before the vernal equinox, I sailed from +Liverpool for Pernambuco, in the southern hemisphere, on the coast of +Brazil. There is little at this time of the year, in the European part +of the Atlantic, to engage the attention of the naturalist. As you go +down the Channel you see a few divers and gannets. The middle-sized +gulls, with a black spot at the end of the wings, attend you a little +way into the Bay of Biscay. When it blows a hard gale of wind the +stormy petrel makes its appearance. While the sea runs mountains high, +and every wave threatens destruction to the labouring vessel, this +little harbinger of storms is seen enjoying itself, on rapid pinion, up +and down the roaring billows. When the storm is over it appears no +more. It is known to every English sailor by the name of Mother Carey's +chicken. It must have been hatched in Æolus's cave, amongst a clutch of +squalls and tempests, for whenever they get out upon the ocean it +always contrives to be of the party. + +Though the calms and storms and adverse winds in these latitudes are +vexatious, still, when you reach the trade-winds, you are amply repaid +for all disappointments and inconveniences. The trade-winds prevail +about thirty degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the +ocean may be called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's empire; and the +torrid zone, notwithstanding Ovid's remark, "non est habitabilis æstu," +is rendered healthy and pleasant by these gently-blowing breezes. The +ship glides smoothly on, and you soon find yourself within the northern +tropic. When you are on it Cancer is just over your head, and betwixt +him and Capricorn is the high-road of the Zodiac, forty-seven degrees +wide, famous for Phaeton's misadventure. His father begged and +entreated him not to take it into his head to drive parallel to the +five zones, but to mind and keep on the turnpike which runs obliquely +across the equator. "There you will distinctly see," said he, "the ruts +of my chariot wheels, 'manifesta rotæ vestigia cernes.'" "But," added +he, "even suppose you keep on it, and avoid the by-roads, nevertheless, +my dear boy, believe me, you will be most sadly put to your shifts; +'ardua prima via est,' the first part of the road is confoundedly +steep! 'ultima via prona est,' and after that, it is all down-hill! +Moreover, 'per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,' the road is full +of nooses and bull-dogs, 'Hæmoniosque arcus,' and spring guns, 'sævaque +circuitu, curvantem brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of +uncommon size and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton; go +he would, so off he set, full speed, four in hand. He had a tough drive +of it, and after doing a prodigious deal of mischief, very luckily for +the world he got thrown out of the box, and tumbled into the River Po. + +Some of our modern bloods have been shallow enough to try to ape this +poor empty-headed coachman on a little scale, making London their +Zodiac. Well for them if tradesmen's bills and other trivial +perplexities have not caused them to be thrown into the King's Bench. + +The productions of the torrid zone are uncommonly grand. Its plains, +its swamps, its savannas and forests abound with the largest serpents +and wild beasts; and its trees are the habitation of the most beautiful +of the feathered race. While the traveller in the Old World is +astonished at the elephant, the tiger, the lion and rhinoceros, he who +wanders through the torrid regions of the New is lost in admiration at +the cotingas, the toucans, the humming-birds and aras. + +The ocean likewise swarms with curiosities. Probably the flying-fish +may be considered as one of the most singular. This little scaled +inhabitant of water and air seems to have been more favoured than the +rest of its finny brethren. It can rise out of the waves and on wing +visit the domain of the birds. + +After flying two or three hundred yards, the intense heat of the sun +has dried its pellucid wings, and it is obliged to wet them in order to +continue its flight. It just drops into the ocean for a moment, and +then rises again and flies on; and then descends to remoisten them, and +then up again into the air; thus passing its life, sometimes wet, +sometimes dry, sometimes in sunshine, and sometimes in the pale moon's +nightly beam, as pleasure dictates or as need requires. The additional +assistance of wings is not thrown away upon it. It has full occupation +both for fins and wings, as its life is in perpetual danger. + +The bonito and albicore chase it day and night, but the dolphin is its +worst and swiftest foe. If it escape into the air, the dolphin pushes +on with proportional velocity beneath, and is ready to snap it up the +moment it descends to wet its wings. + +You will often see above one hundred of these little marine aerial +fugitives on the wing at once. They appear to use every exertion to +prolong their flight, but vain are all their efforts, for when the last +drop of water on their wings is dried up their flight is at an end, and +they must drop into the ocean. Some are instantly devoured by their +merciless pursuer, part escape by swimming, and others get out again as +quick as possible, and trust once more to their wings. + +It often happens that this unfortunate little creature, after alternate +dips and flights, finding all its exertions of no avail, at last drops +on board the vessel, verifying the old remark: + + Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. + +There, stunned by the fall, it beats the deck with its tail and dies. +When eating it you would take it for a fresh herring. The largest +measure from fourteen to fifteen inches in length. The dolphin, after +pursuing it to the ship, sometimes forfeits his own life. + +In days of yore the musician used to play in softest, sweetest strain, +and then take an airing amongst the dolphins: "inter delphinas Arion." +But nowadays our tars have quite capsized the custom, and instead of +riding ashore on the dolphin, they invite the dolphin aboard. While he +is darting and playing around the vessel a sailor goes out to the +spritsail yard-arm, and with a long staff, leaded at one end, and armed +at the other with five barbed spikes, he heaves it at him. If +successful in his aim there is a fresh mess for all hands. The dying +dolphin affords a superb and brilliant sight: + + Mille trahit moriens, adverse sole colores. + +All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in rapid succession over +his body, till the dark hand of death closes the scene. + +From the Cape de Verd Islands to the coast of Brazil you see several +different kinds of gulls, which, probably, are bred in the Island of +St. Paul. Sometimes the large bird called the frigate pelican soars +majestically over the vessel, and the tropic bird comes near enough to +let you have a fair view of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, +when it is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their appearance. +They are descried from the ship by means of the dorsal fin, which is +above the water. + +On entering the Bay of Pernambuco, the frigate pelican is seen watching +the shoals of fish from a prodigious height. It seldom descends without +a successful attack on its numerous prey below. + +As you approach the shore the view is charming. The hills are clothed +with wood, gradually rising towards the interior, none of them of any +considerable height. A singular reef of rocks runs parallel to the +coast and forms the harbour of Pernambuco. The vessels are moored +betwixt it and the town, safe from every storm. You enter the harbour +through a very narrow passage, close by a fort built on the reef. The +hill of Olinda, studded with houses and convents, is on your +right-hand, and an island thickly planted with cocoa-nut trees adds +considerably to the scene on your left. There are two strong forts on +the isthmus betwixt Olinda and Pernambuco, and a pillar midway to aid +the pilot. + +Pernambuco probably contains upwards of fifty thousand souls. It stands +on a flat, and is divided into three parts: a peninsula, an island and +the continent. Though within a few degrees of the line, its climate is +remarkably salubrious and rendered almost temperate by the refreshing +sea-breeze. Had art and judgment contributed their portion to its +natural advantages, Pernambuco at this day would have been a stately +ornament to the coast of Brazil. On viewing it, it will strike you that +everyone has built his house entirely for himself, and deprived public +convenience of the little claim she had a right to put in. You would +wish that this city, so famous for its harbour, so happy in its climate +and so well situated for commerce, could have risen under the flag of +Dido, in lieu of that of Braganza. + +As you walk down the streets the appearance of the houses is not much +in their favour. Some of them are very high, and some very low; some +newly whitewashed, and others stained and mouldy and neglected, as +though they had no owner. + +The balconies, too, are of a dark and gloomy appearance. They are not, +in general, open as in most tropical cities, but grated like a farmer's +dairy-window, though somewhat closer. + +There is a lamentable want of cleanliness in the streets. The +impurities from the houses and the accumulation of litter from the +beasts of burden are unpleasant sights to the passing stranger. He +laments the want of a police as he goes along, and when the wind begins +to blow his nose and eyes are too often exposed to a cloud of very +unsavoury dust. + +When you view the port of Pernambuco, full of ships of all nations; +when you know that the richest commodities of Europe, Africa and Asia +are brought to it; when you see immense quantities of cotton, dye-wood +and the choicest fruits pouring into the town, you are apt to wonder at +the little attention these people pay to the common comforts which one +always expects to find in a large and opulent city. However, if the +inhabitants are satisfied, there is nothing more to be said. Should +they ever be convinced that inconveniences exist, and that nuisances +are too frequent, the remedy is in their own hands. At present, +certainly, they seem perfectly regardless of them; and the +Captain-General of Pernambuco walks through the streets with as +apparent content and composure as an English statesman would proceed +down Charing Cross. Custom reconciles everything. In a week or two the +stranger himself begins to feel less the things which annoyed him so +much upon his first arrival, and after a few months' residence he +thinks no more about them, while he is partaking of the hospitality and +enjoying the elegance and splendour within doors in this great city. + +Close by the river-side stands what is called the palace of the +Captain-General of Pernambuco. Its form and appearance altogether +strike the traveller that it was never intended for the use it is at +present put to. + +Reader, throw a veil over thy recollection for a little while, and +forget the cruel, unjust and unmerited censures thou hast heard against +an unoffending order. This palace was once the Jesuits' college, and +originally built by those charitable fathers. Ask the aged and +respectable inhabitants of Pernambuco, and they will tell thee that the +destruction of the Society of Jesus was a terrible disaster to the +public, and its consequences severely felt to the present day. + +When Pombal took the reins of power into his own hands, virtue and +learning beamed bright within the college walls. Public catechism to +the children, and religious instruction to all, flowed daily from the +mouths of its venerable priests. + +They were loved, revered and respected throughout the whole town. The +illuminating philosophers of the day had sworn to exterminate Christian +knowledge, and the college of Pernambuco was doomed to founder in the +general storm. To the long-lasting sorrow and disgrace of Portugal, the +philosophers blinded her king and flattered her prime minister. Pombal +was exactly the tool these sappers of every public and private virtue +wanted. He had the naked sword of power in his own hand, and his heart +was hard as flint. He struck a mortal blow and the Society of Jesus, +throughout the Portuguese dominions, was no more. + +One morning all the fathers of the college in Pernambuco, some of them +very old and feeble, were suddenly ordered into the refectory. They had +notice beforehand of the fatal storm, in pity, from the governor, but +not one of them abandoned his charge. They had done their duty and had +nothing to fear. They bowed with resignation to the will of Heaven. As +soon as they had all reached the refectory they were there locked up, +and never more did they see their rooms, their friends, their scholars, +or acquaintance. In the dead of the following night a strong guard of +soldiers literally drove them through the streets to the water's edge. +They were then conveyed in boats aboard a ship and steered for Bahia. +Those who survived the barbarous treatment they experienced from +Pombal's creatures, were at last ordered to Lisbon. The college of +Pernambuco was plundered, and some time after an elephant was kept +there. + +Thus the arbitrary hand of power, in one night, smote and swept away +the sciences: to which succeeded the low vulgar buffoonery of a +showman. Virgil and Cicero made way for a wild beast from Angola! and +now a guard is on duty at the very gate where, in times long past, the +poor were daily fed! + +Trust not, kind reader, to the envious remarks which their enemies have +scattered far and near; believe not the stories of those who have had a +hand in the sad tragedy. Go to Brazil, and see with thine own eyes the +effect of Pombal's short-sighted policy. There vice reigns triumphant +and learning is at its lowest ebb. Neither is this to be wondered at. +Destroy the compass, and will the vessel find her far-distant port? +Will the flock keep together, and escape the wolves, after the +shepherds are all slain? The Brazilians were told that public education +would go on just as usual. They might have asked Government, who so +able to instruct our youth as those whose knowledge is proverbial? who +so fit as those who enjoy our entire confidence? who so worthy as those +whose lives are irreproachable? + +They soon found that those who succeeded the fathers of the Society of +Jesus had neither their manner nor their abilities. They had not made +the instruction of youth their particular study. Moreover, they entered +on the field after a defeat where the officers had all been slain; +where the plan of the campaign was lost; where all was in sorrow and +dismay. No exertions of theirs could rally the dispersed, or skill +prevent the fatal consequences. At the present day the seminary of +Olinda, in comparison with the former Jesuits' college, is only as the +waning moon's beam to the sun's meridian splendour. + +When you visit the places where those learned fathers once flourished, +and see with your own eyes the evils their dissolution has caused; when +you hear the inhabitants telling you how good, how clever, how +charitable they were; what will you think of our poet laureate for +calling them, in his _History of Brazil_, "Missioners whose zeal the +most fanatical was directed by the coolest policy"? + +Was it _fanatical_ to renounce the honours and comforts of this +transitory life in order to gain eternal glory in the next, by denying +themselves, and taking up the cross? Was it _fanatical_ to preach +salvation to innumerable wild hordes of Americans? to clothe the naked? +to encourage the repenting sinner? to aid the dying Christian? The +fathers of the Society of Jesus did all this. And for this their zeal +is pronounced to be the most fanatical, directed by the coolest policy. +It will puzzle many a clear brain to comprehend how it is possible, in +the nature of things, that _zeal_ the most _fanatical_ should be +directed by the _coolest policy_. Ah, Mr. Laureate, Mr. Laureate, that +"quidlibet audendi" of yours may now and then gild the poet at the same +time that it makes the historian cut a sorry figure! + +Could Father Nobrega rise from the tomb, he would thus address you: +"Ungrateful Englishman, you have drawn a great part of your information +from the writings of the Society of Jesus, and in return you attempt to +stain its character by telling your countrymen that 'we taught the +idolatry we believed'! In speaking of me, you say it was my happy +fortune to be stationed in a country where _none_ but the good +principles of my order were called into action. Ungenerous laureate, +the narrow policy of the times has kept your countrymen in the dark +with regard to the true character of the Society of Jesus; and you draw +the bandage still tighter over their eyes by a malicious insinuation. I +lived and taught and died in Brazil, where you state that _none_ but +the good principles of my order were called into action, and still, in +most absolute contradiction to this, you remark we believed the +_idolatry_ we taught in Brazil. Thus we brought none but good +principles into action, and still taught idolatry! + +"Again, you state there is no individual to whose talents Brazil is so +greatly and permanently indebted as mine, and that I must be regarded +as the founder of that system so successfully pursued by the Jesuits in +Paraguay: a system productive of as much good as is compatible with +pious fraud. Thus you make me, at one and the same time, a teacher of +none but good principles, and a teacher of idolatry, and a believer in +idolatry, and still the founder of a system for which Brazil is greatly +and permanently indebted to me, though, by the by, the system was only +productive of as much good as is compatible with pious fraud! + +"What means all this? After reading such incomparable nonsense, should +your countrymen wish to be properly informed concerning the Society of +Jesus, there are in England documents enough to show that the system of +the Jesuits was a system of Christian charity towards their +fellow-creatures administered in a manner which human prudence judged +best calculated to ensure success; and that the idolatry which you +uncharitably affirm they taught was really and truly the very same +faith which the Catholic Church taught for centuries in England, which +she still teaches to those who wish to hear her, and which she will +continue to teach, pure and unspotted, till time shall be no more." + +The environs of Pernambuco are very pretty. You see country houses in +all directions, and the appearance of here and there a sugar-plantation +enriches the scenery. Palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, orange and lemon +groves, and all the different fruits peculiar to Brazil, are here in +the greatest abundance. + +At Olinda there is a national botanical garden: it wants space, produce +and improvement. The forests, which are several leagues off, abound +with birds, beasts, insects and serpents. Besides a brilliant plumage, +many of the birds have a very fine song. The troupiale, noted for its +rich colours, sings delightfully in the environs of Pernambuco. The +red-headed finch, larger than the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet +and varied strain, in company with two species of wrens, a little +before daylight. There are also several species of the thrush, which +have a song somewhat different from that of the European thrush; and +two species of the linnet, whose strain is so soft and sweet that it +dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird called here +sangre-do-buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage your attention: +he is of the passerine tribe, and very common about the houses; the +wings and tail are black and every other part of the body a flaming +red. In Guiana there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, +note and economy, but differing in colour, its whole body being like +black velvet; on its breast a tinge of red appears through the black. +Thus Nature has ordered this little tangara to put on mourning to the +north of the line and wear scarlet to the south of it. + +For three months in the year the environs of Pernambuco are animated +beyond description. From November to March the weather is particularly +fine; then it is that rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and +natives, all issue from the city to enjoy the country till Lent +approaches, when back they hie them. Villages and hamlets, where +nothing before but rags was seen, now shine in all the elegance of +dress; every house, every room, every shed become eligible places for +those whom nothing but extreme necessity could have forced to live +there a few weeks ago: some join in the merry dance, others saunter up +and down the orange groves; and towards evening the roads become a +moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables have constant +visitors: there thousands are daily and nightly lost and won--parties +even sit down to try their luck round the outside of the door as well +as in the room: + + Vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus aulæ + Luctus et ultrices, posucre sedilia curæ. + +About six or seven miles from Pernambuco stands a pretty little village +called Monteiro. The river runs close by it, and its rural beauties +seem to surpass all others in the neighbourhood. There the +Captain-General of Pernambuco resides during this time of merriment and +joy. + +The traveller who allots a portion of his time to peep at his +fellow-creatures in their relaxations, and accustoms himself to read +their several little histories in their looks and gestures as he goes +musing on, may have full occupation for an hour or two every day at +this season amid the variegated scenes around the pretty village of +Monteiro. In the evening groups sitting at the door, he may sometimes +see with a sigh how wealth and the prince's favour cause a booby to +pass for a Solon, and be reverenced as such, while perhaps a poor +neglected Camoens stands silent at a distance, awed by the dazzling +glare of wealth and power. Retired from the public road he may see poor +Maria sitting under a palm-tree, with her elbow in her lap and her head +leaning on one side within her hand, weeping over her forbidden bans. +And as he moves on "with wandering step and slow," he may hear a +broken-hearted nymph ask her faithless swain: + + How could you say my face was fair, + And yet that face forsake? + How could you win my virgin heart, + Yet leave that heart to break? + +One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from Monteiro, these +adventures were near being brought to a speedy and a final close: six +or seven blackbirds, with a white spot betwixt the shoulders, were +making a noise and passing to and fro on the lower branches of a tree +in an abandoned, weed-grown orange-orchard. In the long grass +underneath the tree apparently a pale green grasshopper was fluttering, +as though it had got entangled in it. When you once fancy that the +thing you are looking at is really what you take it for, the more you +look at it the more you are convinced it is so. In the present case +this was a grasshopper beyond all doubt, and nothing more remained to +be done but to wait in patience till it had settled, in order that you +might run no risk of breaking its legs in attempting to lay hold of it +while it was fluttering--it still kept fluttering; and having quietly +approached it, intending to make sure of it --behold, the head of a +large rattlesnake appeared in the grass close by: an instantaneous +spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What had been taken for +a grasshopper was, in fact, the elevated rattle of the snake in the act +of announcing that he was quite prepared, though unwilling, to make a +sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed slowly from under the +orange-tree to the neighbouring wood on the side of a hill: as he moved +over a place bare of grass and weeds he appeared to be about eight feet +long; it was he who had engaged the attention of the birds and made +them heedless of danger from another quarter: they flew away on his +retiring--one alone left his little life in the air, destined to become +a specimen, mute and motionless, for the inspection of the curious in a +far distant clime. + +It was now the rainy season. The birds were moulting--fifty-eight +specimens of the handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernambuco +had been collected; and it was time to proceed elsewhere. The +conveyance to the interior was by horses, and this mode, together with +the heavy rains, would expose preserved specimens to almost certain +damage. The journey to Maranham by land would take at least forty days. +The route was not wild enough to engage the attention of an explorer, +or civilised enough to afford common comforts to a traveller. By sea +there were no opportunities, except slave-ships. As the transporting +poor negroes from port to port for sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' +decks are crowded with them. This would not do. + +Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of gratitude to an +Irish family whose urbanity and goodness have long gained it the esteem +and respect of all ranks in Pernambuco. The kindness and attention I +received from Dennis Kearney, Esq., and his amiable lady will be +remembered with gratitude to my dying day. + +After wishing farewell to this hospitable family, I embarked on board a +Portuguese brig, with poor accommodations, for Cayenne in Guiana. The +most eligible bedroom was the top of a hen-coop on deck. Even here an +unsavoury little beast, called bug, was neither shy nor deficient in +appetite. + +The Portuguese seamen are famed for catching fish. One evening, under +the line, four sharks made their appearance in the wake of the vessel. +The sailors caught them all. + +On the fourteenth day after leaving Pernambuco, the brig cast anchor +off the Island of Cayenne. The entrance is beautiful. To windward, not +far off, there are two bold wooded islands called the Father and +Mother, and near them are others, their children, smaller, though as +beautiful as their parents. Another is seen a long way to leeward of +the family, and seems as if it had strayed from home and cannot find +its way back. The French call it "l'enfant perdu." As you pass the +islands the stately hills on the main, ornamented with ever-verdant +foliage, show you that this is by far the sublimest scenery on the +sea-coast from the Amazons to the Oroonoque. On casting your eye +towards Dutch Guiana you will see that the mountains become unconnected +and few in number, and long before you reach Surinam the Atlantic wave +washes a flat and muddy shore. + +Considerably to windward of Cayenne, and about twelve leagues from +land, stands a stately and towering rock called the Constable. As +nothing grows on it to tempt greedy and aspiring man to claim it as his +own, the sea-fowl rest and raise their offspring there. The bird called +the frigate is ever soaring round its rugged summit. Hither the phaeton +bends his rapid flight, and flocks of rosy flamingos here defy the +fowler's cunning. All along the coast, opposite the Constable, and +indeed on every uncultivated part of it to windward and leeward, are +seen innumerable quantities of snow-white egrets, scarlet curlews, +spoonbills and flamingos. + +Cayenne is capable of being a noble and productive colony. At present +it is thought to be the poorest on the coast of Guiana. Its estates are +too much separated one from the other by immense tracts of forest; and +the revolutionary war, like a cold eastern wind, has chilled their zeal +and blasted their best expectations. + +The clove-tree, the cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, and many other choice +spices and fruits of the Eastern and Asiatic regions, produce +abundantly in Cayenne. + +The town itself is prettily laid out, and was once well fortified. They +tell you it might easily have been defended against the invading force +of the two united nations; but Victor Hugues, its governor, ordered the +tri-coloured flag to be struck; and ever since that day the standard of +Braganza has waved on the ramparts of Cayenne. + +He who has received humiliations from the hand of this haughty, +iron-hearted governor may see him now, in Cayenne, stripped of all his +revolutionary honours, broken down and ruined, and under arrest in his +own house. He has four accomplished daughters, respected by the whole +town. Towards the close of day, when the sun's rays are no longer +oppressive, these much-pitied ladies are seen walking up and down the +balcony with their aged parent, trying, by their kind and filial +attention, to remove the settled gloom from his too guilty brow. + +This was not the time for a traveller to enjoy Cayenne. The hospitality +of the inhabitants was the same as ever, but they had lost their wonted +gaiety in public, and the stranger might read in their countenances, as +the recollection of recent humiliations and misfortunes every now and +then kept breaking in upon them, that they were still in sorrow for +their fallen country: the victorious hostile cannon of Waterloo still +sounded in their ears: their emperor was a prisoner amongst the hideous +rocks of St. Helena; and many a Frenchman who had fought and bled for +France was now amongst them begging for a little support to prolong a +life which would be forfeited on the parent soil. To add another +handful to the cypress and wormwood already scattered amongst these +polite colonists, they had just received orders from the Court of +Janeiro to put on deep mourning for six months, and half-mourning for +as many more, on account of the death of the queen of Portugal. + +About a day's journey in the interior is the celebrated national +plantation. This spot was judiciously chosen, for it is out of the +reach of enemies' cruisers. It is called La Gabrielle. No plantation in +the Western world can vie with La Gabrielle. Its spices are of the +choicest kind, its soil particularly favourable to them, its +arrangements beautiful, and its directeur, Monsieur Martin, a botanist +of first-rate abilities. This indefatigable naturalist ranged through +the East, under a royal commission, in quest of botanical knowledge; +and during his stay in the Western regions has sent over to Europe from +twenty to twenty-five thousand specimens in botany and zoology. La +Gabrielle is on a far-extending range of woody hills. Figure to +yourself a hill in the shape of a bowl reversed, with the buildings on +the top of it, and you will have an idea of the appearance of La +Gabrielle. You approach the house through a noble avenue, five hundred +toises long, of the choicest tropical fruit-trees, planted with the +greatest care and judgment; and should you chance to stray through it, +after sunset, when the clove-trees are in blossom, you would fancy +yourself in the Idalian groves or near the banks of the Nile, where +they were burning the finest incense as the queen of Egypt passed. + +On La Gabrielle there are twenty-two thousand clove-trees in full +bearing. They are planted thirty feet asunder. Their lower branches +touch the ground. In general the trees are topped at five and twenty +feet high, though you will see some here towering up above sixty. The +black pepper, the cinnamon and nutmeg are also in great abundance here, +and very productive. + +While the stranger views the spicy groves of La Gabrielle, and tastes +the most delicious fruits which have been originally imported hither +from all parts of the tropical world, he will thank the Government +which has supported, and admire the talents of the gentleman who has +raised to its present grandeur, this noble collection of useful fruits. +There is a large nursery attached to La Gabrielle where plants of all +the different species are raised and distributed gratis to those +colonists who wish to cultivate them. + +Not far from the banks of the River Oyapoc, to windward of Cayenne, is +a mountain which contains an immense cavern. Here the cock-of-the-rock +is plentiful. He is about the size of a fantail pigeon, his colour a +bright orange and his wings and tail appear as though fringed; his head +is ornamented with a superb double-feathery crest edged with purple. He +passes the day amid gloomy damps and silence, and only issues out for +food a short time at sunrise and sunset. He is of the gallinaceous +tribe. The South-American Spaniards call him "Gallo del Rio Negro" +(Cock of the Black River), and suppose that he is only to be met with +in the vicinity of that far-inland stream; but he is common in the +interior of Demerara, amongst the huge rocks in the forests of +Macoushia, and he has been shot south of the line, in the captainship +of Para. + +The bird called by Buffon grand gobe-mouche has never been found in +Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. He is not quite so large as +the jackdaw, and is entirely black, except a large spot under the +throat, which is a glossy purple. + +You may easily sail from Cayenne to the River Surinam in two days. Its +capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich and populous: hitherto it has +been considered by far the finest town in Guiana, but probably the time +is not far off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of +superiority. You may enter a creek above Paramaribo and travel through +the interior of Surinam till you come to the Nicari, which is close to +the large River Coryntin. When you have passed this river there is a +good public road to New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. + +On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike you that something +or other has intervened to prevent its arriving at that state of wealth +and consequence for which its original plan shows it was once intended. +What has caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and +populous city remains for those to find out who are interested in it; +certain it is that New Amsterdam has been languid for some years, and +now the tide of commerce seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. + +Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. Perhaps, kind +reader, thou hast not forgot that it was from Stabroek, the capital of +Demerara, that the adventurer set out, some years ago, to reach the +Portuguese frontier-fort and collect the wourali poison. It was not +intended, when this second sally was planned in England, to have +visited Stabroek again by the route here described. The plan was to +have ascended the Amazons from Para and got into the Rio Negro, and +from thence to have returned towards the source of the Essequibo, in +order to examine the crystal mountains and look once more for Lake +Parima, or the White Sea; but on arriving at Cayenne the current was +running with such amazing rapidity to leeward that a Portuguese sloop, +which had been beating up towards Para for four weeks, was then only +half-way. Finding, therefore, that a beat to the Amazons would be long, +tedious and even uncertain, and aware that the season for procuring +birds in fine plumage had already set in, I left Cayenne in an American +ship for Paramaribo, went through the interior to the Coryntin, stopped +a few days in New Amsterdam, and proceeded to Demerara. If, gentle +reader, thy patience be not already worn out, and thy eyes half-closed +in slumber by perusing the dull adventures of this second sally, +perhaps thou wilt pardon a line or two on Demerara; and then we will +retire to its forests to collect and examine the economy of its most +rare and beautiful birds, and give the world a new mode of preserving +them. + +Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, has been rapidly increasing for some +years back; and if prosperity go hand in hand with the present +enterprising spirit, Stabroek, ere long, will be of the first colonial +consideration. It stands on the eastern bank at the mouth of the +Demerara, and enjoys all the advantages of the refreshing sea-breeze; +the streets are spacious, well bricked and elevated, the trenches +clean, the bridges excellent, and the houses handsome. Almost every +commodity and luxury of London may be bought in the shops at Stabroek: +its market wants better regulations. The hotels are commodious, clean +and well-attended. Demerara boasts as fine and well-disciplined militia +as any colony in the Western world. + +The court of justice, where in times of old the bandage was easily +removed from the eyes of the goddess and her scales thrown out of +equilibrium, now rises in dignity under the firmness, talents and +urbanity of Mr. President Rough. + +The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation; a tolerable +idea may be formed of their value when you know that last year Demerara +numbered 72,999 slaves. They made above 44,000,000 pounds of sugar, +near 2,000,000 gallons of rum, above 11,000,000 pounds of coffee, and +3,819,512 pounds of cotton; the receipt into the public chest was +553,956 guilders; the public expenditure 451,603 guilders. + +Slavery can never be defended. He whose heart is not of iron can never +wish to be able to defend it: while he heaves a sigh for the poor negro +in captivity, he wishes from his soul that the traffic had been stifled +in its birth; but unfortunately the Governments of Europe nourished it, +and now that they are exerting themselves to do away the evil, and +ensure liberty to the sons of Africa, the situation of the +plantation-slaves is depicted as truly deplorable and their condition +wretched. It is not so. A Briton's heart, proverbially kind and +generous, is not changed by climate or its streams of compassion dried +up by the scorching heat of a Demerara sun: he cheers his negroes in +labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in old age, and +never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. + +Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as well as all +the world over, but the edicts of the colonial Government are well +calculated to prevent them, and the British planter, except here and +there one, feels for the wrongs done to a poor ill-treated slave, and +shows that his heart grieves for him by causing immediate redress and +preventing a repetition. + +Long may ye flourish, peaceful and liberal inhabitants of Demerara. +Your doors are ever open to harbour the harbourless; your purses never +shut to the wants of the distressed: many a ruined fugitive from the +Oroonoque will bless your kindness to him in the hour of need, when +flying from the woes of civil discord, without food or raiment, he +begged for shelter underneath your roof. The poor sufferer in Trinidad +who lost his all in the devouring flames will remember your charity to +his latest moments. The traveller, as he leaves your port, casts a +longing, lingering look behind: your attentions, your hospitality, your +pleasantry and mirth are uppermost in his thoughts; your prosperity is +close to his heart. Let us now, gentle reader, retire from the busy +scenes of man and journey on towards the wilds in quest of the +feathered tribe. + +Leave behind you your high-seasoned dishes, your wines and your +delicacies: carry nothing but what is necessary for your own comfort +and the object in view, and depend upon the skill of an Indian, or your +own, for fish and game. A sheet about twelve feet long, ten wide, +painted, and with loop-holes on each side, will be of great service: in +a few minutes you can suspend it betwixt two trees in the shape of a +roof. Under this, in your hammock, you may defy the pelting shower, and +sleep heedless of the dews of night. A hat, a shirt and a light pair of +trousers will be all the raiment you require. Custom will soon teach +you to tread lightly and barefoot on the little inequalities of the +ground, and show you how to pass on unwounded amid the mantling briers. + +Snakes, in these wilds, are certainly an annoyance, though perhaps more +in imagination than reality, for you must recollect that the serpent is +never the first to offend: his poisonous fang was not given him for +conquest--he never inflicts a wound with it but to defend existence. +Provided you walk cautiously and do not absolutely touch him, you may +pass in safety close by him. As he is often coiled up on the ground, +and amongst the branches of the trees above you, a degree of +circumspection is necessary lest you unwarily disturb him. + +Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the noble face of man, to +require a moment of your attention. + +The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at the very worst, only +causes a transient fever with a degree of pain more or less. + +Birds in general, with a few exceptions, are not common in the very +remote parts of the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes and creeks, the +borders of savannas, the old abandoned habitations of Indians and +wood-cutters, seem to be their favourite haunts. + +Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird +entitles it to the first place in the list of the birds of the new +world. It may truly be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed +in the Old World, it would have claimed the title instead of the bird +which has now the honour to bear it. See it darting through the air +almost as quick as thought!--now it is within a yard of your face!--in +an instant gone!--now it flutters from flower to flower to sip the +silver dew--it is now a ruby--now a topaz --now an emerald--now all +burnished gold! It would be arrogant to pretend to describe this winged +gem of Nature after Buffon's elegant description of it. + +Cayenne and Demerara produce the same hummingbirds. Perhaps you would +wish to know something of their haunts. Chiefly in the months of July +and August, the tree called bois immortel, very common in Demerara, +bears abundance of red blossom which stays on the tree for some weeks; +then it is that most of the different species of humming-birds are very +plentiful. The wild red sage is also their favourite shrub, and they +buzz like bees round the blossom of the wallaba tree. Indeed, there is +scarce a flower in the interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives +frequent visits from one or other of the species. + +On entering the forests, on the rising land in the interior, the blue +and green, the smallest brown, no bigger than the humble-bee, with two +long feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated +humming-birds, glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes. One +species alone never shows his beauty to the sun: and were it not for +his lovely shining colours, you might almost be tempted to class him +with the goat-suckers, on account of his habits. He is the largest of +all the humming-birds, and is all red and changing gold-green, except +the head, which is black. He has two long feathers in the tail which +cross each other, and these have gained him the name of karabimiti, or +ara humming-bird, from the Indians. You never find him on the +sea-coast, or where the river is salt, or in the heart of the forest, +unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the side of woody +fresh-water rivers and dark and lonely creeks. He leaves his retreat +before sunrise to feed on the insects over the water; he returns to it +as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light, is sedentary all day +long, and comes out again for a short tune after sunset. He builds his +nest on a twig over the water in the unfrequented creeks: it looks like +tanned cow-leather. + +As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara other species of +humming-birds present themselves before you. It seems to be an +erroneous opinion that the humming-bird lives entirely on honey-dew. +Almost every flower of the tropical climates contains insects of one +kind or other. Now the humming-bird is most busy about the flowers an +hour or two after sunrise and after a shower of rain, and it is just at +this time that the insects come out to the edge of the flower in order +that the sun's rays may dry the nocturnal dew and rain which they have +received. On opening the stomach of the humming-bird dead insects are +almost always found there. + +Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas display the gayest plumage. +They are of the order of Passer, and you number five species betwixt +the sea-coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet cotinga is the +richest of the five, and is one of those birds which are found in the +deepest recesses of the forest. His crown is flaming red; to this +abruptly succeeds a dark shining brown, reaching half-way down the +back: the remainder of the back, the rump and tail, the extremity of +which is edged with black, are a lively red; the belly is a somewhat +lighter red; the breast reddish-black; the wings brown. He has no song, +is solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle which sounds like "quet." +He is fond of the seeds of the hitia-tree and those of the siloabali- +and bastard siloabali-trees, which ripen in December and continue on +the trees for above two months. He is found throughout the year in +Demerara; still nothing is known of his incubation. The Indians all +agree in telling you that they have never seen his nest. + +The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and breast of a deep purple, +the wings and tail black, and all the rest of the body a most lovely +shining blue. + +The purple-throated cotinga has black wings and tail, and every other +part a light and glossy blue, save the throat, which is purple. + +The pompadour cotinga is entirely purple, except his wings, which are +white, their four first feathers tipped with brown. The great coverts +of the wings are stiff, narrow and pointed, being shaped quite +different from those of any other bird. When you are betwixt this bird +and the sun, in his flight, he appears uncommonly brilliant. He makes a +hoarse noise which sounds like "wallababa." Hence his name amongst the +Indians. + +None of these three cotingas have a song. They feed on the hitia, +siloabali- and bastard siloabali-seeds, the wild guava, the fig, and +other fruit-trees of the forest. They are easily shot in these trees +during the months of December, January and part of February. The +greater part of them disappear after this, and probably retire far away +to breed. Their nests have never been found in Demerara. + +The fifth species is the celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, called +dara by the Indians, and bell-bird by the English. He is about the size +of the jay. His plumage is white as snow. On his forehead rises a +spiral tube nearly three inches long. It is jet black, dotted all over +with small white feathers. It has a communication with the palate, and +when filled with air looks like a spire; when empty it becomes +pendulous. His note is loud and clear, like the sound of a bell, and +may be heard at the distance of three miles. In the midst of these +extensive wilds, generally on the dried top of an aged mora, almost out +of gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No sound or song from any of +the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the clearly pronounced +"Whip-poor-will" from the goat-sucker, cause such astonishment as the +toll of the campanero. + +With many of the feathered race he pays the common tribute of a morning +and an evening song; and even when the meridian sun has shut in silence +the mouths of almost the whole of animated nature the campanero still +cheers the forest. You hear his toll, and then a pause for a minute, +then another toll, and then a pause again, and then a toll, and again a +pause. Then he is silent for six or eight minutes, and then another +toll, and so on. Acteon would stop in mid-chase, Maria would defer her +evening song, and Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to him, +so sweet, so novel and romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white +campanero. He is never seen to feed with the other cotingas, nor is it +known in what part of Guiana he makes his nest. + +While the cotingas attract your attention by their superior plumage, +the singular form of the toucan makes a lasting impression on your +memory. There are three species of toucans in Demerara, and three +diminutives, which may be called toucanets. The largest of the first +species frequents the mangrove trees on the sea-coast. He is never seen +in the interior till you reach Macoushia, where he is found in the +neighbourhood of the River Tacatou. The other two species are very +common. They feed entirely on the fruits of the forest and, though of +the pie kind, never kill the young of other birds or touch carrion. The +larger is called bouradi by the Indians (which means nose), the other +scirou. They seem partial to each other's company, and often resort to +the same feeding-tree and retire together to the same shady noon-day +retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at all hours of the day, +and in fair weather at morn and eve. The sound which the bouradi makes +is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog, and you fancy he says +"pia-po-o-co," and thus the South-American Spaniards call him piapoco. + +All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the toucan feeds, and +every species of this family of enormous bill lays its eggs in the +hollow trees. They are social, but not gregarious. You may sometimes +see eight or ten in company, and from this you would suppose they are +gregarious; but upon a closer examination you will find it has only +been a dinner-party, which breaks up and disperses towards +roosting-time. + +You will be at a loss to conjecture for what ends Nature has overloaded +the head of this bird with such an enormous bill. It cannot be for the +offensive, as it has no need to wage war with any of the tribes of +animated nature, for its food is fruits and seeds, and those are in +superabundance throughout the whole year in the regions where the +toucan is found. It can hardly be for the defensive, as the toucan is +preyed upon by no bird in South America and, were it obliged to be at +war, the texture of the bill is ill-adapted to give or receive blows, +as you will see in dissecting it. It cannot be for any particular +protection to the tongue, as the tongue is a perfect feather. + +The flight of the toucan is by jerks: in the action of flying it seems +incommoded by this huge disproportioned feature, and the head seems as +if bowed down to the earth by it against its will. If the extraordinary +form and size of the bill expose the toucan to ridicule, its colours +make it amends. Were a specimen of each species of the toucan presented +to you, you would pronounce the bill of the bouradi the most rich and +beautiful: on the ridge of the upper mandible a broad stripe of most +lovely yellow extends from the head to the point; a stripe of the same +breadth, though somewhat deeper yellow, falls from it at right angles +next the head down to the edge of the mandible; then follows a black +stripe, half as broad, falling at right angles from the ridge and +running narrower along the edge to within half an inch of the point. +The rest of the mandible is a deep bright red. The lower mandible has +no yellow: its black and red are distributed in the same manner as on +the upper one, with this difference, that there is black about an inch +from the point. The stripe corresponding to the deep yellow stripe on +the upper mandible is sky-blue. It is worthy of remark that all these +brilliant colours of the bill are to be found in the plumage of the +body and the bare skin round the eye. + +All these colours, except the blue, are inherent in the horn: that part +which appears blue is in reality transparent white, and receives its +colour from a thin piece of blue skin inside. This superb bill fades in +death, and in three or four days' time has quite lost its original +colours. + +Till within these few years no idea of the true colours of the bill +could be formed from the stuffed toucans brought to Europe. About eight +years ago, while eating a boiled toucan, the thought struck me that the +colours in the bill of a preserved specimen might be kept as bright as +those in life. A series of experiments proved this beyond a doubt. If +you take your penknife and cut away the roof of the upper mandible, you +will find that the space betwixt it and the outer shell contains a +large collection of veins and small osseous fibres running in all +directions through the whole extent of the bill. Clear away all these +with your knife, and you will come to a substance more firm than skin, +but of not so strong a texture as the horn itself. Cut this away also, +and behind it is discovered a thin and tender membrane: yellow where it +has touched the yellow part of the horn, blue where it has touched the +red part, and black towards the edge and point; when dried this thin +and tender membrane becomes nearly black; as soon as it is cut away +nothing remains but the outer horn, red and yellow, and now become +transparent. The under mandible must undergo the same operation. Great +care must be taken and the knife used very cautiously when you are +cutting through the different parts close to where the bill joins on to +the head: if you cut away too much the bill drops off; if you press too +hard the knife comes through the horn; if you leave too great a portion +of the membrane it appears through the horn and, by becoming black when +dried, makes the horn appear black also, and has a bad effect. +Judgment, caution, skill and practice will ensure success. + +You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which are the cause +of its apparent fading, for, as has been said before, these bodies dry +in death and become quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn; +and reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that its former +bright colours are lost. + +Something still remains to be done. You have rendered the bill +transparent by the operation, and that transparency must be done away +to make it appear perfectly natural. Pound some clean chalk and give it +enough water till it be of the consistency of tar, add a proportion of +gum-arabic to make it adhesive, then take a camel-hair brush and give +the inside of both mandibles a coat; apply a second when the first is +dry, then another, and a fourth to finish all. The gum-arabic will +prevent the chalk from cracking and falling off. If you remember, there +is a little space of transparent white in the lower mandible which +originally appeared blue, but which became transparent white as soon as +the thin piece of blue skin was cut away: this must be painted blue +inside. When all this is completed the bill will please you: it will +appear in its original colours. Probably your own abilities will +suggest a cleverer mode of operating than the one here described. A +small gouge would assist the penknife and render the operation less +difficult. + +The houtou ranks high in beauty amongst the birds of Demerara. His +whole body is green, with a bluish cast in the wings and tail; his +crown, which he erects at pleasure, consists of black in the centre, +surrounded with lovely blue of two different shades; he has a +triangular black spot, edged with blue, behind the eye extending to the +ear, and on his breast a sable tuft consisting of nine feathers edged +also with blue. This bird seems to suppose that its beauty can be +increased by trimming the tail, which undergoes the same operation as +our hair in a barber's shop, only with this difference, that it uses +its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu of a pair of scissors. As soon +as his tail is full grown, he begins about an inch from the extremity +of the two longest feathers in it and cuts away the web on both sides +of the shaft, making a gap about an inch long. Both male and female +adonise their tails in this manner, which gives them a remarkable +appearance amongst all other birds. While we consider the tail of the +houtou blemished and defective, were he to come amongst us he would +probably consider our heads, cropped and bald, in no better light. He +who wishes to observe this handsome bird in his native haunts must be +in the forest at the morning's dawn. The houtou shuns the society of +man: the plantations and cultivated parts are too much disturbed to +engage it to settle there; the thick and gloomy forests are the places +preferred by the solitary houtou. + +In those far-extending wilds, about daybreak, you hear him articulate, +in a distinct and mournful tone, "houtou, houtou." Move cautious on to +where the sound proceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the +underwood about a couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up +and down every time he articulates "houtou." He lives on insects and +the berries amongst the underwood, and very rarely is seen in the lofty +trees, except the bastard siloabali-tree, the fruit of which is +grateful to him. He makes no nest, but rears his young in a hole in the +sand, generally on the side of a hill. + +While in quest of the houtou, you will now and then fall in with the +jay of Guiana, called by the Indians ibibirou. Its forehead is black, +the rest of the head white, the throat and breast like the English +magpie; about an inch of the extremity of the tail is white, the other +part of it, together with the back and wings, a greyish changing +purple; the belly is white. There are generally six or eight of them in +company: they are shy and garrulous, and tarry a very short time in one +place. They are never seen in the cultivated parts. + +Through the whole extent of the forest, chiefly from sunrise till nine +o'clock in the morning, you hear a sound of "wow, wow, wow, wow." This +is the bird called boclora by the Indians. It is smaller than the +common pigeon, and seems, in some measure, to partake of its nature: +its head and breast are blue; the back and rump somewhat resemble the +colour on the peacock's neck; its belly is a bright yellow. The legs +are so very short that it always appears as if sitting on the branch: +it is as ill-adapted for walking as the swallow. Its neck, for above an +inch all round, is quite bare of feathers, but this deficiency is not +seen, for it always sits with its head drawn in upon its shoulders. It +sometimes feeds with the cotingas on the guava- and hitia-trees, but +its chief nutriment seems to be insects, and, like most birds which +follow this prey, its chaps are well armed with bristles: it is found +in Demerara at all times of the year, and makes a nest resembling that +of the stock-dove. This bird never takes long nights, and when it +crosses a river or creek it goes by long jerks. + +The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing quite heedless of danger: +the report of a gun within twenty yards will not cause it to leave the +branch on which it is sitting, and you may often approach it so near as +almost to touch it with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is no bird +known whose feathers are so slightly fixed to the skin as those of the +boclora. After shooting it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if +it drop on hard ground, whole heaps of feathers fall off: on this +account it is extremely hard to procure a specimen for preservation. As +soon as the skin is dry in the preserved specimen the feathers become +as well fixed as those in any other bird. + +Another species, larger than the boclora, attracts much of your notice +in these wilds: it is called cuia by the Indians, from the sound of its +voice. Its habits are the same as those of the boclora, but its colours +different: its head, breast, back and rump are a shining, changing +green; its tail not quite so bright; a black bar runs across the tail +towards the extremity, and the outside feathers are partly white, as in +the boclora; its belly is entirely vermilion, a bar of white separating +it from the green on the breast. + +There are diminutives of both these birds: they have the same habits, +with a somewhat different plumage, and about half the size. Arrayed +from head to tail in a robe of richest sable hue, the bird called +rice-bird loves spots cultivated by the hand of man. The woodcutter's +house on the hills in the interior, and the planter's habitation on the +sea-coast, equally attract this songless species of the order of pie, +provided the Indian-corn be ripe there. He is nearly of the jackdaw's +size and makes his nest far away from the haunts of men. He may truly +be called a blackbird: independent of his plumage, his beak, inside and +out, his legs, his toes and claws are jet black. + +Mankind, by clearing the ground and sowing a variety of seeds, induces +many kinds of birds to leave their native haunts and come and settle +near him: their little depredations on his seeds and fruits prove that +it is the property, and not the proprietor, which has the attractions. + +One bird, however, in Demerara is not actuated by selfish motives: this +is the cassique. In size he is larger than the starling: he courts the +society of man, but disdains to live by his labours. When Nature calls +for support he repairs to the neighbouring forest, and there partakes +of the store of fruits and seeds which she has produced in abundance +for her aerial tribes. When his repast is over he returns to man, and +pays the little tribute which he owes him for his protection. He takes +his station on a tree close to his house, and there, for hours +together, pours forth a succession of imitative notes. His own song is +sweet, but very short. If a toucan be yelping in the neighbourhood, he +drops it, and imitates him. Then he will amuse his protector with the +cries of the different species of the woodpecker, and when the sheep +bleat he will distinctly answer them. Then comes his own song again; +and if a puppy-dog or a guinea-fowl interrupt him, he takes them off +admirably, and by his different gestures during the time you would +conclude that he enjoys the sport. + +The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any sound he hears with such +exactness that he goes by no other name than that of mocking bird +amongst the colonists. + +At breeding-time a number of these pretty choristers resort to a tree +near the planter's house, and from its outside branches weave their +pendulous nests. So conscious do they seem that they never give +offence, and so little suspicious are they of receiving any injury from +man, that they will choose a tree within forty yards from his house, +and occupy the branches so low down that he may peep into the nests. A +tree in Waratilla Creek affords a proof of this. + +The proportions of the cassique are so fine that he may be said to be a +model of symmetry in ornithology. On each wing he has a bright yellow +spot, and his rump, belly and half the tail are of the same colour. All +the rest of the body is black. His beak is the colour of sulphur, but +it fades in death, and requires the same operation as the bill of the +toucan to make it keep its colours. Up the rivers, in the interior, +there is another cassique, nearly the same size and of the same habits, +though not gifted with its powers of imitation. Except in +breeding-time, you will see hundreds of them retiring to roost amongst +the moca-moca-trees and low shrubs on the banks of the Demerara, after +you pass the first island. They are not common on the sea-coast. The +rump of this cassique is a flaming scarlet. All the rest of the body is +a rich glossy black. His bill is sulphur-colour. You may often see +numbers of this species weaving their pendulous nests on one side of a +tree, while numbers of the other species are busy in forming theirs on +the opposite side of the same tree. Though such near neighbours, the +females are never observed to kick up a row or come to blows! + +Another species of cassique, as large as a crow, is very common in the +plantations. In the morning he generally repairs to a large tree, and +there, with his tail spread over his back and shaking his lowered +wings, he produces notes which, though they cannot be said to amount to +a song, still have something very sweet and pleasing in them. He makes +his nest in the same form as the other cassiques. It is above four feet +long, and when you pass under the tree, which often contains fifty or +sixty of them, you cannot help stopping to admire them as they wave to +and fro, the sport of every storm and breeze. The rump is chestnut; ten +feathers of the tail are a fine yellow, the remaining two, which are +the middle ones, are black, and an inch shorter than the others. His +bill is sulphur-colour; all the rest of the body black, with here and +there shades of brown. He has five or six long narrow black feathers on +the back of his head, which he erects at pleasure. + +There is one more species of cassique in Demerara which always prefers +the forests to the cultivated parts. His economy is the same as that of +the other cassiques. He is rather smaller than the last described bird. +His body is greenish, and his tail and rump paler than those of the +former. Half of his beak is red. + +You would not be long in the forests of Demerara without noticing the +woodpeckers. You meet with them feeding at all hours of the day. Well +may they do so. Were they to follow the example of most of the other +birds, and only feed in the morning and evening, they would be often on +short allowance, for they sometimes have to labour three or four hours +at the tree before they get to their food. The sound which the largest +kind makes in hammering against the bark of the tree is so loud that +you would never suppose it to proceed from the efforts of a bird. You +would take it to be the woodman, with his axe, trying by a sturdy blow, +often repeated, whether the tree were sound or not. There are fourteen +species here: the largest the size of a magpie, the smallest no bigger +than the wren. They are all beautiful, and the greater part of them +have their heads ornamented with a fine crest, movable at pleasure. + +It is said, if you once give a dog a bad name, whether innocent or +guilty, he never loses it. It sticks close to him wherever he goes. He +has many a kick and many a blow to bear on account of it; and there is +nobody to stand up for him. The woodpecker is little better off. The +proprietors of woods in Europe have long accused him of injuring their +timber by boring holes in it and letting in the water, which soon rots +it. The colonists in America have the same complaint against him. Had +he the power of speech, which Ovid's birds possessed in days of yore, +he could soon make a defence: "Mighty lord of the woods," he would say +to man, "why do you wrongfully accuse me? Why do you hunt me up and +down to death for an imaginary offence? I have never spoiled a leaf of +your property, much less your wood. Your merciless shot strikes me at +the very time I am doing you a service. But your shortsightedness will +not let you see it, or your pride is above examining closely the +actions of so insignificant a little bird as I am. If there be that +spark of feeling in your breast which they say man possesses, or ought +to possess, above all other animals, do a poor injured creature a +little kindness and watch me in your woods only for one day. I never +wound your healthy trees. I should perish for want in the attempt. The +sound bark would easily resist the force of my bill; and were I even to +pierce through it, there would be nothing inside that I could fancy or +my stomach digest. I often visit them it is true, but a knock or two +convince me that I must go elsewhere for support; and were you to +listen attentively to the sound which my bill causes, you would know +whether I am upon a healthy or an unhealthy tree. Wood and bark are not +my food. I live entirely upon the insects which have already formed a +lodgment in the distempered tree. When the sound informs me that my +prey is there, I labour for hours together till I get at it, and by +consuming it for my own support, I prevent its further depredations in +that part. Thus I discover for you your hidden and unsuspected foe, +which has been devouring your wood in such secrecy that you had not the +least suspicion it was there. The hole which I make in order to get at +the pernicious vermin will be seen by you as you pass under the tree. I +leave it as a signal to tell you that your tree has already stood too +long. It is past its prime. Millions of insects, engendered by disease, +are preying upon its vitals. Ere long it will fall a log in useless +ruins. Warned by this loss, cut down the rest in time, and spare, O +spare the unoffending woodpecker." + +In the rivers and different creeks you number six species of the +kingfisher. They make their nest in a hole in the sand on the side of +the bank. As there is always plenty of foliage to protect them from the +heat of the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though their +plumage is prettily varied, still it falls far short of the brilliancy +displayed by the English kingfisher. This little native of Britain +would outweigh them altogether in the scale of beauty. + +A bird called jacamar is often taken for a kingfisher, but it has no +relationship to that tribe. It frequently sits in the trees over the +water, and as its beak bears some resemblance to that of the +kingfisher, this may probably account for its being taken for one; it +feeds entirely upon insects; it sits on a branch in motionless +expectation, and as soon as a fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it darts +at it, and returns to the branch it had just left. It seems an +indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the society of all others in the +forest. It never visits the plantations, but is found at all times of +the year in the woods. There are four species of jacamar in Demerara. +They are all beautiful: the largest, rich and superb in the extreme. +Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden-green that it may +be ranked with the choicest of the humming-birds. Nature has denied it +a song, but given a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest species +of jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The second size, all +golden-green on the back, must be looked for in the wallaba-forest. The +third is found throughout the whole extent of these wilds, and the +fourth, which is the largest, frequents the interior, where you begin +to perceive stones in the ground. + +When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty +songster called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive +notes. This is the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of +Guiana. Its predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, +arrayed to great advantage. His delicate and well-shaped frame seems +unable to bear captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales +to Stabroek, but in a few months they languish and die in a cage. They +soon become very familiar, and if you allow them the liberty of the +house, they live longer than in a cage and appear in better spirits, +but when you least expect it they drop down and die in epilepsy. + +Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently +arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara. +The woodcutter is particularly favoured by him, for while the hen is +sitting on her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he +sings for hours together close by. He prefers the forests to the +cultivated parts. + +You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in +the plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, +tail and throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. +There is something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much +shorter than that of the troupiale in the interior. + +A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place, in the cultivated +parts, at the time the indian-corn is ripe; he is all black, except the +head and throat, which are yellow. His attempt at song is not worth +attending to. + +Wherever there is a wild fig-tree ripe, a numerous species of birds +called tangara is sure to be on it. There are eighteen beautiful +species here. Their plumage is very rich and diversified. Some of them +boast six separate colours; others have the blue, purple, green and +black so kindly blended into each other that it would be impossible to +mark their boundaries; while others again exhibit them strong, distinct +and abrupt. Many of these tangaras have a fine song. They seem to +partake much of the nature of our linnets, sparrows and finches. Some +of them are fond of the plantations; others are never seen there, +preferring the wild seeds of the forest to the choicest fruits planted +by the hand of man. + +On the same fig-trees to which they repair, and often accidentally up +and down the forest, you fall in with four species of manikin. The +largest is white and black, with the feathers on the throat remarkably +long; the next in size is half red and half black; the third black, +with a white crown; the fourth black, with a golden crown, and red +feathers at the knee. The half-red and half-black species is the +scarcest. There is a creek in the Demerara called Camouni. About ten +minutes from the mouth you see a common-sized fig-tree on your right +hand, as you ascend, hanging over the water; it bears a very small fig +twice a year. When its fruit is ripe this manikin is on the tree from +morn till eve. + +On all the ripe fig-trees in the forest you see the bird called the +small tiger-bird. Like some of our belles and dandies, it has a gaudy +vest to veil an ill-shaped body. The throat, and part of the head, are +a bright red; the breast and belly have black spots on a yellow ground; +the wings are a dark green, black, and white; and the rump and tail +black and green. Like the manikin, it has no song: it depends solely +upon a showy garment for admiration. + +Devoid, too, of song, and in a still superber garb, the yawaraciri +comes to feed on the same tree. It has a bar like black velvet from the +eyes to the beak; its legs are yellow; its throat, wings and tail +black; all the rest of the body a charming blue. Chiefly in the dry +savannas, and here and there accidentally in the forest, you see a +songless yawaraciri still lovelier than the last: his crown is whitish +blue, arrayed like a coat of mail; his tail is black, his wings black +and yellow; legs red; and the whole body a glossy blue. Whilst roving +through the forest, ever and anon you see individuals of the wren +species busy amongst the fallen leaves, or seeking insects at the roots +of the trees. + +Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds whose backs +appear to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a +chestnut breast, smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like +horns on his head, and white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, +feeds entirely upon ants. When a nest of large light-brown ants +emigrates, one following the other in meandering lines above a mile +long, you see this bird watching them and every now and then picking +them up. When they disappear he is seen no more: perhaps this is the +only kind of ant he is fond of. When these ants are stirring, you are +sure to find him near them. You cannot well mistake the ant after you +have once been in its company, for its sting is very severe, and you +can hardly shoot the bird and pick it up without having five or six +upon you. + +Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different +kinds. You will know when they are near you in the forest not only by +the noise they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let +fall while they are feeding. + +The hia-hia parrot, called in England the parrot of the sun, is very +remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan +feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The +fore-part of his head is white; his back, tail and wings green; and his +breast and belly tartan. + +Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara +will force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and +gaze at him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body, +the lovely variety of red, yellow, blue and green in his wings, the +extraordinary length of his scarlet and blue tail, seem all to join and +demand for him the title of emperor of all the parrots. He is scarce in +Demerara till you reach the confines of the Macoushi country: there he +is in vast abundance. He mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. +When the coucourite-trees have ripe fruit on them they are covered with +this magnificent parrot. He is not shy or wary: you may take your +blow-pipe and quiver of poisoned arrows and kill more than you are able +to carry back to your hut. They are very vociferous, and, like the +common parrots, rise up in bodies towards sunset and fly two and two to +their place of rest. It is a grand sight in ornithology to see +thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to let you have a +full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians find their flesh very +good, and the feathers serve for ornaments in their head-dresses. They +breed in the holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and learn to +speak pretty distinctly. + +Another species frequents the low-lands of Demerara. He is nearly the +size of the scarlet ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and yellow +are his predominant colours. + +Along the creeks and river-sides, and in the wet savannas, six species +of the bittern will engage your attention. They are all handsome, the +smallest not so large as the English water-hen. + +In the savannas, too, you will sometimes surprise the snow-white egret, +whose back is adorned with the plumes from which it takes its name. +Here, too, the spur-winged water-hen, the blue and green water-hen and +two other species of ordinary plumage are found. While in quest of +these, the blue heron, the large and small brown heron, the boatbill +and muscovy duck now and then rise up before you. + +When the sun has sunk in the western woods, no longer agitated by the +breeze; when you can only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe +hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting-place, then it is +that the goat-sucker comes out of the forest, where it has sat all day +long in slumbering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes around +it. Its eyes are too delicately formed to bear the light, and thus it +is forced to shun the flaming face of day and wait in patience till +night invites him to partake of the pleasures her dusky presence brings. + +The harmless, unoffending goat-sucker, from the time of Aristotle down +to the present day, has been in disgrace with man. Father has handed +down to son, and author to author, that this nocturnal thief subsists +by milking the flocks. Poor injured little bird of night, how sadly +hast thou suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to facts put +upon thy character! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his +property nor deprived the kid of a drop of milk. + +When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of +examining the goat-sucker. You will see it close by the cows, goats and +sheep, jumping up every now and then under their bellies. Approach a +little nearer--he is not shy: "he fears no danger, for he knows no +sin." See how the nocturnal flies are tormenting the herd, and with +what dexterity he springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on +the belly, legs and udder of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, +and how sensible they seem of his good offices, for they neither strike +at him nor hit him with their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive +him away as an uncivil intruder. Were you to dissect him, and inspect +his stomach, you would find no milk there. It is full of the flies +which have been annoying the herd. + +The prettily-mottled plumage of the goat-sucker, like that of the owl, +wants the lustre which is observed in the feathers of the birds of day. +This at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's nightly beams. +There are nine species here. The largest appears nearly the size of the +English wood-owl. Its cry is so remarkable that, having once heard it, +you will never forget it. When night reigns over these immeasurable +wilds, whilst lying in your hammock you will hear this goat-sucker +lamenting like one in deep distress. A stranger would never conceive it +to be the cry of a bird. He would say it was the departing voice of a +midnight murdered victim or the last wailing of Niobe for her poor +children before she was turned into stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless +sorrow, begin with a high loud note, and pronounce "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, +ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till the last is scarcely heard, +pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and you will have some idea +of the moaning of the largest goat-sucker in Demerara. + +Four other species of the goat-sucker articulate some words so +distinctly that they have received their names from the sentences they +utter, and absolutely bewilder the stranger on his arrival in these +parts. The most common one sits down close by your door, and flies and +alights three or four yards before you, as you walk along the road, +crying, "Who-are-you, who-who-who-are-you." Another bids you +"Work-away, work-work-work-away." A third cries, mournfully, +"Willy-come-go, willy-willy-willy-come-go." And high up in the country +a fourth tells you to "Whip-poor-will, whip-whip-whip-poor-will." + +You will never persuade the negro to destroy these birds or get the +Indian to let fly his arrow at them. They are birds of omen and +reverential dread. Jumbo, the demon of Africa, has them under his +command, and they equally obey the Yabahou, or Demerara Indian devil. +They are the receptacles for departed souls, who come back again to +earth, unable to rest for crimes done in their days of nature; or they +are expressly sent by Jumbo, or Yabahou, to haunt cruel and +hard-hearted masters and retaliate injuries received from them. If the +largest goat-sucker chance to cry near the white man's door, sorrow and +grief will soon be inside: and they expect to see the master waste away +with a slow consuming sickness. If it be heard close to the negro's or +Indian's hut, from that night misfortune sits brooding over it: and +they await the event in terrible suspense. + +You will forgive the poor Indian of Guiana for this. He knows no +better; he has nobody to teach him. But shame it is that in our own +civilised country the black cat and broomstaff should be considered as +conductors to and from the regions of departed spirits. + +Many years ago I knew poor harmless Mary: old age had marked her +strongly, just as he will mark you and me, should we arrive at her +years and carry the weight of grief which bent her double. The old men +of the village said she had been very pretty in her youth, and nothing +could be seen more comely than Mary when she danced on the green. He +who had gained her heart left her for another, less fair, though +richer, than Mary. From that time she became sad and pensive; the rose +left her cheek, and she was never more seen to dance round the maypole +on the green. Her expectations were blighted; she became quite +indifferent to everything around her, and seemed to think of nothing +but how she could best attend her mother, who was lame and not long for +this life. Her mother had begged a black kitten from some boys who were +going to drown it, and in her last illness she told Mary to be kind to +it for her sake. + +When age and want had destroyed the symmetry of Mary's fine form, the +village began to consider her as one who had dealings with spirits: her +cat confirmed the suspicion. If a cow died, or a villager wasted away +with an unknown complaint, Mary and her cat had it to answer for. Her +broom sometimes served her for a walking-stick: and if ever she +supported her tottering frame with it as far as the maypole, where +once, in youthful bloom and beauty, she had attracted the eyes of all, +the boys would surround her and make sport of her, while her cat had +neither friend nor safety beyond the cottage-wall. Nobody considered it +cruel or uncharitable to torment a witch; and it is probable, long +before this, that cruelty, old age and want have worn her out, and that +both poor Mary and her cat have ceased to be. + +Would you wish to pursue the different species of game, well-stored and +boundless is your range in Demerara. Here no one dogs you, and +afterwards clandestinely inquires if you have a hundred a year in land +to entitle you to enjoy such patrician sport. Here no saucy intruder +asks if you have taken out a licence, by virtue of which you are +allowed to kill the birds which have bred upon your own property. Here + + You are as free as when God first made man, + Ere the vile laws of servitude began, + And wild in woods the noble savage ran. + +Before the morning's dawn you hear a noise in the forest which sounds +like "duraquaura" often repeated. This is the partridge, a little +smaller than and differing somewhat in colour from the English +partridge: it lives entirely in the forest, and probably the young +brood very soon leaves its parents, as you never flush more than two +birds in the same place, and in general only one. + +About the same hour, and sometimes even at midnight, you hear two +species of maam, or tinamou, send forth their long and plaintive +whistle from the depth of the forest. The flesh of both is delicious. +The largest is plumper, and almost equals in size the blackcock of +Northumberland. The quail is said to be here, though rare. + +The hannaquoi, which some have compared to the pheasant, though with +little reason, is very common. + +Here are also two species of the powise, or hocco, and two of the small +wild turkeys called maroudi: they feed on the ripe fruits of the forest +and are found in all directions in these extensive wilds. You will +admire the horned screamer as a stately and majestic bird: he is almost +the size of the turkey-cock, on his head is a long slender horn, and +each wing is armed with a strong, sharp, triangular spur an inch long. + +Sometimes you will fall in with flocks of two or three hundred +waracabas, or trumpeters, called so from the singular noise they +produce. Their breast is adorned with beautiful changing blue and +purple feathers; their head and neck like velvet; their wings and back +grey, and belly black. They run with great swiftness, and when +domesticated attend their master in his walks with as much apparent +affection as his dog. They have no spurs, but still, such is their high +spirit and activity, they browbeat every dunghill fowl in the yard and +force the guinea-birds, dogs and turkeys to own their superiority. + +If, kind and gentle reader, thou shouldst ever visit these regions with +an intention to examine their productions, perhaps the few observations +contained in these wanderings may be of service to thee. Excuse their +brevity: more could have been written, and each bird more particularly +described, but it would have been pressing too hard upon thy time and +patience. + +Soon after arriving in these parts thou wilt find that the species here +enumerated are only as a handful from a well-stored granary. Nothing +has been said of the eagles, the falcons, the hawks and shrikes; +nothing of the different species of vultures, the king of which is very +handsome, and seems to be the only bird which claims regal honours from +a surrounding tribe. It is a fact beyond all dispute that, when the +scent of carrion has drawn together hundreds of the common vultures, +they all retire from the carcass as soon as the king of the vultures +makes his appearance. When his majesty has satisfied the cravings of +his royal stomach with the choicest bits from the most stinking and +corrupted parts, he generally retires to a neighbouring tree, and then +the common vultures return in crowds to gobble down his leavings. The +Indians, as well as the whites, have observed this, for when one of +them, who has learned a little English, sees the king, and wishes you +to have a proper notion of the bird, he says: "There is the governor of +the carrion-crows." + +Now the Indians have never heard of a personage in Demerara higher than +that of governor; and the colonists, through a common mistake, call the +vultures carrion-crows. Hence the Indian, in order to express the +dominion of this bird over the common vultures, tells you he is +governor of the carrion-crows. The Spaniards have also observed it, for +through all the Spanish Main he is called Rey de Zamuros, king of the +vultures. The many species of owls, too, have not been noticed; and no +mention made of the columbine tribe. The prodigious variety of +water-fowl on the sea-shore has been but barely hinted at. + +There, and on the borders and surface of the inland waters, in the +marshes and creeks, besides the flamingos, scarlet curlews and +spoonbills already mentioned, will be found greenish-brown curlews, +sandpipers, rails, coots, gulls, pelicans, jabirus, nandapoas, +crabiers, snipes, plovers, ducks, geese, cranes and anhingas; most of +them in vast abundance; some frequenting only the sea-coast, others +only the interior, according to their different natures; all worthy the +attention of the naturalist, all worthy of a place in the cabinet of +the curious. + +Should thy comprehensive genius not confine itself to birds alone, +grand is the appearance of other objects all around. Thou art in a land +rich in botany and mineralogy, rich in zoology and entomology. +Animation will glow in thy looks and exercise will brace thy frame in +vigour. The very time of thy absence from the tables of heterogeneous +luxury will be profitable to thy stomach, perhaps already sorely +drenched with Londo-Parisian sauces, and a new stock of health will +bring thee an appetite to relish the wholesome food of the chase. +Never-failing sleep will wait on thee at the time she comes to soothe +the rest of animated nature, and ere the sun's rays appear in the +horizon thou wilt spring from thy hammock fresh as the April lark. Be +convinced also that the dangers and difficulties which are generally +supposed to accompany the traveller in his journey through distant +regions are not half so numerous or dreadful as they are commonly +thought to be. + +The youth who incautiously reels into the lobby of Drury Lane after +leaving the table sacred to the god of wine is exposed to more certain +ruin, sickness and decay than he who wanders a whole year in the wilds +of Demerara. But this will never be believed because the disasters +arising from dissipation are so common and frequent in civilised life +that man becomes quite habituated to them, and sees daily victims sink +into the tomb long before their time without ever once taking alarm at +the causes which precipitated them headlong into it. + +But the dangers which a traveller exposes himself to in foreign parts +are novel, out-of-the-way things to a man at home. The remotest +apprehension of meeting a tremendous tiger, of being carried off by a +flying dragon, or having his bones picked by a famished cannibal: oh, +that makes him shudder. It sounds in his ears like the bursting of a +bombshell. Thank Heaven he is safe by his own fireside. + +Prudence and resolution ought to be the traveller's constant +companions. The first will cause him to avoid a number of snares which +he will find in the path as he journeys on; and the second will always +lend a hand to assist him if he has unavoidably got entangled in them. +The little distinctions which have been shown him at his own home ought +to be forgotten when he travels over the world at large, for strangers +know nothing of his former merits, and it is necessary that they should +witness them before they pay him the tribute which he was wont to +receive within his own doors. Thus to be kind and affable to those we +meet, to mix in their amusements, to pay a compliment or two to their +manners and customs, to respect their elders, to give a little to their +distressed and needy, and to feel, as it were, at home amongst them, is +the sure way to enable you to pass merrily on, and to find other +comforts as sweet and palatable as those which you were accustomed to +partake of amongst your friends and acquaintance in your own native +land. + +We will now ascend in fancy on Icarian wing and take a view of Guiana +in general. See an immense plain! betwixt two of the largest rivers in +the world, level as a bowling-green, save at Cayenne, and covered with +trees along the coast quite to the Atlantic wave, except where the +plantations make a little vacancy amongst the foliage. + +Though nearly in the centre of the Torrid Zone, the sun's rays are not +so intolerable as might be imagined, on account of the perpetual +verdure and refreshing north-east breeze. See what numbers of broad and +rapid rivers intersect it in their journey to the ocean, and that not a +stone or a pebble is to be found on their banks, or in any part of the +country, till your eye catches the hills in the interior. How beautiful +and magnificent are the lakes in the heart of the forests, and how +charming the forests themselves, for miles after miles on each side of +the rivers! How extensive appear the savannas or natural meadows, +teeming with innumerable herds of cattle, where the Portuguese and +Spaniards are settled, but desert as Saara where the English and Dutch +claim dominion! How gradually the face of the country rises! See the +sandhills all clothed in wood first emerging from the level, then hills +a little higher, rugged with bold and craggy rocks, peeping out from +amongst the most luxuriant timber. Then come plains and dells and +far-extending valleys, arrayed in richest foliage; and beyond them +mountains piled on mountains, some bearing prodigious forests, others +of bleak and barren aspect. Thus your eye wanders on over scenes of +varied loveliness and grandeur, till it rests on the stupendous +pinnacles of the long-continued Cordilleras de los Andes, which rise in +towering majesty and command all America. + +How fertile must the low-lands be from the accumulation of fallen +leaves and trees for centuries! How propitious the swamps and slimy +beds of the rivers, heated by a downward sun, to the amazing growth of +alligators, serpents and innumerable insects! How inviting the forests +to the feathered tribes, where you see buds, blossoms, green and ripe +fruit, full grown and fading leaves all on the same tree! How secure +the wild beasts may rove in endless mazes! Perhaps those mountains, +too, which appear so bleak and naked, as if quite neglected, are, like +Potosi, full of precious metals. + +Let us now return the pinions we borrowed from Icarus, and prepare to +bid farewell to the wilds. The time allotted to these wanderings is +drawing fast to a close. Every day for the last six months has been +employed in paying close attention to natural history in the forests of +Demerara. Above two hundred specimens of the finest birds have been +collected and a pretty just knowledge formed of their haunts and +economy. From the time of leaving England, in March 1816, to the +present day, nothing has intervened to arrest a fine flow of health, +saving a quartan ague which did not tarry, but fled as suddenly as it +appeared. + +And now I take leave of thee, kind and gentle reader. The new mode of +preserving birds heretofore promised thee shall not be forgotten. The +plan is already formed in imagination, and can be penned down during +the passage across the Atlantic. If the few remarks in these wanderings +shall have any weight in inciting thee to sally forth and explore the +vast and well-stored regions of Demerara, I have gained my end. Adieu. + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +_April 6, 1817._ + + + * * * * * + + + + +THIRD JOURNEY + + Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum. + +Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I strayed across +the Alps and the Apennines, and returned home, but could not tarry. +Guiana still whispered in my ear, and seemed to invite me once more to +wander through her distant forests. + +Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, I pray thee +pardon the frequent use of that unwelcome monosyllable _I_. It could +not well be avoided, as will be seen in the sequel. In February 1820 I +sailed from the Clyde, on board the _Glenbervie_, a fine West-Indiaman. +She was driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to contend with a +foul and wintry wind for above a fortnight. At last it changed, and we +had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic. + +Sad and mournful was the story we heard on entering the River Demerara. +The yellow fever had swept off numbers of the old inhabitants, and the +mortal remains of many a new-comer were daily passing down the streets +in slow and mute procession to their last resting-place. + +After staying a few days in the town, I went up the Demerara to the +former habitation of my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek. + +The house had been abandoned for some years. On arriving at the hill, +the remembrance of scenes long past and gone naturally broke in upon +the mind. All was changed: the house was in ruins and gradually sinking +under the influence of the sun and rain; the roof had nearly fallen in; +and the room, where once governors and generals had caroused, was now +dismantled and tenanted by the vampire. You would have said: + + 'Tis now the vampire's bleak abode, + 'Tis now the apartment of the toad: + 'Tis here the painful chegoe feeds, + 'Tis here the dire labarri breeds + Conceal'd in ruins, moss, and weeds. + +On the outside of the house Nature had nearly reassumed her ancient +right: a few straggling fruit-trees were still discernible amid the +varied hue of the near-approaching forest; they seemed like strangers +lost and bewildered and unpitied in a foreign land, destined to linger +a little longer, and then sink down for ever. + +I hired some negroes from a woodcutter in another creek to repair the +roof; and then the house, or at least what remained of it, became +headquarters for natural history. The frogs, and here and there a +snake, received that attention which the weak in this world generally +experience from the strong, and which the law commonly denominates an +ejectment. But here neither the frogs nor serpents were ill-treated: +they sallied forth, without buffet or rebuke, to choose their place of +residence--the world was all before them. The owls went away of their +own accord, preferring to retire to a hollow tree rather than to +associate with their new landlord. The bats and vampires stayed with +me, and went in and out as usual. + +It was upon this hill in former days that I first tried to teach John, +the black slave of my friend Mr. Edmonstone, the proper way to do +birds. But John had poor abilities, and it required much time and +patience to drive anything into him. Some years after this his master +took him to Scotland, where, becoming free, John left him, and got +employed in the Glasgow, and then the Edinburgh, Museum. Mr. Robert +Edmonstone, nephew to the above gentleman, had a fine mulatto capable +of learning anything. He requested me to teach him the art. I did so. +He was docile and active, and was with me all the time in the forest. I +left him there to keep up this new art of preserving birds and to +communicate it to others. Here, then, I fixed my headquarters, in the +ruins of this once gay and hospitable house. Close by, in a little hut +which, in times long past, had served for a store to keep provisions +in, there lived a coloured man and his wife, by name Backer. Many a +kind turn they did to me; and I was more than once a service to them +and their children, by bringing to their relief in time of sickness +what little knowledge I had acquired of medicine. + +I would here, gentle reader, wish to draw thy attention, for a few +minutes, to physic, raiment and diet. Shouldst thou ever wander through +these remote and dreary wilds, forget not to carry with thee bark, +laudanum, calomel and jalap, and the lancet. There are no +druggist-shops here, nor sons of Galen to apply to in time of need. I +never go encumbered with many clothes. A thin flannel waistcoat under a +check shirt, a pair of trousers and a hat were all my wardrobe: shoes +and stockings I seldom had on. In dry weather they would have irritated +the feet and retarded me in the chase of wild beasts; and in the rainy +season they would have kept me in a perpetual state of damp and +moisture. I eat moderately, and never drink wine, spirits or fermented +liquors in any climate. This abstemiousness has ever proved a faithful +friend; it carried me triumphant through the epidemia at Malaga, where +death made such havoc about the beginning of the present century; and +it has since befriended me in many a fit of sickness brought on by +exposure to the noon-day sun, to the dews of night, to the pelting +shower and unwholesome food. + +Perhaps it will be as well here to mention a fever which came on, and +the treatment of it: it may possibly be of use to thee, shouldst thou +turn wanderer in the tropics; a word or two also of a wound I got in +the forest, and then we will say no more of the little accidents which +sometimes occur, and attend solely to natural history. We shall have an +opportunity of seeing the wild animals in their native haunts, +undisturbed and unbroken in upon by man. We shall have time and leisure +to look more closely at them, and probably rectify some errors which, +for want of proper information or a near observance, have crept into +their several histories. + +It was in the month of June, when the sun was within a few days of +Cancer, that I had a severe attack of fever. There had been a deluge of +rain, accompanied with tremendous thunder and lightning, and very +little sun. Nothing could exceed the dampness of the atmosphere. For +two or three days I had been in a kind of twilight state of health, +neither ill nor what you may call well: I yawned and felt weary without +exercise, and my sleep was merely slumber. This was the time to have +taken medicine, but I neglected to do so, though I had just been +reading: "O navis, referent in mare te novi fluctus, O quid agis? +fortiter occupa portum." I awoke at midnight: a cruel headache, thirst +and pain in the small of the back informed me what the case was. Had +Chiron himself been present he could not have told me more distinctly +that I was going to have a tight brush of it, and that I ought to meet +it with becoming fortitude. I dozed and woke and startled, and then +dozed again, and suddenly awoke thinking I was falling down a precipice. + +The return of the bats to their diurnal retreat, which was in the +thatch above my hammock, informed me that the sun was now fast +approaching to the eastern horizon. I arose in languor and in pain, the +pulse at one hundred and twenty. I took ten grains of calomel and a +scruple of jalap, and drank during the day large draughts of tea, weak +and warm. The physic did its duty, but there was no remission of fever +or headache, though the pain of the back was less acute. I was saved +the trouble of keeping the room cool, as the wind beat in at every +quarter. + +At five in the evening the pulse had risen to one hundred and thirty, +and the headache almost insupportable, especially on looking to the +right or left. I now opened a vein, and made a large orifice, to allow +the blood to rush out rapidly; I closed it after losing sixteen ounces. +I then steeped my feet in warm water and got into the hammock. After +bleeding the pulse fell to ninety, and the head was much relieved, but +during the night, which was very restless, the pulse rose again to one +hundred and twenty, and at times the headache was distressing. I +relieved the headache from time to time by applying cold water to the +temples and holding a wet handkerchief there. The next morning the +fever ran very high, and I took five more grains of calomel and ten of +jalap, determined, whatever might be the case, this should be the last +dose of calomel. About two o'clock in the afternoon the fever remitted, +and a copious perspiration came on: there was no more headache nor +thirst nor pain in the back, and the following night was comparatively +a good one. The next morning I swallowed a large dose of castor-oil: it +was genuine, for Louisa Backer had made it from the seeds of the trees +which grew near the door. I was now entirely free from all symptoms of +fever, or apprehensions of a return; and the morning after I began to +take bark, and continued it for a fortnight. This put all to rights. + +The story of the wound I got in the forest and the mode of cure are +very short. I had pursued a redheaded woodpecker for above a mile in +the forest without being able to get a shot at it. Thinking more of the +woodpecker, as I ran along, than of the way before me, I trod upon a +little hardwood stump which was just about an inch or so above the +ground; it entered the hollow part of my foot, making a deep and +lacerated wound there. It had brought me to the ground, and there I lay +till a transitory fit of sickness went off. I allowed it to bleed +freely, and on reaching headquarters washed it well and probed it, to +feel if any foreign body was left within it. Being satisfied that there +was none, I brought the edges of the wound together and then put a +piece of lint on it, and over that a very large poultice, which was +changed morning, noon and night. Luckily Backer had a cow or two upon +the hill; now as heat and moisture are the two principal virtues of a +poultice, nothing could produce those two qualities better than fresh +cow-dung boiled: had there been no cows there I could have made out +with boiled grass and leaves. I now took entirely to the hammock, +placing the foot higher than the knee: this prevented it from +throbbing, and was, indeed, the only position in which I could be at +ease. When the inflammation was completely subdued I applied a wet +cloth to the wound, and every now and then steeped the foot in cold +water during the day, and at night again applied a poultice. The wound +was now healing fast, and in three weeks from the time of the accident +nothing but a scar remained: so that I again sallied forth sound and +joyful, and said to myself: + + I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae + Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo + Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim, + Rumpe ferarum. + +Now this contus was a tough, light pole eight feet long, on the end of +which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it: +it was of great use in starting the beasts and snakes out of the hollow +trees, and in case of need was an excellent defence. + +In 1819 I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph Banks. I saw with +sorrow that death was going to rob us of him. We talked much of the +present mode adopted by all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and +condemned it as being very imperfect: still we could not find out a +better way, and at last concluded that the lips and nose ought to be +cut off and replaced with wax, it being impossible to make those parts +appear like life, as they shrink to nothing and render the stuffed +specimens in the different museums horrible to look at. The defects in +the legs and feet would not be quite so glaring, being covered with +hair. + +I had paid great attention to this subject for above fourteen years; +still it would not do. However, one night, while I was lying in the +hammock and harping on the string on which hung all my solicitude, I +hit upon the proper mode by inference: it appeared clear to me that it +was the only true way of going to work, and ere I closed my eyes in +sleep I was able to prove to myself that there could not be any other +way that would answer. I tried it the next day, and succeeded according +to expectation. + +By means of this process, which is very simple, we can now give every +feature back again to the animal's face after it has been skinned; and +when necessary stamp grief or pain, or pleasure, or rage, or mildness +upon it. But more of this hereafter. + +Let us now turn our attention to the sloth, whose native haunts have +hitherto been so little known and probably little looked into. Those +who have written on this singular animal have remarked that he is in a +perpetual state of pain, that he is proverbially slow in his movements, +that he is a prisoner in space, and that, as soon as he has consumed +all the leaves of the tree upon which he had mounted, he rolls himself +up in the form of a ball and then falls to the ground. This is not the +case. + +If the naturalists who have written the history of the sloth had gone +into the wilds in order to examine his haunts and economy, they would +not have drawn the foregoing conclusions. They would have learned that, +though all other quadrupeds may be described while resting upon the +ground, the sloth is an exception to this rule, and that his history +must be written while he is in the tree. + +This singular animal is destined by Nature to be produced, to live and +to die in the trees; and to do justice to him naturalists must examine +him in this his upper element. He is a scarce and solitary animal, and +being good food he is never allowed to escape. He inhabits remote and +gloomy forests where snakes take up their abode, and where +cruelly-stinging ants and scorpions and swamps and innumerable thorny +shrubs and bushes obstruct the steps of civilised man. Were you to draw +your own conclusions from the descriptions which have been given of the +sloth, you would probably suspect that no naturalist has actually gone +into the wilds with the fixed determination to find him out and examine +his haunts, and see whether Nature has committed any blunder in the +formation of this extraordinary creature, which appears to us so +forlorn and miserable, so ill put together, and so totally unfit to +enjoy the blessings which have been so bountifully given to the rest of +animated nature; for, as it has formerly been remarked, he has no soles +to his feet, and he is evidently ill at ease when he tries to move on +the ground, and it is then that he looks up in your face with a +countenance that says: "Have pity on me, for I am in pain and sorrow." + +It mostly happens that Indians and negroes are the people who catch the +sloth and bring it to the white man: hence it may be conjectured that +the erroneous accounts we have hitherto had of the sloth have not been +penned down with the slightest intention to mislead the reader or give +him an exaggerated history, but that these errors have naturally arisen +by examining the sloth in those places where Nature never intended that +he should be exhibited. + +However, we are now in his own domain. Man but little frequents these +thick and noble forests, which extend far and wide on every side of us. +This, then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. We will +first take a near view of him. By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy +we shall be enabled to account for his movements hereafter, when we see +him in his proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, +his arms, are apparently much too long, while his hind-legs are very +short, and look as if they could be bent almost to the shape of a +corkscrew. Both the fore-and hind-legs, by their form and by the manner +in which they are joined to the body, are quite incapacitated from +acting in a perpendicular direction, or in supporting it on the earth, +as the bodies of other quadrupeds are supported by their legs. Hence, +when you place him on the floor, his belly touches the ground. Now, +granted that he supported himself on his legs like other animals, +nevertheless he would be in pain, for he has no soles to his feet, and +his claws are very sharp and long and curved; so that were his body +supported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, just as your +body would be were you to throw yourself on all-fours and try to +support it on the ends of your toes and fingers--a trying position. +Were the floor of glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would +actually be quite stationary; but as the ground is generally rough, +with little protuberances upon it, such as stones, or roots of grass, +etc., this just suits the sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all +directions, in order to find something to lay hold of; and when he has +succeeded he pulls himself forward, and is thus enabled to travel +onwards, but at the same time in so tardy and awkward a manner as to +acquire him the name of sloth. + +Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently betray his uncomfortable +situation: and as a sigh every now and then escapes him, we may be +entitled to conclude that he is actually in pain. + +Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for several months. I often +took him out of the house and placed him upon the ground, in order to +have an opportunity of observing his motions. If the ground were rough, +he would pull himself forwards by means of his fore-legs at a pretty +good pace, and he invariably immediately shaped his course towards the +nearest tree. But if I put him upon a smooth and well-trodden part of +the road, he appeared to be in trouble and distress. His favourite +abode was the back of a chair and, after getting all his legs in a line +upon the topmost part of it, he would hang there for hours together, +and often with a low and inward cry would seem to invite me to take +notice of him. + +The sloth, in its wild state, spends its whole life in trees, and never +leaves them but through force or by accident. An all-ruling Providence +has ordered man to tread on the surface of the earth, the eagle to soar +in the expanse of the skies, and the monkey and squirrel to inhabit the +trees: still these may change their relative situations without feeling +much inconvenience; but the sloth is doomed to spend his whole life in +the trees, and, what is more extraordinary, not _upon_ the branches, +like the squirrel and the monkey, but _under_ them. He moves suspended +from the branch, he rests suspended from it, and he sleeps suspended +from it. To enable him to do this he must have a very different +formation from that of any other known quadruped. + +Hence his seemingly bungled conformation is at once accounted for; and +in lieu of the sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a melancholy +and miserable existence on its progeny, it is but fair to surmise that +it just enjoys life as much as any other animal, and that its +extraordinary formation and singular habits are but further proofs to +engage us to admire the wonderful works of Omnipotence. + +It must be observed that the sloth does not hang head-downwards like +the vampire. When asleep he supports himself from a branch parallel to +the earth. He first seizes the branch with one arm, and then with the +other; and after that brings up both his legs, one by one, to the same +branch; so that all four are in a line: he seems perfectly at rest in +this position. Now had he a tail, he would be at a loss to know what to +do with it in this position: were he to draw it up within his legs it +would interfere with them, and were he to let it hang down it would +become the sport of the winds. Thus his deficiency of tail is a benefit +to him; it is merely an apology for a tail, scarcely exceeding an inch +and a half in length. + +I observed, when he was climbing, he never used his arms both together, +but first one and then the other, and so on alternately. There is a +singularity in his hair, different from that of all other animals, and, +I believe, hitherto unnoticed by naturalists. His hair is thick and +coarse at the extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, where it +becomes fine as a spider's web. His fur has so much the hue of the moss +which grows on the branches of the trees that it is very difficult to +make him out when he is at rest. + +The male of the three-toed sloth has a longitudinal bar of very fine +black hair on his back, rather lower than the shoulder-blades; on each +side of this black bar there is a space of yellow hair, equally fine; +it has the appearance of being pressed into the body, and looks exactly +as if it had been singed. If we examine the anatomy of his fore-legs, +we shall immediately perceive by their firm and muscular texture how +very capable they are of supporting the pendent weight of his body, +both in climbing and at rest; and, instead of pronouncing them a +bungled composition, as a celebrated naturalist has done, we shall +consider them as remarkably well calculated to perform their +extraordinary functions. + +As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within the tropics, where the +trees touch each other in the greatest profusion, there seems to be no +reason why he should confine himself to one tree alone for food, and +entirely strip it of its leaves. During the many years I have ranged +the forests I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity; indeed, +I would hazard a conjecture that, by the time the animal had finished +the last of the old leaves, there would be a new crop on the part of +the tree he had stripped first, ready for him to begin again, so quick +is the process of vegetation in these countries. + +There is a saying amongst the Indians that, when the wind blows, the +sloth begins to travel. In calm weather he remains tranquil, probably +not liking to cling to the brittle extremity of the branches, lest they +should break with him in passing from one tree to another; but as soon +as the wind rises the branches of the neighbouring trees become +interwoven, and then the sloth seizes hold of them and pursues his +journey in safety. There is seldom an entire day of calm in these +forests. The tradewind generally sets in about ten o'clock in the +morning, and thus the sloth may set off after breakfast, and get a +considerable way before dinner. He travels at a good round pace; and +were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, you would +never think of calling him a sloth. + +Thus it would appear that the different histories we have of this +quadruped are erroneous on two accounts: first, that the writers of +them, deterred by difficulties and local annoyances, have not paid +sufficient attention to him in his native haunts; and secondly, they +have described him in a situation in which he was never intended by +Nature to cut a figure: I mean on the ground. The sloth is as much at a +loss to proceed on his journey upon a smooth and level floor as a man +would be who had to walk a mile in stilts upon a line of feather-beds. + +One day, as we were crossing the Essequibo, I saw a large two-toed +sloth on the ground upon the bank. How he had got there nobody could +tell: the Indian said he had never surprised a sloth in such a +situation before. He would hardly have come there to drink, for both +above and below the place the branches of the trees touched the water, +and afforded him an easy and safe access to it. Be this as it may, +though the trees were not above twenty yards from him, he could not +make his way through the sand time enough to escape before we landed. +As soon as we got up to him he threw himself upon his back, and +defended himself in gallant style with his fore-legs. "Come, poor +fellow," said I to him, "if thou hast got into a hobble to-day, thou +shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage of thee in misfortune; +the forest is large enough both for thee and me to rove in: go thy ways +up above, and enjoy thyself in these endless wilds; it is more than +probable thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare thee +well." On saying this, I took a long stick which was lying there, held +it for him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately +mora. He ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about a minute he was +almost at the top of the tree. He now went off in a side direction, and +caught hold of the branch of a neighbouring tree; he then proceeded +towards the heart of the forest. I stood looking on, lost in amazement +at his singular mode of progress. I followed him with my eye till the +intervening branches closed in betwixt us; and then I lost sight for +ever of the two-toed sloth. I was going to add that I never saw a sloth +take to his heels in such earnest: but the expression will not do, for +the sloth has no heels. + +That which naturalists have advanced of his being so tenacious of life +is perfectly true. I saw the heart of one beat for half an hour after +it was taken out of the body. The wourali poison seems to be the only +thing that will kill it quickly. On reference to a former part of these +wanderings, it will be seen that a poisoned arrow killed the sloth in +about ten minutes. + +So much for this harmless, unoffending animal. He holds a conspicuous +place in the catalogue of the animals of the new world. Though +naturalists have made no mention of what follows, still it is not less +true on that account. The sloth is the only quadruped known which +spends its whole life from the branch of a tree, suspended by his feet. +I have paid uncommon attention to him in his native haunts. The monkey +and squirrel will seize a branch with their fore-feet, and pull +themselves up, and rest or run upon it; but the sloth, after seizing +it, still remains suspended, and suspended moves along under the +branch, till he can lay hold of another. Whenever I have seen him in +his native woods, whether at rest or asleep or on his travels, I have +always observed that he was suspended from the branch of a tree. When +his form and anatomy are attentively considered, it will appear evident +that the sloth cannot be at ease in any situation where his body is +higher, or above, his feet. We will now take our leave of him. + +In the far-extending wilds of Guiana the traveller will be astonished +at the immense quantity of ants which he perceives on the ground and in +the trees. They have nests in the branches four or five times as large +as that of the rook; and they have a covered way from them to the +ground. In this covered way thousands are perpetually passing and +repassing; and if you destroy part of it, they turn to and immediately +repair it. + +Other species of ants again have no covered way, but travel exposed to +view upon the surface of the earth. You will sometimes see a string of +these ants a mile long, each carrying in its mouth, to its nest, a +green leaf the size of a sixpence. It is wonderful to observe the order +in which they move, and with what pains and labour they surmount the +obstructions of the path. + +The ants have their enemies as well as the rest of animated nature. +Amongst the foremost of these stand the three species of ant-bears. The +smallest is not much larger than a rat; the next is nearly the size of +a fox; and the third a stout and powerful animal, measuring about six +feet from the snout to the end of the tail. He is the most inoffensive +of all animals, and never injures the property of man. He is chiefly +found in the inmost recesses of the forest, and seems partial to the +low and swampy parts near creeks, where the troely-tree grows. There he +goes up and down in quest of ants, of which there is never the least +scarcity; so that he soon obtains a sufficient supply of food with very +little trouble. He cannot travel fast; man is superior to him in speed. +Without swiftness to enable him to escape from his enemies, without +teeth, the possession of which would assist him in self-defence, and +without the power of burrowing in the ground, by which he might conceal +himself from his pursuers, he still is capable of ranging through these +wilds in perfect safety; nor does he fear the fatal pressure of the +serpent's fold or the teeth of the famished jaguar. Nature has formed +his fore-legs wonderfully thick and strong and muscular, and armed his +feet with three tremendous sharp and crooked claws. Whenever he seizes +an animal with these formidable weapons he hugs it close to his body, +and keeps it there till it dies through pressure or through want of +food. Nor does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from loss of +aliment, as it is a well-known fact that he can go longer without food +than, perhaps, any other animal, except the land-tortoise. His skin is +of a texture that perfectly resists the bite of a dog; his hinder-parts +are protected by thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large +enough to cover his whole body. + +The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact with the ant-bear +and, after disabling him in the chase, never think of approaching him +till he be quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution that +naturalists have never yet given to the world a true and correct +drawing of this singular animal, or described the peculiar position of +his fore-feet when he walks or stands. If, in taking a drawing from a +dead ant-bear, you judge of the position in which he stands from that +of all other terrestrial animals, the sloth excepted, you will be in +error. Examine only a figure of this animal in books of natural +history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best museums, and you +will see that the fore-claws are just in the same forward attitude as +those of a dog, or a common bear when he walks or stands. But this is a +distorted and unnatural position, and in life would be a painful and +intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. The length and curve of his +claws cannot admit of such a position. When he walks or stands his feet +have somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes entirely on the +outer side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards, the claws +collected into a point, and going under the foot. In this position he +is quite at ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to +render them harmless to him and are prevented from becoming dull and +worn, like those of the dog, which would inevitably be the case did +their points come in actual contact with the ground; for his claws have +not that retractile power which is given to animals of the feline +species, by which they are enabled to preserve the sharpness of their +claws on the most flinty path. A slight inspection of the fore-feet of +the ant-bear will immediately convince you of the mistake artists and +naturalists have fallen into by putting his fore-feet in the same +position as those of other quadrupeds, for you will perceive that the +whole outer side of his foot is not only deprived of hair, but is hard +and callous: proof positive of its being in perpetual contact with the +ground. Now, on the contrary, the inner side of the bottom of his foot +is soft and rather hairy. + +There is another singularity in the anatomy of the ant-bear, I believe +as yet unnoticed in the page of natural history. He has two very large +glands situated below the root of the tongue. From these is emitted a +glutinous liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when he puts +it into the ants' nests. These glands are of the same substance as +those found in the lower jaw of the woodpecker. The secretion from +them, when wet, is very clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it +loses these qualities, and you can pulverise it betwixt your finger and +thumb; so that in dissection, if any of it has got upon the fur of the +animal or the feathers of the bird, allow it to dry there, and then it +may be removed without leaving the least stain behind. + +The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the first to begin the +attack. His motto may be "Noli me tangere." As his habits and his +haunts differ materially from those of every other animal in the +forest, their interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good +old age, and die at last in peace, were it not that his flesh is good +food. On this account the Indian wages perpetual war against him and, +as he cannot escape by flight, he falls an easy prey to the poisoned +arrow shot from the Indian's bow at a distance. If ever he be closely +attacked by dogs, he immediately throws himself on his back, and if he +be fortunate enough to catch hold of his enemy with his tremendous +claws, the invader is sure to pay for his rashness with the loss of +life. + +We will now take a view of the vampire. As there was a free entrance +and exit to the vampire in the loft where I slept, I had many a fine +opportunity of paying attention to this nocturnal surgeon. He does not +always live on blood. When the moon shone bright, and the fruit of the +banana-tree was ripe, I could see him approach and eat it. He would +also bring into the loft, from the forest, a green round fruit +something like the wild guava and about the size of a nutmeg. There was +something also in the blossom of the sawarri nut-tree which was +grateful to him, for on coming up Waratilla Creek, in a moonlight +night, I saw several vampires fluttering round the top of the +sawarri-tree, and every now and then the blossoms, which they had +broken off, fell into the water. They certainly did not drop off +naturally, for on examining several of them they appeared quite fresh +and blooming. So I concluded the vampires pulled them from the tree +either to get at the incipient fruit or to catch the insects which +often take up their abode in flowers. + +The vampire, in general, measures about twenty-six inches from wing to +wing extended, though I once killed one which measured thirty-two +inches. He frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; and +sometimes a cluster of them may be seen in the forest hanging head +downwards from the branch of a tree. + +Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vampire hangs in clusters; +for in the _Deserted Village_, speaking of America, he says: + + And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, + But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling. + +The vampire has a curious membrane which rises from the nose, and gives +it a very singular appearance. It has been remarked before that there +are two species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The +larger sucks men and other animals; the smaller seems to confine +himself chiefly to birds. I learnt from a gentleman high up in the +River Demerara that he was completely unsuccessful with his fowls on +account of the small vampire. He showed me some that had been sucked +the night before, and they were scarcely able to walk. + +Some years ago I went to the River Paumaron with a Scotch gentleman, by +name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's +house. Next morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, +and now and then letting fall an imprecation or two just about the time +he ought to have been saying his morning prayers. "What is the matter, +sir?" said I softly. "Is anything amiss?" "What's the matter?" answered +he surlily; "why, the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon +as there was light enough I went to his hammock and saw it much stained +with blood. "There," said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, +"see how these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On +examining his foot I found the vampire had tapped his great toe: there +was a wound somewhat less than that made by a leech; the blood was +still oozing from it; I conjectured he might have lost from ten to +twelve ounces of blood. Whilst examining it, I think I put him into a +worse humour by remarking that a European surgeon would not have been +so generous as to have blooded him without making a charge. He looked +up in my face, but did not say a word: I saw he was of opinion that I +had better have spared this piece of ill-timed levity. + +It was not the last punishment of this good gentleman in the River +Paumaron. The next night he was doomed to undergo a kind of ordeal +unknown in Europe. There is a species of large red ant in Guiana +sometimes called ranger, sometimes coushie. These ants march in +millions through the country in compact order, like a regiment of +soldiers: they eat up every insect in their march; and if a house +obstruct their route, they do not turn out of the way, but go quite +through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, the planter is not +sorry to see them in his house, for it is but a passing visit, and they +destroy every kind of insect-vermin that has taken shelter under his +roof. + +Now in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in Europe, there +is always a little temple dedicated to the goddess Cloacina. Our dinner +had chiefly consisted of crabs dressed in rich and different ways. +Paumaron is famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider +them the greatest luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a very capital +dinner on crabs; but this change of diet was productive of unpleasant +circumstances: he awoke in the night in that state in which Virgil +describes Caeleno to have been, viz. "faedissima ventris proluvies." Up +he got to verify the remark: + + Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam. + +Now, unluckily for himself and the nocturnal tranquillity of the +planter's house, just at that unfortunate hour the coushie-ants were +passing across the seat of Cloacina's temple. He had never dreamed of +this; and so, turning his face to the door, he placed himself in the +usual situation which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a +lighted match dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he afterwards +remarked, it could not have caused a greater recoil. Up he jumped and +forced his way out, roaring for help and for a light, for he was +worried alive by ten thousand devils. The fact is he had sat down upon +an intervening body of coushie-ants. Many of those which escaped being +crushed to death turned again, and in revenge stung the unintentional +intruder most severely. The watchman had fallen asleep, and it was some +time before a light could be procured, the fire having gone out; in the +meantime the poor gentleman was suffering an indescribable martyrdom, +and would have found himself more at home in the Augean stable than in +the planter's house. + +I had often wished to have been once sucked by the vampire in order +that I might have it in my power to say it had really happened to me. +There can be no pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep +when the vampire is sucking him; and as for the loss of a few ounces of +blood, that would be a trifle in the long run. Many a night have I +slept with my foot out of the hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, +expecting that he would be there, but it was all in vain; the vampire +never sucked me, and I could never account for his not doing so, for we +were inhabitants of the same loft for months together. + +The armadillo is very common in these forests; he burrows in the +sandhills like a rabbit. As it often takes a considerable time to dig +him out of his hole, it would be a long and laborious business to +attack each hole indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal +were there or not. To prevent disappointment the Indians carefully +examine the mouth of the hole, and put a short stick down it. Now if, +on introducing the stick, a number of mosquitos come out, the Indians +know to a certainty that the armadillo is in it: whenever there are no +mosquitos in the hole there is no armadillo. The Indian having +satisfied himself that the armadillo is there by the mosquitos which +come out, he immediately cuts a long and slender stick and introduces +it into the hole. He carefully observes the line the stick takes, and +then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the end of it: this done, he puts +it farther into the hole, and digs another pit, and so on, till at last +he comes up with the armadillo, which had been making itself a passage +in the sand till it had exhausted all its strength through pure +exertion. I have been sometimes three-quarters of a day in digging out +one armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits seven feet deep +before I got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very fond of the +flesh, but I considered it strong and rank. + +On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious not to come in +contact with his feet: they are armed with sharp claws, and with them +he will inflict a severe wound in self-defence. When not molested he is +very harmless and innocent: he would put you in mind of the hare in +Gay's fables: + + Whose care was never to offend, + And every creature was her friend. + +The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not go into the +water by choice. He is very seldom seen abroad during the day; and when +surprised, he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of +the armadillo is well protected by his shell, except his ears. In life +this shell is very limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full +stretch or roll himself up into a ball, as occasion may require. + +On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you very much in +mind of a coat of armour; indeed, it is a natural coat of armour to the +armadillo, and being composed both of scale and bone it affords ample +security, and has a pleasing effect. + +Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with the +land-tortoise; he too adds another to the list of unoffending animals. +He subsists on the fallen fruits of the forest. When an enemy +approaches he never thinks of moving, but quietly draws himself under +his shell and there awaits his doom in patience. He only seems to have +two enemies who can do him any damage: one of these is the +boa-constrictor--this snake swallows the tortoise alive, shell and all. +But a boa large enough to do this is very scarce, and thus there is not +much to apprehend from that quarter. The other enemy is man, who takes +up the tortoise and carries him away. Man also is scarce in these +never-ending wilds, and the little depredations he may commit upon the +tortoise will be nothing, or a mere trifle. The tiger's teeth cannot +penetrate its shell, nor can a stroke of his paws do it any damage. It +is of so compact and strong a nature that there is a common saying, a +London waggon might roll over it and not break it. + +Ere we proceed, let us take a retrospective view of the five animals +just enumerated: they are all quadrupeds, and have some very particular +mark or mode of existence different from all other animals. The sloth +has four feet, but never can use them to support his body on the earth: +they want soles, which are a marked feature in the feet of other +animals. The ant-bear has not a tooth in his head, still he roves +fearless on in the same forests with the jaguar and boa-constrictor. +The vampire does not make use of his feet to walk, but to stretch a +membrane which enables him to go up into an element where no other +quadruped is seen. The armadillo has only here and there a straggling +hair, and has neither fur nor wool nor bristles, but in lieu of them +has received a movable shell on which are scales very much like those +of fishes. The tortoise is oviparous, entirely without any appearance +of hair, and is obliged to accommodate itself to a shell which is quite +hard and inflexible, and in no point of view whatever obedient to the +will or pleasure of the bearer. The egg of the tortoise has a very hard +shell, while that of the turtle is quite soft. + +In some parts of these forests I saw the vanilla growing luxuriantly. +It creeps up the trees to the height of thirty or forty feet. I found +it difficult to get a ripe pod, as the monkeys are very fond of it, and +generally took care to get there before me. The pod hangs from the tree +in the shape of a little scabbard. _Vayna_ is the Spanish for a +scabbard, and _vanilla_ for a little scabbard. Hence the name. + +In Mibiri Creek there was a cayman of the small species, measuring +about five feet in length; I saw it in the same place for months, but +could never get a shot at it, for, the moment I thought I was sure of +it, it dived under the water before I could pull the trigger. At last I +got an Indian with his bow and arrow: he stood up in the canoe with his +bow ready bent, and as we drifted past the place he sent his arrow into +the cayman's eye, and killed it dead. The skin of this little species +is much harder and stronger than that of the large kind; it is good +food, and tastes like veal. + +My friend Mr. Edmonstone had very kindly let me have one of his old +negroes, and he constantly attended me: his name was Daddy Quashi. He +had a brave stomach for heterogeneous food; it could digest and relish, +too, caymen, monkeys, hawks and grubs. The Daddy made three or four +meals on this cayman while it was not absolutely putrid, and salted the +rest. I could never get him to face a snake; the horror he betrayed on +seeing one was beyond description. I asked him why he was so terribly +alarmed. He said it was by seeing so many dogs from time to time killed +by them. + +Here I had a fine opportunity of examining several species of the +caprimulgus. I am fully persuaded that these innocent little birds +never suck the herds, for when they approach them, and jump up at their +udders, it is to catch the flies and insects there. When the moon shone +bright I would frequently go and stand within three yards of a cow, and +distinctly see the caprimulgus catch the flies on its udder. On looking +for them in the forest during the day, I either found them on the +ground, or else invariably sitting _longitudinally_ on the branch of a +tree, not _crosswise_, like all other birds. + +The wasps, or maribuntas, are great plagues in these forests, and +require the naturalist to be cautious as he wanders up and down. Some +make their nests pendent from the branches; others have them fixed to +the underside of a leaf. Now, in passing on, if you happen to disturb +one of these, they sally forth and punish you severely. The largest +kind is blue: it brings blood where its sting enters, and causes pain +and inflammation enough to create a fever. The Indians make a fire +under the nest, and, after killing or driving away the old ones, they +roast the young grubs in the comb and eat them. I tried them once by +way of dessert after dinner, but my stomach was offended at their +intrusion; probably it was more the idea than the taste that caused the +stomach to rebel. + +Time and experience have convinced me that there is not much danger in +roving amongst snakes and wild beasts, provided only that you have +self-command. You must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are +sure to pay for your rashness, because the idea of self-defence is +predominant in every animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from +what he considers an attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the +deadly effect of his poisonous fangs. The jaguar flies at you, and +knocks you senseless with a stroke of his paw; whereas, if you had not +come upon him too suddenly, it is ten to one but that he had retired in +lieu of disputing the path with you. The labarri-snake is very +poisonous, and I have often approached within two yards of him without +fear. I took care to move very softly and gently, without moving my +arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him without +showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. He would appear +to keep his eye fixed on me as though suspicious, but that was all. +Sometimes I have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the +labarri's back. He would then glide away without offering resistance. +But when I put the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he +immediately opened his mouth, flew at it, and bit it. + +One day, wishful to see how the poison comes out of the fang of the +snake, I caught a labarri alive. He was about eight feet long. I held +him by the neck, and my hand was so near his jaw that he had not room +to move his head to bite it. This was the only position I could have +held him in with safety and effect. To do so it only required a little +resolution and coolness. I then took a small piece of stick in the +other hand and pressed it against the fang, which is invariably in the +upper jaw. Towards the point of the fang there is a little oblong +aperture on the convex side of it. Through this there is a +communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a little bag +containing the poison. Now, when the point of the fang is pressed, the +root of the fang also presses against the bag, and sends up a portion +of the poison therein contained. Thus, when I applied a piece of stick +to the point of the fang, there came out of the hole a liquor thick and +yellow, like strong camomile-tea. This was the poison which is so +dreadful in its effects as to render the labarri-snake one of the most +poisonous in the forests of Guiana. I once caught a fine labarri and +made it bite itself. I forced the poisonous fang into its belly. In a +few minutes I thought it was going to die, for it appeared dull and +heavy. However, in half an hour's time he was as brisk and vigorous as +ever, and in the course of the day showed no symptoms of being +affected. Is then the life of the snake proof against its own poison? +This subject is not unworthy of the consideration of the naturalist. + +In Guiana there is a little insect in the grass and on the shrubs which +the French call bête-rouge. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour, and so +minute that you must bring your eye close to it before you can perceive +it. It is most numerous in the rainy season. Its bite causes an +intolerable itching. The best way to get rid of it is to rub the part +affected with oil or rum. You must be careful not to scratch it. If you +do so, and break the skin, you expose yourself to a sore. The first +year I was in Guiana the bête-rouge and my own want of knowledge, and, +I may add, the little attention I paid to it, created an ulcer above +the ankle which annoyed me for six months, and if I hobbled out into +the grass a number of bête-rouge would settle on the edges of the sore +and increase the inflammation. + +Still more inconvenient, painful and annoying is another little pest +called the chegoe. It looks exactly like a very small flea, and a +stranger would take it for one. However, in about four and twenty hours +he would have several broad hints that he had made a mistake in his +ideas of the animal. It attacks different parts of the body, but +chiefly the feet, betwixt the toe-nails and the flesh. There it buries +itself, and at first causes an itching not unpleasant. In a day or so, +after examining the part, you perceive a place about the size of a pea, +somewhat discoloured, rather of a blue appearance. Sometimes it happens +that the itching is so trivial, you are not aware that the miner is at +work. Time, they say, makes great discoveries. The discoloured part +turns out to be the nest of the chegoe, containing hundreds of eggs, +which, if allowed to hatch there, the young ones will soon begin to +form other nests, and in time cause a spreading ulcer. As soon as you +perceive that you have got the chegoe in your flesh, you must take a +needle or a sharp-pointed knife and take it out. If the nest be formed, +great care must be taken not to break it, otherwise some of the eggs +remain in the flesh, and then you will soon be annoyed with more +chegoes. After removing the nest it is well to drop spirit of +turpentine into the hole: that will most effectually destroy any chegoe +that may be lurking there. Sometimes I have taken four nests out of my +feet in the course of the day. + +Every evening, before sundown, it was part of my toilette to examine my +feet and see that they were clear of chegoes. Now and then a nest would +escape the scrutiny, and then I had to smart for it a day or two after. +A chegoe once lit upon the back of my hand; wishful to see how he +worked, I allowed him to take possession. He immediately set to work, +head foremost, and in about half an hour he had completely buried +himself in the skin. I then let him feel the point of my knife, and +exterminated him. + +More than once, after sitting down upon a rotten stump, I have found +myself covered with ticks. There is a short and easy way to get quit of +these unwelcome adherents. Make a large fire and stand close to it, and +if you be covered with ticks they will all fall off. + +Let us now forget for awhile the quadrupeds, serpents and insects, and +take a transitory view of the native Indians of these forests. + +There are five principal nations or tribes of Indians in _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, commonly known by the name of Warow, Arowack, Acoway, +Carib and Macoushi. They live in small hamlets, which consist of a few +huts, never exceeding twelve in number. These huts are always in the +forest, near a river or some creek. They are open on all sides (except +those of the Macoushi), and covered with a species of palm-leaf. + +Their principal furniture is the hammock. It serves them both for chair +and bed. It is commonly made of cotton; though those of the Warows are +formed from the æta-tree. At night they always make a fire close to it. +The heat keeps them warm, and the smoke drives away the mosquitos and +sand-flies. You sometimes find a table in the hut; but it was not made +by the Indians, but by some negro or mulatto carpenter. + +They cut down about an acre or two of the trees which surround the +huts, and there plant pepper, papaws, sweet and bitter cassava, +plantains, sweet potatoes, yams, pine-apples and silk-grass. Besides +these, they generally have a few acres in some fertile part of the +forest for their cassava, which is as bread to them. They make earthen +pots to boil their provisions in; and they get from the white men flat +circular plates of iron on which they bake their cassava. They have to +grate the cassava before it is pressed preparatory to baking; and those +Indians who are too far in the wilds to procure graters from the white +men make use of a flat piece of wood studded with sharp stones. They +have no cows, horses, mules, goats, sheep or asses. The men hunt and +fish, and the women work in the provision-ground and cook their +victuals. + +In each hamlet there is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out like a +trough. In this, from their cassava, they make an abominable ill-tasted +and sour kind of fermented liquor called piwarri. They are very fond of +it, and never fail to get drunk after every brewing. The frequency of +the brewing depends upon the superabundance of cassava. + +Both men and women go without clothes. The men have a cotton wrapper, +and the women a bead-ornamented square piece of cotton about the size +of your hand for the fig-leaf. Those far away in the interior use the +bark of a tree for this purpose. They are a very clean people, and wash +in the river or creek at least twice every day. They paint themselves +with the roucou, sweetly perfumed with hayawa or accaiari. Their hair +is black and lank, and never curled. The women braid it up fancifully, +something in the shape of Diana's head-dress in ancient pictures. They +have very few diseases. Old age and pulmonary complaints seem to be the +chief agents for removing them to another world. The pulmonary +complaints are generally brought on by a severe cold, which they do not +know how to arrest in its progress by the use of the lancet. I never +saw an idiot amongst them, nor could I perceive any that were deformed +from their birth. Their women never perish in childbed, owing, no +doubt, to their never wearing stays. + +They have no public religious ceremony. They acknowledge two superior +beings--a good one and a bad one. They pray to the latter not to hurt +them, and they are of opinion that the former is too good to do the man +injury. I suspect, if the truth were known, the individuals of the +village never offer up a single prayer or ejaculation. They have a kind +of a priest called a Pee-ay-man, who is an enchanter. He finds out +things lost. He mutters prayers to the evil spirit over them and their +children when they are sick. If a fever be in the village, the +Pee-ay-man goes about all night long howling and making dreadful +noises, and begs the bad spirit to depart. But he has very seldom to +perform this part of his duty, as fevers seldom visit the Indian +hamlets. However, when a fever does come, and his incantations are of +no avail, which I imagine is most commonly the case, they abandon the +place for ever and make a new settlement elsewhere. They consider the +owl and the goat-sucker as familiars of the evil spirit, and never +destroy them. + +I could find no monuments or marks of antiquity amongst these Indians; +so that, after penetrating to the Rio Branco from the shores of the +Western Ocean, had anybody questioned me on this subject I should have +answered, I have seen nothing amongst these Indians which tells me that +they have existed here for a century; though, for aught I know to the +contrary, they may have been here before the Redemption, but their +total want of civilisation has assimilated them to the forests in which +they wander. Thus an aged tree falls and moulders into dust and you +cannot tell what was its appearance, its beauties, or its diseases +amongst the neighbouring trees; another has shot up in its place, and +after Nature has had her course it will make way for a successor in its +turn. So it is with the Indian of Guiana. He is now laid low in the +dust; he has left no record behind him, either on parchment or on a +stone or in earthenware to say what he has done. Perhaps the place +where his buried ruins lie was unhealthy, and the survivors have left +it long ago and gone far away into the wilds. All that you can say is, +the trees where I stand appear lower and smaller than the rest, and +from this I conjecture that some Indians may have had a settlement here +formerly. Were I by chance to meet the son of the father who moulders +here, he could tell me that his father was famous for slaying tigers +and serpents and caymen, and noted in the chase of the tapir and wild +boar, but that he remembers little or nothing of his grandfather. + +They are very jealous of their liberty, and much attached to their own +mode of living. Though those in the neighbourhood of the European +settlements have constant communication with the whites, they have no +inclination to become civilised. Some Indians who have accompanied +white men to Europe, on returning to their own land have thrown off +their clothes and gone back into the forests. + +In Georgetown, the capital of Demerara, there is a large shed, open on +all sides, built for them by order of Government. Hither the Indians +come with monkeys, parrots, bows and arrows, and pegalls. They sell +these to the white men for money, and too often purchase rum with it, +to which they are wonderfully addicted. + +Government allows them annual presents in order to have their services +when the colony deems it necessary to scour the forests in quest of +runaway negroes. Formerly these expeditions were headed by Charles +Edmonstone, Esq., now of Cardross Park, near Dumbarton. This brave +colonist never returned from the woods without being victorious. Once, +in an attack upon the rebel-negroes' camp, he led the way and received +two balls in his body; at the same moment that he was wounded two of +his Indians fell dead by his side; he recovered, after his life was +despaired of, but the balls could never be extracted. + +Since the above appeared in print I have had the account of this +engagement with the negroes in the forest from Mr. Edmonstone's own +mouth. + +He received four slugs in his body, as will be seen in the sequel. + +The plantations of Demerara and Essequibo are bounded by an almost +interminable extent of forest. Hither the runaway negroes repair, and +form settlements from whence they issue to annoy the colonists, as +occasion may offer. + +In 1801 the runaway slaves had increased to an alarming extent. The +Governor gave orders that an expedition should be immediately organised +and proceed to the woods under the command of Charles Edmonstone, Esq. +General Hislop sent him a corporal, a sergeant and eleven men, and he +was joined by a part of the colonial militia and by sixty Indians. With +this force Mr. Edmonstone entered the forest and proceeded in a +direction towards Mahaica. + +He marched for eight days through swamps and over places obstructed by +fallen trees and the bush-rope; tormented by myriads of mosquitos, and +ever in fear of treading on the poisonous snakes which can scarcely be +distinguished from the fallen leaves. + +At last he reached a wooded sandhill, where the Maroons had entrenched +themselves in great force. Not expecting to come so soon upon them, Mr. +Edmonstone, his faithful man Coffee and two Indian chiefs found +themselves considerably ahead of their own party. As yet they were +unperceived by the enemy, but unfortunately one of the Indian chiefs +fired a random shot at a distant Maroon. Immediately the whole negro +camp turned out and formed themselves in a crescent in front of Mr. +Edmonstone. Their chief was an uncommonly fine negro, above six feet in +height; and his head-dress was that of an African warrior, ornamented +with a profusion of small shells. He advanced undauntedly with his gun +in his hand, and, in insulting language, called out to Mr. Edmonstone +to come on and fight him. + +Mr. Edmonstone approached him slowly in order to give his own men time +to come up; but they were yet too far off for him to profit by this +manoeuvre. Coffee, who carried his master's gun, now stepped up behind +him, and put the gun into his hand, which Mr. Edmonstone received +without advancing it to his shoulder. + +He was now within a few yards of the Maroon chief, who seemed to betray +some symptoms of uncertainty, for, instead of firing directly at Mr. +Edmonstone, he took a step sideways, and rested his gun against a tree; +no doubt with the intention of taking a surer aim. Mr. Edmonstone, on +perceiving this, immediately cocked his gun and fired it off, still +holding it in the position in which he had received it from Coffee. The +whole of the contents entered the negro's body, and he dropped dead on +his face. + +The negroes, who had formed in a crescent, now in their turn fired a +volley, which brought Mr. Edmonstone and his two Indian chiefs to the +ground. The Maroons did not stand to reload, but, on Mr. Edmonstone's +party coming up, they fled precipitately into the surrounding forest. + +Four slugs had entered Mr. Edmonstone's body. After coming to himself, +on looking around he saw one of the fallen Indian chiefs bleeding by +his side. He accosted him by name and said he hoped he was not much +hurt. The dying Indian had just strength enough to answer, "Oh +no,"--and then expired. The other chief was lying quite dead. He must +have received his mortal wound just as he was in the act of cocking his +gun to fire on the negroes; for it appeared that the ball which gave +him his death-wound had carried off the first joint of his thumb and +passed through his forehead. By this time his wife, who had accompanied +the expedition, came up. She was a fine young woman, and had her long +black hair fancifully braided in a knot on the top of her head, +fastened with a silver ornament. She unloosed it, and, falling on her +husband's body, covered it with her hair, bewailing his untimely end +with the most heart-rending cries. + +The blood was now running out of Mr. Edmonstone's shoes. On being +raised up, he ordered his men to pursue the flying Maroons, requesting +at the same time that he might be left where he had fallen, as he felt +that he was mortally wounded. They gently placed him on the ground, +and, after the pursuit of the Maroons had ended, the corporal and +sergeant returned to their commander and formed their men. On his +asking what this meant, the sergeant replied, "I had the General's +orders, on setting out from town, not to leave you in the forest, +happen what might." By slow and careful marches, as much as the +obstructions in the woods would admit of, the party reached Plantation +Alliance, on the bank of the Demerara, and from thence it crossed the +river to Plantation Vredestein. + +The news of the rencounter had been spread far and wide by the Indians, +and had already reached town. The General, Captains Macrai and +Johnstone and Doctor Dunkin proceeded to Vredestein. On examining Mr. +Edmonstone's wounds, four slugs were found to have entered the body: +one was extracted, the rest remained there till the year 1824, when +another was cut out by a professional gentleman of Port Glasgow. The +other two still remain in the body; and it is supposed that either one +or both have touched a nerve, as they cause almost continual pain. Mr. +Edmonstone has commanded fifteen different expeditions in the forest in +quest of the Maroons. The Colonial Government has requited his services +by freeing his property from all taxes and presenting him a handsome +sword and a silver urn, bearing the following inscription: + + Presented to CHARLES EDMONSTONE, Esq., by the Governor + and Court of Policy of the Colony of Demerara, as a token of + their esteem and the deep sense they entertain of the very great + activity and spirit manifested by him, on various occasions, in + his successful exertions for the internal security of the Colony. + --_January 1st, 1809_. + +I do not believe that there is a single Indian in _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana who can read or write, nor am I aware that any white man has +reduced their language to the rules of grammar; some may have made a +short manuscript vocabulary of the few necessary words, but that is +all. Here and there a white man, and some few people of colour, talk +the language well. The temper of the Indian of Guiana is mild and +gentle, and he is very fond of his children. + +Some ignorant travellers and colonists call these Indians a lazy race. +Man in general will not be active without an object. Now when the +Indian has caught plenty of fish, and killed game enough to last him +for a week, what need has he to range the forest? He has no idea of +making pleasure-grounds. Money is of no use to him, for in these wilds +there are no markets for him to frequent, nor milliners' shops for his +wife and daughters; he has no taxes to pay, no highways to keep up, no +poor to maintain, nor army nor navy to supply; he lies in his hammock +both night and day (for he has no chair or bed, neither does he want +them), and in it he forms his bow and makes his arrows and repairs his +fishing-tackle. But as soon as he has consumed his provisions, he then +rouses himself and, like the lion, scours the forest in quest of food. +He plunges into the river after the deer and tapir, and swims across +it; passes through swamps and quagmires, and never fails to obtain a +sufficient supply of food. Should the approach of night stop his career +while he is hunting the wild boar, he stops for the night and continues +the chase the next morning. In my way through the wilds to the +Portuguese frontier I had a proof of this: we were eight in number, six +Indians, a negro and myself. About ten o'clock in the morning we +observed the feet-mark of the wild boars; we judged by the freshness of +the marks that they had passed that way early the same morning. As we +were not gifted, like the hound, with scent, and as we had no dog with +us, we followed their track by the eye. The Indian after game is as +sure with his eye as the dog is with his nose. We followed the herd +till three in the afternoon, then gave up the chase for the present, +made our fires close to a creek where there was plenty of fish, and +then arranged the hammocks. In an hour the Indians shot more fish with +their arrows than we could consume. The night was beautifully serene +and clear, and the moon shone as bright as day. Next morn we rose at +dawn, got breakfast, packed up, each took his burden, and then we put +ourselves on the track of the wild boars which we had been following +the day before. We supposed that they too would sleep that night in the +forest, as we had done; and thus the delay on our part would be no +disadvantage to us. This was just the case, for about nine o'clock +their feet-marks became fresher and fresher: we now doubled, our pace, +but did not give mouth like hounds. We pushed on in silence, and soon +came up with them: there were above one hundred of them. We killed six +and the rest took off in different directions. But to the point. + +Amongst us the needy man works from light to dark for a maintenance. +Should this man chance to acquire a fortune, he soon changes his +habits. No longer under "strong necessity's supreme command," he +contrives to get out of bed betwixt nine and ten in the morning. His +servant helps him to dress, he walks on a soft carpet to his +breakfast-table, his wife pours out his tea, and his servant hands him +his toast. After breakfast the doctor advises a little gentle exercise +in the carriage for an hour or so. At dinner-time he sits down to a +table groaning beneath the weight of heterogeneous luxury: there he +rests upon a chair for three or four hours, eats, drinks and talks +(often unmeaningly) till tea is announced. He proceeds slowly to the +drawing-room, and there spends best part of his time in sitting, till +his wife tempts him with something warm for supper. After supper he +still remains on his chair at rest till he retires to rest for the +night. He mounts leisurely upstairs upon a carpet, and enters his +bedroom: there, one would hope that at least he mutters a prayer or +two, though perhaps not on bended knee. He then lets himself drop in to +a soft and downy bed, over which has just passed the comely Jenny's +warming-pan. Now, could the Indian in his turn see this, he would call +the white men a lazy, indolent set. + +Perhaps, then, upon due reflection you would draw this conclusion: that +men will always be indolent where there is no object to rouse them. + +As the Indian of Guiana has no idea whatever of communicating his +intentions by writing, he has fallen upon a plan of communication sure +and simple. When two or three families have determined to come down the +river and pay you a visit, they send an Indian beforehand with a string +of beads. You take one bead off every day, and on the day that the +string is beadless they arrive at your house. + +In finding their way through these pathless wilds the sun is to them +what Ariadne's clue was to Theseus. When he is on the meridian they +generally sit down, and rove onwards again as soon as he has +sufficiently declined to the west; they require no other compass. When +in chase, they break a twig on the bushes as they pass by, every three +or four hundred paces, and this often prevents them from losing their +way on their return. + +You will not be long in the forests of Guiana before you perceive how +very thinly they are inhabited. You may wander for a week together +without seeing a hut. The wild beasts, snakes, the swamps, the trees, +the uncurbed luxuriance of everything around you conspire to inform you +that man has no habitation here--man has seldom passed this way. + +Let us now return to natural history. There was a person making +shingles with twenty or thirty negroes not far from Mibiri Hill. I had +offered a reward to any of them who would find a good-sized snake in +the forest and come and let me know where it was. Often had these +negroes looked for a large snake, and as often been disappointed. + +One Sunday morning I met one of them in the forest, and asked him which +way he was going: he said he was going towards Waratilla Creek to hunt +an armadillo; and he had his little dog with him. On coming back, about +noon, the dog began to bark at the root of a large tree which had been +upset by the whirlwind and was lying there in a gradual state of decay. +The negro said he thought his dog was barking at an acouri which had +probably taken refuge under the tree, and he went up with an intention +to kill it; he there saw a snake, and hastened back to inform me of it. + +The sun had just passed the meridian in a cloudless sky; there was +scarcely a bird to be seen, for the winged inhabitants of the forest, +as though overcome by heat, had retired to the thickest shade: all +would have been like midnight silence were it not for the shrill voice +of the pi-pi-yo, every now and then resounded from a distant tree. I +was sitting with a little Horace in my hand, on what had once been the +steps which formerly led up to the now mouldering and dismantled +building. The negro and his little dog came down the hill in haste, and +I was soon informed that a snake had been discovered; but it was a +young one, called the bush-master, a rare and poisonous snake. + +I instantly rose up, and laying hold of the eight-foot lance which was +close by me, "Well, then, Daddy," said I, "we'll go and have a look at +the snake." I was barefoot, with an old hat, and check shirt, and +trousers on, and a pair of braces to keep them up. The negro had his +cutlass, and as we ascended the hill another negro, armed with a +cutlass, joined us, judging from our pace that there was something to +do. The little dog came along with us, and when we had got about half a +mile in the forest the negro stopped and pointed to the fallen tree: +all was still and silent. I told the negroes not to stir from the place +where they were, and keep the little dog in, and that I would go in and +reconnoitre. + +I advanced up to the place slow and cautious. The snake was well +concealed, but at last I made him out; it was a coulacanara, not +poisonous, but large enough to have crushed any of us to death. On +measuring him afterwards he was something more than fourteen feet long. +This species of snake is very rare, and much thicker in proportion to +his length than any other snake in the forest. A coulacanara of +fourteen feet in length is as thick as a common boa of twenty-four. +After skinning this snake I could easily get my head into his mouth, as +the singular formation of the jaws admits of wonderful extension. + +A Dutch friend of mine, by name Brouwer, killed a boa twenty-two feet +long with a pair of stag's horns in his mouth. He had swallowed the +stag, but could not get the horns down; so he had to wait in patience +with that uncomfortable mouthful till his stomach digested the body, +and then the horns would drop out. In this plight the Dutchman found +him as he was going in his canoe up the river, and sent a ball through +his head. + +On ascertaining the size of the serpent which the negro had just found, +I retired slowly the way I came, and promised four dollars to the negro +who had shown it to me, and one to the other who had joined us. Aware +that the day was on the decline, and that the approach of night would +be detrimental to the dissection, a thought struck me that I could take +him alive. I imagined if I could strike him with the lance behind the +head, and pin him to the ground, I might succeed in capturing him. When +I told this to the negroes they begged and entreated me to let them go +for a gun and bring more force, as they were sure the snake would kill +some of us. + +I had been at the siege of Troy for nine years, and it would not do now +to carry back to Greece "nil decimo nisi dedecus anno." I mean I had +been in search of a large serpent for years, and now having come up +with one it did not become me to turn soft. So, taking a cutlass from +one of the negroes, and then ranging both the sable slaves behind me, I +told them to follow me, and that I would cut them down if they offered +to fly. I smiled as I said this, but they shook their heads in silence +and seemed to have but a bad heart of it. + +When we got up to the place the serpent had not stirred, but I could +see nothing of his head, and I judged by the folds of his body that it +must be at the farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had +formed a complete mantle over the branches of the fallen tree, almost +impervious to the rain or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted +to this sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an +ancient settlement. + +I now took my knife, determining to cut away the woodbine and break the +twigs in the gentlest manner possible, till I could get a view of his +head. One negro stood guard close behind me with the lance; and near +him the other with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the +first negro was on the ground close by me in case of need. + +After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, with one knee +all the time on the ground, I had cleared away enough to see his head. +It appeared coming out betwixt the first and second coil of his body, +and was flat on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to +be in. + +I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a sign to the +negroes to do the same. The dog was sitting at a distance in mute +observance. I could now read in the face of the negroes that they +considered this as a very unpleasant affair; and they made another +attempt to persuade me to let them go for a gun. I smiled in a +good-natured manner, and made a feint to cut them down with the weapon +I had in my hand. This was all the answer I made to their request, and +they looked very uneasy. + +It must be observed we were now about twenty yards from the snake's +den. I now ranged the negroes behind me, and told him who stood next to +me to lay hold of the lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the +other must attend my movements. It now only remained to take their +cutlasses from them, for I was sure if I did not disarm them they would +be tempted to strike the snake in time of danger, and thus for ever +spoil his skin. On taking their cutlasses from them, if I might judge +from their physiognomy, they seemed to consider it as a most +intolerable act of tyranny in me. Probably nothing kept them from +bolting but the consolation that I was to be betwixt them and the +snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite of all I could do, beat quicker +than usual; and I felt those sensations which one has on board a +merchant-vessel in war-time, when the captain orders all hands on deck +to prepare for action, while a strange vessel is coming down upon us +under suspicious colours. + +We went slowly on in silence without moving our arms or heads, in order +to prevent all alarm as much as possible, lest the snake should glide +off or attack us in self-defence. I carried the lance perpendicularly +before me, with the point about a foot from the ground. The snake had +not moved; and on getting up to him I struck him with the lance on the +near-side, just behind the neck, and pinned him to the ground. That +moment the negro next to me seized the lance and held it firm in its +place, while I dashed head foremost into the den to grapple with the +snake and to get hold of his tail before he could do any mischief. + +On pinning him to the ground with the lance he gave a tremendous loud +hiss, and the little dog ran away, howling as he went. We had a sharp +fray in the den, the rotten sticks flying on all sides, and each party +struggling for superiority. I called out to the second negro to throw +himself upon me, as I found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and the +additional weight was of great service. I had now got firm hold of his +tail; and after a violent struggle or two he gave in, finding himself +overpowered. This was the moment to secure him. So while the first +negro continued to hold the lance firm to the ground, and the other was +helping me, I contrived to unloose my braces and with them tied up the +snake's mouth. + +The snake, now finding himself in an unpleasant situation, tried to +better himself, and set resolutely to work, but we overpowered him. We +contrived to make him twist himself round the shaft of the lance, and +then prepared to convey him out of the forest. I stood at his head and +held it firm under my arm, one negro supported the belly and the other +the tail. In this order we began to move slowly towards home, and +reached it after resting ten times: for the snake was too heavy for us +to support him without stopping to recruit our strength. As we +proceeded onwards with him he fought hard for freedom, but it was all +in vain. The day was now too far spent to think of dissecting him. Had +I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have taken place before +morning. I had brought with me up into the forest a strong bag large +enough to contain any animal that I should want to dissect. I +considered this the best mode of keeping live wild animals when I was +pressed for daylight; for the bag yielding in every direction to their +efforts, they would have nothing solid or fixed to work on, and thus +would be prevented from making a hole through it. I say fixed, for +after the mouth of the bag was closed the bag itself was not fastened +or tied to anything, but moved about wherever the animal inside caused +it to roll. After securing afresh the mouth of the coulacanara, so that +he could not open it, he was forced into this bag and left to his fate +till morning. + +I cannot say he allowed me to have a quiet night. My hammock was in the +loft just above him, and the floor betwixt us half gone to decay, so +that in parts of it no boards intervened betwixt his lodging-room and +mine. He was very restless and fretful; and had Medusa been my wife, +there could not have been more continued and disagreeable hissing in +the bed-chamber that night. At daybreak I sent to borrow ten of the +negroes who were cutting wood at a distance; I could have done with +half that number, but judged it most prudent to have a good force, in +case he should try to escape from the house when we opened the bag. +However, nothing serious occurred. + +We untied the mouth of the bag, kept him down by main force, and then I +cut his throat. He bled like an ox. By six o'clock the same evening he +was completely dissected. On examining his teeth I observed that they +were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat, and not so +large or strong as I expected to have found them; but they are exactly +suited to what they are intended by Nature to perform. The snake does +not masticate his food, and thus the only service his teeth have to +perform is to seize his prey and hold it till he swallows it whole. + +In general, the skins of snakes are sent to museums without the head: +for when the Indians and negroes kill a snake they seldom fail to cut +off the head, and then they run no risk from its teeth. When the skin +is stuffed in the museum a wooden head is substituted, armed with teeth +which are large enough to suit a tiger's jaw; and this tends to mislead +the spectator and give him erroneous ideas. + +During this fray with the serpent the old negro, Daddy Quashi, was in +Georgetown procuring provisions, and just returned in time to help to +take the skin off. He had spent best part of his life in the forest +with his old master, Mr. Edmonstone, and amused me much in recounting +their many adventures amongst the wild beasts. The Daddy had a +particular horror of snakes, and frankly declared he could never have +faced the one in question. + +The week following his courage was put to the test, and he made good +his words. It was a curious conflict, and took place near the spot +where I had captured the large snake. In the morning I had been +following a new species of paroquet, and, the day being rainy, I had +taken an umbrella to keep the gun dry, and had left it under a tree; in +the afternoon I took Daddy Quashi with me to look for it. Whilst he was +searching about, curiosity took me towards the place of the late scene +of action. There was a path where timber had formerly been dragged +along. Here I observed a young coulacanara, ten feet long, slowly +moving onwards. I saw he was not thick enough to break my arm, in case +he got twisted round it. There was not a moment to be lost. I laid hold +of his tail with the left hand, one knee being on the ground; with the +right I took off my hat, and held it as you would hold a shield for +defence. + +The snake instantly turned and came on at me, with his head about a +yard from the ground, as if to ask me what business I had to take +liberties with his tail. I let him come, hissing and open-mouthed, +within two feet of my face, and then with all the force I was master of +I drove my fist, shielded by my hat, full in his jaws. He was stunned +and confounded by the blow, and ere he could recover himself I had +seized his throat with both hands in such a position that he could not +bite me. I then allowed him to coil himself round my body, and marched +off with him as my lawful prize. He pressed me hard, but not alarmingly +so. + +In the meantime Daddy Quashi, having found the umbrella and having +heard the noise which the fray occasioned, was coming cautiously up. As +soon as he saw me and in what company I was, he turned about and ran +off home, I after him, and shouting to increase his fear. On scolding +him for his cowardice, the old rogue begged that I would forgive him, +for that the sight of the snake had positively turned him sick at +stomach. + +When I had done with the carcass of the large snake it was conveyed +into the forest, as I expected that it would attract the king of the +vultures as soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. +In a few days it sent forth that odour which a carcass should send +forth, and about twenty of the common vultures came and perched on the +neighbouring trees. The king of the vultures came, too; and I observed +that none of the common ones seemed inclined to begin breakfast till +his majesty had finished. When he had consumed as much snake as Nature +informed him would do him good, he retired to the top of a high +mora-tree, and then all the common vultures fell to and made a hearty +meal. + +The head and neck of the king of the vultures are bare of feathers; but +the beautiful appearance they exhibit fades in death. The throat and +the back of the neck are of a fine lemon colour; both sides of the +neck, from the ears downwards, of a rich scarlet; behind the corrugated +part there is a white spot. The crown of the head is scarlet; betwixt +the lower mandible and the eye and close by the ear there is a part +which has a fine silvery-blue appearance; the corrugated part is of a +dirty light brown; behind it and just above the white spot a portion of +the skin is blue, and the rest scarlet; the skin which juts out behind +the neck, and appears like an oblong caruncle, is blue in part and part +orange. + +The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and +the cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white. Below the +bare part of the neck there is a cinereous ruff. The bag of the +stomach, which is only seen when distended with food, is of a most +delicate white, intersected with blue veins, which appear on it just +like the blue veins on the arm of a fair-complexioned person. The tail +and long wing-feathers are black, the belly white, and the rest of the +body a fine satin colour. + +I cannot be persuaded that the vultures ever feed upon live animals, +not even upon lizards, rats, mice or frogs. I have watched them for +hours together, but never could see them touch any living animals, +though innumerable lizards, frogs and small birds swarmed all around +them. I have killed lizards and frogs, and put them in a proper place +for observation; as soon as they began to stink the aura vulture +invariably came and took them off. I have frequently observed that the +day after the planter had burnt the trash in a cane-field the aura +vulture was sure to be there, feeding on the snakes, lizards and frogs +which had suffered in the conflagration. I often saw a large bird (very +much like the common gregarious vulture, at a distance) catch and +devour lizards; after shooting one it turned out to be not a vulture +but a hawk, with a tail squarer and shorter than hawks have in general. +The vultures, like the goat-sucker and woodpecker, seem to be in +disgrace with man. They are generally termed a voracious, stinking, +cruel and ignoble tribe. Under these impressions the fowler discharges +his gun at them, and probably thinks he has done well in ridding the +earth of such vermin. + +Some Governments impose a fine on him who kills a vulture. This is a +salutary law, and it were to be wished that other Governments would +follow so good an example. I would fain here say a word or two in +favour of this valuable scavenger. + +Kind Providence has conferred a blessing on hot countries in giving +them the vulture; He has ordered it to consume that which, if left to +dissolve in putrefaction, would infect the air and produce a +pestilence. When full of food the vulture certainly appears an indolent +bird; he will stand for hours together on the branch of a tree, or on +the top of a house, with his wings drooping, and, after rain, with them +spread and elevated to catch the rays of the sun. It has been remarked +by naturalists that the flight of this bird is laborious. I have paid +attention to the vulture in Andalusia and to those in Guiana, Brazil, +and the West Indies, and conclude that they are birds of long, even and +lofty flight. Indeed, whoever has observed the aura vulture will be +satisfied that his flight is wonderfully majestic and of long +continuance. + +This bird is above five feet from wing to wing extended. You will see +it soaring aloft in the aerial expanse on pinions which never flutter, +and which at the same time carry him through the fields of ether with a +rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. In Paramaribo the laws +protect the vulture, and the Spaniards of Angustura never think of +molesting him. In 1808 I saw the vultures in that city as tame as +domestic fowls; a person who had never seen a vulture would have taken +them for turkeys. They were very useful to the Spaniards. Had it not +been for them, the refuse of the slaughter-houses in Angustura would +have caused an intolerable nuisance. + +The common black, short, square-tailed vulture is gregarious, but the +aura vulture is not so; for though you may see fifteen or twenty of +them feeding on the dead vermin in a cane-field, after the trash has +been set fire to, still, if you have paid attention to their arrival, +you will have observed that they came singly and retired singly; and +thus their being altogether in the same field was merely accidental and +caused by each one smelling the effluvia as he was soaring through the +sky to look out for food. I have watched twenty come into a cane-field; +they arrived one by one, and from different parts of the heavens. Hence +we may conclude that, though the other species of vulture are +gregarious, the aura vulture is not. + +If you dissect a vulture that has just been feeding on carrion, you +must expect that your olfactory nerves will be somewhat offended with +the rank effluvia from his craw; just as they would be were you to +dissect a citizen after the Lord Mayor's dinner. If, on the contrary, +the vulture be empty at the time you commence the operation, there will +be no offensive smell, but a strong scent of musk. + +I had long wished to examine the native haunts of the cayman, but as +the River Demerara did not afford a specimen of the large kind, I was +obliged to go to the River Essequibo to look for one. + +I got the canoe ready, and went down in it to Georgetown, where, having +put in the necessary articles for the expedition, not forgetting a +couple of large shark-hooks with chains attached to them, and a coil of +strong new rope, I hoisted a little sail which I had got made on +purpose, and at six o'clock in the morning shaped our course for the +River Essequibo. I had put a pair of shoes on to prevent the tar at the +bottom of the canoe from sticking to my feet. The sun was flaming hot, +and from eleven o'clock till two beat perpendicularly upon the top of +my feet, betwixt the shoes and the trousers. Not feeling it +disagreeable, or being in the least aware of painful consequences, as I +had been barefoot for months, I neglected to put on a pair of short +stockings which I had with me. I did not reflect that sitting still in +one place, with your feet exposed to the sun, was very different from +being exposed to the sun while in motion. + +We went ashore in the Essequibo about three o'clock in the afternoon, +to choose a place for the night's residence, to collect firewood, and +to set the fish-hooks. It was then that I first began to find my legs +very painful: they soon became much inflamed and red and blistered; and +it required considerable caution not to burst the blisters, otherwise +sores would have ensued. I immediately got into the hammock, and there +passed a painful and sleepless night, and for two days after I was +disabled from walking. + +About midnight, as I was lying awake and in great pain, I heard the +Indian say, "Massa, massa, you no hear tiger?" I listened attentively, +and heard the softly sounding tread of his feet as he approached us. +The moon had gone down, but every now and then we could get a glance of +him by the light of our fire. He was the jaguar, for I could see the +spots on his body. Had I wished to have fired at him I was not able to +take a sure aim, for I was in such pain that I could not turn myself in +my hammock. The Indian would have fired, but I would not allow him to +do so, as I wanted to see a little more of our new visitor, for it is +not every day or night that the traveller is favoured with an +undisturbed sight of the jaguar in his own forests. + +Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little nearer, and when the +Indian renewed it he retired abruptly. Sometimes he would come within +twenty yards, and then we had a view of him sitting on his hind-legs +like a dog; sometimes he moved slowly to and fro, and at other times we +could hear him mend his pace, as if impatient. At last the Indian, not +relishing the idea of having such company in the neighbourhood, could +contain himself no longer, and set up a most tremendous yell. The +jaguar bounded off like a racehorse, and returned no more. It appeared +by the print of his feet the next morning that he was a full-grown +jaguar. + +In two days after this we got to the first falls in the Essequibo. +There was a superb barrier of rocks quite across the river. In the +rainy season these rocks are for the most part under water, but it +being now dry weather we had a fine view of them, while the water from +the river above them rushed through the different openings in majestic +grandeur. Here, on a little hill jutting out into the river, stands the +house of Mrs. Peterson, the last house of people of colour up this +river. I hired a negro from her and a coloured man who pretended that +they knew the haunts of the cayman and understood everything about +taking him. We were a day in passing these falls and rapids, celebrated +for the pacou, the richest and most delicious fish in Guiana. The +coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the head of the canoe, +and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were swimming in the +stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had plunged +headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling with +it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he +aimed at. + +Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here +give thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that +not being the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and +well-intended attempt. + +Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each +side of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all +covered with trees of gigantic height and size. Here their leaves were +of a lively purple, and there of the deepest green. Sometimes the +caracara extended its scarlet blossoms from branch to branch, and gave +the tree the appearance as though it had been hung with garlands. + +This delightful scenery of the Essequibo made the soul overflow with +joy, and caused you to rove in fancy through fairyland; till, on +turning an angle of the river, you were recalled to more sober +reflections on seeing the once grand and towering mora now dead and +ragged in its topmost branches, while its aged trunk, undermined by the +rushing torrent, hung as though in sorrow over the river, which ere +long would receive it and sweep it away for ever. + +During the day the trade-wind blew a gentle and refreshing breeze, +which died away as the night set in, and then the river was as smooth +as glass. + +The moon was within three days of being full, so that we did not regret +the loss of the sun, which set in all its splendour. Scarce had he sunk +behind the western hills when the goat-suckers sent forth their soft +and plaintive cries; some often repeating, "Who are you--who, who, who +are you?" and others "Willy, willy, willy come go." + +The Indian and Daddy Quashi often shook their head at this, and said +they were bringing talk from Yabahou, who is the Evil Spirit of the +Essequibo. It was delightful to sit on the branch of a fallen tree near +the water's edge and listen to these harmless birds as they repeated +their evening song; and watch the owls and vampires as they every now +and then passed up and down the river. + +The next day, about noon, as we were proceeding onwards, we heard the +campanero tolling in the depth of the forest. Though I should not then +have stopped to dissect even a rare bird, having a greater object in +view, still I could not resist the opportunity offered of acquiring the +campanero. The place where he was tolling was low and swampy, and my +legs not having quite recovered from the effects of the sun, I sent the +Indian to shoot the campanero. He got up to the tree, which he +described as very high, with a naked top, and situated in a swamp. He +fired at the bird, but either missed it or did not wound it +sufficiently to bring it down. This was the only opportunity I had of +getting a campanero during this expedition. We had never heard one toll +before this morning, and never heard one after. + +About an hour before sunset we reached the place which the two men who +had joined us at the falls pointed out as a proper one to find a +cayman. There was a large creek close by and a sandbank gently sloping +to the water. Just within the forest, on this bank, we cleared a place +of brushwood, suspended the hammocks from the trees, and then picked up +enough of decayed wood for fuel. + +The Indian found a large land-tortoise, and this, with plenty of fresh +fish which we had in the canoe, afforded a supper not to be despised. + +The tigers had kept up a continual roaring every night since we had +entered the Essequibo. The sound was awfully fine. Sometimes it was in +the immediate neighbourhood; at other times it was far off, and echoed +amongst the hills like distant thunder. + +It may, perhaps, not be amiss to observe here that when the word tiger +is used it does not mean the Bengal tiger. It means the jaguar, whose +skin is beautifully spotted, and not striped like that of the tiger in +the East. It is, in fact, the tiger of the new world, and receiving the +name of tiger from the discoverers of South America it has kept it ever +since. It is a cruel, strong and dangerous beast, but not so courageous +as the Bengal tiger. + +We now baited a shark-hook with a large fish, and put it upon a board +about a yard long and one foot broad which we had brought on purpose. +This board was carried out in the canoe, about forty yards into the +river. By means of a string long enough to reach the bottom of the +river, and at the end of which string was fastened a stone, the board +was kept, as it were, at anchor. One end of the new rope I had bought +in town was reeved through the chain of the shark-hook and the other +end fastened to a tree on the sandbank. + +It was now an hour after sunset. The sky was cloudless, and the moon +shone beautifully bright. There was not a breath of wind in the +heavens, and the river seemed like a large plain of quicksilver. Every +now and then a huge fish would strike and plunge in the water; then the +owls and goat-suckers would continue their lamentations, and the sound +of these was lost in the prowling tiger's growl. Then all was still +again and silent as midnight. + +The caymen were now upon the stir, and at intervals their noise could +be distinguished amid that of the jaguar, the owls, the goat-suckers +and frogs. It was a singular and awful sound. It was like a suppressed +sigh bursting forth all of a sudden, and so loud that you might hear it +above a mile off. First one emitted this horrible noise, and then +another answered him; and on looking at the countenances of the people +round me I could plainly see that they expected to have a cayman that +night. + +We were at supper when the Indian, who seemed to have had one eye on +the turtle-pot and the other on the bait in the river, said he saw the +cayman coming. Upon looking towards the place there appeared something +on the water like a black log of wood. It was so unlike anything alive +that I doubted if it were a cayman; but the Indian smiled and said he +was sure it was one, for he remembered seeing a cayman some years ago +when he was in the Essequibo. + +At last it gradually approached the bait, and the board began to move. +The moon shone so bright that we could distinctly see him open his huge +jaws and take in the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop +the bait; and then we saw his black head retreating from the board to +the distance of a few yards; and there it remained quite motionless. + +He did not seem inclined to advance again; and so we finished our +supper. In about an hour's time he again put himself in motion, and +took hold of the bait. But probably suspecting that he had to deal with +knaves and cheats, he held it in his mouth but did not swallow it. We +pulled the rope again, but with no better success than the first time. + +He retreated as usual, and came back again in about an hour. We paid +him every attention till three o'clock in the morning, when, worn out +with disappointment, we went to the hammocks, turned in and fell asleep. + +When day broke we found that he had contrived to get the bait from the +hook, though we had tied it on with string. We had now no more hopes of +taking a cayman till the return of night. The Indian took off into the +woods and brought back a noble supply of game. The rest of us went into +the canoe and proceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more +than we could use. + +As we approached the shallows we could see the large sting-rays moving +at the bottom. The coloured man never failed to hit them with his +arrow. The weather was delightful. There was scarcely a cloud to +intercept the sun's rays. + +I saw several scarlet aras, anhingas and ducks, but could not get a +shot at them. The parrots crossed the river in innumerable quantities, +always flying in pairs. Here, too, I saw the sun-bird, called tirana by +the Spaniards in the Oroonoque, and shot one of them. The black and +white scarlet-headed finch was very common here. I could never see this +bird in the Demerara, nor hear of its being there. + +We at last came to a large sandbank, probably two miles in +circumference. As we approached it we could see two or three hundred +fresh-water turtle on the edge of the bank. Ere we could get near +enough to let fly an arrow at them they had all sunk into the river and +appeared no more. + +We went on the sandbank to look for their nests, as this was the +breeding-season. The coloured man showed us how to find them. Wherever +a portion of the sand seemed smoother than the rest there was sure to +be a turtle's nest. On digging down with our hands about nine inches +deep we found from twenty to thirty white eggs; in less than an hour we +got above two hundred. Those which had a little black spot or two on +the shell we ate the same day, as it was a sign that they were not +fresh, and of course would not keep; those which had no speck were put +into dry sand, and were good some weeks after. + +At midnight two of our people went to this sandbank while the rest +stayed to watch the cayman. The turtle had advanced on to the sand to +lay their eggs, and the men got betwixt them and the water; they +brought off half a dozen very fine and well-fed turtle. The eggshell of +the fresh-water turtle is not hard like that of the land-tortoise, but +appears like white parchment, and gives way to the pressure of the +fingers; but it is very tough, and does not break. On this sandbank, +close to the forest, we found several guana's nests; but they had never +more than fourteen eggs apiece. Thus passed the day in exercise and +knowledge, till the sun's declining orb reminded us it was time to +return to the place from whence we had set out. + +The second night's attempt upon the cayman was a repetition of the +first, quite unsuccessful. We went a-fishing the day after, had +excellent sport, and returned to experience a third night's +disappointment. On the fourth evening, about four o'clock, we began to +erect a stage amongst the trees close to the water's edge. From this we +intended to shoot an arrow into the cayman: at the end of this arrow +was to be attached a string which would be tied to the rope, and as +soon as the cayman was struck we were to have the canoe ready and +pursue him in the river. + +While we were busy in preparing the stage a tiger began to roar. We +judged by the sound that he was not above a quarter of a mile from us, +and that he was close to the side of the river. Unfortunately the +Indian said it was not a jaguar that was roaring, but a couguar. The +couguar is of a pale, brownish-red colour, and not as large as the +jaguar. As there was nothing particular in this animal I thought it +better to attend to the apparatus for catching the cayman than to go in +quest of the couguar. The people, however, went in the canoe to the +place where the couguar was roaring. On arriving near the spot they saw +it was not a couguar, but an immense jaguar, standing on the trunk of +an aged mora-tree which bended over the river; he growled and showed +his teeth as they approached; the coloured man fired at him with a +ball, but probably missed him, and the tiger instantly descended and +took off into the woods. I went to the place before dark, and we +searched the forest for about half a mile in the direction he had fled, +but we could see no traces of him or any marks of blood; so I concluded +that fear had prevented the man from taking steady aim. + +We spent best part of the fourth night in trying for the cayman, but +all to no purpose. I was now convinced that something was materially +wrong. We ought to have been successful, considering our vigilance and +attention, and that we had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless +to tarry here any longer; moreover, the coloured man began to take +airs, and fancied that I could not do without him. I never admit of +this in any expedition where I am commander; and so I convinced the +man, to his sorrow, that I could do without him, for I paid him what I +had agreed to give him, which amounted to eight dollars, and ordered +him back in his own curial to Mrs. Peterson's, on the hill at the first +falls. I then asked the negro if there were any Indian settlements in +the neighbourhood; he said he knew of one, a day and a half off. We +went in quest of it, and about one o'clock the next day the negro +showed us the creek where it was. + +The entrance was so concealed by thick bushes that a stranger would +have passed it without knowing it to be a creek. In going up it we +found it dark, winding, and intricate beyond any creek that I had ever +seen before. When Orpheus came back with his young wife from Styx his +path must have been similar to this, for Ovid says it was + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca, + +and this creek was exactly so. + +When we had got about two-thirds up it we met the Indians going +a-fishing. I saw by the way their things were packed in the curial that +they did not intend to return for some days. However, on telling them +what we wanted, and by promising handsome presents of powder, shot and +hooks, they dropped their expedition and invited us up to the +settlement they had just left, and where we laid in a provision of +cassava. + +They gave us for dinner boiled ant-bear and red monkey: two dishes +unknown even at Beauvilliers in Paris or at a London city feast. The +monkey was very good indeed, but the ant-bear had been kept beyond its +time: it stunk as our venison does in England; and so, after tasting +it, I preferred dining entirely on monkey. After resting here we went +back to the river. The Indians, three in number, accompanied us in +their own curial, and, on entering the river, pointed to a place a +little way above well calculated to harbour a cayman. The water was +deep and still, and flanked by an immense sandbank; there was also a +little shallow creek close by. + +On this sandbank, near the forest, the people made a shelter for the +night. My own was already made, for I always take with me a painted +sheet about twelve feet by ten. This thrown over a pole, supported +betwixt two trees, makes you a capital roof with very little trouble. + +We showed one of the Indians the shark-hook. He shook his head and +laughed at it, and said it would not do. When he was a boy he had seen +his father catch the caymen, and on the morrow he would make something +that would answer. + +In the meantime we set the shark-hook, but it availed us naught: a +cayman came and took it, but would not swallow it. + +Seeing it was useless to attend the shark-hook any longer, we left it +for the night and returned to our hammocks. + +Ere I fell asleep a reflection or two broke in upon me. I considered +that as far as the judgment of civilised man went, everything had been +procured and done to ensure success. We had hooks and lines and baits +and patience; we had spent nights in watching, had seen the cayman come +and take the bait, and after our expectations had been wound up to the +highest pitch all ended in disappointment. Probably this poor wild man +of the woods would succeed by means of a very simple process, and thus +prove to his more civilised brother that, notwithstanding books and +schools, there is a vast deal of knowledge to be picked up at every +step, whichever way we turn ourselves. + +In the morning, as usual, we found the bait gone from the shark-hook. +The Indians went into the forest to hunt, and we took the canoe to +shoot fish and get another supply of turtle's eggs, which we found in +great abundance on this large sandbank. + +We went to the little shallow creek, and shot some young caymen about +two feet long. It was astonishing to see what spite and rage these +little things showed when the arrow struck them; they turned round and +bit it: and snapped at us when we went into the water to take them up. +Daddy Quashi boiled one of them for his dinner, and found it very sweet +and tender. I do not see why it should not be as good as frog or veal. + +The day was now declining apace, and the Indian had made his instrument +to take the cayman. It was very simple. There were four pieces of +tough, hardwood a foot long, and about as thick as your little finger, +and barbed at both ends; they were tied round the end of the rope in +such a manner that if you conceive the rope to be an arrow, these four +sticks would form the arrow's head; so that one end of the four united +sticks answered to the point of the arrowhead, while the other end of +the sticks expanded at equal distances round the rope, thus: + +[Illustration] + +Now it is evident that, if the cayman swallowed this (the other end of +the rope, which was thirty yards long, being fastened to a tree), the +more he pulled the faster the barbs would stick into his stomach. This +wooden hook, if you may so call it, was well-baited with the flesh of +the acouri, and the entrails were twisted round the rope for about a +foot above it. + +Nearly a mile from where we had our hammocks the sandbank was steep and +abrupt, and the river very still and deep; there the Indian pricked a +stick into the sand. It was two feet long, and on its extremity was +fixed the machine: it hung suspended about a foot from the water, and +the end of the rope was made fast to a stake driven well into the sand. + +The Indian then took the empty shell of a land-tortoise and gave it +some heavy blows with an axe. I asked why he did that. He said it was +to let the cayman hear that something was going on. In fact, the Indian +meant it as the cayman's dinner-bell. + +[Illustration: cayman bait] + +Having done this we went back to the hammocks, not intending to visit +it again till morning. During the night the jaguars roared and grumbled +in the forest as though the world was going wrong with them, and at +intervals we could hear the distant cayman. The roaring of the jaguars +was awful, but it was music to the dismal noise of these hideous and +malicious reptiles. + +About half-past five in the morning the Indian stole off silently to +take a look at the bait. On arriving at the place he set up a +tremendous shout. We all jumped out of our hammocks and ran to him. The +Indians got there before me, for they had no clothes to put on, and I +lost two minutes in looking for my trousers and in slipping into them. + +We found a cayman ten feet and a half long fast to the end of the rope. +Nothing now remained to do but to get him out of the water without +injuring his scales: "hoc opus, hic labor." We mustered strong: there +were three Indians from the creek, there was my own Indian Yan, Daddy +Quashi, the negro from Mrs. Peterson's, James, Mr. R. Edmonstone's man, +whom I was instructing to preserve birds, and lastly myself. + +I informed the Indians that it was my intention to draw him quietly out +of the water and then secure him. They looked and stared at each other, +and said I might do it myself, but they would have no hand in it; the +cayman would worry some of us. On saying this, "consedere duces," they +squatted on their hams with the most perfect indifference. + +The Indians of these wilds have never been subject to the least +restraint, and I knew enough of them to be aware that if I tried to +force them against their will they would take off and leave me and my +presents unheeded, and never return. + +Daddy Quashi was for applying to our guns, as usual, considering them +our best and safest friends. I immediately offered to knock him down +for his cowardice, and he shrunk back, begging that I would be +cautious, and not get myself worried, and apologising for his own want +of resolution. My Indian was now in conversation with the others, and +they asked if I would allow them to shoot a dozen arrows into him, and +thus disable him. This would have ruined all. I had come above three +hundred miles on purpose to get a cayman uninjured, and not to carry +back a mutilated specimen. I rejected their proposition with firmness, +and darted a disdainful eye upon the Indians. + +Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remonstrate, and I chased him on +the sandbank for a quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards he thought +he should have dropped down dead with fright, for he was firmly +persuaded if I had caught him I should have bundled him into the +cayman's jaws. Here, then, we stood in silence like a calm before a +thunderstorm. "Hoc res summa loco. Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They +wanted to kill him, and I wanted to take him alive. + +I now walked up and down the sand, revolving a dozen projects in my +head. The canoe was at a considerable distance, and I ordered the +people to bring it round to the place where we were. The mast was eight +feet long, and not much thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the +canoe and wrapped the sail round the end of it. Now it appeared clear +to me that, if I went down upon one knee and held the mast in the same +position as the soldier holds his bayonet when rushing to the charge, I +could force it down the cayman's throat should he come open-mouthed at +me. When this was told to the Indians they brightened up, and said they +would help me to pull him out of the river. + +"Brave squad!" said I to myself. "'Audax omnia perpeti,' now that you +have got me betwixt yourselves and danger." I then mustered all hands +for the last time before the battle. We were four South American +savages, two negroes from Africa, a creole from Trinidad, and myself a +white man from Yorkshire. In fact, a little tower of Babel group, in +dress, no dress, address, and language. + +Daddy Quashi hung in the rear. I showed him a large Spanish knife which +I always carried in the waistband of my trousers: it spoke volumes to +him, and he shrugged up his shoulders in absolute despair. The sun was +just peeping over the high forests on the eastern hills, as if coming +to look on and bid us act with becoming fortitude. I placed all the +people at the end of the rope, and ordered them to pull till the cayman +appeared on the surface of the water, and then, should he plunge, to +slacken the rope and let him go again into the deep. + +I now took the mast of the canoe in my hand (the sail being tied round +the end of the mast) and sunk down upon one knee, about four yards from +the water's edge, determining to thrust it down his throat in case he +gave me an opportunity. I certainly felt somewhat uncomfortable in this +situation, and I thought of Cerberus on the other side of the Styx +ferry. The people pulled the cayman to the surface; he plunged +furiously as soon as he arrived in these upper regions, and immediately +went below again on their slackening the rope. I saw enough not to fall +in love at first sight. I now told them we would run all risks and have +him on land immediately. They pulled again, and out he came--"monstrum +horrendum, informe." This was an interesting moment. I kept my position +firmly, with my eye fixed steadfast on him. + +By the time the cayman was within two yards of me I saw he was in a +state of fear and perturbation. I instantly dropped the mast, sprung up +and jumped on his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I +gained my seat with my face in a right position. I immediately seized +his fore-legs, and by main force twisted them on his back; thus they +served me for a bridle. + +He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and probably +fancying himself in hostile company he began to plunge furiously, and +lashed the sand with his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of +the strokes of it by being near his head. He continued to plunge and +strike and made my seat very uncomfortable. It must have been a fine +sight for an unoccupied spectator. + +The people roared out in triumph, and were so vociferous that it was +some time before they heard me tell them to pull me and my beast of +burden farther inland. I was apprehensive the rope might break, and +then there would have been every chance of going down to the regions +under water with the cayman. That would have been more perilous than +Arion's marine morning ride: + + Delphini insidens vada cærula sulcat Arion. + +The people now dragged us above forty yards on the sand: it was the +first and last time I was ever on a cayman's back. Should it be asked +how I managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with +Lord Darlington's fox-hounds. + +After repeated attempts to regain his liberty the cayman gave in and +became tranquil through exhaustion. I now managed to tie up his jaws +and firmly secured his fore-feet in the position I had held them. We +had now another severe struggle for superiority, but he was soon +overcome and again remained quiet. While some of the people were +pressing upon his head and shoulders I threw myself on his tail, and by +keeping it down to the sand prevented him from kicking up another dust. +He was finally conveyed to the canoe, and then to the place where we +had suspended our hammocks. There I cut his throat; and after breakfast +was over commenced the dissection. + +Now that the affray had ceased, Daddy Ouashi played a good finger and +thumb at breakfast: he said he found himself much revived, and became +very talkative and useful, as there was no longer any danger. He was a +faithful, honest negro. His master, my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, +had been so obliging as to send out particular orders to the colony +that the Daddy should attend me all the time I was in the forest. He +had lived in the wilds of Demerara with Mr. Edmonstone for many years, +and often amused me with the account of the frays his master had had in +the woods with snakes, wild beasts and runaway negroes. Old age was now +coming fast upon him; he had been an able fellow in his younger days, +and a gallant one, too, for he had a large scar over his eyebrow caused +by the stroke of a cutlass from another negro while the Daddy was +engaged in an intrigue. + +The back of the cayman may be said to be almost impenetrable to a +musket-ball, but his sides are not near so strong, and are easily +pierced with an arrow; indeed, were they as strong as the back and the +belly, there would be no part of the cayman's body soft and elastic +enough to admit of expansion after taking in a supply of food. + +The cayman has no grinders; his teeth are entirely made for snatch and +swallow: there are thirty-two in each jaw. Perhaps no animal in +existence bears more decided marks in his countenance of cruelty and +malice than the cayman. He is the scourge and terror of all the large +rivers in South America near the line. + +One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de +Ynciarte, Governor of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, "Stop +here a minute or two, Don Carlos," said he to me, "while I recount a +sad accident. One fine evening last year, as the people of Angustura +were sauntering up and down here in the Alameda, I was within twenty +yards of this place when I saw a large cayman rush out of the river, +seize a man, and carry him down before anybody had it in his power to +assist him. The screams of the poor fellow were terrible as the cayman +was running off with him. He plunged into the river with his prey; we +instantly lost sight of him, and never saw or heard him more." + +I was a day and a half in dissecting our cayman, and then we got all +ready to return to Demerara. + +It was much more perilous to descend than to ascend the falls in the +Essequibo. + +The place we had to pass had proved fatal to four Indians about a month +before. The water foamed and dashed and boiled amongst the steep and +craggy rocks, and seemed to warn us to be careful how we ventured there. + +I was for all hands to get out of the canoe, and then, after lashing a +long rope ahead and astern, we might have climbed from rock to rock and +tempered her in her passage down, and our getting out would have +lightened her much. But the negro who had joined us at Mrs. Peterson's +said he was sure it would be safer to stay in the canoe while she went +down the fall. I was loath to give way to him, but I did so this time +against my better judgment, as he assured me that he was accustomed to +pass and repass these falls. + +Accordingly we determined to push down: I was at the helm, the rest at +their paddles. But before we got half-way through the rushing waters +deprived the canoe of all power of steerage, and she became the sport +of the torrent; in a second she was half-full of water, and I cannot +comprehend to this day why she did not go down; luckily the people +exerted themselves to the utmost, she got headway, and they pulled +through the whirlpool: I being quite in the stern of the canoe, part of +a wave struck me, and nearly knocked me overboard. + +We now paddled to some rocks at a distance, got out, unloaded the canoe +and dried the cargo in the sun, which was very hot and powerful. Had it +been the wet season almost everything would have been spoiled. + +After this the voyage down the Essequibo was quick and pleasant till we +reached the sea-coast: there we had a trying day of it; the wind was +dead against us, and the sun remarkably hot; we got twice aground upon +a mud-flat, and were twice obliged to get out, up to the middle in mud, +to shove the canoe through it. Half-way betwixt the Essequibo and +Demerara the tide of flood caught us, and, after the utmost exertions, +it was half-past six in the evening before we got to Georgetown. + +We had been out from six in the morning in an open canoe on the +sea-coast, without umbrella or awning, exposed all day to the fiery +rays of a tropical sun. My face smarted so that I could get no sleep +during the night, and the next morning my lips were all in blisters. +The Indian Yan went down to the Essequibo a copper-colour, but the +reflection of the sun from the sea and from the sandbanks in the river +had turned him nearly black. He laughed at himself, and said the +Indians in the Demerara would not know him again. I stayed one day in +Georgetown, and then set off the next morning for headquarters in +Mibiri Creek, where I finished the cayman. + +Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds and in paying +particular attention to their haunts and economy. The rainy season +having set in, the weather became bad and stormy; the lightning and +thunder were incessant; the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. +I had now been eleven months in the forests, and collected some rare +insects, two hundred and thirty birds, two land-tortoises, five +armadillos, two large serpents, a sloth, an ant-bear and a cayman. + +I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a few days with +Mr. R. Edmonstone previous to embarking for Europe. I must here return +my sincerest thanks to this worthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to +me; his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he never failed +to send me supplies up into the forest by every opportunity. + +I embarked for England on board the _Dee_, West-Indiaman, commanded by +Captain Grey. + +Sir Joseph Banks had often told me he hoped that I would give a lecture +in public on the new mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in +natural history for museums. I always declined to do so, as I despaired +of ever being able to hit upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds; and +I was aware that it would have been an imperfect lecture to treat of +birds only. I imparted what little knowledge I was master of at Sir +Joseph's, to the unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore +the Congo; and that was all that took place in the shape of a lecture. +Now that I had hit upon the way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up a little +plan on board the _Dee_, which I trusted would have been of service to +naturalists, and by proving to them the superiority of the new plan +they would probably be induced to abandon the old and common way, which +is a disgrace to the present age, and renders hideous every specimen in +every museum that I have as yet visited. I intended to have given three +lectures: one on insects and serpents; one on birds; and one on +quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this little plan was +doomed not to be unfolded to public view. Illiberality blasted it in +the bud. + +We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, and arrived in the +Mersey in fine trim and good spirits. Great was the attention I +received from the commander of the _Dee_. He and his mate, Mr. Spence, +took every care of my collection. + +On our landing the gentlemen of the Liverpool Custom House received me +as an old friend and acquaintance, and obligingly offered their +services. + +Twice before had I landed in Liverpool, and twice had I reason to +admire their conduct and liberality. They knew I was incapable of +trying to introduce anything contraband, and they were aware that I +never dreamed of turning to profit the specimens I had procured. They +considered that I had left a comfortable home in quest of science; and +that I had wandered into far-distant climes, and gone barefooted, +ill-clothed and ill-fed, through swamps and woods, to procure +specimens, some of which had never been seen in Europe. They considered +that it would be difficult to fix a price upon specimens which had +never been bought or sold, and which never were to be, as they were +intended to ornament my own house. It was hard, they said, to have +exposed myself for years to danger, and then be obliged to pay on +returning to my native land. Under these considerations they fixed a +moderate duty which satisfied all parties. + +However, this last expedition ended not so. It taught me how hard it is +to learn the grand lesson, "æquam memento rebus in arduis, servare +mentem." + +But my good friends in the Custom House of Liverpool were not to blame. +On the contrary, they did all in their power to procure balm for me +instead of rue. But it would not answer. + +They appointed a very civil officer to attend me to the ship. While we +were looking into some of the boxes to see that the specimens were +properly stowed, previous to their being conveyed to the king's depôt, +another officer entered the cabin. He was an entire stranger to me, and +seemed wonderfully aware of his own consequence. Without preface or +apology he thrust his head over my shoulder and said we had no business +to have opened a single box without his permission. I answered they had +been opened almost every day since they had come on board, and that I +considered there was no harm in doing so. + +He then left the cabin, and I said to myself as he went out, I suspect +I shall see that man again at Philippi. The boxes, ten in number, were +conveyed in safety from the ship to the depôt. I then proceeded to the +Custom House. The necessary forms were gone through, and a +proportionate duty, according to circumstances, was paid. + +This done, we returned from the Custom House to the depôt, accompanied +by several gentlemen who wished to see the collection. They expressed +themselves highly gratified. The boxes were closed, and nothing now +remained but to convey them to the cart, which was in attendance at the +door of the depôt. Just as one of the inferior officers was carrying a +box thither, in stepped the man whom I suspected I should see again at +Philippi. He abruptly declared himself dissatisfied with the valuation +which the gentlemen of the customs had put upon the collection, and +said he must detain it. I remonstrated, but it was all in vain. + +After this pitiful stretch of power and bad compliment to the other +officers of the customs, who had been satisfied with the valuation, +this man had the folly to take me aside, and after assuring me that he +had a great regard for the arts and sciences, he lamented that +conscience obliged him to do what he had done, and he wished he had +been fifty miles from Liverpool at the time that it fell to his lot to +detain the collection. Had he looked in my face as he said this he +would have seen no marks of credulity there. + +I now returned to the Custom House, and after expressing my opinion of +the officer's conduct at the depôt, I pulled a bunch of keys (which +belonged to the detained boxes) out of my pocket, laid them on the +table, took my leave of the gentlemen present, and soon after set off +for Yorkshire. + +I saved nothing from the grasp of the stranger officer but a pair of +live Malay fowls, which a gentleman in Georgetown had made me a present +of. I had collected in the forest several eggs of curious birds in +hopes of introducing the breed into England, and had taken great pains +in doing them over with gum arabic, and in packing them in charcoal, +according to a receipt I had seen in the gazette from the _Edinburgh +Philosophical Journal_. But these were detained in the depôt, instead +of being placed under a hen; which utterly ruined all my hopes of +rearing a new species of birds in England. Titled personages in London +interested themselves in behalf of the collection, but all in vain. And +vain also were the public and private representations of the first +officer of the Liverpool Custom House in my favour. + +At last there came an order from the Treasury to say that any specimens +Mr. Waterton intended to present to public institutions might pass duty +free; but those which he intended to keep for himself must pay the +duty! A friend now wrote to me from Liverpool requesting that I would +come over and pay the duty in order to save the collection, which had +just been detained there six weeks. I did so. On paying an additional +duty (for the moderate duty first imposed had already been paid), the +man who had detained the collection delivered it up to me, assuring me +that it had been well taken care of, and that a fire had been +frequently made in the room. It is but justice to add that on opening +the boxes there was nothing injured. + +I could never get a clue to these harsh and unexpected measures, except +that there had been some recent smuggling discovered in Liverpool, and +that the man in question had been sent down from London to act the part +of Argus. If so, I landed in an evil hour: "nefasto die," making good +the Spanish proverb, "Pagan a las veces, justos por pecadores": At +times the innocent suffer for the guilty. After all, a little +encouragement, in the shape of exemption from paying the duty on this +collection, might have been expected, but it turned out otherwise; and +after expending large sums in pursuit of natural history, on my return +home I was doomed to pay for my success: + + Hic finis, Caroli fatorum, hic exitus illum, + Sorte tulit! + +Thus my fleece, already ragged and torn with the thorns and briers +which one must naturally expect to find in distant and untrodden wilds, +was shorn, I may say, on its return to England. + +However, this is nothing new. Sancho Panza must have heard of similar +cases, for he says, "Muchos van por lana, y vuelven trasquilados": Many +go for wool and come home shorn. In order to pick up matter for natural +history I have wandered through the wildest parts of South America's +equatorial regions. I have attacked and slain a modern Python, and rode +on the back of a cayman close to the water's edge; a very different +situation from that of a Hyde Park dandy on his Sunday prancer before +the ladies. Alone and barefoot I have pulled poisonous snakes out of +their lurking-places; climbed up trees to peep into holes for bats and +vampires, and for days together hastened through sun and rain to the +thickest parts of the forest to procure specimens I had never got +before. In fine, I have pursued the wild beasts over hill and dale, +through swamps and quagmires, now scorched by the noon-day sun, now +drenched by the pelting shower, and returned to the hammock to satisfy +the cravings of hunger, often on a poor and scanty supper. + +These vicissitudes have turned to chestnut hue a once English +complexion, and changed the colour of my hair before Father Time had +meddled with it. The detention of the collection after it had fairly +passed the Customs, and the subsequent order from the Treasury that I +should pay duty for the specimens unless they were presented to some +public institution, have cast a damp upon my energy, and forced, as it +were, the cup of Lethe to my lips, by drinking which I have forgot my +former intention of giving a lecture in public on preparing specimens +to adorn museums. In fine, it is this ungenerous treatment that has +paralysed my plans, and caused me to give up the idea I once had of +inserting here the newly-discovered mode of preparing quadrupeds and +serpents; and without it the account of this last expedition to the +wilds of Guiana is nothing but a--fragment. + +Farewell, gentle reader. + + + * * * * * + + + + +FOURTH JOURNEY + + Nunc huc, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro. + +Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell I thought these +wanderings were brought to a final close; afterwards I often roved in +imagination through distant countries famous for natural history, but +felt no strong inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had +terminated in such unexpected vexation. The departure of the cuckoo and +swallow and summer birds of passage for warmer regions, once so +interesting to me, now scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south; +and I continued in this cold and dreary climate for three years. During +this period I seldom or never mounted my hobby-horse; indeed, it may be +said, with the old song, + + The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf, + +and only taken down once, on the night that I was induced to give a +lecture in the Philosophical Hall of Leeds. A little after this +Wilson's _Ornithology of the United States_ fell into my hands. + +The desire I had of seeing that country, together with the animated +description which Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the +almost-expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded to, and +set off for New York in the beautiful packet _John Wells_, commanded by +Captain Harris. The passage was long and cold, but the elegant +accommodations on board and the polite attention of the commander +rendered it very agreeable; and I landed in health and merriment in the +stately capital of the New World. + +We will soon pen down a few remarks on this magnificent city, but not +just now. I want to venture into the north-west country, and get to +their great canal, which the world talks so much about, though I fear +it will be hard work to make one's way through bugs, bears, brutes and +buffaloes, which we Europeans imagine are so frequent and ferocious in +these never-ending western wilds. + +I left New York on a fine morning in July, without one letter of +introduction, for the city of Albany, some hundred and eighty miles up +the celebrated Hudson. I seldom care about letters of introduction, for +I am one of those who depend much upon an accidental acquaintance. Full +many a face do I see as I go wandering up and down the world whose mild +eye and sweet and placid features seem to beckon to me and say, as it +were, "Speak but civilly to me, and I will do what I can for you." Such +a face as this is worth more than a dozen letters of introduction; and +such a face, gentle reader, I found on board the steamboat from New +York to the city of Albany. + +There was a great number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen in the +vessel, all entire strangers to me. I fancied I could see several whose +countenances invited an unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside +them; but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. I saw +clearly that he was an American, and I judged by his manners and +appearance that he had not spent all his time upon his native soil. I +was right in this conjecture, for he afterwards told me that he had +been in France and England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman +ought to salute another when he wants a little information; and soon +after I dropped in a word or two by which he might conjecture that I +was a foreigner, but I did not tell him so; I wished him to make the +discovery himself. + +He entered into conversation with the openness and candour which is so +remarkable in the American, and in a little time observed that he +presumed I was from the old country. I told him that I was, and added +that I was an entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at +the prospect he had of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn or two, and +he completely won my regard by an affability which I shall never +forget. This obliging gentleman pointed out everything that was grand +and interesting as the steamboat plied her course up the majestic +Hudson. Here the Catskill Mountains raised their lofty summit; and +there the hills came sloping down to the water's edge. Here he pointed +to an aged and venerable oak which, having escaped the levelling axe of +man, seemed almost to defy the blasting storm and desolating hand of +Time; and there he bade me observe an extended tract of wood by which I +might form an idea how rich and grand the face of the country had once +been. Here it was that, in the great and momentous struggle, the +colonists lost the day; and there they carried all before them: + + They closed full fast, on every side + No slackness there was found; + And many a gallant gentleman + Lay gasping on the ground. + +Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there moved their great captain; +here the fleets fired their broadsides; and there the whole force +rushed on to battle: + + Hic Dolopum manus, hic magnus tendebat Achilles, + Classibus hic locus, hic acies certare solebat. + +At teatime we took our tea together, and the next morning this worthy +American walked up with me to the inn in Albany, shook me by the hand, +and then went his way. I bade him farewell and again farewell, and +hoped that Fortune might bring us together again once more. Possibly +she may yet do so; and should it be in England, I will take him to my +house as an old friend and acquaintance, and offer him my choicest +cheer. It is at Albany that the great canal opens into the Hudson and +joins the waters of this river to those of Lake Erie. The Hudson, at +the city of Albany, is distant from Lake Erie about 360 miles. The +level of the lake is 564 feet higher than the Hudson, and there are +eighty-one locks on the canal. It is to the genius and perseverance of +De Witt Clinton that the United States owe the almost incalculable +advantages of this inland navigation: "Exegit monumentum ære +perennius." You may either go along it all the way to Buffalo on Lake +Erie or by the stage; or sometimes on one and then in the other, just +as you think fit. Grand indeed is the scenery by either route and +capital the accommodations. Cold and phlegmatic must he be who is not +warmed into admiration by the surrounding scenery, and charmed with the +affability of the travellers he meets on the way. + +This is now the season of roving and joy and merriment for the gentry +of this happy country. Thousands are on the move from different parts +of the Union for the springs and lakes and the Falls of Niagara. There +is nothing haughty or forbidding in the Americans; and wherever you +meet them they appear to be quite at home. This is exactly what it +ought to be, and very much in favour of the foreigner who journeys +amongst them. The immense number of highly-polished females who go in +the stages to visit the different places of amusement and see the +stupendous natural curiosities of this extensive country incontestably +proves that safety and convenience are ensured to them, and that the +most distant attempt at rudeness would by common consent be immediately +put down. + +By the time I had got to Schenectady I began strongly to suspect that I +had come into the wrong country to look for bugs, bears, brutes and +buffaloes. It is an enchanting journey from Albany to Schenectady, and +from thence to Lake Erie. The situation of the city of Utica is +particularly attractive: the Mohawk running close by it, the fertile +fields and woody mountains, and the Falls of Trenton forcibly press the +stranger to stop a day or two here before he proceeds onward to the +lake. + +At some far distant period, when it will not be possible to find the +place where many of the celebrated cities of the East once stood, the +world will have to thank the United States of America for bringing +their names into the western regions. It is, indeed, a pretty thought +of these people to give to their rising towns the names of places so +famous and conspicuous in former times. + +As I was sitting one evening under an oak in the high grounds behind +Utica, I could not look down upon the city without thinking of Cato and +his misfortunes. Had the town been called Crofton, or Warmfield, or +Dewsbury, there would have been nothing remarkable in it; but Utica at +once revived the scenes at school long past and half-forgotten, and +carried me with full speed back again to Italy, and from thence to +Africa. I crossed the Rubicon with Cæsar; fought at Pharsalia; saw poor +Pompey into Larissa, and tried to wrest the fatal sword from Cato's +hand in Utica. When I perceived he was no more, I mourned over the +noble-minded man who took that part which he thought would most benefit +his country. There is something magnificent in the idea of a man taking +by choice the conquered side. The Roman gods themselves did otherwise. + + _Victrix_ causa Diis placuit, sed _victa_ Catoni. + + In this did Cato with the gods divide, + _They_ chose the conquering, _he_ the conquer'd side. + +The whole of the country from Utica to Buffalo is pleasing; and the +intervening of the inland lakes, large and deep and clear, adds +considerably to the effect. The spacious size of the inns, their +excellent provisions, and the attention which the traveller receives in +going from Albany to Buffalo, must at once convince him that this +country is very much visited by strangers; and he will draw the +conclusion that there must be something in it uncommonly interesting to +cause so many travellers to pass to and fro. + +Nature is losing fast her ancient garb and putting on a new dress in +these extensive regions. Most of the stately timber has been carried +away; thousands of trees are lying prostrate on the ground; while +meadows, cornfields, villages and pastures are ever and anon bursting +upon the traveller's view as he journeys on through the remaining +tracts of wood. I wish I could say a word or two for the fine timber +which is yet standing. Spare it, gentle inhabitants, for your country's +sake. These noble sons of the forest beautify your landscapes beyond +all description; when they are gone, a century will not replace their +loss; they cannot, they must not fall; their vernal bloom, their summer +richness, and autumnal tints, please and refresh the eye of man; and +even when the days of joy and warmth are fled, the wintry blast soothes +the listening ear with a sublime and pleasing melancholy as it howls +through their naked branches. + + Around me trees unnumber'd rise, + Beautiful in various dyes. + The gloomy pine, the poplar blue, + The yellow beech, the sable yew; + The slender fir, that taper grows, + The sturdy oak, with broad-spread boughs. + +A few miles before you reach Buffalo the road is low and bad, and in +stepping out of the stage I sprained my foot very severely; it swelled +to a great size, and caused me many a day of pain and mortification, as +will be seen in the sequel. + +Buffalo looks down on Lake Erie, and possesses a fine and commodious +inn. At a little distance is the Black Rock, and there you pass over to +the Canada side. A stage is in waiting to convey you some sixteen or +twenty miles down to the falls. Long before you reach the spot you hear +the mighty roar of waters and see the spray of the far-famed Falls of +Niagara rising up like a column to the heavens and mingling with the +passing clouds. + +At this stupendous cascade of Nature the waters of the lake fall 176 +feet perpendicular. It has been calculated, I forget by whom, that the +quantity of water discharged down this mighty fall is 670,255 tons per +minute. There are two large inns on the Canada side; but after you have +satisfied your curiosity in viewing the falls, and in seeing the +rainbow in the foam far below where you are standing, do not, I pray +you, tarry long at either of them. Cross over to the American side, and +there you will find a spacious inn which has nearly all the +attractions: there you meet with great attention and every +accommodation. + +The day is passed in looking at the falls and in sauntering up and down +the wooded and rocky environs of the Niagara; and the evening is often +enlivened by the merry dance. + +Words can hardly do justice to the unaffected ease and elegance of the +American ladies who visit the Falls of Niagara. The traveller need not +rove in imagination through Circassia in search of fine forms, or +through England, France and Spain to meet with polished females. The +numbers who are continually arriving from all parts of the Union +confirm the justness of this remark. + +I was looking one evening at a dance, being unable to join in it on +account of the accident I had received near Buffalo, when a young +American entered the ballroom with such a becoming air and grace that +it was impossible not to have been struck with her appearance. + + Her bloom was like the springing flower + That sips the silver dew, + The rose was budded in her cheek, + Just opening to the view. + +I could not help feeling a wish to know where she had + + Into such beauty spread, and blown so fair. + +Upon inquiry I found that she was from the city of Albany. The more I +looked at the fair Albanese the more I was convinced that in the United +States of America may be found grace and beauty and symmetry equal to +anything in the Old World. + +I now for good and all (and well I might) gave up the idea of finding +bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes in this country, and was thoroughly +satisfied that I had laboured under a great mistake in suspecting that +I should ever meet with them. + +I wished to join in the dance where the fair Albanese was "to brisk +notes in cadence beating," but the state of my unlucky foot rendered it +impossible; and as I sat with it reclined upon a sofa, full many a +passing gentleman stopped to inquire the cause of my misfortune, +presuming at the same time that I had got an attack of gout. Now this +surmise of theirs always mortified me; for I never had a fit of gout in +my life, and, moreover, never expect to have one. + +In many of the inns in the United States there is an album on the table +in which travellers insert their arrival and departure, and now and +then indulge in a little flash or two of wit. + +I thought under existing circumstances that there would be no harm in +briefly telling my misadventure; and so taking up the pen I wrote what +follows, and was never after asked a single question about the gout. + +C. Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the county of York, England, arrived at +the Falls of Niagara in July 1824, and begs leave to pen down the +following dreadful accident: + + He sprained his foot, and hurt his toe, + On the rough road near Buffalo. + It quite distresses him to stagger a- + Long the sharp rocks of famed Niagara. + So thus he's doomed to drink the measure + Of pain, in lieu of that of pleasure. + On Hope's delusive pinions borne + He came for wool, and goes back shorn. + _N.B._--Here he alludes to nothing but + Th' adventure of his toe and foot; + Save this,--he sees all that which can + Delight and charm the soul of man, + But feels it not,--because his toe + And foot together plague him so. + +I remember once to have sprained my ankle very violently many years +ago, and that the doctor ordered me to hold it under the pump two or +three times a day. Now in the United States of America all is upon a +grand scale, except taxation; and I am convinced that the traveller's +ideas become much more enlarged as he journeys through the country. +This being the case, I can easily account for the desire I felt to hold +my sprained foot under the Fall of Niagara. I descended the +winding-staircase which has been made for the accommodation of +travellers, and then hobbled on to the scene of action. As I held my +leg under the fall I tried to meditate on the immense difference there +was betwixt a house-pump and this tremendous cascade of Nature, and +what effect it might have upon the sprain; but the magnitude of the +subject was too overwhelming, and I was obliged to drop it. + +Perhaps, indeed, there was an unwarrantable tincture of vanity in an +unknown wanderer wishing to have it in his power to tell the world that +he had held his sprained foot under a fall of water which discharges +670,255 tons per minute. A gentle purling stream would have suited +better. Now it would have become Washington to have quenched his +battle-thirst in the Fall of Niagara; and there was something royal in +the idea of Cleopatra drinking pearl-vinegar made from the grandest +pearl in Egypt; and it became Caius Marius to send word that he was +sitting upon the ruins of Carthage. Here we have the person suited to +the thing, and the thing to the person. + +If, gentle reader, thou wouldst allow me to indulge a little longer in +this harmless pen-errantry, I would tell thee that I have had my ups +and downs in life as well as other people: for I have climbed to the +point of the conductor above the cross on the top of St. Peter's in +Rome and left my glove there; I have stood on one foot upon the +Guardian Angel's head on the Castle of St. Angelo; and, as I have just +told thee, I have been low down under the Fall of Niagara. But this is +neither here nor there; let us proceed to something else. + +When the pain of my foot had become less violent, and the swelling +somewhat abated, I could not resist the inclination I felt to go down +Ontario, and so on to Montreal and Quebec, and take Lakes Champlain and +George in my way back to Albany. + +Just as I had made up my mind to it, a family from the Bowling-Green in +New York, who was going the same route, politely invited me to join +their party. Nothing could be more fortunate. They were highly +accomplished. The young ladies sang delightfully; and all contributed +their portion to render the tour pleasant and amusing. + +Travellers have already filled the world with descriptions of the bold +and sublime scenery from Lake Erie to Quebec: + + The fountain's fall, the river's flow, + The woody valleys, warm and low; + The windy summit, wild and high, + Roughly rushing to the sky. + +And there is scarce one of them who has not described the achievements +of former and latter times on the different battle-grounds. Here great +Wolfe expired. Brave Montcalm was carried, mortally wounded, through +yonder gate. Here fell the gallant Brock; and there General Sheaffee +captured all the invaders. And in yonder harbour may be seen the +mouldering remnants of British vessels. Their hour of misfortune has +long passed away. The victors have now no use for them in an inland +lake. Some have already sunk, while others, dismantled and +half-dismasted, are just above the water, waiting in shattered state +that destiny which must sooner or later destroy the fairest works of +man. + +The excellence and despatch of the steamboats, together with the +company which the traveller is sure to meet with at this time of the +year, render the trip down to Montreal and Quebec very agreeable. + +The Canadians are a quiet and apparently a happy people. They are very +courteous and affable to strangers. On comparing them with the +character which a certain female traveller, a journalist, has thought +fit to give them, the stranger might have great doubts whether or not +he were amongst the Canadians. + +Montreal, Quebec and the Falls of Montmorency are well worth going to +see. They are making tremendous fortifications at Quebec. It will be +the Gibraltar of the New World. When one considers its distance from +Europe, and takes a view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, +Virgil's remark at once rushes into the mind: + + Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves. + +I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to +the Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and +worthy set of gentlemen, and on my taking leave of them I felt a +heaviness at heart in reflecting that I had not more time to cultivate +their acquaintance. + +In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec I only met with one bug; and I +cannot even swear that it belonged to the United States. In going down +the St. Lawrence in the steamboat I felt something crossing over my +neck, and on laying hold of it with my finger and thumb it turned out +to be a little half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now whether it were +going from the American to the Canada side, or from the Canada to the +American, and had taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself +across, I could not tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby +and the fly; and so, in lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then +putting my thumb-nail vertically upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst +some baggage that was close by and recommended it to get ashore by the +first opportunity. + +When we had seen all that was worth seeing in Quebec and at the Falls +of Montmorency, and had been on board the enormous ship _Columbus_, we +returned for a day or two to Montreal, and then proceeded to Saratoga +by Lakes Champlain and George. + +The steamboat from Quebec to Montreal had above five hundred Irish +emigrants on board. They were going "they hardly knew whither," far +away from dear Ireland. It made one's heart ache to see them all +huddled together, without any expectation of ever revisiting their +native soil. We feared that the sorrow of leaving home for ever, the +miserable accommodations on board the ship which had brought them away, +and the tossing of the angry ocean in a long and dreary voyage would +have rendered them callous to good behaviour. But it was quite +otherwise. They conducted themselves with great propriety. Every +American on board seemed to feel for them. And then "they were so full +of wretchedness. Need and oppression starved in their eyes. Upon their +backs hung ragged misery. The world was not their friend." Poor dear +Ireland, exclaimed an aged female as I was talking to her, I shall +never see it any more! and then her tears began to flow. Probably the +scenery on the banks of the St. Lawrence recalled to her mind the +remembrance of spots once interesting to her: + + The lovely daughter,--lovelier in her tears, + The fond companion of her father's years, + Here silent stood,--neglectful of her charms. + And left her lover's for her father's arms. + With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, + And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; + And pressed her thoughtless babes, with many a tear, + And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear. + While the fond husband strove to lend relief. + In all the silent manliness of grief. + +We went a few miles out of our route to take a look at the once +formidable fortress of Ticonderoga. It has long been in ruins, and +seems as if it were doomed to moulder quite away. + + Ever and anon there falls + Huge heaps of hoary moulder'd walls. + But time has seen, that lifts the low + And level lays the lofty brow, + Has seen this ruin'd pile complete, + Big with the vanity of state, + But transient is the smile of Fate. + +The scenery of Lake George is superb, the inn remarkably spacious and +well attended, and the conveyances from thence to Saratoga very good. +He must be sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice who, on his +arrival at Saratoga, remarks there is nothing here worth coming to see. +It is a gay and fashionable place; has four uncommonly fine hotels; its +waters for medicinal virtues are surpassed by none in the known world; +and it is resorted to throughout the whole of the summer by foreigners +and natives of the first consideration. Saratoga pleased me much; and +afforded a fair opportunity of forming a pretty correct idea of the +gentry of the United States. + +There is a pleasing frankness and ease and becoming dignity in the +American ladies, and the good humour and absence of all haughtiness and +puppyism in the gentlemen must, no doubt, impress the traveller with +elevated notions of the company who visit this famous spa. + +During my stay here all was joy and affability and mirth. In the +mornings the ladies played and sang for us; and the evenings were +generally enlivened with the merry dance. Here I bade farewell to the +charming family in whose company I had passed so many happy days, and +proceeded to Albany. + +The stage stopped a little while in the town of Troy. The name alone +was quite sufficient to recall to the mind scenes long past and gone. +Poor King Priam! Napoleon's sorrows, sad and piercing as they were, did +not come up to those of this ill-fated monarch. The Greeks first set +his town on fire and then began to bully: + + Incensâ Danai dominantur in urbe. + +One of his sons was slain before his face: "ante ora parentum, +concidit." Another was crushed to mummy by boa-constrictors: "immensis +orbibus angues." His city was razed to the ground, "jacet Ilion +ingens." And Pyrrhus ran him through with his sword, "capulo tenus +abdidit ensem." This last may be considered as a fortunate stroke for +the poor old king. Had his life been spared at this juncture he could +not have lived long. He must have died broken-hearted. He would have +seen his son-in-law, once master of a noble stud, now, for want of a +horse, obliged to carry off his father up-hill on his own back, "cessi +et sublato, montem genitore petivi." He would have heard of his +grandson being thrown neck and heels from a high tower, "mittitur +Astyanax illis de turribus." He would have been informed of his wife +tearing out the eyes of King Odrysius with her finger-nails, "digitos +in perfida lumina condit." Soon after this, losing all appearance of +woman, she became a bitch, + + Perdidit infelix, hominis post omnia formam, + +and rent the heavens with her howlings, + + Externasque novo latratu terruit auras. + +Then, becoming distracted with the remembrance of her misfortunes, +"veterum memor illa malorum," she took off howling into the fields of +Thrace: + + Tum quoque Sithonios, ululavit moesta per agros. + +Juno, Jove's wife and sister, was heard to declare that poor Hecuba did +not deserve so terrible a fate: + + Ipsa Jovis conjuxque sororque, + Eventus Hecubam meruisse negaverit illos. + +Had poor Priam escaped from Troy, one thing, and only one thing, would +have given him a small ray of satisfaction, viz. he would have heard of +one of his daughters nobly preferring to leave this world rather than +live to become servant-maid to old Grecian ladies: + + Non ego Myrmidonum sedes, Dolopumve superbas, + Adspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus ibo. + +At some future period, should a foreign armed force, or intestine +broils (all which Heaven avert), raise Troy to the dignity of a +fortified city, Virgil's prophecy may then be fulfilled: + + Atque iterum ad Trojam magnus mittetur Achilles. + +After leaving Troy I passed through a fine country to Albany, and then +proceeded by steam down the Hudson to New York. + +Travellers hesitate whether to give the preference to Philadelphia or +to New York. Philadelphia is certainly a noble city and its environs +beautiful, but there is a degree of quiet and sedateness in it which, +though no doubt very agreeable to the man of calm and domestic habits, +is not so attractive to one of speedy movements. The quantity of white +marble which is used in the buildings gives to Philadelphia a gay and +lively appearance, but the sameness of the streets and their crossing +each other at right angles are somewhat tiresome. The waterworks which +supply the city are a proud monument of the skill and enterprise of its +inhabitants, and the market is well worth the attention of the stranger. + +When you go to Philadelphia be sure not to forget to visit the museum. +It will afford you a great treat. Some of Mr. Peale's family are +constantly in it, and are ever ready to show the curiosities to +strangers and to give them every necessary information. Mr. Peale has +now passed his eightieth year, and appears to possess the vivacity and, +I may almost add, the activity of youth. + +To the indefatigable exertions of this gentleman is the Western world +indebted for the possession of this splendid museum. Mr. Peale is, +moreover, an excellent artist. Look attentively, I pray you, at the +portrait he has taken of himself, by desire of the State of +Pennsylvania. On entering the room he appears in the act of holding up +a curtain to show you his curiosities. The effect of the light upon his +head is infinitely striking. I have never seen anything finer in the +way of light and shade. The skeleton of the mammoth is a national +treasure. I could form but a faint idea of it by description until I +had seen it. It is the most magnificent skeleton in the world. The city +ought never to forget the great expense Mr. Peale was put to, and the +skill and energy he showed during the many months he spent in searching +the swamps where these enormous bones had been concealed from the eyes +of the world for centuries. + +The extensive squares of this city are ornamented with well-grown and +luxuriant trees. Its unremitting attention to literature might cause it +to be styled the Athens of the United States. Here learning and science +have taken up their abode. The literary and philosophical associations, +the enthusiasm of individuals, the activity of the press and the +cheapness of the publications ought to raise the name of Philadelphia +to an elevated situation in the temple of knowledge. + +From the press of this city came Wilson's famous _Ornithology_. By +observing the birds in their native haunts he has been enabled to purge +their history of numberless absurdities which inexperienced theorists +had introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant work. We have +no description of birds in any European publication that can come up to +this. By perusing Wilson's _Ornithology_ attentively before I left +England I knew where to look for the birds, and immediately recognised +them in their native land. + +Since his time I fear that the white-headed eagles have been much +thinned. I was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very few. One +or two came now and then and soared in lofty flight over the Falls of +Niagara. The Americans are proud of this bird in effigy, and their +hearts rejoice when its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be +persuaded to protect the white-headed eagle, and allow it to glide in +safety over its own native forests? Were I an American I should think I +had committed a kind of sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. +The ibis was held sacred by the Egyptians; the Hollanders protect the +stork; the vulture sits unmolested on the top of the houses in the city +of Angustura; and Robin Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the +English: + + No burial these pretty babes + Of any man receives, + Till Robin-red-breast painfully. + Did cover them with leaves. [Footnote] + +[Footnote: The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea.] + +Poor Wilson was smote by the hand of death before he had finished his +work. Prince Charles Buonaparte, nephew to the late Emperor Napoleon, +aided by some of the most scientific gentlemen of Pennsylvania, is +continuing this valuable and interesting publication. + +New York, with great propriety, may be called the commercial capital of +the new world: + + Urbs augusta potens, nulli cessura. + +Ere long it will be on the coast of North America what Tyre once was on +that of Syria. In her port are the ships of all nations, and in her +streets is displayed merchandise from all parts of the known world. And +then the approach to it is so enchanting! The verdant fields, the woody +hills, the farms and country-houses form a beautiful landscape as you +sail up to the city of New York. + +Broadway is the principal street. It is three miles and a half long. I +am at a loss to know where to look for a street in any part of the +world which has so many attractions as this. There are no steam-engines +to annoy you by filling the atmosphere full of soot and smoke; the +houses have a stately appearance; while the eye is relieved from the +perpetual sameness, which is common in most streets, by lofty and +luxuriant trees. + +Nothing can surpass the appearance of the American ladies when they +take their morning walk from twelve to three in Broadway. The stranger +will at once see that they have rejected the extravagant superfluities +which appear in the London and Parisian fashions, and have only +retained as much of those costumes as is becoming to the female form. +This, joined to their own just notions of dress, is what renders the +New York ladies so elegant in their attire. The way they wear the +Leghorn hat deserves a remark or two. With us the formal hand of the +milliner binds down the brim to one fixed shape, and that none of the +handsomest. The wearer is obliged to turn her head full ninety degrees +before she can see the person who is standing by her side. But in New +York the ladies have the brim of the hat not fettered with wire or tape +or ribbon, but quite free and undulating; and by applying the hand to +it they can conceal or expose as much of the face as circumstances +require. This hiding and exposing of the face, by the by, is certainly +a dangerous movement, and often fatal to the passing swain. I am +convinced, in my own mind, that many a determined and unsuspecting +bachelor has been shot down by this sudden manoeuvre before he was +aware that he was within reach of the battery. + +The American ladies seem to have an abhorrence (and a very just one, +too) of wearing caps. When one considers for a moment that women wear +the hair long, which Nature has given them both for an ornament and to +keep the head warm, one is apt to wonder by what perversion of good +taste they can be induced to enclose it in a cap. A mob-cap, a +lace-cap, a low cap, a high cap, a flat cap, a cap with ribbons +dangling loose, a cap with ribbons tied under the chin, a peak-cap, an +angular cap, a round cap and a pyramid cap! How would Canova's Venus +look in a mob-cap? If there be any ornament to the head in wearing a +cap, it must surely be a false ornament. The American ladies are +persuaded that the head can be ornamented without a cap. A rosebud or +two, a woodbine, or a sprig of eglantine look well in the braided hair; +and if there be raven locks, a lily or a snowdrop may be interwoven +with effect. + +Now that the packets are so safe, and make such quick passages to the +United States, it would be as well if some of our head milliners would +go on board of them in lieu of getting into the diligence for Paris. +They would bring back more taste and less caricature. And if they could +persuade a dozen or two of the farmer's servant-girls to return with +them, we should soon have proof-positive that as good butter and cheese +may be made with the hair braided up, and a daisy or primrose in it, as +butter and cheese made in a cap of barbarous shape, washed, perhaps, in +soapsuds last new moon. + +New York has very good hotels and genteel boarding-houses. All charges +included, you do not pay above two dollars a day. Little enough, when +you consider the capital accommodations and the abundance of food. + +In this city, as well as in others which I visited, everybody seemed to +walk at his ease. I could see no inclination for jostling, no +impertinent staring at you, nor attempts to create a row in order to +pick your pocket. I would stand for an hour together in Broadway to +observe the passing multitude. There is certainly a gentleness in these +people both to be admired and imitated. I could see very few dogs, +still fewer cats, and but a very small proportion of fat women in the +streets of New York. The climate was the only thing that I had really +to find fault with; and as the autumn was now approaching I began to +think of preparing for warmer regions. + +Strangers are apt to get violent colds on account of the sudden change +of the atmosphere. The noon would often be as warm as tropical weather +and the close of day cold and chilly. This must sometimes act with +severity upon the newly-arrived stranger, and it requires more care and +circumspection than I am master of to guard against it. I contracted a +bad and obstinate cough which did not quite leave me till I had got +under the regular heat of the sun near the equator. + +I may be asked, was it all good-fellowship and civility during my stay +in the United States? Did no forward person cause offence? Was there no +exhibition of drunkenness or swearing or rudeness? or display of +conduct which disgraces civilised man in other countries? I answer, +very few indeed: scarce any worth remembering, and none worth noticing. +These are a gentle and a civil people. Should a traveller now and then +in the long run witness a few of the scenes alluded to, he ought not, +on his return home, to adduce a solitary instance or two as the custom +of the country. In roving through the wilds of Guiana I have sometimes +seen a tree hollow at heart, shattered and leafless, but I did not on +that account condemn its vigorous neighbours, and put down a memorandum +that the woods were bad; on the contrary, I made allowances: a +thunderstorm, the whirlwind, a blight from heaven might have robbed it +of its bloom and caused its present forbidding appearance. And in +leaving the forest I carried away the impression that, though some few +of the trees were defective, the rest were an ornament to the wilds, +full of uses and virtues, and capable of benefiting the world in a +superior degree. + +A man generally travels into foreign countries for his own ends, and I +suspect there is scarcely an instance to be found of a person leaving +his own home solely with the intention of benefiting those amongst whom +he is about to travel. A commercial speculation, curiosity, a wish for +information, a desire to reap benefit from an acquaintance with our +distant fellow-creatures are the general inducements for a man to leave +his own fireside. This ought never to be forgotten, and then the +traveller will journey on under the persuasion that it rather becomes +him to court than expect to be courted, as his own interest is the +chief object of his travels. With this in view he will always render +himself pleasant to the natives; and they are sure to repay his little +acts of courtesy with ample interest, and with a fund of information +which will be of great service to him. + +While in the United States I found our Western brother a very pleasant +fellow; but his portrait has been drawn in such different shades by +different travellers who have been through his territory, that it +requires a personal interview before a correct idea can be formed of +his true colours. He is very inquisitive; but it is quite wrong on that +account to tax him with being of an impertinent turn. He merely +interrogates you for information, and, when you have satisfied him on +that score, only ask him in your turn for an account of what is going +on in his own country and he will tell you everything about it with +great good humour and in excellent language. He has certainly hit upon +the way (but I could not make out by what means) of speaking a much +purer English language than that which is in general spoken on the +parent soil. This astonished me much; but it is really the case. +Amongst his many good qualities he has one unenviable and, I may add, a +bad propensity: he is immoderately fond of smoking. He may say that he +learned it from his nurse, with whom it was once much in vogue. In +Dutch William's time (he was a man of bad taste) the English gentleman +could not do without his pipe. During the short space of time that +Corporal Trim was at the inn inquiring after poor Lefevre's health, my +Uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of three pipes. "It was not till +my Uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe," etc. Now +these times have luckily gone by, and the custom of smoking amongst +genteel Englishmen has nearly died away with them. It is a foul custom; +it makes a foul mouth, and a foul place where the smoker stands. +However, every nation has its whims. John Bull relishes stinking +venison; a Frenchman depopulates whole swamps in quest of frogs; a +Dutchman's pipe is never out of his mouth; a Russian will eat +tallow-candles; and the American indulges in the cigar. "De gustibus +non est disputandum." + +Our Western brother is in possession of a country replete with +everything that can contribute to the happiness and comfort of mankind. +His code of laws, purified by experience and common-sense, has fully +answered the expectations of the public. By acting up to the true +spirit of this code he has reaped immense advantages from it. His +advancement as a nation has been rapid beyond all calculation, and, +young as he is, it may be remarked without any impropriety that he is +now actually reading a salutary lesson to the rest of the civilised +world. + +It is but some forty years ago that he had the dispute with his nurse +about a dish of tea. She wanted to force the boy to drink it according +to her own receipt. He said he did not like it, and that it absolutely +made him ill. After a good deal of sparring she took up the birch-rod +and began to whip him with an uncommon degree of asperity. When the +poor lad found that he must either drink the nauseous dish of tea or be +flogged to death, he turned upon her in self-defence, showed her to the +outside of the nursery-door, and never more allowed her to meddle with +his affairs. + +Since the Independence the population has increased from three to ten +millions. A fine navy has been built, and everything attended to that +could ensure prosperity at home and respect abroad. + +The former wilds of North America bear ample testimony to the +achievements of this enterprising people. Forests have been cleared +away, swamps drained, canals dug and flourishing settlements +established. From the shores of the Atlantic an immense column of +knowledge has rolled into the interior. The Mississippi, the Ohio, the +Missouri and their tributary streams have been wonderfully benefited by +it. It now seems as if it were advancing towards the stony mountains, +and probably will not become stationary till it reaches the Pacific +Ocean. This almost immeasurable territory affords a shelter and a home +to mankind in general: Jew or Gentile, king's-man or republican, he +meets with a friendly reception in the United States. His opinions, his +persecutions, his errors or mistakes, however they may have injured him +in other countries, are dead and of no avail on his arrival here. +Provided he keeps the peace he is sure to be at rest. + +Politicians of other countries imagine that intestine feuds will cause +a division in this commonwealth; at present there certainly appears to +be no reason for such a conjecture. Heaven forbid that it should +happen. The world at large would suffer by it. For ages yet to come may +this great commonwealth continue to be the United States of North +America. + +The sun was now within a week or two of passing into the southern +hemisphere, and the mornings and evenings were too cold to be +comfortable. I embarked for the Island of Antigua with the intention of +calling at the different islands in the Caribbean Sea on my way once +more towards the wilds of Guiana. + +We were thirty days in making Antigua, and thanked Providence for +ordering us so long a passage. A tremendous gale of wind, approaching +to a hurricane, had done much damage in the West Indies. Had our +passage been of ordinary length we should inevitably have been caught +in the gale. + +St. John's is the capital of Antigua. In better times it may have had +its gaieties and amusements. At present it appears sad and woebegone. +The houses, which are chiefly of wood, seem as if they have not had a +coat of paint for many years; the streets are uneven and ill-paved; and +as the stranger wanders through them, he might fancy that they would +afford a congenial promenade to the man who is about to take his last +leave of surrounding worldly misery before he hangs himself. There had +been no rain for some time, so that the parched and barren pastures +near the town might, with great truth, be called Rosinante's own. The +mules feeding on them put you in mind of Ovid's description of famine: + + Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent. + +It is somewhat singular that there is not a single river or brook in +the whole Island of Antigua. In this it differs from Tartary in the +other world, which, according to old writers, has five rivers--viz. +Acheron, Phlegeton, Cocytus, Styx and Lethe. + +In this island I found the redstart, described in Wilson's _Ornithology +of the United States_. I wished to learn whether any of these birds +remain the whole year in Antigua and breed there, or whether they all +leave it for the north when the sun comes out of the southern +hemisphere; but upon inquiry I could get no information whatever. + +After passing a dull week here I sailed for Guadaloupe, whose bold and +cloud-capped mountains have a grand appearance as you approach the +island. Basseterre, the capital, is a neat town, with a handsome public +walk in the middle of it, well shaded by a row of fine tamarind trees +on each side. Behind the town La Souffrière raises its high romantic +summit, and on a clear day you may see the volcanic smoke which issues +from it. + +Nearly midway betwixt Guadaloupe and Dominica you escry the Saintes. +Though high and bold and rocky, they have still a diminutive appearance +when compared with their two gigantic neighbours. You just see +Marigalante to windward of them, some leagues off, about a yard high in +the horizon. + +Dominica is majestic in high and rugged mountains. As you sail along it +you cannot help admiring its beautiful coffee-plantations, in places so +abrupt and steep that you would pronounce them almost inaccessible. +Roseau, the capital, is but a small town, and has nothing attractive +except the well-known hospitality of the present harbour-master, who is +particularly attentive to strangers and furnishes them with a world of +information concerning the West Indies. Roseau has seen better days, +and you can trace good taste and judgment in the way in which the town +has originally been laid out. + +Some years ago it was visited by a succession of misfortunes which +smote it so severely that it has never recovered its former appearance. +A strong French fleet bombarded it; while a raging fire destroyed its +finest buildings. Some time after an overwhelming flood rolled down the +gullies and fissures of the adjacent mountains and carried all before +it. Men, women and children, houses and property, were all swept away +by this mighty torrent. The terrible scene was said to beggar all +description, and the loss was immense. + +Dominica is famous for a large species of frog which the inhabitants +keep in readiness to slaughter for the table. In the woods of this +island the large rhinoceros-beetle is very common: it measures above +six inches in length. In the same woods is found the beautiful +humming-bird, the breast and throat of which are of a brilliant +changing purple. I have searched for this bird in Brazil and through +the whole of the wilds from the Rio Branco, which is a branch of the +Amazons, to the River Paumaron, but never could find it. I was told by +a man in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly that this humming-bird is +found in Mexico; but upon questioning him more about it his information +seemed to have been acquired by hearsay; and so I concluded that it +does not appear in Mexico. I suspect that it is never found out of the +Antilles. + +After leaving Dominica you soon reach the grand and magnificent Island +of Martinico. St. Pierre, its capital, is a fine town, and possesses +every comfort. The inhabitants seem to pay considerable attention to +the cultivation of the tropical fruits. A stream of water runs down the +streets with great rapidity, producing a pleasing effect as you pass +along. + +Here I had an opportunity of examining a cuckoo which had just been +shot. It was exactly the same as the metallic cuckoo in Wilson's +_Ornithology_. They told me it is a migratory bird in Martinico. It +probably repairs to this island after its departure from the United +States. + +At a little distance from Martinico the celebrated Diamond Rock rises +in insulated majesty out of the sea. It was fortified during the last +war with France, and bravely defended by an English captain. + +In a few hours from Martinico you are at St. Lucie, whose rough and +towering mountains fill you with sublime ideas, as you approach its +rocky shore. The town Castries is quite embayed. It was literally blown +to pieces by the fatal hurricane in which the unfortunate governor and +his lady lost their lives. Its present forlorn and gloomy appearance, +and the grass which is grown up in the streets, too plainly show that +its hour of joy is passed away and that it is in mourning, as it were, +with the rest of the British West Indies. + +From St. Lucie I proceeded to Barbadoes in quest of a conveyance to the +Island of Trinidad. + +Near Bridgetown, the capital of Barbadoes, I saw the metallic cuckoo +already alluded to. + +Barbadoes is no longer the merry island it was when I visited it some +years ago: + + Infelix habitum, temporis hujus habet. + +There is an old song, to the tune of "La Belle Catharine," which must +evidently have been composed in brighter times: + + Come let us dance and sing, + While Barbadoes bells do ring; + Quashi scrapes the fiddle-string, + And Venus plays the lute. + +Quashi's fiddle was silent, and mute was the lute of Venus during my +stay in Barbadoes. The difference betwixt the French and British +islands was very striking. The first appeared happy and content; the +second were filled with murmurs and complaints. The late proceedings in +England concerning slavery and the insurrection in Demerara had +evidently caused the gloom. The abolition of slavery is a question full +of benevolence and fine feelings, difficulties and danger: + + Tantum ne noceas, dum vis prodesse videto. + +It requires consummate prudence and a vast fund of true information in +order to draw just conclusions on this important subject. Phaeton, by +awkward driving, set the world on fire: "Sylvæ cum montibus ardent." +Dædalus gave his son a pair of wings without considering the +consequence; the boy flew out of all bounds, lost his wings, and +tumbled into the sea: + + Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis. + +When the old man saw what had happened, he damned his own handicraft in +wing-making: "devovitque suas artes." Prudence is a cardinal virtue: + + Omnia consulta mente gerenda tegens. + +Foresight is half the battle. "Hombre apercebido, medio combatido," +says Don Quixote, or Sancho, I do not remember which. Had Queen Bess +weighed well in her own mind the probable consequences of this +lamentable traffic, it is likely she would not have been owner of two +vessels in Sir John Hawkins's squadron, which committed the first +robbery in negro flesh on the coast of Africa. As philanthropy is the +very life and soul of this momentous question on slavery, which is +certainly fraught with great difficulties and danger, perhaps it would +be as well at present for the nation to turn its thoughts to poor +ill-fated Ireland, where oppression, poverty and rags make a +heart-rending appeal to the feelings of the benevolent. + +But to proceed. There was another thing which added to the dullness of +Barbadoes and which seemed to have considerable effect in keeping away +strangers from the island. The Legislature had passed a most +extraordinary Bill, by virtue of which every person who arrives at +Barbadoes is obliged to pay two dollars, and two dollars more on his +departure from it. It is called the Alien Bill; and every Barbadian who +leaves or returns to the island, and every Englishman too, pays the tax! + +Finding no vessel here for Trinidad, I embarked in a schooner for +Demerara, landed there after being nearly stranded on a sandbank, and +proceeded without loss of time to the forests in the interior. It was +the dry season, which renders a residence in the woods very delightful. + +There are three species of jacamar to be found on the different +sandhills and dry savannas of Demerara; but there is another much +larger and far more beautiful to be seen when you arrive in that part +of the country where there are rocks. The jacamar has no affinity to +the woodpecker or kingfisher (notwithstanding what travellers affirm) +either in its haunts or anatomy. The jacamar lives entirely on insects, +but never goes in search of them. It sits patiently for hours together +on the branch of a tree, and when the incautious insect approaches it +flies at it with the rapidity of an arrow, seizes it, and generally +returns to eat it on the branch which it had just quitted. It has not +the least attempt at song, is very solitary, and so tame that you may +get within three or four yards of it before it takes flight. The males +of all the different species which I have examined have white feathers +on the throat. I suspect that all the male jacamars hitherto discovered +have this distinctive mark. I could learn nothing of its incubation. +The Indians informed me that one species of jacamar lays its eggs in +the wood-ants' nests, which are so frequent in the trees of Guiana, and +appear like huge black balls. I wish there had been proof positive of +this; but the breeding-time was over, and in the ants' nests which I +examined I could find no marks of birds having ever been in them. Early +in January the jacamar is in fine plumage for the cabinet of the +naturalist. The largest species measures ten inches and a half from the +point of the beak to the end of the tail. Its name amongst the Indians +is una-waya-adoucati, that is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is +certainly a splendid bird, and in the brilliancy and changeableness of +its metallic colours it yields to none of the Asiatic and African +feathered tribe. The colours of the female are nearly as bright as +those of the male, but she wants the white feathers on the throat. The +large jacamar is pretty common about two hundred miles up the River +Demerara. + +Here I had a fine opportunity once more of examining the three-toed +sloth. He was in the house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a +description of him as he lay sprawling on the floor I should have +misled the world and injured natural history. On the ground he appeared +really a bungled composition, and faulty at all points; awkwardness and +misery were depicted on his countenance; and when I made him advance he +sighed as though in pain. Perhaps it was that by seeing him thus out of +his element, as it were, that the Count de Buffon, in his history of +the sloth, asks the question: "Why should not some animals be created +for misery, since, in the human species, the greatest number of +individuals are devoted to pain from the moment of their existence?" +Were the question put to me I would answer, I cannot conceive that any +of them are created for misery. That thousands live in misery there can +be no doubt; but then misery has overtaken them in their path through +life, and wherever man has come up with them I should suppose they have +seldom escaped from experiencing a certain proportion of misery. + +After fully satisfying myself that it only leads the world into error +to describe the sloth while he is on the ground or in any place except +in a tree, I carried the one I had in my possession to his native +haunts. As soon as he came in contact with the branch of a tree all +went right with him. I could see as he climbed up into his own country +that he was on the right road to happiness; and felt persuaded more +than ever that the world has hitherto erred in its conjectures +concerning the sloth, on account of naturalists not having given a +description of him when he was in the only position in which he ought +to have been described, namely, clinging to the branch of a tree. + +As the appearance of this part of the country bears great resemblance +to Cayenne, and is so near to it, I was in hopes to have found the +grande gobe-mouche of Buffon and the septi-coloured tangara, both of +which are common in Cayenne; but after many diligent searches I did not +succeed, nor could I learn from the Indians that they had ever seen +those two species of birds in these parts. + +Here I procured the gross-beak with a rich scarlet body and black head +and throat. Buffon mentions it as coming from America. I had been in +quest of it for years, but could never see it, and concluded that it +was not to be found in Demerara. This bird is of a greenish brown +before it acquires its rich plumage. + +Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this part of the +river, a red crab sometimes makes its appearance as you are passing up +and down. It is preyed upon by a large species of owl which I was +fortunate enough to procure. Its head, back, wings and tail are of so +dark a brown as almost to appear black. The breast is of a somewhat +lighter brown. The belly and thighs are of a dirty yellow-white. The +feathers round the eyes are of the same dark brown as the rest of the +body; and then comes a circle of white which has much the appearance of +the rim of a large pair of spectacles. I strongly suspect that the +dirty yellow-white of the belly and thighs has originally been pure +white, and that it has come to its present colour by means of the bird +darting down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere conjecture. + +Here, too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird called +sun-bird by the English colonists and tirana by the Spaniards in the +Oroonoque. It is very elegant, and in its outward appearance approaches +near to the heron tribe; still, it does not live upon fish. Flies and +insects are its food, and it takes them just as the heron takes fish, +by approaching near and then striking with its beak at its prey so +quick that it has no chance to escape. The beautiful mixture of grey, +yellow, green, black, white and chestnut in the plumage of this bird +baffles any attempt to give a description of the distribution of them +which would be satisfactory to the reader. + +There is something remarkable in the great tinamou which I suspect has +hitherto escaped notice. It invariably roosts in trees, but the feet +are so very small in proportion to the body of this bulky bird that +they can be of no use to it in grasping the branch; and, moreover, the +hind-toe is so short that it does not touch the ground when the bird is +walking. The back part of the leg, just below the knee, is quite flat +and somewhat concave. On it are strong pointed scales, which are very +rough, and catch your finger as you move it along from the knee to the +toe. Now, by means of these scales and the particular flatness of that +part of the leg, the bird is enabled to sleep in safety upon the branch +of a tree. + +At the close of day the great tinamou gives a loud, monotonous, +plaintive whistle, and then immediately springs into the tree. By the +light of the full-moon the vigilant and cautious naturalist may see him +sitting in the position already described. + +The small tinamou has nothing that can be called a tail. It never lays +more than one egg, which is of a chocolate colour. It makes no nest, +but merely scratches a little hollow in the sand, generally at the foot +of a tree. + +Here we have an instance of a bird the size of a partridge, and of the +same tribe, laying only one egg, while the rest of the family, from the +peahen to the quail, are known to lay a considerable number. The foot +of this bird is very small in proportion, but the back part of the leg +bears no resemblance to that of the larger tinamou; hence one might +conclude that it sleeps upon the ground. + +Independent of the hollow trees, the vampires have another +hiding-place. They clear out the inside of the large ants' nests and +then take possession of the shell. I had gone about half a day down the +river to a part of the forest where the wallaba-trees were in great +plenty. The seeds had ripened, and I was in hopes to have got the large +scarlet ara, which feeds on them. But unfortunately the time had passed +away, and the seeds had fallen. + +While ranging here in the forest we stopped under an ants' nest, and, +by the dirt below, conjectured that it had got new tenants. Thinking it +no harm to dislodge them, "vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the +tree, but before he reached the nest out flew above a dozen vampires. + +I have formerly remarked that I wished to have it in my power to say +that I had been sucked by the vampire. I gave them many an opportunity, +but they always fought shy; and though they now sucked a young man of +the Indian breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his hammock in +the shed next to mine, they would have nothing to do with me. His great +toe seemed to have all the attractions. I examined it minutely as he +was bathing it in the river at daybreak. The midnight surgeon had made +a hole in it almost of a triangular shape, and the blood was then +running from it apace. His hammock was so defiled and stained with +clotted blood that he was obliged to beg an old black woman to wash it. +As she was taking it down to the river-side she spread it out before +me, and shook her head. I remarked that I supposed her own toe was too +old and tough to invite the vampire-doctor to get his supper out of it, +and she answered, with a grin, that doctors generally preferred young +people. + +Nobody has yet been able to inform me how it is that the vampire +manages to draw such a large quantity of blood, generally from the toe, +and the patient all the time remains in a profound sleep. I have never +heard of an instance of a man waking under the operation. On the +contrary, he continues in a sound sleep, and at the time of rising his +eyes first inform him that there has been a thirsty thief on his toe. + +The teeth of the vampire are very sharp and not unlike those of a rat. +If it be that he inflicts the wound with his teeth (and he seems to +have no other instruments), one would suppose that the acuteness of the +pain would cause the person who is sucked to awake. We are in darkness +in this matter, and I know of no means by which one might be enabled to +throw light upon it. It is to be hoped that some future wanderer +through the wilds of Guiana will be more fortunate than I have been and +catch this nocturnal depredator in the fact. I have once before +mentioned that I killed a vampire which measured thirty-two inches from +wing to wing extended, but others which I have since examined have +generally been from twenty to twenty-six inches in dimension. + +The large humming-bird, called by the Indians kara-bimiti, invariably +builds its nest in the slender branches of the trees which hang over +the rivers and creeks. In appearance it is like brown tanned leather, +and without any particle of lining. The rim of the nest is doubled +inwards, and I always conjectured that it had taken this shape on +account of the body of the bird pressing against it while she was +laying her eggs. But this was quite a wrong conjecture. Instinct has +taught the bird to give it this shape in order that the eggs may be +prevented from rolling out. + +The trees on the river's bank are particularly exposed to violent gusts +of wind, and while I have been sitting in the canoe and looking on, I +have seen the slender branch of the tree which held the humming-bird's +nest so violently shaken that the bottom of the inside of the nest has +appeared, and had there been nothing at the rim to stop the eggs they +must inevitably have been jerked out into the water. I suspect the +humming-bird never lays more than two eggs. I never found more than two +in any of the many nests which have come in my way. The eggs were +always white without any spots on them. + +Probably travellers have erred in asserting that the monkeys of South +America throw sticks and fruit at their pursuers. I have had fine +opportunities of narrowly watching the different species of monkeys +which are found in the wilds betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque. I +entirely acquit them of acting on the offensive. When the monkeys are +in the high trees over your head the dead branches will now and then +fall down upon you, having been broken off as the monkeys pass along +them; but they are never hurled from their hands. + +Monkeys, commonly so called, both in the old and new continent, may be +classed into three grand divisions: namely, the ape, which has no tail +whatever; the baboon, which has only a short tail; and the monkey, +which has a long tail. There are no apes and no baboons as yet +discovered in the new world. Its monkeys may be very well and very +briefly ranged under two heads: namely, those with hairy and bushy +tails; and those whose tails are bare of hair underneath about six +inches from the extremity. Those with hairy and bushy tails climb just +like the squirrel, and make no use of the tail to help them from branch +to branch. Those which have the tail bare underneath towards the end +find it of infinite advantage to them in their ascent and descent. They +apply it to the branch of the tree, as though it were a supple finger, +and frequently swing by it from the branch like the pendulum of a +clock. It answers all the purposes of a fifth hand to the monkey, as +naturalists have already observed. + +The large red monkey of Demerara is not a baboon, though it goes by +that name, having a long pensile tail. [Footnote: I believe _pensile_ +is a new-coined word. I have seen it, but do not remember where.] +Nothing can sound more dreadful than its nocturnal howlings. While +lying in your hammock in these gloomy and immeasurable wilds, you hear +him howling at intervals from eleven o'clock at night till daybreak. +You would suppose that half the wild beasts of the forest were +collecting for the work of carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of +the jaguar as he springs on his prey: now it changes to his terrible +and deep-toned growlings as he is pressed on all sides by superior +force: and now you hear his last dying moan beneath a mortal wound. + +Some naturalists have supposed that these awful sounds which you would +fancy are those of enraged and dying wild beasts proceed from a number +of the red monkeys howling in concert. One of them alone is capable of +producing all these sounds; and the anatomists on an inspection of his +trachea will be fully satisfied that this is the case. When you look at +him, as he is sitting on the branch of a tree, you will see a lump in +his throat the size of a large hen's egg. In dark and cloudy weather, +and just before a squall of rain, this monkey will often howl in the +daytime; and if you advance cautiously, and get under the high and +tufted tree where he is sitting, you may have a capital opportunity of +witnessing his wonderful powers of producing these dreadful and +discordant sounds. + +His flesh is good food; but when skinned his appearance is so like that +of a young one of our own species that a delicate stomach might +possibly revolt at the idea of putting a knife and fork into it. +However, I can affirm from experience that, after a long and dreary +march through these remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not to +be sneezed at when boiled in cayenne-pepper or roasted on a stick over +a good fire. A young one tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have +somewhat the flavour of he-goat. + +I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit upon an entirely new +plan of making the skins of quadrupeds retain their exact form and +feature. Intense application to the subject has since that period +enabled me to shorten the process and hit the character of an animal to +a very great nicety, even to the preservation of the pouting lip, +dimples, warts and wrinkles on the face. I got a fine specimen of the +howling monkey, and took some pains with it in order to show the +immense difference that exists betwixt the features of this monkey and +those of man. + +I also procured an animal which has caused not a little speculation and +astonishment. In my opinion, his thick coat of hair and great length of +tail put his species out of all question, but then his face and head +cause the inspector to pause for a moment before he ventures to +pronounce his opinion of the classification. He was a large animal, and +as I was pressed for daylight, and moreover, felt no inclination to +have the whole weight of his body upon my back, I contented myself with +his head and shoulders, which I cut off, and have brought them with me +to Europe. [Footnote: My young friend Mr. J. H. Foljambe, eldest son of +Thomas Foljambe, Esq., of Wakefield, has made a drawing of the head and +shoulders of this animal, and it is certainly a most correct and +striking likeness of the original.] I have since found that I acted +quite right in doing so, having had enough to answer for the head +alone, without saying anything of his hands and feet, and of his tail, +which is an appendage, Lord Kames asserts, belongs to us. + +The features of this animal are quite of the Grecian cast, and he has a +placidity of countenance which shows that things went well with him +when in life. Some gentlemen of great skill and talent, on inspecting +his head, were convinced that the whole series of its features has been +changed. Others again have hesitated, and betrayed doubts, not being +able to make up their minds whether it be possible that the brute +features of the monkey can be changed into the noble countenance of +man: "Scinditur vulgus." One might argue at considerable length on this +novel subject; and perhaps, after all, produce little more than prolix +pedantry: "Vox et praeterea nihil." + +Let us suppose for an instant that it is a new species. Well; "Una +golondrina no hace verano": One swallow does not make summer, as Sancho +Panza says. Still, for all that, it would be well worth while going out +to search for it; and these times of Pasco-Peruvian enterprise are +favourable to the undertaking. Perhaps, gentle reader, you would wish +me to go in quest of another. I would beg leave respectfully to answer +that the way is dubious, long and dreary; and though, unfortunately, I +cannot allege the excuse of "me pia conjux detinet," still I would fain +crave a little repose. I have already been a long while errant: + + Longa mihi exilia, et vastum maris æquor aravi, + Ne mandate mihi, nam ego sum defessus agendo. + +Should anybody be induced to go, great and innumerable are the +discoveries yet to be made in those remote wilds; and should he succeed +in bringing home even a head alone, with features as perfect as those +of that which I have brought, far from being envious of him, I should +consider him a modern Alcides, fully entitled to register a thirteenth +labour. Now if, on the other hand, we argue that this head in question +has had all its original features destroyed, and a set of new ones +given to it, by what means has this hitherto unheard-of change been +effected? Nobody in any of our museums has as yet been able to restore +the natural features to stuffed animals; and he who has any doubts of +this, let him take a living cat or dog and compare them with a stuffed +cat or dog in any of the first-rate museums. A momentary glance of the +eye would soon settle his doubts on this head. + +If I have succeeded in effacing the features of a brute, and putting +those of a man in their place, we might be entitled to say that the sun +of Proteus has risen to our museums: + + Unius hic faciem, facies transformat in omnes; + Nunc homo, nunc tigris; nunc equa, nunc mulier. + +If I have effected this, we can now give to one side of the skin of a +man's face the appearance of eighty years and to the other side that of +blooming seventeen. We could make the forehead and eyes serene in +youthful beauty and shape the mouth and jaws to the features of a +malicious old ape. Here is a new field opened to the adventurous and +experimental naturalist: I have trodden it up and down till I am almost +weary. To get at it myself I have groped through an alley which may be +styled in the words of Ovid: + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca. + +I pray thee, gentle reader, let me out awhile. Time passes on apace; +and I want to take thee to have a peep at the spots where mines are +supposed to exist in Guiana. As the story of this singular head has +probably not been made out to thy satisfaction, perhaps (I may say it +nearly in Corporal Trim's words), on some long and dismal winter's +evening, but not now, I may tell thee more about it; together with that +of another head which is equally striking. + +It is commonly reported, and I think there is no reason to doubt the +fact, that when Demerara and Essequibo were under the Dutch flag there +were mines of gold and silver opened near to the River Essequibo. The +miners were not successful in their undertaking, and it is generally +conjectured that their failure proceeded from inexperience. + +Now, when you ascend the Essequibo, some hundred miles above the place +where these mines are said to be found, you get into a high, rocky and +mountainous country. Here many of the mountains have a very barren +aspect, producing only a few stinted shrubs, and here and there a tuft +of coarse grass. I could not learn that they have ever been explored, +and at this day their mineralogy is totally unknown to us. The Indians +are so thinly scattered in this part of the country that there would be +no impropriety in calling it uninhabited: + + Apparent rari errantes in gurgite vasto. + +It remains to be yet learnt whether this portion of Guiana be worth +looking after with respect to its supposed mines. The mining +speculations at present are flowing down another channel. The rage in +England for working the mines of other states has now risen to such a +pitch, that it would require a considerable degree of caution in a mere +wanderer of the woods in stepping forward to say anything that might +tend to raise or depress the spirits of the speculators. + +A question or two, however, might be asked. When the revolted colonies +shall have repaired in some measure the ravages of war, and settled +their own political economy upon a firm foundation, will they quietly +submit to see foreigners carrying away those treasures which are +absolutely part of their own soil, and which necessity (necessity has +no law) forced them to barter away in their hour of need? Now, if it +should so happen that the masters of the country begin to repent of +their bargain and become envious of the riches which foreigners carry +off, many a teasing law might be made and many a vexatious enaction +might be put in force that would in all probability bring the +speculators into trouble and disappointment. + +Besides this consideration there is another circumstance which ought +not to be overlooked. I allude to the change of masters nearly +throughout the whole of America. It is a curious subject for the +European philosopher to moralise upon and for the politician to +examine. The more they consider it, the more they will be astonished. +If we may judge by what has already taken place, we are entitled to +predict that in a very few years more no European banner will be seen +to float in any part of the new world. Let us take a cursory view of it. + +England some years ago possessed a large portion of the present United +States. France had Louisiana; Spain held the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, +Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru and California; and +Portugal ruled the whole of Brazil. All these immense regions are now +independent states. England, to be sure, still has Canada, Nova Scotia +and a few creeks on the coast of Labrador; also a small settlement in +Honduras, and the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo; and these are all. +France has not a foot of ground, except the forests of Cayenne. +Portugal has lost every province; Spain is blockaded in nearly her last +citadel; and the Dutch flag is only seen in Surinam. Nothing more now +remains to Europe of this immense continent where but a very few years +ago she reigned triumphant. + +With regard to the West India Islands, they may be considered as the +mere outposts of this mammoth domain. St. Domingo has already shaken +off her old masters and become a star of observation to the rest of the +sable brethren. The anti-slavery associations of England, full of +benevolence and activity, have opened a tremendous battery upon the +last remaining forts which the lords of the old continent still hold in +the new world; and in all probability will not cease firing till they +shall have caused the last flag to be struck of Europe's late mighty +empire in the transatlantic regions. It cannot well be doubted but that +the sable hordes in the West Indies will like to follow good example +whenever they shall have it in their power to do so. + +Now with St. Domingo as an example before them, how long will it be +before they try to raise themselves into independent states? And if +they should succeed in crushing us in these our last remaining +tenements, I would bet ten to one that none of the new Governments will +put on mourning for our departure out of the new world. We must well +remember that our own Government was taxed with injustice and +oppression by the United States during their great struggle; and the +British press for years past has, and is still, teeming with every kind +of abuse and unbecoming satire against Spain and Portugal for their +conduct towards the now revolted colonies. + +France also comes in for her share of obloquy. Now this being the case, +will not America at large wish most devoutly for the day to come when +Europe shall have no more dominion over her? Will she not say to us: +Our new forms of government are very different from your old ones. We +will trade with you, but we shall always be very suspicious of you as +long as you retain possession of the West Indies, which are, as we may +say, close to our door-steads. You must be very cautious how you +interfere with our politics; for, if we find you meddling with them, +and by that means cause us to come to loggerheads, we shall be obliged +to send you back to your own homes three or four thousand miles across +the Atlantic; and then with that great ditch betwixt us we may hope we +shall be good friends. He who casts his eye on the East Indies will +there see quite a different state of things. The conquered districts +have merely changed one European master for another; and I believe +there is no instance of any portion of the East Indies throwing off the +yoke of the Europeans and establishing a Government of their own. + +Ye who are versed in politics, and study the rise and fall of empires, +and know what is good for civilised man and what is bad for him, or, in +other words, what will make him happy and what will make him +miserable--tell us how comes it that Europe has lost almost her last +acre in the boundless expanse of territory which she so lately +possessed in the West, and still contrives to hold her vast property in +the extensive regions of the East? + +But whither am I going? I find myself on a new and dangerous path. +Pardon, gentle reader, this sudden deviation. Methinks I hear thee +saying to me: + + Tramite quo tendis, majoraque viribus audes. + +I grant that I have erred, but I will do so no more. In general I avoid +politics; they are too heavy for me, and I am aware that they have +caused the fall of many a strong and able man; they require the +shoulders of Atlas to support their weight. + +When I was in the rocky mountains of Macoushia, in the month of June +1812, I saw four young cock-of-the-rocks in an Indian's hut; they had +been taken out of the nest that week. They were of a uniform dirty +brown colour, and by the position of the young feathers upon the head +you might see that there would be a crest there when the bird arrived +at maturity. By seeing young ones in the month of June I immediately +concluded that the old cock-of-the-rock would be in fine plumage from +the end of November to the beginning of May; and that the naturalist +who was in quest of specimens for his museum ought to arrange his plans +in such a manner as to be able to get into Macoushia during these +months. However, I find now that no exact period can be fixed; for in +December 1824 an Indian in the River Demerara gave me a young +cock-of-the-rock not a month old, and it had just been brought from the +Macoushi country. By having a young specimen at this time of the year +it puts it out of one's power to say at what precise time the old birds +are in full plumage. I took it on board a ship with me for England, but +it was so very susceptible of cold that it shivered and died three days +after we had passed Antigua. + +If ever there should be a great demand for large supplies of +gum-elastic, commonly called india-rubber, it may be procured in +abundance far away in the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. + +Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi country, there was a capital +trick played upon me about india-rubber. It is, almost too good to be +left out of these wanderings, and it shows that the wild and uneducated +Indian is not without abilities. Weary and sick and feeble through loss +of blood, I arrived at some Indian huts which were about two hours +distant from the place where the gum-elastic trees grew. After a day +and a night's rest I went to them, and with my own hands made a fine +ball of pure india-rubber; it hardened immediately as it became exposed +to the air, and its elasticity was almost incredible. + +While procuring it, exposure to the rain, which fell in torrents, +brought on a return of inflammation in the stomach, and I was obliged +to have recourse again to the lancet, and to use it with an unsparing +hand. I wanted another ball, but was not in a state the next morning to +proceed to the trees. A fine interesting young Indian, observing my +eagerness to have it, tendered his services, and asked two handfuls of +fish-hooks for his trouble. + +Off he went, and to my great surprise returned in a very short time. +Bearing in mind the trouble and time it had cost me to make a ball, I +could account for this Indian's expedition in no other way except that, +being an inhabitant of the forest, he knew how to go about his work in +a much shorter way than I did. His ball, to be sure, had very little +elasticity in it. I tried it repeatedly, but it never rebounded a yard +high. The young Indian watched me with great gravity, and when I made +him understand that I expected the ball would dance better, he called +another Indian who knew a little English to assure me that I might be +quite easy on that score. The young rogue, in order to render me a +complete dupe, brought the new moon to his aid. He gave me to +understand that the ball was like the little moon which he pointed to, +and by the time it grew big and old the ball would bounce beautifully. +This satisfied me, and I gave him the fish-hooks, which he received +without the least change of countenance. + +I bounced the ball repeatedly for two months after, but I found that it +still remained in its infancy. At last I suspected that the savage (to +use a vulgar phrase) had "come Yorkshire" over me; and so I determined +to find out how he had managed to take me in. I cut the ball in two, +and then saw what a taught trick he had played me. It seems he had +chewed some leaves into a lump the size of a walnut, and then dipped +them in the liquid gum-elastic. It immediately received a coat about as +thick as a sixpence. He then rolled some more leaves round it and gave +it another coat. He seems to have continued this process till he made +the ball considerably larger than the one I had procured; and in order +to put his roguery out of all chance of detection he made the last and +outer coat thicker than a dollar. This Indian would, no doubt, have +thriven well in some of our great towns. + +Finding that the rainy season was coming on, I left the wilds of +Demerara and Essequibo with regret towards the close of December 1824, +and reached once more the shores of England after a long and unpleasant +passage. + +Ere we part, kind reader, I could wish to draw a little of thy +attention to the instructions which are to be found at the end of this +book. Twenty years have now rolled away since I first began to examine +the specimens of zoology in our museums. As the system of preparation +is founded in error, nothing but deformity, distortion and +disproportion will be the result of the best intentions and utmost +exertions of the workman. Canova's education, taste and genius enabled +him to present to the world statues so correct and beautiful that they +are worthy of universal admiration. Had a common stonecutter tried his +hand upon the block out of which these statues were sculptured, what a +lamentable want of symmetry and fine countenance there would have been. +Now when we reflect that the preserved specimens in our museums and +private collections are always done upon a wrong principle, and +generally by low and illiterate people whose daily bread depends upon +the shortness of time in which they can get through their work, and +whose opposition to the true way of preparing specimens can only be +surpassed by their obstinacy in adhering to the old method, can we any +longer wonder at their want of success or hope to see a single specimen +produced that will be worth looking at? With this I conclude, hoping +that thou hast received some information, and occasionally had a smile +upon thy countenance, while perusing these _Wanderings_; and begging at +the same time to add that: + + Well I know thy penetration + Many a stain and blot will see, + In the languid long narration, + Of my sylvan errantry. + + For the pen too oft was weary, + In the wandering writer's hand, + As he roved through deep and dreary + Forests, in a distant land. + + Show thy mercy, gentle reader, + Let him not entreat in vain; + It will be his strength's best feeder, + Should he ever go again. + + And who knows, how soon complaining + Of a cold and wifeless home, + He may leave it, and again in + Equatorial regions roam. + +C.W. + + + * * * * * + + + + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Were you to pay as much attention to birds as the sculptor does to the +human frame, you would immediately see, on entering a museum, that the +specimens are not well done. + +This remark will not be thought severe when you reflect that that which +once was a bird has probably been stretched, stuffed, stiffened and +wired by the hand of a common clown. Consider, likewise, how the +plumage must have been disordered by too much stretching or drying, and +perhaps sullied, or at least deranged, by the pressure of a coarse and +heavy hand--plumage which, ere life had fled from within it, was +accustomed to be touched by nothing rougher than the dew of heaven and +the pure and gentle breath of air. + +In dissecting, three things are necessary to ensure success: viz. a +penknife, a hand not coarse or clumsy, and practice. The first will +furnish you with the means; the second will enable you to dissect; and +the third cause you to dissect well. These may be called the mere +mechanical requisites. + +In stuffing, you require cotton, a needle and thread, a little stick +the size of a common knitting-needle, glass eyes, a solution of +corrosive sublimate, and any kind of a common temporary box to hold the +specimen. These also may go under the same denomination as the former. +But if you wish to excel in the art, if you wish to be in ornithology +what Angelo was in sculpture, you must apply to profound study and your +own genius to assist you. And these may be called the scientific +requisites. + +You must have a complete knowledge of ornithological anatomy. You must +pay close attention to the form and attitude of the bird, and know +exactly the proportion each curve, or extension, or contraction, or +expansion of any particular part bears to the rest of the body. In a +word, you must possess Promethean boldness and bring down fire and +animation, as it were, into your preserved specimen. + +Repair to the haunts of birds on plains and mountains, forests, swamps +and lakes, and give up your time to examine the economy of the +different orders of birds. + +Then you will place your eagle in attitude commanding, the same as +Nelson stood in in the day of battle on the _Victory's_ quarter-deck. +Your pie will seem crafty and just ready to take flight, as though +fearful of being surprised in some mischievous plunder. Your sparrow +will retain its wonted pertness by means of placing his tail a little +elevated and giving a moderate arch to the neck. Your vulture will show +his sluggish habits by having his body nearly parallel to the earth, +his wings somewhat drooping, and their extremities under the tail +instead of above it--expressive of ignoble indolence. + +Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence; looking mildly at you +with its neck not too much stretched, as if uneasy in its situation; or +drawn too close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a +discovery; but in moderate, perpendicular length, supporting the head +horizontally, which will set off the breast to the best advantage. And +the breast ought to be conspicuous, and have this attention paid to +it--for when a young lady is sweet and gentle in her manners, kind and +affable to those around her, when her eyes stand in tears of pity for +the woes of others, and she puts a small portion of what Providence has +blessed her with into the hand of imploring poverty and hunger, then we +say she has the breast of a turtle-dove. + +You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged: +one falling over the other in nicest order; and that where this +charming harmony is interrupted, the defect, though not noticed by an +ordinary spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. +Thus a bird not wounded and in perfect feather must be procured if +possible, for the loss of feathers can seldom be made good; and where +the deficiency is great, all the skill of the artist will avail him +little in his attempt to conceal the defect, because in order to hide +it he must contract the skin, bring down the upper feathers, and shove +in the lower ones, which would throw all the surrounding parts into +contortion. + +You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce +feathers, and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow. +The bare parts are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and +stomach, and they fit into the different cavities of the body at the +wings, shoulders, rump and thighs with wonderful exactness; so that, in +stuffing the bird, if you make an even, rotund surface of the skin +where these cavities existed, in lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry, +order and proportion are lost for ever. + +You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be +entirely skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true and +pleasing specimen. + +You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the nature +of the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in: first, they +require to be well seasoned with aromatic spices; secondly, they must +be put into the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of the fire, and the +natural tendency all cured flesh has to shrink and become hard, render +the specimen withered, distorted and too small; fourthly, the inside +then becomes like a ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects +claim it as their own, the feathers begin to drop off, and you have the +hideous spectacle of death in ragged plumage. + +Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance; +for where it is introduced a disagreeable stiffness and derangement of +symmetry follow. + +The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the body supported, +the wings closed, extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised or +expanded, the thighs set horizontal or oblique, without any aid from +wire. Cotton will effect all this. + +A very small proportion of the skull-bone, say from the forepart of the +eyes to the bill, is to be left in; though even this is not absolutely +necessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones and half of the +thigh-bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains +and tendons --is all to be taken away. + +While dissecting it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking off +the skin from the body by means of your fingers and a little knife, you +must try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. + +That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now +and then take a view of it to see that the feathers, etc., are all +right. + +That when you come to the head you must take care that the body of the +skin rests on your knee; for if you allow it to dangle from your hand +its own weight will stretch it too much. + +That, throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin +from the body you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it; +and this will effectually prevent any fat, blood or moisture from +coming in contact with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on the +belly you find an inner skin, which keeps the bowels in their place. By +a nice operation with the knife you can cut through the outer skin and +leave the inner skin whole. Attention to this will render your work +very clean; so that with a little care in other parts you may skin a +bird without even soiling your finger-ends. + +As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on this +head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard with +your finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon expire. +Carry it by the legs, and then the body being reversed the blood cannot +escape down the plumage through the shot-holes. As blood will often +have issued out before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the +shot-holes by dividing the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on +them, and then with your penknife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully +remove the clotted blood and put a little cotton on the hole. If, after +all, the plumage has not escaped the marks of blood, or if it has +imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part in water, without soap, +and keep gently agitating the feathers with your fingers till they are +quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them to dry by themselves, +they would have a very mean and shrivelled appearance. + +In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or +upon your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee; because when you +cross one knee over the other and have the bird upon the uppermost, you +can raise it to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foot +on the ground, and then your knee will always move in unison with your +body, by which much stooping will be avoided and lassitude prevented. + +With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect +a bird. Suppose we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with a +song for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he is +just the thing. His skin is also pretty tough, and the feathers adhere +to it. + +We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive +sublimate in alcohol; also a stick like a common knitting-needle and a +handful or two of cotton. Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird +with cotton, and place it upon your knee on its back, with its head +pointing to your left shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two +first fingers and thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point +of the knife perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you +to hold it so, you would cut the inner skin of the belly, and thus let +the bowels out. To avoid this let your knife be parallel to the body, +and then, you will divide the outer skin with great ease. + +Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle, quite +to the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and +separate the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of the +thigh. Cut it through, and do nothing more there at present, except +introducing cotton all the way on that side, from the vent to the +breastbone. Do exactly the same on the opposite side. + +Now place the bird perpendicular, its breast resting on your knee, with +its back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each side at +the vent, and never mind at present the part from the vent to the root +of the tail. Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while your +finger and thumb are keeping down the detached parts of the skin on +each side of the vent, cut quite across and deep, till you see the +backbone, near the oil-gland at the root of the tail. Sever the +backbone at the joint, and then you have all the root of the tail, +together with the oil-gland, dissected from the body. Apply plenty of +cotton. + +After this seize the end of the backbone with your finger and thumb: +and now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round +and round as occasion requires. While you are holding it thus, +contrive, with the help of your other hand and knife, by cutting and +shoving, to get the skin pushed up till you come to where the wing +joins on to the body. Forget not to apply cotton; cut this joint +through; do the same at the other wing, add cotton, and gently push the +skin over the head; cut out the roots of the ears, which lie very deep +in the head, and continue skinning till you reach the middle of the +eye; cut the nictitating membrane quite through, otherwise you would +tear the orbit of the eye; and after this nothing difficult intervenes +to prevent your arriving at the root of the bill. + +When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of skull, +just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye; clean well the +jaw-bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick, dip it into +the solution, and touch the skull and corresponding part of the skin, +as you cannot well get to these places afterwards. From the time of +pushing the skin over the head you are supposed to have had the bird +resting upon your knee; keep it there still, and with great caution and +tenderness return the head through the inverted skin, and when you see +the beak appearing pull it very gently till the head comes out +unruffled and unstained. + +You may now take the cotton out of the mouth; cut away all the +remaining flesh at the palate, and whatever may have remained at the +under-jaw. + +Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all +the flesh, fat and uncleaned bones out of it, except the middle joint +of the wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. +The extreme point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, +comparatively speaking, so that it requires no attention except +touching it with the solution from the outside. Take all in the flesh +from the remaining joint of the wing, and tie a thread about four +inches long to the end of it; touch all with the solution, and put the +wing-bone back into its place. In baring this bone you must by no means +pull the skin; you would tear it to pieces beyond all doubt, for the +ends of the long feathers are attached to the bone itself; you must +push off the skin with your thumb-nail and forefinger. Now skin the +thigh quite to the knee; cut away all flesh and tendons, and leave the +bone; form an artificial thigh round it with cotton; apply the solution +and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh: the same to the other +thigh. + +Lastly, proceed to the tail: take out the inside of the oil-gland, +remove all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of +the tail-feathers; give it the solution and replace it. Now take out +all the cotton which you have been putting into the body from time to +time to preserve the feathers from grease and stains. Place the bird +upon your knee on its back; tie together the two threads which you had +fastened to the end of the wing-joints, leaving exactly the same space +betwixt them as your knowledge in anatomy informs you existed there +when the bird was entire; hold the skin open with your finger and +thumb, and apply the solution to every part of the inside. Neglect the +head and neck at present; they are to receive it afterwards. + +Fill the body moderately with cotton, lest the feathers on the belly +should be injured whilst you are about the following operation. You +must recollect that half of the thigh, or in other words, one joint of +the thigh-bone, has been cut away. Now, as this bone never moved +perpendicular to the body, but, on the contrary, in an oblique +direction, of course, as soon as it is cut off, the remaining part of +the thigh and leg having nothing now to support them obliquely, must +naturally fall to their perpendicular. Hence the reason why the legs +appear considerably too long. To correct this, take your needle and +thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and then push the needle +through the skin just opposite to it. Look on the outside, and after +finding the needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the +wing with several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and +render it quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without +the help of wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton except the +artificial thighs, and adjust the wing-bones (which are connected by +the thread) in the most even manner possible, so that one joint does +not appear to lie lower than the other; for unless they are quite +equal, the wings themselves will be unequal when you come to put them +in their proper attitude. Here, then, rests the shell of the poor hawk, +ready to receive from your skill and judgment the size, the shape, the +features and expression it had, ere death and your dissecting hand +brought it to its present still and formless state. The cold hand of +death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate victim. When the heart +ceases to beat, and the blood no longer courses through the veins, the +features collapse, and the whole frame seems to shrink within itself. +If then you have formed your idea of the real appearance of the bird +from a dead specimen, you will be in error. With this in mind, and at +the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger than life, to make +up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a bird that will +please you. + +It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means +of the little stick like a knitting-needle; and without any other aid +or substance than that of this little stick and cotton, your own genius +must produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that +elegance and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature, +so little attended to in preserved specimens. After you have introduced +the cotton, sew up the orifice you originally made in the belly, +beginning at the vent. And from time to time, till you arrive at the +last stitch, keep adding a little cotton in order that there may be no +deficiency there. Lastly, dip your stick into the solution, and put it +down the throat three or four times, in order that every part may +receive it. + +When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking, +close the bill as in nature. A little bit of bees' wax at the point of +it will keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be +stuck into the lower mandible perpendicularly. You will shortly see the +use of it. Bring also the feet together by a pin, and then run a thread +through the knees, by which you may draw them to each other as near as +you judge proper. Nothing now remains to be added but the eyes. With +your little stick make a hollow in the cotton within the orbit, and +introduce the glass eyes through the orbit. Adjust the orbit to them as +in nature, and that requires no other fastener. + +Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have informed +you that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body than that +part of the eye which appears within it when in life. So that, were you +to proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable of receiving, +it would be far too large. Inattention to this has caused the eyes of +every specimen in the best cabinets of natural history to be out of all +proportion. To prevent this, contract the orbit by means of a very +small delicate needle and thread at that part of it farthest from the +beak. This may be done with such nicety that the stitch cannot be +observed; and thus you have the artificial eye in true proportion. + +After this touch the bill, orbits, feet and former oil-gland at the +root of the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the hawk +everything necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of +elasticity, two qualities very essential. + +Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about three-fourths +up to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make a moderate +hollow in it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your hands and, +after putting the wings in order, place it in the cotton with its legs +in a sitting posture. The head will fall down. Never mind. Get a cork +and run three pins into the end, just like a three-legged stool. Place +it under the bird's bill, and run the needle which you formerly fixed +there into the head of the cork. This will support the bird's head +admirably. If you wish to lengthen the neck, raise the cork by putting +more cotton under it. If the head is to be brought forward, bring the +cork nearer to the end of the box. If it requires to be set backwards +on the shoulders, move back the cork. + +As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore +part, and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be, putting +you in mind of a stargazing horse, prevent this fault by tying a thread +to the beak and fastening it to the end of the box with a pin or +needle. If you choose to elevate the wings, do so, and support them +with cotton; and should you wish to have them particularly high, apply +a little stick under each wing, and fasten the end of them to the side +of the box with a little bees' wax. + +If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the feathers, +beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them in their +true order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion you have +given it. Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a contrary +direction to that in which they lie for a day or two, and it will never +fall down after. + +Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun, +wind and fire; for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to +reproduce every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive +sublimate is uncommonly serviceable; for at the same time that it +totally prevents putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible +for many days. While the bird is drying, take it out, and replace it in +its position once every day. Then, if you see that any part begins to +shrink into disproportion, you can easily remedy it. + +The small covert-feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little, +because the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in +the wing. Pull gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb +for a day or two. Press the feathers down. The skin will adhere no more +to the bone, and they will cease to rise. + +Every now and then touch and retouch all the different parts of the +features in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at +the same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings, flatness +or rotundity. This is putting the last finishing hand to it. + +In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the +knees begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the +legs any angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position, +or curve them to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch, +bore a little hole under each foot a little way up the leg; and having +fixed two proportional spikes on the branch, you can, in a moment, +transfer the bird from your finger to it, and from it to your finger at +pleasure. + +When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take away +the needle, etc., from under the bill, and all is done. In lieu of +being stiff with wires, the cotton will have given a considerable +elasticity to every part of your bird; so that, when perching on your +finger, if you press it down with the other hand, it will rise again. +You need not fear that your hawk will alter, or its colours fade. The +alcohol has introduced the sublimate into every part and pore of the +skin, quite to the roots of the feathers. Its use is twofold: firstly, +it has totally prevented all tendency to putrefaction; and thus a sound +skin has attached itself to the roots of the feathers. You may take +hold of a single one, and from it suspend five times the weight of the +bird. You may jerk it; it will still adhere to the skin, and after +repeated trials often break short. Secondly, as no part of the skin has +escaped receiving particles of sublimate contained in the alcohol, +there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of insects: for they +will never venture to attack any substance which has received corrosive +sublimate. + +You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to +insects that is known. It is anti-putrescent; so is alcohol; and they +are both colourless, of course; they cannot leave a stain behind them. +The spirit penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, +deposits invisible particles of the sublimate and flies off. The +sublimate will not injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the +parts where the alcohol has left it. [Footnote: All the feathers +require to be touched with the solution, in order that they may be +preserved from the depredation of the moth. The surest way of +proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution of corrosive +sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it.] + +Furs of animals immersed in this solution will retain their pristine +brightness and durability in any climate. + +Take the finest curled feather from a lady's head, dip it in the +solution, and shake it gently till it be dry; you will find that the +spirit will fly off in a few minutes, not a curl in the feather will be +injured, and the sublimate will preserve it from the depredation of the +insect. + +Perhaps it may be satisfactory to add here that some years ago I did a +bird upon this plan in Demerara. It remained there two years. It was +then conveyed to England, where it stayed five months, and returned to +Demerara. After being four years more there it was conveyed back again +through the West Indies to England, where it has now been near five +years, unfaded and unchanged. + +On reflecting that this bird has been twice in the Temperate and Torrid +Zone, and remained some years in the hot and humid climate of Demerara, +only six degrees from the line, and where almost everything becomes a +prey to the insect, and that it is still as sound and bright as when it +was first done, it will not be thought extravagant to surmise that this +specimen will retain its pristine form and colours for years after the +hand that stuffed it has mouldered into dust. + +I have shown this art to the naturalists in Brazil, Cayenne, Demerara, +Oroonoque and Rome, and to the royal cabinets of Turin and Florence. A +severe accident prevented me from communicating it to the cabinet of +Paris, according to my promise. A word or two more, and then we will +conclude. + +A little time and experience will enable you to produce a finished +specimen: "Mox similis volucri, mox vera volucris." If your early +performance should not correspond with your expectations, do not let +that cast you down. You cannot become an adept all at once. The poor +hawk itself, which you have just been dissecting, waited to be fledged +before it durst rise on expanded pinion, and had parental aid and +frequent practice ere it could soar with safety and ease beyond the +sight of man. + +Little more remains to be added, except that what has been penned down +with regard to birds may be applied in some measure to serpents, +insects and four-footed animals. + +Should you find these instructions too tedious, let the wish to give +you every information plead in their defence. They might have been +shorter; but Horace says, by labouring to be brief you become obscure. + +If by their means you should be enabled to procure specimens from +foreign parts in better preservation than usual, so that the naturalist +may have it in his power to give a more perfect description of them +than has hitherto been the case; should they cause any unknown species +to be brought into public view, and thus add a little more to the page +of natural history, it will please me much. But should they +unfortunately tend to cause a wanton expense of life; should they tempt +you to shoot the pretty songster warbling near your door, or destroy +the mother as she is sitting on the nest to warm her little ones, or +kill the father as he is bringing a mouthful of food for their +support--Oh, then! deep indeed will be the regret that I ever wrote +them. + +Adieu, + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +FINIS + + + GLOSSARY + + + Acaiari, _the resinous gum of + the hiawa-tree_. + Acouri, _one of the agutis_; + a rodent about the size of a rabbit. + Acuero, _a species of palm_. + Æta, _a palm of great size_; + it may reach a hundred feet + before the leaves begin. + Ai, _the three-toed sloth_. + Albicore, _a fish closely related to + the tunny_. + Anhinga, _the darter or snake-bird_; + a cormorant-like bird. + Ant-bear, _now called the ant-eater_. + Ara, _a macaw_. + Ara, Scarlet, _the scarlet macaw_. + + Bisa, _one of the Saki monkeys_. + + Cabbage Mountain, _one of the most + beautiful of the palm-trees_. + Camoudi, _the anaconda._ + Campanero, _the bell-bird._ + Caprimulgus, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Cassique, _a bird of the hang-nest + family._ + Cayman, _an alligator, as here used._ + Cotingas, _chatterers._ + Couguar, _the puma._ + Coulacanara, _the boa-constrictor._ + Courada, _the white mangrove tree._ + Crabier, _the boat-bill--a small heron._ + Crickets, _cicadas._ + Cuia, _one of the Trojans._ + Curlew, Scarlet, _the scarlet ibis._ + + Dolphin, _a coryphene--a true fish--not + a cetacean._ + + Guana, _the iguana lizard._ + + Hannaquoi, _one of the curassows._ + Houtou, _one of the motmots._ + Humming-bird Ara or Karabimiti, + _the crimson topaz._ + + Jacamar, _Jacana_, as anglicized--_the + spur-winged waterhen._ + + Labba, _a rodent allied to the + cavies._ + + Naudapoa, _an ibis._ + + Patasa, _unidentified._ + Phaeton, _the tropic bird._ + Pi-pi-yo, _unidentified._ + Porcupine, _the tree-porcupine._ + + Quake, _a basket of open-work, very + elastic and expansive._ + + Redstart, _quite distinct from the + English redstart._ + + Sacawinki, _one of the squirrel + monkeys._ + Sangre-do-buey, _the scarlet tanager._ + + Tangara, _now called tanager. See + Sangre-do-buey._ + + Waracaba, _the trumpeter._ + Whip-poor-will, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Who-are-you? _one of the goat-suckers._ + Willy-come-go, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Work-away, _one of the goat-suckers._ + + Yawaraciri, _one of the blue + creepers._ + + + + + ACAIARI + Ai, _see_ Sloths + Alligators + American cities, + classical names of + American ladies, + praise of; + their attire + American manners + Ant-bears + Ant-eating birds + Antigua + Ants; + an ingredient of wourali poison; + nests of + Apoura-poura, River + Ara (macaw) + Armadillo + Arrowroot, + wild + Arrows, Indian + Arthur, King + Asses, + effect of wourali poison on + Aura vulture + + Banks, Sir Joseph + Barbadoes + Basseterre + Bête-rouge + Birds, Demeraran; + Brazilian, + Bitterns + Blow-pipe, Indian + Boa-constrictor + Boclora + Bois immortel + Bow, Indian + Broadway + Bucaniers + Buffalo + Bug, + encounter with a + Buonaparte, Prince Charles + Bush-master + Bush-rope + + Camoudi snake + Campanero + Canadians characterised + Caprimulgus, + _see_ Goat-suckers + Caps, + a diatribe against + Cassava + Cassique + Castries + Cayenne + Cayman; + expedition in search of; + fishing for; + ridden by author + Chegoe + Clove-trees + Cock-of-the-rock + Constable rock + Coral snake + Cotingas + Couguar + Coulacanara snake, + capture of a + Counacouchi, + _see_ Bush-master + Coushie-ant + Cuia + Curlew, scarlet + Custom House difficulties + + Demerara, + falls of the River + potentialities of the + colony + _Deserted Village_, Goldsmith's, + quoted + Dog, + effect of wourali poison on a; + probably not native to Guiana + Dolphin + Dominica + + Eagle, + white-headed + Edmonstone, Charles + Edmonstone, Robert + Egret + Erie Canal; + Lake + Essequibo river; + falls of the; + scenery + Europe, + future American independence of + + Fever, + treatment of + Fig-tree, + wild + Fire-fly + Fish, Demeraran + Fishing, Indian method of, + Flying-fish, + Forest-trees, Demeraran; + destruction of North American, + Fort St. Joachim, + Fowl, + effect of wourali poison on a, + Frigate pelican, + + Goat-suckers; + superstitious fear of, + Grand gobe-mouche, + Gross-beak, + Guadalope, + Guiana, + future of; + bird's-eye view of, + + Hannaquoi, + Hermit, + a white, + Hia-hia, + _History of Brazil_, Southey's, + Horned screamer, + Houtou, + Howling monkey, + _see_ Monkeys + Hudson, + journey up the, + Hugues, Victor, + Humming-birds, + + Ibibirou, + Impostor, + an Indian, + Indians; + mode of life; + religion, + _See also_ Macoushi Indians + India-rubber, + Inn-album, + inscription in an, + Insects, Demeraran, + Irish emigrants, + + Jabiru, + Jacamar, + Jaguar, + Jay, Guianan, + Jesuits, + expulsion of the, + + Kearney, Dennis, + Kessi-kessi paroquet, + Kingfishers, + King of the vultures, + + Labarri snake, + La Gabrielle, + national plantation at, + Land-tortoise, + Lizards, + + Maam, + _see_ Tinamou + Macoushi Indians; + their methods of hunting; + trick played by one on the author, + Manikins, + Maroudis, + Martin, M., + Martinico, + Metallic-cuckoo, + Mibiri Creek, + Mines in Guiana, + Monkeys; + red, or howling; + a specimen with Grecian features, + Monteiro, + Montreal, + Mora-tree, + Museum at Philadelphia, + + New Amsterdam, + New York, + Niagara, + Falls of, + Nobrega, Father, + + Olinda; + botanic garden at, + _Ornithology of the United States_, + Wilson's, + Otters, + Owl, + a crab-eating, + Ox, + effect of wourali poison on an, + + Pacou, + Paramaribo, + Parasitic plants, + Parima, Lake, + Park, Mungo, + Parrots, + Partridge, + Peccari, + Pelican, + Percy, Earl, + Pernambuco; + environs, + Petrel, + stormy, + Philadelphia, + Phaeton, + Pi-pi-yo, + Pombal, + Preservation of colours of toucan's bill; + of quadrupeds; + of zoological specimens generally; + of birds, + Purple-heart, + + Quadrupeds, + forest, + Quashi, Daddy, + Quebec, + Quiver, Indian, + + Rattlesnake, + Red-headed finch, + Red monkey, + _see_ Monkeys + Redstart, + Rhinoceros-beetle, + Rice-bird, + Roseau, + Rubber-tree, + + Saba, + St. John's, + St. Lucie, + St. Pierre, + Saintes, the, + Sangre-de-buey, + Saratoga, + Savanna, a Demerara, + Slavery in Demerara; + in West Indies, + Slaves, + encounter with runaway, + Sloths; + three-toed, or ai; + two-toed, + Smoking, + Snakes; + hunting, + Spice plantations, + Spikes, poisoned, + Stabroek, + Southey, Robert, + Sun-bird, + Superstition, + reflections on, + Surinam, + + Tangaras, + Tapir, + Tarbet, misadventures of Mr., + Tauronina, + Taxidermy, + _see_ Preservation + Ticks, + Ticonderoga, + Tiger, + _see_ Jaguar + Tiger-bird, + small, + Tinamou, + Toucans, + Travellers, + advice to, + Travellers' tales, + Troupiales, + Troy, + Trumpeters, + Turtle, + + United States, + progress of the, + Utica, + + Vampires, + Vanilla, + Vultures, + + Wallaba-tree, + Wasps, + Water-hens, + Water-mamma, + Weapons, Indian, + Whip-poor-will, + _see_ Goat-suckers + Whipsnake, + Wild boars, + hunting, + Wild man of the woods, a, + Wilson, Alexander, + Woodpeckers, + Wound, + treatment of a, + Wourali poison; + its effects; + ingredients; + preparation; + method of using: + antidotes; + experiments in England, + + Yabahou, + the evil spirit, + Yawaraciri, + + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Wanderings in South America, by Charles Waterton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + +***** This file should be named 8159-8.txt or 8159-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/1/5/8159/ + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wanderings in South America + +Author: Charles Waterton + +Posting Date: March 28, 2014 [EBook #8159] +Release Date: May, 2005 +First Posted: June 22, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + + + + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA</h1> + +<h2>By CHARLES WATERTON</h2> + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2><a name="p">PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION</a></h2> + +<p> +I offer this book of "Wanderings" with a hesitating hand. It has little +merit, and must make its way through the world as well as it can. It will +receive many a jostle as it goes along, and perhaps is destined to add one +more to the number of slain in the field of modern criticism. But if it +fall, it may still, in death, be useful to me; for should some accidental +rover take it up and, in turning over its pages, imbibe the idea of going +out to explore Guiana in order to give the world an enlarged description of +that noble country, I shall say, "fortem ad fortia misi," and demand the +armour; that is, I shall lay claim to a certain portion of the honours he +will receive, upon the plea that I was the first mover of his discoveries; +for, as Ulysses sent Achilles to Troy, so I sent him to Guiana. I intended +to have written much more at length; but days and months and years have +passed away, and nothing has been done. Thinking it very probable that I +shall never have patience enough to sit down and write a full account of +all I saw and examined in those remote wilds, I give up the intention of +doing so, and send forth this account of my "Wanderings" just as it was +written at the time. +</p> + +<p> +If critics are displeased with it in its present form, I beg to observe +that it is not totally devoid of interest, and that it contains something +useful. Several of the unfortunate gentlemen who went out to explore the +Congo were thankful for the instructions they found in it; and Sir Joseph +Banks, on sending back the journal, said in his letter: "I return your +journal with abundant thanks for the very instructive lesson you have +favoured us with this morning, which far excelled, in real utility, +everything I have hitherto seen." And in another letter he says: "I hear +with particular pleasure your intention of resuming your interesting +travels, to which natural history has already been so much indebted." And +again: "I am sorry you did not deposit some part of your last harvest of +birds in the British Museum, that your name might become familiar to +naturalists and your unrivalled skill in preserving birds be made known to +the public." And again: "You certainly have talents to set forth a book +which will improve and extend materially the bounds of natural science." +</p> + +<p> +Sir Joseph never read the third adventure. Whilst I was engaged in it, +death robbed England of one of her most valuable subjects and deprived the +Royal Society of its brightest ornament. +</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<p> +CONTENTS +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#p">PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#i">FIRST JOURNEY</a><br> + <a href="#ii">REMARKS</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#iii">SECOND JOURNEY</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#iv">THIRD JOURNEY</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#v">FOURTH JOURNEY</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#vi">ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#vii">GLOSSARY</a> +</p> + +<p> +<a href="#viii">INDEX</a> +</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h1>WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA</h1> + +<h2><a name="i">FIRST JOURNEY</a></h2> + +<p class="ind"> + ----nec herba, nec latens in asperis<br> + Radix fefellit me locis. +</p> + +<p> +In the month of April 1812 I left the town of Stabroek to travel through +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo, a part of <i>ci-devant</i> Dutch +Guiana, in South America. +</p> + +<p> +The chief objects in view were to collect a quantity of the strongest +wourali poison and to reach the inland frontier-fort of Portuguese Guiana. +</p> + +<p> +It would be a tedious journey for him who wishes to travel through these +wilds to set out from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust him in his +attempts to wade through the swamps, and the mosquitos at night would +deprive him of every hour of sleep. +</p> + +<p> +The road for horses runs parallel to the river, but it extends a very +little way, and even ends before the cultivation of the plantations ceases. +</p> + +<p> +The only mode then that remains is to proceed by water; and when you come +to the high-lands, you may make your way through the forest on foot or +continue your route on the river. +</p> + +<p> +After passing the third island in the River Demerara there are few +plantations to be seen, and those not joining on to one another, but +separated by large tracts of wood. +</p> + +<p> +The Loo is the last where the sugar-cane is growing. The greater part of +its negroes have just been ordered to another estate, and ere a few months +shall have elapsed all signs of cultivation will be lost in underwood. +</p> + +<p> +Higher up stand the sugar-works of Amelia's Waard, solitary and abandoned; +and after passing these there is not a ruin to inform the traveller that +either coffee or sugar have ever been cultivated. +</p> + +<p> +From Amelia's Waard an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the +river, saving here and there where a hut discovers itself, inhabited by +free people of colour, with a rood or two of bared ground about it; or +where the wood-cutter has erected himself a dwelling and cleared a few +acres for pasturage. Sometimes you see level ground on each side of you for +two or three hours at a stretch; at other times a gently sloping hill +presents itself; and often, on turning a point, the eye is pleased with the +contrast of an almost perpendicular height jutting into the water. The +trees put you in mind of an eternal spring, with summer and autumn kindly +blended into it. +</p> + +<p> +Here you may see a sloping extent of noble trees whose foliage displays a +charming variety of every shade, from the lightest to the darkest green and +purple. The tops of some are crowned with bloom of the loveliest hue, while +the boughs of others bend with a profusion of seeds and fruits. +</p> + +<p> +Those whose heads have been bared by time or blasted by the thunderstorm +strike the eye, as a mournful sound does the ear in music, and seem to +beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a moment or two and see that +the forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, have their periods +of misfortune and decay. +</p> + +<p> +The first rocks of any considerable size that are observed on the side of +the river are at a place called Saba, from the Indian word which means a +stone. They appear sloping down to the water's edge, not shelvy, but +smooth, and their exuberances rounded off and, in some places, deeply +furrowed, as though they had been worn with continual floods of water. +</p> + +<p> +There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge stones amongst them +produce a pleasing and novel effect. You see a few coffee-trees of a fine +luxuriant growth, and nearly on the top of Saba stands the house of the +post-holder. +</p> + +<p> +He is appointed by Government to give in his report to the protector of the +Indians of what is going on amongst them and to prevent suspicious people +from passing up the river. +</p> + +<p> +When the Indians assemble here, the stranger may have an opportunity of +seeing the aborigines dancing to the sound of their country music and +painted in their native style. They will shoot their arrows for him with an +unerring aim and send the poisoned dart, from the blow-pipe, true to its +destination: and here he may often view all the different shades, from the +red savage to the white man; and from the white man to the sootiest son of +Africa. +</p> + +<p> +Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white men or free people +of colour. +</p> + +<p> +In a country so extensively covered with wood as this is, having every +advantage that a tropical sun and the richest mould, in many places, can +give to vegetation, it is natural to look for trees of very large +dimensions. But it is rare to meet with them above six yards in +circumference. If larger have ever existed they have fallen a sacrifice +either to the axe or to fire. +</p> + +<p> +If, however, they disappoint you in size, they make ample amends in height. +Heedless, and bankrupt in all curiosity, must he be who can journey on +without stopping to take a view of the towering mora. Its topmost branch, +when naked with age or dried by accident, is the favourite resort of the +toucan. Many a time has this singular bird felt the shot faintly strike him +from the gun of the fowler beneath, and owed his life to the distance +betwixt them. +</p> + +<p> +The trees which form these far-extending wilds are as useful as they are +ornamental. It would take a volume of itself to describe them. +</p> + +<p> +The green-heart, famous for its hardness and durability; the hackea for its +toughness; the ducalabali surpassing mahogany; the ebony and letter-wood +vying with the choicest woods of the old world; the locust-tree yielding +copal; and the hayawa- and olou-trees furnishing a sweet-smelling resin, +are all to be met with in the forest betwixt the plantations and the rock +Saba. +</p> + +<p> +Beyond this rock the country has been little explored, but it is very +probable that these, and a vast collection of other kinds, and possibly +many new species, are scattered up and down, in all directions, through the +swamps and hills and savannas of <i>ci-devant</i> Dutch Guiana. +</p> + +<p> +On viewing the stately trees around him, the naturalist will observe many +of them bearing leaves and blossoms and fruit not their own. +</p> + +<p> +The wild fig-tree, as large as a common English apple-tree, often rears +itself from one of the thick branches at the top of the mora, and when its +fruit is ripe, to it the birds resort for nourishment. It was to an +undigested seed passing through the body of the bird which had perched on +the mora that the fig-tree first owed its elevated station there. The sap +of the mora raised it into full bearing, but now, in its turn, it is doomed +to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices towards the growth of +different species of vines, the seeds of which also the birds deposited on +its branches. These soon vegetate, and bear fruit in great quantities; so +what with their usurpation of the resources of the fig-tree, and the fig- +tree of the mora, the mora, unable to support a charge which nature never +intended it should, languishes and dies under its burden; and then the fig- +tree, and its usurping progeny of vines, receiving no more succour from +their late foster-parent, droop and perish in their turn. +</p> + +<p> +A vine called the bush-rope by the wood-cutters, on account of its use in +hauling out the heaviest timber, has a singular appearance in the forests +of Demerara. Sometimes you see it nearly as thick as a man's body, twisted +like a corkscrew round the tallest trees and rearing its head high above +their tops. At other times three or four of them, like strands in a cable, +join tree and tree and branch and branch together. Others, descending from +on high, take root as soon as their extremity touches the ground, and +appear like shrouds and stays supporting the mainmast of a line-of-battle +ship; while others, sending out parallel, oblique, horizontal and +perpendicular shoots in all directions, put you in mind of what travellers +call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, above a hundred feet high, +uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its fall by these amazing cables +of nature, and hence it is that you account for the phenomenon of seeing +trees not only vegetating, but sending forth vigorous shoots, though far +from their perpendicular, and their trunks inclined to every degree from +the meridian to the horizon. +</p> + +<p> +Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope; many of their roots +soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot will +sprout out perpendicularly from near the root of the reclined trunk, and in +time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees and few weeds, +except in the swamps. +</p> + +<p> +The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to sever +the small bush-ropes it is not difficult walking among the trees. +</p> + +<p> +The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and decayed trees, is very +rich and fertile in the valleys. On the hills it is little better than +sand. The rains seem to have carried away and swept into the valleys every +particle which Nature intended to have formed a mould. +</p> + +<p> +Four-footed animals are scarce considering how very thinly these forests +are inhabited by men. +</p> + +<p> +Several species of the animal commonly called tiger, though in reality it +approaches nearer to the leopard, are found here, and two of their +diminutives, named tiger-cats. The tapir, the lobba and deer afford +excellent food, and chiefly frequent the swamps and low ground near the +sides of the river and creeks. +</p> + +<p> +In stating that four-footed animals are scarce, the peccari must be +excepted. Three or four hundred of them herd together and traverse the +wilds in all directions in quest of roots and fallen seeds. The Indians +mostly shoot them with poisoned arrows. When wounded they run about one +hundred and fifty paces; they then drop, and make wholesome food. +</p> + +<p> +The red monkey, erroneously called the baboon, is heard oftener than it is +seen, while the common brown monkey, the bisa, and sacawinki rove from tree +to tree, and amuse the stranger as he journeys on. +</p> + +<p> +A species of the polecat, and another of the fox, are destructive to the +Indian's poultry, while the opossum, the guana and salempenta afford him a +delicious morsel. +</p> + +<p> +The small ant-bear, and the large one, remarkable for his long, broad, +bushy tail, are sometimes seen on the tops of the wood-ants' nests; the +armadillos bore in the sand-hills, like rabbits in a warren; and the +porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head. +</p> + +<p> +This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures and +his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These are the +only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While other animals +assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these boundless wilds, the +sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot escape from you. It is +said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and turn out of the way. Do +not then level your gun at him or pierce him with a poisoned arrow--he has +never hurt one living creature. A few leaves, and those of the commonest +and coarsest kind, are all he asks for his support. On comparing him with +other animals you would say that you could perceive deficiency, deformity +and superabundance in his composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though +four stomachs, he still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He +has only one inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet +nor has he the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and +puts you in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too +short; they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the +body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to be +of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant has +only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to mark +down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority amongst +the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim would be the +last upon the lowest degree. +</p> + +<p> +Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and beautiful +productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious stones are far +surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The naturalist may +exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in forming new species and +painting her requisite shades. Almost every one of those singular and +elegant birds described by Buffon as belonging to Cayenne are to be met +with in Demerara, but it is only by an indefatigable naturalist that they +are to be found. +</p> + +<p> +The scarlet curlew breeds in innumerable quantities in the muddy islands on +the coasts of Pomauron; the egrets and crabiers in the same place. They +resort to the mud-flats at ebbing water, while thousands of sandpipers and +plovers, with here and there a spoonbill and flamingo, are seen amongst +them. The pelicans go farther out to sea, but return at sundown to the +courada-trees. The humming-birds are chiefly to be found near the flowers +at which each of the species of the genus is wont to feed. The pie, the +gallinaceous, the columbine and passerine tribes resort to the fruit- +bearing trees. +</p> + +<p> +You never fail to see the common vulture where there is carrion. In passing +up the river there was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the king of the +vultures; they were sitting on the naked branch of a tree, with about a +dozen of the common ones with them. A tiger had killed a goat the day +before; he had been driven away in the act of sucking the blood, and not +finding it safe or prudent to return, the goat remained in the same place +where he had killed it; it had begun to putrefy, and the vultures had +arrived that morning to claim the savoury morsel. +</p> + +<p> +At the close of day the vampires leave the hollow trees, whither they had +fled at the morning's dawn, and scour along the river's banks in quest of +prey. On waking from sleep the astonished traveller finds his hammock all +stained with blood. It is the vampire that hath sucked him. Not man alone, +but every unprotected animal, is exposed to his depredations; and so gently +does this nocturnal surgeon draw the blood that, instead of being roused, +the patient is lulled into a still profounder sleep. There are two species +of vampire in Demerara, and both suck living animals: one is rather larger +than the common bat, the other measures above two feet from wing to wing +extended. +</p> + +<p> +Snakes are frequently met with in the woods betwixt the sea-coast and the +rock Saba, chiefly near the creeks and on the banks of the river. They are +large, beautiful and formidable. The rattlesnake seems partial to a tract +of ground known by the name of Canal Number-three: there the effects of his +poison will be long remembered. +</p> + +<p> +The camoudi snake has been killed from thirty to forty feet long; though +not venomous, his size renders him destructive to the passing animals. The +Spaniards in the Oroonoque positively affirm that he grows to the length of +seventy or eighty feet and that he will destroy the strongest and largest +bull. His name seems to confirm this: there he is called "matatoro," which +literally means "bull-killer." Thus he may be ranked amongst the deadly +snakes, for it comes nearly to the same thing in the end whether the victim +dies by poison from the fangs, which corrupts his blood and makes it stink +horribly, or whether his body be crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this +hideous beast. +</p> + +<p> +The whipsnake of a beautiful changing green, and the coral, with alternate +broad traverse bars of black and red, glide from bush to bush, and may be +handled with safety; they are harmless little creatures. +</p> + +<p> +The labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown colour, and can scarcely be +distinguished from the ground or stump on which he is coiled up; he grows +to the length of about eight feet and his bite often proves fatal in a few +minutes. +</p> + +<p> +Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and +unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the counacouchi glides +undaunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is commonly known by the +name of the bush-master. Both man and beast fly before him, and allow him +to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes grows to the length of fourteen +feet. +</p> + +<p> +A few small caymen, from two to twelve feet long, may be observed now and +then in passing up and down the river; they just keep their heads above the +water, and a stranger would not know them from a rotten stump. +</p> + +<p> +Lizards of the finest green, brown and copper colour, from two inches to +two feet and a half long, are ever and anon rustling among the fallen +leaves and crossing the path before you, whilst the chameleon is busily +employed in chasing insects round the trunks of the neighbouring trees. +</p> + +<p> +The fish are of many different sorts and well-tasted, but not, generally +speaking, very plentiful. It is probable that their numbers are +considerably thinned by the otters, which are much larger than those of +Europe. In going through the overflowed savannas, which have all a +communication with the river, you may often see a dozen or two of them +sporting amongst the sedges before you. +</p> + +<p> +This warm and humid climate seems particularly adapted to the producing of +insects; it gives birth to myriads, beautiful past description in their +variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of them +noxious in their qualities. +</p> + +<p> +He whose eye can distinguish the various beauties of uncultivated nature, +and whose ear is not shut to the wild sounds in the woods, will be +delighted in passing up the River Demerara. Every now and then the maam or +tinamou sends forth one long and plaintive whistle from the depth of the +forest, and then stops; whilst the yelping of the toucan and the shrill +voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo is heard during the interval. The +campanero never fails to attract the attention of the passenger; at a +distance of nearly three miles you may hear this snow-white bird tolling +every four or five minutes, like the distant convent-bell. From six to nine +in the morning the forests resound with the mingled cries and strains of +the feathered race; after this they gradually die away. From eleven to +three all nature is hushed as in a midnight silence, and scarce a note is +heard, saving that of the campanero and the pi-pi-yo; it is then that, +oppressed by the solar heat, the birds retire to the thickest shade and +wait for the refreshing cool of evening. +</p> + +<p> +At sundown the vampires, bats and goat-suckers dart from their lonely +retreat and skim along the trees on the river's bank. The different kinds +of frogs almost stun the ear with their hoarse and hollow-sounding +croaking, while the owls and goat-suckers lament and mourn all night long. +</p> + +<p> +About two hours before daybreak you will hear the red monkey moaning as +though in deep distress; the houtou, a solitary bird, and only found in the +thickest recesses of the forest, distinctly articulates "houtou, houtou," +in a low and plaintive tone an hour before sunrise; the maam whistles about +the same hour; the hannaquoi, pataca and maroudi announce his near approach +to the eastern horizon, and the parrots and paroquets confirm his arrival +there. +</p> + +<p> +The crickets chirp from sunset to sunrise, and often during the day when +the weather is cloudy. The bête-rouge is exceedingly numerous in these +extensive wilds, and not only man, but beasts and birds, are tormented by +it. Mosquitos are very rare after you pass the third island in the +Demerara, and sand-flies but seldom appear. +</p> + +<p> +Courteous reader, here thou hast the outlines of an amazing landscape given +thee; thou wilt see that the principal parts of it are but faintly traced, +some of them scarcely visible at all, and that the shades are wholly +wanting. If thy soul partakes of the ardent flame which the persevering +Mungo Park's did, these outlines will be enough for thee; they will give +thee some idea of what a noble country this is; and if thou hast but +courage to set about giving the world a finished picture of it, neither +materials to work on nor colours to paint it in its true shades will be +wanting to thee. It may appear a difficult task at a distance, but look +close at it, and it is nothing at all; provided thou hast but a quiet mind, +little more is necessary, and the genius which presides over these wilds +will kindly help thee through the rest. She will allow thee to slay the +fawn and to cut down the mountain-cabbage for thy support, and to select +from every part of her domain whatever may be necessary for the work thou +art about; but having killed a pair of doves in order to enable thee to +give mankind a true and proper description of them, thou must not destroy a +third through wantonness or to show what a good marksman thou art: that +would only blot the picture thou art finishing, not colour it. +</p> + +<p> +Though retired from the haunts of men, and even without a friend with thee, +thou wouldst not find it solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi will sound +in thine ears like the daybreak town-clock; and the wren and the thrush +will join with thee in thy matin hymn to thy Creator, to thank Him for thy +night's rest. +</p> + +<p> +At noon the genius will lead thee to the troely, one leaf of which will +defend thee from both sun and rain. And if, in the cool of the evening, +thou hast been tempted to stray too far from thy place of abode, and art +deprived of light to write down the information thou hast collected, the +fire-fly, which thou wilt see in almost every bush around thee, will be thy +candle. Hold it over thy pocket-book, in any position which thou knowest +will not hurt it, and it will afford thee ample light. And when thou hast +done with it, put it kindly back again on the next branch to thee. It will +want no other reward for its services. +</p> + +<p> +When in thy hammock, should the thought of thy little crosses and +disappointments, in thy ups and downs through life, break in upon thee and +throw thee into a pensive mood, the owl will bear thee company. She will +tell thee that hard has been her fate, too; and at intervals "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" will take up the tale of sorrow. Ovid has told +thee how the owl once boasted the human form and lost it for a very small +offence; and were the poet alive now he would inform thee that "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" are the shades of those poor African and Indian +slaves who died worn out and broken-hearted. They wail and cry "Whip-poor- +will," "Willy come go," all night long; and often, when the moon shines, +you see them sitting on the green turf near the houses of those whose +ancestors tore them from the bosom of their helpless families, which all +probably perished through grief and want after their support was gone. +</p> + +<p> +About an hour above the rock of Saba stands the habitation of an Indian +called Simon, on the top of a hill. The side next the river is almost +perpendicular, and you may easily throw a stone over to the opposite bank. +Here there was an opportunity of seeing man in his rudest state. The +Indians who frequented this habitation, though living in the midst of +woods, bore evident marks of attention to their persons. Their hair was +neatly collected and tied up in a knot; their bodies fancifully painted +red, and the paint was scented with hayawa. This gave them a gay and +animated appearance. Some of them had on necklaces composed of the teeth of +wild boars slain in the chase; many wore rings, and others had an ornament +on the left arm midway betwixt the shoulder and the elbow. At the close of +day they regularly bathed in the river below, and the next morning seemed +busy in renewing the faded colours of their faces. +</p> + +<p> +One day there came into the hut a form which literally might be called the +wild man of the woods. On entering he laid down a ball of wax which he had +collected in the forest. His hammock was all ragged and torn, and his bow, +though of good wood, was without any ornament or polish: "erubuit domino, +cultior esse suo." His face was meagre, his looks forbidding and his whole +appearance neglected. His long black hair hung from his head in matted +confusion; nor had his body, to all appearance, ever been painted. They +gave him some cassava bread and boiled fish, which he ate voraciously, and +soon after left the hut. As he went out you could observe no traces in his +countenance or demeanour which indicated that he was in the least mindful +of having been benefited by the society he was just leaving. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians said that he had neither wife nor child nor friend. They had +often tried to persuade him to come and live amongst them, but all was of +no avail. He went roving on, plundering the wild bees of their honey and +picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When he fell in with +game he procured fire from two sticks and cooked it on the spot. When a hut +happened to be in his way he stepped in and asked for something to eat, and +then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They did not know what had +caused him to be thus unsettled: he had been so for years; nor did they +believe that even old age itself would change the habits of this poor +harmless, solitary wanderer. +</p> + +<p> +From Simon's the traveller may reach the large fall, with ease, in four +days. +</p> + +<p> +The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a stone appearing +above the water in the rainy season; and those in the bed of the river +barely high enough to arrest the water's course, and by causing a bubbling +show that they are there. +</p> + +<p> +With this small change of appearance in the stream, the stranger observes +nothing new till he comes within eight or ten miles of the great fall. Each +side of the river presents an uninterrupted range of wood, just as it did +below. All the productions found betwixt the plantations and the rock Saba +are to be met with here. +</p> + +<p> +From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations of the Indians: +two of them close to the river's side; the other three a little way in the +forest. These habitations consist of from four to eight huts, situated on +about an acre of ground which they have cleared from the surrounding woods. +A few pappaw, cotton and mountain-cabbage trees are scattered round them. +</p> + +<p> +At one of these habitations a small quantity of the wourali poison was +procured. It was in a little gourd. The Indian who had it said that he had +killed a number of wild hogs with it, and two tapirs. Appearances seemed to +confirm what he said, for on one side it had been nearly taken out to the +bottom, at different times, which probably would not have been the case had +the first or second trial failed. +</p> + +<p> +Its strength was proved on a middle-sized dog. He was wounded in the thigh, +in order that there might be no possibility of touching a vital part. In +three or four minutes he began to be affected, smelt at every little thing +on the ground around him, and looked wistfully at the wounded part. Soon +after this he staggered, laid himself down, and never rose more. He barked +once, though not as if in pain. His voice was low and weak; and in a second +attempt it quite failed him. He now put his head betwixt his fore-legs, and +raising it slowly again he fell over on his side. His eye immediately +became fixed, and though his extremities every now and then shot +convulsively, he never showed the least desire to raise up his head. His +heart fluttered much from the time he laid down, and at intervals beat very +strong; then stopped for a moment or two, and then beat again; and +continued faintly beating several minutes after every other part of his +body seemed dead. +</p> + +<p> +In a quarter of an hour after he had received the poison he was quite +motionless. +</p> + +<p> +A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which indeed is the only +one which can be called a fall, large balls of froth come floating past +you. The river appears beautifully marked with streaks of foam, and on your +nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. +</p> + +<p> +At first you behold the fall rushing down a bed of rocks with a tremendous +noise, divided into two foamy streams which, at their junction again, form +a small island covered with wood. Above this island, for a short space, +there appears but one stream, all white with froth, and fretting and +boiling amongst the huge rocks which obstruct its course. +</p> + +<p> +Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel or two, and trees +grow on the rocks which cause its separation. The torrent, in many places, +has eaten deep into the rocks, and split them into large fragments by +driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are in bloom and +vigour, though their roots are half bared and many of them bruised and +broken by the rushing waters. +</p> + +<p> +This is the general appearance of the fall from the level of the water +below to where the river is smooth and quiet above. It must be remembered +that this is during the periodical rains. Probably, in the dry season, it +puts on a very different appearance. There is no perpendicular fall of +water of any consequence throughout it, but the dreadful roaring and +rushing of the torrent, down a long rocky and moderately sloping channel, +has a fine effect; and the stranger returns well pleased with what he has +seen. No animal, nor craft of any kind, could stem this downward flood. In +a few moments the first would be killed, the second dashed in pieces. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the forest, where +prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this path they drag their canoes and +launch them into the river above; and on their return bring them down the +same way. +</p> + +<p> +About two hours below this fall is the habitation of an Acoway chief called +Sinkerman. At night you hear the roaring of the fall from it. It is +pleasantly situated on the top of a sand-hill. At this place you have the +finest view the River Demerara affords: three tiers of hills rise in slow +gradation, one above the other, before you, and present a grand and +magnificent scene, especially to him who has been accustomed to a level +country. +</p> + +<p> +Here, a little after midnight, on the first of May, was heard a most +strange and unaccountable noise: it seemed as though several regiments were +engaged and musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, terrified +beyond description, left their hammocks and crowded all together like sheep +at the approach of the wolf. There were no soldiers within three or four +hundred miles. Conjecture was of no avail, and all conversation next +morning on the subject was as useless and unsatisfactory as the dead +silence which succeeded to the noise. +</p> + +<p> +He who wishes to reach the Macoushi country had better send his canoe over- +land from Sinkerman's to the Essequibo. +</p> + +<p> +There is a pretty good path, and meeting a creek about three-quarters of +the way, it eases the labour, and twelve Indians will arrive with it in the +Essequibo in four days. +</p> + +<p> +The traveller need not attend his canoe; there is a shorter and a better +way. Half an hour below Sinkerman's he finds a little creek on the western +bank of the Demerara. After proceeding about a couple of hundred yards up +it, he leaves it, and pursues a west-north-west direction by land for the +Essequibo. The path is good, though somewhat rugged with the roots of +trees, and here and there obstructed by fallen ones; it extends more over +level ground than otherwise. There are a few steep ascents and descents in +it, with a little brook running at the bottom of them, but they are easily +passed over, and the fallen trees serve for a bridge. +</p> + +<p> +You may reach the Essequibo with ease in a day and a half; and so matted +and interwoven are the tops of the trees above you that the sun is not felt +once all the way, saving where the space which a newly-fallen tree occupied +lets in his rays upon you. The forest contains an abundance of wild hogs, +lobbas, acouries, powisses, maams, maroudis and waracabas for your +nourishment, and there are plenty of leaves to cover a shed whenever you +are inclined to sleep. +</p> + +<p> +The soil has three-fourths of sand in it till you come within half an +hour's walk of the Essequibo, where you find a red gravel and rocks. In +this retired and solitary tract Nature's garb, to all appearance, has not +been injured by fire nor her productions broken in upon by the +exterminating hand of man. +</p> + +<p> +Here the finest green-heart grows, and wallaba, purple-heart, siloabali, +sawari, buletre, tauronira and mora are met with in vast abundance, far and +near, towering up in majestic grandeur, straight as pillars, sixty or +seventy feet high, without a knot or branch. +</p> + +<p> +Traveller, forget for a little while the idea thou hast of wandering +farther on, and stop and look at this grand picture of vegetable nature: it +is a reflection of the crowd thou hast lately been in, and though a silent +monitor, it is not a less eloquent one on that account. See that noble +purple-heart before thee! Nature has been kind to it. Not a hole, not the +least oozing from its trunk, to show that its best days are past. Vigorous +in youthful blooming beauty, it stands the ornament of these sequestered +wilds and tacitly rebukes those base ones of thine own species who have +been hardy enough to deny the existence of Him who ordered it to flourish +here. +</p> + +<p> +Behold that one next to it! Hark how the hammerings of the red-headed +woodpecker resound through its distempered boughs! See what a quantity of +holes he has made in it, and how its bark is stained with the drops which +trickle down from them. The lightning, too, has blasted one side of it. +Nature looks pale and wan in its leaves, and her resources are nearly dried +up in its extremities: its sap is tainted; a mortal sickness, slow as a +consumption and as sure in its consequences, has long since entered its +frame, vitiating and destroying the wholesome juices there. +</p> + +<p> +Step a few paces aside and cast thine eye on that remnant of a mora behind +it. Best part of its branches, once so high and ornamental, now lie on the +ground in sad confusion, one upon the other, all shattered and fungus-grown +and a prey to millions of insects which are busily employed in destroying +them. One branch of it still looks healthy! Will it recover? No, it cannot; +Nature has already run her course, and that healthy-looking branch is only +as a fallacious good symptom in him who is just about to die of a +mortification when he feels no more pain, and fancies his distemper has +left him; it is as the momentary gleam of a wintry sun's ray close to the +western horizon. See! while we are speaking a gust of wind has brought the +tree to the ground and made room for its successor. +</p> + +<p> +Come farther on and examine that apparently luxuriant tauronira on thy +right hand. It boasts a verdure not its own; they are false ornaments it +wears. The bush-rope and bird-vines have clothed it from the root to its +topmost branch. The succession of fruit which it hath borne, like good +cheer in the houses of the great, has invited the birds to resort to it, +and they have disseminated beautiful, though destructive, plants on its +branches which, like the distempers vice brings into the human frame, rob +it of all its health and vigour. They have shortened its days, and probably +in another year they will finally kill it, long before Nature intended that +it should die. +</p> + +<p> +Ere thou leavest this interesting scene, look on the ground around thee, +and see what everything here below must come to. +</p> + +<p> +Behold that newly-fallen wallaba! The whirlwind has uprooted it in its +prime, and it has brought down to the ground a dozen small ones in its +fall. Its bark has already begun to drop off! And that heart of mora close +by it is fast yielding, in spite of its firm, tough texture. +</p> + +<p> +The tree which thou passedst but a little ago, and which perhaps has laid +over yonder brook for years, can now hardly support itself, and in a few +months more it will have fallen into the water. +</p> + +<p> +Put thy foot on that large trunk thou seest to the left. It seems entire +amid the surrounding fragments. Mere outward appearance, delusive phantom +of what it once was! Tread on it and, like the fuss-ball, it will break +into dust. +</p> + +<p> +Sad and silent mementos to the giddy traveller as he wanders on! Prostrate +remnants of vegetable nature, how incontestably ye prove what we must all +at last come to, and how plain your mouldering ruins show that the firmest +texture avails us naught when Heaven wills that we should cease to be! +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,<br> + The solemn temples, the great globe itself,<br> + Yea, all which it inhabit, shall dissolve,<br> + And, like the baseless fabric of a vision,<br> + Leave not a wreck behind. +</p> + +<p> +Cast thine eye around thee and see the thousands of Nature's productions. +Take a view of them from the opening seed on the surface sending a downward +shoot, to the loftiest and the largest trees rising up and blooming in wild +luxuriance: some side by side, others separate; some curved and knotty, +others straight as lances; all, in beautiful gradation, fulfilling the +mandates they had received from Heaven and, though condemned to die, still +never failing to keep up their species till time shall be no more. +</p> + +<p> +Reader, canst thou not be induced to dedicate a few months to the good of +the public, and examine with thy scientific eye the productions which the +vast and well-stored colony of Demerara presents to thee? +</p> + +<p> +What an immense range of forest is there from the rock Saba to the great +fall! and what an uninterrupted extent before thee from it to the banks of +the Essequibo! No doubt there is many a balsam and many a medicinal root +yet to be discovered, and many a resin, gum and oil yet unnoticed. Thy work +would be a pleasing one, and thou mightest make several useful observations +in it. +</p> + +<p> +Would it be thought impertinent in thee to hazard a conjecture that, with +the resources the Government of Demerara has, stones might be conveyed from +the rock Saba to Stabroek to stem the equinoctial tides which are for ever +sweeping away the expensive wooden piles round the mounds of the fort? Or +would the timber-merchant point at thee in passing by and call thee a +descendant of La Mancha's knight, because thou maintainest that the stones +which form the rapids might be removed with little expense, and thus open +the navigation to the wood-cutter from Stabroek to the great fall? Or +wouldst thou be deemed enthusiastic or biassed because thou givest it as +thy opinion that the climate in these high-lands is exceedingly wholesome, +and the lands themselves capable of nourishing and maintaining any number +of settlers? In thy dissertation on the Indians thou mightest hint that +possibly they could be induced to help the new settlers a little; and that, +finding their labours well requited, it would be the means of their keeping +up a constant communication with us which probably might be the means of +laying the first stone towards their Christianity. They are a poor +harmless, inoffensive set of people, and their wandering and ill-provided +way of living seems more to ask for pity from us than to fill our heads +with thoughts that they would be hostile to us. +</p> + +<p> +What a noble field, kind reader, for thy experimental philosophy and +speculations, for thy learning, for thy perseverance, for thy +kindheartedness, for everything that is great and good within thee! +</p> + +<p> +The accidental traveller who has journeyed on from Stabroek to the rock +Saba, and from thence to the banks of the Essequibo, in pursuit of other +things, as he told thee at the beginning, with but an indifferent +interpreter to talk to, no friend to converse with, and totally unfit for +that which he wishes thee to do, can merely mark the outlines of the path +he has trodden, or tell thee the sounds he has heard, or faintly describe +what he has seen in the environs of his resting-places; but if this be +enough to induce thee to undertake the journey, and give the world a +description of it, he will be amply satisfied. +</p> + +<p> +It will be two days and a half from the time of entering the path on the +western bank of the Demerara till all be ready and the canoe fairly afloat +on the Essequibo. The new rigging it, and putting every little thing to +rights and in its proper place, cannot well be done in less than a day. +</p> + +<p> +After being night and day in the forest, impervious to the sun's and moon's +rays, the sudden transition to light has a fine heart-cheering effect. +Welcome as a lost friend, the solar beam makes the frame rejoice, and with +it a thousand enlivening thoughts rush at once on the soul and disperse, as +a vapour, every sad and sorrowful idea which the deep gloom had helped to +collect there. In coming out of the woods you see the western bank of the +Essequibo before you, low and flat. Here the river is two-thirds as broad +as the Demerara at Stabroek. +</p> + +<p> +To the northward there is a hill higher than any in the Demerara; and in +the south-south-west quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears like a +bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not the least opening on either side. +Hills, valleys and low-lands are all linked together by a chain of forest. +Ascend the highest mountain, climb the loftiest tree, as far as the eye can +extend, whichever way it directs itself, all is luxuriant and unbroken +forest. +</p> + +<p> +In about nine or ten hours from this you get to an Indian habitation of +three huts, on the point of an island. It is said that a Dutch post once +stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige of it remaining and, +except that the trees appear younger than those on the other islands, which +shows that the place has been cleared some time or other, there is no mark +left by which you can conjecture that ever this was a post. +</p> + +<p> +The many islands which you meet with in the way enliven and change the +scene, by the avenues which they make, which look like the mouths of other +rivers, and break that long-extended sameness which is seen in the +Demerara. +</p> + +<p> +Proceeding onwards you get to the falls and rapids. In the rainy season +they are very tedious to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry +season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians soon manage to get a +canoe over them. But when the river is swollen, as it was in May 1812, it +is then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one, too. At that time many +of the islands were over-flowed, the rocks covered and the lower branches +of the trees in the water. Sometimes the Indians were obliged to take +everything out of the canoe, cut a passage through the branches which hung +over into the river, and then drag up the canoe by main force. +</p> + +<p> +At one place the falls form an oblique line quite across the river +impassable to the ascending canoe, and you are forced to have it dragged +four or five hundred yards by land. +</p> + +<p> +It will take you five days, from the Indian habitation on the point of the +island, to where these falls and rapids terminate. +</p> + +<p> +There are no huts in the way. You must bring your own cassava bread along +with you, hunt in the forest for your meat and make the night's shelter for +yourself. +</p> + +<p> +Here is a noble range of hills, all covered with the finest trees rising +majestically one above the other, on the western bank, and presenting as +rich a scene as ever the eye would wish to look on. Nothing in vegetable +nature can be conceived more charming, grand and luxuriant. +</p> + +<p> +How the heart rejoices in viewing this beautiful landscape when the sky is +serene, the air cool and the sun just sunk behind the mountain's top! +</p> + +<p> +The hayawa-tree perfumes the woods around: pairs of scarlet aras are +continually crossing the river. The maam sends forth its plaintive note, +the wren chants its evening song. The caprimulgus wheels in busy flight +around the canoe, while "Whip-poor-will" sits on the broken stump near the +water's edge, complaining as the shades of night set in. +</p> + +<p> +A little before you pass the last of these rapids two immense rocks appear, +nearly on the summit of one of the many hills which form this far-extending +range where it begins to fall off gradually to the south. +</p> + +<p> +They look like two ancient stately towers of some Gothic potentate rearing +their heads above the surrounding trees. What with their situation and +their shape together, they strike the beholder with an idea of antiquated +grandeur which he will never forget. He may travel far and near and see +nothing like them. On looking at them through a glass the summit of the +southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The one to the north was quite +bare. The Indians have it from their ancestors that they are the abode of +an evil genius, and they pass in the river below with a reverential awe. +</p> + +<p> +In about seven hours from these stupendous sons of the hill you leave the +Essequibo and enter the River Apoura-poura, which falls into it from the +south. The Apoura-poura is nearly one-third the size of the Demerara at +Stabroek. For two days you see nothing but level ground richly clothed in +timber. You leave the Siparouni to the right hand, and on the third day +come to a little hill. The Indians have cleared about an acre of ground on +it and erected a temporary shed. If it be not intended for provision-ground +alone, perhaps the next white man who travels through these remote wilds +will find an Indian settlement here. +</p> + +<p> +Two days after leaving this you get to a rising ground on the western bank +where stands a single hut, and about half a mile in the forest there are a +few more: some of them square and some round, with spiral roofs. +</p> + +<p> +Here the fish called pacou is very plentiful: it is perhaps the fattest and +most delicious fish in Guiana. It does not take the hook, but the Indians +decoy it to the surface of the water by means of the seeds of the crab-wood +tree and then shoot it with an arrow. +</p> + +<p> +You are now within the borders of Macoushia, inhabited by a different tribe +of people called Macoushi Indians, uncommonly dexterous in the use of the +blow-pipe and famous for their skill in preparing the deadly vegetable- +poison commonly called wourali. +</p> + +<p> +It is from this country that those beautiful paroquets named kessi-kessi +are procured. Here the crystal mountains are found; and here the three +different species of the ara are seen in great abundance. Here too grows +the tree from which the gum-elastic is got: it is large and as tall as any +in the forest. The wood has much the appearance of sycamore. The gum is +contained in the bark: when that is cut through it oozes out very freely; +it is quite white and looks as rich as cream; it hardens almost immediately +as it issues from the tree, so that it is very easy to collect a ball by +forming the juice into a globular shape as fast as it comes out. It becomes +nearly black by being exposed to the air, and is real india-rubber without +undergoing any other process. +</p> + +<p> +The elegant crested bird called cock-of-the-rock, admirably described by +Buffon, is a native of the woody mountains of Macoushia. In the daytime it +retires amongst the darkest rocks, and only comes out to feed a little +before sunrise and at sunset: he is of a gloomy disposition and, like the +houtou, never associates with the other birds of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians in the just-mentioned settlement seemed to depend more on the +wourali poison for killing their game than upon anything else. They had +only one gun, and it appeared rusty and neglected, but their poisoned +weapons were in fine order. Their blow-pipes hung from the roof of the hut, +carefully suspended by a silk-grass cord, and on taking a nearer view of +them no dust seemed to have collected there, nor had the spider spun the +smallest web on them, which showed that they were in constant use. The +quivers were close by them, with the jaw-bone of the fish pirai tied by a +string to their brim and a small wicker-basket of wild cotton, which hung +down to the centre; they were nearly full of poisoned arrows. It was with +difficulty these Indians could be persuaded to part with any of the wourali +poison, though a good price was offered for it: they gave to understand +that it was powder and shot to them, and very difficult to be procured. +</p> + +<p> +On the second day after leaving this settlement, in passing along, the +Indians show you a place where once a white man lived. His retiring so far +from those of his own colour and acquaintance seemed to carry something +extraordinary along with it, and raised a desire to know what could have +induced him to do so. It seems he had been unsuccessful, and that his +creditors had treated him with as little mercy as the strong generally show +to the weak. Seeing his endeavours daily frustrated and his best intentions +of no avail, and fearing that when they had taken all he had they would +probably take his liberty too, he thought the world would not be +hardhearted enough to condemn him for retiring from the evils which pressed +so heavily on him, and which he had done all that an honest man could do to +ward off. He left his creditors to talk of him as they thought fit, and, +bidding adieu for ever to the place in which he had once seen better times, +he penetrated thus far into these remote and gloomy wilds and ended his +days here. +</p> + +<p> +According to the new map of South America, Lake Parima, or the White Sea, +ought to be within three or four days' walk from this place. On asking the +Indians whether there was such a place or not, and describing that the +water was fresh and good to drink, an old Indian, who appeared to be about +sixty, said that there was such a place, and that he had been there. This +information would have been satisfactory in some degree had not the Indians +carried the point a little too far. It is very large, said another Indian, +and ships come to it. Now these unfortunate ships were the very things +which were not wanted: had he kept them out, it might have done, but his +introducing them was sadly against the lake. Thus you must either suppose +that the old savage and his companion had a confused idea of the thing, and +that probably the Lake Parima they talked of was the Amazons, not far from +the city of Para, or that it was their intention to deceive you. You ought +to be cautious in giving credit to their stories, otherwise you will be apt +to be led astray. +</p> + +<p> +Many a ridiculous thing concerning the interior of Guiana has been +propagated and received as true merely because six or seven Indians, +questioned separately, have agreed in their narrative. +</p> + +<p> +Ask those who live high up in the Demerara, and they will, every one of +them, tell you that there is a nation of Indians with long tails; that they +are very malicious, cruel and ill-natured; and that the Portuguese have +been obliged to stop them off in a certain river to prevent their +depredations. They have also dreadful stories concerning a horrible beast +called the water-mamma which, when it happens to take a spite against a +canoe, rises out of the river and in the most unrelenting manner possible +carries both canoe and Indians down to the bottom with it, and there +destroys them. Ludicrous extravagances! pleasing to those fond of the +marvellous, and excellent matter for a distempered brain. +</p> + +<p> +The misinformed and timid court of policy in Demerara was made the dupe of +a savage who came down the Essequibo and gave himself out as king of a +mighty tribe. This naked wild man of the woods seemed to hold the said +court in tolerable contempt, and demanded immense supplies, all which he +got; and moreover, some time after, an invitation to come down the ensuing +year for more, which he took care not to forget. +</p> + +<p> +This noisy chieftain boasted so much of his dynasty and domain that the +Government was induced to send up an expedition into his territories to see +if he had spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. It appeared, +however, that his palace was nothing but a hut, the monarch a needy savage, +the heir-apparent nothing to inherit but his father's club and bow and +arrows, and his officers of state wild and uncultivated as the forests +through which they strayed. +</p> + +<p> +There was nothing in the hut of this savage, saving the presents he had +received from Government, but what was barely sufficient to support +existence; nothing that indicated a power to collect a hostile force; +nothing that showed the least progress towards civilisation. All was rude +and barbarous in the extreme, expressive of the utmost poverty and a scanty +population. +</p> + +<p> +You may travel six or seven days without seeing a hut, and when you reach a +settlement it seldom contains more than ten. +</p> + +<p> +The farther you advance into the interior, the more you are convinced that +it is thinly inhabited. +</p> + +<p> +The day after passing the place where the white man lived you see a creek +on the left-hand, and shortly after the path to the open country. Here you +drag the canoe up into the forest, and leave it there. Your baggage must +now be carried by the Indians. The creek you passed in the river intersects +the path to the next settlement; a large mora has fallen across it and +makes an excellent bridge. After walking an hour and a half you come to the +edge of the forest, and a savanna unfolds itself to the view. +</p> + +<p> +The finest park that England boasts falls far short of this delightful +scene. There are about two thousand acres of grass, with here and there a +clump of trees and a few bushes and single trees scattered up and down by +the hand of Nature. The ground is neither hilly nor level, but diversified +with moderate rises and falls, so gently running into one another that the +eye cannot distinguish where they begin nor where they end; while the +distant black rocks have the appearance of a herd at rest. Nearly in the +middle there is an eminence which falls off gradually on every side, and on +this the Indians have erected their huts. +</p> + +<p> +To the northward of them the forest forms a circle, as though it had been +done by art; to the eastward it hangs in festoons; and to the south and +west it rushes in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it at every step +as you advance along. +</p> + +<p> +This beautiful park of Nature is quite surrounded by lofty hills, all +arrayed in superbest garb of trees: some in the form of pyramids, others +like sugar-loaves, towering one above the other, some rounded off, and +others as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills rise up in spiral +summits, and the wooded line of communication betwixt them sinks so +gradually that it forms a crescent; and there the ridges of others resemble +the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these appear others, and others past +them, and others still farther on, till they can scarcely be distinguished +from the clouds. +</p> + +<p> +There are no sand-flies nor bête-rouge nor mosquitos in this pretty spot. +The fire-flies, during the night, vie in numbers and brightness with the +stars in the firmament above; the air is pure, and the north-east breeze +blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. Here the white-crested maroudi, +which is never found in the Demerara, is pretty plentiful; and here grows +the tree which produces the moran, sometimes called balsam-capivi. +</p> + +<p> +Your route lies south from this place; and at the extremity of the savanna +you enter the forest and journey along a winding path at the foot of a +hill. There is no habitation within this day's walk. The traveller, as +usual, must sleep in the forest; the path is not so good the following day. +The hills over which it lies are rocky, steep and rugged; and the spaces +betwixt them swampy and mostly knee-deep in water. After eight hours' walk +you find two or three Indian huts, surrounded by the forest; and in little +more than half an hour from these you come to ten or twelve others, where +you pass the night. They are prettily situated at the entrance into a +savanna. The eastern and western hills are still covered with wood; but on +looking to the south-west quarter you perceive it begins to die away. In +these forests you may find plenty of the trees which yield the sweet- +smelling resin called accaiari, and which, when pounded and burnt on +charcoal, gives a delightful fragrance. +</p> + +<p> +From hence you proceed, in a south-west direction, through a long swampy +savanna. Some of the hills which border on it have nothing but a thin +coarse grass and huge stones on them: others quite wooded; others with +their summits crowned and their base quite bare; and others again with +their summits bare and their base in thickest wood. +</p> + +<p> +Half of this day's march is in water nearly up to the knees. There are four +creeks to pass: one of them has a fallen tree across it. You must make your +own bridge across the other three. Probably, were the truth known, these +apparently four creeks are only the meanders of one. +</p> + +<p> +The jabiru, the largest bird in Guiana, feeds in the marshy savanna through +which you have just passed. He is wary and shy, and will not allow you to +get within gunshot of him. +</p> + +<p> +You sleep this night in the forest, and reach an Indian settlement about +three o'clock the next evening, after walking one-third of the way through +wet and miry ground. +</p> + +<p> +But bad as the walking is through it, it is easier than where you cross +over the bare hills, where you have to tread on sharp stones, most of them +lying edgewise. +</p> + +<p> +The ground gone over these two last days seems condemned to perpetual +solitude and silence. There was not one four-footed animal to be seen, nor +even the marks of one. It would have been as silent as midnight, and all as +still and unmoved as a monument, had not the jabiru in the marsh and a few +vultures soaring over the mountain's top shown that it was not quite +deserted by animated nature. There were no insects, except one kind of fly +about one-fourth the size of the common house-fly. It bit cruelly, and was +much more tormenting than the mosquito on the sea-coast. +</p> + +<p> +This seems to be the native country of the arrowroot. Wherever you passed +through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it growing +luxuriantly. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian place you are now at is not the proper place to have come to in +order to reach the Portuguese frontiers. You have advanced too much to the +westward. But there was no alternative. The ground betwixt you and another +small settlement (which was the right place to have gone to) was +overflowed; and thus, instead of proceeding southward, you were obliged to +wind along the foot of the western hills, quite out of your way. +</p> + +<p> +But the grand landscape this place affords makes you ample amends for the +time you have spent in reaching it. It would require great descriptive +powers to give a proper idea of the situation these people have chosen for +their dwelling. +</p> + +<p> +The hill they are on is steep and high, and full of immense rocks. The huts +are not all in one place, but dispersed wherever they have found a place +level enough for a lodgment. Before you ascend the hill you see at +intervals an acre or two of wood, then an open space with a few huts on it; +then wood again, and then an open space, and so on, till the intervening of +the western hills, higher and steeper still, and crowded with trees of the +loveliest shades, closes the enchanting scene. +</p> + +<p> +At the base of this hill stretches an immense plain which appears to the +eye, on this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The mountains on +the other side are piled one upon the other in romantic forms, and +gradually retire, till they are undiscernible from the clouds in which they +are involved. To the south-southwest this far-extending plain is lost in +the horizon. The trees on it, which look like islands on the ocean, add +greatly to the beauty of the landscape, while the rivulet's course is +marked out by the æta-trees which follow its meanders. +</p> + +<p> +Not being able to pursue the direct course from hence to the next Indian +habitation, on account of the floods of water which fall at this time of +the year, you take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. +</p> + +<p> +At last a large and deep creek stops your progress: it is wide and rapid, +and its banks very steep. There is neither curial nor canoe nor purple- +heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a wood-skin to carry you over, so +that you are obliged to swim across; and by the time you have formed a kind +of raft composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass to ferry over your +baggage, the day will be too far spent to think of proceeding. You must be +very cautious before you venture to swim across this creek, for the +alligators are numerous and near twenty feet long. On the present occasion +the Indians took uncommon precautions lest they should be devoured by this +cruel and voracious reptile. They cut long sticks and examined closely the +side of the creek for half a mile above and below the place where it was to +be crossed; and as soon as the boldest had swum over he did the same on the +other side, and then all followed. +</p> + +<p> +After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is well wooded, it is a +brisk walk of nine hours before you reach four Indian huts, on a rising +ground, a few hundred paces from a little brook whose banks are covered +over with coucourite- and æta-trees. +</p> + +<p> +This is the place you ought to have come to two days ago, had the water +permitted you. In crossing the plain at the most advantageous place you are +above ankle-deep in water for three hours; the remainder of the way is dry, +the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this spacious plain put on +somewhat the appearance of a lake during the periodical rains, it is not +improbable but that this is the place which hath given rise to the supposed +existence of the famed Lake Parima, or El Dorado; but this is mere +conjecture. +</p> + +<p> +A few deer are feeding on the coarse, rough grass of this far-extending +plain; they keep at a distance from you, and are continually on the look- +out. +</p> + +<p> +The spur-winged plover and a species of the curlew, black with a white bar +across the wings, nearly as large again as the scarlet curlew on the sea- +coast, frequently rise before you. Here too the muscovy duck is numerous, +and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you as you pass on, but +keep out of gunshot. The milk-white egrets and jabirus are distinguished at +a great distance, and in the æta- and coucourite-trees you may observe +flocks of scarlet and blue aras feeding on the seeds. +</p> + +<p> +It is to these trees that the largest sort of toucan resorts. He is +remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his fine yellow bill. He +is very scarce in Demerara, and never seen except near the sea-coast. +</p> + +<p> +The ants' nests have a singular appearance on this plain; they are in vast +abundance on those parts of it free from water, and are formed of an +exceeding hard yellow clay. They rise eight or ten feet from the ground, in +a spiral form, impenetrable to the rain and strong enough to defy the +severest tornado. +</p> + +<p> +The wourali poison procured in these last-mentioned huts seemed very good, +and proved afterwards to be very strong. +</p> + +<p> +There are now no more Indian settlements betwixt you and the Portuguese +frontiers. If you wish to visit their fort, it would be advisable to send +an Indian with a letter from hence and wait his return. On the present +occasion a very fortunate circumstance occurred. The Portuguese commander +had sent some Indians and soldiers to build a canoe not far from this +settlement; they had just finished it, and those who did not stay with it +had stopped here on their return. +</p> + +<p> +The soldier who commanded the rest said he durst not, upon any account, +convey a stranger to the fort: but he added, as there were two canoes, one +of them might be despatched with a letter, and then we could proceed slowly +on in the other. +</p> + +<p> +About three hours from this settlement there is a river called Pirarara, +and here the soldiers had left their canoes while they were making the new +one. From the Pirarara you get into the River Maou, and then into the +Tacatou; and just where the Tacatou falls into the Rio Branco there stands +the Portuguese frontier-fort called Fort St. Joachim. From the time of +embarking in the River Pirarara it takes you four days before you reach +this fort. +</p> + +<p> +There was nothing very remarkable in passing down these rivers. It is an +open country, producing a coarse grass and interspersed with clumps of +trees. The banks have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and +crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. +</p> + +<p> +The tapir frequently plunged into the river; he was by no means shy, and it +was easy to get a shot at him on land. The kessi-kessi paroquets were in +great abundance, and the fine scarlet aras innumerable in the coucourite- +trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou was seen the +troupiale. It was charming to hear the sweet and plaintive notes of this +pretty songster of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the nightingale of +Guiana. +</p> + +<p> +Towards the close of the fourth evening the canoe which had been sent on +with a letter met us with the commander's answer. During its absence the +nights had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, the days +cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet hammocks. Exposed thus, day and +night, to the chilling blast and pelting shower, strength of constitution +at last failed and a severe fever came on. The commander's answer was very +polite. He remarked, he regretted much to say that he had received orders +to allow no stranger to enter the frontier, and this being the case he +hoped I would not consider him as uncivil: "however," continued he, "I have +ordered the soldier to land you at a certain distance from the fort, where +we can consult together." +</p> + +<p> +We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which brought the letter +returned to the fort to tell the commander I had fallen sick. +</p> + +<p> +The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after when the Portuguese +officer came to the spot where we had landed the preceding evening. He was +tall and spare, and appeared to be from fifty to fifty-five years old; and +though thirty years of service under an equatorial sun had burnt and +shrivelled up his face, still there was something in it so inexpressibly +affable and kind that it set you immediately at your ease. He came close up +to the hammock, and taking hold of my wrist to feel the pulse, "I am sorry, +Sir," said he, "to see that the fever has taken such hold of you. You shall +go directly with me," continued he, "to the fort; and though we have no +doctor there, I trust," added he, "we shall soon bring you about again. The +orders I have received forbidding the admission of strangers were never +intended to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." +</p> + +<p> +As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river towards the fort, the +commander asked with much more interest than a question in ordinary +conversation is asked, where was I on the night of the first of May? On +telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the great +fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden noise had alarmed all +the Indians, he said the same astonishing noise had roused every man in +Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under arms till morning. He +observed that he had been quite at a loss to form any idea what could have +caused the noise; but now learning that the same noise had been heard at +the same time far away from the Rio Branco, it struck him there must have +been an earthquake somewhere or other. +</p> + +<p> +Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied attention and kindness of the +Portuguese commander, stopped the progress of the fever and enabled me to +walk about in six days. +</p> + +<p> +Fort St. Joachim was built about five and forty years ago under the +apprehension, it is said, that the Spaniards were coming from the Rio Negro +to settle there. It has been much neglected; the floods of water have +carried away the gate and destroyed the wall on each side of it, but the +present commander is putting it into thorough repair. When finished it will +mount six nine- and six twelve-pounders. +</p> + +<p> +In a straight line with the fort, and within a few yards of the river, +stand the commander's house, the barracks, the chapel, the father- +confessor's house and two others, all at little intervals from each other; +and these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The neighbouring +extensive plains afford good pasturage for a fine breed of cattle, and the +Portuguese make enough of butter and cheese for their own consumption. + +On asking the old officer if there were such a place as Lake Parima, or El +Dorado, he replied he looked upon it as imaginary altogether. "I have been +above forty years," added he, "in Portuguese Guiana, but have never yet met +with anybody who has seen the lake." +</p> + +<p> +So much for Lake Parima, or El Dorado, or the White Sea. Its existence at +best seems doubtful: some affirm that there is such a place and others deny +it. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est. +</p> + +<p> +Having now reached the Portuguese inland frontier and collected a +sufficient quantity of the wourali poison, nothing remains but to give a +brief account of its composition, its effects, its uses and its supposed +antidotes. +</p> + +<p> +It has been already remarked that in the extensive wilds of Demerara and +Essequibo, far away from any European settlement, there is a tribe of +Indians who are known by the name of Macoushi. +</p> + +<p> +Though the wourali poison is used by all the South American savages betwixt +the Amazons and the Oroonoque, still this tribe makes it stronger than any +of the rest. The Indians in the vicinity of the Rio Negro are aware of +this, and come to the Macoushi country to purchase it. +</p> + +<p> +Much has been said concerning this fatal and extraordinary poison. Some +have affirmed that its effects are almost instantaneous, provided the +minutest particle of it mixes with the blood; and others again have +maintained that it is not strong enough to kill an animal of the size and +strength of a man. The first have erred by lending a too willing ear to the +marvellous and believing assertions without sufficient proof. The following +short story points out the necessity of a cautious examination. +</p> + +<p> +One day, on asking an Indian if he thought the poison would kill a man, he +replied that they always go to battle with it; that he was standing by when +an Indian was shot with a poisoned arrow, and that he expired almost +immediately. Not wishing to dispute this apparently satisfactory +information the subject was dropped. +</p> + +<p> +However, about an hour after, having purposely asked him in what part of +the body the said Indian was wounded, he answered without hesitation that +the arrow entered betwixt his shoulders and passed quite through his heart. +Was it the weapon or the strength of the poison that brought on immediate +dissolution in this case? Of course the weapon. +</p> + +<p> +The second have been misled by disappointment caused by neglect in keeping +the poisoned arrows, or by not knowing how to use them, or by trying +inferior poison. If the arrows are not kept dry the poison loses its +strength, and in wet or damp weather it turns mouldy and becomes quite +soft. In shooting an arrow in this state, upon examining the place where it +has entered, it will be observed that, though the arrow has penetrated deep +into the flesh, still by far the greatest part of the poison has shrunk +back, and thus, instead of entering with the arrow, it has remained +collected at the mouth of the wound. In this case the arrow might as well +have not been poisoned. Probably it was to this that a gentleman, some time +ago, owed his disappointment when he tried the poison on a horse in the +town of Stabroek, the capital of Demerara; the horse never betrayed the +least symptom of being affected by it. +</p> + +<p> +Wishful to obtain the best information concerning this poison, and as +repeated inquiries, in lieu of dissipating the surrounding shade, did but +tend more and more to darken the little light that existed, I determined to +penetrate into the country where the poisonous ingredients grow, where this +pernicious composition is prepared and where it is constantly used. Success +attended the adventure, and the information acquired made amends for one +hundred and twenty days passed in the solitudes of Guiana, and afforded a +balm to the wounds and bruises which every traveller must expect to receive +who wanders through a thorny and obstructed path. +</p> + +<p> +Thou must not, courteous reader, expect a dissertation on the manner in +which the wourali poison operates on the system: a treatise has been +already written on the subject, and, after all, there is probably still +reason to doubt. It is supposed to affect the nervous system, and thus +destroy the vital functions; it is also said to be perfectly harmless +provided it does not touch the blood. However, this is certain: when a +sufficient quantity of it enters the blood, death is the inevitable +consequence; but there is no alteration in the colour of the blood, and +both the blood and flesh may be eaten with safety. +</p> + +<p> +All that thou wilt find here is a concise, unadorned account of the wourali +poison. It may be of service to thee some time or other shouldst thou ever +travel through the wilds where it is used. Neither attribute to cruelty, +nor to a want of feeling for the sufferings of the inferior animals, the +ensuing experiments. The larger animals were destroyed in order to have +proof positive of the strength of a poison which hath hitherto been +doubted, and the smaller ones were killed with the hope of substantiating +that which has commonly been supposed to be an antidote. +</p> + +<p> +It makes a pitying heart ache to see a poor creature in distress and pain; +and too often has the compassionate traveller occasion to heave a sigh as +he journeys on. However, here, though the kind-hearted will be sorry to +read of an unoffending animal doomed to death in order to satisfy a doubt, +still it will be a relief to know that the victim was not tortured. The +wourali poison destroys life's action so gently that the victim appears to +be in no pain whatever; and probably, were the truth known, it feels none, +saving the momentary smart at the time the arrow enters. +</p> + +<p> +A day or two before the Macoushi Indian prepares his poison he goes into +the forest in quest of the ingredients. A vine grows in these wilds which +is called wourali. It is from this that the poison takes its name, and it +is the principal ingredient. When he has procured enough of this he digs up +a root of a very bitter taste, ties them together, and then looks about for +two kinds of bulbous plants which contain a green and glutinous juice. He +fills a little quake which he carries on his back with the stalks of these; +and lastly ranges up and down till he finds two species of ants. One of +them is very large and black, and so venomous that its sting produces a +fever: it is most commonly to be met with on the ground. The other is a +little red ant which stings like a nettle, and generally has its nest under +the leaf of a shrub. After obtaining these he has no more need to range the +forest. +</p> + +<p> +A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is used, but this he has already +planted round his hut. The pounded fangs of the labarri snake and those of +the counacouchi are likewise added. These he commonly has in store, for +when he kills a snake he generally extracts the fangs and keeps them by +him. +</p> + +<p> +Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he scrapes the wourali vine +and bitter root into thin shavings and puts them into a kind of colander +made of leaves. This he holds over an earthen pot, and pours water on the +shavings: the liquor which comes through has the appearance of coffee. When +a sufficient quantity has been procured the shavings are thrown aside. He +then bruises the bulbous stalks and squeezes a proportionate quantity of +their juice through his hands into the pot. Lastly the snakes' fangs, ants +and pepper are bruised and thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow +fire, and as it boils more of the juice of the wourali is added, according +as it may be found necessary, and the scum is taken off with a leaf: it +remains on the fire till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. +As soon as it has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with it, +to try its strength. If it answer the expectations it is poured out into a +calabash, or little pot of Indian manufacture, which is carefully covered +with a couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin tied round +with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part of the hut, and from time to +time suspend it over the fire to counteract the effects of dampness. +</p> + +<p> +The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the +savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and +make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or in +the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali poison, many +precautions are supposed to be necessary. +</p> + +<p> +The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the Yabahou, +or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it has been +boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He who makes the +poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue fasting as long as +the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled must be a new one, and +must never have held anything before, otherwise the poison would be +deficient in strength: add to this that the operator must take particular +care not to expose himself to the vapour which arises from it while on the +fire. +</p> + +<p> +Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing the +face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; and the +operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself to be, sick +for some days after. +</p> + +<p> +Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a +gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it +affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one +evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having +anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child! +</p> + +<p> +Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned necessary in +order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions and conjectures +may militate against the absolute necessity of some of them, still it would +be hardly fair to pronounce them added by the hand of superstition till +proof positive can be obtained. +</p> + +<p> +We might argue on the subject, and by bringing forward instances of Indian +superstition draw our conclusion by inference, and still remain in doubt on +this head. You know superstition to be the offspring of ignorance, and of +course that it takes up its abode amongst the rudest tribes of uncivilised +man. It even too often resides with man in his more enlightened state. +</p> + +<p> +The Augustan age furnishes numerous examples. A bone snatched from the jaws +of a fasting bitch, and a feather from the wing of a night-owl--"ossa ab +ore rapta jejunæ canis, plumamque nocturnæ strigis"--were necessary for +Canidia's incantations. And in after-times Parson Evans, the Welshman, was +treated most ungenteelly by an enraged spirit solely because he had +forgotten a fumigation in his witch-work. +</p> + +<p> +If, then, enlightened man lets his better sense give way, and believes, or +allows himself to be persuaded, that certain substances and actions, in +reality of no avail, possess a virtue which renders them useful in +producing the wished-for effect, may not the wild, untaught, unenlightened +savage of Guiana add an ingredient which, on account of the harm it does +him, he fancies may be useful to the perfection of his poison, though in +fact it be of no use at all? If a bone snatched from the jaws of a fasting +bitch be thought necessary in incantation; or if witchcraft have recourse +to the raiment of the owl because it resorts to the tombs and mausoleums of +the dead and wails and hovers about at the time that the rest of animated +nature sleeps; certainly the savage may imagine that the ants, whose sting +causes a fever, and the teeth of the labarri and counacouchi snakes, which +convey death in a very short space of time, are essentially necessary in +the composition of his poison; and being once impressed with this idea, he +will add them every time he makes the poison and transmit the absolute use +of them to his posterity. The question to be answered seems not to be if it +is natural for the Indians to mix these ingredients, but if they are +essential to make the poison. +</p> + +<p> +So much for the preparing of this vegetable essence: terrible importer of +death, into whatever animal it enters. Let us now see how it is used; let +us examine the weapons which bear it to its destination, and take a view of +the poor victim from the time he receives his wound till death comes to his +relief. +</p> + +<p> +When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of feathered game or other birds +he seldom carries his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he then uses. +This extraordinary tube of death is, perhaps, one of the greatest natural +curiosities of Guiana. It is not found in the country of the Macoushi. +Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south-west of them, in the +wilds which extend betwixt them and the Rio Negro. The reed must grow to an +amazing length, as the part the Indians use is from ten to eleven feet +long, and no tapering can be perceived in it, one end being as thick as the +other. It is of a bright yellow colour, perfectly smooth both inside and +out. It grows hollow, nor is there the least appearance of a knot or joint +throughout the whole extent. The natives call it ourah. This of itself is +too slender to answer the end of a blow-pipe, but there is a species of +palma, larger and stronger, and common in Guiana, and this the Indians make +use of as a case in which they put the ourah. It is brown, susceptible of a +fine polish, and appears as if it had joints five or six inches from each +other. It is called samourah, and the pulp inside is easily extracted by +steeping it for a few days in water. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the other, form the blow-pipe of +Guiana. The end which is applied to the mouth is tied round with a small +silk-grass cord to prevent its splitting, and the other end, which is apt +to strike against the ground, is secured by the seed of the acuero fruit +cut horizontally through the middle, with a hole made in the end through +which is put the extremity of the blow-pipe. It is fastened on with string +on the outside, and the inside is filled up with wild-bees' wax. +</p> + +<p> +The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It is made out of the leaf of a +species of palm-tree called coucourite, hard and brittle, and pointed as +sharp as a needle. About an inch of the pointed end is poisoned. The other +end is burnt to make it still harder, and wild cotton is put round it for +about an inch and a half. It requires considerable practice to put on this +cotton well. It must just be large enough to fit the hollow of the tube and +taper off to nothing downwards. They tie it on with a thread of the silk- +grass to prevent its slipping off the arrow. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians have shown ingenuity in making a quiver to hold the arrows. It +will contain from five to six hundred. It is generally from twelve to +fourteen inches long, and in shape resembles a dice-box used at backgammon. +The inside is prettily done in basket-work with wood not unlike bamboo, and +the outside has a coat of wax. The cover is all of one piece formed out of +the skin of the tapir. Round the centre there is fastened a loop large +enough to admit the arm and shoulder, from which it hangs when used. To the +rim is tied a little bunch of silk-grass and half of the jaw-bone of the +fish called pirai, with which the Indian scrapes the point of his arrow. +</p> + +<p> +Before he puts the arrows into the quiver he links them together by two +strings of cotton, one string at each end, and then folds them round a +stick which is nearly the length of the quiver. The end of the stick, which +is uppermost, is guarded by two little pieces of wood crosswise, with a +hoop round their extremities, which appears something like a wheel, and +this saves the hand from being wounded when the quiver is reversed in order +to let the bunch of arrows drop out. +</p> + +<p> +There is also attached to the quiver a little kind of basket to hold the +wild cotton which is put on the blunt end of the arrow. With a quiver of +poisoned arrows slung over his shoulder, and with his blow-pipe in his +hand, in the same position as a soldier carries his musket, see the +Macoushi Indian advancing towards the forest in quest of powises, maroudis, +waracabas and other feathered game. +</p> + +<p> +These generally sit high up in the tall and tufted trees, but still are not +out of the Indian's reach, for his blow-pipe, at its greatest elevation, +will send an arrow three hundred feet. Silent as midnight he steals under +them, and so cautiously does he tread the ground that the fallen leaves +rustle not beneath his feet. His ears are open to the least sound, while +his eye, keen as that of the lynx, is employed in finding out the game in +the thickest shade. Often he imitates their cry, and decoys them from tree +to tree, till they are within range of his tube. Then taking a poisoned +arrow from his quiver, he puts it in the blow-pipe and collects his breath +for the fatal puff. +</p> + +<p> +About two feet from the end through which he blows there are fastened two +teeth of the acouri, and these serve him for a sight. Silent and swift the +arrow flies, and seldom fails to pierce the object at which it is sent. +Sometimes the wounded bird remains in the same tree where it was shot, and +in three minutes falls down at the Indian's feet. Should he take wing his +flight is of short duration, and the Indian, following the direction he has +gone, is sure to find him dead. +</p> + +<p> +It is natural to imagine that when a slight wound only is inflicted the +game will make its escape. Far otherwise; the wourali poison almost +instantaneously mixes with blood or water, so that if you wet your finger +and dash it along the poisoned arrow in the quickest manner possible you +are sure to carry off some of the poison. Though three minutes generally +elapse before the convulsions come on in the wounded bird, still a stupor +evidently takes place sooner, and this stupor manifests itself by an +apparent unwillingness in the bird to move. This was very visible in a +dying fowl. +</p> + +<p> +Having procured a healthy full-grown one, a short piece of a poisoned blow- +pipe arrow was broken off and run up into its thigh, as near as possible +betwixt the skin and the flesh, in order that it might not be incommoded by +the wound. For the first minute it walked about, but walked very slowly, +and did not appear the least agitated. During the second minute it stood +still, and began to peck the ground; and ere half another had elapsed it +frequently opened and shut its mouth. The tail had now dropped and the +wings almost touched the ground. By the termination of the third minute it +had sat down, scarce able to support its head, which nodded, and then +recovered itself, and then nodded again, lower and lower every time, like +that of a weary traveller slumbering in an erect position; the eyes +alternately open and shut. The fourth minute brought on convulsions, and +life and the fifth terminated together. +</p> + +<p> +The flesh of the game is not in the least injured by the poison, nor does +it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife. The body +of this fowl was kept for sixteen hours in a climate damp and rainy, and +within seven degrees of the equator, at the end of which time it had +contracted no bad smell whatever and there were no symptoms of +putrefaction, saving that just round the wound the flesh appeared somewhat +discoloured. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends his blow-pipe from the +top of his spiral roof, seldom placing it in an oblique position, lest it +should receive a cast. +</p> + +<p> +Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended while you take a view of the arms +which are made to slay the larger beasts of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or surprise the deer, or +rouse the tapir from his marshy retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, +which are very different from the weapons already described. +</p> + +<p> +The bow is generally from six to seven feet long and strung with a cord +spun out of the silk-grass. The forests of Guiana furnish many species of +hard wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and excellent bows are +formed. +</p> + +<p> +The arrows are from four to five feet in length, made of a yellow reed +without a knot or joint. It is found in great plenty up and down throughout +Guiana. A piece of hard wood about nine inches long is inserted into the +end of the reed, and fastened with cotton well waxed. A square hole an inch +deep is then made in the end of this piece of hard wood, done tight round +with cotton to keep it from splitting. Into this square hole is fitted a +spike of coucourite-wood, poisoned, and which may be kept there or taken +out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo, about as thick as your finger, is +fitted on over the poisoned spike to prevent accidents and defend it from +the rain, and is taken off when the arrow is about to be used. Lastly, two +feathers are fastened the other end of the reed to steady it in its flight. +</p> + +<p> +Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a little box made of bamboo +which holds a dozen or fifteen poisoned spikes six inches long. They are +poisoned in the following manner: a small piece of wood is dipped in the +poison, and with this they give the spike a first coat. It is then exposed +to the sun or fire. After it is dry it receives another coat, and then +dried again; after this a third coat, and sometimes a fourth. +</p> + +<p> +They take great care to put the poison on thicker at the middle than at the +sides, by which means the spike retains the shape of a two-edged sword. It +is rather a tedious operation to make one of these arrows complete, and as +the Indian is not famed for industry, except when pressed by hunger, he has +hit upon a plan of preserving his arrows which deserves notice. +</p> + +<p> +About a quarter of an inch above the part where the coucourite spike is +fixed into the square hole he cuts it half through, and thus, when it has +entered the animal, the weight of the arrow causes it to break off there, +by which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured, so that, should +this be the only arrow he happens to have with him and should another shot +immediately occur, he has only to take another poisoned spike out of his +little bamboo box, fit it on its arrow, and send it to its destination. +</p> + +<p> +Thus armed with deadly poison, and hungry as the hyæna, he ranges through +the forest in quest of the wild-beasts' track. No hound can act a surer +part. Without clothes to fetter him or shoes to bind his feet, he observes +the footsteps of the game where an European eye could not discern the +smallest vestige. He pursues it through all its turns and windings with +astonishing perseverance, and success generally crowns his efforts. The +animal, after receiving the poisoned arrow, seldom retreats two hundred +paces before it drops. +</p> + +<p> +In passing over-land from the Essequibo to the Demerara we fell in with a +herd of wild hogs. Though encumbered with baggage and fatigued with a hard +day's walk, an Indian got his bow ready and let fly a poisoned arrow at one +of them. It entered the cheek-bone and broke off. The wild hog was found +quite dead about one hundred and seventy paces from the place where he had +been shot. He afforded us an excellent and wholesome supper. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the savage of Guiana, independent of the common weapons of +destruction, has it in his power to prepare a poison by which he can +generally ensure to himself a supply of animal food: and the food so +destroyed imbibes no deleterious qualities. Nature has been bountiful to +him. She has not only ordered poisonous herbs and roots to grow in the +unbounded forests through which he strays, but has also furnished an +excellent reed for his arrows, and another still more singular for his +blow-pipe, and planted trees of an amazing hard, tough and elastic texture +out of which he forms his bows. And in order that nothing might be wanting, +she has superadded a tree which yields him a fine wax and disseminated up +and down a plant not unlike that of the pine-apple which affords him +capital bow-strings. +</p> + +<p> +Having now followed the Indian in the chase and described the poison, let +us take a nearer view of its action and observe a large animal expiring +under the weight of its baneful virulence. +</p> + +<p> +Many have doubted the strength of the wourali poison. Should they ever by +chance read what follows, probably their doubts on that score will be +settled for ever. +</p> + +<p> +In the former experiment on the dog some faint resistance on the part of +Nature was observed, as if existence struggled for superiority, but in the +following instance of the sloth life sunk in death without the least +apparent contention, without a cry, without a struggle and without a groan. +This was an ai, or three-toed sloth. It was in the possession of a +gentleman who was collecting curiosities. He wished to have it killed in +order to preserve the skin, and the wourali poison was resorted to as the +easiest death. +</p> + +<p> +Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor ill- +formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after it has +received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal, and it may be +said, on seeing a mortally-wounded sloth, that life disputes with death +every inch of flesh in its body. +</p> + +<p> +The ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor about two feet +from the table; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and fastened +itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last advancing +step: life was ebbing fast though imperceptibly, nor could this singular +production of Nature, which has been formed of a texture to resist death in +a thousand shapes, make any stand against the wourali poison. +</p> + +<p> +First one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its +side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost their +strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body and placed its head betwixt its +hind-legs, which still adhered to the table; but when the poison had +affected these also it sunk to the ground, but sunk so gently that you +could not distinguish the movement from an ordinary motion, and had you +been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned arrow you would never +have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was shut, nor had any froth or +saliva collected there. +</p> + +<p> +There was no <i>subsultus tendinum</i> or any visible alteration in its +breathing. During the tenth minute from the time it was wounded it stirred, +and that was all; and the minute after life's last spark went out. From the +time the poison began to operate you would have conjectured that sleep was +overpowering it, and you would have exclaimed: "Pressitque jacentem, dulcis +et alta quies, placidæque simillima morti." +</p> + +<p> +There are now two positive proofs of the effect of this fatal poison: viz. +the death of the dog and that of the sloth. But still these animals were +nothing remarkable for size, and the strength of the poison in large +animals might yet be doubted were it not for what follows. +</p> + +<p> +A large well-fed ox, from nine hundred to a thousand pounds weight, was +tied to a stake by a rope sufficiently strong to allow him to move to and +fro. Having no large coucourite spikes at hand, it was judged necessary, on +account of his superior size, to put three wild-hog arrows into him: one +was sent into each thigh just above the hock in order to avoid wounding a +vital part, and the third was shot traversely into the extremity of the +nostril. +</p> + +<p> +The poison seemed to take effect in four minutes. Conscious as though he +would fall, the ox set himself firmly on his legs and remained quite still +in the same place till about the fourteenth minute, when he smelled the +ground and appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a pace or two, +staggered and fell, and remained extended on his side, with his head on the +ground. His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and lively, now became fixed +and dim, and though you put your hand close to it, as if to give him a blow +there, he never closed his eyelid. +</p> + +<p> +His legs were convulsed and his head from time to time started +involuntarily, but he never showed the least desire to raise it from the +ground. He breathed hard and emitted foam from his mouth. The startings, or +<i>subsultus tendinum</i>, now became gradually weaker and weaker; his +hinder parts were fixed in death, and in a minute or two more his head and +fore-legs ceased to stir. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing now remained to show that life was still within him except that his +heart faintly beat and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty minutes +from the time of his being wounded he was quite dead. His flesh was very +sweet and savoury at dinner. +</p> + +<p> +On taking a retrospective view of the two different kinds of poisoned +arrows, and the animals destroyed by them, it would appear that the +quantity of poison must be proportioned to the animal, and thus those +probably labour under an error who imagine that the smallest particle of it +introduced into the blood has almost instantaneous effects. +</p> + +<p> +Make an estimate of the difference in size betwixt the fowl and the ox, and +then weigh a sufficient quantity of poison for a blow-pipe arrow, with +which the fowl was killed, and weigh also enough poison for three wild-hog +arrows, which destroyed the ox, and it will appear that the fowl received +much more poison in proportion than the ox. Hence the cause why the fowl +died in five minutes and the ox in five and twenty. +</p> + +<p> +Indeed, were it the case that the smallest particle of it introduced into +the blood has almost instantaneous effects, the Indian would not find it +necessary to make the large arrow: that of the blow-pipe is much easier +made and requires less poison. +</p> + +<p> +And now for the antidotes, or rather the supposed antidotes. The Indians +tell you, that if the wounded animal be held for a considerable time up to +the mouth in water the poison will not prove fatal; also that the juice of +the sugar-cane poured down the throat will counteract the effects of it. +These antidotes were fairly tried upon full-grown healthy fowls, but they +all died, as though no steps had been taken to preserve their lives. Rum +was recommended, and given to another, but with as little success. +</p> + +<p> +It is supposed by some that wind introduced into the lungs by means of a +small pair of bellows would revive the poisoned patient, provided the +operation be continued for a sufficient length of time. It may be so; but +this is a difficult and a tedious mode of cure, and he who is wounded in +the forest, far away from his friends, or in the hut of the savages, stands +but a poor chance of being saved by it. +</p> + +<p> +Had the Indians a sure antidote, it is likely they would carry it about +with them or resort to it immediately after being wounded, if at hand; and +their confidence in its efficacy would greatly diminish the horror they +betray when you point a poisoned arrow at them. +</p> + +<p> +One day, while we were eating a red monkey erroneously called the baboon, +in Demerara, an Arowack Indian told an affecting story of what happened to +a comrade of his. He was present at his death. As it did not interest this +Indian in any point to tell a falsehood, it is very probable that his +account was a true one. If so, it appears that there is no certain +antidote, or at least an antidote that could be resorted to in a case of +urgent need, for the Indian gave up all thoughts of life as soon as he was +wounded. +</p> + +<p> +The Arowack Indian said it was but four years ago that he and his companion +were ranging in the forest in quest of game. His companion took a poisoned +arrow and sent it at a red monkey in a tree above him. It was nearly a +perpendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in the descent struck +him in the arm a little above the elbow. He was convinced it was all over +with him. "I shall never," said he to his companion, in a faltering voice, +and looking at his bow as he said it, "I shall never," said he, "bend this +bow again." And having said that, he took off his little bamboo poison-box, +which hung across his shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and +arrows on the ground, he laid himself down close by them, bid his companion +farewell, and never spoke more. +</p> + +<p> +He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded by a poisoned arrow from +Macoushia had better not depend upon the common antidotes for a cure. Many +who have been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in water, or to +take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth full of salt; and +they recommend these antidotes because they have got them from the Indians. +But were you to ask them if they ever saw these antidotes used with +success, it is ten to one their answer would be in the negative. + +Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable and of no avail. +He has got an active and deadly foe within him which, like Shakespeare's +fell Serjeant Death, is strict in his arrest, and will allow him but little +time--very, very little time. In a few minutes he will be numbered with the +dead. Life ought, if possible, to be preserved, be the expense ever so +great. Should the part affected admit of it, let a ligature be tied tight +round the wound, and have immediate recourse to the knife: + + Continuo, culpam ferro compesce, priusquam + Dira per infaustum serpant contagia corpus. +</p> + +<p> +And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. The two ends +proposed have been obtained. The Portuguese inland frontier-fort has been +reached and the Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of this +excursion through the interior of Guiana has been submitted to thy perusal +in order to induce thy abler genius to undertake a more extensive one. If +any difficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they have been caused by +the periodical rains which fall in torrents as the sun approaches the +Tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there would be no difficulties or +sickness. +</p> + +<p> +Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou wouldest be able to +draw during the journey there is one which, perhaps, would please thee not +a little, and that is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no doubt, thou hast +heard it hotly disputed that dogs existed in Guiana previously to the +arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. Whatever the Spaniards introduced, +and which bore no resemblance to anything the Indians had been accustomed +to see, retains its Spanish name to this day. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Macoushi and Carib tribes call +a hat _sombrero_; a shirt or any kind of cloth _camisa_; a shoe _zapalo_; a +letter _carta_; a fowl _gallina_; gunpowder _colvora_ (Spanish _polvora_); +ammunition _bala_; a cow _vaca_; and a dog _perro_. +</p> + +<p> +This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in Guiana before it was +discovered by the Spaniards, and probably may be of use to thee in thy next +canine dispute. +</p> + +<p> +In a political point of view this country presents a large field for +speculation. A few years ago there was but little inducement for any +Englishman to explore the interior of these rich and fine colonies, as the +British Government did not consider them worth holding at the Peace of +Amiens. Since that period their mother-country has been blotted out from +the list of nations, and America has unfolded a new sheet of politics. On +one side the Crown of Braganza, attacked by an ambitious chieftain, has +fled from the palace of its ancestors, and now seems fixed on the banks of +the Janeiro. Cayenne has yielded to its arms, La Plata has raised the +standard of independence and thinks itself sufficiently strong to obtain a +Government of its own. On the other side the Caraccas are in open revolt, +and should Santa Fé join them in good earnest they may form a powerful +association. +</p> + +<p> +Thus on each side of <i>ci-devant</i> Dutch Guiana most unexpected and +astonishing changes have taken place. Will they raise or lower it in the +scale of estimation at the Court of St. James's? Will they be of benefit to +these grand and extensive colonies? Colonies enjoying perpetual summer. +Colonies of the richest soil. Colonies containing within themselves +everything necessary for their support. Colonies, in fine, so varied in +their quality and situation as to be capable of bringing to perfection +every tropical production, and only want the support of Government, and an +enlightened governor, to render them as fine as the finest portions of the +equatorial regions. Kind reader, fare thee well! +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +<i>Letter to the Portuguese Commander</i> +</p> + +<p> +MUY SEÑOR, +</p> + +<p> +Como no tengo el honor, de ser conocido de VM. lo pienso mejor, y mas +decoroso, quedarme aqui, hastaque huviere recibido su respuesta. Haviendo +caminado hasta la choza, adonde estoi, no quisiere volverme, antes de haver +visto la fortaleza de los Portugueses; y pido licencia de VM. para que me +adelante. Honradissimos son mis motivos, ni tengo proyecto ninguno, o de +comercio, o de la soldadesca, no siendo yo, o comerciante, o oficial. +Hidalgo catolico soy, de hacienda in Ynglatierra, y muchos años de mi vida +he pasado en caminar. Ultimamente, de Demeraria vengo, la quai dexé el 5 +dia de Abril, para ver este hermoso pais, y coger unas curiosidades, +especialmente, el veneno, que se llama wourali. Las mas recentes noticias +que tenian en Demeraria, antes di mi salida, eran medias tristes, medias +alegres. Tristes digo, viendo que Valencia ha caido en poder del enemigo +comun, y el General Blake, y sus valientes tropas quedan prisioneros de +guerra. Alegres, al contrario, porque Milord Wellington se ha apoderado de +Ciudad Rodrigo. A pesar de la caida de Valencia, parece claro al mundo, que +las cosas del enemigo, estan andando, de pejor a pejor cada dia. Nosotros +debemos dar gracias al Altissimo, por haver sido servido dexarnos castigar +ultimamente, a los robadores, de sus santas Yglesias. Se vera VM. que yo no +escribo Portugues ni aun lo hablo, pero, haviendo aprendido el Castellano, +no nos faltará medio de communicar y tener conversacion. Ruego se escuse +esta carta escrita sin tinta, porque un Indio dexo caer mi tintero y +quebrose. Dios le dé a VM. muchos años de salud. Entretanto, tengo el honor +de ser +</p> + +<p> +Su mas obedeciente servidor, +</p> + +<p> +CARLOS WATERTON. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="ii">REMARKS</a></h2> + +<p class="ind"> + Incertus, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur. +</p> + +<p> +Kind and gentle reader, if the journey in quest of the wourali poison has +engaged thy attention, probably thou mayest recollect that the traveller +took leave of thee at Fort St. Joachim, on the Rio Branco. Shouldest thou +wish to know what befell him afterwards, excuse the following uninteresting +narrative. +</p> + +<p> +Having had a return of fever, and aware that the farther he advanced into +these wild and lonely regions the less would be the chance of regaining his +health, he gave up all idea of proceeding onwards, and went slowly back +towards the Demerara, nearly by the same route he had come. +</p> + +<p> +On descending the falls in the Essequibo, which form an oblique line quite +across the river, it was resolved to push through them, the downward stream +being in the canoe's favour. At a little distance from the place a large +tree had fallen into the river, and in the meantime the canoe was lashed to +one of its branches. +</p> + +<p> +The roaring of the water was dreadful: it foamed and dashed over the rocks +with a tremendous spray, like breakers on a lee-shore, threatening +destruction to whatever approached it. You would have thought, by the +confusion it caused in the river and the whirlpools it made, that Scylla +and Charybdis, and their whole progeny, had left the Mediterranean and come +and settled here. The channel was barely twelve feet wide, and the torrent +in rushing down formed traverse furrows which showed how near the rocks +were to the surface. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing could surpass the skill of the Indian who steered the canoe. He +looked steadfastly at it, then at the rocks, then cast an eye on the +channel, and then looked at the canoe again. It was in vain to speak. The +sound was lost in the roar of waters, but his eye showed that he had +already passed it in imagination. He held up his paddle in a position as +much as to say that he would keep exactly amid channel, and then made a +sign to cut the bush-rope that held the canoe to the fallen tree. The canoe +drove down the torrent with inconceivable rapidity. It did not touch the +rocks once all the way. The Indian proved to a nicety: "medio tutissimus +ibis." +</p> + +<p> +Shortly after this it rained almost day and night, the lightning flashing +incessantly and the roar of thunder awful beyond expression. +</p> + +<p> +The fever returned, and pressed so heavy on him that to all appearance his +last day's march was over. However, it abated, his spirits rallied, and he +marched again; and after delays and inconveniences he reached the house of +his worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek, which falls into the +Demerara. No words of his can do justice to the hospitality of that +gentleman, whose repeated encounters with the hostile negroes in the forest +have been publicly rewarded and will be remembered in the colony for years +to come. +</p> + +<p> +Here he learned that an eruption had taken place in St. Vincent's, and thus +the noise heard in the night of the first of May, which had caused such +terror amongst the Indians and made the garrison at Fort St. Joachim remain +under arms the rest of the night, is accounted for. +</p> + +<p> +After experiencing every kindness and attention from Mr. Edmonstone he +sailed for Granada, and from thence to St. Thomas's, a few days before poor +Captain Peake lost his life on his own quarter-deck bravely fighting for +his country on the coast of Guiana. +</p> + +<p> +At St. Thomas's they show you a tower, a little distance from the town, +which they say formerly belonged to a bucanier chieftain. Probably the fury +of besiegers has reduced it to its present dismantled state. What still +remains of it bears testimony of its former strength and may brave the +attack of time for centuries. You cannot view its ruins without calling to +mind the exploits of those fierce and hardy hunters, long the terror of the +Western world. While you admire their undaunted courage, you lament that it +was often stained with cruelty; while you extol their scrupulous justice to +each other, you will find a want of it towards the rest of mankind. Often +possessed of enormous wealth, often in extreme poverty, often triumphant on +the ocean and often forced to fly to the forests, their life was an ever- +changing scene of advance and retreat, of glory and disorder, of luxury and +famine. Spain treated them as outlaws and pirates, while other European +powers publicly disowned them. They, on the other hand, maintained that +injustice on the part of Spain first forced them to take up arms in self- +defence, and that, whilst they kept inviolable the laws which they had +framed for their own common benefit and protection, they had a right to +consider as foes those who treated them as outlaws. Under this impression +they drew the sword and rushed on as though in lawful war, and divided the +spoils of victory in the scale of justice. +</p> + +<p> +After leaving St. Thomas's, a severe tertian ague every now and then kept +putting the traveller in mind that his shattered frame, "starting and +shivering in the inconstant blast, meagre and pale, the ghost of what it +was," wanted repairs. Three years elapsed after arriving in England before +the ague took its final leave of him. +</p> + +<p> +During that time, several experiments were made with the wourali poison. In +London an ass was inoculated with it and died in twelve minutes. The poison +was inserted into the leg of another, round which a bandage had been +previously tied a little above the place where the wourali was introduced. +He walked about as usual and ate his food as though all were right. After +an hour had elapsed the bandage was untied, and ten minutes after death +overtook him. +</p> + +<p> +A she-ass received the wourali poison in the shoulder, and died apparently +in ten minutes. An incision was then made in its windpipe and through it +the lungs were regularly inflated for two hours with a pair of bellows. +Suspended animation returned. The ass held up her head and looked around, +but the inflating being discontinued she sunk once more in apparent death. +The artificial breathing was immediately recommenced, and continued without +intermission for two hours more. This saved the ass from final dissolution: +she rose up and walked about; she seemed neither in agitation nor in pain. +The wound through which the poison entered was healed without difficulty. +Her constitution, however, was so severely affected that it was long a +doubt if ever she would be well again. She looked lean and sickly for above +a year, but began to mend the spring after, and by midsummer became fat and +frisky. +</p> + +<p> +The kind-hearted reader will rejoice on learning that Earl Percy, pitying +her misfortunes, sent her down from London to Walton Hall, near Wakefield. +There she goes by the name of Wouralia. Wouralia shall be sheltered from +the wintry storm; and when summer comes she shall feed in the finest +pasture. No burden shall be placed upon her, and she shall end her days in +peace. +</p> + +<p> +For three revolving autumns, the ague-beaten wanderer never saw without a +sigh the swallow bend her flight towards warmer regions. He wished to go +too, but could not for sickness had enfeebled him, and prudence pointed out +the folly of roving again too soon across the northern tropic. To be sure, +the Continent was now open, and change of air might prove beneficial, but +there was nothing very tempting in a trip across the Channel, and as for a +tour through England!--England has long ceased to be the land for +adventures. Indeed, when good King Arthur reappears to claim his crown, he +will find things strangely altered here; and may we not look for his +coming? for there is written upon his gravestone: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Hic jacet Arturus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Here Arthur lies, who formerly<br> + Was king--and king again to be. +</p> + +<p> +Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous king did not die, but +that he was changed into a raven by enchantment and that the English are +momentarily expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is certain that +when he reigned here all was harmony and joy. The browsing herds passed +from vale to vale, the swains sang from the bluebell-teeming groves, and +nymphs, with eglantine and roses in their neatly-braided hair, went hand in +hand to the flowery mead to weave garlands for their lambkins. If by chance +some rude, uncivil fellow dared to molest them, or attempted to throw +thorns in their path, there was sure to be a knight-errant not far off +ready to rush forward in their defence. But alas! in these degenerate days +it is not so. Should a harmless cottage-maid wander out of the highway to +pluck a primrose or two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner +sternly bids her retire; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort her back, +he is perhaps seized by the gaunt house-dog ere he reach her! +</p> + +<p> +Æneas's route on the other side of Styx could not have been much worse than +this, though, by his account, when he got back to earth, it appears that he +had fallen in with "Bellua Lernæ, horrendum stridens, flammisque, armata +Chimæra." +</p> + +<p> +Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps; and as such a conductress +nowadays could not be got for love or money, it was judged most prudent to +refrain from sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with +patience the return of health. At last this long-looked-for, ever-welcome +stranger came. +</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2><a name="iii">SECOND JOURNEY</a></h2> + +<p> +In the year 1816, two days before the vernal equinox, I sailed from +Liverpool for Pernambuco, in the southern hemisphere, on the coast of +Brazil. There is little at this time of the year, in the European part of +the Atlantic, to engage the attention of the naturalist. As you go down the +Channel you see a few divers and gannets. The middle-sized gulls, with a +black spot at the end of the wings, attend you a little way into the Bay of +Biscay. When it blows a hard gale of wind the stormy petrel makes its +appearance. While the sea runs mountains high, and every wave threatens +destruction to the labouring vessel, this little harbinger of storms is +seen enjoying itself, on rapid pinion, up and down the roaring billows. +When the storm is over it appears no more. It is known to every English +sailor by the name of Mother Carey's chicken. It must have been hatched in +Æolus's cave, amongst a clutch of squalls and tempests, for whenever they +get out upon the ocean it always contrives to be of the party. +</p> + +<p> +Though the calms and storms and adverse winds in these latitudes are +vexatious, still, when you reach the trade-winds, you are amply repaid for +all disappointments and inconveniences. The trade-winds prevail about +thirty degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the ocean may be +called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's empire; and the torrid zone, +notwithstanding Ovid's remark, "non est habitabilis æstu," is rendered +healthy and pleasant by these gently-blowing breezes. The ship glides +smoothly on, and you soon find yourself within the northern tropic. When +you are on it Cancer is just over your head, and betwixt him and Capricorn +is the high-road of the Zodiac, forty-seven degrees wide, famous for +Phaeton's misadventure. His father begged and entreated him not to take it +into his head to drive parallel to the five zones, but to mind and keep on +the turnpike which runs obliquely across the equator. "There you will +distinctly see," said he, "the ruts of my chariot wheels, 'manifesta rotæ +vestigia cernes.'" "But," added he, "even suppose you keep on it, and avoid +the by-roads, nevertheless, my dear boy, believe me, you will be most sadly +put to your shifts; 'ardua prima via est,' the first part of the road is +confoundedly steep! 'ultima via prona est,' and after that, it is all down- +hill! Moreover, 'per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,' the road is +full of nooses and bull-dogs, 'Hæmoniosque arcus,' and spring guns, +'sævaque circuitu, curvantem brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of +uncommon size and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton; go he +would, so off he set, full speed, four in hand. He had a tough drive of it, +and after doing a prodigious deal of mischief, very luckily for the world +he got thrown out of the box, and tumbled into the River Po. +</p> + +<p> +Some of our modern bloods have been shallow enough to try to ape this poor +empty-headed coachman on a little scale, making London their Zodiac. Well +for them if tradesmen's bills and other trivial perplexities have not +caused them to be thrown into the King's Bench. +</p> + +<p> +The productions of the torrid zone are uncommonly grand. Its plains, its +swamps, its savannas and forests abound with the largest serpents and wild +beasts; and its trees are the habitation of the most beautiful of the +feathered race. While the traveller in the Old World is astonished at the +elephant, the tiger, the lion and rhinoceros, he who wanders through the +torrid regions of the New is lost in admiration at the cotingas, the +toucans, the humming-birds and aras. +</p> + +<p> +The ocean likewise swarms with curiosities. Probably the flying-fish may be +considered as one of the most singular. This little scaled inhabitant of +water and air seems to have been more favoured than the rest of its finny +brethren. It can rise out of the waves and on wing visit the domain of the +birds. +</p> + +<p> +After flying two or three hundred yards, the intense heat of the sun has +dried its pellucid wings, and it is obliged to wet them in order to +continue its flight. It just drops into the ocean for a moment, and then +rises again and flies on; and then descends to remoisten them, and then up +again into the air; thus passing its life, sometimes wet, sometimes dry, +sometimes in sunshine, and sometimes in the pale moon's nightly beam, as +pleasure dictates or as need requires. The additional assistance of wings +is not thrown away upon it. It has full occupation both for fins and wings, +as its life is in perpetual danger. +</p> + +<p> +The bonito and albicore chase it day and night, but the dolphin is its +worst and swiftest foe. If it escape into the air, the dolphin pushes on +with proportional velocity beneath, and is ready to snap it up the moment +it descends to wet its wings. +</p> + +<p> +You will often see above one hundred of these little marine aerial +fugitives on the wing at once. They appear to use every exertion to prolong +their flight, but vain are all their efforts, for when the last drop of +water on their wings is dried up their flight is at an end, and they must +drop into the ocean. Some are instantly devoured by their merciless +pursuer, part escape by swimming, and others get out again as quick as +possible, and trust once more to their wings. +</p> + +<p> +It often happens that this unfortunate little creature, after alternate +dips and flights, finding all its exertions of no avail, at last drops on +board the vessel, verifying the old remark: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. +</p> + +<p> +There, stunned by the fall, it beats the deck with its tail and dies. When +eating it you would take it for a fresh herring. The largest measure from +fourteen to fifteen inches in length. The dolphin, after pursuing it to the +ship, sometimes forfeits his own life. +</p> + +<p> +In days of yore the musician used to play in softest, sweetest strain, and +then take an airing amongst the dolphins: "inter delphinas Arion." But +nowadays our tars have quite capsized the custom, and instead of riding +ashore on the dolphin, they invite the dolphin aboard. While he is darting +and playing around the vessel a sailor goes out to the spritsail yard-arm, +and with a long staff, leaded at one end, and armed at the other with five +barbed spikes, he heaves it at him. If successful in his aim there is a +fresh mess for all hands. The dying dolphin affords a superb and brilliant +sight: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Mille trahit moriens, adverse sole colores. +</p> + +<p> +All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in rapid succession over his +body, till the dark hand of death closes the scene. +</p> + +<p> +From the Cape de Verd Islands to the coast of Brazil you see several +different kinds of gulls, which, probably, are bred in the Island of St. +Paul. Sometimes the large bird called the frigate pelican soars +majestically over the vessel, and the tropic bird comes near enough to let +you have a fair view of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, when it +is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their appearance. They are +descried from the ship by means of the dorsal fin, which is above the +water. +</p> + +<p> +On entering the Bay of Pernambuco, the frigate pelican is seen watching the +shoals of fish from a prodigious height. It seldom descends without a +successful attack on its numerous prey below. +</p> + +<p> +As you approach the shore the view is charming. The hills are clothed with +wood, gradually rising towards the interior, none of them of any +considerable height. A singular reef of rocks runs parallel to the coast +and forms the harbour of Pernambuco. The vessels are moored betwixt it and +the town, safe from every storm. You enter the harbour through a very +narrow passage, close by a fort built on the reef. The hill of Olinda, +studded with houses and convents, is on your right-hand, and an island +thickly planted with cocoa-nut trees adds considerably to the scene on your +left. There are two strong forts on the isthmus betwixt Olinda and +Pernambuco, and a pillar midway to aid the pilot. +</p> + +<p> +Pernambuco probably contains upwards of fifty thousand souls. It stands on +a flat, and is divided into three parts: a peninsula, an island and the +continent. Though within a few degrees of the line, its climate is +remarkably salubrious and rendered almost temperate by the refreshing sea- +breeze. Had art and judgment contributed their portion to its natural +advantages, Pernambuco at this day would have been a stately ornament to +the coast of Brazil. On viewing it, it will strike you that everyone has +built his house entirely for himself, and deprived public convenience of +the little claim she had a right to put in. You would wish that this city, +so famous for its harbour, so happy in its climate and so well situated for +commerce, could have risen under the flag of Dido, in lieu of that of +Braganza. +</p> + +<p> +As you walk down the streets the appearance of the houses is not much in +their favour. Some of them are very high, and some very low; some newly +whitewashed, and others stained and mouldy and neglected, as though they +had no owner. +</p> + +<p> +The balconies, too, are of a dark and gloomy appearance. They are not, in +general, open as in most tropical cities, but grated like a farmer's dairy- +window, though somewhat closer. +</p> + +<p> +There is a lamentable want of cleanliness in the streets. The impurities +from the houses and the accumulation of litter from the beasts of burden +are unpleasant sights to the passing stranger. He laments the want of a +police as he goes along, and when the wind begins to blow his nose and eyes +are too often exposed to a cloud of very unsavoury dust. +</p> + +<p> +When you view the port of Pernambuco, full of ships of all nations; when +you know that the richest commodities of Europe, Africa and Asia are +brought to it; when you see immense quantities of cotton, dye-wood and the +choicest fruits pouring into the town, you are apt to wonder at the little +attention these people pay to the common comforts which one always expects +to find in a large and opulent city. However, if the inhabitants are +satisfied, there is nothing more to be said. Should they ever be convinced +that inconveniences exist, and that nuisances are too frequent, the remedy +is in their own hands. At present, certainly, they seem perfectly +regardless of them; and the Captain-General of Pernambuco walks through the +streets with as apparent content and composure as an English statesman +would proceed down Charing Cross. Custom reconciles everything. In a week +or two the stranger himself begins to feel less the things which annoyed +him so much upon his first arrival, and after a few months' residence he +thinks no more about them, while he is partaking of the hospitality and +enjoying the elegance and splendour within doors in this great city. +</p> + +<p> +Close by the river-side stands what is called the palace of the Captain- +General of Pernambuco. Its form and appearance altogether strike the +traveller that it was never intended for the use it is at present put to. +</p> + +<p> +Reader, throw a veil over thy recollection for a little while, and forget +the cruel, unjust and unmerited censures thou hast heard against an +unoffending order. This palace was once the Jesuits' college, and +originally built by those charitable fathers. Ask the aged and respectable +inhabitants of Pernambuco, and they will tell thee that the destruction of +the Society of Jesus was a terrible disaster to the public, and its +consequences severely felt to the present day. +</p> + +<p> +When Pombal took the reins of power into his own hands, virtue and learning +beamed bright within the college walls. Public catechism to the children, +and religious instruction to all, flowed daily from the mouths of its +venerable priests. +</p> + +<p> +They were loved, revered and respected throughout the whole town. The +illuminating philosophers of the day had sworn to exterminate Christian +knowledge, and the college of Pernambuco was doomed to founder in the +general storm. To the long-lasting sorrow and disgrace of Portugal, the +philosophers blinded her king and flattered her prime minister. Pombal was +exactly the tool these sappers of every public and private virtue wanted. +He had the naked sword of power in his own hand, and his heart was hard as +flint. He struck a mortal blow and the Society of Jesus, throughout the +Portuguese dominions, was no more. +</p> + +<p> +One morning all the fathers of the college in Pernambuco, some of them very +old and feeble, were suddenly ordered into the refectory. They had notice +beforehand of the fatal storm, in pity, from the governor, but not one of +them abandoned his charge. They had done their duty and had nothing to +fear. They bowed with resignation to the will of Heaven. As soon as they +had all reached the refectory they were there locked up, and never more did +they see their rooms, their friends, their scholars, or acquaintance. In +the dead of the following night a strong guard of soldiers literally drove +them through the streets to the water's edge. They were then conveyed in +boats aboard a ship and steered for Bahia. Those who survived the barbarous +treatment they experienced from Pombal's creatures, were at last ordered to +Lisbon. The college of Pernambuco was plundered, and some time after an +elephant was kept there. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the arbitrary hand of power, in one night, smote and swept away the +sciences: to which succeeded the low vulgar buffoonery of a showman. Virgil +and Cicero made way for a wild beast from Angola! and now a guard is on +duty at the very gate where, in times long past, the poor were daily fed! +</p> + +<p> +Trust not, kind reader, to the envious remarks which their enemies have +scattered far and near; believe not the stories of those who have had a +hand in the sad tragedy. Go to Brazil, and see with thine own eyes the +effect of Pombal's short-sighted policy. There vice reigns triumphant and +learning is at its lowest ebb. Neither is this to be wondered at. Destroy +the compass, and will the vessel find her far-distant port? Will the flock +keep together, and escape the wolves, after the shepherds are all slain? +The Brazilians were told that public education would go on just as usual. +They might have asked Government, who so able to instruct our youth as +those whose knowledge is proverbial? who so fit as those who enjoy our +entire confidence? who so worthy as those whose lives are irreproachable? +</p> + +<p> +They soon found that those who succeeded the fathers of the Society of +Jesus had neither their manner nor their abilities. They had not made the +instruction of youth their particular study. Moreover, they entered on the +field after a defeat where the officers had all been slain; where the plan +of the campaign was lost; where all was in sorrow and dismay. No exertions +of theirs could rally the dispersed, or skill prevent the fatal +consequences. At the present day the seminary of Olinda, in comparison with +the former Jesuits' college, is only as the waning moon's beam to the sun's +meridian splendour. +</p> + +<p> +When you visit the places where those learned fathers once flourished, and +see with your own eyes the evils their dissolution has caused; when you +hear the inhabitants telling you how good, how clever, how charitable they +were; what will you think of our poet laureate for calling them, in his +<i>History of Brazil</i>, "Missioners whose zeal the most fanatical was +directed by the coolest policy"? +</p> + +<p> +Was it <i>fanatical</i> to renounce the honours and comforts of this +transitory life in order to gain eternal glory in the next, by denying +themselves, and taking up the cross? Was it <i>fanatical</i> to preach +salvation to innumerable wild hordes of Americans? to clothe the naked? to +encourage the repenting sinner? to aid the dying Christian? The fathers of +the Society of Jesus did all this. And for this their zeal is pronounced to +be the most fanatical, directed by the coolest policy. It will puzzle many +a clear brain to comprehend how it is possible, in the nature of things, +that <i>zeal</i> the most <i>fanatical</i> should be directed by the +<i>coolest policy</i>. Ah, Mr. Laureate, Mr. Laureate, that "quidlibet +audendi" of yours may now and then gild the poet at the same time that it +makes the historian cut a sorry figure! +</p> + +<p> +Could Father Nobrega rise from the tomb, he would thus address you: +"Ungrateful Englishman, you have drawn a great part of your information +from the writings of the Society of Jesus, and in return you attempt to +stain its character by telling your countrymen that 'we taught the idolatry +we believed'! In speaking of me, you say it was my happy fortune to be +stationed in a country where <i>none</i> but the good principles of my +order were called into action. Ungenerous laureate, the narrow policy of +the times has kept your countrymen in the dark with regard to the true +character of the Society of Jesus; and you draw the bandage still tighter +over their eyes by a malicious insinuation. I lived and taught and died in +Brazil, where you state that <i>none</i> but the good principles of my +order were called into action, and still, in most absolute contradiction to +this, you remark we believed the <i>idolatry</i> we taught in Brazil. Thus +we brought none but good principles into action, and still taught idolatry! +</p> + +<p> +"Again, you state there is no individual to whose talents Brazil is so +greatly and permanently indebted as mine, and that I must be regarded as +the founder of that system so successfully pursued by the Jesuits in +Paraguay: a system productive of as much good as is compatible with pious +fraud. Thus you make me, at one and the same time, a teacher of none but +good principles, and a teacher of idolatry, and a believer in idolatry, and +still the founder of a system for which Brazil is greatly and permanently +indebted to me, though, by the by, the system was only productive of as +much good as is compatible with pious fraud! +</p> + +<p> +"What means all this? After reading such incomparable nonsense, should your +countrymen wish to be properly informed concerning the Society of Jesus, +there are in England documents enough to show that the system of the +Jesuits was a system of Christian charity towards their fellow-creatures +administered in a manner which human prudence judged best calculated to +ensure success; and that the idolatry which you uncharitably affirm they +taught was really and truly the very same faith which the Catholic Church +taught for centuries in England, which she still teaches to those who wish +to hear her, and which she will continue to teach, pure and unspotted, till +time shall be no more." +</p> + +<p> +The environs of Pernambuco are very pretty. You see country houses in all +directions, and the appearance of here and there a sugar-plantation +enriches the scenery. Palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, orange and lemon groves, +and all the different fruits peculiar to Brazil, are here in the greatest +abundance. +</p> + +<p> +At Olinda there is a national botanical garden: it wants space, produce and +improvement. The forests, which are several leagues off, abound with birds, +beasts, insects and serpents. Besides a brilliant plumage, many of the +birds have a very fine song. The troupiale, noted for its rich colours, +sings delightfully in the environs of Pernambuco. The red-headed finch, +larger than the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet and varied strain, in +company with two species of wrens, a little before daylight. There are also +several species of the thrush, which have a song somewhat different from +that of the European thrush; and two species of the linnet, whose strain is +so soft and sweet that it dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird +called here sangre-do-buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage your +attention: he is of the passerine tribe, and very common about the houses; +the wings and tail are black and every other part of the body a flaming +red. In Guiana there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, note +and economy, but differing in colour, its whole body being like black +velvet; on its breast a tinge of red appears through the black. Thus Nature +has ordered this little tangara to put on mourning to the north of the line +and wear scarlet to the south of it. +</p> + +<p> +For three months in the year the environs of Pernambuco are animated beyond +description. From November to March the weather is particularly fine; then +it is that rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and natives, all issue +from the city to enjoy the country till Lent approaches, when back they hie +them. Villages and hamlets, where nothing before but rags was seen, now +shine in all the elegance of dress; every house, every room, every shed +become eligible places for those whom nothing but extreme necessity could +have forced to live there a few weeks ago: some join in the merry dance, +others saunter up and down the orange groves; and towards evening the roads +become a moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables have constant +visitors: there thousands are daily and nightly lost and won--parties even +sit down to try their luck round the outside of the door as well as in the +room: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus aulæ<br> + Luctus et ultrices, posucre sedilia curæ. +</p> + +<p> +About six or seven miles from Pernambuco stands a pretty little village +called Monteiro. The river runs close by it, and its rural beauties seem to +surpass all others in the neighbourhood. There the Captain-General of +Pernambuco resides during this time of merriment and joy. +</p> + +<p> +The traveller who allots a portion of his time to peep at his fellow- +creatures in their relaxations, and accustoms himself to read their several +little histories in their looks and gestures as he goes musing on, may have +full occupation for an hour or two every day at this season amid the +variegated scenes around the pretty village of Monteiro. In the evening +groups sitting at the door, he may sometimes see with a sigh how wealth and +the prince's favour cause a booby to pass for a Solon, and be reverenced as +such, while perhaps a poor neglected Camoens stands silent at a distance, +awed by the dazzling glare of wealth and power. Retired from the public +road he may see poor Maria sitting under a palm-tree, with her elbow in her +lap and her head leaning on one side within her hand, weeping over her +forbidden bans. And as he moves on "with wandering step and slow," he may +hear a broken-hearted nymph ask her faithless swain: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + How could you say my face was fair,<br> + And yet that face forsake?<br> + How could you win my virgin heart,<br> + Yet leave that heart to break? +</p> + +<p> +One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from Monteiro, these +adventures were near being brought to a speedy and a final close: six or +seven blackbirds, with a white spot betwixt the shoulders, were making a +noise and passing to and fro on the lower branches of a tree in an +abandoned, weed-grown orange-orchard. In the long grass underneath the tree +apparently a pale green grasshopper was fluttering, as though it had got +entangled in it. When you once fancy that the thing you are looking at is +really what you take it for, the more you look at it the more you are +convinced it is so. In the present case this was a grasshopper beyond all +doubt, and nothing more remained to be done but to wait in patience till it +had settled, in order that you might run no risk of breaking its legs in +attempting to lay hold of it while it was fluttering--it still kept +fluttering; and having quietly approached it, intending to make sure of it +--behold, the head of a large rattlesnake appeared in the grass close by: +an instantaneous spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What had +been taken for a grasshopper was, in fact, the elevated rattle of the +snake in the act of announcing that he was quite prepared, though +unwilling, to make a sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed +slowly from under the orange-tree to the neighbouring wood on the side +of a hill: as he moved over a place bare of grass and weeds he appeared +to be about eight feet long; it was he who had engaged the attention +of the birds and made them heedless of danger from another quarter: +they flew away on his retiring--one alone left his little life in the +air, destined to become a specimen, mute and motionless, for the +inspection of the curious in a far distant clime. +</p> + +<p> +It was now the rainy season. The birds were moulting--fifty-eight specimens +of the handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernambuco had been +collected; and it was time to proceed elsewhere. The conveyance to the +interior was by horses, and this mode, together with the heavy rains, would +expose preserved specimens to almost certain damage. The journey to +Maranham by land would take at least forty days. The route was not wild +enough to engage the attention of an explorer, or civilised enough to +afford common comforts to a traveller. By sea there were no opportunities, +except slave-ships. As the transporting poor negroes from port to port for +sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' decks are crowded with them. This +would not do. +</p> + +<p> +Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of gratitude to an Irish +family whose urbanity and goodness have long gained it the esteem and +respect of all ranks in Pernambuco. The kindness and attention I received +from Dennis Kearney, Esq., and his amiable lady will be remembered with +gratitude to my dying day. +</p> + +<p> +After wishing farewell to this hospitable family, I embarked on board a +Portuguese brig, with poor accommodations, for Cayenne in Guiana. The most +eligible bedroom was the top of a hen-coop on deck. Even here an unsavoury +little beast, called bug, was neither shy nor deficient in appetite. +</p> + +<p> +The Portuguese seamen are famed for catching fish. One evening, under the +line, four sharks made their appearance in the wake of the vessel. The +sailors caught them all. +</p> + +<p> +On the fourteenth day after leaving Pernambuco, the brig cast anchor off +the Island of Cayenne. The entrance is beautiful. To windward, not far off, +there are two bold wooded islands called the Father and Mother, and near +them are others, their children, smaller, though as beautiful as their +parents. Another is seen a long way to leeward of the family, and seems as +if it had strayed from home and cannot find its way back. The French call +it "l'enfant perdu." As you pass the islands the stately hills on the main, +ornamented with ever-verdant foliage, show you that this is by far the +sublimest scenery on the sea-coast from the Amazons to the Oroonoque. On +casting your eye towards Dutch Guiana you will see that the mountains +become unconnected and few in number, and long before you reach Surinam the +Atlantic wave washes a flat and muddy shore. +</p> + +<p> +Considerably to windward of Cayenne, and about twelve leagues from land, +stands a stately and towering rock called the Constable. As nothing grows +on it to tempt greedy and aspiring man to claim it as his own, the sea-fowl +rest and raise their offspring there. The bird called the frigate is ever +soaring round its rugged summit. Hither the phaeton bends his rapid flight, +and flocks of rosy flamingos here defy the fowler's cunning. All along the +coast, opposite the Constable, and indeed on every uncultivated part of it +to windward and leeward, are seen innumerable quantities of snow-white +egrets, scarlet curlews, spoonbills and flamingos. +</p> + +<p> +Cayenne is capable of being a noble and productive colony. At present it is +thought to be the poorest on the coast of Guiana. Its estates are too much +separated one from the other by immense tracts of forest; and the +revolutionary war, like a cold eastern wind, has chilled their zeal and +blasted their best expectations. +</p> + +<p> +The clove-tree, the cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, and many other choice +spices and fruits of the Eastern and Asiatic regions, produce abundantly in +Cayenne. +</p> + +<p> +The town itself is prettily laid out, and was once well fortified. They +tell you it might easily have been defended against the invading force of +the two united nations; but Victor Hugues, its governor, ordered the tri- +coloured flag to be struck; and ever since that day the standard of +Braganza has waved on the ramparts of Cayenne. +</p> + +<p> +He who has received humiliations from the hand of this haughty, iron- +hearted governor may see him now, in Cayenne, stripped of all his +revolutionary honours, broken down and ruined, and under arrest in his own +house. He has four accomplished daughters, respected by the whole town. +Towards the close of day, when the sun's rays are no longer oppressive, +these much-pitied ladies are seen walking up and down the balcony with +their aged parent, trying, by their kind and filial attention, to remove +the settled gloom from his too guilty brow. +</p> + +<p> +This was not the time for a traveller to enjoy Cayenne. The hospitality of +the inhabitants was the same as ever, but they had lost their wonted gaiety +in public, and the stranger might read in their countenances, as the +recollection of recent humiliations and misfortunes every now and then kept +breaking in upon them, that they were still in sorrow for their fallen +country: the victorious hostile cannon of Waterloo still sounded in their +ears: their emperor was a prisoner amongst the hideous rocks of St. Helena; +and many a Frenchman who had fought and bled for France was now amongst +them begging for a little support to prolong a life which would be +forfeited on the parent soil. To add another handful to the cypress and +wormwood already scattered amongst these polite colonists, they had just +received orders from the Court of Janeiro to put on deep mourning for six +months, and half-mourning for as many more, on account of the death of the +queen of Portugal. +</p> + +<p> +About a day's journey in the interior is the celebrated national +plantation. This spot was judiciously chosen, for it is out of the reach of +enemies' cruisers. It is called La Gabrielle. No plantation in the Western +world can vie with La Gabrielle. Its spices are of the choicest kind, its +soil particularly favourable to them, its arrangements beautiful, and its +directeur, Monsieur Martin, a botanist of first-rate abilities. This +indefatigable naturalist ranged through the East, under a royal commission, +in quest of botanical knowledge; and during his stay in the Western regions +has sent over to Europe from twenty to twenty-five thousand specimens in +botany and zoology. La Gabrielle is on a far-extending range of woody +hills. Figure to yourself a hill in the shape of a bowl reversed, with the +buildings on the top of it, and you will have an idea of the appearance of +La Gabrielle. You approach the house through a noble avenue, five hundred +toises long, of the choicest tropical fruit-trees, planted with the +greatest care and judgment; and should you chance to stray through it, +after sunset, when the clove-trees are in blossom, you would fancy yourself +in the Idalian groves or near the banks of the Nile, where they were +burning the finest incense as the queen of Egypt passed. +</p> + +<p> +On La Gabrielle there are twenty-two thousand clove-trees in full bearing. +They are planted thirty feet asunder. Their lower branches touch the +ground. In general the trees are topped at five and twenty feet high, +though you will see some here towering up above sixty. The black pepper, +the cinnamon and nutmeg are also in great abundance here, and very +productive. +</p> + +<p> +While the stranger views the spicy groves of La Gabrielle, and tastes the +most delicious fruits which have been originally imported hither from all +parts of the tropical world, he will thank the Government which has +supported, and admire the talents of the gentleman who has raised to its +present grandeur, this noble collection of useful fruits. There is a large +nursery attached to La Gabrielle where plants of all the different species +are raised and distributed gratis to those colonists who wish to cultivate +them. +</p> + +<p> +Not far from the banks of the River Oyapoc, to windward of Cayenne, is a +mountain which contains an immense cavern. Here the cock-of-the-rock is +plentiful. He is about the size of a fantail pigeon, his colour a bright +orange and his wings and tail appear as though fringed; his head is +ornamented with a superb double-feathery crest edged with purple. He passes +the day amid gloomy damps and silence, and only issues out for food a short +time at sunrise and sunset. He is of the gallinaceous tribe. The South- +American Spaniards call him "Gallo del Rio Negro" (Cock of the Black +River), and suppose that he is only to be met with in the vicinity of that +far-inland stream; but he is common in the interior of Demerara, amongst +the huge rocks in the forests of Macoushia, and he has been shot south of +the line, in the captainship of Para. +</p> + +<p> +The bird called by Buffon grand gobe-mouche has never been found in +Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. He is not quite so large as the +jackdaw, and is entirely black, except a large spot under the throat, which +is a glossy purple. +</p> + +<p> +You may easily sail from Cayenne to the River Surinam in two days. Its +capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich and populous: hitherto it has been +considered by far the finest town in Guiana, but probably the time is not +far off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of superiority. +You may enter a creek above Paramaribo and travel through the interior of +Surinam till you come to the Nicari, which is close to the large River +Coryntin. When you have passed this river there is a good public road to +New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. +</p> + +<p> +On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike you that something or +other has intervened to prevent its arriving at that state of wealth and +consequence for which its original plan shows it was once intended. What +has caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and populous +city remains for those to find out who are interested in it; certain it is +that New Amsterdam has been languid for some years, and now the tide of +commerce seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. +</p> + +<p> +Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. Perhaps, kind reader, +thou hast not forgot that it was from Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, +that the adventurer set out, some years ago, to reach the Portuguese +frontier-fort and collect the wourali poison. It was not intended, when +this second sally was planned in England, to have visited Stabroek again by +the route here described. The plan was to have ascended the Amazons from +Para and got into the Rio Negro, and from thence to have returned towards +the source of the Essequibo, in order to examine the crystal mountains and +look once more for Lake Parima, or the White Sea; but on arriving at +Cayenne the current was running with such amazing rapidity to leeward that +a Portuguese sloop, which had been beating up towards Para for four weeks, +was then only half-way. Finding, therefore, that a beat to the Amazons +would be long, tedious and even uncertain, and aware that the season for +procuring birds in fine plumage had already set in, I left Cayenne in an +American ship for Paramaribo, went through the interior to the Coryntin, +stopped a few days in New Amsterdam, and proceeded to Demerara. If, gentle +reader, thy patience be not already worn out, and thy eyes half-closed in +slumber by perusing the dull adventures of this second sally, perhaps thou +wilt pardon a line or two on Demerara; and then we will retire to its +forests to collect and examine the economy of its most rare and beautiful +birds, and give the world a new mode of preserving them. +</p> + +<p> +Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, has been rapidly increasing for some +years back; and if prosperity go hand in hand with the present enterprising +spirit, Stabroek, ere long, will be of the first colonial consideration. It +stands on the eastern bank at the mouth of the Demerara, and enjoys all the +advantages of the refreshing sea-breeze; the streets are spacious, well +bricked and elevated, the trenches clean, the bridges excellent, and the +houses handsome. Almost every commodity and luxury of London may be bought +in the shops at Stabroek: its market wants better regulations. The hotels +are commodious, clean and well-attended. Demerara boasts as fine and well- +disciplined militia as any colony in the Western world. +</p> + +<p> +The court of justice, where in times of old the bandage was easily removed +from the eyes of the goddess and her scales thrown out of equilibrium, now +rises in dignity under the firmness, talents and urbanity of Mr. President +Rough. +</p> + +<p> +The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation; a tolerable idea +may be formed of their value when you know that last year Demerara numbered +72,999 slaves. They made above 44,000,000 pounds of sugar, near 2,000,000 +gallons of rum, above 11,000,000 pounds of coffee, and 3,819,512 pounds of +cotton; the receipt into the public chest was 553,956 guilders; the public +expenditure 451,603 guilders. +</p> + +<p> +Slavery can never be defended. He whose heart is not of iron can never wish +to be able to defend it: while he heaves a sigh for the poor negro in +captivity, he wishes from his soul that the traffic had been stifled in its +birth; but unfortunately the Governments of Europe nourished it, and now +that they are exerting themselves to do away the evil, and ensure liberty +to the sons of Africa, the situation of the plantation-slaves is depicted +as truly deplorable and their condition wretched. It is not so. A Briton's +heart, proverbially kind and generous, is not changed by climate or its +streams of compassion dried up by the scorching heat of a Demerara sun: he +cheers his negroes in labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in +old age, and never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. +</p> + +<p> +Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as well as all the +world over, but the edicts of the colonial Government are well calculated +to prevent them, and the British planter, except here and there one, feels +for the wrongs done to a poor ill-treated slave, and shows that his heart +grieves for him by causing immediate redress and preventing a repetition. +</p> + +<p> +Long may ye flourish, peaceful and liberal inhabitants of Demerara. Your +doors are ever open to harbour the harbourless; your purses never shut to +the wants of the distressed: many a ruined fugitive from the Oroonoque will +bless your kindness to him in the hour of need, when flying from the woes +of civil discord, without food or raiment, he begged for shelter underneath +your roof. The poor sufferer in Trinidad who lost his all in the devouring +flames will remember your charity to his latest moments. The traveller, as +he leaves your port, casts a longing, lingering look behind: your +attentions, your hospitality, your pleasantry and mirth are uppermost in +his thoughts; your prosperity is close to his heart. Let us now, gentle +reader, retire from the busy scenes of man and journey on towards the wilds +in quest of the feathered tribe. +</p> + +<p> +Leave behind you your high-seasoned dishes, your wines and your delicacies: +carry nothing but what is necessary for your own comfort and the object in +view, and depend upon the skill of an Indian, or your own, for fish and +game. A sheet about twelve feet long, ten wide, painted, and with loop- +holes on each side, will be of great service: in a few minutes you can +suspend it betwixt two trees in the shape of a roof. Under this, in your +hammock, you may defy the pelting shower, and sleep heedless of the dews of +night. A hat, a shirt and a light pair of trousers will be all the raiment +you require. Custom will soon teach you to tread lightly and barefoot on +the little inequalities of the ground, and show you how to pass on +unwounded amid the mantling briers. +</p> + +<p> +Snakes, in these wilds, are certainly an annoyance, though perhaps more in +imagination than reality, for you must recollect that the serpent is never +the first to offend: his poisonous fang was not given him for conquest--he +never inflicts a wound with it but to defend existence. Provided you walk +cautiously and do not absolutely touch him, you may pass in safety close by +him. As he is often coiled up on the ground, and amongst the branches of +the trees above you, a degree of circumspection is necessary lest you +unwarily disturb him. +</p> + +<p> +Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the noble face of man, to +require a moment of your attention. +</p> + +<p> +The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at the very worst, only causes +a transient fever with a degree of pain more or less. +</p> + +<p> +Birds in general, with a few exceptions, are not common in the very remote +parts of the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes and creeks, the borders of +savannas, the old abandoned habitations of Indians and wood-cutters, seem +to be their favourite haunts. +</p> + +<p> +Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird entitles it +to the first place in the list of the birds of the new world. It may truly +be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed in the Old World, it +would have claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the honour +to bear it. See it darting through the air almost as quick as thought!--now +it is within a yard of your face!--in an instant gone!--now it flutters +from flower to flower to sip the silver dew--it is now a ruby--now a topaz +--now an emerald--now all burnished gold! It would be arrogant to pretend +to describe this winged gem of Nature after Buffon's elegant description +of it. +</p> + +<p> +Cayenne and Demerara produce the same hummingbirds. Perhaps you would wish +to know something of their haunts. Chiefly in the months of July and +August, the tree called bois immortel, very common in Demerara, bears +abundance of red blossom which stays on the tree for some weeks; then it is +that most of the different species of humming-birds are very plentiful. The +wild red sage is also their favourite shrub, and they buzz like bees round +the blossom of the wallaba tree. Indeed, there is scarce a flower in the +interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives frequent visits from one +or other of the species. +</p> + +<p> +On entering the forests, on the rising land in the interior, the blue and +green, the smallest brown, no bigger than the humble-bee, with two long +feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated humming- +birds, glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes. One species alone +never shows his beauty to the sun: and were it not for his lovely shining +colours, you might almost be tempted to class him with the goat-suckers, on +account of his habits. He is the largest of all the humming-birds, and is +all red and changing gold-green, except the head, which is black. He has +two long feathers in the tail which cross each other, and these have gained +him the name of karabimiti, or ara humming-bird, from the Indians. You +never find him on the sea-coast, or where the river is salt, or in the +heart of the forest, unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the +side of woody fresh-water rivers and dark and lonely creeks. He leaves his +retreat before sunrise to feed on the insects over the water; he returns to +it as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light, is sedentary all day +long, and comes out again for a short tune after sunset. He builds his nest +on a twig over the water in the unfrequented creeks: it looks like tanned +cow-leather. +</p> + +<p> +As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara other species of humming- +birds present themselves before you. It seems to be an erroneous opinion +that the humming-bird lives entirely on honey-dew. Almost every flower of +the tropical climates contains insects of one kind or other. Now the +humming-bird is most busy about the flowers an hour or two after sunrise +and after a shower of rain, and it is just at this time that the insects +come out to the edge of the flower in order that the sun's rays may dry the +nocturnal dew and rain which they have received. On opening the stomach of +the humming-bird dead insects are almost always found there. +</p> + +<p> +Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas display the gayest plumage. They +are of the order of Passer, and you number five species betwixt the sea- +coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet cotinga is the richest of the +five, and is one of those birds which are found in the deepest recesses of +the forest. His crown is flaming red; to this abruptly succeeds a dark +shining brown, reaching half-way down the back: the remainder of the back, +the rump and tail, the extremity of which is edged with black, are a lively +red; the belly is a somewhat lighter red; the breast reddish-black; the +wings brown. He has no song, is solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle +which sounds like "quet." He is fond of the seeds of the hitia-tree and +those of the siloabali- and bastard siloabali-trees, which ripen in +December and continue on the trees for above two months. He is found +throughout the year in Demerara; still nothing is known of his incubation. +The Indians all agree in telling you that they have never seen his nest. +</p> + +<p> +The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and breast of a deep purple, the +wings and tail black, and all the rest of the body a most lovely shining +blue. +</p> + +<p> +The purple-throated cotinga has black wings and tail, and every other part +a light and glossy blue, save the throat, which is purple. +</p> + +<p> +The pompadour cotinga is entirely purple, except his wings, which are +white, their four first feathers tipped with brown. The great coverts of +the wings are stiff, narrow and pointed, being shaped quite different from +those of any other bird. When you are betwixt this bird and the sun, in his +flight, he appears uncommonly brilliant. He makes a hoarse noise which +sounds like "wallababa." Hence his name amongst the Indians. +</p> + +<p> +None of these three cotingas have a song. They feed on the hitia, +siloabali- and bastard siloabali-seeds, the wild guava, the fig, and other +fruit-trees of the forest. They are easily shot in these trees during the +months of December, January and part of February. The greater part of them +disappear after this, and probably retire far away to breed. Their nests +have never been found in Demerara. +</p> + +<p> +The fifth species is the celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, called dara +by the Indians, and bell-bird by the English. He is about the size of the +jay. His plumage is white as snow. On his forehead rises a spiral tube +nearly three inches long. It is jet black, dotted all over with small white +feathers. It has a communication with the palate, and when filled with air +looks like a spire; when empty it becomes pendulous. His note is loud and +clear, like the sound of a bell, and may be heard at the distance of three +miles. In the midst of these extensive wilds, generally on the dried top of +an aged mora, almost out of gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No sound +or song from any of the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the +clearly pronounced "Whip-poor-will" from the goat-sucker, cause such +astonishment as the toll of the campanero. +</p> + +<p> +With many of the feathered race he pays the common tribute of a morning and +an evening song; and even when the meridian sun has shut in silence the +mouths of almost the whole of animated nature the campanero still cheers +the forest. You hear his toll, and then a pause for a minute, then another +toll, and then a pause again, and then a toll, and again a pause. Then he +is silent for six or eight minutes, and then another toll, and so on. +Acteon would stop in mid-chase, Maria would defer her evening song, and +Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to him, so sweet, so novel +and romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white campanero. He is never +seen to feed with the other cotingas, nor is it known in what part of +Guiana he makes his nest. +</p> + +<p> +While the cotingas attract your attention by their superior plumage, the +singular form of the toucan makes a lasting impression on your memory. +There are three species of toucans in Demerara, and three diminutives, +which may be called toucanets. The largest of the first species frequents +the mangrove trees on the sea-coast. He is never seen in the interior till +you reach Macoushia, where he is found in the neighbourhood of the River +Tacatou. The other two species are very common. They feed entirely on the +fruits of the forest and, though of the pie kind, never kill the young of +other birds or touch carrion. The larger is called bouradi by the Indians +(which means nose), the other scirou. They seem partial to each other's +company, and often resort to the same feeding-tree and retire together to +the same shady noon-day retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at +all hours of the day, and in fair weather at morn and eve. The sound which +the bouradi makes is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog, and you fancy +he says "pia-po-o-co," and thus the South-American Spaniards call him +piapoco. +</p> + +<p> +All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the toucan feeds, and +every species of this family of enormous bill lays its eggs in the hollow +trees. They are social, but not gregarious. You may sometimes see eight or +ten in company, and from this you would suppose they are gregarious; but +upon a closer examination you will find it has only been a dinner-party, +which breaks up and disperses towards roosting-time. +</p> + +<p> +You will be at a loss to conjecture for what ends Nature has overloaded the +head of this bird with such an enormous bill. It cannot be for the +offensive, as it has no need to wage war with any of the tribes of animated +nature, for its food is fruits and seeds, and those are in superabundance +throughout the whole year in the regions where the toucan is found. It can +hardly be for the defensive, as the toucan is preyed upon by no bird in +South America and, were it obliged to be at war, the texture of the bill is +ill-adapted to give or receive blows, as you will see in dissecting it. It +cannot be for any particular protection to the tongue, as the tongue is a +perfect feather. +</p> + +<p> +The flight of the toucan is by jerks: in the action of flying it seems +incommoded by this huge disproportioned feature, and the head seems as if +bowed down to the earth by it against its will. If the extraordinary form +and size of the bill expose the toucan to ridicule, its colours make it +amends. Were a specimen of each species of the toucan presented to you, you +would pronounce the bill of the bouradi the most rich and beautiful: on the +ridge of the upper mandible a broad stripe of most lovely yellow extends +from the head to the point; a stripe of the same breadth, though somewhat +deeper yellow, falls from it at right angles next the head down to the edge +of the mandible; then follows a black stripe, half as broad, falling at +right angles from the ridge and running narrower along the edge to within +half an inch of the point. The rest of the mandible is a deep bright red. +The lower mandible has no yellow: its black and red are distributed in the +same manner as on the upper one, with this difference, that there is black +about an inch from the point. The stripe corresponding to the deep yellow +stripe on the upper mandible is sky-blue. It is worthy of remark that all +these brilliant colours of the bill are to be found in the plumage of the +body and the bare skin round the eye. +</p> + +<p> +All these colours, except the blue, are inherent in the horn: that part +which appears blue is in reality transparent white, and receives its colour +from a thin piece of blue skin inside. This superb bill fades in death, and +in three or four days' time has quite lost its original colours. +</p> + +<p> +Till within these few years no idea of the true colours of the bill could +be formed from the stuffed toucans brought to Europe. About eight years +ago, while eating a boiled toucan, the thought struck me that the colours +in the bill of a preserved specimen might be kept as bright as those in +life. A series of experiments proved this beyond a doubt. If you take your +penknife and cut away the roof of the upper mandible, you will find that +the space betwixt it and the outer shell contains a large collection of +veins and small osseous fibres running in all directions through the whole +extent of the bill. Clear away all these with your knife, and you will come +to a substance more firm than skin, but of not so strong a texture as the +horn itself. Cut this away also, and behind it is discovered a thin and +tender membrane: yellow where it has touched the yellow part of the horn, +blue where it has touched the red part, and black towards the edge and +point; when dried this thin and tender membrane becomes nearly black; as +soon as it is cut away nothing remains but the outer horn, red and yellow, +and now become transparent. The under mandible must undergo the same +operation. Great care must be taken and the knife used very cautiously when +you are cutting through the different parts close to where the bill joins +on to the head: if you cut away too much the bill drops off; if you press +too hard the knife comes through the horn; if you leave too great a portion +of the membrane it appears through the horn and, by becoming black when +dried, makes the horn appear black also, and has a bad effect. Judgment, +caution, skill and practice will ensure success. +</p> + +<p> +You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which are the cause of +its apparent fading, for, as has been said before, these bodies dry in +death and become quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn; and +reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that its former bright +colours are lost. +</p> + +<p> +Something still remains to be done. You have rendered the bill transparent +by the operation, and that transparency must be done away to make it appear +perfectly natural. Pound some clean chalk and give it enough water till it +be of the consistency of tar, add a proportion of gum-arabic to make it +adhesive, then take a camel-hair brush and give the inside of both +mandibles a coat; apply a second when the first is dry, then another, and a +fourth to finish all. The gum-arabic will prevent the chalk from cracking +and falling off. If you remember, there is a little space of transparent +white in the lower mandible which originally appeared blue, but which +became transparent white as soon as the thin piece of blue skin was cut +away: this must be painted blue inside. When all this is completed the bill +will please you: it will appear in its original colours. Probably your own +abilities will suggest a cleverer mode of operating than the one here +described. A small gouge would assist the penknife and render the operation +less difficult. +</p> + +<p> +The houtou ranks high in beauty amongst the birds of Demerara. His whole +body is green, with a bluish cast in the wings and tail; his crown, which +he erects at pleasure, consists of black in the centre, surrounded with +lovely blue of two different shades; he has a triangular black spot, edged +with blue, behind the eye extending to the ear, and on his breast a sable +tuft consisting of nine feathers edged also with blue. This bird seems to +suppose that its beauty can be increased by trimming the tail, which +undergoes the same operation as our hair in a barber's shop, only with this +difference, that it uses its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu of a pair +of scissors. As soon as his tail is full grown, he begins about an inch +from the extremity of the two longest feathers in it and cuts away the web +on both sides of the shaft, making a gap about an inch long. Both male and +female adonise their tails in this manner, which gives them a remarkable +appearance amongst all other birds. While we consider the tail of the +houtou blemished and defective, were he to come amongst us he would +probably consider our heads, cropped and bald, in no better light. He who +wishes to observe this handsome bird in his native haunts must be in the +forest at the morning's dawn. The houtou shuns the society of man: the +plantations and cultivated parts are too much disturbed to engage it to +settle there; the thick and gloomy forests are the places preferred by the +solitary houtou. +</p> + +<p> +In those far-extending wilds, about daybreak, you hear him articulate, in a +distinct and mournful tone, "houtou, houtou." Move cautious on to where the +sound proceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the underwood about a +couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up and down every time he +articulates "houtou." He lives on insects and the berries amongst the +underwood, and very rarely is seen in the lofty trees, except the bastard +siloabali-tree, the fruit of which is grateful to him. He makes no nest, +but rears his young in a hole in the sand, generally on the side of a hill. +</p> + +<p> +While in quest of the houtou, you will now and then fall in with the jay of +Guiana, called by the Indians ibibirou. Its forehead is black, the rest of +the head white, the throat and breast like the English magpie; about an +inch of the extremity of the tail is white, the other part of it, together +with the back and wings, a greyish changing purple; the belly is white. +There are generally six or eight of them in company: they are shy and +garrulous, and tarry a very short time in one place. They are never seen in +the cultivated parts. +</p> + +<p> +Through the whole extent of the forest, chiefly from sunrise till nine +o'clock in the morning, you hear a sound of "wow, wow, wow, wow." This is +the bird called boclora by the Indians. It is smaller than the common +pigeon, and seems, in some measure, to partake of its nature: its head and +breast are blue; the back and rump somewhat resemble the colour on the +peacock's neck; its belly is a bright yellow. The legs are so very short +that it always appears as if sitting on the branch: it is as ill-adapted +for walking as the swallow. Its neck, for above an inch all round, is quite +bare of feathers, but this deficiency is not seen, for it always sits with +its head drawn in upon its shoulders. It sometimes feeds with the cotingas +on the guava- and hitia-trees, but its chief nutriment seems to be insects, +and, like most birds which follow this prey, its chaps are well armed with +bristles: it is found in Demerara at all times of the year, and makes a +nest resembling that of the stock-dove. This bird never takes long nights, +and when it crosses a river or creek it goes by long jerks. +</p> + +<p> +The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing quite heedless of danger: the +report of a gun within twenty yards will not cause it to leave the branch +on which it is sitting, and you may often approach it so near as almost to +touch it with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is no bird known whose +feathers are so slightly fixed to the skin as those of the boclora. After +shooting it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if it drop on hard +ground, whole heaps of feathers fall off: on this account it is extremely +hard to procure a specimen for preservation. As soon as the skin is dry in +the preserved specimen the feathers become as well fixed as those in any +other bird. +</p> + +<p> +Another species, larger than the boclora, attracts much of your notice in +these wilds: it is called cuia by the Indians, from the sound of its voice. +Its habits are the same as those of the boclora, but its colours different: +its head, breast, back and rump are a shining, changing green; its tail not +quite so bright; a black bar runs across the tail towards the extremity, +and the outside feathers are partly white, as in the boclora; its belly is +entirely vermilion, a bar of white separating it from the green on the +breast. +</p> + +<p> +There are diminutives of both these birds: they have the same habits, with +a somewhat different plumage, and about half the size. Arrayed from head to +tail in a robe of richest sable hue, the bird called rice-bird loves spots +cultivated by the hand of man. The woodcutter's house on the hills in the +interior, and the planter's habitation on the sea-coast, equally attract +this songless species of the order of pie, provided the Indian-corn be ripe +there. He is nearly of the jackdaw's size and makes his nest far away from +the haunts of men. He may truly be called a blackbird: independent of his +plumage, his beak, inside and out, his legs, his toes and claws are jet +black. +</p> + +<p> +Mankind, by clearing the ground and sowing a variety of seeds, induces many +kinds of birds to leave their native haunts and come and settle near him: +their little depredations on his seeds and fruits prove that it is the +property, and not the proprietor, which has the attractions. +</p> + +<p> +One bird, however, in Demerara is not actuated by selfish motives: this is +the cassique. In size he is larger than the starling: he courts the society +of man, but disdains to live by his labours. When Nature calls for support +he repairs to the neighbouring forest, and there partakes of the store of +fruits and seeds which she has produced in abundance for her aerial tribes. +When his repast is over he returns to man, and pays the little tribute +which he owes him for his protection. He takes his station on a tree close +to his house, and there, for hours together, pours forth a succession of +imitative notes. His own song is sweet, but very short. If a toucan be +yelping in the neighbourhood, he drops it, and imitates him. Then he will +amuse his protector with the cries of the different species of the +woodpecker, and when the sheep bleat he will distinctly answer them. Then +comes his own song again; and if a puppy-dog or a guinea-fowl interrupt +him, he takes them off admirably, and by his different gestures during the +time you would conclude that he enjoys the sport. +</p> + +<p> +The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any sound he hears with such +exactness that he goes by no other name than that of mocking bird amongst +the colonists. +</p> + +<p> +At breeding-time a number of these pretty choristers resort to a tree near +the planter's house, and from its outside branches weave their pendulous +nests. So conscious do they seem that they never give offence, and so +little suspicious are they of receiving any injury from man, that they will +choose a tree within forty yards from his house, and occupy the branches so +low down that he may peep into the nests. A tree in Waratilla Creek affords +a proof of this. +</p> + +<p> +The proportions of the cassique are so fine that he may be said to be a +model of symmetry in ornithology. On each wing he has a bright yellow spot, +and his rump, belly and half the tail are of the same colour. All the rest +of the body is black. His beak is the colour of sulphur, but it fades in +death, and requires the same operation as the bill of the toucan to make it +keep its colours. Up the rivers, in the interior, there is another +cassique, nearly the same size and of the same habits, though not gifted +with its powers of imitation. Except in breeding-time, you will see +hundreds of them retiring to roost amongst the moca-moca-trees and low +shrubs on the banks of the Demerara, after you pass the first island. They +are not common on the sea-coast. The rump of this cassique is a flaming +scarlet. All the rest of the body is a rich glossy black. His bill is +sulphur-colour. You may often see numbers of this species weaving their +pendulous nests on one side of a tree, while numbers of the other species +are busy in forming theirs on the opposite side of the same tree. Though +such near neighbours, the females are never observed to kick up a row or +come to blows! +</p> + +<p> +Another species of cassique, as large as a crow, is very common in the +plantations. In the morning he generally repairs to a large tree, and +there, with his tail spread over his back and shaking his lowered wings, he +produces notes which, though they cannot be said to amount to a song, still +have something very sweet and pleasing in them. He makes his nest in the +same form as the other cassiques. It is above four feet long, and when you +pass under the tree, which often contains fifty or sixty of them, you +cannot help stopping to admire them as they wave to and fro, the sport of +every storm and breeze. The rump is chestnut; ten feathers of the tail are +a fine yellow, the remaining two, which are the middle ones, are black, and +an inch shorter than the others. His bill is sulphur-colour; all the rest +of the body black, with here and there shades of brown. He has five or six +long narrow black feathers on the back of his head, which he erects at +pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +There is one more species of cassique in Demerara which always prefers the +forests to the cultivated parts. His economy is the same as that of the +other cassiques. He is rather smaller than the last described bird. His +body is greenish, and his tail and rump paler than those of the former. +Half of his beak is red. +</p> + +<p> +You would not be long in the forests of Demerara without noticing the +woodpeckers. You meet with them feeding at all hours of the day. Well may +they do so. Were they to follow the example of most of the other birds, and +only feed in the morning and evening, they would be often on short +allowance, for they sometimes have to labour three or four hours at the +tree before they get to their food. The sound which the largest kind makes +in hammering against the bark of the tree is so loud that you would never +suppose it to proceed from the efforts of a bird. You would take it to be +the woodman, with his axe, trying by a sturdy blow, often repeated, whether +the tree were sound or not. There are fourteen species here: the largest +the size of a magpie, the smallest no bigger than the wren. They are all +beautiful, and the greater part of them have their heads ornamented with a +fine crest, movable at pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +It is said, if you once give a dog a bad name, whether innocent or guilty, +he never loses it. It sticks close to him wherever he goes. He has many a +kick and many a blow to bear on account of it; and there is nobody to stand +up for him. The woodpecker is little better off. The proprietors of woods +in Europe have long accused him of injuring their timber by boring holes in +it and letting in the water, which soon rots it. The colonists in America +have the same complaint against him. Had he the power of speech, which +Ovid's birds possessed in days of yore, he could soon make a defence: +"Mighty lord of the woods," he would say to man, "why do you wrongfully +accuse me? Why do you hunt me up and down to death for an imaginary +offence? I have never spoiled a leaf of your property, much less your wood. +Your merciless shot strikes me at the very time I am doing you a service. +But your shortsightedness will not let you see it, or your pride is above +examining closely the actions of so insignificant a little bird as I am. If +there be that spark of feeling in your breast which they say man possesses, +or ought to possess, above all other animals, do a poor injured creature a +little kindness and watch me in your woods only for one day. I never wound +your healthy trees. I should perish for want in the attempt. The sound bark +would easily resist the force of my bill; and were I even to pierce through +it, there would be nothing inside that I could fancy or my stomach digest. +I often visit them it is true, but a knock or two convince me that I must +go elsewhere for support; and were you to listen attentively to the sound +which my bill causes, you would know whether I am upon a healthy or an +unhealthy tree. Wood and bark are not my food. I live entirely upon the +insects which have already formed a lodgment in the distempered tree. When +the sound informs me that my prey is there, I labour for hours together +till I get at it, and by consuming it for my own support, I prevent its +further depredations in that part. Thus I discover for you your hidden and +unsuspected foe, which has been devouring your wood in such secrecy that +you had not the least suspicion it was there. The hole which I make in +order to get at the pernicious vermin will be seen by you as you pass under +the tree. I leave it as a signal to tell you that your tree has already +stood too long. It is past its prime. Millions of insects, engendered by +disease, are preying upon its vitals. Ere long it will fall a log in +useless ruins. Warned by this loss, cut down the rest in time, and spare, O +spare the unoffending woodpecker." +</p> + +<p> +In the rivers and different creeks you number six species of the +kingfisher. They make their nest in a hole in the sand on the side of the +bank. As there is always plenty of foliage to protect them from the heat of +the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though their plumage is +prettily varied, still it falls far short of the brilliancy displayed by +the English kingfisher. This little native of Britain would outweigh them +altogether in the scale of beauty. +</p> + +<p> +A bird called jacamar is often taken for a kingfisher, but it has no +relationship to that tribe. It frequently sits in the trees over the water, +and as its beak bears some resemblance to that of the kingfisher, this may +probably account for its being taken for one; it feeds entirely upon +insects; it sits on a branch in motionless expectation, and as soon as a +fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it darts at it, and returns to the branch +it had just left. It seems an indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the +society of all others in the forest. It never visits the plantations, but +is found at all times of the year in the woods. There are four species of +jacamar in Demerara. They are all beautiful: the largest, rich and superb +in the extreme. Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden-green +that it may be ranked with the choicest of the humming-birds. Nature has +denied it a song, but given a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest +species of jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The second size, all +golden-green on the back, must be looked for in the wallaba-forest. The +third is found throughout the whole extent of these wilds, and the fourth, +which is the largest, frequents the interior, where you begin to perceive +stones in the ground. +</p> + +<p> +When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty songster +called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive notes. This is +the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of Guiana. Its +predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, arrayed to great +advantage. His delicate and well-shaped frame seems unable to bear +captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales to Stabroek, but in +a few months they languish and die in a cage. They soon become very +familiar, and if you allow them the liberty of the house, they live longer +than in a cage and appear in better spirits, but when you least expect it +they drop down and die in epilepsy. +</p> + +<p> +Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently +arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara. The +woodcutter is particularly favoured by him, for while the hen is sitting on +her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he sings for hours +together close by. He prefers the forests to the cultivated parts. +</p> + +<p> +You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in the +plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, tail and +throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. There is +something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much shorter than +that of the troupiale in the interior. +</p> + +<p> +A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place, in the cultivated +parts, at the time the indian-corn is ripe; he is all black, except the +head and throat, which are yellow. His attempt at song is not worth +attending to. +</p> + +<p> +Wherever there is a wild fig-tree ripe, a numerous species of birds called +tangara is sure to be on it. There are eighteen beautiful species here. +Their plumage is very rich and diversified. Some of them boast six separate +colours; others have the blue, purple, green and black so kindly blended +into each other that it would be impossible to mark their boundaries; while +others again exhibit them strong, distinct and abrupt. Many of these +tangaras have a fine song. They seem to partake much of the nature of our +linnets, sparrows and finches. Some of them are fond of the plantations; +others are never seen there, preferring the wild seeds of the forest to the +choicest fruits planted by the hand of man. +</p> + +<p> +On the same fig-trees to which they repair, and often accidentally up and +down the forest, you fall in with four species of manikin. The largest is +white and black, with the feathers on the throat remarkably long; the next +in size is half red and half black; the third black, with a white crown; +the fourth black, with a golden crown, and red feathers at the knee. The +half-red and half-black species is the scarcest. There is a creek in the +Demerara called Camouni. About ten minutes from the mouth you see a common- +sized fig-tree on your right hand, as you ascend, hanging over the water; +it bears a very small fig twice a year. When its fruit is ripe this manikin +is on the tree from morn till eve. +</p> + +<p> +On all the ripe fig-trees in the forest you see the bird called the small +tiger-bird. Like some of our belles and dandies, it has a gaudy vest to +veil an ill-shaped body. The throat, and part of the head, are a bright +red; the breast and belly have black spots on a yellow ground; the wings +are a dark green, black, and white; and the rump and tail black and green. +Like the manikin, it has no song: it depends solely upon a showy garment +for admiration. +</p> + +<p> +Devoid, too, of song, and in a still superber garb, the yawaraciri comes to +feed on the same tree. It has a bar like black velvet from the eyes to the +beak; its legs are yellow; its throat, wings and tail black; all the rest +of the body a charming blue. Chiefly in the dry savannas, and here and +there accidentally in the forest, you see a songless yawaraciri still +lovelier than the last: his crown is whitish blue, arrayed like a coat of +mail; his tail is black, his wings black and yellow; legs red; and the +whole body a glossy blue. Whilst roving through the forest, ever and anon +you see individuals of the wren species busy amongst the fallen leaves, or +seeking insects at the roots of the trees. +</p> + +<p> +Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds whose backs appear +to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a chestnut breast, +smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like horns on his head, and +white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, feeds entirely upon ants. When +a nest of large light-brown ants emigrates, one following the other in +meandering lines above a mile long, you see this bird watching them and +every now and then picking them up. When they disappear he is seen no more: +perhaps this is the only kind of ant he is fond of. When these ants are +stirring, you are sure to find him near them. You cannot well mistake the +ant after you have once been in its company, for its sting is very severe, +and you can hardly shoot the bird and pick it up without having five or six +upon you. +</p> + +<p> +Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different kinds. +You will know when they are near you in the forest not only by the noise +they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let fall while they +are feeding. +</p> + +<p> +The hia-hia parrot, called in England the parrot of the sun, is very +remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan +feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The fore-part of +his head is white; his back, tail and wings green; and his breast and belly +tartan. +</p> + +<p> +Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara will +force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and gaze at +him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body, the lovely +variety of red, yellow, blue and green in his wings, the extraordinary +length of his scarlet and blue tail, seem all to join and demand for him +the title of emperor of all the parrots. He is scarce in Demerara till you +reach the confines of the Macoushi country: there he is in vast abundance. +He mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. When the coucourite-trees +have ripe fruit on them they are covered with this magnificent parrot. He +is not shy or wary: you may take your blow-pipe and quiver of poisoned +arrows and kill more than you are able to carry back to your hut. They are +very vociferous, and, like the common parrots, rise up in bodies towards +sunset and fly two and two to their place of rest. It is a grand sight in +ornithology to see thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to +let you have a full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians find their +flesh very good, and the feathers serve for ornaments in their head- +dresses. They breed in the holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and +learn to speak pretty distinctly. +</p> + +<p> +Another species frequents the low-lands of Demerara. He is nearly the size +of the scarlet ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and yellow are his +predominant colours. +</p> + +<p> +Along the creeks and river-sides, and in the wet savannas, six species of +the bittern will engage your attention. They are all handsome, the smallest +not so large as the English water-hen. +</p> + +<p> +In the savannas, too, you will sometimes surprise the snow-white egret, +whose back is adorned with the plumes from which it takes its name. Here, +too, the spur-winged water-hen, the blue and green water-hen and two other +species of ordinary plumage are found. While in quest of these, the blue +heron, the large and small brown heron, the boatbill and muscovy duck now +and then rise up before you. +</p> + +<p> +When the sun has sunk in the western woods, no longer agitated by the +breeze; when you can only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe +hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting-place, then it is that +the goat-sucker comes out of the forest, where it has sat all day long in +slumbering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes around it. Its eyes +are too delicately formed to bear the light, and thus it is forced to shun +the flaming face of day and wait in patience till night invites him to +partake of the pleasures her dusky presence brings. +</p> + +<p> +The harmless, unoffending goat-sucker, from the time of Aristotle down to +the present day, has been in disgrace with man. Father has handed down to +son, and author to author, that this nocturnal thief subsists by milking +the flocks. Poor injured little bird of night, how sadly hast thou +suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to facts put upon thy +character! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his property nor +deprived the kid of a drop of milk. +</p> + +<p> +When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of examining +the goat-sucker. You will see it close by the cows, goats and sheep, +jumping up every now and then under their bellies. Approach a little +nearer--he is not shy: "he fears no danger, for he knows no sin." See how +the nocturnal flies are tormenting the herd, and with what dexterity he +springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on the belly, legs and +udder of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, and how sensible they +seem of his good offices, for they neither strike at him nor hit him with +their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive him away as an uncivil +intruder. Were you to dissect him, and inspect his stomach, you would find +no milk there. It is full of the flies which have been annoying the herd. +</p> + +<p> +The prettily-mottled plumage of the goat-sucker, like that of the owl, +wants the lustre which is observed in the feathers of the birds of day. +This at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's nightly beams. There +are nine species here. The largest appears nearly the size of the English +wood-owl. Its cry is so remarkable that, having once heard it, you will +never forget it. When night reigns over these immeasurable wilds, whilst +lying in your hammock you will hear this goat-sucker lamenting like one in +deep distress. A stranger would never conceive it to be the cry of a bird. +He would say it was the departing voice of a midnight murdered victim or +the last wailing of Niobe for her poor children before she was turned into +stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless sorrow, begin with a high loud note, +and pronounce "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till +the last is scarcely heard, pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and +you will have some idea of the moaning of the largest goat-sucker in +Demerara. +</p> + +<p> +Four other species of the goat-sucker articulate some words so distinctly +that they have received their names from the sentences they utter, and +absolutely bewilder the stranger on his arrival in these parts. The most +common one sits down close by your door, and flies and alights three or +four yards before you, as you walk along the road, crying, "Who-are-you, +who-who-who-are-you." Another bids you "Work-away, work-work-work-away." A +third cries, mournfully, "Willy-come-go, willy-willy-willy-come-go." And +high up in the country a fourth tells you to "Whip-poor-will, whip-whip- +whip-poor-will." +</p> + +<p> +You will never persuade the negro to destroy these birds or get the Indian +to let fly his arrow at them. They are birds of omen and reverential dread. +Jumbo, the demon of Africa, has them under his command, and they equally +obey the Yabahou, or Demerara Indian devil. They are the receptacles for +departed souls, who come back again to earth, unable to rest for crimes +done in their days of nature; or they are expressly sent by Jumbo, or +Yabahou, to haunt cruel and hard-hearted masters and retaliate injuries +received from them. If the largest goat-sucker chance to cry near the white +man's door, sorrow and grief will soon be inside: and they expect to see +the master waste away with a slow consuming sickness. If it be heard close +to the negro's or Indian's hut, from that night misfortune sits brooding +over it: and they await the event in terrible suspense. +</p> + +<p> +You will forgive the poor Indian of Guiana for this. He knows no better; he +has nobody to teach him. But shame it is that in our own civilised country +the black cat and broomstaff should be considered as conductors to and from +the regions of departed spirits. +</p> + +<p> +Many years ago I knew poor harmless Mary: old age had marked her strongly, +just as he will mark you and me, should we arrive at her years and carry +the weight of grief which bent her double. The old men of the village said +she had been very pretty in her youth, and nothing could be seen more +comely than Mary when she danced on the green. He who had gained her heart +left her for another, less fair, though richer, than Mary. From that time +she became sad and pensive; the rose left her cheek, and she was never more +seen to dance round the maypole on the green. Her expectations were +blighted; she became quite indifferent to everything around her, and seemed +to think of nothing but how she could best attend her mother, who was lame +and not long for this life. Her mother had begged a black kitten from some +boys who were going to drown it, and in her last illness she told Mary to +be kind to it for her sake. +</p> + +<p> +When age and want had destroyed the symmetry of Mary's fine form, the +village began to consider her as one who had dealings with spirits: her cat +confirmed the suspicion. If a cow died, or a villager wasted away with an +unknown complaint, Mary and her cat had it to answer for. Her broom +sometimes served her for a walking-stick: and if ever she supported her +tottering frame with it as far as the maypole, where once, in youthful +bloom and beauty, she had attracted the eyes of all, the boys would +surround her and make sport of her, while her cat had neither friend nor +safety beyond the cottage-wall. Nobody considered it cruel or uncharitable +to torment a witch; and it is probable, long before this, that cruelty, old +age and want have worn her out, and that both poor Mary and her cat have +ceased to be. +</p> + +<p> +Would you wish to pursue the different species of game, well-stored and +boundless is your range in Demerara. Here no one dogs you, and afterwards +clandestinely inquires if you have a hundred a year in land to entitle you +to enjoy such patrician sport. Here no saucy intruder asks if you have +taken out a licence, by virtue of which you are allowed to kill the birds +which have bred upon your own property. Here +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + You are as free as when God first made man,<br> + Ere the vile laws of servitude began,<br> + And wild in woods the noble savage ran. +</p> + +<p> +Before the morning's dawn you hear a noise in the forest which sounds like +"duraquaura" often repeated. This is the partridge, a little smaller than +and differing somewhat in colour from the English partridge: it lives +entirely in the forest, and probably the young brood very soon leaves its +parents, as you never flush more than two birds in the same place, and in +general only one. +</p> + +<p> +About the same hour, and sometimes even at midnight, you hear two species +of maam, or tinamou, send forth their long and plaintive whistle from the +depth of the forest. The flesh of both is delicious. The largest is +plumper, and almost equals in size the blackcock of Northumberland. The +quail is said to be here, though rare. +</p> + +<p> +The hannaquoi, which some have compared to the pheasant, though with little +reason, is very common. +</p> + +<p> +Here are also two species of the powise, or hocco, and two of the small +wild turkeys called maroudi: they feed on the ripe fruits of the forest and +are found in all directions in these extensive wilds. You will admire the +horned screamer as a stately and majestic bird: he is almost the size of +the turkey-cock, on his head is a long slender horn, and each wing is armed +with a strong, sharp, triangular spur an inch long. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes you will fall in with flocks of two or three hundred waracabas, +or trumpeters, called so from the singular noise they produce. Their breast +is adorned with beautiful changing blue and purple feathers; their head and +neck like velvet; their wings and back grey, and belly black. They run with +great swiftness, and when domesticated attend their master in his walks +with as much apparent affection as his dog. They have no spurs, but still, +such is their high spirit and activity, they browbeat every dunghill fowl +in the yard and force the guinea-birds, dogs and turkeys to own their +superiority. +</p> + +<p> +If, kind and gentle reader, thou shouldst ever visit these regions with an +intention to examine their productions, perhaps the few observations +contained in these wanderings may be of service to thee. Excuse their +brevity: more could have been written, and each bird more particularly +described, but it would have been pressing too hard upon thy time and +patience. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after arriving in these parts thou wilt find that the species here +enumerated are only as a handful from a well-stored granary. Nothing has +been said of the eagles, the falcons, the hawks and shrikes; nothing of the +different species of vultures, the king of which is very handsome, and +seems to be the only bird which claims regal honours from a surrounding +tribe. It is a fact beyond all dispute that, when the scent of carrion has +drawn together hundreds of the common vultures, they all retire from the +carcass as soon as the king of the vultures makes his appearance. When his +majesty has satisfied the cravings of his royal stomach with the choicest +bits from the most stinking and corrupted parts, he generally retires to a +neighbouring tree, and then the common vultures return in crowds to gobble +down his leavings. The Indians, as well as the whites, have observed this, +for when one of them, who has learned a little English, sees the king, and +wishes you to have a proper notion of the bird, he says: "There is the +governor of the carrion-crows." +</p> + +<p> +Now the Indians have never heard of a personage in Demerara higher than +that of governor; and the colonists, through a common mistake, call the +vultures carrion-crows. Hence the Indian, in order to express the dominion +of this bird over the common vultures, tells you he is governor of the +carrion-crows. The Spaniards have also observed it, for through all the +Spanish Main he is called Rey de Zamuros, king of the vultures. The many +species of owls, too, have not been noticed; and no mention made of the +columbine tribe. The prodigious variety of water-fowl on the sea-shore has +been but barely hinted at. +</p> + +<p> +There, and on the borders and surface of the inland waters, in the marshes +and creeks, besides the flamingos, scarlet curlews and spoonbills already +mentioned, will be found greenish-brown curlews, sandpipers, rails, coots, +gulls, pelicans, jabirus, nandapoas, crabiers, snipes, plovers, ducks, +geese, cranes and anhingas; most of them in vast abundance; some +frequenting only the sea-coast, others only the interior, according to +their different natures; all worthy the attention of the naturalist, all +worthy of a place in the cabinet of the curious. +</p> + +<p> +Should thy comprehensive genius not confine itself to birds alone, grand is +the appearance of other objects all around. Thou art in a land rich in +botany and mineralogy, rich in zoology and entomology. Animation will glow +in thy looks and exercise will brace thy frame in vigour. The very time of +thy absence from the tables of heterogeneous luxury will be profitable to +thy stomach, perhaps already sorely drenched with Londo-Parisian sauces, +and a new stock of health will bring thee an appetite to relish the +wholesome food of the chase. Never-failing sleep will wait on thee at the +time she comes to soothe the rest of animated nature, and ere the sun's +rays appear in the horizon thou wilt spring from thy hammock fresh as the +April lark. Be convinced also that the dangers and difficulties which are +generally supposed to accompany the traveller in his journey through +distant regions are not half so numerous or dreadful as they are commonly +thought to be. +</p> + +<p> +The youth who incautiously reels into the lobby of Drury Lane after leaving +the table sacred to the god of wine is exposed to more certain ruin, +sickness and decay than he who wanders a whole year in the wilds of +Demerara. But this will never be believed because the disasters arising +from dissipation are so common and frequent in civilised life that man +becomes quite habituated to them, and sees daily victims sink into the tomb +long before their time without ever once taking alarm at the causes which +precipitated them headlong into it. +</p> + +<p> +But the dangers which a traveller exposes himself to in foreign parts are +novel, out-of-the-way things to a man at home. The remotest apprehension of +meeting a tremendous tiger, of being carried off by a flying dragon, or +having his bones picked by a famished cannibal: oh, that makes him shudder. +It sounds in his ears like the bursting of a bombshell. Thank Heaven he is +safe by his own fireside. +</p> + +<p> +Prudence and resolution ought to be the traveller's constant companions. +The first will cause him to avoid a number of snares which he will find in +the path as he journeys on; and the second will always lend a hand to +assist him if he has unavoidably got entangled in them. The little +distinctions which have been shown him at his own home ought to be +forgotten when he travels over the world at large, for strangers know +nothing of his former merits, and it is necessary that they should witness +them before they pay him the tribute which he was wont to receive within +his own doors. Thus to be kind and affable to those we meet, to mix in +their amusements, to pay a compliment or two to their manners and customs, +to respect their elders, to give a little to their distressed and needy, +and to feel, as it were, at home amongst them, is the sure way to enable +you to pass merrily on, and to find other comforts as sweet and palatable +as those which you were accustomed to partake of amongst your friends and +acquaintance in your own native land. +</p> + +<p> +We will now ascend in fancy on Icarian wing and take a view of Guiana in +general. See an immense plain! betwixt two of the largest rivers in the +world, level as a bowling-green, save at Cayenne, and covered with trees +along the coast quite to the Atlantic wave, except where the plantations +make a little vacancy amongst the foliage. +</p> + +<p> +Though nearly in the centre of the Torrid Zone, the sun's rays are not so +intolerable as might be imagined, on account of the perpetual verdure and +refreshing north-east breeze. See what numbers of broad and rapid rivers +intersect it in their journey to the ocean, and that not a stone or a +pebble is to be found on their banks, or in any part of the country, till +your eye catches the hills in the interior. How beautiful and magnificent +are the lakes in the heart of the forests, and how charming the forests +themselves, for miles after miles on each side of the rivers! How extensive +appear the savannas or natural meadows, teeming with innumerable herds of +cattle, where the Portuguese and Spaniards are settled, but desert as Saara +where the English and Dutch claim dominion! How gradually the face of the +country rises! See the sandhills all clothed in wood first emerging from +the level, then hills a little higher, rugged with bold and craggy rocks, +peeping out from amongst the most luxuriant timber. Then come plains and +dells and far-extending valleys, arrayed in richest foliage; and beyond +them mountains piled on mountains, some bearing prodigious forests, others +of bleak and barren aspect. Thus your eye wanders on over scenes of varied +loveliness and grandeur, till it rests on the stupendous pinnacles of the +long-continued Cordilleras de los Andes, which rise in towering majesty and +command all America. +</p> + +<p> +How fertile must the low-lands be from the accumulation of fallen leaves +and trees for centuries! How propitious the swamps and slimy beds of the +rivers, heated by a downward sun, to the amazing growth of alligators, +serpents and innumerable insects! How inviting the forests to the feathered +tribes, where you see buds, blossoms, green and ripe fruit, full grown and +fading leaves all on the same tree! How secure the wild beasts may rove in +endless mazes! Perhaps those mountains, too, which appear so bleak and +naked, as if quite neglected, are, like Potosi, full of precious metals. +</p> + +<p> +Let us now return the pinions we borrowed from Icarus, and prepare to bid +farewell to the wilds. The time allotted to these wanderings is drawing +fast to a close. Every day for the last six months has been employed in +paying close attention to natural history in the forests of Demerara. Above +two hundred specimens of the finest birds have been collected and a pretty +just knowledge formed of their haunts and economy. From the time of leaving +England, in March 1816, to the present day, nothing has intervened to +arrest a fine flow of health, saving a quartan ague which did not tarry, +but fled as suddenly as it appeared. +</p> + +<p> +And now I take leave of thee, kind and gentle reader. The new mode of +preserving birds heretofore promised thee shall not be forgotten. The plan +is already formed in imagination, and can be penned down during the passage +across the Atlantic. If the few remarks in these wanderings shall have any +weight in inciting thee to sally forth and explore the vast and well-stored +regions of Demerara, I have gained my end. Adieu. +</p> + +<p> +CHARLES WATERTON. +</p> + +<p> +<i>April 6, 1817.</i> +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="iv">THIRD JOURNEY</a></h2> + +<p class="ind"> + Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum. +</p> + +<p> +Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I strayed across the +Alps and the Apennines, and returned home, but could not tarry. Guiana +still whispered in my ear, and seemed to invite me once more to wander +through her distant forests. +</p> + +<p> +Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, I pray thee pardon +the frequent use of that unwelcome monosyllable <i>I</i>. It could not well +be avoided, as will be seen in the sequel. In February 1820 I sailed from +the Clyde, on board the <i>Glenbervie</i>, a fine West-Indiaman. She was +driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to contend with a foul and +wintry wind for above a fortnight. At last it changed, and we had a +pleasant passage across the Atlantic. +</p> + +<p> +Sad and mournful was the story we heard on entering the River Demerara. The +yellow fever had swept off numbers of the old inhabitants, and the mortal +remains of many a new-comer were daily passing down the streets in slow and +mute procession to their last resting-place. +</p> + +<p> +After staying a few days in the town, I went up the Demerara to the former +habitation of my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek. +</p> + +<p> +The house had been abandoned for some years. On arriving at the hill, the +remembrance of scenes long past and gone naturally broke in upon the mind. +All was changed: the house was in ruins and gradually sinking under the +influence of the sun and rain; the roof had nearly fallen in; and the room, +where once governors and generals had caroused, was now dismantled and +tenanted by the vampire. You would have said: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + 'Tis now the vampire's bleak abode,<br> + 'Tis now the apartment of the toad:<br> + 'Tis here the painful chegoe feeds,<br> + 'Tis here the dire labarri breeds<br> + Conceal'd in ruins, moss, and weeds. +</p> + +<p> +On the outside of the house Nature had nearly reassumed her ancient right: +a few straggling fruit-trees were still discernible amid the varied hue of +the near-approaching forest; they seemed like strangers lost and bewildered +and unpitied in a foreign land, destined to linger a little longer, and +then sink down for ever. +</p> + +<p> +I hired some negroes from a woodcutter in another creek to repair the roof; +and then the house, or at least what remained of it, became headquarters +for natural history. The frogs, and here and there a snake, received that +attention which the weak in this world generally experience from the +strong, and which the law commonly denominates an ejectment. But here +neither the frogs nor serpents were ill-treated: they sallied forth, +without buffet or rebuke, to choose their place of residence--the world was +all before them. The owls went away of their own accord, preferring to +retire to a hollow tree rather than to associate with their new landlord. +The bats and vampires stayed with me, and went in and out as usual. +</p> + +<p> +It was upon this hill in former days that I first tried to teach John, the +black slave of my friend Mr. Edmonstone, the proper way to do birds. But +John had poor abilities, and it required much time and patience to drive +anything into him. Some years after this his master took him to Scotland, +where, becoming free, John left him, and got employed in the Glasgow, and +then the Edinburgh, Museum. Mr. Robert Edmonstone, nephew to the above +gentleman, had a fine mulatto capable of learning anything. He requested me +to teach him the art. I did so. He was docile and active, and was with me +all the time in the forest. I left him there to keep up this new art of +preserving birds and to communicate it to others. Here, then, I fixed my +headquarters, in the ruins of this once gay and hospitable house. Close by, +in a little hut which, in times long past, had served for a store to keep +provisions in, there lived a coloured man and his wife, by name Backer. +Many a kind turn they did to me; and I was more than once a service to them +and their children, by bringing to their relief in time of sickness what +little knowledge I had acquired of medicine. +</p> + +<p> +I would here, gentle reader, wish to draw thy attention, for a few minutes, +to physic, raiment and diet. Shouldst thou ever wander through these remote +and dreary wilds, forget not to carry with thee bark, laudanum, calomel and +jalap, and the lancet. There are no druggist-shops here, nor sons of Galen +to apply to in time of need. I never go encumbered with many clothes. A +thin flannel waistcoat under a check shirt, a pair of trousers and a hat +were all my wardrobe: shoes and stockings I seldom had on. In dry weather +they would have irritated the feet and retarded me in the chase of wild +beasts; and in the rainy season they would have kept me in a perpetual +state of damp and moisture. I eat moderately, and never drink wine, spirits +or fermented liquors in any climate. This abstemiousness has ever proved a +faithful friend; it carried me triumphant through the epidemia at Malaga, +where death made such havoc about the beginning of the present century; and +it has since befriended me in many a fit of sickness brought on by exposure +to the noon-day sun, to the dews of night, to the pelting shower and +unwholesome food. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps it will be as well here to mention a fever which came on, and the +treatment of it: it may possibly be of use to thee, shouldst thou turn +wanderer in the tropics; a word or two also of a wound I got in the forest, +and then we will say no more of the little accidents which sometimes occur, +and attend solely to natural history. We shall have an opportunity of +seeing the wild animals in their native haunts, undisturbed and unbroken in +upon by man. We shall have time and leisure to look more closely at them, +and probably rectify some errors which, for want of proper information or a +near observance, have crept into their several histories. +</p> + +<p> +It was in the month of June, when the sun was within a few days of Cancer, +that I had a severe attack of fever. There had been a deluge of rain, +accompanied with tremendous thunder and lightning, and very little sun. +Nothing could exceed the dampness of the atmosphere. For two or three days +I had been in a kind of twilight state of health, neither ill nor what you +may call well: I yawned and felt weary without exercise, and my sleep was +merely slumber. This was the time to have taken medicine, but I neglected +to do so, though I had just been reading: "O navis, referent in mare te +novi fluctus, O quid agis? fortiter occupa portum." I awoke at midnight: a +cruel headache, thirst and pain in the small of the back informed me what +the case was. Had Chiron himself been present he could not have told me +more distinctly that I was going to have a tight brush of it, and that I +ought to meet it with becoming fortitude. I dozed and woke and startled, +and then dozed again, and suddenly awoke thinking I was falling down a +precipice. +</p> + +<p> +The return of the bats to their diurnal retreat, which was in the thatch +above my hammock, informed me that the sun was now fast approaching to the +eastern horizon. I arose in languor and in pain, the pulse at one hundred +and twenty. I took ten grains of calomel and a scruple of jalap, and drank +during the day large draughts of tea, weak and warm. The physic did its +duty, but there was no remission of fever or headache, though the pain of +the back was less acute. I was saved the trouble of keeping the room cool, +as the wind beat in at every quarter. +</p> + +<p> +At five in the evening the pulse had risen to one hundred and thirty, and +the headache almost insupportable, especially on looking to the right or +left. I now opened a vein, and made a large orifice, to allow the blood to +rush out rapidly; I closed it after losing sixteen ounces. I then steeped +my feet in warm water and got into the hammock. After bleeding the pulse +fell to ninety, and the head was much relieved, but during the night, which +was very restless, the pulse rose again to one hundred and twenty, and at +times the headache was distressing. I relieved the headache from time to +time by applying cold water to the temples and holding a wet handkerchief +there. The next morning the fever ran very high, and I took five more +grains of calomel and ten of jalap, determined, whatever might be the case, +this should be the last dose of calomel. About two o'clock in the afternoon +the fever remitted, and a copious perspiration came on: there was no more +headache nor thirst nor pain in the back, and the following night was +comparatively a good one. The next morning I swallowed a large dose of +castor-oil: it was genuine, for Louisa Backer had made it from the seeds of +the trees which grew near the door. I was now entirely free from all +symptoms of fever, or apprehensions of a return; and the morning after I +began to take bark, and continued it for a fortnight. This put all to +rights. +</p> + +<p> +The story of the wound I got in the forest and the mode of cure are very +short. I had pursued a redheaded woodpecker for above a mile in the forest +without being able to get a shot at it. Thinking more of the woodpecker, as +I ran along, than of the way before me, I trod upon a little hardwood stump +which was just about an inch or so above the ground; it entered the hollow +part of my foot, making a deep and lacerated wound there. It had brought me +to the ground, and there I lay till a transitory fit of sickness went off. +I allowed it to bleed freely, and on reaching headquarters washed it well +and probed it, to feel if any foreign body was left within it. Being +satisfied that there was none, I brought the edges of the wound together +and then put a piece of lint on it, and over that a very large poultice, +which was changed morning, noon and night. Luckily Backer had a cow or two +upon the hill; now as heat and moisture are the two principal virtues of a +poultice, nothing could produce those two qualities better than fresh cow- +dung boiled: had there been no cows there I could have made out with boiled +grass and leaves. I now took entirely to the hammock, placing the foot +higher than the knee: this prevented it from throbbing, and was, indeed, +the only position in which I could be at ease. When the inflammation was +completely subdued I applied a wet cloth to the wound, and every now and +then steeped the foot in cold water during the day, and at night again +applied a poultice. The wound was now healing fast, and in three weeks from +the time of the accident nothing but a scar remained: so that I again +sallied forth sound and joyful, and said to myself: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae<br> + Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo<br> + Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim,<br> + Rumpe ferarum. +</p> + +<p> +Now this contus was a tough, light pole eight feet long, on the end of +which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it: it +was of great use in starting the beasts and snakes out of the hollow trees, +and in case of need was an excellent defence. +</p> + +<p> +In 1819 I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph Banks. I saw with +sorrow that death was going to rob us of him. We talked much of the present +mode adopted by all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and condemned it as +being very imperfect: still we could not find out a better way, and at last +concluded that the lips and nose ought to be cut off and replaced with wax, +it being impossible to make those parts appear like life, as they shrink to +nothing and render the stuffed specimens in the different museums horrible +to look at. The defects in the legs and feet would not be quite so glaring, +being covered with hair. +</p> + +<p> +I had paid great attention to this subject for above fourteen years; still +it would not do. However, one night, while I was lying in the hammock and +harping on the string on which hung all my solicitude, I hit upon the +proper mode by inference: it appeared clear to me that it was the only true +way of going to work, and ere I closed my eyes in sleep I was able to prove +to myself that there could not be any other way that would answer. I tried +it the next day, and succeeded according to expectation. +</p> + +<p> +By means of this process, which is very simple, we can now give every +feature back again to the animal's face after it has been skinned; and when +necessary stamp grief or pain, or pleasure, or rage, or mildness upon it. +But more of this hereafter. +</p> + +<p> +Let us now turn our attention to the sloth, whose native haunts have +hitherto been so little known and probably little looked into. Those who +have written on this singular animal have remarked that he is in a +perpetual state of pain, that he is proverbially slow in his movements, +that he is a prisoner in space, and that, as soon as he has consumed all +the leaves of the tree upon which he had mounted, he rolls himself up in +the form of a ball and then falls to the ground. This is not the case. +</p> + +<p> +If the naturalists who have written the history of the sloth had gone into +the wilds in order to examine his haunts and economy, they would not have +drawn the foregoing conclusions. They would have learned that, though all +other quadrupeds may be described while resting upon the ground, the sloth +is an exception to this rule, and that his history must be written while he +is in the tree. +</p> + +<p> +This singular animal is destined by Nature to be produced, to live and to +die in the trees; and to do justice to him naturalists must examine him in +this his upper element. He is a scarce and solitary animal, and being good +food he is never allowed to escape. He inhabits remote and gloomy forests +where snakes take up their abode, and where cruelly-stinging ants and +scorpions and swamps and innumerable thorny shrubs and bushes obstruct the +steps of civilised man. Were you to draw your own conclusions from the +descriptions which have been given of the sloth, you would probably suspect +that no naturalist has actually gone into the wilds with the fixed +determination to find him out and examine his haunts, and see whether +Nature has committed any blunder in the formation of this extraordinary +creature, which appears to us so forlorn and miserable, so ill put +together, and so totally unfit to enjoy the blessings which have been so +bountifully given to the rest of animated nature; for, as it has formerly +been remarked, he has no soles to his feet, and he is evidently ill at ease +when he tries to move on the ground, and it is then that he looks up in +your face with a countenance that says: "Have pity on me, for I am in pain +and sorrow." +</p> + +<p> +It mostly happens that Indians and negroes are the people who catch the +sloth and bring it to the white man: hence it may be conjectured that the +erroneous accounts we have hitherto had of the sloth have not been penned +down with the slightest intention to mislead the reader or give him an +exaggerated history, but that these errors have naturally arisen by +examining the sloth in those places where Nature never intended that he +should be exhibited. +</p> + +<p> +However, we are now in his own domain. Man but little frequents these thick +and noble forests, which extend far and wide on every side of us. This, +then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. We will first take a +near view of him. By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy we shall be +enabled to account for his movements hereafter, when we see him in his +proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, his arms, are +apparently much too long, while his hind-legs are very short, and look as +if they could be bent almost to the shape of a corkscrew. Both the fore- +and hind-legs, by their form and by the manner in which they are joined to +the body, are quite incapacitated from acting in a perpendicular direction, +or in supporting it on the earth, as the bodies of other quadrupeds are +supported by their legs. Hence, when you place him on the floor, his belly +touches the ground. Now, granted that he supported himself on his legs like +other animals, nevertheless he would be in pain, for he has no soles to his +feet, and his claws are very sharp and long and curved; so that were his +body supported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, just as your +body would be were you to throw yourself on all-fours and try to support it +on the ends of your toes and fingers--a trying position. Were the floor of +glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would actually be quite +stationary; but as the ground is generally rough, with little protuberances +upon it, such as stones, or roots of grass, etc., this just suits the +sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all directions, in order to find +something to lay hold of; and when he has succeeded he pulls himself +forward, and is thus enabled to travel onwards, but at the same time in so +tardy and awkward a manner as to acquire him the name of sloth. +</p> + +<p> +Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently betray his uncomfortable +situation: and as a sigh every now and then escapes him, we may be entitled +to conclude that he is actually in pain. +</p> + +<p> +Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for several months. I often took +him out of the house and placed him upon the ground, in order to have an +opportunity of observing his motions. If the ground were rough, he would +pull himself forwards by means of his fore-legs at a pretty good pace, and +he invariably immediately shaped his course towards the nearest tree. But +if I put him upon a smooth and well-trodden part of the road, he appeared +to be in trouble and distress. His favourite abode was the back of a chair +and, after getting all his legs in a line upon the topmost part of it, he +would hang there for hours together, and often with a low and inward cry +would seem to invite me to take notice of him. +</p> + +<p> +The sloth, in its wild state, spends its whole life in trees, and never +leaves them but through force or by accident. An all-ruling Providence has +ordered man to tread on the surface of the earth, the eagle to soar in the +expanse of the skies, and the monkey and squirrel to inhabit the trees: +still these may change their relative situations without feeling much +inconvenience; but the sloth is doomed to spend his whole life in the +trees, and, what is more extraordinary, not <i>upon</i> the branches, like +the squirrel and the monkey, but <i>under</i> them. He moves suspended from +the branch, he rests suspended from it, and he sleeps suspended from it. To +enable him to do this he must have a very different formation from that of +any other known quadruped. +</p> + +<p> +Hence his seemingly bungled conformation is at once accounted for; and in +lieu of the sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a melancholy and +miserable existence on its progeny, it is but fair to surmise that it just +enjoys life as much as any other animal, and that its extraordinary +formation and singular habits are but further proofs to engage us to admire +the wonderful works of Omnipotence. +</p> + +<p> +It must be observed that the sloth does not hang head-downwards like the +vampire. When asleep he supports himself from a branch parallel to the +earth. He first seizes the branch with one arm, and then with the other; +and after that brings up both his legs, one by one, to the same branch; so +that all four are in a line: he seems perfectly at rest in this position. +Now had he a tail, he would be at a loss to know what to do with it in this +position: were he to draw it up within his legs it would interfere with +them, and were he to let it hang down it would become the sport of the +winds. Thus his deficiency of tail is a benefit to him; it is merely an +apology for a tail, scarcely exceeding an inch and a half in length. +</p> + +<p> +I observed, when he was climbing, he never used his arms both together, but +first one and then the other, and so on alternately. There is a singularity +in his hair, different from that of all other animals, and, I believe, +hitherto unnoticed by naturalists. His hair is thick and coarse at the +extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, where it becomes fine as a +spider's web. His fur has so much the hue of the moss which grows on the +branches of the trees that it is very difficult to make him out when he is +at rest. +</p> + +<p> +The male of the three-toed sloth has a longitudinal bar of very fine black +hair on his back, rather lower than the shoulder-blades; on each side of +this black bar there is a space of yellow hair, equally fine; it has the +appearance of being pressed into the body, and looks exactly as if it had +been singed. If we examine the anatomy of his fore-legs, we shall +immediately perceive by their firm and muscular texture how very capable +they are of supporting the pendent weight of his body, both in climbing and +at rest; and, instead of pronouncing them a bungled composition, as a +celebrated naturalist has done, we shall consider them as remarkably well +calculated to perform their extraordinary functions. +</p> + +<p> +As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within the tropics, where the +trees touch each other in the greatest profusion, there seems to be no +reason why he should confine himself to one tree alone for food, and +entirely strip it of its leaves. During the many years I have ranged the +forests I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity; indeed, I would +hazard a conjecture that, by the time the animal had finished the last of +the old leaves, there would be a new crop on the part of the tree he had +stripped first, ready for him to begin again, so quick is the process of +vegetation in these countries. +</p> + +<p> +There is a saying amongst the Indians that, when the wind blows, the sloth +begins to travel. In calm weather he remains tranquil, probably not liking +to cling to the brittle extremity of the branches, lest they should break +with him in passing from one tree to another; but as soon as the wind rises +the branches of the neighbouring trees become interwoven, and then the +sloth seizes hold of them and pursues his journey in safety. There is +seldom an entire day of calm in these forests. The tradewind generally sets +in about ten o'clock in the morning, and thus the sloth may set off after +breakfast, and get a considerable way before dinner. He travels at a good +round pace; and were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, +you would never think of calling him a sloth. +</p> + +<p> +Thus it would appear that the different histories we have of this quadruped +are erroneous on two accounts: first, that the writers of them, deterred by +difficulties and local annoyances, have not paid sufficient attention to +him in his native haunts; and secondly, they have described him in a +situation in which he was never intended by Nature to cut a figure: I mean +on the ground. The sloth is as much at a loss to proceed on his journey +upon a smooth and level floor as a man would be who had to walk a mile in +stilts upon a line of feather-beds. +</p> + +<p> +One day, as we were crossing the Essequibo, I saw a large two-toed sloth on +the ground upon the bank. How he had got there nobody could tell: the +Indian said he had never surprised a sloth in such a situation before. He +would hardly have come there to drink, for both above and below the place +the branches of the trees touched the water, and afforded him an easy and +safe access to it. Be this as it may, though the trees were not above +twenty yards from him, he could not make his way through the sand time +enough to escape before we landed. As soon as we got up to him he threw +himself upon his back, and defended himself in gallant style with his fore- +legs. "Come, poor fellow," said I to him, "if thou hast got into a hobble +to-day, thou shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage of thee in +misfortune; the forest is large enough both for thee and me to rove in: go +thy ways up above, and enjoy thyself in these endless wilds; it is more +than probable thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare thee +well." On saying this, I took a long stick which was lying there, held it +for him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately mora. He +ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about a minute he was almost at +the top of the tree. He now went off in a side direction, and caught hold +of the branch of a neighbouring tree; he then proceeded towards the heart +of the forest. I stood looking on, lost in amazement at his singular mode +of progress. I followed him with my eye till the intervening branches +closed in betwixt us; and then I lost sight for ever of the two-toed sloth. +I was going to add that I never saw a sloth take to his heels in such +earnest: but the expression will not do, for the sloth has no heels. +</p> + +<p> +That which naturalists have advanced of his being so tenacious of life is +perfectly true. I saw the heart of one beat for half an hour after it was +taken out of the body. The wourali poison seems to be the only thing that +will kill it quickly. On reference to a former part of these wanderings, it +will be seen that a poisoned arrow killed the sloth in about ten minutes. +</p> + +<p> +So much for this harmless, unoffending animal. He holds a conspicuous place +in the catalogue of the animals of the new world. Though naturalists have +made no mention of what follows, still it is not less true on that account. +The sloth is the only quadruped known which spends its whole life from the +branch of a tree, suspended by his feet. I have paid uncommon attention to +him in his native haunts. The monkey and squirrel will seize a branch with +their fore-feet, and pull themselves up, and rest or run upon it; but the +sloth, after seizing it, still remains suspended, and suspended moves along +under the branch, till he can lay hold of another. Whenever I have seen him +in his native woods, whether at rest or asleep or on his travels, I have +always observed that he was suspended from the branch of a tree. When his +form and anatomy are attentively considered, it will appear evident that +the sloth cannot be at ease in any situation where his body is higher, or +above, his feet. We will now take our leave of him. +</p> + +<p> +In the far-extending wilds of Guiana the traveller will be astonished at +the immense quantity of ants which he perceives on the ground and in the +trees. They have nests in the branches four or five times as large as that +of the rook; and they have a covered way from them to the ground. In this +covered way thousands are perpetually passing and repassing; and if you +destroy part of it, they turn to and immediately repair it. +</p> + +<p> +Other species of ants again have no covered way, but travel exposed to view +upon the surface of the earth. You will sometimes see a string of these +ants a mile long, each carrying in its mouth, to its nest, a green leaf the +size of a sixpence. It is wonderful to observe the order in which they +move, and with what pains and labour they surmount the obstructions of the +path. +</p> + +<p> +The ants have their enemies as well as the rest of animated nature. Amongst +the foremost of these stand the three species of ant-bears. The smallest is +not much larger than a rat; the next is nearly the size of a fox; and the +third a stout and powerful animal, measuring about six feet from the snout +to the end of the tail. He is the most inoffensive of all animals, and +never injures the property of man. He is chiefly found in the inmost +recesses of the forest, and seems partial to the low and swampy parts near +creeks, where the troely-tree grows. There he goes up and down in quest of +ants, of which there is never the least scarcity; so that he soon obtains a +sufficient supply of food with very little trouble. He cannot travel fast; +man is superior to him in speed. Without swiftness to enable him to escape +from his enemies, without teeth, the possession of which would assist him +in self-defence, and without the power of burrowing in the ground, by which +he might conceal himself from his pursuers, he still is capable of ranging +through these wilds in perfect safety; nor does he fear the fatal pressure +of the serpent's fold or the teeth of the famished jaguar. Nature has +formed his fore-legs wonderfully thick and strong and muscular, and armed +his feet with three tremendous sharp and crooked claws. Whenever he seizes +an animal with these formidable weapons he hugs it close to his body, and +keeps it there till it dies through pressure or through want of food. Nor +does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from loss of aliment, as it +is a well-known fact that he can go longer without food than, perhaps, any +other animal, except the land-tortoise. His skin is of a texture that +perfectly resists the bite of a dog; his hinder-parts are protected by +thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large enough to cover his +whole body. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact with the ant-bear and, +after disabling him in the chase, never think of approaching him till he be +quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution that naturalists have +never yet given to the world a true and correct drawing of this singular +animal, or described the peculiar position of his fore-feet when he walks +or stands. If, in taking a drawing from a dead ant-bear, you judge of the +position in which he stands from that of all other terrestrial animals, the +sloth excepted, you will be in error. Examine only a figure of this animal +in books of natural history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best +museums, and you will see that the fore-claws are just in the same forward +attitude as those of a dog, or a common bear when he walks or stands. But +this is a distorted and unnatural position, and in life would be a painful +and intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. The length and curve of his +claws cannot admit of such a position. When he walks or stands his feet +have somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes entirely on the outer +side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards, the claws collected +into a point, and going under the foot. In this position he is quite at +ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to render them +harmless to him and are prevented from becoming dull and worn, like those +of the dog, which would inevitably be the case did their points come in +actual contact with the ground; for his claws have not that retractile +power which is given to animals of the feline species, by which they are +enabled to preserve the sharpness of their claws on the most flinty path. A +slight inspection of the fore-feet of the ant-bear will immediately +convince you of the mistake artists and naturalists have fallen into by +putting his fore-feet in the same position as those of other quadrupeds, +for you will perceive that the whole outer side of his foot is not only +deprived of hair, but is hard and callous: proof positive of its being in +perpetual contact with the ground. Now, on the contrary, the inner side of +the bottom of his foot is soft and rather hairy. +</p> + +<p> +There is another singularity in the anatomy of the ant-bear, I believe as +yet unnoticed in the page of natural history. He has two very large glands +situated below the root of the tongue. From these is emitted a glutinous +liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when he puts it into the +ants' nests. These glands are of the same substance as those found in the +lower jaw of the woodpecker. The secretion from them, when wet, is very +clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it loses these qualities, and you +can pulverise it betwixt your finger and thumb; so that in dissection, if +any of it has got upon the fur of the animal or the feathers of the bird, +allow it to dry there, and then it may be removed without leaving the least +stain behind. +</p> + +<p> +The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the first to begin the +attack. His motto may be "Noli me tangere." As his habits and his haunts +differ materially from those of every other animal in the forest, their +interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good old age, and die at +last in peace, were it not that his flesh is good food. On this account the +Indian wages perpetual war against him and, as he cannot escape by flight, +he falls an easy prey to the poisoned arrow shot from the Indian's bow at a +distance. If ever he be closely attacked by dogs, he immediately throws +himself on his back, and if he be fortunate enough to catch hold of his +enemy with his tremendous claws, the invader is sure to pay for his +rashness with the loss of life. +</p> + +<p> +We will now take a view of the vampire. As there was a free entrance and +exit to the vampire in the loft where I slept, I had many a fine +opportunity of paying attention to this nocturnal surgeon. He does not +always live on blood. When the moon shone bright, and the fruit of the +banana-tree was ripe, I could see him approach and eat it. He would also +bring into the loft, from the forest, a green round fruit something like +the wild guava and about the size of a nutmeg. There was something also in +the blossom of the sawarri nut-tree which was grateful to him, for on +coming up Waratilla Creek, in a moonlight night, I saw several vampires +fluttering round the top of the sawarri-tree, and every now and then the +blossoms, which they had broken off, fell into the water. They certainly +did not drop off naturally, for on examining several of them they appeared +quite fresh and blooming. So I concluded the vampires pulled them from the +tree either to get at the incipient fruit or to catch the insects which +often take up their abode in flowers. +</p> + +<p> +The vampire, in general, measures about twenty-six inches from wing to wing +extended, though I once killed one which measured thirty-two inches. He +frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; and sometimes a cluster of +them may be seen in the forest hanging head downwards from the branch of a +tree. +</p> + +<p> +Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vampire hangs in clusters; for +in the <i>Deserted Village</i>, speaking of America, he says: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + And matted woods, where birds forget to sing,<br> + But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling. +</p> + +<p> +The vampire has a curious membrane which rises from the nose, and gives it +a very singular appearance. It has been remarked before that there are two +species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The larger sucks men +and other animals; the smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. I +learnt from a gentleman high up in the River Demerara that he was +completely unsuccessful with his fowls on account of the small vampire. He +showed me some that had been sucked the night before, and they were +scarcely able to walk. +</p> + +<p> +Some years ago I went to the River Paumaron with a Scotch gentleman, by +name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's +house. Next morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, and +now and then letting fall an imprecation or two just about the time he +ought to have been saying his morning prayers. "What is the matter, sir?" +said I softly. "Is anything amiss?" "What's the matter?" answered he +surlily; "why, the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon as +there was light enough I went to his hammock and saw it much stained with +blood. "There," said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, "see how +these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On examining his +foot I found the vampire had tapped his great toe: there was a wound +somewhat less than that made by a leech; the blood was still oozing from +it; I conjectured he might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of blood. +Whilst examining it, I think I put him into a worse humour by remarking +that a European surgeon would not have been so generous as to have blooded +him without making a charge. He looked up in my face, but did not say a +word: I saw he was of opinion that I had better have spared this piece of +ill-timed levity. +</p> + +<p> +It was not the last punishment of this good gentleman in the River +Paumaron. The next night he was doomed to undergo a kind of ordeal unknown +in Europe. There is a species of large red ant in Guiana sometimes called +ranger, sometimes coushie. These ants march in millions through the country +in compact order, like a regiment of soldiers: they eat up every insect in +their march; and if a house obstruct their route, they do not turn out of +the way, but go quite through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, +the planter is not sorry to see them in his house, for it is but a passing +visit, and they destroy every kind of insect-vermin that has taken shelter +under his roof. +</p> + +<p> +Now in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in Europe, there is +always a little temple dedicated to the goddess Cloacina. Our dinner had +chiefly consisted of crabs dressed in rich and different ways. Paumaron is +famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider them the greatest +luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a very capital dinner on crabs; but this +change of diet was productive of unpleasant circumstances: he awoke in the +night in that state in which Virgil describes Caeleno to have been, viz. +"faedissima ventris proluvies." Up he got to verify the remark: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam. +</p> + +<p> +Now, unluckily for himself and the nocturnal tranquillity of the planter's +house, just at that unfortunate hour the coushie-ants were passing across +the seat of Cloacina's temple. He had never dreamed of this; and so, +turning his face to the door, he placed himself in the usual situation +which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a lighted match +dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he afterwards remarked, it could not +have caused a greater recoil. Up he jumped and forced his way out, roaring +for help and for a light, for he was worried alive by ten thousand devils. +The fact is he had sat down upon an intervening body of coushie-ants. Many +of those which escaped being crushed to death turned again, and in revenge +stung the unintentional intruder most severely. The watchman had fallen +asleep, and it was some time before a light could be procured, the fire +having gone out; in the meantime the poor gentleman was suffering an +indescribable martyrdom, and would have found himself more at home in the +Augean stable than in the planter's house. +</p> + +<p> +I had often wished to have been once sucked by the vampire in order that I +might have it in my power to say it had really happened to me. There can be +no pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep when the vampire +is sucking him; and as for the loss of a few ounces of blood, that would be +a trifle in the long run. Many a night have I slept with my foot out of the +hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, expecting that he would be there, but +it was all in vain; the vampire never sucked me, and I could never account +for his not doing so, for we were inhabitants of the same loft for months +together. +</p> + +<p> +The armadillo is very common in these forests; he burrows in the sandhills +like a rabbit. As it often takes a considerable time to dig him out of his +hole, it would be a long and laborious business to attack each hole +indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal were there or not. To +prevent disappointment the Indians carefully examine the mouth of the hole, +and put a short stick down it. Now if, on introducing the stick, a number +of mosquitos come out, the Indians know to a certainty that the armadillo +is in it: whenever there are no mosquitos in the hole there is no +armadillo. The Indian having satisfied himself that the armadillo is there +by the mosquitos which come out, he immediately cuts a long and slender +stick and introduces it into the hole. He carefully observes the line the +stick takes, and then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the end of it: this +done, he puts it farther into the hole, and digs another pit, and so on, +till at last he comes up with the armadillo, which had been making itself a +passage in the sand till it had exhausted all its strength through pure +exertion. I have been sometimes three-quarters of a day in digging out one +armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits seven feet deep before I +got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very fond of the flesh, but I +considered it strong and rank. +</p> + +<p> +On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious not to come in contact +with his feet: they are armed with sharp claws, and with them he will +inflict a severe wound in self-defence. When not molested he is very +harmless and innocent: he would put you in mind of the hare in Gay's +fables: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Whose care was never to offend,<br> + And every creature was her friend. +</p> + +<p> +The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not go into the water by +choice. He is very seldom seen abroad during the day; and when surprised, +he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of the armadillo is +well protected by his shell, except his ears. In life this shell is very +limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full stretch or roll himself +up into a ball, as occasion may require. +</p> + +<p> +On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you very much in mind +of a coat of armour; indeed, it is a natural coat of armour to the +armadillo, and being composed both of scale and bone it affords ample +security, and has a pleasing effect. +</p> + +<p> +Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with the land-tortoise; he +too adds another to the list of unoffending animals. He subsists on the +fallen fruits of the forest. When an enemy approaches he never thinks of +moving, but quietly draws himself under his shell and there awaits his doom +in patience. He only seems to have two enemies who can do him any damage: +one of these is the boa-constrictor--this snake swallows the tortoise +alive, shell and all. But a boa large enough to do this is very scarce, and +thus there is not much to apprehend from that quarter. The other enemy is +man, who takes up the tortoise and carries him away. Man also is scarce in +these never-ending wilds, and the little depredations he may commit upon +the tortoise will be nothing, or a mere trifle. The tiger's teeth cannot +penetrate its shell, nor can a stroke of his paws do it any damage. It is +of so compact and strong a nature that there is a common saying, a London +waggon might roll over it and not break it. +</p> + +<p> +Ere we proceed, let us take a retrospective view of the five animals just +enumerated: they are all quadrupeds, and have some very particular mark or +mode of existence different from all other animals. The sloth has four +feet, but never can use them to support his body on the earth: they want +soles, which are a marked feature in the feet of other animals. The ant- +bear has not a tooth in his head, still he roves fearless on in the same +forests with the jaguar and boa-constrictor. The vampire does not make use +of his feet to walk, but to stretch a membrane which enables him to go up +into an element where no other quadruped is seen. The armadillo has only +here and there a straggling hair, and has neither fur nor wool nor +bristles, but in lieu of them has received a movable shell on which are +scales very much like those of fishes. The tortoise is oviparous, entirely +without any appearance of hair, and is obliged to accommodate itself to a +shell which is quite hard and inflexible, and in no point of view whatever +obedient to the will or pleasure of the bearer. The egg of the tortoise has +a very hard shell, while that of the turtle is quite soft. +</p> + +<p> +In some parts of these forests I saw the vanilla growing luxuriantly. It +creeps up the trees to the height of thirty or forty feet. I found it +difficult to get a ripe pod, as the monkeys are very fond of it, and +generally took care to get there before me. The pod hangs from the tree in +the shape of a little scabbard. <i>Vayna</i> is the Spanish for a scabbard, +and <i>vanilla</i> for a little scabbard. Hence the name. +</p> + +<p> +In Mibiri Creek there was a cayman of the small species, measuring about +five feet in length; I saw it in the same place for months, but could never +get a shot at it, for, the moment I thought I was sure of it, it dived +under the water before I could pull the trigger. At last I got an Indian +with his bow and arrow: he stood up in the canoe with his bow ready bent, +and as we drifted past the place he sent his arrow into the cayman's eye, +and killed it dead. The skin of this little species is much harder and +stronger than that of the large kind; it is good food, and tastes like +veal. +</p> + +<p> +My friend Mr. Edmonstone had very kindly let me have one of his old +negroes, and he constantly attended me: his name was Daddy Quashi. He had a +brave stomach for heterogeneous food; it could digest and relish, too, +caymen, monkeys, hawks and grubs. The Daddy made three or four meals on +this cayman while it was not absolutely putrid, and salted the rest. I +could never get him to face a snake; the horror he betrayed on seeing one +was beyond description. I asked him why he was so terribly alarmed. He said +it was by seeing so many dogs from time to time killed by them. +</p> + +<p> +Here I had a fine opportunity of examining several species of the +caprimulgus. I am fully persuaded that these innocent little birds never +suck the herds, for when they approach them, and jump up at their udders, +it is to catch the flies and insects there. When the moon shone bright I +would frequently go and stand within three yards of a cow, and distinctly +see the caprimulgus catch the flies on its udder. On looking for them in +the forest during the day, I either found them on the ground, or else +invariably sitting <i>longitudinally</i> on the branch of a tree, not +<i>crosswise</i>, like all other birds. +</p> + +<p> +The wasps, or maribuntas, are great plagues in these forests, and require +the naturalist to be cautious as he wanders up and down. Some make their +nests pendent from the branches; others have them fixed to the underside of +a leaf. Now, in passing on, if you happen to disturb one of these, they +sally forth and punish you severely. The largest kind is blue: it brings +blood where its sting enters, and causes pain and inflammation enough to +create a fever. The Indians make a fire under the nest, and, after killing +or driving away the old ones, they roast the young grubs in the comb and +eat them. I tried them once by way of dessert after dinner, but my stomach +was offended at their intrusion; probably it was more the idea than the +taste that caused the stomach to rebel. +</p> + +<p> +Time and experience have convinced me that there is not much danger in +roving amongst snakes and wild beasts, provided only that you have self- +command. You must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are sure to pay +for your rashness, because the idea of self-defence is predominant in every +animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from what he considers an +attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the deadly effect of his poisonous +fangs. The jaguar flies at you, and knocks you senseless with a stroke of +his paw; whereas, if you had not come upon him too suddenly, it is ten to +one but that he had retired in lieu of disputing the path with you. The +labarri-snake is very poisonous, and I have often approached within two +yards of him without fear. I took care to move very softly and gently, +without moving my arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him +without showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. He would +appear to keep his eye fixed on me as though suspicious, but that was all. +Sometimes I have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the labarri's +back. He would then glide away without offering resistance. But when I put +the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he immediately opened his mouth, +flew at it, and bit it. +</p> + +<p> +One day, wishful to see how the poison comes out of the fang of the snake, +I caught a labarri alive. He was about eight feet long. I held him by the +neck, and my hand was so near his jaw that he had not room to move his head +to bite it. This was the only position I could have held him in with safety +and effect. To do so it only required a little resolution and coolness. I +then took a small piece of stick in the other hand and pressed it against +the fang, which is invariably in the upper jaw. Towards the point of the +fang there is a little oblong aperture on the convex side of it. Through +this there is a communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a +little bag containing the poison. Now, when the point of the fang is +pressed, the root of the fang also presses against the bag, and sends up a +portion of the poison therein contained. Thus, when I applied a piece of +stick to the point of the fang, there came out of the hole a liquor thick +and yellow, like strong camomile-tea. This was the poison which is so +dreadful in its effects as to render the labarri-snake one of the most +poisonous in the forests of Guiana. I once caught a fine labarri and made +it bite itself. I forced the poisonous fang into its belly. In a few +minutes I thought it was going to die, for it appeared dull and heavy. +However, in half an hour's time he was as brisk and vigorous as ever, and +in the course of the day showed no symptoms of being affected. Is then the +life of the snake proof against its own poison? This subject is not +unworthy of the consideration of the naturalist. +</p> + +<p> +In Guiana there is a little insect in the grass and on the shrubs which the +French call bête-rouge. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour, and so minute +that you must bring your eye close to it before you can perceive it. It is +most numerous in the rainy season. Its bite causes an intolerable itching. +The best way to get rid of it is to rub the part affected with oil or rum. +You must be careful not to scratch it. If you do so, and break the skin, +you expose yourself to a sore. The first year I was in Guiana the bête- +rouge and my own want of knowledge, and, I may add, the little attention I +paid to it, created an ulcer above the ankle which annoyed me for six +months, and if I hobbled out into the grass a number of bête-rouge would +settle on the edges of the sore and increase the inflammation. +</p> + +<p> +Still more inconvenient, painful and annoying is another little pest called +the chegoe. It looks exactly like a very small flea, and a stranger would +take it for one. However, in about four and twenty hours he would have +several broad hints that he had made a mistake in his ideas of the animal. +It attacks different parts of the body, but chiefly the feet, betwixt the +toe-nails and the flesh. There it buries itself, and at first causes an +itching not unpleasant. In a day or so, after examining the part, you +perceive a place about the size of a pea, somewhat discoloured, rather of a +blue appearance. Sometimes it happens that the itching is so trivial, you +are not aware that the miner is at work. Time, they say, makes great +discoveries. The discoloured part turns out to be the nest of the chegoe, +containing hundreds of eggs, which, if allowed to hatch there, the young +ones will soon begin to form other nests, and in time cause a spreading +ulcer. As soon as you perceive that you have got the chegoe in your flesh, +you must take a needle or a sharp-pointed knife and take it out. If the +nest be formed, great care must be taken not to break it, otherwise some of +the eggs remain in the flesh, and then you will soon be annoyed with more +chegoes. After removing the nest it is well to drop spirit of turpentine +into the hole: that will most effectually destroy any chegoe that may be +lurking there. Sometimes I have taken four nests out of my feet in the +course of the day. +</p> + +<p> +Every evening, before sundown, it was part of my toilette to examine my +feet and see that they were clear of chegoes. Now and then a nest would +escape the scrutiny, and then I had to smart for it a day or two after. A +chegoe once lit upon the back of my hand; wishful to see how he worked, I +allowed him to take possession. He immediately set to work, head foremost, +and in about half an hour he had completely buried himself in the skin. I +then let him feel the point of my knife, and exterminated him. +</p> + +<p> +More than once, after sitting down upon a rotten stump, I have found myself +covered with ticks. There is a short and easy way to get quit of these +unwelcome adherents. Make a large fire and stand close to it, and if you be +covered with ticks they will all fall off. +</p> + +<p> +Let us now forget for awhile the quadrupeds, serpents and insects, and take +a transitory view of the native Indians of these forests. +</p> + +<p> +There are five principal nations or tribes of Indians in <i>ci-devant</i> +Dutch Guiana, commonly known by the name of Warow, Arowack, Acoway, Carib +and Macoushi. They live in small hamlets, which consist of a few huts, +never exceeding twelve in number. These huts are always in the forest, near +a river or some creek. They are open on all sides (except those of the +Macoushi), and covered with a species of palm-leaf. +</p> + +<p> +Their principal furniture is the hammock. It serves them both for chair and +bed. It is commonly made of cotton; though those of the Warows are formed +from the æta-tree. At night they always make a fire close to it. The heat +keeps them warm, and the smoke drives away the mosquitos and sand-flies. +You sometimes find a table in the hut; but it was not made by the Indians, +but by some negro or mulatto carpenter. +</p> + +<p> +They cut down about an acre or two of the trees which surround the huts, +and there plant pepper, papaws, sweet and bitter cassava, plantains, sweet +potatoes, yams, pine-apples and silk-grass. Besides these, they generally +have a few acres in some fertile part of the forest for their cassava, +which is as bread to them. They make earthen pots to boil their provisions +in; and they get from the white men flat circular plates of iron on which +they bake their cassava. They have to grate the cassava before it is +pressed preparatory to baking; and those Indians who are too far in the +wilds to procure graters from the white men make use of a flat piece of +wood studded with sharp stones. They have no cows, horses, mules, goats, +sheep or asses. The men hunt and fish, and the women work in the provision- +ground and cook their victuals. +</p> + +<p> +In each hamlet there is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out like a +trough. In this, from their cassava, they make an abominable ill-tasted and +sour kind of fermented liquor called piwarri. They are very fond of it, and +never fail to get drunk after every brewing. The frequency of the brewing +depends upon the superabundance of cassava. +</p> + +<p> +Both men and women go without clothes. The men have a cotton wrapper, and +the women a bead-ornamented square piece of cotton about the size of your +hand for the fig-leaf. Those far away in the interior use the bark of a +tree for this purpose. They are a very clean people, and wash in the river +or creek at least twice every day. They paint themselves with the roucou, +sweetly perfumed with hayawa or accaiari. Their hair is black and lank, and +never curled. The women braid it up fancifully, something in the shape of +Diana's head-dress in ancient pictures. They have very few diseases. Old +age and pulmonary complaints seem to be the chief agents for removing them +to another world. The pulmonary complaints are generally brought on by a +severe cold, which they do not know how to arrest in its progress by the +use of the lancet. I never saw an idiot amongst them, nor could I perceive +any that were deformed from their birth. Their women never perish in +childbed, owing, no doubt, to their never wearing stays. +</p> + +<p> +They have no public religious ceremony. They acknowledge two superior +beings--a good one and a bad one. They pray to the latter not to hurt them, +and they are of opinion that the former is too good to do the man injury. I +suspect, if the truth were known, the individuals of the village never +offer up a single prayer or ejaculation. They have a kind of a priest +called a Pee-ay-man, who is an enchanter. He finds out things lost. He +mutters prayers to the evil spirit over them and their children when they +are sick. If a fever be in the village, the Pee-ay-man goes about all night +long howling and making dreadful noises, and begs the bad spirit to depart. +But he has very seldom to perform this part of his duty, as fevers seldom +visit the Indian hamlets. However, when a fever does come, and his +incantations are of no avail, which I imagine is most commonly the case, +they abandon the place for ever and make a new settlement elsewhere. They +consider the owl and the goat-sucker as familiars of the evil spirit, and +never destroy them. +</p> + +<p> +I could find no monuments or marks of antiquity amongst these Indians; so +that, after penetrating to the Rio Branco from the shores of the Western +Ocean, had anybody questioned me on this subject I should have answered, I +have seen nothing amongst these Indians which tells me that they have +existed here for a century; though, for aught I know to the contrary, they +may have been here before the Redemption, but their total want of +civilisation has assimilated them to the forests in which they wander. Thus +an aged tree falls and moulders into dust and you cannot tell what was its +appearance, its beauties, or its diseases amongst the neighbouring trees; +another has shot up in its place, and after Nature has had her course it +will make way for a successor in its turn. So it is with the Indian of +Guiana. He is now laid low in the dust; he has left no record behind him, +either on parchment or on a stone or in earthenware to say what he has +done. Perhaps the place where his buried ruins lie was unhealthy, and the +survivors have left it long ago and gone far away into the wilds. All that +you can say is, the trees where I stand appear lower and smaller than the +rest, and from this I conjecture that some Indians may have had a +settlement here formerly. Were I by chance to meet the son of the father +who moulders here, he could tell me that his father was famous for slaying +tigers and serpents and caymen, and noted in the chase of the tapir and +wild boar, but that he remembers little or nothing of his grandfather. +</p> + +<p> +They are very jealous of their liberty, and much attached to their own mode +of living. Though those in the neighbourhood of the European settlements +have constant communication with the whites, they have no inclination to +become civilised. Some Indians who have accompanied white men to Europe, on +returning to their own land have thrown off their clothes and gone back +into the forests. +</p> + +<p> +In Georgetown, the capital of Demerara, there is a large shed, open on all +sides, built for them by order of Government. Hither the Indians come with +monkeys, parrots, bows and arrows, and pegalls. They sell these to the +white men for money, and too often purchase rum with it, to which they are +wonderfully addicted. +</p> + +<p> +Government allows them annual presents in order to have their services when +the colony deems it necessary to scour the forests in quest of runaway +negroes. Formerly these expeditions were headed by Charles Edmonstone, +Esq., now of Cardross Park, near Dumbarton. This brave colonist never +returned from the woods without being victorious. Once, in an attack upon +the rebel-negroes' camp, he led the way and received two balls in his body; +at the same moment that he was wounded two of his Indians fell dead by his +side; he recovered, after his life was despaired of, but the balls could +never be extracted. +</p> + +<p> +Since the above appeared in print I have had the account of this engagement +with the negroes in the forest from Mr. Edmonstone's own mouth. +</p> + +<p> +He received four slugs in his body, as will be seen in the sequel. +</p> + +<p> +The plantations of Demerara and Essequibo are bounded by an almost +interminable extent of forest. Hither the runaway negroes repair, and form +settlements from whence they issue to annoy the colonists, as occasion may +offer. +</p> + +<p> +In 1801 the runaway slaves had increased to an alarming extent. The +Governor gave orders that an expedition should be immediately organised and +proceed to the woods under the command of Charles Edmonstone, Esq. General +Hislop sent him a corporal, a sergeant and eleven men, and he was joined by +a part of the colonial militia and by sixty Indians. With this force Mr. +Edmonstone entered the forest and proceeded in a direction towards Mahaica. +</p> + +<p> +He marched for eight days through swamps and over places obstructed by +fallen trees and the bush-rope; tormented by myriads of mosquitos, and ever +in fear of treading on the poisonous snakes which can scarcely be +distinguished from the fallen leaves. +</p> + +<p> +At last he reached a wooded sandhill, where the Maroons had entrenched +themselves in great force. Not expecting to come so soon upon them, Mr. +Edmonstone, his faithful man Coffee and two Indian chiefs found themselves +considerably ahead of their own party. As yet they were unperceived by the +enemy, but unfortunately one of the Indian chiefs fired a random shot at a +distant Maroon. Immediately the whole negro camp turned out and formed +themselves in a crescent in front of Mr. Edmonstone. Their chief was an +uncommonly fine negro, above six feet in height; and his head-dress was +that of an African warrior, ornamented with a profusion of small shells. He +advanced undauntedly with his gun in his hand, and, in insulting language, +called out to Mr. Edmonstone to come on and fight him. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Edmonstone approached him slowly in order to give his own men time to +come up; but they were yet too far off for him to profit by this manoeuvre. +Coffee, who carried his master's gun, now stepped up behind him, and put +the gun into his hand, which Mr. Edmonstone received without advancing it +to his shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +He was now within a few yards of the Maroon chief, who seemed to betray +some symptoms of uncertainty, for, instead of firing directly at Mr. +Edmonstone, he took a step sideways, and rested his gun against a tree; no +doubt with the intention of taking a surer aim. Mr. Edmonstone, on +perceiving this, immediately cocked his gun and fired it off, still holding +it in the position in which he had received it from Coffee. The whole of +the contents entered the negro's body, and he dropped dead on his face. +</p> + +<p> +The negroes, who had formed in a crescent, now in their turn fired a +volley, which brought Mr. Edmonstone and his two Indian chiefs to the +ground. The Maroons did not stand to reload, but, on Mr. Edmonstone's party +coming up, they fled precipitately into the surrounding forest. +</p> + +<p> +Four slugs had entered Mr. Edmonstone's body. After coming to himself, on +looking around he saw one of the fallen Indian chiefs bleeding by his side. +He accosted him by name and said he hoped he was not much hurt. The dying +Indian had just strength enough to answer, "Oh no,"--and then expired. The +other chief was lying quite dead. He must have received his mortal wound +just as he was in the act of cocking his gun to fire on the negroes; for it +appeared that the ball which gave him his death-wound had carried off the +first joint of his thumb and passed through his forehead. By this time his +wife, who had accompanied the expedition, came up. She was a fine young +woman, and had her long black hair fancifully braided in a knot on the top +of her head, fastened with a silver ornament. She unloosed it, and, falling +on her husband's body, covered it with her hair, bewailing his untimely end +with the most heart-rending cries. +</p> + +<p> +The blood was now running out of Mr. Edmonstone's shoes. On being raised +up, he ordered his men to pursue the flying Maroons, requesting at the same +time that he might be left where he had fallen, as he felt that he was +mortally wounded. They gently placed him on the ground, and, after the +pursuit of the Maroons had ended, the corporal and sergeant returned to +their commander and formed their men. On his asking what this meant, the +sergeant replied, "I had the General's orders, on setting out from town, +not to leave you in the forest, happen what might." By slow and careful +marches, as much as the obstructions in the woods would admit of, the party +reached Plantation Alliance, on the bank of the Demerara, and from thence +it crossed the river to Plantation Vredestein. +</p> + +<p> +The news of the rencounter had been spread far and wide by the Indians, and +had already reached town. The General, Captains Macrai and Johnstone and +Doctor Dunkin proceeded to Vredestein. On examining Mr. Edmonstone's +wounds, four slugs were found to have entered the body: one was extracted, +the rest remained there till the year 1824, when another was cut out by a +professional gentleman of Port Glasgow. The other two still remain in the +body; and it is supposed that either one or both have touched a nerve, as +they cause almost continual pain. Mr. Edmonstone has commanded fifteen +different expeditions in the forest in quest of the Maroons. The Colonial +Government has requited his services by freeing his property from all taxes +and presenting him a handsome sword and a silver urn, bearing the following +inscription: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Presented to CHARLES EDMONSTONE, Esq., by the Governor + and Court of Policy of the Colony of Demerara, as a token of + their esteem and the deep sense they entertain of the very great + activity and spirit manifested by him, on various occasions, in + his successful exertions for the internal security of the Colony. + --<i>January 1st, 1809</i>. +</p> + +<p> +I do not believe that there is a single Indian in <i>ci-devant</i> Dutch +Guiana who can read or write, nor am I aware that any white man has reduced +their language to the rules of grammar; some may have made a short +manuscript vocabulary of the few necessary words, but that is all. Here and +there a white man, and some few people of colour, talk the language well. +The temper of the Indian of Guiana is mild and gentle, and he is very fond +of his children. +</p> + +<p> +Some ignorant travellers and colonists call these Indians a lazy race. Man +in general will not be active without an object. Now when the Indian has +caught plenty of fish, and killed game enough to last him for a week, what +need has he to range the forest? He has no idea of making pleasure-grounds. +Money is of no use to him, for in these wilds there are no markets for him +to frequent, nor milliners' shops for his wife and daughters; he has no +taxes to pay, no highways to keep up, no poor to maintain, nor army nor +navy to supply; he lies in his hammock both night and day (for he has no +chair or bed, neither does he want them), and in it he forms his bow and +makes his arrows and repairs his fishing-tackle. But as soon as he has +consumed his provisions, he then rouses himself and, like the lion, scours +the forest in quest of food. He plunges into the river after the deer and +tapir, and swims across it; passes through swamps and quagmires, and never +fails to obtain a sufficient supply of food. Should the approach of night +stop his career while he is hunting the wild boar, he stops for the night +and continues the chase the next morning. In my way through the wilds to +the Portuguese frontier I had a proof of this: we were eight in number, six +Indians, a negro and myself. About ten o'clock in the morning we observed +the feet-mark of the wild boars; we judged by the freshness of the marks +that they had passed that way early the same morning. As we were not +gifted, like the hound, with scent, and as we had no dog with us, we +followed their track by the eye. The Indian after game is as sure with his +eye as the dog is with his nose. We followed the herd till three in the +afternoon, then gave up the chase for the present, made our fires close to +a creek where there was plenty of fish, and then arranged the hammocks. In +an hour the Indians shot more fish with their arrows than we could consume. +The night was beautifully serene and clear, and the moon shone as bright as +day. Next morn we rose at dawn, got breakfast, packed up, each took his +burden, and then we put ourselves on the track of the wild boars which we +had been following the day before. We supposed that they too would sleep +that night in the forest, as we had done; and thus the delay on our part +would be no disadvantage to us. This was just the case, for about nine +o'clock their feet-marks became fresher and fresher: we now doubled, our +pace, but did not give mouth like hounds. We pushed on in silence, and soon +came up with them: there were above one hundred of them. We killed six and +the rest took off in different directions. But to the point. +</p> + +<p> +Amongst us the needy man works from light to dark for a maintenance. Should +this man chance to acquire a fortune, he soon changes his habits. No longer +under "strong necessity's supreme command," he contrives to get out of bed +betwixt nine and ten in the morning. His servant helps him to dress, he +walks on a soft carpet to his breakfast-table, his wife pours out his tea, +and his servant hands him his toast. After breakfast the doctor advises a +little gentle exercise in the carriage for an hour or so. At dinner-time he +sits down to a table groaning beneath the weight of heterogeneous luxury: +there he rests upon a chair for three or four hours, eats, drinks and talks +(often unmeaningly) till tea is announced. He proceeds slowly to the +drawing-room, and there spends best part of his time in sitting, till his +wife tempts him with something warm for supper. After supper he still +remains on his chair at rest till he retires to rest for the night. He +mounts leisurely upstairs upon a carpet, and enters his bedroom: there, one +would hope that at least he mutters a prayer or two, though perhaps not on +bended knee. He then lets himself drop in to a soft and downy bed, over +which has just passed the comely Jenny's warming-pan. Now, could the Indian +in his turn see this, he would call the white men a lazy, indolent set. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps, then, upon due reflection you would draw this conclusion: that men +will always be indolent where there is no object to rouse them. +</p> + +<p> +As the Indian of Guiana has no idea whatever of communicating his +intentions by writing, he has fallen upon a plan of communication sure and +simple. When two or three families have determined to come down the river +and pay you a visit, they send an Indian beforehand with a string of beads. +You take one bead off every day, and on the day that the string is beadless +they arrive at your house. +</p> + +<p> +In finding their way through these pathless wilds the sun is to them what +Ariadne's clue was to Theseus. When he is on the meridian they generally +sit down, and rove onwards again as soon as he has sufficiently declined to +the west; they require no other compass. When in chase, they break a twig +on the bushes as they pass by, every three or four hundred paces, and this +often prevents them from losing their way on their return. +</p> + +<p> +You will not be long in the forests of Guiana before you perceive how very +thinly they are inhabited. You may wander for a week together without +seeing a hut. The wild beasts, snakes, the swamps, the trees, the uncurbed +luxuriance of everything around you conspire to inform you that man has no +habitation here--man has seldom passed this way. +</p> + +<p> +Let us now return to natural history. There was a person making shingles +with twenty or thirty negroes not far from Mibiri Hill. I had offered a +reward to any of them who would find a good-sized snake in the forest and +come and let me know where it was. Often had these negroes looked for a +large snake, and as often been disappointed. +</p> + +<p> +One Sunday morning I met one of them in the forest, and asked him which way +he was going: he said he was going towards Waratilla Creek to hunt an +armadillo; and he had his little dog with him. On coming back, about noon, +the dog began to bark at the root of a large tree which had been upset by +the whirlwind and was lying there in a gradual state of decay. The negro +said he thought his dog was barking at an acouri which had probably taken +refuge under the tree, and he went up with an intention to kill it; he +there saw a snake, and hastened back to inform me of it. +</p> + +<p> +The sun had just passed the meridian in a cloudless sky; there was scarcely +a bird to be seen, for the winged inhabitants of the forest, as though +overcome by heat, had retired to the thickest shade: all would have been +like midnight silence were it not for the shrill voice of the pi-pi-yo, +every now and then resounded from a distant tree. I was sitting with a +little Horace in my hand, on what had once been the steps which formerly +led up to the now mouldering and dismantled building. The negro and his +little dog came down the hill in haste, and I was soon informed that a +snake had been discovered; but it was a young one, called the bush-master, +a rare and poisonous snake. +</p> + +<p> +I instantly rose up, and laying hold of the eight-foot lance which was +close by me, "Well, then, Daddy," said I, "we'll go and have a look at the +snake." I was barefoot, with an old hat, and check shirt, and trousers on, +and a pair of braces to keep them up. The negro had his cutlass, and as we +ascended the hill another negro, armed with a cutlass, joined us, judging +from our pace that there was something to do. The little dog came along +with us, and when we had got about half a mile in the forest the negro +stopped and pointed to the fallen tree: all was still and silent. I told +the negroes not to stir from the place where they were, and keep the little +dog in, and that I would go in and reconnoitre. +</p> + +<p> +I advanced up to the place slow and cautious. The snake was well concealed, +but at last I made him out; it was a coulacanara, not poisonous, but large +enough to have crushed any of us to death. On measuring him afterwards he +was something more than fourteen feet long. This species of snake is very +rare, and much thicker in proportion to his length than any other snake in +the forest. A coulacanara of fourteen feet in length is as thick as a +common boa of twenty-four. After skinning this snake I could easily get my +head into his mouth, as the singular formation of the jaws admits of +wonderful extension. +</p> + +<p> +A Dutch friend of mine, by name Brouwer, killed a boa twenty-two feet long +with a pair of stag's horns in his mouth. He had swallowed the stag, but +could not get the horns down; so he had to wait in patience with that +uncomfortable mouthful till his stomach digested the body, and then the +horns would drop out. In this plight the Dutchman found him as he was going +in his canoe up the river, and sent a ball through his head. +</p> + +<p> +On ascertaining the size of the serpent which the negro had just found, I +retired slowly the way I came, and promised four dollars to the negro who +had shown it to me, and one to the other who had joined us. Aware that the +day was on the decline, and that the approach of night would be detrimental +to the dissection, a thought struck me that I could take him alive. I +imagined if I could strike him with the lance behind the head, and pin him +to the ground, I might succeed in capturing him. When I told this to the +negroes they begged and entreated me to let them go for a gun and bring +more force, as they were sure the snake would kill some of us. +</p> + +<p> +I had been at the siege of Troy for nine years, and it would not do now to +carry back to Greece "nil decimo nisi dedecus anno." I mean I had been in +search of a large serpent for years, and now having come up with one it did +not become me to turn soft. So, taking a cutlass from one of the negroes, +and then ranging both the sable slaves behind me, I told them to follow me, +and that I would cut them down if they offered to fly. I smiled as I said +this, but they shook their heads in silence and seemed to have but a bad +heart of it. +</p> + +<p> +When we got up to the place the serpent had not stirred, but I could see +nothing of his head, and I judged by the folds of his body that it must be +at the farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had formed a +complete mantle over the branches of the fallen tree, almost impervious to +the rain or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted to this +sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an ancient +settlement. +</p> + +<p> +I now took my knife, determining to cut away the woodbine and break the +twigs in the gentlest manner possible, till I could get a view of his head. +One negro stood guard close behind me with the lance; and near him the +other with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the first negro +was on the ground close by me in case of need. +</p> + +<p> +After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, with one knee all +the time on the ground, I had cleared away enough to see his head. It +appeared coming out betwixt the first and second coil of his body, and was +flat on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to be in. +</p> + +<p> +I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a sign to the negroes +to do the same. The dog was sitting at a distance in mute observance. I +could now read in the face of the negroes that they considered this as a +very unpleasant affair; and they made another attempt to persuade me to let +them go for a gun. I smiled in a good-natured manner, and made a feint to +cut them down with the weapon I had in my hand. This was all the answer I +made to their request, and they looked very uneasy. +</p> + +<p> +It must be observed we were now about twenty yards from the snake's den. I +now ranged the negroes behind me, and told him who stood next to me to lay +hold of the lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the other must +attend my movements. It now only remained to take their cutlasses from +them, for I was sure if I did not disarm them they would be tempted to +strike the snake in time of danger, and thus for ever spoil his skin. On +taking their cutlasses from them, if I might judge from their physiognomy, +they seemed to consider it as a most intolerable act of tyranny in me. +Probably nothing kept them from bolting but the consolation that I was to +be betwixt them and the snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite of all I +could do, beat quicker than usual; and I felt those sensations which one +has on board a merchant-vessel in war-time, when the captain orders all +hands on deck to prepare for action, while a strange vessel is coming down +upon us under suspicious colours. +</p> + +<p> +We went slowly on in silence without moving our arms or heads, in order to +prevent all alarm as much as possible, lest the snake should glide off or +attack us in self-defence. I carried the lance perpendicularly before me, +with the point about a foot from the ground. The snake had not moved; and +on getting up to him I struck him with the lance on the near-side, just +behind the neck, and pinned him to the ground. That moment the negro next +to me seized the lance and held it firm in its place, while I dashed head +foremost into the den to grapple with the snake and to get hold of his tail +before he could do any mischief. +</p> + +<p> +On pinning him to the ground with the lance he gave a tremendous loud hiss, +and the little dog ran away, howling as he went. We had a sharp fray in the +den, the rotten sticks flying on all sides, and each party struggling for +superiority. I called out to the second negro to throw himself upon me, as +I found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and the additional weight was of +great service. I had now got firm hold of his tail; and after a violent +struggle or two he gave in, finding himself overpowered. This was the +moment to secure him. So while the first negro continued to hold the lance +firm to the ground, and the other was helping me, I contrived to unloose my +braces and with them tied up the snake's mouth. +</p> + +<p> +The snake, now finding himself in an unpleasant situation, tried to better +himself, and set resolutely to work, but we overpowered him. We contrived +to make him twist himself round the shaft of the lance, and then prepared +to convey him out of the forest. I stood at his head and held it firm under +my arm, one negro supported the belly and the other the tail. In this order +we began to move slowly towards home, and reached it after resting ten +times: for the snake was too heavy for us to support him without stopping +to recruit our strength. As we proceeded onwards with him he fought hard +for freedom, but it was all in vain. The day was now too far spent to think +of dissecting him. Had I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have +taken place before morning. I had brought with me up into the forest a +strong bag large enough to contain any animal that I should want to +dissect. I considered this the best mode of keeping live wild animals when +I was pressed for daylight; for the bag yielding in every direction to +their efforts, they would have nothing solid or fixed to work on, and thus +would be prevented from making a hole through it. I say fixed, for after +the mouth of the bag was closed the bag itself was not fastened or tied to +anything, but moved about wherever the animal inside caused it to roll. +After securing afresh the mouth of the coulacanara, so that he could not +open it, he was forced into this bag and left to his fate till morning. +</p> + +<p> +I cannot say he allowed me to have a quiet night. My hammock was in the +loft just above him, and the floor betwixt us half gone to decay, so that +in parts of it no boards intervened betwixt his lodging-room and mine. He +was very restless and fretful; and had Medusa been my wife, there could not +have been more continued and disagreeable hissing in the bed-chamber that +night. At daybreak I sent to borrow ten of the negroes who were cutting +wood at a distance; I could have done with half that number, but judged it +most prudent to have a good force, in case he should try to escape from the +house when we opened the bag. However, nothing serious occurred. +</p> + +<p> +We untied the mouth of the bag, kept him down by main force, and then I cut +his throat. He bled like an ox. By six o'clock the same evening he was +completely dissected. On examining his teeth I observed that they were all +bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat, and not so large or +strong as I expected to have found them; but they are exactly suited to +what they are intended by Nature to perform. The snake does not masticate +his food, and thus the only service his teeth have to perform is to seize +his prey and hold it till he swallows it whole. +</p> + +<p> +In general, the skins of snakes are sent to museums without the head: for +when the Indians and negroes kill a snake they seldom fail to cut off the +head, and then they run no risk from its teeth. When the skin is stuffed in +the museum a wooden head is substituted, armed with teeth which are large +enough to suit a tiger's jaw; and this tends to mislead the spectator and +give him erroneous ideas. +</p> + +<p> +During this fray with the serpent the old negro, Daddy Quashi, was in +Georgetown procuring provisions, and just returned in time to help to take +the skin off. He had spent best part of his life in the forest with his old +master, Mr. Edmonstone, and amused me much in recounting their many +adventures amongst the wild beasts. The Daddy had a particular horror of +snakes, and frankly declared he could never have faced the one in question. +</p> + +<p> +The week following his courage was put to the test, and he made good his +words. It was a curious conflict, and took place near the spot where I had +captured the large snake. In the morning I had been following a new species +of paroquet, and, the day being rainy, I had taken an umbrella to keep the +gun dry, and had left it under a tree; in the afternoon I took Daddy Quashi +with me to look for it. Whilst he was searching about, curiosity took me +towards the place of the late scene of action. There was a path where +timber had formerly been dragged along. Here I observed a young +coulacanara, ten feet long, slowly moving onwards. I saw he was not thick +enough to break my arm, in case he got twisted round it. There was not a +moment to be lost. I laid hold of his tail with the left hand, one knee +being on the ground; with the right I took off my hat, and held it as you +would hold a shield for defence. +</p> + +<p> +The snake instantly turned and came on at me, with his head about a yard +from the ground, as if to ask me what business I had to take liberties with +his tail. I let him come, hissing and open-mouthed, within two feet of my +face, and then with all the force I was master of I drove my fist, shielded +by my hat, full in his jaws. He was stunned and confounded by the blow, and +ere he could recover himself I had seized his throat with both hands in +such a position that he could not bite me. I then allowed him to coil +himself round my body, and marched off with him as my lawful prize. He +pressed me hard, but not alarmingly so. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime Daddy Quashi, having found the umbrella and having heard +the noise which the fray occasioned, was coming cautiously up. As soon as +he saw me and in what company I was, he turned about and ran off home, I +after him, and shouting to increase his fear. On scolding him for his +cowardice, the old rogue begged that I would forgive him, for that the +sight of the snake had positively turned him sick at stomach. +</p> + +<p> +When I had done with the carcass of the large snake it was conveyed into +the forest, as I expected that it would attract the king of the vultures as +soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. In a few days it +sent forth that odour which a carcass should send forth, and about twenty +of the common vultures came and perched on the neighbouring trees. The king +of the vultures came, too; and I observed that none of the common ones +seemed inclined to begin breakfast till his majesty had finished. When he +had consumed as much snake as Nature informed him would do him good, he +retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common vultures +fell to and made a hearty meal. +</p> + +<p> +The head and neck of the king of the vultures are bare of feathers; but the +beautiful appearance they exhibit fades in death. The throat and the back +of the neck are of a fine lemon colour; both sides of the neck, from the +ears downwards, of a rich scarlet; behind the corrugated part there is a +white spot. The crown of the head is scarlet; betwixt the lower mandible +and the eye and close by the ear there is a part which has a fine silvery- +blue appearance; the corrugated part is of a dirty light brown; behind it +and just above the white spot a portion of the skin is blue, and the rest +scarlet; the skin which juts out behind the neck, and appears like an +oblong caruncle, is blue in part and part orange. +</p> + +<p> +The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and the +cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white. Below the bare part +of the neck there is a cinereous ruff. The bag of the stomach, which is +only seen when distended with food, is of a most delicate white, +intersected with blue veins, which appear on it just like the blue veins on +the arm of a fair-complexioned person. The tail and long wing-feathers are +black, the belly white, and the rest of the body a fine satin colour. +</p> + +<p> +I cannot be persuaded that the vultures ever feed upon live animals, not +even upon lizards, rats, mice or frogs. I have watched them for hours +together, but never could see them touch any living animals, though +innumerable lizards, frogs and small birds swarmed all around them. I have +killed lizards and frogs, and put them in a proper place for observation; +as soon as they began to stink the aura vulture invariably came and took +them off. I have frequently observed that the day after the planter had +burnt the trash in a cane-field the aura vulture was sure to be there, +feeding on the snakes, lizards and frogs which had suffered in the +conflagration. I often saw a large bird (very much like the common +gregarious vulture, at a distance) catch and devour lizards; after shooting +one it turned out to be not a vulture but a hawk, with a tail squarer and +shorter than hawks have in general. The vultures, like the goat-sucker and +woodpecker, seem to be in disgrace with man. They are generally termed a +voracious, stinking, cruel and ignoble tribe. Under these impressions the +fowler discharges his gun at them, and probably thinks he has done well in +ridding the earth of such vermin. +</p> + +<p> +Some Governments impose a fine on him who kills a vulture. This is a +salutary law, and it were to be wished that other Governments would follow +so good an example. I would fain here say a word or two in favour of this +valuable scavenger. +</p> + +<p> +Kind Providence has conferred a blessing on hot countries in giving them +the vulture; He has ordered it to consume that which, if left to dissolve +in putrefaction, would infect the air and produce a pestilence. When full +of food the vulture certainly appears an indolent bird; he will stand for +hours together on the branch of a tree, or on the top of a house, with his +wings drooping, and, after rain, with them spread and elevated to catch the +rays of the sun. It has been remarked by naturalists that the flight of +this bird is laborious. I have paid attention to the vulture in Andalusia +and to those in Guiana, Brazil, and the West Indies, and conclude that they +are birds of long, even and lofty flight. Indeed, whoever has observed the +aura vulture will be satisfied that his flight is wonderfully majestic and +of long continuance. +</p> + +<p> +This bird is above five feet from wing to wing extended. You will see it +soaring aloft in the aerial expanse on pinions which never flutter, and +which at the same time carry him through the fields of ether with a +rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. In Paramaribo the laws protect +the vulture, and the Spaniards of Angustura never think of molesting him. +In 1808 I saw the vultures in that city as tame as domestic fowls; a person +who had never seen a vulture would have taken them for turkeys. They were +very useful to the Spaniards. Had it not been for them, the refuse of the +slaughter-houses in Angustura would have caused an intolerable nuisance. +</p> + +<p> +The common black, short, square-tailed vulture is gregarious, but the aura +vulture is not so; for though you may see fifteen or twenty of them feeding +on the dead vermin in a cane-field, after the trash has been set fire to, +still, if you have paid attention to their arrival, you will have observed +that they came singly and retired singly; and thus their being altogether +in the same field was merely accidental and caused by each one smelling the +effluvia as he was soaring through the sky to look out for food. I have +watched twenty come into a cane-field; they arrived one by one, and from +different parts of the heavens. Hence we may conclude that, though the +other species of vulture are gregarious, the aura vulture is not. +</p> + +<p> +If you dissect a vulture that has just been feeding on carrion, you must +expect that your olfactory nerves will be somewhat offended with the rank +effluvia from his craw; just as they would be were you to dissect a citizen +after the Lord Mayor's dinner. If, on the contrary, the vulture be empty at +the time you commence the operation, there will be no offensive smell, but +a strong scent of musk. +</p> + +<p> +I had long wished to examine the native haunts of the cayman, but as the +River Demerara did not afford a specimen of the large kind, I was obliged +to go to the River Essequibo to look for one. +</p> + +<p> +I got the canoe ready, and went down in it to Georgetown, where, having put +in the necessary articles for the expedition, not forgetting a couple of +large shark-hooks with chains attached to them, and a coil of strong new +rope, I hoisted a little sail which I had got made on purpose, and at six +o'clock in the morning shaped our course for the River Essequibo. I had put +a pair of shoes on to prevent the tar at the bottom of the canoe from +sticking to my feet. The sun was flaming hot, and from eleven o'clock till +two beat perpendicularly upon the top of my feet, betwixt the shoes and the +trousers. Not feeling it disagreeable, or being in the least aware of +painful consequences, as I had been barefoot for months, I neglected to put +on a pair of short stockings which I had with me. I did not reflect that +sitting still in one place, with your feet exposed to the sun, was very +different from being exposed to the sun while in motion. +</p> + +<p> +We went ashore in the Essequibo about three o'clock in the afternoon, to +choose a place for the night's residence, to collect firewood, and to set +the fish-hooks. It was then that I first began to find my legs very +painful: they soon became much inflamed and red and blistered; and it +required considerable caution not to burst the blisters, otherwise sores +would have ensued. I immediately got into the hammock, and there passed a +painful and sleepless night, and for two days after I was disabled from +walking. +</p> + +<p> +About midnight, as I was lying awake and in great pain, I heard the Indian +say, "Massa, massa, you no hear tiger?" I listened attentively, and heard +the softly sounding tread of his feet as he approached us. The moon had +gone down, but every now and then we could get a glance of him by the light +of our fire. He was the jaguar, for I could see the spots on his body. Had +I wished to have fired at him I was not able to take a sure aim, for I was +in such pain that I could not turn myself in my hammock. The Indian would +have fired, but I would not allow him to do so, as I wanted to see a little +more of our new visitor, for it is not every day or night that the +traveller is favoured with an undisturbed sight of the jaguar in his own +forests. +</p> + +<p> +Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little nearer, and when the +Indian renewed it he retired abruptly. Sometimes he would come within +twenty yards, and then we had a view of him sitting on his hind-legs like a +dog; sometimes he moved slowly to and fro, and at other times we could hear +him mend his pace, as if impatient. At last the Indian, not relishing the +idea of having such company in the neighbourhood, could contain himself no +longer, and set up a most tremendous yell. The jaguar bounded off like a +racehorse, and returned no more. It appeared by the print of his feet the +next morning that he was a full-grown jaguar. +</p> + +<p> +In two days after this we got to the first falls in the Essequibo. There +was a superb barrier of rocks quite across the river. In the rainy season +these rocks are for the most part under water, but it being now dry weather +we had a fine view of them, while the water from the river above them +rushed through the different openings in majestic grandeur. Here, on a +little hill jutting out into the river, stands the house of Mrs. Peterson, +the last house of people of colour up this river. I hired a negro from her +and a coloured man who pretended that they knew the haunts of the cayman +and understood everything about taking him. We were a day in passing these +falls and rapids, celebrated for the pacou, the richest and most delicious +fish in Guiana. The coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the +head of the canoe, and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were +swimming in the stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had +plunged headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling +with it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he +aimed at. +</p> + +<p> +Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here give +thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that not being +the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and well-intended attempt. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each side +of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all covered +with trees of gigantic height and size. Here their leaves were of a lively +purple, and there of the deepest green. Sometimes the caracara extended its +scarlet blossoms from branch to branch, and gave the tree the appearance as +though it had been hung with garlands. +</p> + +<p> +This delightful scenery of the Essequibo made the soul overflow with joy, +and caused you to rove in fancy through fairyland; till, on turning an +angle of the river, you were recalled to more sober reflections on seeing +the once grand and towering mora now dead and ragged in its topmost +branches, while its aged trunk, undermined by the rushing torrent, hung as +though in sorrow over the river, which ere long would receive it and sweep +it away for ever. +</p> + +<p> +During the day the trade-wind blew a gentle and refreshing breeze, which +died away as the night set in, and then the river was as smooth as glass. +</p> + +<p> +The moon was within three days of being full, so that we did not regret the +loss of the sun, which set in all its splendour. Scarce had he sunk behind +the western hills when the goat-suckers sent forth their soft and plaintive +cries; some often repeating, "Who are you--who, who, who are you?" and +others "Willy, willy, willy come go." +</p> + +<p> +The Indian and Daddy Quashi often shook their head at this, and said they +were bringing talk from Yabahou, who is the Evil Spirit of the Essequibo. +It was delightful to sit on the branch of a fallen tree near the water's +edge and listen to these harmless birds as they repeated their evening +song; and watch the owls and vampires as they every now and then passed up +and down the river. +</p> + +<p> +The next day, about noon, as we were proceeding onwards, we heard the +campanero tolling in the depth of the forest. Though I should not then have +stopped to dissect even a rare bird, having a greater object in view, still +I could not resist the opportunity offered of acquiring the campanero. The +place where he was tolling was low and swampy, and my legs not having quite +recovered from the effects of the sun, I sent the Indian to shoot the +campanero. He got up to the tree, which he described as very high, with a +naked top, and situated in a swamp. He fired at the bird, but either missed +it or did not wound it sufficiently to bring it down. This was the only +opportunity I had of getting a campanero during this expedition. We had +never heard one toll before this morning, and never heard one after. +</p> + +<p> +About an hour before sunset we reached the place which the two men who had +joined us at the falls pointed out as a proper one to find a cayman. There +was a large creek close by and a sandbank gently sloping to the water. Just +within the forest, on this bank, we cleared a place of brushwood, suspended +the hammocks from the trees, and then picked up enough of decayed wood for +fuel. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian found a large land-tortoise, and this, with plenty of fresh fish +which we had in the canoe, afforded a supper not to be despised. +</p> + +<p> +The tigers had kept up a continual roaring every night since we had entered +the Essequibo. The sound was awfully fine. Sometimes it was in the +immediate neighbourhood; at other times it was far off, and echoed amongst +the hills like distant thunder. +</p> + +<p> +It may, perhaps, not be amiss to observe here that when the word tiger is +used it does not mean the Bengal tiger. It means the jaguar, whose skin is +beautifully spotted, and not striped like that of the tiger in the East. It +is, in fact, the tiger of the new world, and receiving the name of tiger +from the discoverers of South America it has kept it ever since. It is a +cruel, strong and dangerous beast, but not so courageous as the Bengal +tiger. +</p> + +<p> +We now baited a shark-hook with a large fish, and put it upon a board about +a yard long and one foot broad which we had brought on purpose. This board +was carried out in the canoe, about forty yards into the river. By means of +a string long enough to reach the bottom of the river, and at the end of +which string was fastened a stone, the board was kept, as it were, at +anchor. One end of the new rope I had bought in town was reeved through the +chain of the shark-hook and the other end fastened to a tree on the +sandbank. +</p> + +<p> +It was now an hour after sunset. The sky was cloudless, and the moon shone +beautifully bright. There was not a breath of wind in the heavens, and the +river seemed like a large plain of quicksilver. Every now and then a huge +fish would strike and plunge in the water; then the owls and goat-suckers +would continue their lamentations, and the sound of these was lost in the +prowling tiger's growl. Then all was still again and silent as midnight. +</p> + +<p> +The caymen were now upon the stir, and at intervals their noise could be +distinguished amid that of the jaguar, the owls, the goat-suckers and +frogs. It was a singular and awful sound. It was like a suppressed sigh +bursting forth all of a sudden, and so loud that you might hear it above a +mile off. First one emitted this horrible noise, and then another answered +him; and on looking at the countenances of the people round me I could +plainly see that they expected to have a cayman that night. +</p> + +<p> +We were at supper when the Indian, who seemed to have had one eye on the +turtle-pot and the other on the bait in the river, said he saw the cayman +coming. Upon looking towards the place there appeared something on the +water like a black log of wood. It was so unlike anything alive that I +doubted if it were a cayman; but the Indian smiled and said he was sure it +was one, for he remembered seeing a cayman some years ago when he was in +the Essequibo. +</p> + +<p> +At last it gradually approached the bait, and the board began to move. The +moon shone so bright that we could distinctly see him open his huge jaws +and take in the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop the bait; +and then we saw his black head retreating from the board to the distance of +a few yards; and there it remained quite motionless. +</p> + +<p> +He did not seem inclined to advance again; and so we finished our supper. +In about an hour's time he again put himself in motion, and took hold of +the bait. But probably suspecting that he had to deal with knaves and +cheats, he held it in his mouth but did not swallow it. We pulled the rope +again, but with no better success than the first time. +</p> + +<p> +He retreated as usual, and came back again in about an hour. We paid him +every attention till three o'clock in the morning, when, worn out with +disappointment, we went to the hammocks, turned in and fell asleep. +</p> + +<p> +When day broke we found that he had contrived to get the bait from the +hook, though we had tied it on with string. We had now no more hopes of +taking a cayman till the return of night. The Indian took off into the +woods and brought back a noble supply of game. The rest of us went into the +canoe and proceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more than we +could use. +</p> + +<p> +As we approached the shallows we could see the large sting-rays moving at +the bottom. The coloured man never failed to hit them with his arrow. The +weather was delightful. There was scarcely a cloud to intercept the sun's +rays. +</p> + +<p> +I saw several scarlet aras, anhingas and ducks, but could not get a shot at +them. The parrots crossed the river in innumerable quantities, always +flying in pairs. Here, too, I saw the sun-bird, called tirana by the +Spaniards in the Oroonoque, and shot one of them. The black and white +scarlet-headed finch was very common here. I could never see this bird in +the Demerara, nor hear of its being there. +</p> + +<p> +We at last came to a large sandbank, probably two miles in circumference. +As we approached it we could see two or three hundred fresh-water turtle on +the edge of the bank. Ere we could get near enough to let fly an arrow at +them they had all sunk into the river and appeared no more. +</p> + +<p> +We went on the sandbank to look for their nests, as this was the breeding- +season. The coloured man showed us how to find them. Wherever a portion of +the sand seemed smoother than the rest there was sure to be a turtle's +nest. On digging down with our hands about nine inches deep we found from +twenty to thirty white eggs; in less than an hour we got above two hundred. +Those which had a little black spot or two on the shell we ate the same +day, as it was a sign that they were not fresh, and of course would not +keep; those which had no speck were put into dry sand, and were good some +weeks after. +</p> + +<p> +At midnight two of our people went to this sandbank while the rest stayed +to watch the cayman. The turtle had advanced on to the sand to lay their +eggs, and the men got betwixt them and the water; they brought off half a +dozen very fine and well-fed turtle. The eggshell of the fresh-water turtle +is not hard like that of the land-tortoise, but appears like white +parchment, and gives way to the pressure of the fingers; but it is very +tough, and does not break. On this sandbank, close to the forest, we found +several guana's nests; but they had never more than fourteen eggs apiece. +Thus passed the day in exercise and knowledge, till the sun's declining orb +reminded us it was time to return to the place from whence we had set out. +</p> + +<p> +The second night's attempt upon the cayman was a repetition of the first, +quite unsuccessful. We went a-fishing the day after, had excellent sport, +and returned to experience a third night's disappointment. On the fourth +evening, about four o'clock, we began to erect a stage amongst the trees +close to the water's edge. From this we intended to shoot an arrow into the +cayman: at the end of this arrow was to be attached a string which would be +tied to the rope, and as soon as the cayman was struck we were to have the +canoe ready and pursue him in the river. +</p> + +<p> +While we were busy in preparing the stage a tiger began to roar. We judged +by the sound that he was not above a quarter of a mile from us, and that he +was close to the side of the river. Unfortunately the Indian said it was +not a jaguar that was roaring, but a couguar. The couguar is of a pale, +brownish-red colour, and not as large as the jaguar. As there was nothing +particular in this animal I thought it better to attend to the apparatus +for catching the cayman than to go in quest of the couguar. The people, +however, went in the canoe to the place where the couguar was roaring. On +arriving near the spot they saw it was not a couguar, but an immense +jaguar, standing on the trunk of an aged mora-tree which bended over the +river; he growled and showed his teeth as they approached; the coloured man +fired at him with a ball, but probably missed him, and the tiger instantly +descended and took off into the woods. I went to the place before dark, and +we searched the forest for about half a mile in the direction he had fled, +but we could see no traces of him or any marks of blood; so I concluded +that fear had prevented the man from taking steady aim. +</p> + +<p> +We spent best part of the fourth night in trying for the cayman, but all to +no purpose. I was now convinced that something was materially wrong. We +ought to have been successful, considering our vigilance and attention, and +that we had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless to tarry here any +longer; moreover, the coloured man began to take airs, and fancied that I +could not do without him. I never admit of this in any expedition where I +am commander; and so I convinced the man, to his sorrow, that I could do +without him, for I paid him what I had agreed to give him, which amounted +to eight dollars, and ordered him back in his own curial to Mrs. +Peterson's, on the hill at the first falls. I then asked the negro if there +were any Indian settlements in the neighbourhood; he said he knew of one, a +day and a half off. We went in quest of it, and about one o'clock the next +day the negro showed us the creek where it was. +</p> + +<p> +The entrance was so concealed by thick bushes that a stranger would have +passed it without knowing it to be a creek. In going up it we found it +dark, winding, and intricate beyond any creek that I had ever seen before. +When Orpheus came back with his young wife from Styx his path must have +been similar to this, for Ovid says it was +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca, +</p> + +<p> +and this creek was exactly so. +</p> + +<p> +When we had got about two-thirds up it we met the Indians going a-fishing. +I saw by the way their things were packed in the curial that they did not +intend to return for some days. However, on telling them what we wanted, +and by promising handsome presents of powder, shot and hooks, they dropped +their expedition and invited us up to the settlement they had just left, +and where we laid in a provision of cassava. +</p> + +<p> +They gave us for dinner boiled ant-bear and red monkey: two dishes unknown +even at Beauvilliers in Paris or at a London city feast. The monkey was +very good indeed, but the ant-bear had been kept beyond its time: it stunk +as our venison does in England; and so, after tasting it, I preferred +dining entirely on monkey. After resting here we went back to the river. +The Indians, three in number, accompanied us in their own curial, and, on +entering the river, pointed to a place a little way above well calculated +to harbour a cayman. The water was deep and still, and flanked by an +immense sandbank; there was also a little shallow creek close by. +</p> + +<p> +On this sandbank, near the forest, the people made a shelter for the night. +My own was already made, for I always take with me a painted sheet about +twelve feet by ten. This thrown over a pole, supported betwixt two trees, +makes you a capital roof with very little trouble. +</p> + +<p> +We showed one of the Indians the shark-hook. He shook his head and laughed +at it, and said it would not do. When he was a boy he had seen his father +catch the caymen, and on the morrow he would make something that would +answer. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime we set the shark-hook, but it availed us naught: a cayman +came and took it, but would not swallow it. +</p> + +<p> +Seeing it was useless to attend the shark-hook any longer, we left it for +the night and returned to our hammocks. +</p> + +<p> +Ere I fell asleep a reflection or two broke in upon me. I considered that +as far as the judgment of civilised man went, everything had been procured +and done to ensure success. We had hooks and lines and baits and patience; +we had spent nights in watching, had seen the cayman come and take the +bait, and after our expectations had been wound up to the highest pitch all +ended in disappointment. Probably this poor wild man of the woods would +succeed by means of a very simple process, and thus prove to his more +civilised brother that, notwithstanding books and schools, there is a vast +deal of knowledge to be picked up at every step, whichever way we turn +ourselves. +</p> + +<p> +In the morning, as usual, we found the bait gone from the shark-hook. The +Indians went into the forest to hunt, and we took the canoe to shoot fish +and get another supply of turtle's eggs, which we found in great abundance +on this large sandbank. +</p> + +<p> +We went to the little shallow creek, and shot some young caymen about two +feet long. It was astonishing to see what spite and rage these little +things showed when the arrow struck them; they turned round and bit it: and +snapped at us when we went into the water to take them up. Daddy Quashi +boiled one of them for his dinner, and found it very sweet and tender. I do +not see why it should not be as good as frog or veal. +</p> + +<p> +The day was now declining apace, and the Indian had made his instrument to +take the cayman. It was very simple. There were four pieces of tough, +hardwood a foot long, and about as thick as your little finger, and barbed +at both ends; they were tied round the end of the rope in such a manner +that if you conceive the rope to be an arrow, these four sticks would form +the arrow's head; so that one end of the four united sticks answered to the +point of the arrowhead, while the other end of the sticks expanded at equal +distances round the rope, thus: +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<img src="images/175.gif" alt=""> +</p> + +<p> +Now it is evident that, if the cayman swallowed this (the other end of the +rope, which was thirty yards long, being fastened to a tree), the more he +pulled the faster the barbs would stick into his stomach. This wooden hook, +if you may so call it, was well-baited with the flesh of the acouri, and +the entrails were twisted round the rope for about a foot above it. +</p> + +<p> +Nearly a mile from where we had our hammocks the sandbank was steep and +abrupt, and the river very still and deep; there the Indian pricked a stick +into the sand. It was two feet long, and on its extremity was fixed the +machine: it hung suspended about a foot from the water, and the end of the +rope was made fast to a stake driven well into the sand. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian then took the empty shell of a land-tortoise and gave it some +heavy blows with an axe. I asked why he did that. He said it was to let +the cayman hear that something was going on. In fact, the Indian meant +it as the cayman's dinner-bell. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<img src="images/176.gif" alt="cayman bait"> +</p> + +<p> +Having done this we went back to the hammocks, not intending to visit it +again till morning. During the night the jaguars roared and grumbled in the +forest as though the world was going wrong with them, and at intervals we +could hear the distant cayman. The roaring of the jaguars was awful, but it +was music to the dismal noise of these hideous and malicious reptiles. +</p> + +<p> +About half-past five in the morning the Indian stole off silently to take a +look at the bait. On arriving at the place he set up a tremendous shout. We +all jumped out of our hammocks and ran to him. The Indians got there before +me, for they had no clothes to put on, and I lost two minutes in looking +for my trousers and in slipping into them. +</p> + +<p> +We found a cayman ten feet and a half long fast to the end of the rope. +Nothing now remained to do but to get him out of the water without injuring +his scales: "hoc opus, hic labor." We mustered strong: there were three +Indians from the creek, there was my own Indian Yan, Daddy Quashi, the +negro from Mrs. Peterson's, James, Mr. R. Edmonstone's man, whom I was +instructing to preserve birds, and lastly myself. +</p> + +<p> +I informed the Indians that it was my intention to draw him quietly out of +the water and then secure him. They looked and stared at each other, and +said I might do it myself, but they would have no hand in it; the cayman +would worry some of us. On saying this, "consedere duces," they squatted on +their hams with the most perfect indifference. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians of these wilds have never been subject to the least restraint, +and I knew enough of them to be aware that if I tried to force them against +their will they would take off and leave me and my presents unheeded, and +never return. +</p> + +<p> +Daddy Quashi was for applying to our guns, as usual, considering them our +best and safest friends. I immediately offered to knock him down for his +cowardice, and he shrunk back, begging that I would be cautious, and not +get myself worried, and apologising for his own want of resolution. My +Indian was now in conversation with the others, and they asked if I would +allow them to shoot a dozen arrows into him, and thus disable him. This +would have ruined all. I had come above three hundred miles on purpose to +get a cayman uninjured, and not to carry back a mutilated specimen. I +rejected their proposition with firmness, and darted a disdainful eye upon +the Indians. +</p> + +<p> +Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remonstrate, and I chased him on the +sandbank for a quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards he thought he +should have dropped down dead with fright, for he was firmly persuaded if I +had caught him I should have bundled him into the cayman's jaws. Here, +then, we stood in silence like a calm before a thunderstorm. "Hoc res summa +loco. Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They wanted to kill him, and I wanted +to take him alive. +</p> + +<p> +I now walked up and down the sand, revolving a dozen projects in my head. +The canoe was at a considerable distance, and I ordered the people to bring +it round to the place where we were. The mast was eight feet long, and not +much thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the canoe and wrapped the sail +round the end of it. Now it appeared clear to me that, if I went down upon +one knee and held the mast in the same position as the soldier holds his +bayonet when rushing to the charge, I could force it down the cayman's +throat should he come open-mouthed at me. When this was told to the Indians +they brightened up, and said they would help me to pull him out of the +river. +</p> + +<p> +"Brave squad!" said I to myself. "'Audax omnia perpeti,' now that you have +got me betwixt yourselves and danger." I then mustered all hands for the +last time before the battle. We were four South American savages, two +negroes from Africa, a creole from Trinidad, and myself a white man from +Yorkshire. In fact, a little tower of Babel group, in dress, no dress, +address, and language. +</p> + +<p> +Daddy Quashi hung in the rear. I showed him a large Spanish knife which I +always carried in the waistband of my trousers: it spoke volumes to him, +and he shrugged up his shoulders in absolute despair. The sun was just +peeping over the high forests on the eastern hills, as if coming to look on +and bid us act with becoming fortitude. I placed all the people at the end +of the rope, and ordered them to pull till the cayman appeared on the +surface of the water, and then, should he plunge, to slacken the rope and +let him go again into the deep. +</p> + +<p> +I now took the mast of the canoe in my hand (the sail being tied round the +end of the mast) and sunk down upon one knee, about four yards from the +water's edge, determining to thrust it down his throat in case he gave me +an opportunity. I certainly felt somewhat uncomfortable in this situation, +and I thought of Cerberus on the other side of the Styx ferry. The people +pulled the cayman to the surface; he plunged furiously as soon as he +arrived in these upper regions, and immediately went below again on their +slackening the rope. I saw enough not to fall in love at first sight. I now +told them we would run all risks and have him on land immediately. They +pulled again, and out he came--"monstrum horrendum, informe." This was an +interesting moment. I kept my position firmly, with my eye fixed steadfast +on him. +</p> + +<p> +By the time the cayman was within two yards of me I saw he was in a state +of fear and perturbation. I instantly dropped the mast, sprung up and +jumped on his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I gained my +seat with my face in a right position. I immediately seized his fore-legs, +and by main force twisted them on his back; thus they served me for a +bridle. +</p> + +<p> +He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and probably fancying +himself in hostile company he began to plunge furiously, and lashed the +sand with his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of the strokes of +it by being near his head. He continued to plunge and strike and made my +seat very uncomfortable. It must have been a fine sight for an unoccupied +spectator. +</p> + +<p> +The people roared out in triumph, and were so vociferous that it was some +time before they heard me tell them to pull me and my beast of burden +farther inland. I was apprehensive the rope might break, and then there +would have been every chance of going down to the regions under water with +the cayman. That would have been more perilous than Arion's marine morning +ride: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Delphini insidens vada cærula sulcat Arion. +</p> + +<p> +The people now dragged us above forty yards on the sand: it was the first +and last time I was ever on a cayman's back. Should it be asked how I +managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with Lord +Darlington's fox-hounds. +</p> + +<p> +After repeated attempts to regain his liberty the cayman gave in and became +tranquil through exhaustion. I now managed to tie up his jaws and firmly +secured his fore-feet in the position I had held them. We had now another +severe struggle for superiority, but he was soon overcome and again +remained quiet. While some of the people were pressing upon his head and +shoulders I threw myself on his tail, and by keeping it down to the sand +prevented him from kicking up another dust. He was finally conveyed to the +canoe, and then to the place where we had suspended our hammocks. There I +cut his throat; and after breakfast was over commenced the dissection. +</p> + +<p> +Now that the affray had ceased, Daddy Ouashi played a good finger and thumb +at breakfast: he said he found himself much revived, and became very +talkative and useful, as there was no longer any danger. He was a faithful, +honest negro. His master, my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, had been so +obliging as to send out particular orders to the colony that the Daddy +should attend me all the time I was in the forest. He had lived in the +wilds of Demerara with Mr. Edmonstone for many years, and often amused me +with the account of the frays his master had had in the woods with snakes, +wild beasts and runaway negroes. Old age was now coming fast upon him; he +had been an able fellow in his younger days, and a gallant one, too, for he +had a large scar over his eyebrow caused by the stroke of a cutlass from +another negro while the Daddy was engaged in an intrigue. +</p> + +<p> +The back of the cayman may be said to be almost impenetrable to a musket- +ball, but his sides are not near so strong, and are easily pierced with an +arrow; indeed, were they as strong as the back and the belly, there would +be no part of the cayman's body soft and elastic enough to admit of +expansion after taking in a supply of food. +</p> + +<p> +The cayman has no grinders; his teeth are entirely made for snatch and +swallow: there are thirty-two in each jaw. Perhaps no animal in existence +bears more decided marks in his countenance of cruelty and malice than the +cayman. He is the scourge and terror of all the large rivers in South +America near the line. +</p> + +<p> +One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de +Ynciarte, Governor of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, "Stop here a +minute or two, Don Carlos," said he to me, "while I recount a sad accident. +One fine evening last year, as the people of Angustura were sauntering up +and down here in the Alameda, I was within twenty yards of this place when +I saw a large cayman rush out of the river, seize a man, and carry him down +before anybody had it in his power to assist him. The screams of the poor +fellow were terrible as the cayman was running off with him. He plunged +into the river with his prey; we instantly lost sight of him, and never saw +or heard him more." +</p> + +<p> +I was a day and a half in dissecting our cayman, and then we got all ready +to return to Demerara. +</p> + +<p> +It was much more perilous to descend than to ascend the falls in the +Essequibo. +</p> + +<p> +The place we had to pass had proved fatal to four Indians about a month +before. The water foamed and dashed and boiled amongst the steep and craggy +rocks, and seemed to warn us to be careful how we ventured there. +</p> + +<p> +I was for all hands to get out of the canoe, and then, after lashing a long +rope ahead and astern, we might have climbed from rock to rock and tempered +her in her passage down, and our getting out would have lightened her much. +But the negro who had joined us at Mrs. Peterson's said he was sure it +would be safer to stay in the canoe while she went down the fall. I was +loath to give way to him, but I did so this time against my better +judgment, as he assured me that he was accustomed to pass and repass these +falls. +</p> + +<p> +Accordingly we determined to push down: I was at the helm, the rest at +their paddles. But before we got half-way through the rushing waters +deprived the canoe of all power of steerage, and she became the sport of +the torrent; in a second she was half-full of water, and I cannot +comprehend to this day why she did not go down; luckily the people exerted +themselves to the utmost, she got headway, and they pulled through the +whirlpool: I being quite in the stern of the canoe, part of a wave struck +me, and nearly knocked me overboard. +</p> + +<p> +We now paddled to some rocks at a distance, got out, unloaded the canoe and +dried the cargo in the sun, which was very hot and powerful. Had it been +the wet season almost everything would have been spoiled. +</p> + +<p> +After this the voyage down the Essequibo was quick and pleasant till we +reached the sea-coast: there we had a trying day of it; the wind was dead +against us, and the sun remarkably hot; we got twice aground upon a mud- +flat, and were twice obliged to get out, up to the middle in mud, to shove +the canoe through it. Half-way betwixt the Essequibo and Demerara the tide +of flood caught us, and, after the utmost exertions, it was half-past six +in the evening before we got to Georgetown. +</p> + +<p> +We had been out from six in the morning in an open canoe on the sea-coast, +without umbrella or awning, exposed all day to the fiery rays of a tropical +sun. My face smarted so that I could get no sleep during the night, and the +next morning my lips were all in blisters. The Indian Yan went down to the +Essequibo a copper-colour, but the reflection of the sun from the sea and +from the sandbanks in the river had turned him nearly black. He laughed at +himself, and said the Indians in the Demerara would not know him again. I +stayed one day in Georgetown, and then set off the next morning for +headquarters in Mibiri Creek, where I finished the cayman. +</p> + +<p> +Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds and in paying +particular attention to their haunts and economy. The rainy season having +set in, the weather became bad and stormy; the lightning and thunder were +incessant; the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. I had now been +eleven months in the forests, and collected some rare insects, two hundred +and thirty birds, two land-tortoises, five armadillos, two large serpents, +a sloth, an ant-bear and a cayman. +</p> + +<p> +I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a few days with Mr. R. +Edmonstone previous to embarking for Europe. I must here return my +sincerest thanks to this worthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to me; +his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he never failed to send +me supplies up into the forest by every opportunity. +</p> + +<p> +I embarked for England on board the <i>Dee</i>, West-Indiaman, commanded by +Captain Grey. +</p> + +<p> +Sir Joseph Banks had often told me he hoped that I would give a lecture in +public on the new mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in natural +history for museums. I always declined to do so, as I despaired of ever +being able to hit upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds; and I was aware +that it would have been an imperfect lecture to treat of birds only. I +imparted what little knowledge I was master of at Sir Joseph's, to the +unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore the Congo; and that was +all that took place in the shape of a lecture. Now that I had hit upon the +way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up a little plan on board the <i>Dee</i>, +which I trusted would have been of service to naturalists, and by proving +to them the superiority of the new plan they would probably be induced to +abandon the old and common way, which is a disgrace to the present age, and +renders hideous every specimen in every museum that I have as yet visited. +I intended to have given three lectures: one on insects and serpents; one +on birds; and one on quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this +little plan was doomed not to be unfolded to public view. Illiberality +blasted it in the bud. +</p> + +<p> +We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, and arrived in the Mersey in +fine trim and good spirits. Great was the attention I received from the +commander of the <i>Dee</i>. He and his mate, Mr. Spence, took every care +of my collection. +</p> + +<p> +On our landing the gentlemen of the Liverpool Custom House received me as +an old friend and acquaintance, and obligingly offered their services. +</p> + +<p> +Twice before had I landed in Liverpool, and twice had I reason to admire +their conduct and liberality. They knew I was incapable of trying to +introduce anything contraband, and they were aware that I never dreamed of +turning to profit the specimens I had procured. They considered that I had +left a comfortable home in quest of science; and that I had wandered into +far-distant climes, and gone barefooted, ill-clothed and ill-fed, through +swamps and woods, to procure specimens, some of which had never been seen +in Europe. They considered that it would be difficult to fix a price upon +specimens which had never been bought or sold, and which never were to be, +as they were intended to ornament my own house. It was hard, they said, to +have exposed myself for years to danger, and then be obliged to pay on +returning to my native land. Under these considerations they fixed a +moderate duty which satisfied all parties. +</p> + +<p> +However, this last expedition ended not so. It taught me how hard it is to +learn the grand lesson, "æquam memento rebus in arduis, servare mentem." +</p> + +<p> +But my good friends in the Custom House of Liverpool were not to blame. On +the contrary, they did all in their power to procure balm for me instead of +rue. But it would not answer. +</p> + +<p> +They appointed a very civil officer to attend me to the ship. While we were +looking into some of the boxes to see that the specimens were properly +stowed, previous to their being conveyed to the king's depôt, another +officer entered the cabin. He was an entire stranger to me, and seemed +wonderfully aware of his own consequence. Without preface or apology he +thrust his head over my shoulder and said we had no business to have opened +a single box without his permission. I answered they had been opened almost +every day since they had come on board, and that I considered there was no +harm in doing so. +</p> + +<p> +He then left the cabin, and I said to myself as he went out, I suspect I +shall see that man again at Philippi. The boxes, ten in number, were +conveyed in safety from the ship to the depôt. I then proceeded to the +Custom House. The necessary forms were gone through, and a proportionate +duty, according to circumstances, was paid. +</p> + +<p> +This done, we returned from the Custom House to the depôt, accompanied by +several gentlemen who wished to see the collection. They expressed +themselves highly gratified. The boxes were closed, and nothing now +remained but to convey them to the cart, which was in attendance at the +door of the depôt. Just as one of the inferior officers was carrying a box +thither, in stepped the man whom I suspected I should see again at +Philippi. He abruptly declared himself dissatisfied with the valuation +which the gentlemen of the customs had put upon the collection, and said he +must detain it. I remonstrated, but it was all in vain. +</p> + +<p> +After this pitiful stretch of power and bad compliment to the other +officers of the customs, who had been satisfied with the valuation, this +man had the folly to take me aside, and after assuring me that he had a +great regard for the arts and sciences, he lamented that conscience obliged +him to do what he had done, and he wished he had been fifty miles from +Liverpool at the time that it fell to his lot to detain the collection. Had +he looked in my face as he said this he would have seen no marks of +credulity there. +</p> + +<p> +I now returned to the Custom House, and after expressing my opinion of the +officer's conduct at the depôt, I pulled a bunch of keys (which belonged to +the detained boxes) out of my pocket, laid them on the table, took my leave +of the gentlemen present, and soon after set off for Yorkshire. +</p> + +<p> +I saved nothing from the grasp of the stranger officer but a pair of live +Malay fowls, which a gentleman in Georgetown had made me a present of. I +had collected in the forest several eggs of curious birds in hopes of +introducing the breed into England, and had taken great pains in doing them +over with gum arabic, and in packing them in charcoal, according to a +receipt I had seen in the gazette from the <i>Edinburgh Philosophical +Journal</i>. But these were detained in the depôt, instead of being placed +under a hen; which utterly ruined all my hopes of rearing a new species of +birds in England. Titled personages in London interested themselves in +behalf of the collection, but all in vain. And vain also were the public +and private representations of the first officer of the Liverpool Custom +House in my favour. +</p> + +<p> +At last there came an order from the Treasury to say that any specimens Mr. +Waterton intended to present to public institutions might pass duty free; +but those which he intended to keep for himself must pay the duty! A friend +now wrote to me from Liverpool requesting that I would come over and pay +the duty in order to save the collection, which had just been detained +there six weeks. I did so. On paying an additional duty (for the moderate +duty first imposed had already been paid), the man who had detained the +collection delivered it up to me, assuring me that it had been well taken +care of, and that a fire had been frequently made in the room. It is but +justice to add that on opening the boxes there was nothing injured. +</p> + +<p> +I could never get a clue to these harsh and unexpected measures, except +that there had been some recent smuggling discovered in Liverpool, and that +the man in question had been sent down from London to act the part of +Argus. If so, I landed in an evil hour: "nefasto die," making good the +Spanish proverb, "Pagan a las veces, justos por pecadores": At times the +innocent suffer for the guilty. After all, a little encouragement, in the +shape of exemption from paying the duty on this collection, might have been +expected, but it turned out otherwise; and after expending large sums in +pursuit of natural history, on my return home I was doomed to pay for my +success: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Hic finis, Caroli fatorum, hic exitus illum,<br> + Sorte tulit! +</p> + +<p> +Thus my fleece, already ragged and torn with the thorns and briers which +one must naturally expect to find in distant and untrodden wilds, was +shorn, I may say, on its return to England. +</p> + +<p> +However, this is nothing new. Sancho Panza must have heard of similar +cases, for he says, "Muchos van por lana, y vuelven trasquilados": Many go +for wool and come home shorn. In order to pick up matter for natural +history I have wandered through the wildest parts of South America's +equatorial regions. I have attacked and slain a modern Python, and rode on +the back of a cayman close to the water's edge; a very different situation +from that of a Hyde Park dandy on his Sunday prancer before the ladies. +Alone and barefoot I have pulled poisonous snakes out of their lurking- +places; climbed up trees to peep into holes for bats and vampires, and for +days together hastened through sun and rain to the thickest parts of the +forest to procure specimens I had never got before. In fine, I have pursued +the wild beasts over hill and dale, through swamps and quagmires, now +scorched by the noon-day sun, now drenched by the pelting shower, and +returned to the hammock to satisfy the cravings of hunger, often on a poor +and scanty supper. +</p> + +<p> +These vicissitudes have turned to chestnut hue a once English complexion, +and changed the colour of my hair before Father Time had meddled with it. +The detention of the collection after it had fairly passed the Customs, and +the subsequent order from the Treasury that I should pay duty for the +specimens unless they were presented to some public institution, have cast +a damp upon my energy, and forced, as it were, the cup of Lethe to my lips, +by drinking which I have forgot my former intention of giving a lecture in +public on preparing specimens to adorn museums. In fine, it is this +ungenerous treatment that has paralysed my plans, and caused me to give up +the idea I once had of inserting here the newly-discovered mode of +preparing quadrupeds and serpents; and without it the account of this last +expedition to the wilds of Guiana is nothing but a--fragment. +</p> + +<p> +Farewell, gentle reader. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="v">FOURTH JOURNEY</a></h2> + +<p class="ind"> + Nunc huc, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro. +</p> + +<p> +Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell I thought these wanderings +were brought to a final close; afterwards I often roved in imagination +through distant countries famous for natural history, but felt no strong +inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had terminated in such +unexpected vexation. The departure of the cuckoo and swallow and summer +birds of passage for warmer regions, once so interesting to me, now +scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south; and I continued in this +cold and dreary climate for three years. During this period I seldom or +never mounted my hobby-horse; indeed, it may be said, with the old song, +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf, +</p> + +<p> +and only taken down once, on the night that I was induced to give a lecture +in the Philosophical Hall of Leeds. A little after this Wilson's +<i>Ornithology of the United States</i> fell into my hands. +</p> + +<p> +The desire I had of seeing that country, together with the animated +description which Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the almost- +expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded to, and set off for +New York in the beautiful packet <i>John Wells</i>, commanded by Captain +Harris. The passage was long and cold, but the elegant accommodations on +board and the polite attention of the commander rendered it very agreeable; +and I landed in health and merriment in the stately capital of the New +World. +</p> + +<p> +We will soon pen down a few remarks on this magnificent city, but not just +now. I want to venture into the north-west country, and get to their great +canal, which the world talks so much about, though I fear it will be hard +work to make one's way through bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes, which we +Europeans imagine are so frequent and ferocious in these never-ending +western wilds. +</p> + +<p> +I left New York on a fine morning in July, without one letter of +introduction, for the city of Albany, some hundred and eighty miles up the +celebrated Hudson. I seldom care about letters of introduction, for I am +one of those who depend much upon an accidental acquaintance. Full many a +face do I see as I go wandering up and down the world whose mild eye and +sweet and placid features seem to beckon to me and say, as it were, "Speak +but civilly to me, and I will do what I can for you." Such a face as this +is worth more than a dozen letters of introduction; and such a face, gentle +reader, I found on board the steamboat from New York to the city of Albany. +</p> + +<p> +There was a great number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen in the +vessel, all entire strangers to me. I fancied I could see several whose +countenances invited an unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside +them; but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. I saw clearly +that he was an American, and I judged by his manners and appearance that he +had not spent all his time upon his native soil. I was right in this +conjecture, for he afterwards told me that he had been in France and +England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman ought to salute another +when he wants a little information; and soon after I dropped in a word or +two by which he might conjecture that I was a foreigner, but I did not tell +him so; I wished him to make the discovery himself. +</p> + +<p> +He entered into conversation with the openness and candour which is so +remarkable in the American, and in a little time observed that he presumed +I was from the old country. I told him that I was, and added that I was an +entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at the prospect he had +of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn or two, and he completely won my +regard by an affability which I shall never forget. This obliging gentleman +pointed out everything that was grand and interesting as the steamboat +plied her course up the majestic Hudson. Here the Catskill Mountains raised +their lofty summit; and there the hills came sloping down to the water's +edge. Here he pointed to an aged and venerable oak which, having escaped +the levelling axe of man, seemed almost to defy the blasting storm and +desolating hand of Time; and there he bade me observe an extended tract of +wood by which I might form an idea how rich and grand the face of the +country had once been. Here it was that, in the great and momentous +struggle, the colonists lost the day; and there they carried all before +them: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + They closed full fast, on every side<br> + No slackness there was found;<br> + And many a gallant gentleman<br> + Lay gasping on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there moved their great captain; +here the fleets fired their broadsides; and there the whole force rushed on +to battle: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Hic Dolopum manus, hic magnus tendebat Achilles,<br> + Classibus hic locus, hic acies certare solebat. +</p> + +<p> +At teatime we took our tea together, and the next morning this worthy +American walked up with me to the inn in Albany, shook me by the hand, and +then went his way. I bade him farewell and again farewell, and hoped that +Fortune might bring us together again once more. Possibly she may yet do +so; and should it be in England, I will take him to my house as an old +friend and acquaintance, and offer him my choicest cheer. It is at Albany +that the great canal opens into the Hudson and joins the waters of this +river to those of Lake Erie. The Hudson, at the city of Albany, is distant +from Lake Erie about 360 miles. The level of the lake is 564 feet higher +than the Hudson, and there are eighty-one locks on the canal. It is to the +genius and perseverance of De Witt Clinton that the United States owe the +almost incalculable advantages of this inland navigation: "Exegit +monumentum ære perennius." You may either go along it all the way to +Buffalo on Lake Erie or by the stage; or sometimes on one and then in the +other, just as you think fit. Grand indeed is the scenery by either route +and capital the accommodations. Cold and phlegmatic must he be who is not +warmed into admiration by the surrounding scenery, and charmed with the +affability of the travellers he meets on the way. +</p> + +<p> +This is now the season of roving and joy and merriment for the gentry of +this happy country. Thousands are on the move from different parts of the +Union for the springs and lakes and the Falls of Niagara. There is nothing +haughty or forbidding in the Americans; and wherever you meet them they +appear to be quite at home. This is exactly what it ought to be, and very +much in favour of the foreigner who journeys amongst them. The immense +number of highly-polished females who go in the stages to visit the +different places of amusement and see the stupendous natural curiosities of +this extensive country incontestably proves that safety and convenience are +ensured to them, and that the most distant attempt at rudeness would by +common consent be immediately put down. +</p> + +<p> +By the time I had got to Schenectady I began strongly to suspect that I had +come into the wrong country to look for bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes. +It is an enchanting journey from Albany to Schenectady, and from thence to +Lake Erie. The situation of the city of Utica is particularly attractive: +the Mohawk running close by it, the fertile fields and woody mountains, and +the Falls of Trenton forcibly press the stranger to stop a day or two here +before he proceeds onward to the lake. +</p> + +<p> +At some far distant period, when it will not be possible to find the place +where many of the celebrated cities of the East once stood, the world will +have to thank the United States of America for bringing their names into +the western regions. It is, indeed, a pretty thought of these people to +give to their rising towns the names of places so famous and conspicuous in +former times. +</p> + +<p> +As I was sitting one evening under an oak in the high grounds behind Utica, +I could not look down upon the city without thinking of Cato and his +misfortunes. Had the town been called Crofton, or Warmfield, or Dewsbury, +there would have been nothing remarkable in it; but Utica at once revived +the scenes at school long past and half-forgotten, and carried me with full +speed back again to Italy, and from thence to Africa. I crossed the Rubicon +with Cæsar; fought at Pharsalia; saw poor Pompey into Larissa, and tried to +wrest the fatal sword from Cato's hand in Utica. When I perceived he was no +more, I mourned over the noble-minded man who took that part which he +thought would most benefit his country. There is something magnificent in +the idea of a man taking by choice the conquered side. The Roman gods +themselves did otherwise. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + <i>Victrix</i> causa Diis placuit, sed <i>victa</i> Catoni. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + In this did Cato with the gods divide,<br> + <i>They</i> chose the conquering, <i>he</i> the conquer'd side. +</p> + +<p> +The whole of the country from Utica to Buffalo is pleasing; and the +intervening of the inland lakes, large and deep and clear, adds +considerably to the effect. The spacious size of the inns, their excellent +provisions, and the attention which the traveller receives in going from +Albany to Buffalo, must at once convince him that this country is very much +visited by strangers; and he will draw the conclusion that there must be +something in it uncommonly interesting to cause so many travellers to pass +to and fro. +</p> + +<p> +Nature is losing fast her ancient garb and putting on a new dress in these +extensive regions. Most of the stately timber has been carried away; +thousands of trees are lying prostrate on the ground; while meadows, +cornfields, villages and pastures are ever and anon bursting upon the +traveller's view as he journeys on through the remaining tracts of wood. I +wish I could say a word or two for the fine timber which is yet standing. +Spare it, gentle inhabitants, for your country's sake. These noble sons of +the forest beautify your landscapes beyond all description; when they are +gone, a century will not replace their loss; they cannot, they must not +fall; their vernal bloom, their summer richness, and autumnal tints, please +and refresh the eye of man; and even when the days of joy and warmth are +fled, the wintry blast soothes the listening ear with a sublime and +pleasing melancholy as it howls through their naked branches. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Around me trees unnumber'd rise,<br> + Beautiful in various dyes.<br> + The gloomy pine, the poplar blue,<br> + The yellow beech, the sable yew;<br> + The slender fir, that taper grows,<br> + The sturdy oak, with broad-spread boughs. +</p> + +<p> +A few miles before you reach Buffalo the road is low and bad, and in +stepping out of the stage I sprained my foot very severely; it swelled to a +great size, and caused me many a day of pain and mortification, as will be +seen in the sequel. +</p> + +<p> +Buffalo looks down on Lake Erie, and possesses a fine and commodious inn. +At a little distance is the Black Rock, and there you pass over to the +Canada side. A stage is in waiting to convey you some sixteen or twenty +miles down to the falls. Long before you reach the spot you hear the mighty +roar of waters and see the spray of the far-famed Falls of Niagara rising +up like a column to the heavens and mingling with the passing clouds. +</p> + +<p> +At this stupendous cascade of Nature the waters of the lake fall 176 feet +perpendicular. It has been calculated, I forget by whom, that the quantity +of water discharged down this mighty fall is 670,255 tons per minute. There +are two large inns on the Canada side; but after you have satisfied your +curiosity in viewing the falls, and in seeing the rainbow in the foam far +below where you are standing, do not, I pray you, tarry long at either of +them. Cross over to the American side, and there you will find a spacious +inn which has nearly all the attractions: there you meet with great +attention and every accommodation. +</p> + +<p> +The day is passed in looking at the falls and in sauntering up and down the +wooded and rocky environs of the Niagara; and the evening is often +enlivened by the merry dance. +</p> + +<p> +Words can hardly do justice to the unaffected ease and elegance of the +American ladies who visit the Falls of Niagara. The traveller need not rove +in imagination through Circassia in search of fine forms, or through +England, France and Spain to meet with polished females. The numbers who +are continually arriving from all parts of the Union confirm the justness +of this remark. +</p> + +<p> +I was looking one evening at a dance, being unable to join in it on account +of the accident I had received near Buffalo, when a young American entered +the ballroom with such a becoming air and grace that it was impossible not +to have been struck with her appearance. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Her bloom was like the springing flower<br> + That sips the silver dew,<br> + The rose was budded in her cheek,<br> + Just opening to the view. +</p> + +<p> +I could not help feeling a wish to know where she had +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Into such beauty spread, and blown so fair. +</p> + +<p> +Upon inquiry I found that she was from the city of Albany. The more I +looked at the fair Albanese the more I was convinced that in the United +States of America may be found grace and beauty and symmetry equal to +anything in the Old World. +</p> + +<p> +I now for good and all (and well I might) gave up the idea of finding bugs, +bears, brutes and buffaloes in this country, and was thoroughly satisfied +that I had laboured under a great mistake in suspecting that I should ever +meet with them. +</p> + +<p> +I wished to join in the dance where the fair Albanese was "to brisk notes +in cadence beating," but the state of my unlucky foot rendered it +impossible; and as I sat with it reclined upon a sofa, full many a passing +gentleman stopped to inquire the cause of my misfortune, presuming at the +same time that I had got an attack of gout. Now this surmise of theirs +always mortified me; for I never had a fit of gout in my life, and, +moreover, never expect to have one. +</p> + +<p> +In many of the inns in the United States there is an album on the table in +which travellers insert their arrival and departure, and now and then +indulge in a little flash or two of wit. +</p> + +<p> +I thought under existing circumstances that there would be no harm in +briefly telling my misadventure; and so taking up the pen I wrote what +follows, and was never after asked a single question about the gout. +</p> + +<p> +C. Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the county of York, England, +arrived at the Falls of Niagara in July 1824, and begs leave to +pen down the following dreadful accident: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + He sprained his foot, and hurt his toe,<br> + On the rough road near Buffalo.<br> + It quite distresses him to stagger a-<br> + Long the sharp rocks of famed Niagara.<br> + So thus he's doomed to drink the measure<br> + Of pain, in lieu of that of pleasure.<br> + On Hope's delusive pinions borne<br> + He came for wool, and goes back shorn.<br> + <i>N.B.</i>--Here he alludes to nothing but<br> + Th' adventure of his toe and foot;<br> + Save this,--he sees all that which can<br> + Delight and charm the soul of man,<br> + But feels it not,--because his toe<br> + And foot together plague him so. +</p> + +<p> +I remember once to have sprained my ankle very violently many years ago, +and that the doctor ordered me to hold it under the pump two or three times +a day. Now in the United States of America all is upon a grand scale, +except taxation; and I am convinced that the traveller's ideas become much +more enlarged as he journeys through the country. This being the case, I +can easily account for the desire I felt to hold my sprained foot under the +Fall of Niagara. I descended the winding-staircase which has been made for +the accommodation of travellers, and then hobbled on to the scene of +action. As I held my leg under the fall I tried to meditate on the immense +difference there was betwixt a house-pump and this tremendous cascade of +Nature, and what effect it might have upon the sprain; but the magnitude of +the subject was too overwhelming, and I was obliged to drop it. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps, indeed, there was an unwarrantable tincture of vanity in an +unknown wanderer wishing to have it in his power to tell the world that he +had held his sprained foot under a fall of water which discharges 670,255 +tons per minute. A gentle purling stream would have suited better. Now it +would have become Washington to have quenched his battle-thirst in the Fall +of Niagara; and there was something royal in the idea of Cleopatra drinking +pearl-vinegar made from the grandest pearl in Egypt; and it became Caius +Marius to send word that he was sitting upon the ruins of Carthage. Here we +have the person suited to the thing, and the thing to the person. +</p> + +<p> +If, gentle reader, thou wouldst allow me to indulge a little longer in this +harmless pen-errantry, I would tell thee that I have had my ups and downs +in life as well as other people: for I have climbed to the point of the +conductor above the cross on the top of St. Peter's in Rome and left my +glove there; I have stood on one foot upon the Guardian Angel's head on the +Castle of St. Angelo; and, as I have just told thee, I have been low down +under the Fall of Niagara. But this is neither here nor there; let us +proceed to something else. +</p> + +<p> +When the pain of my foot had become less violent, and the swelling somewhat +abated, I could not resist the inclination I felt to go down Ontario, and +so on to Montreal and Quebec, and take Lakes Champlain and George in my way +back to Albany. +</p> + +<p> +Just as I had made up my mind to it, a family from the Bowling-Green in New +York, who was going the same route, politely invited me to join their +party. Nothing could be more fortunate. They were highly accomplished. The +young ladies sang delightfully; and all contributed their portion to render +the tour pleasant and amusing. +</p> + +<p> +Travellers have already filled the world with descriptions of the bold and +sublime scenery from Lake Erie to Quebec: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + The fountain's fall, the river's flow,<br> + The woody valleys, warm and low;<br> + The windy summit, wild and high,<br> + Roughly rushing to the sky. +</p> + +<p> +And there is scarce one of them who has not described the achievements of +former and latter times on the different battle-grounds. Here great Wolfe +expired. Brave Montcalm was carried, mortally wounded, through yonder gate. +Here fell the gallant Brock; and there General Sheaffee captured all the +invaders. And in yonder harbour may be seen the mouldering remnants of +British vessels. Their hour of misfortune has long passed away. The victors +have now no use for them in an inland lake. Some have already sunk, while +others, dismantled and half-dismasted, are just above the water, waiting in +shattered state that destiny which must sooner or later destroy the fairest +works of man. +</p> + +<p> +The excellence and despatch of the steamboats, together with the company +which the traveller is sure to meet with at this time of the year, render +the trip down to Montreal and Quebec very agreeable. +</p> + +<p> +The Canadians are a quiet and apparently a happy people. They are very +courteous and affable to strangers. On comparing them with the character +which a certain female traveller, a journalist, has thought fit to give +them, the stranger might have great doubts whether or not he were amongst +the Canadians. +</p> + +<p> +Montreal, Quebec and the Falls of Montmorency are well worth going to see. +They are making tremendous fortifications at Quebec. It will be the +Gibraltar of the New World. When one considers its distance from Europe, +and takes a view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, Virgil's +remark at once rushes into the mind: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves. +</p> + +<p> +I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to the +Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and worthy set +of gentlemen, and on my taking leave of them I felt a heaviness at heart in +reflecting that I had not more time to cultivate their acquaintance. +</p> + +<p> +In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec I only met with one bug; and I cannot +even swear that it belonged to the United States. In going down the St. +Lawrence in the steamboat I felt something crossing over my neck, and on +laying hold of it with my finger and thumb it turned out to be a little +half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now whether it were going from the +American to the Canada side, or from the Canada to the American, and had +taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself across, I could not +tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby and the fly; and so, in +lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then putting my thumb-nail vertically +upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst some baggage that was close by and +recommended it to get ashore by the first opportunity. +</p> + +<p> +When we had seen all that was worth seeing in Quebec and at the Falls of +Montmorency, and had been on board the enormous ship <i>Columbus</i>, we +returned for a day or two to Montreal, and then proceeded to Saratoga by +Lakes Champlain and George. +</p> + +<p> +The steamboat from Quebec to Montreal had above five hundred Irish +emigrants on board. They were going "they hardly knew whither," far away +from dear Ireland. It made one's heart ache to see them all huddled +together, without any expectation of ever revisiting their native soil. We +feared that the sorrow of leaving home for ever, the miserable +accommodations on board the ship which had brought them away, and the +tossing of the angry ocean in a long and dreary voyage would have rendered +them callous to good behaviour. But it was quite otherwise. They conducted +themselves with great propriety. Every American on board seemed to feel for +them. And then "they were so full of wretchedness. Need and oppression +starved in their eyes. Upon their backs hung ragged misery. The world was +not their friend." Poor dear Ireland, exclaimed an aged female as I was +talking to her, I shall never see it any more! and then her tears began to +flow. Probably the scenery on the banks of the St. Lawrence recalled to her +mind the remembrance of spots once interesting to her: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + The lovely daughter,--lovelier in her tears,<br> + The fond companion of her father's years,<br> + Here silent stood,--neglectful of her charms.<br> + And left her lover's for her father's arms.<br> + With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes,<br> + And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose;<br> + And pressed her thoughtless babes, with many a tear,<br> + And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear.<br> + While the fond husband strove to lend relief.<br> + In all the silent manliness of grief. +</p> + +<p> +We went a few miles out of our route to take a look at the once formidable +fortress of Ticonderoga. It has long been in ruins, and seems as if it were +doomed to moulder quite away. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Ever and anon there falls<br> + Huge heaps of hoary moulder'd walls.<br> + But time has seen, that lifts the low<br> + And level lays the lofty brow,<br> + Has seen this ruin'd pile complete,<br> + Big with the vanity of state,<br> + But transient is the smile of Fate. +</p> + +<p> +The scenery of Lake George is superb, the inn remarkably spacious and well +attended, and the conveyances from thence to Saratoga very good. He must be +sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice who, on his arrival at Saratoga, +remarks there is nothing here worth coming to see. It is a gay and +fashionable place; has four uncommonly fine hotels; its waters for +medicinal virtues are surpassed by none in the known world; and it is +resorted to throughout the whole of the summer by foreigners and natives of +the first consideration. Saratoga pleased me much; and afforded a fair +opportunity of forming a pretty correct idea of the gentry of the United +States. +</p> + +<p> +There is a pleasing frankness and ease and becoming dignity in the American +ladies, and the good humour and absence of all haughtiness and puppyism in +the gentlemen must, no doubt, impress the traveller with elevated notions +of the company who visit this famous spa. +</p> + +<p> +During my stay here all was joy and affability and mirth. In the mornings +the ladies played and sang for us; and the evenings were generally +enlivened with the merry dance. Here I bade farewell to the charming family +in whose company I had passed so many happy days, and proceeded to Albany. +</p> + +<p> +The stage stopped a little while in the town of Troy. The name alone was +quite sufficient to recall to the mind scenes long past and gone. Poor King +Priam! Napoleon's sorrows, sad and piercing as they were, did not come up +to those of this ill-fated monarch. The Greeks first set his town on fire +and then began to bully: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Incensâ Danai dominantur in urbe. +</p> + +<p> +One of his sons was slain before his face: "ante ora parentum, concidit." +Another was crushed to mummy by boa-constrictors: "immensis orbibus +angues." His city was razed to the ground, "jacet Ilion ingens." And +Pyrrhus ran him through with his sword, "capulo tenus abdidit ensem." This +last may be considered as a fortunate stroke for the poor old king. Had his +life been spared at this juncture he could not have lived long. He must +have died broken-hearted. He would have seen his son-in-law, once master of +a noble stud, now, for want of a horse, obliged to carry off his father up- +hill on his own back, "cessi et sublato, montem genitore petivi." He would +have heard of his grandson being thrown neck and heels from a high tower, +"mittitur Astyanax illis de turribus." He would have been informed of his +wife tearing out the eyes of King Odrysius with her finger-nails, "digitos +in perfida lumina condit." Soon after this, losing all appearance of woman, +she became a bitch, +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Perdidit infelix, hominis post omnia formam, +</p> + +<p> +and rent the heavens with her howlings, +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Externasque novo latratu terruit auras. +</p> + +<p> +Then, becoming distracted with the remembrance of her misfortunes, "veterum +memor illa malorum," she took off howling into the fields of Thrace: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Tum quoque Sithonios, ululavit moesta per agros. +</p> + +<p> +Juno, Jove's wife and sister, was heard to declare that poor Hecuba did not +deserve so terrible a fate: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Ipsa Jovis conjuxque sororque,<br> + Eventus Hecubam meruisse negaverit illos. +</p> + +<p> +Had poor Priam escaped from Troy, one thing, and only one thing, would have +given him a small ray of satisfaction, viz. he would have heard of one of +his daughters nobly preferring to leave this world rather than live to +become servant-maid to old Grecian ladies: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Non ego Myrmidonum sedes, Dolopumve superbas,<br> + Adspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus ibo. +</p> + +<p> +At some future period, should a foreign armed force, or intestine broils +(all which Heaven avert), raise Troy to the dignity of a fortified city, +Virgil's prophecy may then be fulfilled: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Atque iterum ad Trojam magnus mittetur Achilles. +</p> + +<p> +After leaving Troy I passed through a fine country to Albany, and then +proceeded by steam down the Hudson to New York. +</p> + +<p> +Travellers hesitate whether to give the preference to Philadelphia or to +New York. Philadelphia is certainly a noble city and its environs +beautiful, but there is a degree of quiet and sedateness in it which, +though no doubt very agreeable to the man of calm and domestic habits, is +not so attractive to one of speedy movements. The quantity of white marble +which is used in the buildings gives to Philadelphia a gay and lively +appearance, but the sameness of the streets and their crossing each other +at right angles are somewhat tiresome. The waterworks which supply the city +are a proud monument of the skill and enterprise of its inhabitants, and +the market is well worth the attention of the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +When you go to Philadelphia be sure not to forget to visit the museum. It +will afford you a great treat. Some of Mr. Peale's family are constantly in +it, and are ever ready to show the curiosities to strangers and to give +them every necessary information. Mr. Peale has now passed his eightieth +year, and appears to possess the vivacity and, I may almost add, the +activity of youth. +</p> + +<p> +To the indefatigable exertions of this gentleman is the Western world +indebted for the possession of this splendid museum. Mr. Peale is, +moreover, an excellent artist. Look attentively, I pray you, at the +portrait he has taken of himself, by desire of the State of Pennsylvania. +On entering the room he appears in the act of holding up a curtain to show +you his curiosities. The effect of the light upon his head is infinitely +striking. I have never seen anything finer in the way of light and shade. +The skeleton of the mammoth is a national treasure. I could form but a +faint idea of it by description until I had seen it. It is the most +magnificent skeleton in the world. The city ought never to forget the great +expense Mr. Peale was put to, and the skill and energy he showed during the +many months he spent in searching the swamps where these enormous bones had +been concealed from the eyes of the world for centuries. +</p> + +<p> +The extensive squares of this city are ornamented with well-grown and +luxuriant trees. Its unremitting attention to literature might cause it to +be styled the Athens of the United States. Here learning and science have +taken up their abode. The literary and philosophical associations, the +enthusiasm of individuals, the activity of the press and the cheapness of +the publications ought to raise the name of Philadelphia to an elevated +situation in the temple of knowledge. +</p> + +<p> +From the press of this city came Wilson's famous <i>Ornithology</i>. By +observing the birds in their native haunts he has been enabled to purge +their history of numberless absurdities which inexperienced theorists had +introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant work. We have no +description of birds in any European publication that can come up to this. +By perusing Wilson's <i>Ornithology</i> attentively before I left England I +knew where to look for the birds, and immediately recognised them in their +native land. +</p> + +<p> +Since his time I fear that the white-headed eagles have been much thinned. +I was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very few. One or two came +now and then and soared in lofty flight over the Falls of Niagara. The +Americans are proud of this bird in effigy, and their hearts rejoice when +its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be persuaded to protect the +white-headed eagle, and allow it to glide in safety over its own native +forests? Were I an American I should think I had committed a kind of +sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. The ibis was held sacred by +the Egyptians; the Hollanders protect the stork; the vulture sits +unmolested on the top of the houses in the city of Angustura; and Robin +Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the English: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + No burial these pretty babes<br> + Of any man receives,<br> + Till Robin-red-breast painfully.<br> + Did cover them with leaves. +</p> + +<p> +[Footnote: The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea.] +</p> + +<p> +Poor Wilson was smote by the hand of death before he had finished his work. +Prince Charles Buonaparte, nephew to the late Emperor Napoleon, aided by +some of the most scientific gentlemen of Pennsylvania, is continuing this +valuable and interesting publication. +</p> + +<p> +New York, with great propriety, may be called the commercial capital of the +new world: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Urbs augusta potens, nulli cessura. +</p> + +<p> +Ere long it will be on the coast of North America what Tyre once was on +that of Syria. In her port are the ships of all nations, and in her streets +is displayed merchandise from all parts of the known world. And then the +approach to it is so enchanting! The verdant fields, the woody hills, the +farms and country-houses form a beautiful landscape as you sail up to the +city of New York. +</p> + +<p> +Broadway is the principal street. It is three miles and a half long. I am +at a loss to know where to look for a street in any part of the world which +has so many attractions as this. There are no steam-engines to annoy you by +filling the atmosphere full of soot and smoke; the houses have a stately +appearance; while the eye is relieved from the perpetual sameness, which is +common in most streets, by lofty and luxuriant trees. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing can surpass the appearance of the American ladies when they take +their morning walk from twelve to three in Broadway. The stranger will at +once see that they have rejected the extravagant superfluities which appear +in the London and Parisian fashions, and have only retained as much of +those costumes as is becoming to the female form. This, joined to their own +just notions of dress, is what renders the New York ladies so elegant in +their attire. The way they wear the Leghorn hat deserves a remark or two. +With us the formal hand of the milliner binds down the brim to one fixed +shape, and that none of the handsomest. The wearer is obliged to turn her +head full ninety degrees before she can see the person who is standing by +her side. But in New York the ladies have the brim of the hat not fettered +with wire or tape or ribbon, but quite free and undulating; and by applying +the hand to it they can conceal or expose as much of the face as +circumstances require. This hiding and exposing of the face, by the by, is +certainly a dangerous movement, and often fatal to the passing swain. I am +convinced, in my own mind, that many a determined and unsuspecting bachelor +has been shot down by this sudden manoeuvre before he was aware that he was +within reach of the battery. +</p> + +<p> +The American ladies seem to have an abhorrence (and a very just one, too) +of wearing caps. When one considers for a moment that women wear the hair +long, which Nature has given them both for an ornament and to keep the head +warm, one is apt to wonder by what perversion of good taste they can be +induced to enclose it in a cap. A mob-cap, a lace-cap, a low cap, a high +cap, a flat cap, a cap with ribbons dangling loose, a cap with ribbons tied +under the chin, a peak-cap, an angular cap, a round cap and a pyramid cap! +How would Canova's Venus look in a mob-cap? If there be any ornament to the +head in wearing a cap, it must surely be a false ornament. The American +ladies are persuaded that the head can be ornamented without a cap. A +rosebud or two, a woodbine, or a sprig of eglantine look well in the +braided hair; and if there be raven locks, a lily or a snowdrop may be +interwoven with effect. +</p> + +<p> +Now that the packets are so safe, and make such quick passages to the +United States, it would be as well if some of our head milliners would go +on board of them in lieu of getting into the diligence for Paris. They +would bring back more taste and less caricature. And if they could persuade +a dozen or two of the farmer's servant-girls to return with them, we should +soon have proof-positive that as good butter and cheese may be made with +the hair braided up, and a daisy or primrose in it, as butter and cheese +made in a cap of barbarous shape, washed, perhaps, in soapsuds last new +moon. +</p> + +<p> +New York has very good hotels and genteel boarding-houses. All charges +included, you do not pay above two dollars a day. Little enough, when you +consider the capital accommodations and the abundance of food. +</p> + +<p> +In this city, as well as in others which I visited, everybody seemed to +walk at his ease. I could see no inclination for jostling, no impertinent +staring at you, nor attempts to create a row in order to pick your pocket. +I would stand for an hour together in Broadway to observe the passing +multitude. There is certainly a gentleness in these people both to be +admired and imitated. I could see very few dogs, still fewer cats, and but +a very small proportion of fat women in the streets of New York. The +climate was the only thing that I had really to find fault with; and as the +autumn was now approaching I began to think of preparing for warmer +regions. +</p> + +<p> +Strangers are apt to get violent colds on account of the sudden change of +the atmosphere. The noon would often be as warm as tropical weather and the +close of day cold and chilly. This must sometimes act with severity upon +the newly-arrived stranger, and it requires more care and circumspection +than I am master of to guard against it. I contracted a bad and obstinate +cough which did not quite leave me till I had got under the regular heat of +the sun near the equator. +</p> + +<p> +I may be asked, was it all good-fellowship and civility during my stay in +the United States? Did no forward person cause offence? Was there no +exhibition of drunkenness or swearing or rudeness? or display of conduct +which disgraces civilised man in other countries? I answer, very few +indeed: scarce any worth remembering, and none worth noticing. These are a +gentle and a civil people. Should a traveller now and then in the long run +witness a few of the scenes alluded to, he ought not, on his return home, +to adduce a solitary instance or two as the custom of the country. In +roving through the wilds of Guiana I have sometimes seen a tree hollow at +heart, shattered and leafless, but I did not on that account condemn its +vigorous neighbours, and put down a memorandum that the woods were bad; on +the contrary, I made allowances: a thunderstorm, the whirlwind, a blight +from heaven might have robbed it of its bloom and caused its present +forbidding appearance. And in leaving the forest I carried away the +impression that, though some few of the trees were defective, the rest were +an ornament to the wilds, full of uses and virtues, and capable of +benefiting the world in a superior degree. +</p> + +<p> +A man generally travels into foreign countries for his own ends, and I +suspect there is scarcely an instance to be found of a person leaving his +own home solely with the intention of benefiting those amongst whom he is +about to travel. A commercial speculation, curiosity, a wish for +information, a desire to reap benefit from an acquaintance with our distant +fellow-creatures are the general inducements for a man to leave his own +fireside. This ought never to be forgotten, and then the traveller will +journey on under the persuasion that it rather becomes him to court than +expect to be courted, as his own interest is the chief object of his +travels. With this in view he will always render himself pleasant to the +natives; and they are sure to repay his little acts of courtesy with ample +interest, and with a fund of information which will be of great service to +him. +</p> + +<p> +While in the United States I found our Western brother a very pleasant +fellow; but his portrait has been drawn in such different shades by +different travellers who have been through his territory, that it requires +a personal interview before a correct idea can be formed of his true +colours. He is very inquisitive; but it is quite wrong on that account to +tax him with being of an impertinent turn. He merely interrogates you for +information, and, when you have satisfied him on that score, only ask him +in your turn for an account of what is going on in his own country and he +will tell you everything about it with great good humour and in excellent +language. He has certainly hit upon the way (but I could not make out by +what means) of speaking a much purer English language than that which is in +general spoken on the parent soil. This astonished me much; but it is +really the case. Amongst his many good qualities he has one unenviable and, +I may add, a bad propensity: he is immoderately fond of smoking. He may say +that he learned it from his nurse, with whom it was once much in vogue. In +Dutch William's time (he was a man of bad taste) the English gentleman +could not do without his pipe. During the short space of time that Corporal +Trim was at the inn inquiring after poor Lefevre's health, my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of three pipes. "It was not till my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe," etc. Now these times have +luckily gone by, and the custom of smoking amongst genteel Englishmen has +nearly died away with them. It is a foul custom; it makes a foul mouth, and +a foul place where the smoker stands. However, every nation has its whims. +John Bull relishes stinking venison; a Frenchman depopulates whole swamps +in quest of frogs; a Dutchman's pipe is never out of his mouth; a Russian +will eat tallow-candles; and the American indulges in the cigar. "De +gustibus non est disputandum." +</p> + +<p> +Our Western brother is in possession of a country replete with everything +that can contribute to the happiness and comfort of mankind. His code of +laws, purified by experience and common-sense, has fully answered the +expectations of the public. By acting up to the true spirit of this code he +has reaped immense advantages from it. His advancement as a nation has been +rapid beyond all calculation, and, young as he is, it may be remarked +without any impropriety that he is now actually reading a salutary lesson +to the rest of the civilised world. +</p> + +<p> +It is but some forty years ago that he had the dispute with his nurse about +a dish of tea. She wanted to force the boy to drink it according to her own +receipt. He said he did not like it, and that it absolutely made him ill. +After a good deal of sparring she took up the birch-rod and began to whip +him with an uncommon degree of asperity. When the poor lad found that he +must either drink the nauseous dish of tea or be flogged to death, he +turned upon her in self-defence, showed her to the outside of the nursery- +door, and never more allowed her to meddle with his affairs. +</p> + +<p> +Since the Independence the population has increased from three to ten +millions. A fine navy has been built, and everything attended to that could +ensure prosperity at home and respect abroad. +</p> + +<p> +The former wilds of North America bear ample testimony to the achievements +of this enterprising people. Forests have been cleared away, swamps +drained, canals dug and flourishing settlements established. From the +shores of the Atlantic an immense column of knowledge has rolled into the +interior. The Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri and their tributary +streams have been wonderfully benefited by it. It now seems as if it were +advancing towards the stony mountains, and probably will not become +stationary till it reaches the Pacific Ocean. This almost immeasurable +territory affords a shelter and a home to mankind in general: Jew or +Gentile, king's-man or republican, he meets with a friendly reception in +the United States. His opinions, his persecutions, his errors or mistakes, +however they may have injured him in other countries, are dead and of no +avail on his arrival here. Provided he keeps the peace he is sure to be at +rest. +</p> + +<p> +Politicians of other countries imagine that intestine feuds will cause a +division in this commonwealth; at present there certainly appears to be no +reason for such a conjecture. Heaven forbid that it should happen. The +world at large would suffer by it. For ages yet to come may this great +commonwealth continue to be the United States of North America. +</p> + +<p> +The sun was now within a week or two of passing into the southern +hemisphere, and the mornings and evenings were too cold to be comfortable. +I embarked for the Island of Antigua with the intention of calling at the +different islands in the Caribbean Sea on my way once more towards the +wilds of Guiana. +</p> + +<p> +We were thirty days in making Antigua, and thanked Providence for ordering +us so long a passage. A tremendous gale of wind, approaching to a +hurricane, had done much damage in the West Indies. Had our passage been of +ordinary length we should inevitably have been caught in the gale. +</p> + +<p> +St. John's is the capital of Antigua. In better times it may have had its +gaieties and amusements. At present it appears sad and woebegone. The +houses, which are chiefly of wood, seem as if they have not had a coat of +paint for many years; the streets are uneven and ill-paved; and as the +stranger wanders through them, he might fancy that they would afford a +congenial promenade to the man who is about to take his last leave of +surrounding worldly misery before he hangs himself. There had been no rain +for some time, so that the parched and barren pastures near the town might, +with great truth, be called Rosinante's own. The mules feeding on them put +you in mind of Ovid's description of famine: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent. +</p> + +<p> +It is somewhat singular that there is not a single river or brook in the +whole Island of Antigua. In this it differs from Tartary in the other +world, which, according to old writers, has five rivers--viz. Acheron, +Phlegeton, Cocytus, Styx and Lethe. +</p> + +<p> +In this island I found the redstart, described in Wilson's <i>Ornithology +of the United States</i>. I wished to learn whether any of these birds +remain the whole year in Antigua and breed there, or whether they all leave +it for the north when the sun comes out of the southern hemisphere; but +upon inquiry I could get no information whatever. +</p> + +<p> +After passing a dull week here I sailed for Guadaloupe, whose bold and +cloud-capped mountains have a grand appearance as you approach the island. +Basseterre, the capital, is a neat town, with a handsome public walk in the +middle of it, well shaded by a row of fine tamarind trees on each side. +Behind the town La Souffrière raises its high romantic summit, and on a +clear day you may see the volcanic smoke which issues from it. +</p> + +<p> +Nearly midway betwixt Guadaloupe and Dominica you escry the Saintes. Though +high and bold and rocky, they have still a diminutive appearance when +compared with their two gigantic neighbours. You just see Marigalante to +windward of them, some leagues off, about a yard high in the horizon. +</p> + +<p> +Dominica is majestic in high and rugged mountains. As you sail along it you +cannot help admiring its beautiful coffee-plantations, in places so abrupt +and steep that you would pronounce them almost inaccessible. Roseau, the +capital, is but a small town, and has nothing attractive except the well- +known hospitality of the present harbour-master, who is particularly +attentive to strangers and furnishes them with a world of information +concerning the West Indies. Roseau has seen better days, and you can trace +good taste and judgment in the way in which the town has originally been +laid out. +</p> + +<p> +Some years ago it was visited by a succession of misfortunes which smote it +so severely that it has never recovered its former appearance. A strong +French fleet bombarded it; while a raging fire destroyed its finest +buildings. Some time after an overwhelming flood rolled down the gullies +and fissures of the adjacent mountains and carried all before it. Men, +women and children, houses and property, were all swept away by this mighty +torrent. The terrible scene was said to beggar all description, and the +loss was immense. +</p> + +<p> +Dominica is famous for a large species of frog which the inhabitants keep +in readiness to slaughter for the table. In the woods of this island the +large rhinoceros-beetle is very common: it measures above six inches in +length. In the same woods is found the beautiful humming-bird, the breast +and throat of which are of a brilliant changing purple. I have searched for +this bird in Brazil and through the whole of the wilds from the Rio Branco, +which is a branch of the Amazons, to the River Paumaron, but never could +find it. I was told by a man in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly that this +humming-bird is found in Mexico; but upon questioning him more about it his +information seemed to have been acquired by hearsay; and so I concluded +that it does not appear in Mexico. I suspect that it is never found out of +the Antilles. +</p> + +<p> +After leaving Dominica you soon reach the grand and magnificent Island of +Martinico. St. Pierre, its capital, is a fine town, and possesses every +comfort. The inhabitants seem to pay considerable attention to the +cultivation of the tropical fruits. A stream of water runs down the streets +with great rapidity, producing a pleasing effect as you pass along. +</p> + +<p> +Here I had an opportunity of examining a cuckoo which had just been shot. +It was exactly the same as the metallic cuckoo in Wilson's +<i>Ornithology</i>. They told me it is a migratory bird in Martinico. It +probably repairs to this island after its departure from the United States. +</p> + +<p> +At a little distance from Martinico the celebrated Diamond Rock rises in +insulated majesty out of the sea. It was fortified during the last war with +France, and bravely defended by an English captain. +</p> + +<p> +In a few hours from Martinico you are at St. Lucie, whose rough and +towering mountains fill you with sublime ideas, as you approach its rocky +shore. The town Castries is quite embayed. It was literally blown to pieces +by the fatal hurricane in which the unfortunate governor and his lady lost +their lives. Its present forlorn and gloomy appearance, and the grass which +is grown up in the streets, too plainly show that its hour of joy is passed +away and that it is in mourning, as it were, with the rest of the British +West Indies. +</p> + +<p> +From St. Lucie I proceeded to Barbadoes in quest of a conveyance to the +Island of Trinidad. +</p> + +<p> +Near Bridgetown, the capital of Barbadoes, I saw the metallic cuckoo +already alluded to. +</p> + +<p> +Barbadoes is no longer the merry island it was when I visited it some years +ago: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Infelix habitum, temporis hujus habet. +</p> + +<p> +There is an old song, to the tune of "La Belle Catharine," which must +evidently have been composed in brighter times: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Come let us dance and sing,<br> + While Barbadoes bells do ring;<br> + Quashi scrapes the fiddle-string,<br> + And Venus plays the lute. +</p> + +<p> +Quashi's fiddle was silent, and mute was the lute of Venus during my stay +in Barbadoes. The difference betwixt the French and British islands was +very striking. The first appeared happy and content; the second were filled +with murmurs and complaints. The late proceedings in England concerning +slavery and the insurrection in Demerara had evidently caused the gloom. +The abolition of slavery is a question full of benevolence and fine +feelings, difficulties and danger: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Tantum ne noceas, dum vis prodesse videto. +</p> + +<p> +It requires consummate prudence and a vast fund of true information in +order to draw just conclusions on this important subject. Phaeton, by +awkward driving, set the world on fire: "Sylvæ cum montibus ardent." +Dædalus gave his son a pair of wings without considering the consequence; +the boy flew out of all bounds, lost his wings, and tumbled into the sea: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis. +</p> + +<p> +When the old man saw what had happened, he damned his own handicraft in +wing-making: "devovitque suas artes." Prudence is a cardinal virtue: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Omnia consulta mente gerenda tegens. +</p> + +<p> +Foresight is half the battle. "Hombre apercebido, medio combatido," says +Don Quixote, or Sancho, I do not remember which. Had Queen Bess weighed +well in her own mind the probable consequences of this lamentable traffic, +it is likely she would not have been owner of two vessels in Sir John +Hawkins's squadron, which committed the first robbery in negro flesh on the +coast of Africa. As philanthropy is the very life and soul of this +momentous question on slavery, which is certainly fraught with great +difficulties and danger, perhaps it would be as well at present for the +nation to turn its thoughts to poor ill-fated Ireland, where oppression, +poverty and rags make a heart-rending appeal to the feelings of the +benevolent. +</p> + +<p> +But to proceed. There was another thing which added to the dullness of +Barbadoes and which seemed to have considerable effect in keeping away +strangers from the island. The Legislature had passed a most extraordinary +Bill, by virtue of which every person who arrives at Barbadoes is obliged +to pay two dollars, and two dollars more on his departure from it. It is +called the Alien Bill; and every Barbadian who leaves or returns to the +island, and every Englishman too, pays the tax! +</p> + +<p> +Finding no vessel here for Trinidad, I embarked in a schooner for Demerara, +landed there after being nearly stranded on a sandbank, and proceeded +without loss of time to the forests in the interior. It was the dry season, +which renders a residence in the woods very delightful. +</p> + +<p> +There are three species of jacamar to be found on the different sandhills +and dry savannas of Demerara; but there is another much larger and far more +beautiful to be seen when you arrive in that part of the country where +there are rocks. The jacamar has no affinity to the woodpecker or +kingfisher (notwithstanding what travellers affirm) either in its haunts or +anatomy. The jacamar lives entirely on insects, but never goes in search of +them. It sits patiently for hours together on the branch of a tree, and +when the incautious insect approaches it flies at it with the rapidity of +an arrow, seizes it, and generally returns to eat it on the branch which it +had just quitted. It has not the least attempt at song, is very solitary, +and so tame that you may get within three or four yards of it before it +takes flight. The males of all the different species which I have examined +have white feathers on the throat. I suspect that all the male jacamars +hitherto discovered have this distinctive mark. I could learn nothing of +its incubation. The Indians informed me that one species of jacamar lays +its eggs in the wood-ants' nests, which are so frequent in the trees of +Guiana, and appear like huge black balls. I wish there had been proof +positive of this; but the breeding-time was over, and in the ants' nests +which I examined I could find no marks of birds having ever been in them. +Early in January the jacamar is in fine plumage for the cabinet of the +naturalist. The largest species measures ten inches and a half from the +point of the beak to the end of the tail. Its name amongst the Indians is +una-waya-adoucati, that is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is certainly a +splendid bird, and in the brilliancy and changeableness of its metallic +colours it yields to none of the Asiatic and African feathered tribe. The +colours of the female are nearly as bright as those of the male, but she +wants the white feathers on the throat. The large jacamar is pretty common +about two hundred miles up the River Demerara. +</p> + +<p> +Here I had a fine opportunity once more of examining the three-toed sloth. +He was in the house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a description of +him as he lay sprawling on the floor I should have misled the world and +injured natural history. On the ground he appeared really a bungled +composition, and faulty at all points; awkwardness and misery were depicted +on his countenance; and when I made him advance he sighed as though in +pain. Perhaps it was that by seeing him thus out of his element, as it +were, that the Count de Buffon, in his history of the sloth, asks the +question: "Why should not some animals be created for misery, since, in the +human species, the greatest number of individuals are devoted to pain from +the moment of their existence?" Were the question put to me I would answer, +I cannot conceive that any of them are created for misery. That thousands +live in misery there can be no doubt; but then misery has overtaken them in +their path through life, and wherever man has come up with them I should +suppose they have seldom escaped from experiencing a certain proportion of +misery. +</p> + +<p> +After fully satisfying myself that it only leads the world into error to +describe the sloth while he is on the ground or in any place except in a +tree, I carried the one I had in my possession to his native haunts. As +soon as he came in contact with the branch of a tree all went right with +him. I could see as he climbed up into his own country that he was on the +right road to happiness; and felt persuaded more than ever that the world +has hitherto erred in its conjectures concerning the sloth, on account of +naturalists not having given a description of him when he was in the only +position in which he ought to have been described, namely, clinging to the +branch of a tree. +</p> + +<p> +As the appearance of this part of the country bears great resemblance to +Cayenne, and is so near to it, I was in hopes to have found the grande +gobe-mouche of Buffon and the septi-coloured tangara, both of which are +common in Cayenne; but after many diligent searches I did not succeed, nor +could I learn from the Indians that they had ever seen those two species of +birds in these parts. +</p> + +<p> +Here I procured the gross-beak with a rich scarlet body and black head and +throat. Buffon mentions it as coming from America. I had been in quest of +it for years, but could never see it, and concluded that it was not to be +found in Demerara. This bird is of a greenish brown before it acquires its +rich plumage. +</p> + +<p> +Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this part of the river, a +red crab sometimes makes its appearance as you are passing up and down. It +is preyed upon by a large species of owl which I was fortunate enough to +procure. Its head, back, wings and tail are of so dark a brown as almost to +appear black. The breast is of a somewhat lighter brown. The belly and +thighs are of a dirty yellow-white. The feathers round the eyes are of the +same dark brown as the rest of the body; and then comes a circle of white +which has much the appearance of the rim of a large pair of spectacles. I +strongly suspect that the dirty yellow-white of the belly and thighs has +originally been pure white, and that it has come to its present colour by +means of the bird darting down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere +conjecture. +</p> + +<p> +Here, too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird called sun-bird by +the English colonists and tirana by the Spaniards in the Oroonoque. It is +very elegant, and in its outward appearance approaches near to the heron +tribe; still, it does not live upon fish. Flies and insects are its food, +and it takes them just as the heron takes fish, by approaching near and +then striking with its beak at its prey so quick that it has no chance to +escape. The beautiful mixture of grey, yellow, green, black, white and +chestnut in the plumage of this bird baffles any attempt to give a +description of the distribution of them which would be satisfactory to the +reader. +</p> + +<p> +There is something remarkable in the great tinamou which I suspect has +hitherto escaped notice. It invariably roosts in trees, but the feet are so +very small in proportion to the body of this bulky bird that they can be of +no use to it in grasping the branch; and, moreover, the hind-toe is so +short that it does not touch the ground when the bird is walking. The back +part of the leg, just below the knee, is quite flat and somewhat concave. +On it are strong pointed scales, which are very rough, and catch your +finger as you move it along from the knee to the toe. Now, by means of +these scales and the particular flatness of that part of the leg, the bird +is enabled to sleep in safety upon the branch of a tree. +</p> + +<p> +At the close of day the great tinamou gives a loud, monotonous, plaintive +whistle, and then immediately springs into the tree. By the light of the +full-moon the vigilant and cautious naturalist may see him sitting in the +position already described. +</p> + +<p> +The small tinamou has nothing that can be called a tail. It never lays more +than one egg, which is of a chocolate colour. It makes no nest, but merely +scratches a little hollow in the sand, generally at the foot of a tree. +</p> + +<p> +Here we have an instance of a bird the size of a partridge, and of the same +tribe, laying only one egg, while the rest of the family, from the peahen +to the quail, are known to lay a considerable number. The foot of this bird +is very small in proportion, but the back part of the leg bears no +resemblance to that of the larger tinamou; hence one might conclude that it +sleeps upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Independent of the hollow trees, the vampires have another hiding-place. +They clear out the inside of the large ants' nests and then take possession +of the shell. I had gone about half a day down the river to a part of the +forest where the wallaba-trees were in great plenty. The seeds had ripened, +and I was in hopes to have got the large scarlet ara, which feeds on them. +But unfortunately the time had passed away, and the seeds had fallen. +</p> + +<p> +While ranging here in the forest we stopped under an ants' nest, and, by +the dirt below, conjectured that it had got new tenants. Thinking it no +harm to dislodge them, "vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the tree, but +before he reached the nest out flew above a dozen vampires. +</p> + +<p> +I have formerly remarked that I wished to have it in my power to say that I +had been sucked by the vampire. I gave them many an opportunity, but they +always fought shy; and though they now sucked a young man of the Indian +breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his hammock in the shed next to +mine, they would have nothing to do with me. His great toe seemed to have +all the attractions. I examined it minutely as he was bathing it in the +river at daybreak. The midnight surgeon had made a hole in it almost of a +triangular shape, and the blood was then running from it apace. His hammock +was so defiled and stained with clotted blood that he was obliged to beg an +old black woman to wash it. As she was taking it down to the river-side she +spread it out before me, and shook her head. I remarked that I supposed her +own toe was too old and tough to invite the vampire-doctor to get his +supper out of it, and she answered, with a grin, that doctors generally +preferred young people. +</p> + +<p> +Nobody has yet been able to inform me how it is that the vampire manages to +draw such a large quantity of blood, generally from the toe, and the +patient all the time remains in a profound sleep. I have never heard of an +instance of a man waking under the operation. On the contrary, he continues +in a sound sleep, and at the time of rising his eyes first inform him that +there has been a thirsty thief on his toe. +</p> + +<p> +The teeth of the vampire are very sharp and not unlike those of a rat. If +it be that he inflicts the wound with his teeth (and he seems to have no +other instruments), one would suppose that the acuteness of the pain would +cause the person who is sucked to awake. We are in darkness in this matter, +and I know of no means by which one might be enabled to throw light upon +it. It is to be hoped that some future wanderer through the wilds of Guiana +will be more fortunate than I have been and catch this nocturnal depredator +in the fact. I have once before mentioned that I killed a vampire which +measured thirty-two inches from wing to wing extended, but others which I +have since examined have generally been from twenty to twenty-six inches in +dimension. +</p> + +<p> +The large humming-bird, called by the Indians kara-bimiti, invariably +builds its nest in the slender branches of the trees which hang over the +rivers and creeks. In appearance it is like brown tanned leather, and +without any particle of lining. The rim of the nest is doubled inwards, and +I always conjectured that it had taken this shape on account of the body of +the bird pressing against it while she was laying her eggs. But this was +quite a wrong conjecture. Instinct has taught the bird to give it this +shape in order that the eggs may be prevented from rolling out. +</p> + +<p> +The trees on the river's bank are particularly exposed to violent gusts of +wind, and while I have been sitting in the canoe and looking on, I have +seen the slender branch of the tree which held the humming-bird's nest so +violently shaken that the bottom of the inside of the nest has appeared, +and had there been nothing at the rim to stop the eggs they must inevitably +have been jerked out into the water. I suspect the humming-bird never lays +more than two eggs. I never found more than two in any of the many nests +which have come in my way. The eggs were always white without any spots on +them. +</p> + +<p> +Probably travellers have erred in asserting that the monkeys of South +America throw sticks and fruit at their pursuers. I have had fine +opportunities of narrowly watching the different species of monkeys which +are found in the wilds betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque. I entirely +acquit them of acting on the offensive. When the monkeys are in the high +trees over your head the dead branches will now and then fall down upon +you, having been broken off as the monkeys pass along them; but they are +never hurled from their hands. +</p> + +<p> +Monkeys, commonly so called, both in the old and new continent, may be +classed into three grand divisions: namely, the ape, which has no tail +whatever; the baboon, which has only a short tail; and the monkey, which +has a long tail. There are no apes and no baboons as yet discovered in the +new world. Its monkeys may be very well and very briefly ranged under two +heads: namely, those with hairy and bushy tails; and those whose tails are +bare of hair underneath about six inches from the extremity. Those with +hairy and bushy tails climb just like the squirrel, and make no use of the +tail to help them from branch to branch. Those which have the tail bare +underneath towards the end find it of infinite advantage to them in their +ascent and descent. They apply it to the branch of the tree, as though it +were a supple finger, and frequently swing by it from the branch like the +pendulum of a clock. It answers all the purposes of a fifth hand to the +monkey, as naturalists have already observed. +</p> + +<p> +The large red monkey of Demerara is not a baboon, though it goes by that +name, having a long pensile tail. [Footnote: I believe <i>pensile</i> is a +new-coined word. I have seen it, but do not remember where.] Nothing can +sound more dreadful than its nocturnal howlings. While lying in your +hammock in these gloomy and immeasurable wilds, you hear him howling at +intervals from eleven o'clock at night till daybreak. You would suppose +that half the wild beasts of the forest were collecting for the work of +carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of the jaguar as he springs on his +prey: now it changes to his terrible and deep-toned growlings as he is +pressed on all sides by superior force: and now you hear his last dying +moan beneath a mortal wound. +</p> + +<p> +Some naturalists have supposed that these awful sounds which you would +fancy are those of enraged and dying wild beasts proceed from a number of +the red monkeys howling in concert. One of them alone is capable of +producing all these sounds; and the anatomists on an inspection of his +trachea will be fully satisfied that this is the case. When you look at +him, as he is sitting on the branch of a tree, you will see a lump in his +throat the size of a large hen's egg. In dark and cloudy weather, and just +before a squall of rain, this monkey will often howl in the daytime; and if +you advance cautiously, and get under the high and tufted tree where he is +sitting, you may have a capital opportunity of witnessing his wonderful +powers of producing these dreadful and discordant sounds. +</p> + +<p> +His flesh is good food; but when skinned his appearance is so like that of +a young one of our own species that a delicate stomach might possibly +revolt at the idea of putting a knife and fork into it. However, I can +affirm from experience that, after a long and dreary march through these +remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not to be sneezed at when +boiled in cayenne-pepper or roasted on a stick over a good fire. A young +one tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have somewhat the flavour of +he-goat. +</p> + +<p> +I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit upon an entirely new +plan of making the skins of quadrupeds retain their exact form and feature. +Intense application to the subject has since that period enabled me to +shorten the process and hit the character of an animal to a very great +nicety, even to the preservation of the pouting lip, dimples, warts and +wrinkles on the face. I got a fine specimen of the howling monkey, and took +some pains with it in order to show the immense difference that exists +betwixt the features of this monkey and those of man. +</p> + +<p> +I also procured an animal which has caused not a little speculation and +astonishment. In my opinion, his thick coat of hair and great length of +tail put his species out of all question, but then his face and head cause +the inspector to pause for a moment before he ventures to pronounce his +opinion of the classification. He was a large animal, and as I was pressed +for daylight, and moreover, felt no inclination to have the whole weight of +his body upon my back, I contented myself with his head and shoulders, +which I cut off, and have brought them with me to Europe. [Footnote: My +young friend Mr. J. H. Foljambe, eldest son of Thomas Foljambe, Esq., of +Wakefield, has made a drawing of the head and shoulders of this animal, and +it is certainly a most correct and striking likeness of the original.] I +have since found that I acted quite right in doing so, having had enough to +answer for the head alone, without saying anything of his hands and feet, +and of his tail, which is an appendage, Lord Kames asserts, belongs to us. +</p> + +<p> +The features of this animal are quite of the Grecian cast, and he has a +placidity of countenance which shows that things went well with him when in +life. Some gentlemen of great skill and talent, on inspecting his head, +were convinced that the whole series of its features has been changed. +Others again have hesitated, and betrayed doubts, not being able to make up +their minds whether it be possible that the brute features of the monkey +can be changed into the noble countenance of man: "Scinditur vulgus." One +might argue at considerable length on this novel subject; and perhaps, +after all, produce little more than prolix pedantry: "Vox et praeterea +nihil." +</p> + +<p> +Let us suppose for an instant that it is a new species. Well; "Una +golondrina no hace verano": One swallow does not make summer, as Sancho +Panza says. Still, for all that, it would be well worth while going out to +search for it; and these times of Pasco-Peruvian enterprise are favourable +to the undertaking. Perhaps, gentle reader, you would wish me to go in +quest of another. I would beg leave respectfully to answer that the way is +dubious, long and dreary; and though, unfortunately, I cannot allege the +excuse of "me pia conjux detinet," still I would fain crave a little +repose. I have already been a long while errant: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Longa mihi exilia, et vastum maris æquor aravi,<br> + Ne mandate mihi, nam ego sum defessus agendo. +</p> + +<p> +Should anybody be induced to go, great and innumerable are the discoveries +yet to be made in those remote wilds; and should he succeed in bringing +home even a head alone, with features as perfect as those of that which I +have brought, far from being envious of him, I should consider him a modern +Alcides, fully entitled to register a thirteenth labour. Now if, on the +other hand, we argue that this head in question has had all its original +features destroyed, and a set of new ones given to it, by what means has +this hitherto unheard-of change been effected? Nobody in any of our museums +has as yet been able to restore the natural features to stuffed animals; +and he who has any doubts of this, let him take a living cat or dog and +compare them with a stuffed cat or dog in any of the first-rate museums. A +momentary glance of the eye would soon settle his doubts on this head. +</p> + +<p> +If I have succeeded in effacing the features of a brute, and putting those +of a man in their place, we might be entitled to say that the sun of +Proteus has risen to our museums: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Unius hic faciem, facies transformat in omnes;<br> + Nunc homo, nunc tigris; nunc equa, nunc mulier. +</p> + +<p> +If I have effected this, we can now give to one side of the skin of a man's +face the appearance of eighty years and to the other side that of blooming +seventeen. We could make the forehead and eyes serene in youthful beauty +and shape the mouth and jaws to the features of a malicious old ape. Here +is a new field opened to the adventurous and experimental naturalist: I +have trodden it up and down till I am almost weary. To get at it myself I +have groped through an alley which may be styled in the words of Ovid: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca. +</p> + +<p> +I pray thee, gentle reader, let me out awhile. Time passes on apace; and I +want to take thee to have a peep at the spots where mines are supposed to +exist in Guiana. As the story of this singular head has probably not been +made out to thy satisfaction, perhaps (I may say it nearly in Corporal +Trim's words), on some long and dismal winter's evening, but not now, I may +tell thee more about it; together with that of another head which is +equally striking. +</p> + +<p> +It is commonly reported, and I think there is no reason to doubt the fact, +that when Demerara and Essequibo were under the Dutch flag there were mines +of gold and silver opened near to the River Essequibo. The miners were not +successful in their undertaking, and it is generally conjectured that their +failure proceeded from inexperience. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when you ascend the Essequibo, some hundred miles above the place +where these mines are said to be found, you get into a high, rocky and +mountainous country. Here many of the mountains have a very barren aspect, +producing only a few stinted shrubs, and here and there a tuft of coarse +grass. I could not learn that they have ever been explored, and at this day +their mineralogy is totally unknown to us. The Indians are so thinly +scattered in this part of the country that there would be no impropriety in +calling it uninhabited: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Apparent rari errantes in gurgite vasto. +</p> + +<p> +It remains to be yet learnt whether this portion of Guiana be worth looking +after with respect to its supposed mines. The mining speculations at +present are flowing down another channel. The rage in England for working +the mines of other states has now risen to such a pitch, that it would +require a considerable degree of caution in a mere wanderer of the woods in +stepping forward to say anything that might tend to raise or depress the +spirits of the speculators. +</p> + +<p> +A question or two, however, might be asked. When the revolted colonies +shall have repaired in some measure the ravages of war, and settled their +own political economy upon a firm foundation, will they quietly submit to +see foreigners carrying away those treasures which are absolutely part of +their own soil, and which necessity (necessity has no law) forced them to +barter away in their hour of need? Now, if it should so happen that the +masters of the country begin to repent of their bargain and become envious +of the riches which foreigners carry off, many a teasing law might be made +and many a vexatious enaction might be put in force that would in all +probability bring the speculators into trouble and disappointment. +</p> + +<p> +Besides this consideration there is another circumstance which ought not to +be overlooked. I allude to the change of masters nearly throughout the +whole of America. It is a curious subject for the European philosopher to +moralise upon and for the politician to examine. The more they consider it, +the more they will be astonished. If we may judge by what has already taken +place, we are entitled to predict that in a very few years more no European +banner will be seen to float in any part of the new world. Let us take a +cursory view of it. +</p> + +<p> +England some years ago possessed a large portion of the present United +States. France had Louisiana; Spain held the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, +Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru and California; and +Portugal ruled the whole of Brazil. All these immense regions are now +independent states. England, to be sure, still has Canada, Nova Scotia and +a few creeks on the coast of Labrador; also a small settlement in Honduras, +and the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo; and these are all. France has not +a foot of ground, except the forests of Cayenne. Portugal has lost every +province; Spain is blockaded in nearly her last citadel; and the Dutch flag +is only seen in Surinam. Nothing more now remains to Europe of this immense +continent where but a very few years ago she reigned triumphant. +</p> + +<p> +With regard to the West India Islands, they may be considered as the mere +outposts of this mammoth domain. St. Domingo has already shaken off her old +masters and become a star of observation to the rest of the sable brethren. +The anti-slavery associations of England, full of benevolence and activity, +have opened a tremendous battery upon the last remaining forts which the +lords of the old continent still hold in the new world; and in all +probability will not cease firing till they shall have caused the last flag +to be struck of Europe's late mighty empire in the transatlantic regions. +It cannot well be doubted but that the sable hordes in the West Indies will +like to follow good example whenever they shall have it in their power to +do so. +</p> + +<p> +Now with St. Domingo as an example before them, how long will it be before +they try to raise themselves into independent states? And if they should +succeed in crushing us in these our last remaining tenements, I would bet +ten to one that none of the new Governments will put on mourning for our +departure out of the new world. We must well remember that our own +Government was taxed with injustice and oppression by the United States +during their great struggle; and the British press for years past has, and +is still, teeming with every kind of abuse and unbecoming satire against +Spain and Portugal for their conduct towards the now revolted colonies. +</p> + +<p> +France also comes in for her share of obloquy. Now this being the case, +will not America at large wish most devoutly for the day to come when +Europe shall have no more dominion over her? Will she not say to us: Our +new forms of government are very different from your old ones. We will +trade with you, but we shall always be very suspicious of you as long as +you retain possession of the West Indies, which are, as we may say, close +to our door-steads. You must be very cautious how you interfere with our +politics; for, if we find you meddling with them, and by that means cause +us to come to loggerheads, we shall be obliged to send you back to your own +homes three or four thousand miles across the Atlantic; and then with that +great ditch betwixt us we may hope we shall be good friends. He who casts +his eye on the East Indies will there see quite a different state of +things. The conquered districts have merely changed one European master for +another; and I believe there is no instance of any portion of the East +Indies throwing off the yoke of the Europeans and establishing a Government +of their own. +</p> + +<p> +Ye who are versed in politics, and study the rise and fall of empires, and +know what is good for civilised man and what is bad for him, or, in other +words, what will make him happy and what will make him miserable--tell us +how comes it that Europe has lost almost her last acre in the boundless +expanse of territory which she so lately possessed in the West, and still +contrives to hold her vast property in the extensive regions of the East? + +But whither am I going? I find myself on a new and dangerous path. Pardon, +gentle reader, this sudden deviation. Methinks I hear thee saying to me: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Tramite quo tendis, majoraque viribus audes. +</p> + +<p> +I grant that I have erred, but I will do so no more. In general I avoid +politics; they are too heavy for me, and I am aware that they have caused +the fall of many a strong and able man; they require the shoulders of Atlas +to support their weight. +</p> + +<p> +When I was in the rocky mountains of Macoushia, in the month of June 1812, +I saw four young cock-of-the-rocks in an Indian's hut; they had been taken +out of the nest that week. They were of a uniform dirty brown colour, and +by the position of the young feathers upon the head you might see that +there would be a crest there when the bird arrived at maturity. By seeing +young ones in the month of June I immediately concluded that the old cock- +of-the-rock would be in fine plumage from the end of November to the +beginning of May; and that the naturalist who was in quest of specimens for +his museum ought to arrange his plans in such a manner as to be able to get +into Macoushia during these months. However, I find now that no exact +period can be fixed; for in December 1824 an Indian in the River Demerara +gave me a young cock-of-the-rock not a month old, and it had just been +brought from the Macoushi country. By having a young specimen at this time +of the year it puts it out of one's power to say at what precise time the +old birds are in full plumage. I took it on board a ship with me for +England, but it was so very susceptible of cold that it shivered and died +three days after we had passed Antigua. +</p> + +<p> +If ever there should be a great demand for large supplies of gum-elastic, +commonly called india-rubber, it may be procured in abundance far away in +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. +</p> + +<p> +Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi country, there was a capital +trick played upon me about india-rubber. It is, almost too good to be left +out of these wanderings, and it shows that the wild and uneducated Indian +is not without abilities. Weary and sick and feeble through loss of blood, +I arrived at some Indian huts which were about two hours distant from the +place where the gum-elastic trees grew. After a day and a night's rest I +went to them, and with my own hands made a fine ball of pure india-rubber; +it hardened immediately as it became exposed to the air, and its elasticity +was almost incredible. +</p> + +<p> +While procuring it, exposure to the rain, which fell in torrents, brought +on a return of inflammation in the stomach, and I was obliged to have +recourse again to the lancet, and to use it with an unsparing hand. I +wanted another ball, but was not in a state the next morning to proceed to +the trees. A fine interesting young Indian, observing my eagerness to have +it, tendered his services, and asked two handfuls of fish-hooks for his +trouble. +</p> + +<p> +Off he went, and to my great surprise returned in a very short time. +Bearing in mind the trouble and time it had cost me to make a ball, I could +account for this Indian's expedition in no other way except that, being an +inhabitant of the forest, he knew how to go about his work in a much +shorter way than I did. His ball, to be sure, had very little elasticity in +it. I tried it repeatedly, but it never rebounded a yard high. The young +Indian watched me with great gravity, and when I made him understand that I +expected the ball would dance better, he called another Indian who knew a +little English to assure me that I might be quite easy on that score. The +young rogue, in order to render me a complete dupe, brought the new moon to +his aid. He gave me to understand that the ball was like the little moon +which he pointed to, and by the time it grew big and old the ball would +bounce beautifully. This satisfied me, and I gave him the fish-hooks, which +he received without the least change of countenance. +</p> + +<p> +I bounced the ball repeatedly for two months after, but I found that it +still remained in its infancy. At last I suspected that the savage (to use +a vulgar phrase) had "come Yorkshire" over me; and so I determined to find +out how he had managed to take me in. I cut the ball in two, and then saw +what a taught trick he had played me. It seems he had chewed some leaves +into a lump the size of a walnut, and then dipped them in the liquid gum- +elastic. It immediately received a coat about as thick as a sixpence. He +then rolled some more leaves round it and gave it another coat. He seems to +have continued this process till he made the ball considerably larger than +the one I had procured; and in order to put his roguery out of all chance +of detection he made the last and outer coat thicker than a dollar. This +Indian would, no doubt, have thriven well in some of our great towns. +</p> + +<p> +Finding that the rainy season was coming on, I left the wilds of Demerara +and Essequibo with regret towards the close of December 1824, and reached +once more the shores of England after a long and unpleasant passage. +</p> + +<p> +Ere we part, kind reader, I could wish to draw a little of thy attention to +the instructions which are to be found at the end of this book. Twenty +years have now rolled away since I first began to examine the specimens of +zoology in our museums. As the system of preparation is founded in error, +nothing but deformity, distortion and disproportion will be the result of +the best intentions and utmost exertions of the workman. Canova's +education, taste and genius enabled him to present to the world statues so +correct and beautiful that they are worthy of universal admiration. Had a +common stonecutter tried his hand upon the block out of which these statues +were sculptured, what a lamentable want of symmetry and fine countenance +there would have been. Now when we reflect that the preserved specimens in +our museums and private collections are always done upon a wrong principle, +and generally by low and illiterate people whose daily bread depends upon +the shortness of time in which they can get through their work, and whose +opposition to the true way of preparing specimens can only be surpassed by +their obstinacy in adhering to the old method, can we any longer wonder at +their want of success or hope to see a single specimen produced that will +be worth looking at? With this I conclude, hoping that thou hast received +some information, and occasionally had a smile upon thy countenance, while +perusing these <i>Wanderings</i>; and begging at the same time to add that: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Well I know thy penetration<br> + Many a stain and blot will see,<br> + In the languid long narration,<br> + Of my sylvan errantry. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + For the pen too oft was weary,<br> + In the wandering writer's hand,<br> + As he roved through deep and dreary<br> + Forests, in a distant land. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + Show thy mercy, gentle reader,<br> + Let him not entreat in vain;<br> + It will be his strength's best feeder,<br> + Should he ever go again. +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + And who knows, how soon complaining<br> + Of a cold and wifeless home,<br> + He may leave it, and again in<br> + Equatorial regions roam. +</p> + +<p> +C.W. +</p> + +<hr> + + +<h2><a name="vi">ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS +OF NATURAL HISTORY</a></h2> + +<p> +Were you to pay as much attention to birds as the sculptor does to the +human frame, you would immediately see, on entering a museum, that the +specimens are not well done. +</p> + +<p> +This remark will not be thought severe when you reflect that that which +once was a bird has probably been stretched, stuffed, stiffened and wired +by the hand of a common clown. Consider, likewise, how the plumage must +have been disordered by too much stretching or drying, and perhaps sullied, +or at least deranged, by the pressure of a coarse and heavy hand--plumage +which, ere life had fled from within it, was accustomed to be touched by +nothing rougher than the dew of heaven and the pure and gentle breath of +air. +</p> + +<p> +In dissecting, three things are necessary to ensure success: viz. a +penknife, a hand not coarse or clumsy, and practice. The first will furnish +you with the means; the second will enable you to dissect; and the third +cause you to dissect well. These may be called the mere mechanical +requisites. +</p> + +<p> +In stuffing, you require cotton, a needle and thread, a little stick the +size of a common knitting-needle, glass eyes, a solution of corrosive +sublimate, and any kind of a common temporary box to hold the specimen. +These also may go under the same denomination as the former. But if you +wish to excel in the art, if you wish to be in ornithology what Angelo was +in sculpture, you must apply to profound study and your own genius to +assist you. And these may be called the scientific requisites. +</p> + +<p> +You must have a complete knowledge of ornithological anatomy. You must pay +close attention to the form and attitude of the bird, and know exactly the +proportion each curve, or extension, or contraction, or expansion of any +particular part bears to the rest of the body. In a word, you must possess +Promethean boldness and bring down fire and animation, as it were, into +your preserved specimen. +</p> + +<p> +Repair to the haunts of birds on plains and mountains, forests, swamps and +lakes, and give up your time to examine the economy of the different orders +of birds. +</p> + +<p> +Then you will place your eagle in attitude commanding, the same as Nelson +stood in in the day of battle on the <i>Victory's</i> quarter-deck. Your +pie will seem crafty and just ready to take flight, as though fearful of +being surprised in some mischievous plunder. Your sparrow will retain its +wonted pertness by means of placing his tail a little elevated and giving a +moderate arch to the neck. Your vulture will show his sluggish habits by +having his body nearly parallel to the earth, his wings somewhat drooping, +and their extremities under the tail instead of above it--expressive of +ignoble indolence. +</p> + +<p> +Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence; looking mildly at you +with its neck not too much stretched, as if uneasy in its situation; or +drawn too close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a discovery; +but in moderate, perpendicular length, supporting the head horizontally, +which will set off the breast to the best advantage. And the breast ought +to be conspicuous, and have this attention paid to it--for when a young +lady is sweet and gentle in her manners, kind and affable to those around +her, when her eyes stand in tears of pity for the woes of others, and she +puts a small portion of what Providence has blessed her with into the hand +of imploring poverty and hunger, then we say she has the breast of a +turtle-dove. +</p> + +<p> +You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged: one +falling over the other in nicest order; and that where this charming +harmony is interrupted, the defect, though not noticed by an ordinary +spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. Thus a bird +not wounded and in perfect feather must be procured if possible, for the +loss of feathers can seldom be made good; and where the deficiency is +great, all the skill of the artist will avail him little in his attempt to +conceal the defect, because in order to hide it he must contract the skin, +bring down the upper feathers, and shove in the lower ones, which would +throw all the surrounding parts into contortion. +</p> + +<p> +You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce feathers, +and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow. The bare parts +are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and stomach, and they +fit into the different cavities of the body at the wings, shoulders, rump +and thighs with wonderful exactness; so that, in stuffing the bird, if you +make an even, rotund surface of the skin where these cavities existed, in +lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry, order and proportion are lost for +ever. +</p> + +<p> +You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be entirely +skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true and pleasing +specimen. +</p> + +<p> +You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the nature of +the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in: first, they require +to be well seasoned with aromatic spices; secondly, they must be put into +the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of the fire, and the natural tendency +all cured flesh has to shrink and become hard, render the specimen +withered, distorted and too small; fourthly, the inside then becomes like a +ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects claim it as their own, +the feathers begin to drop off, and you have the hideous spectacle of death +in ragged plumage. +</p> + +<p> +Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance; for +where it is introduced a disagreeable stiffness and derangement of symmetry +follow. +</p> + +<p> +The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the body supported, the +wings closed, extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised or expanded, +the thighs set horizontal or oblique, without any aid from wire. Cotton +will effect all this. +</p> + +<p> +A very small proportion of the skull-bone, say from the forepart of the +eyes to the bill, is to be left in; though even this is not absolutely +necessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones and half of the thigh- +bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains and tendons +--is all to be taken away. +</p> + +<p> +While dissecting it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking off the +skin from the body by means of your fingers and a little knife, you must +try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. +</p> + +<p> +That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now and +then take a view of it to see that the feathers, etc., are all right. +</p> + +<p> +That when you come to the head you must take care that the body of the skin +rests on your knee; for if you allow it to dangle from your hand its own +weight will stretch it too much. +</p> + +<p> +That, throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin from +the body you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it; and this +will effectually prevent any fat, blood or moisture from coming in contact +with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on the belly you find an +inner skin, which keeps the bowels in their place. By a nice operation with +the knife you can cut through the outer skin and leave the inner skin +whole. Attention to this will render your work very clean; so that with a +little care in other parts you may skin a bird without even soiling your +finger-ends. +</p> + +<p> +As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on this +head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard with your +finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon expire. Carry it +by the legs, and then the body being reversed the blood cannot escape down +the plumage through the shot-holes. As blood will often have issued out +before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the shot-holes by dividing +the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on them, and then with your +penknife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully remove the clotted blood and put +a little cotton on the hole. If, after all, the plumage has not escaped the +marks of blood, or if it has imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part +in water, without soap, and keep gently agitating the feathers with your +fingers till they are quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them to +dry by themselves, they would have a very mean and shrivelled appearance. +</p> + +<p> +In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or upon +your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee; because when you cross one +knee over the other and have the bird upon the uppermost, you can raise it +to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foot on the ground, +and then your knee will always move in unison with your body, by which much +stooping will be avoided and lassitude prevented. +</p> + +<p> +With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect a +bird. Suppose we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with a song +for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he is just the +thing. His skin is also pretty tough, and the feathers adhere to it. +</p> + +<p> +We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive +sublimate in alcohol; also a stick like a common knitting-needle and a +handful or two of cotton. Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird with +cotton, and place it upon your knee on its back, with its head pointing to +your left shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two first fingers and +thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point of the knife +perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you to hold it so, you +would cut the inner skin of the belly, and thus let the bowels out. To +avoid this let your knife be parallel to the body, and then, you will +divide the outer skin with great ease. +</p> + +<p> +Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle, quite to +the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and separate +the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of the thigh. Cut +it through, and do nothing more there at present, except introducing cotton +all the way on that side, from the vent to the breastbone. Do exactly the +same on the opposite side. +</p> + +<p> +Now place the bird perpendicular, its breast resting on your knee, with its +back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each side at the vent, +and never mind at present the part from the vent to the root of the tail. +Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while your finger and thumb are +keeping down the detached parts of the skin on each side of the vent, cut +quite across and deep, till you see the backbone, near the oil-gland at the +root of the tail. Sever the backbone at the joint, and then you have all +the root of the tail, together with the oil-gland, dissected from the body. +Apply plenty of cotton. +</p> + +<p> +After this seize the end of the backbone with your finger and thumb: and +now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round and round +as occasion requires. While you are holding it thus, contrive, with the +help of your other hand and knife, by cutting and shoving, to get the skin +pushed up till you come to where the wing joins on to the body. Forget not +to apply cotton; cut this joint through; do the same at the other wing, add +cotton, and gently push the skin over the head; cut out the roots of the +ears, which lie very deep in the head, and continue skinning till you reach +the middle of the eye; cut the nictitating membrane quite through, +otherwise you would tear the orbit of the eye; and after this nothing +difficult intervenes to prevent your arriving at the root of the bill. +</p> + +<p> +When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of skull, +just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye; clean well the jaw- +bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick, dip it into the +solution, and touch the skull and corresponding part of the skin, as you +cannot well get to these places afterwards. From the time of pushing the +skin over the head you are supposed to have had the bird resting upon your +knee; keep it there still, and with great caution and tenderness return the +head through the inverted skin, and when you see the beak appearing pull it +very gently till the head comes out unruffled and unstained. +</p> + +<p> +You may now take the cotton out of the mouth; cut away all the remaining +flesh at the palate, and whatever may have remained at the under-jaw. +</p> + +<p> +Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all the +flesh, fat and uncleaned bones out of it, except the middle joint of the +wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. The extreme +point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, comparatively +speaking, so that it requires no attention except touching it with the +solution from the outside. Take all in the flesh from the remaining joint +of the wing, and tie a thread about four inches long to the end of it; +touch all with the solution, and put the wing-bone back into its place. In +baring this bone you must by no means pull the skin; you would tear it to +pieces beyond all doubt, for the ends of the long feathers are attached to +the bone itself; you must push off the skin with your thumb-nail and +forefinger. Now skin the thigh quite to the knee; cut away all flesh and +tendons, and leave the bone; form an artificial thigh round it with cotton; +apply the solution and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh: the +same to the other thigh. +</p> + +<p> +Lastly, proceed to the tail: take out the inside of the oil-gland, remove +all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of the tail- +feathers; give it the solution and replace it. Now take out all the cotton +which you have been putting into the body from time to time to preserve the +feathers from grease and stains. Place the bird upon your knee on its back; +tie together the two threads which you had fastened to the end of the wing- +joints, leaving exactly the same space betwixt them as your knowledge in +anatomy informs you existed there when the bird was entire; hold the skin +open with your finger and thumb, and apply the solution to every part of +the inside. Neglect the head and neck at present; they are to receive it +afterwards. +</p> + +<p> +Fill the body moderately with cotton, lest the feathers on the belly should +be injured whilst you are about the following operation. You must recollect +that half of the thigh, or in other words, one joint of the thigh-bone, has +been cut away. Now, as this bone never moved perpendicular to the body, +but, on the contrary, in an oblique direction, of course, as soon as it is +cut off, the remaining part of the thigh and leg having nothing now to +support them obliquely, must naturally fall to their perpendicular. Hence +the reason why the legs appear considerably too long. To correct this, take +your needle and thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and then push +the needle through the skin just opposite to it. Look on the outside, and +after finding the needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the +wing with several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and render +it quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without the help of +wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton except the artificial thighs, +and adjust the wing-bones (which are connected by the thread) in the most +even manner possible, so that one joint does not appear to lie lower than +the other; for unless they are quite equal, the wings themselves will be +unequal when you come to put them in their proper attitude. Here, then, +rests the shell of the poor hawk, ready to receive from your skill and +judgment the size, the shape, the features and expression it had, ere death +and your dissecting hand brought it to its present still and formless +state. The cold hand of death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate +victim. When the heart ceases to beat, and the blood no longer courses +through the veins, the features collapse, and the whole frame seems to +shrink within itself. If then you have formed your idea of the real +appearance of the bird from a dead specimen, you will be in error. With +this in mind, and at the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger +than life, to make up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a +bird that will please you. +</p> + +<p> +It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means of +the little stick like a knitting-needle; and without any other aid or +substance than that of this little stick and cotton, your own genius must +produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that elegance +and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature, so little +attended to in preserved specimens. After you have introduced the cotton, +sew up the orifice you originally made in the belly, beginning at the vent. +And from time to time, till you arrive at the last stitch, keep adding a +little cotton in order that there may be no deficiency there. Lastly, dip +your stick into the solution, and put it down the throat three or four +times, in order that every part may receive it. +</p> + +<p> +When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking, close +the bill as in nature. A little bit of bees' wax at the point of it will +keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be stuck into the +lower mandible perpendicularly. You will shortly see the use of it. Bring +also the feet together by a pin, and then run a thread through the knees, +by which you may draw them to each other as near as you judge proper. +Nothing now remains to be added but the eyes. With your little stick make a +hollow in the cotton within the orbit, and introduce the glass eyes through +the orbit. Adjust the orbit to them as in nature, and that requires no +other fastener. +</p> + +<p> +Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have informed you +that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body than that part of +the eye which appears within it when in life. So that, were you to +proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable of receiving, it would +be far too large. Inattention to this has caused the eyes of every specimen +in the best cabinets of natural history to be out of all proportion. To +prevent this, contract the orbit by means of a very small delicate needle +and thread at that part of it farthest from the beak. This may be done with +such nicety that the stitch cannot be observed; and thus you have the +artificial eye in true proportion. +</p> + +<p> +After this touch the bill, orbits, feet and former oil-gland at the root of +the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the hawk everything +necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of elasticity, two qualities +very essential. +</p> + +<p> +Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about three-fourths up +to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make a moderate hollow in +it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your hands and, after putting +the wings in order, place it in the cotton with its legs in a sitting +posture. The head will fall down. Never mind. Get a cork and run three pins +into the end, just like a three-legged stool. Place it under the bird's +bill, and run the needle which you formerly fixed there into the head of +the cork. This will support the bird's head admirably. If you wish to +lengthen the neck, raise the cork by putting more cotton under it. If the +head is to be brought forward, bring the cork nearer to the end of the box. +If it requires to be set backwards on the shoulders, move back the cork. +</p> + +<p> +As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore part, +and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be, putting you in mind +of a stargazing horse, prevent this fault by tying a thread to the beak and +fastening it to the end of the box with a pin or needle. If you choose to +elevate the wings, do so, and support them with cotton; and should you wish +to have them particularly high, apply a little stick under each wing, and +fasten the end of them to the side of the box with a little bees' wax. +</p> + +<p> +If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the feathers, +beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them in their true +order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion you have given it. +Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a contrary direction to that +in which they lie for a day or two, and it will never fall down after. +</p> + +<p> +Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun, wind +and fire; for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to reproduce +every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive sublimate is +uncommonly serviceable; for at the same time that it totally prevents +putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible for many days. While +the bird is drying, take it out, and replace it in its position once every +day. Then, if you see that any part begins to shrink into disproportion, +you can easily remedy it. +</p> + +<p> +The small covert-feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little, because +the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in the wing. Pull +gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb for a day or two. +Press the feathers down. The skin will adhere no more to the bone, and they +will cease to rise. +</p> + +<p> +Every now and then touch and retouch all the different parts of the +features in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at the +same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings, flatness or +rotundity. This is putting the last finishing hand to it. +</p> + +<p> +In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the knees +begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the legs any +angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position, or curve them +to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch, bore a little hole +under each foot a little way up the leg; and having fixed two proportional +spikes on the branch, you can, in a moment, transfer the bird from your +finger to it, and from it to your finger at pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take away the +needle, etc., from under the bill, and all is done. In lieu of being stiff +with wires, the cotton will have given a considerable elasticity to every +part of your bird; so that, when perching on your finger, if you press it +down with the other hand, it will rise again. You need not fear that your +hawk will alter, or its colours fade. The alcohol has introduced the +sublimate into every part and pore of the skin, quite to the roots of the +feathers. Its use is twofold: firstly, it has totally prevented all +tendency to putrefaction; and thus a sound skin has attached itself to the +roots of the feathers. You may take hold of a single one, and from it +suspend five times the weight of the bird. You may jerk it; it will still +adhere to the skin, and after repeated trials often break short. Secondly, +as no part of the skin has escaped receiving particles of sublimate +contained in the alcohol, there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of +insects: for they will never venture to attack any substance which has +received corrosive sublimate. +</p> + +<p> +You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to insects +that is known. It is anti-putrescent; so is alcohol; and they are both +colourless, of course; they cannot leave a stain behind them. The spirit +penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, deposits +invisible particles of the sublimate and flies off. The sublimate will not +injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the parts where the alcohol +has left it. [Footnote: All the feathers require to be touched with the +solution, in order that they may be preserved from the depredation of the +moth. The surest way of proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution +of corrosive sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it.] +</p> + +<p> +Furs of animals immersed in this solution will retain their pristine +brightness and durability in any climate. +</p> + +<p> +Take the finest curled feather from a lady's head, dip it in the solution, +and shake it gently till it be dry; you will find that the spirit will fly +off in a few minutes, not a curl in the feather will be injured, and the +sublimate will preserve it from the depredation of the insect. +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps it may be satisfactory to add here that some years ago I did a bird +upon this plan in Demerara. It remained there two years. It was then +conveyed to England, where it stayed five months, and returned to Demerara. +After being four years more there it was conveyed back again through the +West Indies to England, where it has now been near five years, unfaded and +unchanged. +</p> + +<p> +On reflecting that this bird has been twice in the Temperate and Torrid +Zone, and remained some years in the hot and humid climate of Demerara, +only six degrees from the line, and where almost everything becomes a prey +to the insect, and that it is still as sound and bright as when it was +first done, it will not be thought extravagant to surmise that this +specimen will retain its pristine form and colours for years after the hand +that stuffed it has mouldered into dust. +</p> + +<p> +I have shown this art to the naturalists in Brazil, Cayenne, Demerara, +Oroonoque and Rome, and to the royal cabinets of Turin and Florence. A +severe accident prevented me from communicating it to the cabinet of Paris, +according to my promise. A word or two more, and then we will conclude. +</p> + +<p> +A little time and experience will enable you to produce a finished +specimen: "Mox similis volucri, mox vera volucris." If your early +performance should not correspond with your expectations, do not let that +cast you down. You cannot become an adept all at once. The poor hawk +itself, which you have just been dissecting, waited to be fledged before it +durst rise on expanded pinion, and had parental aid and frequent practice +ere it could soar with safety and ease beyond the sight of man. +</p> + +<p> +Little more remains to be added, except that what has been penned down with +regard to birds may be applied in some measure to serpents, insects and +four-footed animals. +</p> + +<p> +Should you find these instructions too tedious, let the wish to give you +every information plead in their defence. They might have been shorter; but +Horace says, by labouring to be brief you become obscure. +</p> + +<p> +If by their means you should be enabled to procure specimens from foreign +parts in better preservation than usual, so that the naturalist may have it +in his power to give a more perfect description of them than has hitherto +been the case; should they cause any unknown species to be brought into +public view, and thus add a little more to the page of natural history, it +will please me much. But should they unfortunately tend to cause a wanton +expense of life; should they tempt you to shoot the pretty songster +warbling near your door, or destroy the mother as she is sitting on the +nest to warm her little ones, or kill the father as he is bringing a +mouthful of food for their support--Oh, then! deep indeed will be the +regret that I ever wrote them. +</p> + +<p> +Adieu, +</p> + +<p> +CHARLES WATERTON. +</p> + +<p> +FINIS +</p> + +<h2><a name="vii">GLOSSARY</a></h2> + +<pre> + +Acaiari, <i>the resinous gum of + the hiawa-tree</i>. +Acouri, <i>one of the agutis</i>; + a rodent about the size of a rabbit. +Acuero, <i>a species of palm</i>. +Æta, <i>a palm of great size</i>; + it may reach a hundred feet + before the leaves begin. +Ai, <i>the three-toed sloth</i>. +Albicore, <i>a fish closely related to + the tunny</i>. +Anhinga, <i>the darter or snake-bird</i>; + a cormorant-like bird. +Ant-bear, <i>now called the ant-eater</i>. +Ara, <i>a macaw</i>. +Ara, Scarlet, <i>the scarlet macaw</i>. + + + +Bisa, <i>one of the Saki monkeys</i>. + + + +Cabbage Mountain, <i>one of the most + beautiful of the palm-trees</i>. +Camoudi, <i>the anaconda.</i> +Campanero, <i>the bell-bird.</i> +Caprimulgus, <i>one of the goat-suckers.</i> +Cassique, <i>a bird of the hang-nest + family.</i> +Cayman, <i>an alligator, as here used.</i> +Cotingas, <i>chatterers.</i> +Couguar, <i>the puma.</i> +Coulacanara, <i>the boa-constrictor.</i> +Courada, <i>the white mangrove tree.</i> +Crabier, <i>the boat-bill--a small heron.</i> +Crickets, <i>cicadas.</i> +Cuia, <i>one of the Trojans.</i> +Curlew, Scarlet, <i>the scarlet ibis.</i> + + + +Dolphin, <i>a coryphene--a true fish--not + a cetacean.</i> + + + +Guana, <i>the iguana lizard.</i> + + + +Hannaquoi, <i>one of the curassows.</i> +Houtou, <i>one of the motmots.</i> +Humming-bird Ara or Karabimiti, + <i>the crimson topaz.</i> + + + +Jacamar, <i>Jacana</i>, as anglicized--<i>the + spur-winged waterhen.</i> + + + +Labba, <i>a rodent allied to the + cavies.</i> + + + +Naudapoa, <i>an ibis.</i> + + + +Patasa, <i>unidentified.</i> +Phaeton, <i>the tropic bird.</i> +Pi-pi-yo, <i>unidentified.</i> +Porcupine, <i>the tree-porcupine.</i> + + + +Quake, <i>a basket of open-work, very + elastic and expansive.</i> + + + +Redstart, <i>quite distinct from the + English redstart.</i> + + + +Sacawinki, <i>one of the squirrel + monkeys.</i> +Sangre-do-buey, <i>the scarlet tanager.</i> + + + +Tangara, <i>now called tanager. See + Sangre-do-buey.</i> + + + +Waracaba, <i>the trumpeter.</i> +Whip-poor-will, <i>one of the goat-suckers.</i> +Who-are-you? <i>one of the goat-suckers.</i> +Willy-come-go, <i>one of the goat-suckers.</i> +Work-away, <i>one of the goat-suckers.</i> + + + +Yawaraciri, <i>one of the blue + creepers.</i> + +</pre> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2><a name="viii">INDEX</a></h2> +<pre> + +ACAIARI +Ai, <i>see</i> Sloths +Alligators +American cities, + classical names of +American ladies, + praise of; + their attire +American manners +Ant-bears +Ant-eating birds +Antigua +Ants; + an ingredient of wourali poison; + nests of +Apoura-poura, River +Ara (macaw) +Armadillo +Arrowroot, + wild +Arrows, Indian +Arthur, King +Asses, + effect of wourali poison on +Aura vulture + + + +Banks, Sir Joseph +Barbadoes +Basseterre +Bête-rouge +Birds, Demeraran; + Brazilian, +Bitterns +Blow-pipe, Indian +Boa-constrictor +Boclora +Bois immortel +Bow, Indian +Broadway +Bucaniers +Buffalo +Bug, + encounter with a +Buonaparte, Prince Charles +Bush-master +Bush-rope + + + +Camoudi snake +Campanero +Canadians characterised +Caprimulgus, + <i>see</i> Goat-suckers +Caps, + a diatribe against +Cassava +Cassique +Castries +Cayenne +Cayman; + expedition in search of; + fishing for; + ridden by author +Chegoe +Clove-trees +Cock-of-the-rock +Constable rock +Coral snake +Cotingas +Couguar +Coulacanara snake, + capture of a +Counacouchi, + <i>see</i> Bush-master +Coushie-ant +Cuia +Curlew, scarlet +Custom House difficulties + + + +Demerara, + falls of the River + potentialities of the + colony +<i>Deserted Village</i>, Goldsmith's, + quoted +Dog, + effect of wourali poison on a; + probably not native to Guiana +Dolphin +Dominica + + + +Eagle, + white-headed +Edmonstone, Charles +Edmonstone, Robert +Egret +Erie Canal; + Lake +Essequibo river; + falls of the; + scenery +Europe, + future American independence of + + + +Fever, + treatment of +Fig-tree, + wild +Fire-fly +Fish, Demeraran +Fishing, Indian method of, +Flying-fish, +Forest-trees, Demeraran; + destruction of North American, +Fort St. Joachim, +Fowl, + effect of wourali poison on a, +Frigate pelican, + + + +Goat-suckers; + superstitious fear of, +Grand gobe-mouche, +Gross-beak, +Guadalope, +Guiana, + future of; + bird's-eye view of, + + + +Hannaquoi, +Hermit, + a white, +Hia-hia, +<i>History of Brazil</i>, Southey's, +Horned screamer, +Houtou, +Howling monkey, + <i>see</i> Monkeys +Hudson, + journey up the, +Hugues, Victor, +Humming-birds, + + + +Ibibirou, +Impostor, + an Indian, +Indians; + mode of life; + religion, + <i>See also</i> Macoushi Indians +India-rubber, +Inn-album, + inscription in an, +Insects, Demeraran, +Irish emigrants, + + + +Jabiru, +Jacamar, +Jaguar, +Jay, Guianan, +Jesuits, + expulsion of the, + + + +Kearney, Dennis, +Kessi-kessi paroquet, +Kingfishers, +King of the vultures, + + + +Labarri snake, +La Gabrielle, + national plantation at, +Land-tortoise, +Lizards, + + + +Maam, + <i>see</i> Tinamou +Macoushi Indians; + their methods of hunting; + trick played by one on the author, +Manikins, +Maroudis, +Martin, M., +Martinico, +Metallic-cuckoo, +Mibiri Creek, +Mines in Guiana, +Monkeys; + red, or howling; + a specimen with Grecian features, +Monteiro, +Montreal, +Mora-tree, +Museum at Philadelphia, + + + +New Amsterdam, +New York, +Niagara, + Falls of, +Nobrega, Father, + + + +Olinda; + botanic garden at, +<i>Ornithology of the United States</i>, + Wilson's, +Otters, +Owl, + a crab-eating, +Ox, + effect of wourali poison on an, + + + +Pacou, +Paramaribo, +Parasitic plants, +Parima, Lake, +Park, Mungo, +Parrots, +Partridge, +Peccari, +Pelican, +Percy, Earl, +Pernambuco; + environs, +Petrel, + stormy, +Philadelphia, +Phaeton, +Pi-pi-yo, +Pombal, +Preservation of colours of toucan's bill; + of quadrupeds; + of zoological specimens generally; + of birds, +Purple-heart, + + + +Quadrupeds, + forest, +Quashi, Daddy, +Quebec, +Quiver, Indian, + + + +Rattlesnake, +Red-headed finch, +Red monkey, + _see_ Monkeys +Redstart, +Rhinoceros-beetle, +Rice-bird, +Roseau, +Rubber-tree, + + + +Saba, +St. John's, +St. Lucie, +St. Pierre, +Saintes, the, +Sangre-de-buey, +Saratoga, +Savanna, a Demerara, +Slavery in Demerara; + in West Indies, +Slaves, + encounter with runaway, +Sloths; + three-toed, or ai; + two-toed, +Smoking, +Snakes; + hunting, +Spice plantations, +Spikes, poisoned, +Stabroek, +Southey, Robert, +Sun-bird, +Superstition, + reflections on, +Surinam, + + + +Tangaras, +Tapir, +Tarbet, misadventures of Mr., +Tauronina, +Taxidermy, + <i>see</i> Preservation +Ticks, +Ticonderoga, +Tiger, + _see_ Jaguar +Tiger-bird, + small, +Tinamou, +Toucans, +Travellers, + advice to, +Travellers' tales, +Troupiales, +Troy, +Trumpeters, +Turtle, + + + +United States, + progress of the, +Utica, + + + +Vampires, +Vanilla, +Vultures, + + + +Wallaba-tree, +Wasps, +Water-hens, +Water-mamma, +Weapons, Indian, +Whip-poor-will, + <i>see</i> Goat-suckers +Whipsnake, +Wild boars, + hunting, +Wild man of the woods, a, +Wilson, Alexander, +Woodpeckers, +Wound, + treatment of a, +Wourali poison; + its effects; + ingredients; + preparation; + method of using: + antidotes; + experiments in England, + + + +Yabahou, + the evil spirit, +Yawaraciri, + +</pre> + +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Wanderings in South America, by Charles Waterton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + +***** This file should be named 8159-h.htm or 8159-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/1/5/8159/ + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wanderings in South America + +Author: Charles Waterton + +Posting Date: March 28, 2014 [EBook #8159] +Release Date: May, 2005 +First Posted: June 22, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + + + + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + +By CHARLES WATERTON + + + + + + + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + + +I offer this book of "Wanderings" with a hesitating hand. It has little +merit, and must make its way through the world as well as it can. It +will receive many a jostle as it goes along, and perhaps is destined to +add one more to the number of slain in the field of modern criticism. +But if it fall, it may still, in death, be useful to me; for should +some accidental rover take it up and, in turning over its pages, imbibe +the idea of going out to explore Guiana in order to give the world an +enlarged description of that noble country, I shall say, "fortem ad +fortia misi," and demand the armour; that is, I shall lay claim to a +certain portion of the honours he will receive, upon the plea that I +was the first mover of his discoveries; for, as Ulysses sent Achilles +to Troy, so I sent him to Guiana. I intended to have written much more +at length; but days and months and years have passed away, and nothing +has been done. Thinking it very probable that I shall never have +patience enough to sit down and write a full account of all I saw and +examined in those remote wilds, I give up the intention of doing so, +and send forth this account of my "Wanderings" just as it was written +at the time. + +If critics are displeased with it in its present form, I beg to observe +that it is not totally devoid of interest, and that it contains +something useful. Several of the unfortunate gentlemen who went out to +explore the Congo were thankful for the instructions they found in it; +and Sir Joseph Banks, on sending back the journal, said in his letter: +"I return your journal with abundant thanks for the very instructive +lesson you have favoured us with this morning, which far excelled, in +real utility, everything I have hitherto seen." And in another letter +he says: "I hear with particular pleasure your intention of resuming +your interesting travels, to which natural history has already been so +much indebted." And again: "I am sorry you did not deposit some part of +your last harvest of birds in the British Museum, that your name might +become familiar to naturalists and your unrivalled skill in preserving +birds be made known to the public." And again: "You certainly have +talents to set forth a book which will improve and extend materially +the bounds of natural science." + +Sir Joseph never read the third adventure. Whilst I was engaged in it, +death robbed England of one of her most valuable subjects and deprived +the Royal Society of its brightest ornament. + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + +FIRST JOURNEY + REMARKS + +SECOND JOURNEY + +THIRD JOURNEY + +FOURTH JOURNEY + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + +GLOSSARY + +INDEX + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + + +FIRST JOURNEY + + ----nec herba, nec latens in asperis + Radix fefellit me locis. + +In the month of April 1812 I left the town of Stabroek to travel +through the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo, a part of _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, in South America. + +The chief objects in view were to collect a quantity of the strongest +wourali poison and to reach the inland frontier-fort of Portuguese +Guiana. + +It would be a tedious journey for him who wishes to travel through +these wilds to set out from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust him +in his attempts to wade through the swamps, and the mosquitos at night +would deprive him of every hour of sleep. + +The road for horses runs parallel to the river, but it extends a very +little way, and even ends before the cultivation of the plantations +ceases. + +The only mode then that remains is to proceed by water; and when you +come to the high-lands, you may make your way through the forest on +foot or continue your route on the river. + +After passing the third island in the River Demerara there are few +plantations to be seen, and those not joining on to one another, but +separated by large tracts of wood. + +The Loo is the last where the sugar-cane is growing. The greater part +of its negroes have just been ordered to another estate, and ere a few +months shall have elapsed all signs of cultivation will be lost in +underwood. + +Higher up stand the sugar-works of Amelia's Waard, solitary and +abandoned; and after passing these there is not a ruin to inform the +traveller that either coffee or sugar have ever been cultivated. + +From Amelia's Waard an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the +river, saving here and there where a hut discovers itself, inhabited by +free people of colour, with a rood or two of bared ground about it; or +where the wood-cutter has erected himself a dwelling and cleared a few +acres for pasturage. Sometimes you see level ground on each side of you +for two or three hours at a stretch; at other times a gently sloping +hill presents itself; and often, on turning a point, the eye is pleased +with the contrast of an almost perpendicular height jutting into the +water. The trees put you in mind of an eternal spring, with summer and +autumn kindly blended into it. + +Here you may see a sloping extent of noble trees whose foliage displays +a charming variety of every shade, from the lightest to the darkest +green and purple. The tops of some are crowned with bloom of the +loveliest hue, while the boughs of others bend with a profusion of +seeds and fruits. + +Those whose heads have been bared by time or blasted by the +thunderstorm strike the eye, as a mournful sound does the ear in music, +and seem to beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a moment or two +and see that the forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, +have their periods of misfortune and decay. + +The first rocks of any considerable size that are observed on the side +of the river are at a place called Saba, from the Indian word which +means a stone. They appear sloping down to the water's edge, not +shelvy, but smooth, and their exuberances rounded off and, in some +places, deeply furrowed, as though they had been worn with continual +floods of water. + +There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge stones amongst them +produce a pleasing and novel effect. You see a few coffee-trees of a +fine luxuriant growth, and nearly on the top of Saba stands the house +of the post-holder. + +He is appointed by Government to give in his report to the protector of +the Indians of what is going on amongst them and to prevent suspicious +people from passing up the river. + +When the Indians assemble here, the stranger may have an opportunity of +seeing the aborigines dancing to the sound of their country music and +painted in their native style. They will shoot their arrows for him +with an unerring aim and send the poisoned dart, from the blow-pipe, +true to its destination: and here he may often view all the different +shades, from the red savage to the white man; and from the white man to +the sootiest son of Africa. + +Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white men or free +people of colour. + +In a country so extensively covered with wood as this is, having every +advantage that a tropical sun and the richest mould, in many places, +can give to vegetation, it is natural to look for trees of very large +dimensions. But it is rare to meet with them above six yards in +circumference. If larger have ever existed they have fallen a sacrifice +either to the axe or to fire. + +If, however, they disappoint you in size, they make ample amends in +height. Heedless, and bankrupt in all curiosity, must he be who can +journey on without stopping to take a view of the towering mora. Its +topmost branch, when naked with age or dried by accident, is the +favourite resort of the toucan. Many a time has this singular bird felt +the shot faintly strike him from the gun of the fowler beneath, and +owed his life to the distance betwixt them. + +The trees which form these far-extending wilds are as useful as they +are ornamental. It would take a volume of itself to describe them. + +The green-heart, famous for its hardness and durability; the hackea for +its toughness; the ducalabali surpassing mahogany; the ebony and +letter-wood vying with the choicest woods of the old world; the +locust-tree yielding copal; and the hayawa- and olou-trees furnishing a +sweet-smelling resin, are all to be met with in the forest betwixt the +plantations and the rock Saba. + +Beyond this rock the country has been little explored, but it is very +probable that these, and a vast collection of other kinds, and possibly +many new species, are scattered up and down, in all directions, through +the swamps and hills and savannas of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana. + +On viewing the stately trees around him, the naturalist will observe +many of them bearing leaves and blossoms and fruit not their own. + +The wild fig-tree, as large as a common English apple-tree, often rears +itself from one of the thick branches at the top of the mora, and when +its fruit is ripe, to it the birds resort for nourishment. It was to an +undigested seed passing through the body of the bird which had perched +on the mora that the fig-tree first owed its elevated station there. +The sap of the mora raised it into full bearing, but now, in its turn, +it is doomed to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices towards +the growth of different species of vines, the seeds of which also the +birds deposited on its branches. These soon vegetate, and bear fruit in +great quantities; so what with their usurpation of the resources of the +fig-tree, and the fig-tree of the mora, the mora, unable to support a +charge which nature never intended it should, languishes and dies under +its burden; and then the fig-tree, and its usurping progeny of vines, +receiving no more succour from their late foster-parent, droop and +perish in their turn. + +A vine called the bush-rope by the wood-cutters, on account of its use +in hauling out the heaviest timber, has a singular appearance in the +forests of Demerara. Sometimes you see it nearly as thick as a man's +body, twisted like a corkscrew round the tallest trees and rearing its +head high above their tops. At other times three or four of them, like +strands in a cable, join tree and tree and branch and branch together. +Others, descending from on high, take root as soon as their extremity +touches the ground, and appear like shrouds and stays supporting the +mainmast of a line-of-battle ship; while others, sending out parallel, +oblique, horizontal and perpendicular shoots in all directions, put you +in mind of what travellers call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, +above a hundred feet high, uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its +fall by these amazing cables of nature, and hence it is that you +account for the phenomenon of seeing trees not only vegetating, but +sending forth vigorous shoots, though far from their perpendicular, and +their trunks inclined to every degree from the meridian to the horizon. + +Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope; many of their +roots soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot +will sprout out perpendicularly from near the root of the reclined +trunk, and in time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees +and few weeds, except in the swamps. + +The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to +sever the small bush-ropes it is not difficult walking among the trees. + +The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and decayed trees, is +very rich and fertile in the valleys. On the hills it is little better +than sand. The rains seem to have carried away and swept into the +valleys every particle which Nature intended to have formed a mould. + +Four-footed animals are scarce considering how very thinly these +forests are inhabited by men. + +Several species of the animal commonly called tiger, though in reality +it approaches nearer to the leopard, are found here, and two of their +diminutives, named tiger-cats. The tapir, the lobba and deer afford +excellent food, and chiefly frequent the swamps and low ground near the +sides of the river and creeks. + +In stating that four-footed animals are scarce, the peccari must be +excepted. Three or four hundred of them herd together and traverse the +wilds in all directions in quest of roots and fallen seeds. The Indians +mostly shoot them with poisoned arrows. When wounded they run about one +hundred and fifty paces; they then drop, and make wholesome food. + +The red monkey, erroneously called the baboon, is heard oftener than it +is seen, while the common brown monkey, the bisa, and sacawinki rove +from tree to tree, and amuse the stranger as he journeys on. + +A species of the polecat, and another of the fox, are destructive to +the Indian's poultry, while the opossum, the guana and salempenta +afford him a delicious morsel. + +The small ant-bear, and the large one, remarkable for his long, broad, +bushy tail, are sometimes seen on the tops of the wood-ants' nests; the +armadillos bore in the sand-hills, like rabbits in a warren; and the +porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head. + +This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures +and his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These +are the only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While +other animals assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these +boundless wilds, the sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot +escape from you. It is said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and +turn out of the way. Do not then level your gun at him or pierce him +with a poisoned arrow--he has never hurt one living creature. A few +leaves, and those of the commonest and coarsest kind, are all he asks +for his support. On comparing him with other animals you would say that +you could perceive deficiency, deformity and superabundance in his +composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though four stomachs, he +still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He has only one +inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet nor has he +the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and puts you +in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too short; +they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the +body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to +be of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant +has only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to +mark down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority +amongst the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim +would be the last upon the lowest degree. + +Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and +beautiful productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious +stones are far surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The +naturalist may exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in +forming new species and painting her requisite shades. Almost every one +of those singular and elegant birds described by Buffon as belonging to +Cayenne are to be met with in Demerara, but it is only by an +indefatigable naturalist that they are to be found. + +The scarlet curlew breeds in innumerable quantities in the muddy +islands on the coasts of Pomauron; the egrets and crabiers in the same +place. They resort to the mud-flats at ebbing water, while thousands of +sandpipers and plovers, with here and there a spoonbill and flamingo, +are seen amongst them. The pelicans go farther out to sea, but return +at sundown to the courada-trees. The humming-birds are chiefly to be +found near the flowers at which each of the species of the genus is +wont to feed. The pie, the gallinaceous, the columbine and passerine +tribes resort to the fruit-bearing trees. + +You never fail to see the common vulture where there is carrion. In +passing up the river there was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the +king of the vultures; they were sitting on the naked branch of a tree, +with about a dozen of the common ones with them. A tiger had killed a +goat the day before; he had been driven away in the act of sucking the +blood, and not finding it safe or prudent to return, the goat remained +in the same place where he had killed it; it had begun to putrefy, and +the vultures had arrived that morning to claim the savoury morsel. + +At the close of day the vampires leave the hollow trees, whither they +had fled at the morning's dawn, and scour along the river's banks in +quest of prey. On waking from sleep the astonished traveller finds his +hammock all stained with blood. It is the vampire that hath sucked him. +Not man alone, but every unprotected animal, is exposed to his +depredations; and so gently does this nocturnal surgeon draw the blood +that, instead of being roused, the patient is lulled into a still +profounder sleep. There are two species of vampire in Demerara, and +both suck living animals: one is rather larger than the common bat, the +other measures above two feet from wing to wing extended. + +Snakes are frequently met with in the woods betwixt the sea-coast and +the rock Saba, chiefly near the creeks and on the banks of the river. +They are large, beautiful and formidable. The rattlesnake seems partial +to a tract of ground known by the name of Canal Number-three: there the +effects of his poison will be long remembered. + +The camoudi snake has been killed from thirty to forty feet long; +though not venomous, his size renders him destructive to the passing +animals. The Spaniards in the Oroonoque positively affirm that he grows +to the length of seventy or eighty feet and that he will destroy the +strongest and largest bull. His name seems to confirm this: there he is +called "matatoro," which literally means "bull-killer." Thus he may be +ranked amongst the deadly snakes, for it comes nearly to the same thing +in the end whether the victim dies by poison from the fangs, which +corrupts his blood and makes it stink horribly, or whether his body be +crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this hideous beast. + +The whipsnake of a beautiful changing green, and the coral, with +alternate broad traverse bars of black and red, glide from bush to +bush, and may be handled with safety; they are harmless little +creatures. + +The labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown colour, and can +scarcely be distinguished from the ground or stump on which he is +coiled up; he grows to the length of about eight feet and his bite +often proves fatal in a few minutes. + +Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and +unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the counacouchi glides +undaunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is commonly known by +the name of the bush-master. Both man and beast fly before him, and +allow him to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes grows to the +length of fourteen feet. + +A few small caymen, from two to twelve feet long, may be observed now +and then in passing up and down the river; they just keep their heads +above the water, and a stranger would not know them from a rotten stump. + +Lizards of the finest green, brown and copper colour, from two inches +to two feet and a half long, are ever and anon rustling among the +fallen leaves and crossing the path before you, whilst the chameleon is +busily employed in chasing insects round the trunks of the neighbouring +trees. + +The fish are of many different sorts and well-tasted, but not, +generally speaking, very plentiful. It is probable that their numbers +are considerably thinned by the otters, which are much larger than +those of Europe. In going through the overflowed savannas, which have +all a communication with the river, you may often see a dozen or two of +them sporting amongst the sedges before you. + +This warm and humid climate seems particularly adapted to the producing +of insects; it gives birth to myriads, beautiful past description in +their variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of +them noxious in their qualities. + +He whose eye can distinguish the various beauties of uncultivated +nature, and whose ear is not shut to the wild sounds in the woods, will +be delighted in passing up the River Demerara. Every now and then the +maam or tinamou sends forth one long and plaintive whistle from the +depth of the forest, and then stops; whilst the yelping of the toucan +and the shrill voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo is heard during the +interval. The campanero never fails to attract the attention of the +passenger; at a distance of nearly three miles you may hear this +snow-white bird tolling every four or five minutes, like the distant +convent-bell. From six to nine in the morning the forests resound with +the mingled cries and strains of the feathered race; after this they +gradually die away. From eleven to three all nature is hushed as in a +midnight silence, and scarce a note is heard, saving that of the +campanero and the pi-pi-yo; it is then that, oppressed by the solar +heat, the birds retire to the thickest shade and wait for the +refreshing cool of evening. + +At sundown the vampires, bats and goat-suckers dart from their lonely +retreat and skim along the trees on the river's bank. The different +kinds of frogs almost stun the ear with their hoarse and +hollow-sounding croaking, while the owls and goat-suckers lament and +mourn all night long. + +About two hours before daybreak you will hear the red monkey moaning as +though in deep distress; the houtou, a solitary bird, and only found in +the thickest recesses of the forest, distinctly articulates "houtou, +houtou," in a low and plaintive tone an hour before sunrise; the maam +whistles about the same hour; the hannaquoi, pataca and maroudi +announce his near approach to the eastern horizon, and the parrots and +paroquets confirm his arrival there. + +The crickets chirp from sunset to sunrise, and often during the day +when the weather is cloudy. The bete-rouge is exceedingly numerous in +these extensive wilds, and not only man, but beasts and birds, are +tormented by it. Mosquitos are very rare after you pass the third +island in the Demerara, and sand-flies but seldom appear. + +Courteous reader, here thou hast the outlines of an amazing landscape +given thee; thou wilt see that the principal parts of it are but +faintly traced, some of them scarcely visible at all, and that the +shades are wholly wanting. If thy soul partakes of the ardent flame +which the persevering Mungo Park's did, these outlines will be enough +for thee; they will give thee some idea of what a noble country this +is; and if thou hast but courage to set about giving the world a +finished picture of it, neither materials to work on nor colours to +paint it in its true shades will be wanting to thee. It may appear a +difficult task at a distance, but look close at it, and it is nothing +at all; provided thou hast but a quiet mind, little more is necessary, +and the genius which presides over these wilds will kindly help thee +through the rest. She will allow thee to slay the fawn and to cut down +the mountain-cabbage for thy support, and to select from every part of +her domain whatever may be necessary for the work thou art about; but +having killed a pair of doves in order to enable thee to give mankind a +true and proper description of them, thou must not destroy a third +through wantonness or to show what a good marksman thou art: that would +only blot the picture thou art finishing, not colour it. + +Though retired from the haunts of men, and even without a friend with +thee, thou wouldst not find it solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi +will sound in thine ears like the daybreak town-clock; and the wren and +the thrush will join with thee in thy matin hymn to thy Creator, to +thank Him for thy night's rest. + +At noon the genius will lead thee to the troely, one leaf of which will +defend thee from both sun and rain. And if, in the cool of the evening, +thou hast been tempted to stray too far from thy place of abode, and +art deprived of light to write down the information thou hast +collected, the fire-fly, which thou wilt see in almost every bush +around thee, will be thy candle. Hold it over thy pocket-book, in any +position which thou knowest will not hurt it, and it will afford thee +ample light. And when thou hast done with it, put it kindly back again +on the next branch to thee. It will want no other reward for its +services. + +When in thy hammock, should the thought of thy little crosses and +disappointments, in thy ups and downs through life, break in upon thee +and throw thee into a pensive mood, the owl will bear thee company. She +will tell thee that hard has been her fate, too; and at intervals +"Whip-poor-will" and "Willy come go" will take up the tale of sorrow. +Ovid has told thee how the owl once boasted the human form and lost it +for a very small offence; and were the poet alive now he would inform +thee that "Whip-poor-will" and "Willy come go" are the shades of those +poor African and Indian slaves who died worn out and broken-hearted. +They wail and cry "Whip-poor-will," "Willy come go," all night long; +and often, when the moon shines, you see them sitting on the green turf +near the houses of those whose ancestors tore them from the bosom of +their helpless families, which all probably perished through grief and +want after their support was gone. + +About an hour above the rock of Saba stands the habitation of an Indian +called Simon, on the top of a hill. The side next the river is almost +perpendicular, and you may easily throw a stone over to the opposite +bank. Here there was an opportunity of seeing man in his rudest state. +The Indians who frequented this habitation, though living in the midst +of woods, bore evident marks of attention to their persons. Their hair +was neatly collected and tied up in a knot; their bodies fancifully +painted red, and the paint was scented with hayawa. This gave them a +gay and animated appearance. Some of them had on necklaces composed of +the teeth of wild boars slain in the chase; many wore rings, and others +had an ornament on the left arm midway betwixt the shoulder and the +elbow. At the close of day they regularly bathed in the river below, +and the next morning seemed busy in renewing the faded colours of their +faces. + +One day there came into the hut a form which literally might be called +the wild man of the woods. On entering he laid down a ball of wax which +he had collected in the forest. His hammock was all ragged and torn, +and his bow, though of good wood, was without any ornament or polish: +"erubuit domino, cultior esse suo." His face was meagre, his looks +forbidding and his whole appearance neglected. His long black hair hung +from his head in matted confusion; nor had his body, to all appearance, +ever been painted. They gave him some cassava bread and boiled fish, +which he ate voraciously, and soon after left the hut. As he went out +you could observe no traces in his countenance or demeanour which +indicated that he was in the least mindful of having been benefited by +the society he was just leaving. + +The Indians said that he had neither wife nor child nor friend. They +had often tried to persuade him to come and live amongst them, but all +was of no avail. He went roving on, plundering the wild bees of their +honey and picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When he +fell in with game he procured fire from two sticks and cooked it on the +spot. When a hut happened to be in his way he stepped in and asked for +something to eat, and then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They +did not know what had caused him to be thus unsettled: he had been so +for years; nor did they believe that even old age itself would change +the habits of this poor harmless, solitary wanderer. + +From Simon's the traveller may reach the large fall, with ease, in four +days. + +The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a stone +appearing above the water in the rainy season; and those in the bed of +the river barely high enough to arrest the water's course, and by +causing a bubbling show that they are there. + +With this small change of appearance in the stream, the stranger +observes nothing new till he comes within eight or ten miles of the +great fall. Each side of the river presents an uninterrupted range of +wood, just as it did below. All the productions found betwixt the +plantations and the rock Saba are to be met with here. + +From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations of the +Indians: two of them close to the river's side; the other three a +little way in the forest. These habitations consist of from four to +eight huts, situated on about an acre of ground which they have cleared +from the surrounding woods. A few pappaw, cotton and mountain-cabbage +trees are scattered round them. + +At one of these habitations a small quantity of the wourali poison was +procured. It was in a little gourd. The Indian who had it said that he +had killed a number of wild hogs with it, and two tapirs. Appearances +seemed to confirm what he said, for on one side it had been nearly +taken out to the bottom, at different times, which probably would not +have been the case had the first or second trial failed. + +Its strength was proved on a middle-sized dog. He was wounded in the +thigh, in order that there might be no possibility of touching a vital +part. In three or four minutes he began to be affected, smelt at every +little thing on the ground around him, and looked wistfully at the +wounded part. Soon after this he staggered, laid himself down, and +never rose more. He barked once, though not as if in pain. His voice +was low and weak; and in a second attempt it quite failed him. He now +put his head betwixt his fore-legs, and raising it slowly again he fell +over on his side. His eye immediately became fixed, and though his +extremities every now and then shot convulsively, he never showed the +least desire to raise up his head. His heart fluttered much from the +time he laid down, and at intervals beat very strong; then stopped for +a moment or two, and then beat again; and continued faintly beating +several minutes after every other part of his body seemed dead. + +In a quarter of an hour after he had received the poison he was quite +motionless. + +A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which indeed is the +only one which can be called a fall, large balls of froth come floating +past you. The river appears beautifully marked with streaks of foam, +and on your nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. + +At first you behold the fall rushing down a bed of rocks with a +tremendous noise, divided into two foamy streams which, at their +junction again, form a small island covered with wood. Above this +island, for a short space, there appears but one stream, all white with +froth, and fretting and boiling amongst the huge rocks which obstruct +its course. + +Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel or two, and +trees grow on the rocks which cause its separation. The torrent, in +many places, has eaten deep into the rocks, and split them into large +fragments by driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are in +bloom and vigour, though their roots are half bared and many of them +bruised and broken by the rushing waters. + +This is the general appearance of the fall from the level of the water +below to where the river is smooth and quiet above. It must be +remembered that this is during the periodical rains. Probably, in the +dry season, it puts on a very different appearance. There is no +perpendicular fall of water of any consequence throughout it, but the +dreadful roaring and rushing of the torrent, down a long rocky and +moderately sloping channel, has a fine effect; and the stranger returns +well pleased with what he has seen. No animal, nor craft of any kind, +could stem this downward flood. In a few moments the first would be +killed, the second dashed in pieces. + +The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the forest, where +prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this path they drag their canoes and +launch them into the river above; and on their return bring them down +the same way. + +About two hours below this fall is the habitation of an Acoway chief +called Sinkerman. At night you hear the roaring of the fall from it. It +is pleasantly situated on the top of a sand-hill. At this place you +have the finest view the River Demerara affords: three tiers of hills +rise in slow gradation, one above the other, before you, and present a +grand and magnificent scene, especially to him who has been accustomed +to a level country. + +Here, a little after midnight, on the first of May, was heard a most +strange and unaccountable noise: it seemed as though several regiments +were engaged and musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, +terrified beyond description, left their hammocks and crowded all +together like sheep at the approach of the wolf. There were no soldiers +within three or four hundred miles. Conjecture was of no avail, and all +conversation next morning on the subject was as useless and +unsatisfactory as the dead silence which succeeded to the noise. + +He who wishes to reach the Macoushi country had better send his canoe +over-land from Sinkerman's to the Essequibo. + +There is a pretty good path, and meeting a creek about three-quarters +of the way, it eases the labour, and twelve Indians will arrive with it +in the Essequibo in four days. + +The traveller need not attend his canoe; there is a shorter and a +better way. Half an hour below Sinkerman's he finds a little creek on +the western bank of the Demerara. After proceeding about a couple of +hundred yards up it, he leaves it, and pursues a west-north-west +direction by land for the Essequibo. The path is good, though somewhat +rugged with the roots of trees, and here and there obstructed by fallen +ones; it extends more over level ground than otherwise. There are a few +steep ascents and descents in it, with a little brook running at the +bottom of them, but they are easily passed over, and the fallen trees +serve for a bridge. + +You may reach the Essequibo with ease in a day and a half; and so +matted and interwoven are the tops of the trees above you that the sun +is not felt once all the way, saving where the space which a +newly-fallen tree occupied lets in his rays upon you. The forest +contains an abundance of wild hogs, lobbas, acouries, powisses, maams, +maroudis and waracabas for your nourishment, and there are plenty of +leaves to cover a shed whenever you are inclined to sleep. + +The soil has three-fourths of sand in it till you come within half an +hour's walk of the Essequibo, where you find a red gravel and rocks. In +this retired and solitary tract Nature's garb, to all appearance, has +not been injured by fire nor her productions broken in upon by the +exterminating hand of man. + +Here the finest green-heart grows, and wallaba, purple-heart, +siloabali, sawari, buletre, tauronira and mora are met with in vast +abundance, far and near, towering up in majestic grandeur, straight as +pillars, sixty or seventy feet high, without a knot or branch. + +Traveller, forget for a little while the idea thou hast of wandering +farther on, and stop and look at this grand picture of vegetable +nature: it is a reflection of the crowd thou hast lately been in, and +though a silent monitor, it is not a less eloquent one on that account. +See that noble purple-heart before thee! Nature has been kind to it. +Not a hole, not the least oozing from its trunk, to show that its best +days are past. Vigorous in youthful blooming beauty, it stands the +ornament of these sequestered wilds and tacitly rebukes those base ones +of thine own species who have been hardy enough to deny the existence +of Him who ordered it to flourish here. + +Behold that one next to it! Hark how the hammerings of the red-headed +woodpecker resound through its distempered boughs! See what a quantity +of holes he has made in it, and how its bark is stained with the drops +which trickle down from them. The lightning, too, has blasted one side +of it. Nature looks pale and wan in its leaves, and her resources are +nearly dried up in its extremities: its sap is tainted; a mortal +sickness, slow as a consumption and as sure in its consequences, has +long since entered its frame, vitiating and destroying the wholesome +juices there. + +Step a few paces aside and cast thine eye on that remnant of a mora +behind it. Best part of its branches, once so high and ornamental, now +lie on the ground in sad confusion, one upon the other, all shattered +and fungus-grown and a prey to millions of insects which are busily +employed in destroying them. One branch of it still looks healthy! Will +it recover? No, it cannot; Nature has already run her course, and that +healthy-looking branch is only as a fallacious good symptom in him who +is just about to die of a mortification when he feels no more pain, and +fancies his distemper has left him; it is as the momentary gleam of a +wintry sun's ray close to the western horizon. See! while we are +speaking a gust of wind has brought the tree to the ground and made +room for its successor. + +Come farther on and examine that apparently luxuriant tauronira on thy +right hand. It boasts a verdure not its own; they are false ornaments +it wears. The bush-rope and bird-vines have clothed it from the root to +its topmost branch. The succession of fruit which it hath borne, like +good cheer in the houses of the great, has invited the birds to resort +to it, and they have disseminated beautiful, though destructive, plants +on its branches which, like the distempers vice brings into the human +frame, rob it of all its health and vigour. They have shortened its +days, and probably in another year they will finally kill it, long +before Nature intended that it should die. + +Ere thou leavest this interesting scene, look on the ground around +thee, and see what everything here below must come to. + +Behold that newly-fallen wallaba! The whirlwind has uprooted it in its +prime, and it has brought down to the ground a dozen small ones in its +fall. Its bark has already begun to drop off! And that heart of mora +close by it is fast yielding, in spite of its firm, tough texture. + +The tree which thou passedst but a little ago, and which perhaps has +laid over yonder brook for years, can now hardly support itself, and in +a few months more it will have fallen into the water. + +Put thy foot on that large trunk thou seest to the left. It seems +entire amid the surrounding fragments. Mere outward appearance, +delusive phantom of what it once was! Tread on it and, like the +fuss-ball, it will break into dust. + +Sad and silent mementos to the giddy traveller as he wanders on! +Prostrate remnants of vegetable nature, how incontestably ye prove what +we must all at last come to, and how plain your mouldering ruins show +that the firmest texture avails us naught when Heaven wills that we +should cease to be! + + The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, + The solemn temples, the great globe itself, + Yea, all which it inhabit, shall dissolve, + And, like the baseless fabric of a vision, + Leave not a wreck behind. + +Cast thine eye around thee and see the thousands of Nature's +productions. Take a view of them from the opening seed on the surface +sending a downward shoot, to the loftiest and the largest trees rising +up and blooming in wild luxuriance: some side by side, others separate; +some curved and knotty, others straight as lances; all, in beautiful +gradation, fulfilling the mandates they had received from Heaven and, +though condemned to die, still never failing to keep up their species +till time shall be no more. + +Reader, canst thou not be induced to dedicate a few months to the good +of the public, and examine with thy scientific eye the productions +which the vast and well-stored colony of Demerara presents to thee? + +What an immense range of forest is there from the rock Saba to the +great fall! and what an uninterrupted extent before thee from it to the +banks of the Essequibo! No doubt there is many a balsam and many a +medicinal root yet to be discovered, and many a resin, gum and oil yet +unnoticed. Thy work would be a pleasing one, and thou mightest make +several useful observations in it. + +Would it be thought impertinent in thee to hazard a conjecture that, +with the resources the Government of Demerara has, stones might be +conveyed from the rock Saba to Stabroek to stem the equinoctial tides +which are for ever sweeping away the expensive wooden piles round the +mounds of the fort? Or would the timber-merchant point at thee in +passing by and call thee a descendant of La Mancha's knight, because +thou maintainest that the stones which form the rapids might be removed +with little expense, and thus open the navigation to the wood-cutter +from Stabroek to the great fall? Or wouldst thou be deemed enthusiastic +or biassed because thou givest it as thy opinion that the climate in +these high-lands is exceedingly wholesome, and the lands themselves +capable of nourishing and maintaining any number of settlers? In thy +dissertation on the Indians thou mightest hint that possibly they could +be induced to help the new settlers a little; and that, finding their +labours well requited, it would be the means of their keeping up a +constant communication with us which probably might be the means of +laying the first stone towards their Christianity. They are a poor +harmless, inoffensive set of people, and their wandering and +ill-provided way of living seems more to ask for pity from us than to +fill our heads with thoughts that they would be hostile to us. + +What a noble field, kind reader, for thy experimental philosophy and +speculations, for thy learning, for thy perseverance, for thy +kindheartedness, for everything that is great and good within thee! + +The accidental traveller who has journeyed on from Stabroek to the rock +Saba, and from thence to the banks of the Essequibo, in pursuit of +other things, as he told thee at the beginning, with but an indifferent +interpreter to talk to, no friend to converse with, and totally unfit +for that which he wishes thee to do, can merely mark the outlines of +the path he has trodden, or tell thee the sounds he has heard, or +faintly describe what he has seen in the environs of his +resting-places; but if this be enough to induce thee to undertake the +journey, and give the world a description of it, he will be amply +satisfied. + +It will be two days and a half from the time of entering the path on +the western bank of the Demerara till all be ready and the canoe fairly +afloat on the Essequibo. The new rigging it, and putting every little +thing to rights and in its proper place, cannot well be done in less +than a day. + +After being night and day in the forest, impervious to the sun's and +moon's rays, the sudden transition to light has a fine heart-cheering +effect. Welcome as a lost friend, the solar beam makes the frame +rejoice, and with it a thousand enlivening thoughts rush at once on the +soul and disperse, as a vapour, every sad and sorrowful idea which the +deep gloom had helped to collect there. In coming out of the woods you +see the western bank of the Essequibo before you, low and flat. Here +the river is two-thirds as broad as the Demerara at Stabroek. + +To the northward there is a hill higher than any in the Demerara; and +in the south-south-west quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears +like a bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not the least opening on +either side. Hills, valleys and low-lands are all linked together by a +chain of forest. Ascend the highest mountain, climb the loftiest tree, +as far as the eye can extend, whichever way it directs itself, all is +luxuriant and unbroken forest. + +In about nine or ten hours from this you get to an Indian habitation of +three huts, on the point of an island. It is said that a Dutch post +once stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige of it remaining +and, except that the trees appear younger than those on the other +islands, which shows that the place has been cleared some time or +other, there is no mark left by which you can conjecture that ever this +was a post. + +The many islands which you meet with in the way enliven and change the +scene, by the avenues which they make, which look like the mouths of +other rivers, and break that long-extended sameness which is seen in +the Demerara. + +Proceeding onwards you get to the falls and rapids. In the rainy season +they are very tedious to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry +season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians soon manage to get a +canoe over them. But when the river is swollen, as it was in May 1812, +it is then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one, too. At that +time many of the islands were over-flowed, the rocks covered and the +lower branches of the trees in the water. Sometimes the Indians were +obliged to take everything out of the canoe, cut a passage through the +branches which hung over into the river, and then drag up the canoe by +main force. + +At one place the falls form an oblique line quite across the river +impassable to the ascending canoe, and you are forced to have it +dragged four or five hundred yards by land. + +It will take you five days, from the Indian habitation on the point of +the island, to where these falls and rapids terminate. + +There are no huts in the way. You must bring your own cassava bread +along with you, hunt in the forest for your meat and make the night's +shelter for yourself. + +Here is a noble range of hills, all covered with the finest trees +rising majestically one above the other, on the western bank, and +presenting as rich a scene as ever the eye would wish to look on. +Nothing in vegetable nature can be conceived more charming, grand and +luxuriant. + +How the heart rejoices in viewing this beautiful landscape when the sky +is serene, the air cool and the sun just sunk behind the mountain's top! + +The hayawa-tree perfumes the woods around: pairs of scarlet aras are +continually crossing the river. The maam sends forth its plaintive +note, the wren chants its evening song. The caprimulgus wheels in busy +flight around the canoe, while "Whip-poor-will" sits on the broken +stump near the water's edge, complaining as the shades of night set in. + +A little before you pass the last of these rapids two immense rocks +appear, nearly on the summit of one of the many hills which form this +far-extending range where it begins to fall off gradually to the south. + +They look like two ancient stately towers of some Gothic potentate +rearing their heads above the surrounding trees. What with their +situation and their shape together, they strike the beholder with an +idea of antiquated grandeur which he will never forget. He may travel +far and near and see nothing like them. On looking at them through a +glass the summit of the southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The +one to the north was quite bare. The Indians have it from their +ancestors that they are the abode of an evil genius, and they pass in +the river below with a reverential awe. + +In about seven hours from these stupendous sons of the hill you leave +the Essequibo and enter the River Apoura-poura, which falls into it +from the south. The Apoura-poura is nearly one-third the size of the +Demerara at Stabroek. For two days you see nothing but level ground +richly clothed in timber. You leave the Siparouni to the right hand, +and on the third day come to a little hill. The Indians have cleared +about an acre of ground on it and erected a temporary shed. If it be +not intended for provision-ground alone, perhaps the next white man who +travels through these remote wilds will find an Indian settlement here. + +Two days after leaving this you get to a rising ground on the western +bank where stands a single hut, and about half a mile in the forest +there are a few more: some of them square and some round, with spiral +roofs. + +Here the fish called pacou is very plentiful: it is perhaps the fattest +and most delicious fish in Guiana. It does not take the hook, but the +Indians decoy it to the surface of the water by means of the seeds of +the crab-wood tree and then shoot it with an arrow. + +You are now within the borders of Macoushia, inhabited by a different +tribe of people called Macoushi Indians, uncommonly dexterous in the +use of the blow-pipe and famous for their skill in preparing the deadly +vegetable-poison commonly called wourali. + +It is from this country that those beautiful paroquets named +kessi-kessi are procured. Here the crystal mountains are found; and +here the three different species of the ara are seen in great +abundance. Here too grows the tree from which the gum-elastic is got: +it is large and as tall as any in the forest. The wood has much the +appearance of sycamore. The gum is contained in the bark: when that is +cut through it oozes out very freely; it is quite white and looks as +rich as cream; it hardens almost immediately as it issues from the +tree, so that it is very easy to collect a ball by forming the juice +into a globular shape as fast as it comes out. It becomes nearly black +by being exposed to the air, and is real india-rubber without +undergoing any other process. + +The elegant crested bird called cock-of-the-rock, admirably described +by Buffon, is a native of the woody mountains of Macoushia. In the +daytime it retires amongst the darkest rocks, and only comes out to +feed a little before sunrise and at sunset: he is of a gloomy +disposition and, like the houtou, never associates with the other birds +of the forest. + +The Indians in the just-mentioned settlement seemed to depend more on +the wourali poison for killing their game than upon anything else. They +had only one gun, and it appeared rusty and neglected, but their +poisoned weapons were in fine order. Their blow-pipes hung from the +roof of the hut, carefully suspended by a silk-grass cord, and on +taking a nearer view of them no dust seemed to have collected there, +nor had the spider spun the smallest web on them, which showed that +they were in constant use. The quivers were close by them, with the +jaw-bone of the fish pirai tied by a string to their brim and a small +wicker-basket of wild cotton, which hung down to the centre; they were +nearly full of poisoned arrows. It was with difficulty these Indians +could be persuaded to part with any of the wourali poison, though a +good price was offered for it: they gave to understand that it was +powder and shot to them, and very difficult to be procured. + +On the second day after leaving this settlement, in passing along, the +Indians show you a place where once a white man lived. His retiring so +far from those of his own colour and acquaintance seemed to carry +something extraordinary along with it, and raised a desire to know what +could have induced him to do so. It seems he had been unsuccessful, and +that his creditors had treated him with as little mercy as the strong +generally show to the weak. Seeing his endeavours daily frustrated and +his best intentions of no avail, and fearing that when they had taken +all he had they would probably take his liberty too, he thought the +world would not be hardhearted enough to condemn him for retiring from +the evils which pressed so heavily on him, and which he had done all +that an honest man could do to ward off. He left his creditors to talk +of him as they thought fit, and, bidding adieu for ever to the place in +which he had once seen better times, he penetrated thus far into these +remote and gloomy wilds and ended his days here. + +According to the new map of South America, Lake Parima, or the White +Sea, ought to be within three or four days' walk from this place. On +asking the Indians whether there was such a place or not, and +describing that the water was fresh and good to drink, an old Indian, +who appeared to be about sixty, said that there was such a place, and +that he had been there. This information would have been satisfactory +in some degree had not the Indians carried the point a little too far. +It is very large, said another Indian, and ships come to it. Now these +unfortunate ships were the very things which were not wanted: had he +kept them out, it might have done, but his introducing them was sadly +against the lake. Thus you must either suppose that the old savage and +his companion had a confused idea of the thing, and that probably the +Lake Parima they talked of was the Amazons, not far from the city of +Para, or that it was their intention to deceive you. You ought to be +cautious in giving credit to their stories, otherwise you will be apt +to be led astray. + +Many a ridiculous thing concerning the interior of Guiana has been +propagated and received as true merely because six or seven Indians, +questioned separately, have agreed in their narrative. + +Ask those who live high up in the Demerara, and they will, every one of +them, tell you that there is a nation of Indians with long tails; that +they are very malicious, cruel and ill-natured; and that the Portuguese +have been obliged to stop them off in a certain river to prevent their +depredations. They have also dreadful stories concerning a horrible +beast called the water-mamma which, when it happens to take a spite +against a canoe, rises out of the river and in the most unrelenting +manner possible carries both canoe and Indians down to the bottom with +it, and there destroys them. Ludicrous extravagances! pleasing to those +fond of the marvellous, and excellent matter for a distempered brain. + +The misinformed and timid court of policy in Demerara was made the dupe +of a savage who came down the Essequibo and gave himself out as king of +a mighty tribe. This naked wild man of the woods seemed to hold the +said court in tolerable contempt, and demanded immense supplies, all +which he got; and moreover, some time after, an invitation to come down +the ensuing year for more, which he took care not to forget. + +This noisy chieftain boasted so much of his dynasty and domain that the +Government was induced to send up an expedition into his territories to +see if he had spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. It appeared, +however, that his palace was nothing but a hut, the monarch a needy +savage, the heir-apparent nothing to inherit but his father's club and +bow and arrows, and his officers of state wild and uncultivated as the +forests through which they strayed. + +There was nothing in the hut of this savage, saving the presents he had +received from Government, but what was barely sufficient to support +existence; nothing that indicated a power to collect a hostile force; +nothing that showed the least progress towards civilisation. All was +rude and barbarous in the extreme, expressive of the utmost poverty and +a scanty population. + +You may travel six or seven days without seeing a hut, and when you +reach a settlement it seldom contains more than ten. + +The farther you advance into the interior, the more you are convinced +that it is thinly inhabited. + +The day after passing the place where the white man lived you see a +creek on the left-hand, and shortly after the path to the open country. +Here you drag the canoe up into the forest, and leave it there. Your +baggage must now be carried by the Indians. The creek you passed in the +river intersects the path to the next settlement; a large mora has +fallen across it and makes an excellent bridge. After walking an hour +and a half you come to the edge of the forest, and a savanna unfolds +itself to the view. + +The finest park that England boasts falls far short of this delightful +scene. There are about two thousand acres of grass, with here and there +a clump of trees and a few bushes and single trees scattered up and +down by the hand of Nature. The ground is neither hilly nor level, but +diversified with moderate rises and falls, so gently running into one +another that the eye cannot distinguish where they begin nor where they +end; while the distant black rocks have the appearance of a herd at +rest. Nearly in the middle there is an eminence which falls off +gradually on every side, and on this the Indians have erected their +huts. + +To the northward of them the forest forms a circle, as though it had +been done by art; to the eastward it hangs in festoons; and to the +south and west it rushes in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it +at every step as you advance along. + +This beautiful park of Nature is quite surrounded by lofty hills, all +arrayed in superbest garb of trees: some in the form of pyramids, +others like sugar-loaves, towering one above the other, some rounded +off, and others as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills rise +up in spiral summits, and the wooded line of communication betwixt them +sinks so gradually that it forms a crescent; and there the ridges of +others resemble the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these appear +others, and others past them, and others still farther on, till they +can scarcely be distinguished from the clouds. + +There are no sand-flies nor bete-rouge nor mosquitos in this pretty +spot. The fire-flies, during the night, vie in numbers and brightness +with the stars in the firmament above; the air is pure, and the +north-east breeze blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. Here the +white-crested maroudi, which is never found in the Demerara, is pretty +plentiful; and here grows the tree which produces the moran, sometimes +called balsam-capivi. + +Your route lies south from this place; and at the extremity of the +savanna you enter the forest and journey along a winding path at the +foot of a hill. There is no habitation within this day's walk. The +traveller, as usual, must sleep in the forest; the path is not so good +the following day. The hills over which it lies are rocky, steep and +rugged; and the spaces betwixt them swampy and mostly knee-deep in +water. After eight hours' walk you find two or three Indian huts, +surrounded by the forest; and in little more than half an hour from +these you come to ten or twelve others, where you pass the night. They +are prettily situated at the entrance into a savanna. The eastern and +western hills are still covered with wood; but on looking to the +south-west quarter you perceive it begins to die away. In these forests +you may find plenty of the trees which yield the sweet-smelling resin +called accaiari, and which, when pounded and burnt on charcoal, gives a +delightful fragrance. + +From hence you proceed, in a south-west direction, through a long +swampy savanna. Some of the hills which border on it have nothing but a +thin coarse grass and huge stones on them: others quite wooded; others +with their summits crowned and their base quite bare; and others again +with their summits bare and their base in thickest wood. + +Half of this day's march is in water nearly up to the knees. There are +four creeks to pass: one of them has a fallen tree across it. You must +make your own bridge across the other three. Probably, were the truth +known, these apparently four creeks are only the meanders of one. + +The jabiru, the largest bird in Guiana, feeds in the marshy savanna +through which you have just passed. He is wary and shy, and will not +allow you to get within gunshot of him. + +You sleep this night in the forest, and reach an Indian settlement +about three o'clock the next evening, after walking one-third of the +way through wet and miry ground. + +But bad as the walking is through it, it is easier than where you cross +over the bare hills, where you have to tread on sharp stones, most of +them lying edgewise. + +The ground gone over these two last days seems condemned to perpetual +solitude and silence. There was not one four-footed animal to be seen, +nor even the marks of one. It would have been as silent as midnight, +and all as still and unmoved as a monument, had not the jabiru in the +marsh and a few vultures soaring over the mountain's top shown that it +was not quite deserted by animated nature. There were no insects, +except one kind of fly about one-fourth the size of the common +house-fly. It bit cruelly, and was much more tormenting than the +mosquito on the sea-coast. + +This seems to be the native country of the arrowroot. Wherever you +passed through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it +growing luxuriantly. + +The Indian place you are now at is not the proper place to have come to +in order to reach the Portuguese frontiers. You have advanced too much +to the westward. But there was no alternative. The ground betwixt you +and another small settlement (which was the right place to have gone +to) was overflowed; and thus, instead of proceeding southward, you were +obliged to wind along the foot of the western hills, quite out of your +way. + +But the grand landscape this place affords makes you ample amends for +the time you have spent in reaching it. It would require great +descriptive powers to give a proper idea of the situation these people +have chosen for their dwelling. + +The hill they are on is steep and high, and full of immense rocks. The +huts are not all in one place, but dispersed wherever they have found a +place level enough for a lodgment. Before you ascend the hill you see +at intervals an acre or two of wood, then an open space with a few huts +on it; then wood again, and then an open space, and so on, till the +intervening of the western hills, higher and steeper still, and crowded +with trees of the loveliest shades, closes the enchanting scene. + +At the base of this hill stretches an immense plain which appears to +the eye, on this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The +mountains on the other side are piled one upon the other in romantic +forms, and gradually retire, till they are undiscernible from the +clouds in which they are involved. To the south-southwest this +far-extending plain is lost in the horizon. The trees on it, which look +like islands on the ocean, add greatly to the beauty of the landscape, +while the rivulet's course is marked out by the aeta-trees which follow +its meanders. + +Not being able to pursue the direct course from hence to the next +Indian habitation, on account of the floods of water which fall at this +time of the year, you take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. + +At last a large and deep creek stops your progress: it is wide and +rapid, and its banks very steep. There is neither curial nor canoe nor +purple-heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a wood-skin to carry you +over, so that you are obliged to swim across; and by the time you have +formed a kind of raft composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass to +ferry over your baggage, the day will be too far spent to think of +proceeding. You must be very cautious before you venture to swim across +this creek, for the alligators are numerous and near twenty feet long. +On the present occasion the Indians took uncommon precautions lest they +should be devoured by this cruel and voracious reptile. They cut long +sticks and examined closely the side of the creek for half a mile above +and below the place where it was to be crossed; and as soon as the +boldest had swum over he did the same on the other side, and then all +followed. + +After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is well wooded, it +is a brisk walk of nine hours before you reach four Indian huts, on a +rising ground, a few hundred paces from a little brook whose banks are +covered over with coucourite- and aeta-trees. + +This is the place you ought to have come to two days ago, had the water +permitted you. In crossing the plain at the most advantageous place you +are above ankle-deep in water for three hours; the remainder of the way +is dry, the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this spacious +plain put on somewhat the appearance of a lake during the periodical +rains, it is not improbable but that this is the place which hath given +rise to the supposed existence of the famed Lake Parima, or El Dorado; +but this is mere conjecture. + +A few deer are feeding on the coarse, rough grass of this far-extending +plain; they keep at a distance from you, and are continually on the +look-out. + +The spur-winged plover and a species of the curlew, black with a white +bar across the wings, nearly as large again as the scarlet curlew on +the sea-coast, frequently rise before you. Here too the muscovy duck is +numerous, and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you as you +pass on, but keep out of gunshot. The milk-white egrets and jabirus are +distinguished at a great distance, and in the aeta- and coucourite-trees +you may observe flocks of scarlet and blue aras feeding on the seeds. + +It is to these trees that the largest sort of toucan resorts. He is +remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his fine yellow bill. +He is very scarce in Demerara, and never seen except near the sea-coast. + +The ants' nests have a singular appearance on this plain; they are in +vast abundance on those parts of it free from water, and are formed of +an exceeding hard yellow clay. They rise eight or ten feet from the +ground, in a spiral form, impenetrable to the rain and strong enough to +defy the severest tornado. + +The wourali poison procured in these last-mentioned huts seemed very +good, and proved afterwards to be very strong. + +There are now no more Indian settlements betwixt you and the Portuguese +frontiers. If you wish to visit their fort, it would be advisable to +send an Indian with a letter from hence and wait his return. On the +present occasion a very fortunate circumstance occurred. The Portuguese +commander had sent some Indians and soldiers to build a canoe not far +from this settlement; they had just finished it, and those who did not +stay with it had stopped here on their return. + +The soldier who commanded the rest said he durst not, upon any account, +convey a stranger to the fort: but he added, as there were two canoes, +one of them might be despatched with a letter, and then we could +proceed slowly on in the other. + +About three hours from this settlement there is a river called +Pirarara, and here the soldiers had left their canoes while they were +making the new one. From the Pirarara you get into the River Maou, and +then into the Tacatou; and just where the Tacatou falls into the Rio +Branco there stands the Portuguese frontier-fort called Fort St. +Joachim. From the time of embarking in the River Pirarara it takes you +four days before you reach this fort. + +There was nothing very remarkable in passing down these rivers. It is +an open country, producing a coarse grass and interspersed with clumps +of trees. The banks have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and +crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. + +The tapir frequently plunged into the river; he was by no means shy, +and it was easy to get a shot at him on land. The kessi-kessi paroquets +were in great abundance, and the fine scarlet aras innumerable in the +coucourite-trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou +was seen the troupiale. It was charming to hear the sweet and plaintive +notes of this pretty songster of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the +nightingale of Guiana. + +Towards the close of the fourth evening the canoe which had been sent +on with a letter met us with the commander's answer. During its absence +the nights had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, +the days cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet hammocks. Exposed +thus, day and night, to the chilling blast and pelting shower, strength +of constitution at last failed and a severe fever came on. The +commander's answer was very polite. He remarked, he regretted much to +say that he had received orders to allow no stranger to enter the +frontier, and this being the case he hoped I would not consider him as +uncivil: "however," continued he, "I have ordered the soldier to land +you at a certain distance from the fort, where we can consult together." + +We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which brought the letter +returned to the fort to tell the commander I had fallen sick. + +The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after when the +Portuguese officer came to the spot where we had landed the preceding +evening. He was tall and spare, and appeared to be from fifty to +fifty-five years old; and though thirty years of service under an +equatorial sun had burnt and shrivelled up his face, still there was +something in it so inexpressibly affable and kind that it set you +immediately at your ease. He came close up to the hammock, and taking +hold of my wrist to feel the pulse, "I am sorry, Sir," said he, "to see +that the fever has taken such hold of you. You shall go directly with +me," continued he, "to the fort; and though we have no doctor there, I +trust," added he, "we shall soon bring you about again. The orders I +have received forbidding the admission of strangers were never intended +to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." + +As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river towards the fort, the +commander asked with much more interest than a question in ordinary +conversation is asked, where was I on the night of the first of May? On +telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the great +fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden noise had alarmed +all the Indians, he said the same astonishing noise had roused every +man in Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under arms till +morning. He observed that he had been quite at a loss to form any idea +what could have caused the noise; but now learning that the same noise +had been heard at the same time far away from the Rio Branco, it struck +him there must have been an earthquake somewhere or other. + +Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied attention and kindness of +the Portuguese commander, stopped the progress of the fever and enabled +me to walk about in six days. + +Fort St. Joachim was built about five and forty years ago under the +apprehension, it is said, that the Spaniards were coming from the Rio +Negro to settle there. It has been much neglected; the floods of water +have carried away the gate and destroyed the wall on each side of it, +but the present commander is putting it into thorough repair. When +finished it will mount six nine- and six twelve-pounders. + +In a straight line with the fort, and within a few yards of the river, +stand the commander's house, the barracks, the chapel, the +father-confessor's house and two others, all at little intervals from +each other; and these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The +neighbouring extensive plains afford good pasturage for a fine breed of +cattle, and the Portuguese make enough of butter and cheese for their +own consumption. + +On asking the old officer if there were such a place as Lake Parima, or +El Dorado, he replied he looked upon it as imaginary altogether. "I +have been above forty years," added he, "in Portuguese Guiana, but have +never yet met with anybody who has seen the lake." + +So much for Lake Parima, or El Dorado, or the White Sea. Its existence +at best seems doubtful: some affirm that there is such a place and +others deny it. + + Grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est. + +Having now reached the Portuguese inland frontier and collected a +sufficient quantity of the wourali poison, nothing remains but to give +a brief account of its composition, its effects, its uses and its +supposed antidotes. + +It has been already remarked that in the extensive wilds of Demerara +and Essequibo, far away from any European settlement, there is a tribe +of Indians who are known by the name of Macoushi. + +Though the wourali poison is used by all the South American savages +betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque, still this tribe makes it +stronger than any of the rest. The Indians in the vicinity of the Rio +Negro are aware of this, and come to the Macoushi country to purchase +it. + +Much has been said concerning this fatal and extraordinary poison. Some +have affirmed that its effects are almost instantaneous, provided the +minutest particle of it mixes with the blood; and others again have +maintained that it is not strong enough to kill an animal of the size +and strength of a man. The first have erred by lending a too willing +ear to the marvellous and believing assertions without sufficient +proof. The following short story points out the necessity of a cautious +examination. + +One day, on asking an Indian if he thought the poison would kill a man, +he replied that they always go to battle with it; that he was standing +by when an Indian was shot with a poisoned arrow, and that he expired +almost immediately. Not wishing to dispute this apparently satisfactory +information the subject was dropped. + +However, about an hour after, having purposely asked him in what part +of the body the said Indian was wounded, he answered without hesitation +that the arrow entered betwixt his shoulders and passed quite through +his heart. Was it the weapon or the strength of the poison that brought +on immediate dissolution in this case? Of course the weapon. + +The second have been misled by disappointment caused by neglect in +keeping the poisoned arrows, or by not knowing how to use them, or by +trying inferior poison. If the arrows are not kept dry the poison loses +its strength, and in wet or damp weather it turns mouldy and becomes +quite soft. In shooting an arrow in this state, upon examining the +place where it has entered, it will be observed that, though the arrow +has penetrated deep into the flesh, still by far the greatest part of +the poison has shrunk back, and thus, instead of entering with the +arrow, it has remained collected at the mouth of the wound. In this +case the arrow might as well have not been poisoned. Probably it was to +this that a gentleman, some time ago, owed his disappointment when he +tried the poison on a horse in the town of Stabroek, the capital of +Demerara; the horse never betrayed the least symptom of being affected +by it. + +Wishful to obtain the best information concerning this poison, and as +repeated inquiries, in lieu of dissipating the surrounding shade, did +but tend more and more to darken the little light that existed, I +determined to penetrate into the country where the poisonous +ingredients grow, where this pernicious composition is prepared and +where it is constantly used. Success attended the adventure, and the +information acquired made amends for one hundred and twenty days passed +in the solitudes of Guiana, and afforded a balm to the wounds and +bruises which every traveller must expect to receive who wanders +through a thorny and obstructed path. + +Thou must not, courteous reader, expect a dissertation on the manner in +which the wourali poison operates on the system: a treatise has been +already written on the subject, and, after all, there is probably still +reason to doubt. It is supposed to affect the nervous system, and thus +destroy the vital functions; it is also said to be perfectly harmless +provided it does not touch the blood. However, this is certain: when a +sufficient quantity of it enters the blood, death is the inevitable +consequence; but there is no alteration in the colour of the blood, and +both the blood and flesh may be eaten with safety. + +All that thou wilt find here is a concise, unadorned account of the +wourali poison. It may be of service to thee some time or other +shouldst thou ever travel through the wilds where it is used. Neither +attribute to cruelty, nor to a want of feeling for the sufferings of +the inferior animals, the ensuing experiments. The larger animals were +destroyed in order to have proof positive of the strength of a poison +which hath hitherto been doubted, and the smaller ones were killed with +the hope of substantiating that which has commonly been supposed to be +an antidote. + +It makes a pitying heart ache to see a poor creature in distress and +pain; and too often has the compassionate traveller occasion to heave a +sigh as he journeys on. However, here, though the kind-hearted will be +sorry to read of an unoffending animal doomed to death in order to +satisfy a doubt, still it will be a relief to know that the victim was +not tortured. The wourali poison destroys life's action so gently that +the victim appears to be in no pain whatever; and probably, were the +truth known, it feels none, saving the momentary smart at the time the +arrow enters. + +A day or two before the Macoushi Indian prepares his poison he goes +into the forest in quest of the ingredients. A vine grows in these +wilds which is called wourali. It is from this that the poison takes +its name, and it is the principal ingredient. When he has procured +enough of this he digs up a root of a very bitter taste, ties them +together, and then looks about for two kinds of bulbous plants which +contain a green and glutinous juice. He fills a little quake which he +carries on his back with the stalks of these; and lastly ranges up and +down till he finds two species of ants. One of them is very large and +black, and so venomous that its sting produces a fever: it is most +commonly to be met with on the ground. The other is a little red ant +which stings like a nettle, and generally has its nest under the leaf +of a shrub. After obtaining these he has no more need to range the +forest. + +A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is used, but this he has +already planted round his hut. The pounded fangs of the labarri snake +and those of the counacouchi are likewise added. These he commonly has +in store, for when he kills a snake he generally extracts the fangs and +keeps them by him. + +Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he scrapes the wourali +vine and bitter root into thin shavings and puts them into a kind of +colander made of leaves. This he holds over an earthen pot, and pours +water on the shavings: the liquor which comes through has the +appearance of coffee. When a sufficient quantity has been procured the +shavings are thrown aside. He then bruises the bulbous stalks and +squeezes a proportionate quantity of their juice through his hands into +the pot. Lastly the snakes' fangs, ants and pepper are bruised and +thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow fire, and as it boils more +of the juice of the wourali is added, according as it may be found +necessary, and the scum is taken off with a leaf: it remains on the +fire till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. As soon as +it has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with it, to try +its strength. If it answer the expectations it is poured out into a +calabash, or little pot of Indian manufacture, which is carefully +covered with a couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin +tied round with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part of the hut, +and from time to time suspend it over the fire to counteract the +effects of dampness. + +The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the +savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and +make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or +in the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali +poison, many precautions are supposed to be necessary. + +The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the +Yabahou, or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it +has been boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He +who makes the poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue +fasting as long as the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled +must be a new one, and must never have held anything before, otherwise +the poison would be deficient in strength: add to this that the +operator must take particular care not to expose himself to the vapour +which arises from it while on the fire. + +Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing +the face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; +and the operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself +to be, sick for some days after. + +Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a +gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it +affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one +evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having +anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child! + +Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned +necessary in order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions +and conjectures may militate against the absolute necessity of some of +them, still it would be hardly fair to pronounce them added by the hand +of superstition till proof positive can be obtained. + +We might argue on the subject, and by bringing forward instances of +Indian superstition draw our conclusion by inference, and still remain +in doubt on this head. You know superstition to be the offspring of +ignorance, and of course that it takes up its abode amongst the rudest +tribes of uncivilised man. It even too often resides with man in his +more enlightened state. + +The Augustan age furnishes numerous examples. A bone snatched from the +jaws of a fasting bitch, and a feather from the wing of a +night-owl--"ossa ab ore rapta jejunae canis, plumamque nocturnae +strigis"--were necessary for Canidia's incantations. And in after-times +Parson Evans, the Welshman, was treated most ungenteelly by an enraged +spirit solely because he had forgotten a fumigation in his witch-work. + +If, then, enlightened man lets his better sense give way, and believes, +or allows himself to be persuaded, that certain substances and actions, +in reality of no avail, possess a virtue which renders them useful in +producing the wished-for effect, may not the wild, untaught, +unenlightened savage of Guiana add an ingredient which, on account of +the harm it does him, he fancies may be useful to the perfection of his +poison, though in fact it be of no use at all? If a bone snatched from +the jaws of a fasting bitch be thought necessary in incantation; or if +witchcraft have recourse to the raiment of the owl because it resorts +to the tombs and mausoleums of the dead and wails and hovers about at +the time that the rest of animated nature sleeps; certainly the savage +may imagine that the ants, whose sting causes a fever, and the teeth of +the labarri and counacouchi snakes, which convey death in a very short +space of time, are essentially necessary in the composition of his +poison; and being once impressed with this idea, he will add them every +time he makes the poison and transmit the absolute use of them to his +posterity. The question to be answered seems not to be if it is natural +for the Indians to mix these ingredients, but if they are essential to +make the poison. + +So much for the preparing of this vegetable essence: terrible importer +of death, into whatever animal it enters. Let us now see how it is +used; let us examine the weapons which bear it to its destination, and +take a view of the poor victim from the time he receives his wound till +death comes to his relief. + +When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of feathered game or other +birds he seldom carries his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he then +uses. This extraordinary tube of death is, perhaps, one of the greatest +natural curiosities of Guiana. It is not found in the country of the +Macoushi. Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south-west of +them, in the wilds which extend betwixt them and the Rio Negro. The +reed must grow to an amazing length, as the part the Indians use is +from ten to eleven feet long, and no tapering can be perceived in it, +one end being as thick as the other. It is of a bright yellow colour, +perfectly smooth both inside and out. It grows hollow, nor is there the +least appearance of a knot or joint throughout the whole extent. The +natives call it ourah. This of itself is too slender to answer the end +of a blow-pipe, but there is a species of palma, larger and stronger, +and common in Guiana, and this the Indians make use of as a case in +which they put the ourah. It is brown, susceptible of a fine polish, +and appears as if it had joints five or six inches from each other. It +is called samourah, and the pulp inside is easily extracted by steeping +it for a few days in water. + +Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the other, form the blow-pipe +of Guiana. The end which is applied to the mouth is tied round with a +small silk-grass cord to prevent its splitting, and the other end, +which is apt to strike against the ground, is secured by the seed of +the acuero fruit cut horizontally through the middle, with a hole made +in the end through which is put the extremity of the blow-pipe. It is +fastened on with string on the outside, and the inside is filled up +with wild-bees' wax. + +The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It is made out of the leaf +of a species of palm-tree called coucourite, hard and brittle, and +pointed as sharp as a needle. About an inch of the pointed end is +poisoned. The other end is burnt to make it still harder, and wild +cotton is put round it for about an inch and a half. It requires +considerable practice to put on this cotton well. It must just be large +enough to fit the hollow of the tube and taper off to nothing +downwards. They tie it on with a thread of the silk-grass to prevent +its slipping off the arrow. + +The Indians have shown ingenuity in making a quiver to hold the arrows. +It will contain from five to six hundred. It is generally from twelve +to fourteen inches long, and in shape resembles a dice-box used at +backgammon. The inside is prettily done in basket-work with wood not +unlike bamboo, and the outside has a coat of wax. The cover is all of +one piece formed out of the skin of the tapir. Round the centre there +is fastened a loop large enough to admit the arm and shoulder, from +which it hangs when used. To the rim is tied a little bunch of +silk-grass and half of the jaw-bone of the fish called pirai, with +which the Indian scrapes the point of his arrow. + +Before he puts the arrows into the quiver he links them together by two +strings of cotton, one string at each end, and then folds them round a +stick which is nearly the length of the quiver. The end of the stick, +which is uppermost, is guarded by two little pieces of wood crosswise, +with a hoop round their extremities, which appears something like a +wheel, and this saves the hand from being wounded when the quiver is +reversed in order to let the bunch of arrows drop out. + +There is also attached to the quiver a little kind of basket to hold +the wild cotton which is put on the blunt end of the arrow. With a +quiver of poisoned arrows slung over his shoulder, and with his +blow-pipe in his hand, in the same position as a soldier carries his +musket, see the Macoushi Indian advancing towards the forest in quest +of powises, maroudis, waracabas and other feathered game. + +These generally sit high up in the tall and tufted trees, but still are +not out of the Indian's reach, for his blow-pipe, at its greatest +elevation, will send an arrow three hundred feet. Silent as midnight he +steals under them, and so cautiously does he tread the ground that the +fallen leaves rustle not beneath his feet. His ears are open to the +least sound, while his eye, keen as that of the lynx, is employed in +finding out the game in the thickest shade. Often he imitates their +cry, and decoys them from tree to tree, till they are within range of +his tube. Then taking a poisoned arrow from his quiver, he puts it in +the blow-pipe and collects his breath for the fatal puff. + +About two feet from the end through which he blows there are fastened +two teeth of the acouri, and these serve him for a sight. Silent and +swift the arrow flies, and seldom fails to pierce the object at which +it is sent. Sometimes the wounded bird remains in the same tree where +it was shot, and in three minutes falls down at the Indian's feet. +Should he take wing his flight is of short duration, and the Indian, +following the direction he has gone, is sure to find him dead. + +It is natural to imagine that when a slight wound only is inflicted the +game will make its escape. Far otherwise; the wourali poison almost +instantaneously mixes with blood or water, so that if you wet your +finger and dash it along the poisoned arrow in the quickest manner +possible you are sure to carry off some of the poison. Though three +minutes generally elapse before the convulsions come on in the wounded +bird, still a stupor evidently takes place sooner, and this stupor +manifests itself by an apparent unwillingness in the bird to move. This +was very visible in a dying fowl. + +Having procured a healthy full-grown one, a short piece of a poisoned +blow-pipe arrow was broken off and run up into its thigh, as near as +possible betwixt the skin and the flesh, in order that it might not be +incommoded by the wound. For the first minute it walked about, but +walked very slowly, and did not appear the least agitated. During the +second minute it stood still, and began to peck the ground; and ere +half another had elapsed it frequently opened and shut its mouth. The +tail had now dropped and the wings almost touched the ground. By the +termination of the third minute it had sat down, scarce able to support +its head, which nodded, and then recovered itself, and then nodded +again, lower and lower every time, like that of a weary traveller +slumbering in an erect position; the eyes alternately open and shut. +The fourth minute brought on convulsions, and life and the fifth +terminated together. + +The flesh of the game is not in the least injured by the poison, nor +does it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife. +The body of this fowl was kept for sixteen hours in a climate damp and +rainy, and within seven degrees of the equator, at the end of which +time it had contracted no bad smell whatever and there were no symptoms +of putrefaction, saving that just round the wound the flesh appeared +somewhat discoloured. + +The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends his blow-pipe from +the top of his spiral roof, seldom placing it in an oblique position, +lest it should receive a cast. + +Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended while you take a view of the +arms which are made to slay the larger beasts of the forest. + +When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or surprise the deer, or +rouse the tapir from his marshy retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, +which are very different from the weapons already described. + +The bow is generally from six to seven feet long and strung with a cord +spun out of the silk-grass. The forests of Guiana furnish many species +of hard wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and excellent +bows are formed. + +The arrows are from four to five feet in length, made of a yellow reed +without a knot or joint. It is found in great plenty up and down +throughout Guiana. A piece of hard wood about nine inches long is +inserted into the end of the reed, and fastened with cotton well waxed. +A square hole an inch deep is then made in the end of this piece of +hard wood, done tight round with cotton to keep it from splitting. Into +this square hole is fitted a spike of coucourite-wood, poisoned, and +which may be kept there or taken out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo, +about as thick as your finger, is fitted on over the poisoned spike to +prevent accidents and defend it from the rain, and is taken off when +the arrow is about to be used. Lastly, two feathers are fastened the +other end of the reed to steady it in its flight. + +Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a little box made of +bamboo which holds a dozen or fifteen poisoned spikes six inches long. +They are poisoned in the following manner: a small piece of wood is +dipped in the poison, and with this they give the spike a first coat. +It is then exposed to the sun or fire. After it is dry it receives +another coat, and then dried again; after this a third coat, and +sometimes a fourth. + +They take great care to put the poison on thicker at the middle than at +the sides, by which means the spike retains the shape of a two-edged +sword. It is rather a tedious operation to make one of these arrows +complete, and as the Indian is not famed for industry, except when +pressed by hunger, he has hit upon a plan of preserving his arrows +which deserves notice. + +About a quarter of an inch above the part where the coucourite spike is +fixed into the square hole he cuts it half through, and thus, when it +has entered the animal, the weight of the arrow causes it to break off +there, by which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured, so that, +should this be the only arrow he happens to have with him and should +another shot immediately occur, he has only to take another poisoned +spike out of his little bamboo box, fit it on its arrow, and send it to +its destination. + +Thus armed with deadly poison, and hungry as the hyaena, he ranges +through the forest in quest of the wild-beasts' track. No hound can act +a surer part. Without clothes to fetter him or shoes to bind his feet, +he observes the footsteps of the game where an European eye could not +discern the smallest vestige. He pursues it through all its turns and +windings with astonishing perseverance, and success generally crowns +his efforts. The animal, after receiving the poisoned arrow, seldom +retreats two hundred paces before it drops. + +In passing over-land from the Essequibo to the Demerara we fell in with +a herd of wild hogs. Though encumbered with baggage and fatigued with a +hard day's walk, an Indian got his bow ready and let fly a poisoned +arrow at one of them. It entered the cheek-bone and broke off. The wild +hog was found quite dead about one hundred and seventy paces from the +place where he had been shot. He afforded us an excellent and wholesome +supper. + +Thus the savage of Guiana, independent of the common weapons of +destruction, has it in his power to prepare a poison by which he can +generally ensure to himself a supply of animal food: and the food so +destroyed imbibes no deleterious qualities. Nature has been bountiful +to him. She has not only ordered poisonous herbs and roots to grow in +the unbounded forests through which he strays, but has also furnished +an excellent reed for his arrows, and another still more singular for +his blow-pipe, and planted trees of an amazing hard, tough and elastic +texture out of which he forms his bows. And in order that nothing might +be wanting, she has superadded a tree which yields him a fine wax and +disseminated up and down a plant not unlike that of the pine-apple +which affords him capital bow-strings. + +Having now followed the Indian in the chase and described the poison, +let us take a nearer view of its action and observe a large animal +expiring under the weight of its baneful virulence. + +Many have doubted the strength of the wourali poison. Should they ever +by chance read what follows, probably their doubts on that score will +be settled for ever. + +In the former experiment on the dog some faint resistance on the part +of Nature was observed, as if existence struggled for superiority, but +in the following instance of the sloth life sunk in death without the +least apparent contention, without a cry, without a struggle and +without a groan. This was an ai, or three-toed sloth. It was in the +possession of a gentleman who was collecting curiosities. He wished to +have it killed in order to preserve the skin, and the wourali poison +was resorted to as the easiest death. + +Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor +ill-formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after +it has received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal, and +it may be said, on seeing a mortally-wounded sloth, that life disputes +with death every inch of flesh in its body. + +The ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor about two feet +from the table; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and +fastened itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last +advancing step: life was ebbing fast though imperceptibly, nor could +this singular production of Nature, which has been formed of a texture +to resist death in a thousand shapes, make any stand against the +wourali poison. + +First one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its +side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost +their strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body and placed its head +betwixt its hind-legs, which still adhered to the table; but when the +poison had affected these also it sunk to the ground, but sunk so +gently that you could not distinguish the movement from an ordinary +motion, and had you been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned +arrow you would never have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was +shut, nor had any froth or saliva collected there. + +There was no _subsultus tendinum_ or any visible alteration in its +breathing. During the tenth minute from the time it was wounded it +stirred, and that was all; and the minute after life's last spark went +out. From the time the poison began to operate you would have +conjectured that sleep was overpowering it, and you would have +exclaimed: "Pressitque jacentem, dulcis et alta quies, placidaeque +simillima morti." + +There are now two positive proofs of the effect of this fatal poison: +viz. the death of the dog and that of the sloth. But still these +animals were nothing remarkable for size, and the strength of the +poison in large animals might yet be doubted were it not for what +follows. + +A large well-fed ox, from nine hundred to a thousand pounds weight, was +tied to a stake by a rope sufficiently strong to allow him to move to +and fro. Having no large coucourite spikes at hand, it was judged +necessary, on account of his superior size, to put three wild-hog +arrows into him: one was sent into each thigh just above the hock in +order to avoid wounding a vital part, and the third was shot traversely +into the extremity of the nostril. + +The poison seemed to take effect in four minutes. Conscious as though +he would fall, the ox set himself firmly on his legs and remained quite +still in the same place till about the fourteenth minute, when he +smelled the ground and appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a +pace or two, staggered and fell, and remained extended on his side, +with his head on the ground. His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and +lively, now became fixed and dim, and though you put your hand close to +it, as if to give him a blow there, he never closed his eyelid. + +His legs were convulsed and his head from time to time started +involuntarily, but he never showed the least desire to raise it from +the ground. He breathed hard and emitted foam from his mouth. The +startings, or _subsultus tendinum_, now became gradually weaker and +weaker; his hinder parts were fixed in death, and in a minute or two +more his head and fore-legs ceased to stir. + +Nothing now remained to show that life was still within him except that +his heart faintly beat and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty +minutes from the time of his being wounded he was quite dead. His flesh +was very sweet and savoury at dinner. + +On taking a retrospective view of the two different kinds of poisoned +arrows, and the animals destroyed by them, it would appear that the +quantity of poison must be proportioned to the animal, and thus those +probably labour under an error who imagine that the smallest particle +of it introduced into the blood has almost instantaneous effects. + +Make an estimate of the difference in size betwixt the fowl and the ox, +and then weigh a sufficient quantity of poison for a blow-pipe arrow, +with which the fowl was killed, and weigh also enough poison for three +wild-hog arrows, which destroyed the ox, and it will appear that the +fowl received much more poison in proportion than the ox. Hence the +cause why the fowl died in five minutes and the ox in five and twenty. + +Indeed, were it the case that the smallest particle of it introduced +into the blood has almost instantaneous effects, the Indian would not +find it necessary to make the large arrow: that of the blow-pipe is +much easier made and requires less poison. + +And now for the antidotes, or rather the supposed antidotes. The +Indians tell you, that if the wounded animal be held for a considerable +time up to the mouth in water the poison will not prove fatal; also +that the juice of the sugar-cane poured down the throat will counteract +the effects of it. These antidotes were fairly tried upon full-grown +healthy fowls, but they all died, as though no steps had been taken to +preserve their lives. Rum was recommended, and given to another, but +with as little success. + +It is supposed by some that wind introduced into the lungs by means of +a small pair of bellows would revive the poisoned patient, provided the +operation be continued for a sufficient length of time. It may be so; +but this is a difficult and a tedious mode of cure, and he who is +wounded in the forest, far away from his friends, or in the hut of the +savages, stands but a poor chance of being saved by it. + +Had the Indians a sure antidote, it is likely they would carry it about +with them or resort to it immediately after being wounded, if at hand; +and their confidence in its efficacy would greatly diminish the horror +they betray when you point a poisoned arrow at them. + +One day, while we were eating a red monkey erroneously called the +baboon, in Demerara, an Arowack Indian told an affecting story of what +happened to a comrade of his. He was present at his death. As it did +not interest this Indian in any point to tell a falsehood, it is very +probable that his account was a true one. If so, it appears that there +is no certain antidote, or at least an antidote that could be resorted +to in a case of urgent need, for the Indian gave up all thoughts of +life as soon as he was wounded. + +The Arowack Indian said it was but four years ago that he and his +companion were ranging in the forest in quest of game. His companion +took a poisoned arrow and sent it at a red monkey in a tree above him. +It was nearly a perpendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in +the descent struck him in the arm a little above the elbow. He was +convinced it was all over with him. "I shall never," said he to his +companion, in a faltering voice, and looking at his bow as he said it, +"I shall never," said he, "bend this bow again." And having said that, +he took off his little bamboo poison-box, which hung across his +shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and arrows on the +ground, he laid himself down close by them, bid his companion farewell, +and never spoke more. + +He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded by a poisoned arrow from +Macoushia had better not depend upon the common antidotes for a cure. +Many who have been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in +water, or to take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth +full of salt; and they recommend these antidotes because they have got +them from the Indians. But were you to ask them if they ever saw these +antidotes used with success, it is ten to one their answer would be in +the negative. + +Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable and of no +avail. He has got an active and deadly foe within him which, like +Shakespeare's fell Serjeant Death, is strict in his arrest, and will +allow him but little time--very, very little time. In a few minutes he +will be numbered with the dead. Life ought, if possible, to be +preserved, be the expense ever so great. Should the part affected admit +of it, let a ligature be tied tight round the wound, and have immediate +recourse to the knife: + + Continuo, culpam ferro compesce, priusquam + Dira per infaustum serpant contagia corpus. + +And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. The two ends +proposed have been obtained. The Portuguese inland frontier-fort has +been reached and the Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of +this excursion through the interior of Guiana has been submitted to thy +perusal in order to induce thy abler genius to undertake a more +extensive one. If any difficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they +have been caused by the periodical rains which fall in torrents as the +sun approaches the Tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there would be no +difficulties or sickness. + +Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou wouldest be able +to draw during the journey there is one which, perhaps, would please +thee not a little, and that is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no +doubt, thou hast heard it hotly disputed that dogs existed in Guiana +previously to the arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. Whatever the +Spaniards introduced, and which bore no resemblance to anything the +Indians had been accustomed to see, retains its Spanish name to this +day. + +Thus the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Macoushi and Carib tribes +call a hat _sombrero_; a shirt or any kind of cloth _camisa_; a shoe +_zapalo_; a letter _carta_; a fowl _gallina_; gunpowder _colvora_ +(Spanish _polvora_); ammunition _bala_; a cow _vaca_; and a dog _perro_. + +This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in Guiana before it +was discovered by the Spaniards, and probably may be of use to thee in +thy next canine dispute. + +In a political point of view this country presents a large field for +speculation. A few years ago there was but little inducement for any +Englishman to explore the interior of these rich and fine colonies, as +the British Government did not consider them worth holding at the Peace +of Amiens. Since that period their mother-country has been blotted out +from the list of nations, and America has unfolded a new sheet of +politics. On one side the Crown of Braganza, attacked by an ambitious +chieftain, has fled from the palace of its ancestors, and now seems +fixed on the banks of the Janeiro. Cayenne has yielded to its arms, La +Plata has raised the standard of independence and thinks itself +sufficiently strong to obtain a Government of its own. On the other +side the Caraccas are in open revolt, and should Santa Fe join them in +good earnest they may form a powerful association. + +Thus on each side of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana most unexpected and +astonishing changes have taken place. Will they raise or lower it in +the scale of estimation at the Court of St. James's? Will they be of +benefit to these grand and extensive colonies? Colonies enjoying +perpetual summer. Colonies of the richest soil. Colonies containing +within themselves everything necessary for their support. Colonies, in +fine, so varied in their quality and situation as to be capable of +bringing to perfection every tropical production, and only want the +support of Government, and an enlightened governor, to render them as +fine as the finest portions of the equatorial regions. Kind reader, +fare thee well! + + * * * * * + +_Letter to the Portuguese Commander_ + +MUY SENOR, + +Como no tengo el honor, de ser conocido de VM. lo pienso mejor, y mas +decoroso, quedarme aqui, hastaque huviere recibido su respuesta. +Haviendo caminado hasta la choza, adonde estoi, no quisiere volverme, +antes de haver visto la fortaleza de los Portugueses; y pido licencia +de VM. para que me adelante. Honradissimos son mis motivos, ni tengo +proyecto ninguno, o de comercio, o de la soldadesca, no siendo yo, o +comerciante, o oficial. Hidalgo catolico soy, de hacienda in +Ynglatierra, y muchos anos de mi vida he pasado en caminar. +Ultimamente, de Demeraria vengo, la quai dexe el 5 dia de Abril, para +ver este hermoso pais, y coger unas curiosidades, especialmente, el +veneno, que se llama wourali. Las mas recentes noticias que tenian en +Demeraria, antes di mi salida, eran medias tristes, medias alegres. +Tristes digo, viendo que Valencia ha caido en poder del enemigo comun, +y el General Blake, y sus valientes tropas quedan prisioneros de +guerra. Alegres, al contrario, porque Milord Wellington se ha apoderado +de Ciudad Rodrigo. A pesar de la caida de Valencia, parece claro al +mundo, que las cosas del enemigo, estan andando, de pejor a pejor cada +dia. Nosotros debemos dar gracias al Altissimo, por haver sido servido +dexarnos castigar ultimamente, a los robadores, de sus santas Yglesias. +Se vera VM. que yo no escribo Portugues ni aun lo hablo, pero, haviendo +aprendido el Castellano, no nos faltara medio de communicar y tener +conversacion. Ruego se escuse esta carta escrita sin tinta, porque un +Indio dexo caer mi tintero y quebrose. Dios le de a VM. muchos anos de +salud. Entretanto, tengo el honor de ser + +Su mas obedeciente servidor, + +CARLOS WATERTON. + + * * * * * + +REMARKS + + Incertus, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur. + +Kind and gentle reader, if the journey in quest of the wourali poison +has engaged thy attention, probably thou mayest recollect that the +traveller took leave of thee at Fort St. Joachim, on the Rio Branco. +Shouldest thou wish to know what befell him afterwards, excuse the +following uninteresting narrative. + +Having had a return of fever, and aware that the farther he advanced +into these wild and lonely regions the less would be the chance of +regaining his health, he gave up all idea of proceeding onwards, and +went slowly back towards the Demerara, nearly by the same route he had +come. + +On descending the falls in the Essequibo, which form an oblique line +quite across the river, it was resolved to push through them, the +downward stream being in the canoe's favour. At a little distance from +the place a large tree had fallen into the river, and in the meantime +the canoe was lashed to one of its branches. + +The roaring of the water was dreadful: it foamed and dashed over the +rocks with a tremendous spray, like breakers on a lee-shore, +threatening destruction to whatever approached it. You would have +thought, by the confusion it caused in the river and the whirlpools it +made, that Scylla and Charybdis, and their whole progeny, had left the +Mediterranean and come and settled here. The channel was barely twelve +feet wide, and the torrent in rushing down formed traverse furrows +which showed how near the rocks were to the surface. + +Nothing could surpass the skill of the Indian who steered the canoe. He +looked steadfastly at it, then at the rocks, then cast an eye on the +channel, and then looked at the canoe again. It was in vain to speak. +The sound was lost in the roar of waters, but his eye showed that he +had already passed it in imagination. He held up his paddle in a +position as much as to say that he would keep exactly amid channel, and +then made a sign to cut the bush-rope that held the canoe to the fallen +tree. The canoe drove down the torrent with inconceivable rapidity. It +did not touch the rocks once all the way. The Indian proved to a +nicety: "medio tutissimus ibis." + +Shortly after this it rained almost day and night, the lightning +flashing incessantly and the roar of thunder awful beyond expression. + +The fever returned, and pressed so heavy on him that to all appearance +his last day's march was over. However, it abated, his spirits rallied, +and he marched again; and after delays and inconveniences he reached +the house of his worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek, which +falls into the Demerara. No words of his can do justice to the +hospitality of that gentleman, whose repeated encounters with the +hostile negroes in the forest have been publicly rewarded and will be +remembered in the colony for years to come. + +Here he learned that an eruption had taken place in St. Vincent's, and +thus the noise heard in the night of the first of May, which had caused +such terror amongst the Indians and made the garrison at Fort St. +Joachim remain under arms the rest of the night, is accounted for. + +After experiencing every kindness and attention from Mr. Edmonstone he +sailed for Granada, and from thence to St. Thomas's, a few days before +poor Captain Peake lost his life on his own quarter-deck bravely +fighting for his country on the coast of Guiana. + +At St. Thomas's they show you a tower, a little distance from the town, +which they say formerly belonged to a bucanier chieftain. Probably the +fury of besiegers has reduced it to its present dismantled state. What +still remains of it bears testimony of its former strength and may +brave the attack of time for centuries. You cannot view its ruins +without calling to mind the exploits of those fierce and hardy hunters, +long the terror of the Western world. While you admire their undaunted +courage, you lament that it was often stained with cruelty; while you +extol their scrupulous justice to each other, you will find a want of +it towards the rest of mankind. Often possessed of enormous wealth, +often in extreme poverty, often triumphant on the ocean and often +forced to fly to the forests, their life was an ever-changing scene of +advance and retreat, of glory and disorder, of luxury and famine. Spain +treated them as outlaws and pirates, while other European powers +publicly disowned them. They, on the other hand, maintained that +injustice on the part of Spain first forced them to take up arms in +self-defence, and that, whilst they kept inviolable the laws which they +had framed for their own common benefit and protection, they had a +right to consider as foes those who treated them as outlaws. Under this +impression they drew the sword and rushed on as though in lawful war, +and divided the spoils of victory in the scale of justice. + +After leaving St. Thomas's, a severe tertian ague every now and then +kept putting the traveller in mind that his shattered frame, "starting +and shivering in the inconstant blast, meagre and pale, the ghost of +what it was," wanted repairs. Three years elapsed after arriving in +England before the ague took its final leave of him. + +During that time, several experiments were made with the wourali +poison. In London an ass was inoculated with it and died in twelve +minutes. The poison was inserted into the leg of another, round which a +bandage had been previously tied a little above the place where the +wourali was introduced. He walked about as usual and ate his food as +though all were right. After an hour had elapsed the bandage was +untied, and ten minutes after death overtook him. + +A she-ass received the wourali poison in the shoulder, and died +apparently in ten minutes. An incision was then made in its windpipe +and through it the lungs were regularly inflated for two hours with a +pair of bellows. Suspended animation returned. The ass held up her head +and looked around, but the inflating being discontinued she sunk once +more in apparent death. The artificial breathing was immediately +recommenced, and continued without intermission for two hours more. +This saved the ass from final dissolution: she rose up and walked +about; she seemed neither in agitation nor in pain. The wound through +which the poison entered was healed without difficulty. Her +constitution, however, was so severely affected that it was long a +doubt if ever she would be well again. She looked lean and sickly for +above a year, but began to mend the spring after, and by midsummer +became fat and frisky. + +The kind-hearted reader will rejoice on learning that Earl Percy, +pitying her misfortunes, sent her down from London to Walton Hall, near +Wakefield. There she goes by the name of Wouralia. Wouralia shall be +sheltered from the wintry storm; and when summer comes she shall feed +in the finest pasture. No burden shall be placed upon her, and she +shall end her days in peace. + +For three revolving autumns, the ague-beaten wanderer never saw without +a sigh the swallow bend her flight towards warmer regions. He wished to +go too, but could not for sickness had enfeebled him, and prudence +pointed out the folly of roving again too soon across the northern +tropic. To be sure, the Continent was now open, and change of air might +prove beneficial, but there was nothing very tempting in a trip across +the Channel, and as for a tour through England!--England has long +ceased to be the land for adventures. Indeed, when good King Arthur +reappears to claim his crown, he will find things strangely altered +here; and may we not look for his coming? for there is written upon his +gravestone: + + Hic jacet Arturus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus. + + Here Arthur lies, who formerly + Was king--and king again to be. + +Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous king did not die, +but that he was changed into a raven by enchantment and that the +English are momentarily expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is +certain that when he reigned here all was harmony and joy. The browsing +herds passed from vale to vale, the swains sang from the +bluebell-teeming groves, and nymphs, with eglantine and roses in their +neatly-braided hair, went hand in hand to the flowery mead to weave +garlands for their lambkins. If by chance some rude, uncivil fellow +dared to molest them, or attempted to throw thorns in their path, there +was sure to be a knight-errant not far off ready to rush forward in +their defence. But alas! in these degenerate days it is not so. Should +a harmless cottage-maid wander out of the highway to pluck a primrose +or two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner sternly bids her +retire; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort her back, he is perhaps +seized by the gaunt house-dog ere he reach her! + +AEneas's route on the other side of Styx could not have been much worse +than this, though, by his account, when he got back to earth, it +appears that he had fallen in with "Bellua Lernae, horrendum stridens, +flammisque, armata Chimaera." + +Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps; and as such a conductress +nowadays could not be got for love or money, it was judged most prudent +to refrain from sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with +patience the return of health. At last this long-looked-for, +ever-welcome stranger came. + + + + +SECOND JOURNEY + + +In the year 1816, two days before the vernal equinox, I sailed from +Liverpool for Pernambuco, in the southern hemisphere, on the coast of +Brazil. There is little at this time of the year, in the European part +of the Atlantic, to engage the attention of the naturalist. As you go +down the Channel you see a few divers and gannets. The middle-sized +gulls, with a black spot at the end of the wings, attend you a little +way into the Bay of Biscay. When it blows a hard gale of wind the +stormy petrel makes its appearance. While the sea runs mountains high, +and every wave threatens destruction to the labouring vessel, this +little harbinger of storms is seen enjoying itself, on rapid pinion, up +and down the roaring billows. When the storm is over it appears no +more. It is known to every English sailor by the name of Mother Carey's +chicken. It must have been hatched in AEolus's cave, amongst a clutch of +squalls and tempests, for whenever they get out upon the ocean it +always contrives to be of the party. + +Though the calms and storms and adverse winds in these latitudes are +vexatious, still, when you reach the trade-winds, you are amply repaid +for all disappointments and inconveniences. The trade-winds prevail +about thirty degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the +ocean may be called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's empire; and the +torrid zone, notwithstanding Ovid's remark, "non est habitabilis aestu," +is rendered healthy and pleasant by these gently-blowing breezes. The +ship glides smoothly on, and you soon find yourself within the northern +tropic. When you are on it Cancer is just over your head, and betwixt +him and Capricorn is the high-road of the Zodiac, forty-seven degrees +wide, famous for Phaeton's misadventure. His father begged and +entreated him not to take it into his head to drive parallel to the +five zones, but to mind and keep on the turnpike which runs obliquely +across the equator. "There you will distinctly see," said he, "the ruts +of my chariot wheels, 'manifesta rotae vestigia cernes.'" "But," added +he, "even suppose you keep on it, and avoid the by-roads, nevertheless, +my dear boy, believe me, you will be most sadly put to your shifts; +'ardua prima via est,' the first part of the road is confoundedly +steep! 'ultima via prona est,' and after that, it is all down-hill! +Moreover, 'per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,' the road is full +of nooses and bull-dogs, 'Haemoniosque arcus,' and spring guns, 'saevaque +circuitu, curvantem brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of +uncommon size and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton; go +he would, so off he set, full speed, four in hand. He had a tough drive +of it, and after doing a prodigious deal of mischief, very luckily for +the world he got thrown out of the box, and tumbled into the River Po. + +Some of our modern bloods have been shallow enough to try to ape this +poor empty-headed coachman on a little scale, making London their +Zodiac. Well for them if tradesmen's bills and other trivial +perplexities have not caused them to be thrown into the King's Bench. + +The productions of the torrid zone are uncommonly grand. Its plains, +its swamps, its savannas and forests abound with the largest serpents +and wild beasts; and its trees are the habitation of the most beautiful +of the feathered race. While the traveller in the Old World is +astonished at the elephant, the tiger, the lion and rhinoceros, he who +wanders through the torrid regions of the New is lost in admiration at +the cotingas, the toucans, the humming-birds and aras. + +The ocean likewise swarms with curiosities. Probably the flying-fish +may be considered as one of the most singular. This little scaled +inhabitant of water and air seems to have been more favoured than the +rest of its finny brethren. It can rise out of the waves and on wing +visit the domain of the birds. + +After flying two or three hundred yards, the intense heat of the sun +has dried its pellucid wings, and it is obliged to wet them in order to +continue its flight. It just drops into the ocean for a moment, and +then rises again and flies on; and then descends to remoisten them, and +then up again into the air; thus passing its life, sometimes wet, +sometimes dry, sometimes in sunshine, and sometimes in the pale moon's +nightly beam, as pleasure dictates or as need requires. The additional +assistance of wings is not thrown away upon it. It has full occupation +both for fins and wings, as its life is in perpetual danger. + +The bonito and albicore chase it day and night, but the dolphin is its +worst and swiftest foe. If it escape into the air, the dolphin pushes +on with proportional velocity beneath, and is ready to snap it up the +moment it descends to wet its wings. + +You will often see above one hundred of these little marine aerial +fugitives on the wing at once. They appear to use every exertion to +prolong their flight, but vain are all their efforts, for when the last +drop of water on their wings is dried up their flight is at an end, and +they must drop into the ocean. Some are instantly devoured by their +merciless pursuer, part escape by swimming, and others get out again as +quick as possible, and trust once more to their wings. + +It often happens that this unfortunate little creature, after alternate +dips and flights, finding all its exertions of no avail, at last drops +on board the vessel, verifying the old remark: + + Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. + +There, stunned by the fall, it beats the deck with its tail and dies. +When eating it you would take it for a fresh herring. The largest +measure from fourteen to fifteen inches in length. The dolphin, after +pursuing it to the ship, sometimes forfeits his own life. + +In days of yore the musician used to play in softest, sweetest strain, +and then take an airing amongst the dolphins: "inter delphinas Arion." +But nowadays our tars have quite capsized the custom, and instead of +riding ashore on the dolphin, they invite the dolphin aboard. While he +is darting and playing around the vessel a sailor goes out to the +spritsail yard-arm, and with a long staff, leaded at one end, and armed +at the other with five barbed spikes, he heaves it at him. If +successful in his aim there is a fresh mess for all hands. The dying +dolphin affords a superb and brilliant sight: + + Mille trahit moriens, adverse sole colores. + +All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in rapid succession over +his body, till the dark hand of death closes the scene. + +From the Cape de Verd Islands to the coast of Brazil you see several +different kinds of gulls, which, probably, are bred in the Island of +St. Paul. Sometimes the large bird called the frigate pelican soars +majestically over the vessel, and the tropic bird comes near enough to +let you have a fair view of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, +when it is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their appearance. +They are descried from the ship by means of the dorsal fin, which is +above the water. + +On entering the Bay of Pernambuco, the frigate pelican is seen watching +the shoals of fish from a prodigious height. It seldom descends without +a successful attack on its numerous prey below. + +As you approach the shore the view is charming. The hills are clothed +with wood, gradually rising towards the interior, none of them of any +considerable height. A singular reef of rocks runs parallel to the +coast and forms the harbour of Pernambuco. The vessels are moored +betwixt it and the town, safe from every storm. You enter the harbour +through a very narrow passage, close by a fort built on the reef. The +hill of Olinda, studded with houses and convents, is on your +right-hand, and an island thickly planted with cocoa-nut trees adds +considerably to the scene on your left. There are two strong forts on +the isthmus betwixt Olinda and Pernambuco, and a pillar midway to aid +the pilot. + +Pernambuco probably contains upwards of fifty thousand souls. It stands +on a flat, and is divided into three parts: a peninsula, an island and +the continent. Though within a few degrees of the line, its climate is +remarkably salubrious and rendered almost temperate by the refreshing +sea-breeze. Had art and judgment contributed their portion to its +natural advantages, Pernambuco at this day would have been a stately +ornament to the coast of Brazil. On viewing it, it will strike you that +everyone has built his house entirely for himself, and deprived public +convenience of the little claim she had a right to put in. You would +wish that this city, so famous for its harbour, so happy in its climate +and so well situated for commerce, could have risen under the flag of +Dido, in lieu of that of Braganza. + +As you walk down the streets the appearance of the houses is not much +in their favour. Some of them are very high, and some very low; some +newly whitewashed, and others stained and mouldy and neglected, as +though they had no owner. + +The balconies, too, are of a dark and gloomy appearance. They are not, +in general, open as in most tropical cities, but grated like a farmer's +dairy-window, though somewhat closer. + +There is a lamentable want of cleanliness in the streets. The +impurities from the houses and the accumulation of litter from the +beasts of burden are unpleasant sights to the passing stranger. He +laments the want of a police as he goes along, and when the wind begins +to blow his nose and eyes are too often exposed to a cloud of very +unsavoury dust. + +When you view the port of Pernambuco, full of ships of all nations; +when you know that the richest commodities of Europe, Africa and Asia +are brought to it; when you see immense quantities of cotton, dye-wood +and the choicest fruits pouring into the town, you are apt to wonder at +the little attention these people pay to the common comforts which one +always expects to find in a large and opulent city. However, if the +inhabitants are satisfied, there is nothing more to be said. Should +they ever be convinced that inconveniences exist, and that nuisances +are too frequent, the remedy is in their own hands. At present, +certainly, they seem perfectly regardless of them; and the +Captain-General of Pernambuco walks through the streets with as +apparent content and composure as an English statesman would proceed +down Charing Cross. Custom reconciles everything. In a week or two the +stranger himself begins to feel less the things which annoyed him so +much upon his first arrival, and after a few months' residence he +thinks no more about them, while he is partaking of the hospitality and +enjoying the elegance and splendour within doors in this great city. + +Close by the river-side stands what is called the palace of the +Captain-General of Pernambuco. Its form and appearance altogether +strike the traveller that it was never intended for the use it is at +present put to. + +Reader, throw a veil over thy recollection for a little while, and +forget the cruel, unjust and unmerited censures thou hast heard against +an unoffending order. This palace was once the Jesuits' college, and +originally built by those charitable fathers. Ask the aged and +respectable inhabitants of Pernambuco, and they will tell thee that the +destruction of the Society of Jesus was a terrible disaster to the +public, and its consequences severely felt to the present day. + +When Pombal took the reins of power into his own hands, virtue and +learning beamed bright within the college walls. Public catechism to +the children, and religious instruction to all, flowed daily from the +mouths of its venerable priests. + +They were loved, revered and respected throughout the whole town. The +illuminating philosophers of the day had sworn to exterminate Christian +knowledge, and the college of Pernambuco was doomed to founder in the +general storm. To the long-lasting sorrow and disgrace of Portugal, the +philosophers blinded her king and flattered her prime minister. Pombal +was exactly the tool these sappers of every public and private virtue +wanted. He had the naked sword of power in his own hand, and his heart +was hard as flint. He struck a mortal blow and the Society of Jesus, +throughout the Portuguese dominions, was no more. + +One morning all the fathers of the college in Pernambuco, some of them +very old and feeble, were suddenly ordered into the refectory. They had +notice beforehand of the fatal storm, in pity, from the governor, but +not one of them abandoned his charge. They had done their duty and had +nothing to fear. They bowed with resignation to the will of Heaven. As +soon as they had all reached the refectory they were there locked up, +and never more did they see their rooms, their friends, their scholars, +or acquaintance. In the dead of the following night a strong guard of +soldiers literally drove them through the streets to the water's edge. +They were then conveyed in boats aboard a ship and steered for Bahia. +Those who survived the barbarous treatment they experienced from +Pombal's creatures, were at last ordered to Lisbon. The college of +Pernambuco was plundered, and some time after an elephant was kept +there. + +Thus the arbitrary hand of power, in one night, smote and swept away +the sciences: to which succeeded the low vulgar buffoonery of a +showman. Virgil and Cicero made way for a wild beast from Angola! and +now a guard is on duty at the very gate where, in times long past, the +poor were daily fed! + +Trust not, kind reader, to the envious remarks which their enemies have +scattered far and near; believe not the stories of those who have had a +hand in the sad tragedy. Go to Brazil, and see with thine own eyes the +effect of Pombal's short-sighted policy. There vice reigns triumphant +and learning is at its lowest ebb. Neither is this to be wondered at. +Destroy the compass, and will the vessel find her far-distant port? +Will the flock keep together, and escape the wolves, after the +shepherds are all slain? The Brazilians were told that public education +would go on just as usual. They might have asked Government, who so +able to instruct our youth as those whose knowledge is proverbial? who +so fit as those who enjoy our entire confidence? who so worthy as those +whose lives are irreproachable? + +They soon found that those who succeeded the fathers of the Society of +Jesus had neither their manner nor their abilities. They had not made +the instruction of youth their particular study. Moreover, they entered +on the field after a defeat where the officers had all been slain; +where the plan of the campaign was lost; where all was in sorrow and +dismay. No exertions of theirs could rally the dispersed, or skill +prevent the fatal consequences. At the present day the seminary of +Olinda, in comparison with the former Jesuits' college, is only as the +waning moon's beam to the sun's meridian splendour. + +When you visit the places where those learned fathers once flourished, +and see with your own eyes the evils their dissolution has caused; when +you hear the inhabitants telling you how good, how clever, how +charitable they were; what will you think of our poet laureate for +calling them, in his _History of Brazil_, "Missioners whose zeal the +most fanatical was directed by the coolest policy"? + +Was it _fanatical_ to renounce the honours and comforts of this +transitory life in order to gain eternal glory in the next, by denying +themselves, and taking up the cross? Was it _fanatical_ to preach +salvation to innumerable wild hordes of Americans? to clothe the naked? +to encourage the repenting sinner? to aid the dying Christian? The +fathers of the Society of Jesus did all this. And for this their zeal +is pronounced to be the most fanatical, directed by the coolest policy. +It will puzzle many a clear brain to comprehend how it is possible, in +the nature of things, that _zeal_ the most _fanatical_ should be +directed by the _coolest policy_. Ah, Mr. Laureate, Mr. Laureate, that +"quidlibet audendi" of yours may now and then gild the poet at the same +time that it makes the historian cut a sorry figure! + +Could Father Nobrega rise from the tomb, he would thus address you: +"Ungrateful Englishman, you have drawn a great part of your information +from the writings of the Society of Jesus, and in return you attempt to +stain its character by telling your countrymen that 'we taught the +idolatry we believed'! In speaking of me, you say it was my happy +fortune to be stationed in a country where _none_ but the good +principles of my order were called into action. Ungenerous laureate, +the narrow policy of the times has kept your countrymen in the dark +with regard to the true character of the Society of Jesus; and you draw +the bandage still tighter over their eyes by a malicious insinuation. I +lived and taught and died in Brazil, where you state that _none_ but +the good principles of my order were called into action, and still, in +most absolute contradiction to this, you remark we believed the +_idolatry_ we taught in Brazil. Thus we brought none but good +principles into action, and still taught idolatry! + +"Again, you state there is no individual to whose talents Brazil is so +greatly and permanently indebted as mine, and that I must be regarded +as the founder of that system so successfully pursued by the Jesuits in +Paraguay: a system productive of as much good as is compatible with +pious fraud. Thus you make me, at one and the same time, a teacher of +none but good principles, and a teacher of idolatry, and a believer in +idolatry, and still the founder of a system for which Brazil is greatly +and permanently indebted to me, though, by the by, the system was only +productive of as much good as is compatible with pious fraud! + +"What means all this? After reading such incomparable nonsense, should +your countrymen wish to be properly informed concerning the Society of +Jesus, there are in England documents enough to show that the system of +the Jesuits was a system of Christian charity towards their +fellow-creatures administered in a manner which human prudence judged +best calculated to ensure success; and that the idolatry which you +uncharitably affirm they taught was really and truly the very same +faith which the Catholic Church taught for centuries in England, which +she still teaches to those who wish to hear her, and which she will +continue to teach, pure and unspotted, till time shall be no more." + +The environs of Pernambuco are very pretty. You see country houses in +all directions, and the appearance of here and there a sugar-plantation +enriches the scenery. Palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, orange and lemon +groves, and all the different fruits peculiar to Brazil, are here in +the greatest abundance. + +At Olinda there is a national botanical garden: it wants space, produce +and improvement. The forests, which are several leagues off, abound +with birds, beasts, insects and serpents. Besides a brilliant plumage, +many of the birds have a very fine song. The troupiale, noted for its +rich colours, sings delightfully in the environs of Pernambuco. The +red-headed finch, larger than the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet +and varied strain, in company with two species of wrens, a little +before daylight. There are also several species of the thrush, which +have a song somewhat different from that of the European thrush; and +two species of the linnet, whose strain is so soft and sweet that it +dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird called here +sangre-do-buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage your attention: +he is of the passerine tribe, and very common about the houses; the +wings and tail are black and every other part of the body a flaming +red. In Guiana there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, +note and economy, but differing in colour, its whole body being like +black velvet; on its breast a tinge of red appears through the black. +Thus Nature has ordered this little tangara to put on mourning to the +north of the line and wear scarlet to the south of it. + +For three months in the year the environs of Pernambuco are animated +beyond description. From November to March the weather is particularly +fine; then it is that rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and +natives, all issue from the city to enjoy the country till Lent +approaches, when back they hie them. Villages and hamlets, where +nothing before but rags was seen, now shine in all the elegance of +dress; every house, every room, every shed become eligible places for +those whom nothing but extreme necessity could have forced to live +there a few weeks ago: some join in the merry dance, others saunter up +and down the orange groves; and towards evening the roads become a +moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables have constant +visitors: there thousands are daily and nightly lost and won--parties +even sit down to try their luck round the outside of the door as well +as in the room: + + Vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus aulae + Luctus et ultrices, posucre sedilia curae. + +About six or seven miles from Pernambuco stands a pretty little village +called Monteiro. The river runs close by it, and its rural beauties +seem to surpass all others in the neighbourhood. There the +Captain-General of Pernambuco resides during this time of merriment and +joy. + +The traveller who allots a portion of his time to peep at his +fellow-creatures in their relaxations, and accustoms himself to read +their several little histories in their looks and gestures as he goes +musing on, may have full occupation for an hour or two every day at +this season amid the variegated scenes around the pretty village of +Monteiro. In the evening groups sitting at the door, he may sometimes +see with a sigh how wealth and the prince's favour cause a booby to +pass for a Solon, and be reverenced as such, while perhaps a poor +neglected Camoens stands silent at a distance, awed by the dazzling +glare of wealth and power. Retired from the public road he may see poor +Maria sitting under a palm-tree, with her elbow in her lap and her head +leaning on one side within her hand, weeping over her forbidden bans. +And as he moves on "with wandering step and slow," he may hear a +broken-hearted nymph ask her faithless swain: + + How could you say my face was fair, + And yet that face forsake? + How could you win my virgin heart, + Yet leave that heart to break? + +One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from Monteiro, these +adventures were near being brought to a speedy and a final close: six +or seven blackbirds, with a white spot betwixt the shoulders, were +making a noise and passing to and fro on the lower branches of a tree +in an abandoned, weed-grown orange-orchard. In the long grass +underneath the tree apparently a pale green grasshopper was fluttering, +as though it had got entangled in it. When you once fancy that the +thing you are looking at is really what you take it for, the more you +look at it the more you are convinced it is so. In the present case +this was a grasshopper beyond all doubt, and nothing more remained to +be done but to wait in patience till it had settled, in order that you +might run no risk of breaking its legs in attempting to lay hold of it +while it was fluttering--it still kept fluttering; and having quietly +approached it, intending to make sure of it --behold, the head of a +large rattlesnake appeared in the grass close by: an instantaneous +spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What had been taken for +a grasshopper was, in fact, the elevated rattle of the snake in the act +of announcing that he was quite prepared, though unwilling, to make a +sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed slowly from under the +orange-tree to the neighbouring wood on the side of a hill: as he moved +over a place bare of grass and weeds he appeared to be about eight feet +long; it was he who had engaged the attention of the birds and made +them heedless of danger from another quarter: they flew away on his +retiring--one alone left his little life in the air, destined to become +a specimen, mute and motionless, for the inspection of the curious in a +far distant clime. + +It was now the rainy season. The birds were moulting--fifty-eight +specimens of the handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernambuco +had been collected; and it was time to proceed elsewhere. The +conveyance to the interior was by horses, and this mode, together with +the heavy rains, would expose preserved specimens to almost certain +damage. The journey to Maranham by land would take at least forty days. +The route was not wild enough to engage the attention of an explorer, +or civilised enough to afford common comforts to a traveller. By sea +there were no opportunities, except slave-ships. As the transporting +poor negroes from port to port for sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' +decks are crowded with them. This would not do. + +Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of gratitude to an +Irish family whose urbanity and goodness have long gained it the esteem +and respect of all ranks in Pernambuco. The kindness and attention I +received from Dennis Kearney, Esq., and his amiable lady will be +remembered with gratitude to my dying day. + +After wishing farewell to this hospitable family, I embarked on board a +Portuguese brig, with poor accommodations, for Cayenne in Guiana. The +most eligible bedroom was the top of a hen-coop on deck. Even here an +unsavoury little beast, called bug, was neither shy nor deficient in +appetite. + +The Portuguese seamen are famed for catching fish. One evening, under +the line, four sharks made their appearance in the wake of the vessel. +The sailors caught them all. + +On the fourteenth day after leaving Pernambuco, the brig cast anchor +off the Island of Cayenne. The entrance is beautiful. To windward, not +far off, there are two bold wooded islands called the Father and +Mother, and near them are others, their children, smaller, though as +beautiful as their parents. Another is seen a long way to leeward of +the family, and seems as if it had strayed from home and cannot find +its way back. The French call it "l'enfant perdu." As you pass the +islands the stately hills on the main, ornamented with ever-verdant +foliage, show you that this is by far the sublimest scenery on the +sea-coast from the Amazons to the Oroonoque. On casting your eye +towards Dutch Guiana you will see that the mountains become unconnected +and few in number, and long before you reach Surinam the Atlantic wave +washes a flat and muddy shore. + +Considerably to windward of Cayenne, and about twelve leagues from +land, stands a stately and towering rock called the Constable. As +nothing grows on it to tempt greedy and aspiring man to claim it as his +own, the sea-fowl rest and raise their offspring there. The bird called +the frigate is ever soaring round its rugged summit. Hither the phaeton +bends his rapid flight, and flocks of rosy flamingos here defy the +fowler's cunning. All along the coast, opposite the Constable, and +indeed on every uncultivated part of it to windward and leeward, are +seen innumerable quantities of snow-white egrets, scarlet curlews, +spoonbills and flamingos. + +Cayenne is capable of being a noble and productive colony. At present +it is thought to be the poorest on the coast of Guiana. Its estates are +too much separated one from the other by immense tracts of forest; and +the revolutionary war, like a cold eastern wind, has chilled their zeal +and blasted their best expectations. + +The clove-tree, the cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, and many other choice +spices and fruits of the Eastern and Asiatic regions, produce +abundantly in Cayenne. + +The town itself is prettily laid out, and was once well fortified. They +tell you it might easily have been defended against the invading force +of the two united nations; but Victor Hugues, its governor, ordered the +tri-coloured flag to be struck; and ever since that day the standard of +Braganza has waved on the ramparts of Cayenne. + +He who has received humiliations from the hand of this haughty, +iron-hearted governor may see him now, in Cayenne, stripped of all his +revolutionary honours, broken down and ruined, and under arrest in his +own house. He has four accomplished daughters, respected by the whole +town. Towards the close of day, when the sun's rays are no longer +oppressive, these much-pitied ladies are seen walking up and down the +balcony with their aged parent, trying, by their kind and filial +attention, to remove the settled gloom from his too guilty brow. + +This was not the time for a traveller to enjoy Cayenne. The hospitality +of the inhabitants was the same as ever, but they had lost their wonted +gaiety in public, and the stranger might read in their countenances, as +the recollection of recent humiliations and misfortunes every now and +then kept breaking in upon them, that they were still in sorrow for +their fallen country: the victorious hostile cannon of Waterloo still +sounded in their ears: their emperor was a prisoner amongst the hideous +rocks of St. Helena; and many a Frenchman who had fought and bled for +France was now amongst them begging for a little support to prolong a +life which would be forfeited on the parent soil. To add another +handful to the cypress and wormwood already scattered amongst these +polite colonists, they had just received orders from the Court of +Janeiro to put on deep mourning for six months, and half-mourning for +as many more, on account of the death of the queen of Portugal. + +About a day's journey in the interior is the celebrated national +plantation. This spot was judiciously chosen, for it is out of the +reach of enemies' cruisers. It is called La Gabrielle. No plantation in +the Western world can vie with La Gabrielle. Its spices are of the +choicest kind, its soil particularly favourable to them, its +arrangements beautiful, and its directeur, Monsieur Martin, a botanist +of first-rate abilities. This indefatigable naturalist ranged through +the East, under a royal commission, in quest of botanical knowledge; +and during his stay in the Western regions has sent over to Europe from +twenty to twenty-five thousand specimens in botany and zoology. La +Gabrielle is on a far-extending range of woody hills. Figure to +yourself a hill in the shape of a bowl reversed, with the buildings on +the top of it, and you will have an idea of the appearance of La +Gabrielle. You approach the house through a noble avenue, five hundred +toises long, of the choicest tropical fruit-trees, planted with the +greatest care and judgment; and should you chance to stray through it, +after sunset, when the clove-trees are in blossom, you would fancy +yourself in the Idalian groves or near the banks of the Nile, where +they were burning the finest incense as the queen of Egypt passed. + +On La Gabrielle there are twenty-two thousand clove-trees in full +bearing. They are planted thirty feet asunder. Their lower branches +touch the ground. In general the trees are topped at five and twenty +feet high, though you will see some here towering up above sixty. The +black pepper, the cinnamon and nutmeg are also in great abundance here, +and very productive. + +While the stranger views the spicy groves of La Gabrielle, and tastes +the most delicious fruits which have been originally imported hither +from all parts of the tropical world, he will thank the Government +which has supported, and admire the talents of the gentleman who has +raised to its present grandeur, this noble collection of useful fruits. +There is a large nursery attached to La Gabrielle where plants of all +the different species are raised and distributed gratis to those +colonists who wish to cultivate them. + +Not far from the banks of the River Oyapoc, to windward of Cayenne, is +a mountain which contains an immense cavern. Here the cock-of-the-rock +is plentiful. He is about the size of a fantail pigeon, his colour a +bright orange and his wings and tail appear as though fringed; his head +is ornamented with a superb double-feathery crest edged with purple. He +passes the day amid gloomy damps and silence, and only issues out for +food a short time at sunrise and sunset. He is of the gallinaceous +tribe. The South-American Spaniards call him "Gallo del Rio Negro" +(Cock of the Black River), and suppose that he is only to be met with +in the vicinity of that far-inland stream; but he is common in the +interior of Demerara, amongst the huge rocks in the forests of +Macoushia, and he has been shot south of the line, in the captainship +of Para. + +The bird called by Buffon grand gobe-mouche has never been found in +Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. He is not quite so large as +the jackdaw, and is entirely black, except a large spot under the +throat, which is a glossy purple. + +You may easily sail from Cayenne to the River Surinam in two days. Its +capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich and populous: hitherto it has +been considered by far the finest town in Guiana, but probably the time +is not far off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of +superiority. You may enter a creek above Paramaribo and travel through +the interior of Surinam till you come to the Nicari, which is close to +the large River Coryntin. When you have passed this river there is a +good public road to New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. + +On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike you that something +or other has intervened to prevent its arriving at that state of wealth +and consequence for which its original plan shows it was once intended. +What has caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and +populous city remains for those to find out who are interested in it; +certain it is that New Amsterdam has been languid for some years, and +now the tide of commerce seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. + +Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. Perhaps, kind +reader, thou hast not forgot that it was from Stabroek, the capital of +Demerara, that the adventurer set out, some years ago, to reach the +Portuguese frontier-fort and collect the wourali poison. It was not +intended, when this second sally was planned in England, to have +visited Stabroek again by the route here described. The plan was to +have ascended the Amazons from Para and got into the Rio Negro, and +from thence to have returned towards the source of the Essequibo, in +order to examine the crystal mountains and look once more for Lake +Parima, or the White Sea; but on arriving at Cayenne the current was +running with such amazing rapidity to leeward that a Portuguese sloop, +which had been beating up towards Para for four weeks, was then only +half-way. Finding, therefore, that a beat to the Amazons would be long, +tedious and even uncertain, and aware that the season for procuring +birds in fine plumage had already set in, I left Cayenne in an American +ship for Paramaribo, went through the interior to the Coryntin, stopped +a few days in New Amsterdam, and proceeded to Demerara. If, gentle +reader, thy patience be not already worn out, and thy eyes half-closed +in slumber by perusing the dull adventures of this second sally, +perhaps thou wilt pardon a line or two on Demerara; and then we will +retire to its forests to collect and examine the economy of its most +rare and beautiful birds, and give the world a new mode of preserving +them. + +Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, has been rapidly increasing for some +years back; and if prosperity go hand in hand with the present +enterprising spirit, Stabroek, ere long, will be of the first colonial +consideration. It stands on the eastern bank at the mouth of the +Demerara, and enjoys all the advantages of the refreshing sea-breeze; +the streets are spacious, well bricked and elevated, the trenches +clean, the bridges excellent, and the houses handsome. Almost every +commodity and luxury of London may be bought in the shops at Stabroek: +its market wants better regulations. The hotels are commodious, clean +and well-attended. Demerara boasts as fine and well-disciplined militia +as any colony in the Western world. + +The court of justice, where in times of old the bandage was easily +removed from the eyes of the goddess and her scales thrown out of +equilibrium, now rises in dignity under the firmness, talents and +urbanity of Mr. President Rough. + +The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation; a tolerable +idea may be formed of their value when you know that last year Demerara +numbered 72,999 slaves. They made above 44,000,000 pounds of sugar, +near 2,000,000 gallons of rum, above 11,000,000 pounds of coffee, and +3,819,512 pounds of cotton; the receipt into the public chest was +553,956 guilders; the public expenditure 451,603 guilders. + +Slavery can never be defended. He whose heart is not of iron can never +wish to be able to defend it: while he heaves a sigh for the poor negro +in captivity, he wishes from his soul that the traffic had been stifled +in its birth; but unfortunately the Governments of Europe nourished it, +and now that they are exerting themselves to do away the evil, and +ensure liberty to the sons of Africa, the situation of the +plantation-slaves is depicted as truly deplorable and their condition +wretched. It is not so. A Briton's heart, proverbially kind and +generous, is not changed by climate or its streams of compassion dried +up by the scorching heat of a Demerara sun: he cheers his negroes in +labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in old age, and +never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. + +Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as well as all +the world over, but the edicts of the colonial Government are well +calculated to prevent them, and the British planter, except here and +there one, feels for the wrongs done to a poor ill-treated slave, and +shows that his heart grieves for him by causing immediate redress and +preventing a repetition. + +Long may ye flourish, peaceful and liberal inhabitants of Demerara. +Your doors are ever open to harbour the harbourless; your purses never +shut to the wants of the distressed: many a ruined fugitive from the +Oroonoque will bless your kindness to him in the hour of need, when +flying from the woes of civil discord, without food or raiment, he +begged for shelter underneath your roof. The poor sufferer in Trinidad +who lost his all in the devouring flames will remember your charity to +his latest moments. The traveller, as he leaves your port, casts a +longing, lingering look behind: your attentions, your hospitality, your +pleasantry and mirth are uppermost in his thoughts; your prosperity is +close to his heart. Let us now, gentle reader, retire from the busy +scenes of man and journey on towards the wilds in quest of the +feathered tribe. + +Leave behind you your high-seasoned dishes, your wines and your +delicacies: carry nothing but what is necessary for your own comfort +and the object in view, and depend upon the skill of an Indian, or your +own, for fish and game. A sheet about twelve feet long, ten wide, +painted, and with loop-holes on each side, will be of great service: in +a few minutes you can suspend it betwixt two trees in the shape of a +roof. Under this, in your hammock, you may defy the pelting shower, and +sleep heedless of the dews of night. A hat, a shirt and a light pair of +trousers will be all the raiment you require. Custom will soon teach +you to tread lightly and barefoot on the little inequalities of the +ground, and show you how to pass on unwounded amid the mantling briers. + +Snakes, in these wilds, are certainly an annoyance, though perhaps more +in imagination than reality, for you must recollect that the serpent is +never the first to offend: his poisonous fang was not given him for +conquest--he never inflicts a wound with it but to defend existence. +Provided you walk cautiously and do not absolutely touch him, you may +pass in safety close by him. As he is often coiled up on the ground, +and amongst the branches of the trees above you, a degree of +circumspection is necessary lest you unwarily disturb him. + +Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the noble face of man, to +require a moment of your attention. + +The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at the very worst, only +causes a transient fever with a degree of pain more or less. + +Birds in general, with a few exceptions, are not common in the very +remote parts of the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes and creeks, the +borders of savannas, the old abandoned habitations of Indians and +wood-cutters, seem to be their favourite haunts. + +Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird +entitles it to the first place in the list of the birds of the new +world. It may truly be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed +in the Old World, it would have claimed the title instead of the bird +which has now the honour to bear it. See it darting through the air +almost as quick as thought!--now it is within a yard of your face!--in +an instant gone!--now it flutters from flower to flower to sip the +silver dew--it is now a ruby--now a topaz --now an emerald--now all +burnished gold! It would be arrogant to pretend to describe this winged +gem of Nature after Buffon's elegant description of it. + +Cayenne and Demerara produce the same hummingbirds. Perhaps you would +wish to know something of their haunts. Chiefly in the months of July +and August, the tree called bois immortel, very common in Demerara, +bears abundance of red blossom which stays on the tree for some weeks; +then it is that most of the different species of humming-birds are very +plentiful. The wild red sage is also their favourite shrub, and they +buzz like bees round the blossom of the wallaba tree. Indeed, there is +scarce a flower in the interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives +frequent visits from one or other of the species. + +On entering the forests, on the rising land in the interior, the blue +and green, the smallest brown, no bigger than the humble-bee, with two +long feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated +humming-birds, glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes. One +species alone never shows his beauty to the sun: and were it not for +his lovely shining colours, you might almost be tempted to class him +with the goat-suckers, on account of his habits. He is the largest of +all the humming-birds, and is all red and changing gold-green, except +the head, which is black. He has two long feathers in the tail which +cross each other, and these have gained him the name of karabimiti, or +ara humming-bird, from the Indians. You never find him on the +sea-coast, or where the river is salt, or in the heart of the forest, +unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the side of woody +fresh-water rivers and dark and lonely creeks. He leaves his retreat +before sunrise to feed on the insects over the water; he returns to it +as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light, is sedentary all day +long, and comes out again for a short tune after sunset. He builds his +nest on a twig over the water in the unfrequented creeks: it looks like +tanned cow-leather. + +As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara other species of +humming-birds present themselves before you. It seems to be an +erroneous opinion that the humming-bird lives entirely on honey-dew. +Almost every flower of the tropical climates contains insects of one +kind or other. Now the humming-bird is most busy about the flowers an +hour or two after sunrise and after a shower of rain, and it is just at +this time that the insects come out to the edge of the flower in order +that the sun's rays may dry the nocturnal dew and rain which they have +received. On opening the stomach of the humming-bird dead insects are +almost always found there. + +Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas display the gayest plumage. +They are of the order of Passer, and you number five species betwixt +the sea-coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet cotinga is the +richest of the five, and is one of those birds which are found in the +deepest recesses of the forest. His crown is flaming red; to this +abruptly succeeds a dark shining brown, reaching half-way down the +back: the remainder of the back, the rump and tail, the extremity of +which is edged with black, are a lively red; the belly is a somewhat +lighter red; the breast reddish-black; the wings brown. He has no song, +is solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle which sounds like "quet." +He is fond of the seeds of the hitia-tree and those of the siloabali- +and bastard siloabali-trees, which ripen in December and continue on +the trees for above two months. He is found throughout the year in +Demerara; still nothing is known of his incubation. The Indians all +agree in telling you that they have never seen his nest. + +The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and breast of a deep purple, +the wings and tail black, and all the rest of the body a most lovely +shining blue. + +The purple-throated cotinga has black wings and tail, and every other +part a light and glossy blue, save the throat, which is purple. + +The pompadour cotinga is entirely purple, except his wings, which are +white, their four first feathers tipped with brown. The great coverts +of the wings are stiff, narrow and pointed, being shaped quite +different from those of any other bird. When you are betwixt this bird +and the sun, in his flight, he appears uncommonly brilliant. He makes a +hoarse noise which sounds like "wallababa." Hence his name amongst the +Indians. + +None of these three cotingas have a song. They feed on the hitia, +siloabali- and bastard siloabali-seeds, the wild guava, the fig, and +other fruit-trees of the forest. They are easily shot in these trees +during the months of December, January and part of February. The +greater part of them disappear after this, and probably retire far away +to breed. Their nests have never been found in Demerara. + +The fifth species is the celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, called +dara by the Indians, and bell-bird by the English. He is about the size +of the jay. His plumage is white as snow. On his forehead rises a +spiral tube nearly three inches long. It is jet black, dotted all over +with small white feathers. It has a communication with the palate, and +when filled with air looks like a spire; when empty it becomes +pendulous. His note is loud and clear, like the sound of a bell, and +may be heard at the distance of three miles. In the midst of these +extensive wilds, generally on the dried top of an aged mora, almost out +of gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No sound or song from any of +the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the clearly pronounced +"Whip-poor-will" from the goat-sucker, cause such astonishment as the +toll of the campanero. + +With many of the feathered race he pays the common tribute of a morning +and an evening song; and even when the meridian sun has shut in silence +the mouths of almost the whole of animated nature the campanero still +cheers the forest. You hear his toll, and then a pause for a minute, +then another toll, and then a pause again, and then a toll, and again a +pause. Then he is silent for six or eight minutes, and then another +toll, and so on. Acteon would stop in mid-chase, Maria would defer her +evening song, and Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to him, +so sweet, so novel and romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white +campanero. He is never seen to feed with the other cotingas, nor is it +known in what part of Guiana he makes his nest. + +While the cotingas attract your attention by their superior plumage, +the singular form of the toucan makes a lasting impression on your +memory. There are three species of toucans in Demerara, and three +diminutives, which may be called toucanets. The largest of the first +species frequents the mangrove trees on the sea-coast. He is never seen +in the interior till you reach Macoushia, where he is found in the +neighbourhood of the River Tacatou. The other two species are very +common. They feed entirely on the fruits of the forest and, though of +the pie kind, never kill the young of other birds or touch carrion. The +larger is called bouradi by the Indians (which means nose), the other +scirou. They seem partial to each other's company, and often resort to +the same feeding-tree and retire together to the same shady noon-day +retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at all hours of the day, +and in fair weather at morn and eve. The sound which the bouradi makes +is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog, and you fancy he says +"pia-po-o-co," and thus the South-American Spaniards call him piapoco. + +All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the toucan feeds, and +every species of this family of enormous bill lays its eggs in the +hollow trees. They are social, but not gregarious. You may sometimes +see eight or ten in company, and from this you would suppose they are +gregarious; but upon a closer examination you will find it has only +been a dinner-party, which breaks up and disperses towards +roosting-time. + +You will be at a loss to conjecture for what ends Nature has overloaded +the head of this bird with such an enormous bill. It cannot be for the +offensive, as it has no need to wage war with any of the tribes of +animated nature, for its food is fruits and seeds, and those are in +superabundance throughout the whole year in the regions where the +toucan is found. It can hardly be for the defensive, as the toucan is +preyed upon by no bird in South America and, were it obliged to be at +war, the texture of the bill is ill-adapted to give or receive blows, +as you will see in dissecting it. It cannot be for any particular +protection to the tongue, as the tongue is a perfect feather. + +The flight of the toucan is by jerks: in the action of flying it seems +incommoded by this huge disproportioned feature, and the head seems as +if bowed down to the earth by it against its will. If the extraordinary +form and size of the bill expose the toucan to ridicule, its colours +make it amends. Were a specimen of each species of the toucan presented +to you, you would pronounce the bill of the bouradi the most rich and +beautiful: on the ridge of the upper mandible a broad stripe of most +lovely yellow extends from the head to the point; a stripe of the same +breadth, though somewhat deeper yellow, falls from it at right angles +next the head down to the edge of the mandible; then follows a black +stripe, half as broad, falling at right angles from the ridge and +running narrower along the edge to within half an inch of the point. +The rest of the mandible is a deep bright red. The lower mandible has +no yellow: its black and red are distributed in the same manner as on +the upper one, with this difference, that there is black about an inch +from the point. The stripe corresponding to the deep yellow stripe on +the upper mandible is sky-blue. It is worthy of remark that all these +brilliant colours of the bill are to be found in the plumage of the +body and the bare skin round the eye. + +All these colours, except the blue, are inherent in the horn: that part +which appears blue is in reality transparent white, and receives its +colour from a thin piece of blue skin inside. This superb bill fades in +death, and in three or four days' time has quite lost its original +colours. + +Till within these few years no idea of the true colours of the bill +could be formed from the stuffed toucans brought to Europe. About eight +years ago, while eating a boiled toucan, the thought struck me that the +colours in the bill of a preserved specimen might be kept as bright as +those in life. A series of experiments proved this beyond a doubt. If +you take your penknife and cut away the roof of the upper mandible, you +will find that the space betwixt it and the outer shell contains a +large collection of veins and small osseous fibres running in all +directions through the whole extent of the bill. Clear away all these +with your knife, and you will come to a substance more firm than skin, +but of not so strong a texture as the horn itself. Cut this away also, +and behind it is discovered a thin and tender membrane: yellow where it +has touched the yellow part of the horn, blue where it has touched the +red part, and black towards the edge and point; when dried this thin +and tender membrane becomes nearly black; as soon as it is cut away +nothing remains but the outer horn, red and yellow, and now become +transparent. The under mandible must undergo the same operation. Great +care must be taken and the knife used very cautiously when you are +cutting through the different parts close to where the bill joins on to +the head: if you cut away too much the bill drops off; if you press too +hard the knife comes through the horn; if you leave too great a portion +of the membrane it appears through the horn and, by becoming black when +dried, makes the horn appear black also, and has a bad effect. +Judgment, caution, skill and practice will ensure success. + +You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which are the cause +of its apparent fading, for, as has been said before, these bodies dry +in death and become quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn; +and reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that its former +bright colours are lost. + +Something still remains to be done. You have rendered the bill +transparent by the operation, and that transparency must be done away +to make it appear perfectly natural. Pound some clean chalk and give it +enough water till it be of the consistency of tar, add a proportion of +gum-arabic to make it adhesive, then take a camel-hair brush and give +the inside of both mandibles a coat; apply a second when the first is +dry, then another, and a fourth to finish all. The gum-arabic will +prevent the chalk from cracking and falling off. If you remember, there +is a little space of transparent white in the lower mandible which +originally appeared blue, but which became transparent white as soon as +the thin piece of blue skin was cut away: this must be painted blue +inside. When all this is completed the bill will please you: it will +appear in its original colours. Probably your own abilities will +suggest a cleverer mode of operating than the one here described. A +small gouge would assist the penknife and render the operation less +difficult. + +The houtou ranks high in beauty amongst the birds of Demerara. His +whole body is green, with a bluish cast in the wings and tail; his +crown, which he erects at pleasure, consists of black in the centre, +surrounded with lovely blue of two different shades; he has a +triangular black spot, edged with blue, behind the eye extending to the +ear, and on his breast a sable tuft consisting of nine feathers edged +also with blue. This bird seems to suppose that its beauty can be +increased by trimming the tail, which undergoes the same operation as +our hair in a barber's shop, only with this difference, that it uses +its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu of a pair of scissors. As soon +as his tail is full grown, he begins about an inch from the extremity +of the two longest feathers in it and cuts away the web on both sides +of the shaft, making a gap about an inch long. Both male and female +adonise their tails in this manner, which gives them a remarkable +appearance amongst all other birds. While we consider the tail of the +houtou blemished and defective, were he to come amongst us he would +probably consider our heads, cropped and bald, in no better light. He +who wishes to observe this handsome bird in his native haunts must be +in the forest at the morning's dawn. The houtou shuns the society of +man: the plantations and cultivated parts are too much disturbed to +engage it to settle there; the thick and gloomy forests are the places +preferred by the solitary houtou. + +In those far-extending wilds, about daybreak, you hear him articulate, +in a distinct and mournful tone, "houtou, houtou." Move cautious on to +where the sound proceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the +underwood about a couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up +and down every time he articulates "houtou." He lives on insects and +the berries amongst the underwood, and very rarely is seen in the lofty +trees, except the bastard siloabali-tree, the fruit of which is +grateful to him. He makes no nest, but rears his young in a hole in the +sand, generally on the side of a hill. + +While in quest of the houtou, you will now and then fall in with the +jay of Guiana, called by the Indians ibibirou. Its forehead is black, +the rest of the head white, the throat and breast like the English +magpie; about an inch of the extremity of the tail is white, the other +part of it, together with the back and wings, a greyish changing +purple; the belly is white. There are generally six or eight of them in +company: they are shy and garrulous, and tarry a very short time in one +place. They are never seen in the cultivated parts. + +Through the whole extent of the forest, chiefly from sunrise till nine +o'clock in the morning, you hear a sound of "wow, wow, wow, wow." This +is the bird called boclora by the Indians. It is smaller than the +common pigeon, and seems, in some measure, to partake of its nature: +its head and breast are blue; the back and rump somewhat resemble the +colour on the peacock's neck; its belly is a bright yellow. The legs +are so very short that it always appears as if sitting on the branch: +it is as ill-adapted for walking as the swallow. Its neck, for above an +inch all round, is quite bare of feathers, but this deficiency is not +seen, for it always sits with its head drawn in upon its shoulders. It +sometimes feeds with the cotingas on the guava- and hitia-trees, but +its chief nutriment seems to be insects, and, like most birds which +follow this prey, its chaps are well armed with bristles: it is found +in Demerara at all times of the year, and makes a nest resembling that +of the stock-dove. This bird never takes long nights, and when it +crosses a river or creek it goes by long jerks. + +The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing quite heedless of danger: +the report of a gun within twenty yards will not cause it to leave the +branch on which it is sitting, and you may often approach it so near as +almost to touch it with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is no bird +known whose feathers are so slightly fixed to the skin as those of the +boclora. After shooting it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if +it drop on hard ground, whole heaps of feathers fall off: on this +account it is extremely hard to procure a specimen for preservation. As +soon as the skin is dry in the preserved specimen the feathers become +as well fixed as those in any other bird. + +Another species, larger than the boclora, attracts much of your notice +in these wilds: it is called cuia by the Indians, from the sound of its +voice. Its habits are the same as those of the boclora, but its colours +different: its head, breast, back and rump are a shining, changing +green; its tail not quite so bright; a black bar runs across the tail +towards the extremity, and the outside feathers are partly white, as in +the boclora; its belly is entirely vermilion, a bar of white separating +it from the green on the breast. + +There are diminutives of both these birds: they have the same habits, +with a somewhat different plumage, and about half the size. Arrayed +from head to tail in a robe of richest sable hue, the bird called +rice-bird loves spots cultivated by the hand of man. The woodcutter's +house on the hills in the interior, and the planter's habitation on the +sea-coast, equally attract this songless species of the order of pie, +provided the Indian-corn be ripe there. He is nearly of the jackdaw's +size and makes his nest far away from the haunts of men. He may truly +be called a blackbird: independent of his plumage, his beak, inside and +out, his legs, his toes and claws are jet black. + +Mankind, by clearing the ground and sowing a variety of seeds, induces +many kinds of birds to leave their native haunts and come and settle +near him: their little depredations on his seeds and fruits prove that +it is the property, and not the proprietor, which has the attractions. + +One bird, however, in Demerara is not actuated by selfish motives: this +is the cassique. In size he is larger than the starling: he courts the +society of man, but disdains to live by his labours. When Nature calls +for support he repairs to the neighbouring forest, and there partakes +of the store of fruits and seeds which she has produced in abundance +for her aerial tribes. When his repast is over he returns to man, and +pays the little tribute which he owes him for his protection. He takes +his station on a tree close to his house, and there, for hours +together, pours forth a succession of imitative notes. His own song is +sweet, but very short. If a toucan be yelping in the neighbourhood, he +drops it, and imitates him. Then he will amuse his protector with the +cries of the different species of the woodpecker, and when the sheep +bleat he will distinctly answer them. Then comes his own song again; +and if a puppy-dog or a guinea-fowl interrupt him, he takes them off +admirably, and by his different gestures during the time you would +conclude that he enjoys the sport. + +The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any sound he hears with such +exactness that he goes by no other name than that of mocking bird +amongst the colonists. + +At breeding-time a number of these pretty choristers resort to a tree +near the planter's house, and from its outside branches weave their +pendulous nests. So conscious do they seem that they never give +offence, and so little suspicious are they of receiving any injury from +man, that they will choose a tree within forty yards from his house, +and occupy the branches so low down that he may peep into the nests. A +tree in Waratilla Creek affords a proof of this. + +The proportions of the cassique are so fine that he may be said to be a +model of symmetry in ornithology. On each wing he has a bright yellow +spot, and his rump, belly and half the tail are of the same colour. All +the rest of the body is black. His beak is the colour of sulphur, but +it fades in death, and requires the same operation as the bill of the +toucan to make it keep its colours. Up the rivers, in the interior, +there is another cassique, nearly the same size and of the same habits, +though not gifted with its powers of imitation. Except in +breeding-time, you will see hundreds of them retiring to roost amongst +the moca-moca-trees and low shrubs on the banks of the Demerara, after +you pass the first island. They are not common on the sea-coast. The +rump of this cassique is a flaming scarlet. All the rest of the body is +a rich glossy black. His bill is sulphur-colour. You may often see +numbers of this species weaving their pendulous nests on one side of a +tree, while numbers of the other species are busy in forming theirs on +the opposite side of the same tree. Though such near neighbours, the +females are never observed to kick up a row or come to blows! + +Another species of cassique, as large as a crow, is very common in the +plantations. In the morning he generally repairs to a large tree, and +there, with his tail spread over his back and shaking his lowered +wings, he produces notes which, though they cannot be said to amount to +a song, still have something very sweet and pleasing in them. He makes +his nest in the same form as the other cassiques. It is above four feet +long, and when you pass under the tree, which often contains fifty or +sixty of them, you cannot help stopping to admire them as they wave to +and fro, the sport of every storm and breeze. The rump is chestnut; ten +feathers of the tail are a fine yellow, the remaining two, which are +the middle ones, are black, and an inch shorter than the others. His +bill is sulphur-colour; all the rest of the body black, with here and +there shades of brown. He has five or six long narrow black feathers on +the back of his head, which he erects at pleasure. + +There is one more species of cassique in Demerara which always prefers +the forests to the cultivated parts. His economy is the same as that of +the other cassiques. He is rather smaller than the last described bird. +His body is greenish, and his tail and rump paler than those of the +former. Half of his beak is red. + +You would not be long in the forests of Demerara without noticing the +woodpeckers. You meet with them feeding at all hours of the day. Well +may they do so. Were they to follow the example of most of the other +birds, and only feed in the morning and evening, they would be often on +short allowance, for they sometimes have to labour three or four hours +at the tree before they get to their food. The sound which the largest +kind makes in hammering against the bark of the tree is so loud that +you would never suppose it to proceed from the efforts of a bird. You +would take it to be the woodman, with his axe, trying by a sturdy blow, +often repeated, whether the tree were sound or not. There are fourteen +species here: the largest the size of a magpie, the smallest no bigger +than the wren. They are all beautiful, and the greater part of them +have their heads ornamented with a fine crest, movable at pleasure. + +It is said, if you once give a dog a bad name, whether innocent or +guilty, he never loses it. It sticks close to him wherever he goes. He +has many a kick and many a blow to bear on account of it; and there is +nobody to stand up for him. The woodpecker is little better off. The +proprietors of woods in Europe have long accused him of injuring their +timber by boring holes in it and letting in the water, which soon rots +it. The colonists in America have the same complaint against him. Had +he the power of speech, which Ovid's birds possessed in days of yore, +he could soon make a defence: "Mighty lord of the woods," he would say +to man, "why do you wrongfully accuse me? Why do you hunt me up and +down to death for an imaginary offence? I have never spoiled a leaf of +your property, much less your wood. Your merciless shot strikes me at +the very time I am doing you a service. But your shortsightedness will +not let you see it, or your pride is above examining closely the +actions of so insignificant a little bird as I am. If there be that +spark of feeling in your breast which they say man possesses, or ought +to possess, above all other animals, do a poor injured creature a +little kindness and watch me in your woods only for one day. I never +wound your healthy trees. I should perish for want in the attempt. The +sound bark would easily resist the force of my bill; and were I even to +pierce through it, there would be nothing inside that I could fancy or +my stomach digest. I often visit them it is true, but a knock or two +convince me that I must go elsewhere for support; and were you to +listen attentively to the sound which my bill causes, you would know +whether I am upon a healthy or an unhealthy tree. Wood and bark are not +my food. I live entirely upon the insects which have already formed a +lodgment in the distempered tree. When the sound informs me that my +prey is there, I labour for hours together till I get at it, and by +consuming it for my own support, I prevent its further depredations in +that part. Thus I discover for you your hidden and unsuspected foe, +which has been devouring your wood in such secrecy that you had not the +least suspicion it was there. The hole which I make in order to get at +the pernicious vermin will be seen by you as you pass under the tree. I +leave it as a signal to tell you that your tree has already stood too +long. It is past its prime. Millions of insects, engendered by disease, +are preying upon its vitals. Ere long it will fall a log in useless +ruins. Warned by this loss, cut down the rest in time, and spare, O +spare the unoffending woodpecker." + +In the rivers and different creeks you number six species of the +kingfisher. They make their nest in a hole in the sand on the side of +the bank. As there is always plenty of foliage to protect them from the +heat of the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though their +plumage is prettily varied, still it falls far short of the brilliancy +displayed by the English kingfisher. This little native of Britain +would outweigh them altogether in the scale of beauty. + +A bird called jacamar is often taken for a kingfisher, but it has no +relationship to that tribe. It frequently sits in the trees over the +water, and as its beak bears some resemblance to that of the +kingfisher, this may probably account for its being taken for one; it +feeds entirely upon insects; it sits on a branch in motionless +expectation, and as soon as a fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it darts +at it, and returns to the branch it had just left. It seems an +indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the society of all others in the +forest. It never visits the plantations, but is found at all times of +the year in the woods. There are four species of jacamar in Demerara. +They are all beautiful: the largest, rich and superb in the extreme. +Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden-green that it may +be ranked with the choicest of the humming-birds. Nature has denied it +a song, but given a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest species +of jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The second size, all +golden-green on the back, must be looked for in the wallaba-forest. The +third is found throughout the whole extent of these wilds, and the +fourth, which is the largest, frequents the interior, where you begin +to perceive stones in the ground. + +When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty +songster called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive +notes. This is the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of +Guiana. Its predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, +arrayed to great advantage. His delicate and well-shaped frame seems +unable to bear captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales +to Stabroek, but in a few months they languish and die in a cage. They +soon become very familiar, and if you allow them the liberty of the +house, they live longer than in a cage and appear in better spirits, +but when you least expect it they drop down and die in epilepsy. + +Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently +arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara. +The woodcutter is particularly favoured by him, for while the hen is +sitting on her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he +sings for hours together close by. He prefers the forests to the +cultivated parts. + +You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in +the plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, +tail and throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. +There is something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much +shorter than that of the troupiale in the interior. + +A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place, in the cultivated +parts, at the time the indian-corn is ripe; he is all black, except the +head and throat, which are yellow. His attempt at song is not worth +attending to. + +Wherever there is a wild fig-tree ripe, a numerous species of birds +called tangara is sure to be on it. There are eighteen beautiful +species here. Their plumage is very rich and diversified. Some of them +boast six separate colours; others have the blue, purple, green and +black so kindly blended into each other that it would be impossible to +mark their boundaries; while others again exhibit them strong, distinct +and abrupt. Many of these tangaras have a fine song. They seem to +partake much of the nature of our linnets, sparrows and finches. Some +of them are fond of the plantations; others are never seen there, +preferring the wild seeds of the forest to the choicest fruits planted +by the hand of man. + +On the same fig-trees to which they repair, and often accidentally up +and down the forest, you fall in with four species of manikin. The +largest is white and black, with the feathers on the throat remarkably +long; the next in size is half red and half black; the third black, +with a white crown; the fourth black, with a golden crown, and red +feathers at the knee. The half-red and half-black species is the +scarcest. There is a creek in the Demerara called Camouni. About ten +minutes from the mouth you see a common-sized fig-tree on your right +hand, as you ascend, hanging over the water; it bears a very small fig +twice a year. When its fruit is ripe this manikin is on the tree from +morn till eve. + +On all the ripe fig-trees in the forest you see the bird called the +small tiger-bird. Like some of our belles and dandies, it has a gaudy +vest to veil an ill-shaped body. The throat, and part of the head, are +a bright red; the breast and belly have black spots on a yellow ground; +the wings are a dark green, black, and white; and the rump and tail +black and green. Like the manikin, it has no song: it depends solely +upon a showy garment for admiration. + +Devoid, too, of song, and in a still superber garb, the yawaraciri +comes to feed on the same tree. It has a bar like black velvet from the +eyes to the beak; its legs are yellow; its throat, wings and tail +black; all the rest of the body a charming blue. Chiefly in the dry +savannas, and here and there accidentally in the forest, you see a +songless yawaraciri still lovelier than the last: his crown is whitish +blue, arrayed like a coat of mail; his tail is black, his wings black +and yellow; legs red; and the whole body a glossy blue. Whilst roving +through the forest, ever and anon you see individuals of the wren +species busy amongst the fallen leaves, or seeking insects at the roots +of the trees. + +Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds whose backs +appear to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a +chestnut breast, smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like +horns on his head, and white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, +feeds entirely upon ants. When a nest of large light-brown ants +emigrates, one following the other in meandering lines above a mile +long, you see this bird watching them and every now and then picking +them up. When they disappear he is seen no more: perhaps this is the +only kind of ant he is fond of. When these ants are stirring, you are +sure to find him near them. You cannot well mistake the ant after you +have once been in its company, for its sting is very severe, and you +can hardly shoot the bird and pick it up without having five or six +upon you. + +Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different +kinds. You will know when they are near you in the forest not only by +the noise they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let +fall while they are feeding. + +The hia-hia parrot, called in England the parrot of the sun, is very +remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan +feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The +fore-part of his head is white; his back, tail and wings green; and his +breast and belly tartan. + +Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara +will force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and +gaze at him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body, +the lovely variety of red, yellow, blue and green in his wings, the +extraordinary length of his scarlet and blue tail, seem all to join and +demand for him the title of emperor of all the parrots. He is scarce in +Demerara till you reach the confines of the Macoushi country: there he +is in vast abundance. He mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. +When the coucourite-trees have ripe fruit on them they are covered with +this magnificent parrot. He is not shy or wary: you may take your +blow-pipe and quiver of poisoned arrows and kill more than you are able +to carry back to your hut. They are very vociferous, and, like the +common parrots, rise up in bodies towards sunset and fly two and two to +their place of rest. It is a grand sight in ornithology to see +thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to let you have a +full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians find their flesh very +good, and the feathers serve for ornaments in their head-dresses. They +breed in the holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and learn to +speak pretty distinctly. + +Another species frequents the low-lands of Demerara. He is nearly the +size of the scarlet ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and yellow +are his predominant colours. + +Along the creeks and river-sides, and in the wet savannas, six species +of the bittern will engage your attention. They are all handsome, the +smallest not so large as the English water-hen. + +In the savannas, too, you will sometimes surprise the snow-white egret, +whose back is adorned with the plumes from which it takes its name. +Here, too, the spur-winged water-hen, the blue and green water-hen and +two other species of ordinary plumage are found. While in quest of +these, the blue heron, the large and small brown heron, the boatbill +and muscovy duck now and then rise up before you. + +When the sun has sunk in the western woods, no longer agitated by the +breeze; when you can only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe +hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting-place, then it is +that the goat-sucker comes out of the forest, where it has sat all day +long in slumbering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes around +it. Its eyes are too delicately formed to bear the light, and thus it +is forced to shun the flaming face of day and wait in patience till +night invites him to partake of the pleasures her dusky presence brings. + +The harmless, unoffending goat-sucker, from the time of Aristotle down +to the present day, has been in disgrace with man. Father has handed +down to son, and author to author, that this nocturnal thief subsists +by milking the flocks. Poor injured little bird of night, how sadly +hast thou suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to facts put +upon thy character! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his +property nor deprived the kid of a drop of milk. + +When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of +examining the goat-sucker. You will see it close by the cows, goats and +sheep, jumping up every now and then under their bellies. Approach a +little nearer--he is not shy: "he fears no danger, for he knows no +sin." See how the nocturnal flies are tormenting the herd, and with +what dexterity he springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on +the belly, legs and udder of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, +and how sensible they seem of his good offices, for they neither strike +at him nor hit him with their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive +him away as an uncivil intruder. Were you to dissect him, and inspect +his stomach, you would find no milk there. It is full of the flies +which have been annoying the herd. + +The prettily-mottled plumage of the goat-sucker, like that of the owl, +wants the lustre which is observed in the feathers of the birds of day. +This at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's nightly beams. +There are nine species here. The largest appears nearly the size of the +English wood-owl. Its cry is so remarkable that, having once heard it, +you will never forget it. When night reigns over these immeasurable +wilds, whilst lying in your hammock you will hear this goat-sucker +lamenting like one in deep distress. A stranger would never conceive it +to be the cry of a bird. He would say it was the departing voice of a +midnight murdered victim or the last wailing of Niobe for her poor +children before she was turned into stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless +sorrow, begin with a high loud note, and pronounce "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, +ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till the last is scarcely heard, +pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and you will have some idea +of the moaning of the largest goat-sucker in Demerara. + +Four other species of the goat-sucker articulate some words so +distinctly that they have received their names from the sentences they +utter, and absolutely bewilder the stranger on his arrival in these +parts. The most common one sits down close by your door, and flies and +alights three or four yards before you, as you walk along the road, +crying, "Who-are-you, who-who-who-are-you." Another bids you +"Work-away, work-work-work-away." A third cries, mournfully, +"Willy-come-go, willy-willy-willy-come-go." And high up in the country +a fourth tells you to "Whip-poor-will, whip-whip-whip-poor-will." + +You will never persuade the negro to destroy these birds or get the +Indian to let fly his arrow at them. They are birds of omen and +reverential dread. Jumbo, the demon of Africa, has them under his +command, and they equally obey the Yabahou, or Demerara Indian devil. +They are the receptacles for departed souls, who come back again to +earth, unable to rest for crimes done in their days of nature; or they +are expressly sent by Jumbo, or Yabahou, to haunt cruel and +hard-hearted masters and retaliate injuries received from them. If the +largest goat-sucker chance to cry near the white man's door, sorrow and +grief will soon be inside: and they expect to see the master waste away +with a slow consuming sickness. If it be heard close to the negro's or +Indian's hut, from that night misfortune sits brooding over it: and +they await the event in terrible suspense. + +You will forgive the poor Indian of Guiana for this. He knows no +better; he has nobody to teach him. But shame it is that in our own +civilised country the black cat and broomstaff should be considered as +conductors to and from the regions of departed spirits. + +Many years ago I knew poor harmless Mary: old age had marked her +strongly, just as he will mark you and me, should we arrive at her +years and carry the weight of grief which bent her double. The old men +of the village said she had been very pretty in her youth, and nothing +could be seen more comely than Mary when she danced on the green. He +who had gained her heart left her for another, less fair, though +richer, than Mary. From that time she became sad and pensive; the rose +left her cheek, and she was never more seen to dance round the maypole +on the green. Her expectations were blighted; she became quite +indifferent to everything around her, and seemed to think of nothing +but how she could best attend her mother, who was lame and not long for +this life. Her mother had begged a black kitten from some boys who were +going to drown it, and in her last illness she told Mary to be kind to +it for her sake. + +When age and want had destroyed the symmetry of Mary's fine form, the +village began to consider her as one who had dealings with spirits: her +cat confirmed the suspicion. If a cow died, or a villager wasted away +with an unknown complaint, Mary and her cat had it to answer for. Her +broom sometimes served her for a walking-stick: and if ever she +supported her tottering frame with it as far as the maypole, where +once, in youthful bloom and beauty, she had attracted the eyes of all, +the boys would surround her and make sport of her, while her cat had +neither friend nor safety beyond the cottage-wall. Nobody considered it +cruel or uncharitable to torment a witch; and it is probable, long +before this, that cruelty, old age and want have worn her out, and that +both poor Mary and her cat have ceased to be. + +Would you wish to pursue the different species of game, well-stored and +boundless is your range in Demerara. Here no one dogs you, and +afterwards clandestinely inquires if you have a hundred a year in land +to entitle you to enjoy such patrician sport. Here no saucy intruder +asks if you have taken out a licence, by virtue of which you are +allowed to kill the birds which have bred upon your own property. Here + + You are as free as when God first made man, + Ere the vile laws of servitude began, + And wild in woods the noble savage ran. + +Before the morning's dawn you hear a noise in the forest which sounds +like "duraquaura" often repeated. This is the partridge, a little +smaller than and differing somewhat in colour from the English +partridge: it lives entirely in the forest, and probably the young +brood very soon leaves its parents, as you never flush more than two +birds in the same place, and in general only one. + +About the same hour, and sometimes even at midnight, you hear two +species of maam, or tinamou, send forth their long and plaintive +whistle from the depth of the forest. The flesh of both is delicious. +The largest is plumper, and almost equals in size the blackcock of +Northumberland. The quail is said to be here, though rare. + +The hannaquoi, which some have compared to the pheasant, though with +little reason, is very common. + +Here are also two species of the powise, or hocco, and two of the small +wild turkeys called maroudi: they feed on the ripe fruits of the forest +and are found in all directions in these extensive wilds. You will +admire the horned screamer as a stately and majestic bird: he is almost +the size of the turkey-cock, on his head is a long slender horn, and +each wing is armed with a strong, sharp, triangular spur an inch long. + +Sometimes you will fall in with flocks of two or three hundred +waracabas, or trumpeters, called so from the singular noise they +produce. Their breast is adorned with beautiful changing blue and +purple feathers; their head and neck like velvet; their wings and back +grey, and belly black. They run with great swiftness, and when +domesticated attend their master in his walks with as much apparent +affection as his dog. They have no spurs, but still, such is their high +spirit and activity, they browbeat every dunghill fowl in the yard and +force the guinea-birds, dogs and turkeys to own their superiority. + +If, kind and gentle reader, thou shouldst ever visit these regions with +an intention to examine their productions, perhaps the few observations +contained in these wanderings may be of service to thee. Excuse their +brevity: more could have been written, and each bird more particularly +described, but it would have been pressing too hard upon thy time and +patience. + +Soon after arriving in these parts thou wilt find that the species here +enumerated are only as a handful from a well-stored granary. Nothing +has been said of the eagles, the falcons, the hawks and shrikes; +nothing of the different species of vultures, the king of which is very +handsome, and seems to be the only bird which claims regal honours from +a surrounding tribe. It is a fact beyond all dispute that, when the +scent of carrion has drawn together hundreds of the common vultures, +they all retire from the carcass as soon as the king of the vultures +makes his appearance. When his majesty has satisfied the cravings of +his royal stomach with the choicest bits from the most stinking and +corrupted parts, he generally retires to a neighbouring tree, and then +the common vultures return in crowds to gobble down his leavings. The +Indians, as well as the whites, have observed this, for when one of +them, who has learned a little English, sees the king, and wishes you +to have a proper notion of the bird, he says: "There is the governor of +the carrion-crows." + +Now the Indians have never heard of a personage in Demerara higher than +that of governor; and the colonists, through a common mistake, call the +vultures carrion-crows. Hence the Indian, in order to express the +dominion of this bird over the common vultures, tells you he is +governor of the carrion-crows. The Spaniards have also observed it, for +through all the Spanish Main he is called Rey de Zamuros, king of the +vultures. The many species of owls, too, have not been noticed; and no +mention made of the columbine tribe. The prodigious variety of +water-fowl on the sea-shore has been but barely hinted at. + +There, and on the borders and surface of the inland waters, in the +marshes and creeks, besides the flamingos, scarlet curlews and +spoonbills already mentioned, will be found greenish-brown curlews, +sandpipers, rails, coots, gulls, pelicans, jabirus, nandapoas, +crabiers, snipes, plovers, ducks, geese, cranes and anhingas; most of +them in vast abundance; some frequenting only the sea-coast, others +only the interior, according to their different natures; all worthy the +attention of the naturalist, all worthy of a place in the cabinet of +the curious. + +Should thy comprehensive genius not confine itself to birds alone, +grand is the appearance of other objects all around. Thou art in a land +rich in botany and mineralogy, rich in zoology and entomology. +Animation will glow in thy looks and exercise will brace thy frame in +vigour. The very time of thy absence from the tables of heterogeneous +luxury will be profitable to thy stomach, perhaps already sorely +drenched with Londo-Parisian sauces, and a new stock of health will +bring thee an appetite to relish the wholesome food of the chase. +Never-failing sleep will wait on thee at the time she comes to soothe +the rest of animated nature, and ere the sun's rays appear in the +horizon thou wilt spring from thy hammock fresh as the April lark. Be +convinced also that the dangers and difficulties which are generally +supposed to accompany the traveller in his journey through distant +regions are not half so numerous or dreadful as they are commonly +thought to be. + +The youth who incautiously reels into the lobby of Drury Lane after +leaving the table sacred to the god of wine is exposed to more certain +ruin, sickness and decay than he who wanders a whole year in the wilds +of Demerara. But this will never be believed because the disasters +arising from dissipation are so common and frequent in civilised life +that man becomes quite habituated to them, and sees daily victims sink +into the tomb long before their time without ever once taking alarm at +the causes which precipitated them headlong into it. + +But the dangers which a traveller exposes himself to in foreign parts +are novel, out-of-the-way things to a man at home. The remotest +apprehension of meeting a tremendous tiger, of being carried off by a +flying dragon, or having his bones picked by a famished cannibal: oh, +that makes him shudder. It sounds in his ears like the bursting of a +bombshell. Thank Heaven he is safe by his own fireside. + +Prudence and resolution ought to be the traveller's constant +companions. The first will cause him to avoid a number of snares which +he will find in the path as he journeys on; and the second will always +lend a hand to assist him if he has unavoidably got entangled in them. +The little distinctions which have been shown him at his own home ought +to be forgotten when he travels over the world at large, for strangers +know nothing of his former merits, and it is necessary that they should +witness them before they pay him the tribute which he was wont to +receive within his own doors. Thus to be kind and affable to those we +meet, to mix in their amusements, to pay a compliment or two to their +manners and customs, to respect their elders, to give a little to their +distressed and needy, and to feel, as it were, at home amongst them, is +the sure way to enable you to pass merrily on, and to find other +comforts as sweet and palatable as those which you were accustomed to +partake of amongst your friends and acquaintance in your own native +land. + +We will now ascend in fancy on Icarian wing and take a view of Guiana +in general. See an immense plain! betwixt two of the largest rivers in +the world, level as a bowling-green, save at Cayenne, and covered with +trees along the coast quite to the Atlantic wave, except where the +plantations make a little vacancy amongst the foliage. + +Though nearly in the centre of the Torrid Zone, the sun's rays are not +so intolerable as might be imagined, on account of the perpetual +verdure and refreshing north-east breeze. See what numbers of broad and +rapid rivers intersect it in their journey to the ocean, and that not a +stone or a pebble is to be found on their banks, or in any part of the +country, till your eye catches the hills in the interior. How beautiful +and magnificent are the lakes in the heart of the forests, and how +charming the forests themselves, for miles after miles on each side of +the rivers! How extensive appear the savannas or natural meadows, +teeming with innumerable herds of cattle, where the Portuguese and +Spaniards are settled, but desert as Saara where the English and Dutch +claim dominion! How gradually the face of the country rises! See the +sandhills all clothed in wood first emerging from the level, then hills +a little higher, rugged with bold and craggy rocks, peeping out from +amongst the most luxuriant timber. Then come plains and dells and +far-extending valleys, arrayed in richest foliage; and beyond them +mountains piled on mountains, some bearing prodigious forests, others +of bleak and barren aspect. Thus your eye wanders on over scenes of +varied loveliness and grandeur, till it rests on the stupendous +pinnacles of the long-continued Cordilleras de los Andes, which rise in +towering majesty and command all America. + +How fertile must the low-lands be from the accumulation of fallen +leaves and trees for centuries! How propitious the swamps and slimy +beds of the rivers, heated by a downward sun, to the amazing growth of +alligators, serpents and innumerable insects! How inviting the forests +to the feathered tribes, where you see buds, blossoms, green and ripe +fruit, full grown and fading leaves all on the same tree! How secure +the wild beasts may rove in endless mazes! Perhaps those mountains, +too, which appear so bleak and naked, as if quite neglected, are, like +Potosi, full of precious metals. + +Let us now return the pinions we borrowed from Icarus, and prepare to +bid farewell to the wilds. The time allotted to these wanderings is +drawing fast to a close. Every day for the last six months has been +employed in paying close attention to natural history in the forests of +Demerara. Above two hundred specimens of the finest birds have been +collected and a pretty just knowledge formed of their haunts and +economy. From the time of leaving England, in March 1816, to the +present day, nothing has intervened to arrest a fine flow of health, +saving a quartan ague which did not tarry, but fled as suddenly as it +appeared. + +And now I take leave of thee, kind and gentle reader. The new mode of +preserving birds heretofore promised thee shall not be forgotten. The +plan is already formed in imagination, and can be penned down during +the passage across the Atlantic. If the few remarks in these wanderings +shall have any weight in inciting thee to sally forth and explore the +vast and well-stored regions of Demerara, I have gained my end. Adieu. + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +_April 6, 1817._ + + + * * * * * + + + + +THIRD JOURNEY + + Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum. + +Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I strayed across +the Alps and the Apennines, and returned home, but could not tarry. +Guiana still whispered in my ear, and seemed to invite me once more to +wander through her distant forests. + +Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, I pray thee +pardon the frequent use of that unwelcome monosyllable _I_. It could +not well be avoided, as will be seen in the sequel. In February 1820 I +sailed from the Clyde, on board the _Glenbervie_, a fine West-Indiaman. +She was driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to contend with a +foul and wintry wind for above a fortnight. At last it changed, and we +had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic. + +Sad and mournful was the story we heard on entering the River Demerara. +The yellow fever had swept off numbers of the old inhabitants, and the +mortal remains of many a new-comer were daily passing down the streets +in slow and mute procession to their last resting-place. + +After staying a few days in the town, I went up the Demerara to the +former habitation of my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek. + +The house had been abandoned for some years. On arriving at the hill, +the remembrance of scenes long past and gone naturally broke in upon +the mind. All was changed: the house was in ruins and gradually sinking +under the influence of the sun and rain; the roof had nearly fallen in; +and the room, where once governors and generals had caroused, was now +dismantled and tenanted by the vampire. You would have said: + + 'Tis now the vampire's bleak abode, + 'Tis now the apartment of the toad: + 'Tis here the painful chegoe feeds, + 'Tis here the dire labarri breeds + Conceal'd in ruins, moss, and weeds. + +On the outside of the house Nature had nearly reassumed her ancient +right: a few straggling fruit-trees were still discernible amid the +varied hue of the near-approaching forest; they seemed like strangers +lost and bewildered and unpitied in a foreign land, destined to linger +a little longer, and then sink down for ever. + +I hired some negroes from a woodcutter in another creek to repair the +roof; and then the house, or at least what remained of it, became +headquarters for natural history. The frogs, and here and there a +snake, received that attention which the weak in this world generally +experience from the strong, and which the law commonly denominates an +ejectment. But here neither the frogs nor serpents were ill-treated: +they sallied forth, without buffet or rebuke, to choose their place of +residence--the world was all before them. The owls went away of their +own accord, preferring to retire to a hollow tree rather than to +associate with their new landlord. The bats and vampires stayed with +me, and went in and out as usual. + +It was upon this hill in former days that I first tried to teach John, +the black slave of my friend Mr. Edmonstone, the proper way to do +birds. But John had poor abilities, and it required much time and +patience to drive anything into him. Some years after this his master +took him to Scotland, where, becoming free, John left him, and got +employed in the Glasgow, and then the Edinburgh, Museum. Mr. Robert +Edmonstone, nephew to the above gentleman, had a fine mulatto capable +of learning anything. He requested me to teach him the art. I did so. +He was docile and active, and was with me all the time in the forest. I +left him there to keep up this new art of preserving birds and to +communicate it to others. Here, then, I fixed my headquarters, in the +ruins of this once gay and hospitable house. Close by, in a little hut +which, in times long past, had served for a store to keep provisions +in, there lived a coloured man and his wife, by name Backer. Many a +kind turn they did to me; and I was more than once a service to them +and their children, by bringing to their relief in time of sickness +what little knowledge I had acquired of medicine. + +I would here, gentle reader, wish to draw thy attention, for a few +minutes, to physic, raiment and diet. Shouldst thou ever wander through +these remote and dreary wilds, forget not to carry with thee bark, +laudanum, calomel and jalap, and the lancet. There are no +druggist-shops here, nor sons of Galen to apply to in time of need. I +never go encumbered with many clothes. A thin flannel waistcoat under a +check shirt, a pair of trousers and a hat were all my wardrobe: shoes +and stockings I seldom had on. In dry weather they would have irritated +the feet and retarded me in the chase of wild beasts; and in the rainy +season they would have kept me in a perpetual state of damp and +moisture. I eat moderately, and never drink wine, spirits or fermented +liquors in any climate. This abstemiousness has ever proved a faithful +friend; it carried me triumphant through the epidemia at Malaga, where +death made such havoc about the beginning of the present century; and +it has since befriended me in many a fit of sickness brought on by +exposure to the noon-day sun, to the dews of night, to the pelting +shower and unwholesome food. + +Perhaps it will be as well here to mention a fever which came on, and +the treatment of it: it may possibly be of use to thee, shouldst thou +turn wanderer in the tropics; a word or two also of a wound I got in +the forest, and then we will say no more of the little accidents which +sometimes occur, and attend solely to natural history. We shall have an +opportunity of seeing the wild animals in their native haunts, +undisturbed and unbroken in upon by man. We shall have time and leisure +to look more closely at them, and probably rectify some errors which, +for want of proper information or a near observance, have crept into +their several histories. + +It was in the month of June, when the sun was within a few days of +Cancer, that I had a severe attack of fever. There had been a deluge of +rain, accompanied with tremendous thunder and lightning, and very +little sun. Nothing could exceed the dampness of the atmosphere. For +two or three days I had been in a kind of twilight state of health, +neither ill nor what you may call well: I yawned and felt weary without +exercise, and my sleep was merely slumber. This was the time to have +taken medicine, but I neglected to do so, though I had just been +reading: "O navis, referent in mare te novi fluctus, O quid agis? +fortiter occupa portum." I awoke at midnight: a cruel headache, thirst +and pain in the small of the back informed me what the case was. Had +Chiron himself been present he could not have told me more distinctly +that I was going to have a tight brush of it, and that I ought to meet +it with becoming fortitude. I dozed and woke and startled, and then +dozed again, and suddenly awoke thinking I was falling down a precipice. + +The return of the bats to their diurnal retreat, which was in the +thatch above my hammock, informed me that the sun was now fast +approaching to the eastern horizon. I arose in languor and in pain, the +pulse at one hundred and twenty. I took ten grains of calomel and a +scruple of jalap, and drank during the day large draughts of tea, weak +and warm. The physic did its duty, but there was no remission of fever +or headache, though the pain of the back was less acute. I was saved +the trouble of keeping the room cool, as the wind beat in at every +quarter. + +At five in the evening the pulse had risen to one hundred and thirty, +and the headache almost insupportable, especially on looking to the +right or left. I now opened a vein, and made a large orifice, to allow +the blood to rush out rapidly; I closed it after losing sixteen ounces. +I then steeped my feet in warm water and got into the hammock. After +bleeding the pulse fell to ninety, and the head was much relieved, but +during the night, which was very restless, the pulse rose again to one +hundred and twenty, and at times the headache was distressing. I +relieved the headache from time to time by applying cold water to the +temples and holding a wet handkerchief there. The next morning the +fever ran very high, and I took five more grains of calomel and ten of +jalap, determined, whatever might be the case, this should be the last +dose of calomel. About two o'clock in the afternoon the fever remitted, +and a copious perspiration came on: there was no more headache nor +thirst nor pain in the back, and the following night was comparatively +a good one. The next morning I swallowed a large dose of castor-oil: it +was genuine, for Louisa Backer had made it from the seeds of the trees +which grew near the door. I was now entirely free from all symptoms of +fever, or apprehensions of a return; and the morning after I began to +take bark, and continued it for a fortnight. This put all to rights. + +The story of the wound I got in the forest and the mode of cure are +very short. I had pursued a redheaded woodpecker for above a mile in +the forest without being able to get a shot at it. Thinking more of the +woodpecker, as I ran along, than of the way before me, I trod upon a +little hardwood stump which was just about an inch or so above the +ground; it entered the hollow part of my foot, making a deep and +lacerated wound there. It had brought me to the ground, and there I lay +till a transitory fit of sickness went off. I allowed it to bleed +freely, and on reaching headquarters washed it well and probed it, to +feel if any foreign body was left within it. Being satisfied that there +was none, I brought the edges of the wound together and then put a +piece of lint on it, and over that a very large poultice, which was +changed morning, noon and night. Luckily Backer had a cow or two upon +the hill; now as heat and moisture are the two principal virtues of a +poultice, nothing could produce those two qualities better than fresh +cow-dung boiled: had there been no cows there I could have made out +with boiled grass and leaves. I now took entirely to the hammock, +placing the foot higher than the knee: this prevented it from +throbbing, and was, indeed, the only position in which I could be at +ease. When the inflammation was completely subdued I applied a wet +cloth to the wound, and every now and then steeped the foot in cold +water during the day, and at night again applied a poultice. The wound +was now healing fast, and in three weeks from the time of the accident +nothing but a scar remained: so that I again sallied forth sound and +joyful, and said to myself: + + I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae + Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo + Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim, + Rumpe ferarum. + +Now this contus was a tough, light pole eight feet long, on the end of +which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it: +it was of great use in starting the beasts and snakes out of the hollow +trees, and in case of need was an excellent defence. + +In 1819 I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph Banks. I saw with +sorrow that death was going to rob us of him. We talked much of the +present mode adopted by all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and +condemned it as being very imperfect: still we could not find out a +better way, and at last concluded that the lips and nose ought to be +cut off and replaced with wax, it being impossible to make those parts +appear like life, as they shrink to nothing and render the stuffed +specimens in the different museums horrible to look at. The defects in +the legs and feet would not be quite so glaring, being covered with +hair. + +I had paid great attention to this subject for above fourteen years; +still it would not do. However, one night, while I was lying in the +hammock and harping on the string on which hung all my solicitude, I +hit upon the proper mode by inference: it appeared clear to me that it +was the only true way of going to work, and ere I closed my eyes in +sleep I was able to prove to myself that there could not be any other +way that would answer. I tried it the next day, and succeeded according +to expectation. + +By means of this process, which is very simple, we can now give every +feature back again to the animal's face after it has been skinned; and +when necessary stamp grief or pain, or pleasure, or rage, or mildness +upon it. But more of this hereafter. + +Let us now turn our attention to the sloth, whose native haunts have +hitherto been so little known and probably little looked into. Those +who have written on this singular animal have remarked that he is in a +perpetual state of pain, that he is proverbially slow in his movements, +that he is a prisoner in space, and that, as soon as he has consumed +all the leaves of the tree upon which he had mounted, he rolls himself +up in the form of a ball and then falls to the ground. This is not the +case. + +If the naturalists who have written the history of the sloth had gone +into the wilds in order to examine his haunts and economy, they would +not have drawn the foregoing conclusions. They would have learned that, +though all other quadrupeds may be described while resting upon the +ground, the sloth is an exception to this rule, and that his history +must be written while he is in the tree. + +This singular animal is destined by Nature to be produced, to live and +to die in the trees; and to do justice to him naturalists must examine +him in this his upper element. He is a scarce and solitary animal, and +being good food he is never allowed to escape. He inhabits remote and +gloomy forests where snakes take up their abode, and where +cruelly-stinging ants and scorpions and swamps and innumerable thorny +shrubs and bushes obstruct the steps of civilised man. Were you to draw +your own conclusions from the descriptions which have been given of the +sloth, you would probably suspect that no naturalist has actually gone +into the wilds with the fixed determination to find him out and examine +his haunts, and see whether Nature has committed any blunder in the +formation of this extraordinary creature, which appears to us so +forlorn and miserable, so ill put together, and so totally unfit to +enjoy the blessings which have been so bountifully given to the rest of +animated nature; for, as it has formerly been remarked, he has no soles +to his feet, and he is evidently ill at ease when he tries to move on +the ground, and it is then that he looks up in your face with a +countenance that says: "Have pity on me, for I am in pain and sorrow." + +It mostly happens that Indians and negroes are the people who catch the +sloth and bring it to the white man: hence it may be conjectured that +the erroneous accounts we have hitherto had of the sloth have not been +penned down with the slightest intention to mislead the reader or give +him an exaggerated history, but that these errors have naturally arisen +by examining the sloth in those places where Nature never intended that +he should be exhibited. + +However, we are now in his own domain. Man but little frequents these +thick and noble forests, which extend far and wide on every side of us. +This, then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. We will +first take a near view of him. By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy +we shall be enabled to account for his movements hereafter, when we see +him in his proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, +his arms, are apparently much too long, while his hind-legs are very +short, and look as if they could be bent almost to the shape of a +corkscrew. Both the fore-and hind-legs, by their form and by the manner +in which they are joined to the body, are quite incapacitated from +acting in a perpendicular direction, or in supporting it on the earth, +as the bodies of other quadrupeds are supported by their legs. Hence, +when you place him on the floor, his belly touches the ground. Now, +granted that he supported himself on his legs like other animals, +nevertheless he would be in pain, for he has no soles to his feet, and +his claws are very sharp and long and curved; so that were his body +supported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, just as your +body would be were you to throw yourself on all-fours and try to +support it on the ends of your toes and fingers--a trying position. +Were the floor of glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would +actually be quite stationary; but as the ground is generally rough, +with little protuberances upon it, such as stones, or roots of grass, +etc., this just suits the sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all +directions, in order to find something to lay hold of; and when he has +succeeded he pulls himself forward, and is thus enabled to travel +onwards, but at the same time in so tardy and awkward a manner as to +acquire him the name of sloth. + +Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently betray his uncomfortable +situation: and as a sigh every now and then escapes him, we may be +entitled to conclude that he is actually in pain. + +Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for several months. I often +took him out of the house and placed him upon the ground, in order to +have an opportunity of observing his motions. If the ground were rough, +he would pull himself forwards by means of his fore-legs at a pretty +good pace, and he invariably immediately shaped his course towards the +nearest tree. But if I put him upon a smooth and well-trodden part of +the road, he appeared to be in trouble and distress. His favourite +abode was the back of a chair and, after getting all his legs in a line +upon the topmost part of it, he would hang there for hours together, +and often with a low and inward cry would seem to invite me to take +notice of him. + +The sloth, in its wild state, spends its whole life in trees, and never +leaves them but through force or by accident. An all-ruling Providence +has ordered man to tread on the surface of the earth, the eagle to soar +in the expanse of the skies, and the monkey and squirrel to inhabit the +trees: still these may change their relative situations without feeling +much inconvenience; but the sloth is doomed to spend his whole life in +the trees, and, what is more extraordinary, not _upon_ the branches, +like the squirrel and the monkey, but _under_ them. He moves suspended +from the branch, he rests suspended from it, and he sleeps suspended +from it. To enable him to do this he must have a very different +formation from that of any other known quadruped. + +Hence his seemingly bungled conformation is at once accounted for; and +in lieu of the sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a melancholy +and miserable existence on its progeny, it is but fair to surmise that +it just enjoys life as much as any other animal, and that its +extraordinary formation and singular habits are but further proofs to +engage us to admire the wonderful works of Omnipotence. + +It must be observed that the sloth does not hang head-downwards like +the vampire. When asleep he supports himself from a branch parallel to +the earth. He first seizes the branch with one arm, and then with the +other; and after that brings up both his legs, one by one, to the same +branch; so that all four are in a line: he seems perfectly at rest in +this position. Now had he a tail, he would be at a loss to know what to +do with it in this position: were he to draw it up within his legs it +would interfere with them, and were he to let it hang down it would +become the sport of the winds. Thus his deficiency of tail is a benefit +to him; it is merely an apology for a tail, scarcely exceeding an inch +and a half in length. + +I observed, when he was climbing, he never used his arms both together, +but first one and then the other, and so on alternately. There is a +singularity in his hair, different from that of all other animals, and, +I believe, hitherto unnoticed by naturalists. His hair is thick and +coarse at the extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, where it +becomes fine as a spider's web. His fur has so much the hue of the moss +which grows on the branches of the trees that it is very difficult to +make him out when he is at rest. + +The male of the three-toed sloth has a longitudinal bar of very fine +black hair on his back, rather lower than the shoulder-blades; on each +side of this black bar there is a space of yellow hair, equally fine; +it has the appearance of being pressed into the body, and looks exactly +as if it had been singed. If we examine the anatomy of his fore-legs, +we shall immediately perceive by their firm and muscular texture how +very capable they are of supporting the pendent weight of his body, +both in climbing and at rest; and, instead of pronouncing them a +bungled composition, as a celebrated naturalist has done, we shall +consider them as remarkably well calculated to perform their +extraordinary functions. + +As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within the tropics, where the +trees touch each other in the greatest profusion, there seems to be no +reason why he should confine himself to one tree alone for food, and +entirely strip it of its leaves. During the many years I have ranged +the forests I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity; indeed, +I would hazard a conjecture that, by the time the animal had finished +the last of the old leaves, there would be a new crop on the part of +the tree he had stripped first, ready for him to begin again, so quick +is the process of vegetation in these countries. + +There is a saying amongst the Indians that, when the wind blows, the +sloth begins to travel. In calm weather he remains tranquil, probably +not liking to cling to the brittle extremity of the branches, lest they +should break with him in passing from one tree to another; but as soon +as the wind rises the branches of the neighbouring trees become +interwoven, and then the sloth seizes hold of them and pursues his +journey in safety. There is seldom an entire day of calm in these +forests. The tradewind generally sets in about ten o'clock in the +morning, and thus the sloth may set off after breakfast, and get a +considerable way before dinner. He travels at a good round pace; and +were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, you would +never think of calling him a sloth. + +Thus it would appear that the different histories we have of this +quadruped are erroneous on two accounts: first, that the writers of +them, deterred by difficulties and local annoyances, have not paid +sufficient attention to him in his native haunts; and secondly, they +have described him in a situation in which he was never intended by +Nature to cut a figure: I mean on the ground. The sloth is as much at a +loss to proceed on his journey upon a smooth and level floor as a man +would be who had to walk a mile in stilts upon a line of feather-beds. + +One day, as we were crossing the Essequibo, I saw a large two-toed +sloth on the ground upon the bank. How he had got there nobody could +tell: the Indian said he had never surprised a sloth in such a +situation before. He would hardly have come there to drink, for both +above and below the place the branches of the trees touched the water, +and afforded him an easy and safe access to it. Be this as it may, +though the trees were not above twenty yards from him, he could not +make his way through the sand time enough to escape before we landed. +As soon as we got up to him he threw himself upon his back, and +defended himself in gallant style with his fore-legs. "Come, poor +fellow," said I to him, "if thou hast got into a hobble to-day, thou +shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage of thee in misfortune; +the forest is large enough both for thee and me to rove in: go thy ways +up above, and enjoy thyself in these endless wilds; it is more than +probable thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare thee +well." On saying this, I took a long stick which was lying there, held +it for him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately +mora. He ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about a minute he was +almost at the top of the tree. He now went off in a side direction, and +caught hold of the branch of a neighbouring tree; he then proceeded +towards the heart of the forest. I stood looking on, lost in amazement +at his singular mode of progress. I followed him with my eye till the +intervening branches closed in betwixt us; and then I lost sight for +ever of the two-toed sloth. I was going to add that I never saw a sloth +take to his heels in such earnest: but the expression will not do, for +the sloth has no heels. + +That which naturalists have advanced of his being so tenacious of life +is perfectly true. I saw the heart of one beat for half an hour after +it was taken out of the body. The wourali poison seems to be the only +thing that will kill it quickly. On reference to a former part of these +wanderings, it will be seen that a poisoned arrow killed the sloth in +about ten minutes. + +So much for this harmless, unoffending animal. He holds a conspicuous +place in the catalogue of the animals of the new world. Though +naturalists have made no mention of what follows, still it is not less +true on that account. The sloth is the only quadruped known which +spends its whole life from the branch of a tree, suspended by his feet. +I have paid uncommon attention to him in his native haunts. The monkey +and squirrel will seize a branch with their fore-feet, and pull +themselves up, and rest or run upon it; but the sloth, after seizing +it, still remains suspended, and suspended moves along under the +branch, till he can lay hold of another. Whenever I have seen him in +his native woods, whether at rest or asleep or on his travels, I have +always observed that he was suspended from the branch of a tree. When +his form and anatomy are attentively considered, it will appear evident +that the sloth cannot be at ease in any situation where his body is +higher, or above, his feet. We will now take our leave of him. + +In the far-extending wilds of Guiana the traveller will be astonished +at the immense quantity of ants which he perceives on the ground and in +the trees. They have nests in the branches four or five times as large +as that of the rook; and they have a covered way from them to the +ground. In this covered way thousands are perpetually passing and +repassing; and if you destroy part of it, they turn to and immediately +repair it. + +Other species of ants again have no covered way, but travel exposed to +view upon the surface of the earth. You will sometimes see a string of +these ants a mile long, each carrying in its mouth, to its nest, a +green leaf the size of a sixpence. It is wonderful to observe the order +in which they move, and with what pains and labour they surmount the +obstructions of the path. + +The ants have their enemies as well as the rest of animated nature. +Amongst the foremost of these stand the three species of ant-bears. The +smallest is not much larger than a rat; the next is nearly the size of +a fox; and the third a stout and powerful animal, measuring about six +feet from the snout to the end of the tail. He is the most inoffensive +of all animals, and never injures the property of man. He is chiefly +found in the inmost recesses of the forest, and seems partial to the +low and swampy parts near creeks, where the troely-tree grows. There he +goes up and down in quest of ants, of which there is never the least +scarcity; so that he soon obtains a sufficient supply of food with very +little trouble. He cannot travel fast; man is superior to him in speed. +Without swiftness to enable him to escape from his enemies, without +teeth, the possession of which would assist him in self-defence, and +without the power of burrowing in the ground, by which he might conceal +himself from his pursuers, he still is capable of ranging through these +wilds in perfect safety; nor does he fear the fatal pressure of the +serpent's fold or the teeth of the famished jaguar. Nature has formed +his fore-legs wonderfully thick and strong and muscular, and armed his +feet with three tremendous sharp and crooked claws. Whenever he seizes +an animal with these formidable weapons he hugs it close to his body, +and keeps it there till it dies through pressure or through want of +food. Nor does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from loss of +aliment, as it is a well-known fact that he can go longer without food +than, perhaps, any other animal, except the land-tortoise. His skin is +of a texture that perfectly resists the bite of a dog; his hinder-parts +are protected by thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large +enough to cover his whole body. + +The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact with the ant-bear +and, after disabling him in the chase, never think of approaching him +till he be quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution that +naturalists have never yet given to the world a true and correct +drawing of this singular animal, or described the peculiar position of +his fore-feet when he walks or stands. If, in taking a drawing from a +dead ant-bear, you judge of the position in which he stands from that +of all other terrestrial animals, the sloth excepted, you will be in +error. Examine only a figure of this animal in books of natural +history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best museums, and you +will see that the fore-claws are just in the same forward attitude as +those of a dog, or a common bear when he walks or stands. But this is a +distorted and unnatural position, and in life would be a painful and +intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. The length and curve of his +claws cannot admit of such a position. When he walks or stands his feet +have somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes entirely on the +outer side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards, the claws +collected into a point, and going under the foot. In this position he +is quite at ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to +render them harmless to him and are prevented from becoming dull and +worn, like those of the dog, which would inevitably be the case did +their points come in actual contact with the ground; for his claws have +not that retractile power which is given to animals of the feline +species, by which they are enabled to preserve the sharpness of their +claws on the most flinty path. A slight inspection of the fore-feet of +the ant-bear will immediately convince you of the mistake artists and +naturalists have fallen into by putting his fore-feet in the same +position as those of other quadrupeds, for you will perceive that the +whole outer side of his foot is not only deprived of hair, but is hard +and callous: proof positive of its being in perpetual contact with the +ground. Now, on the contrary, the inner side of the bottom of his foot +is soft and rather hairy. + +There is another singularity in the anatomy of the ant-bear, I believe +as yet unnoticed in the page of natural history. He has two very large +glands situated below the root of the tongue. From these is emitted a +glutinous liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when he puts +it into the ants' nests. These glands are of the same substance as +those found in the lower jaw of the woodpecker. The secretion from +them, when wet, is very clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it +loses these qualities, and you can pulverise it betwixt your finger and +thumb; so that in dissection, if any of it has got upon the fur of the +animal or the feathers of the bird, allow it to dry there, and then it +may be removed without leaving the least stain behind. + +The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the first to begin the +attack. His motto may be "Noli me tangere." As his habits and his +haunts differ materially from those of every other animal in the +forest, their interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good +old age, and die at last in peace, were it not that his flesh is good +food. On this account the Indian wages perpetual war against him and, +as he cannot escape by flight, he falls an easy prey to the poisoned +arrow shot from the Indian's bow at a distance. If ever he be closely +attacked by dogs, he immediately throws himself on his back, and if he +be fortunate enough to catch hold of his enemy with his tremendous +claws, the invader is sure to pay for his rashness with the loss of +life. + +We will now take a view of the vampire. As there was a free entrance +and exit to the vampire in the loft where I slept, I had many a fine +opportunity of paying attention to this nocturnal surgeon. He does not +always live on blood. When the moon shone bright, and the fruit of the +banana-tree was ripe, I could see him approach and eat it. He would +also bring into the loft, from the forest, a green round fruit +something like the wild guava and about the size of a nutmeg. There was +something also in the blossom of the sawarri nut-tree which was +grateful to him, for on coming up Waratilla Creek, in a moonlight +night, I saw several vampires fluttering round the top of the +sawarri-tree, and every now and then the blossoms, which they had +broken off, fell into the water. They certainly did not drop off +naturally, for on examining several of them they appeared quite fresh +and blooming. So I concluded the vampires pulled them from the tree +either to get at the incipient fruit or to catch the insects which +often take up their abode in flowers. + +The vampire, in general, measures about twenty-six inches from wing to +wing extended, though I once killed one which measured thirty-two +inches. He frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; and +sometimes a cluster of them may be seen in the forest hanging head +downwards from the branch of a tree. + +Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vampire hangs in clusters; +for in the _Deserted Village_, speaking of America, he says: + + And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, + But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling. + +The vampire has a curious membrane which rises from the nose, and gives +it a very singular appearance. It has been remarked before that there +are two species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The +larger sucks men and other animals; the smaller seems to confine +himself chiefly to birds. I learnt from a gentleman high up in the +River Demerara that he was completely unsuccessful with his fowls on +account of the small vampire. He showed me some that had been sucked +the night before, and they were scarcely able to walk. + +Some years ago I went to the River Paumaron with a Scotch gentleman, by +name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's +house. Next morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, +and now and then letting fall an imprecation or two just about the time +he ought to have been saying his morning prayers. "What is the matter, +sir?" said I softly. "Is anything amiss?" "What's the matter?" answered +he surlily; "why, the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon +as there was light enough I went to his hammock and saw it much stained +with blood. "There," said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, +"see how these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On +examining his foot I found the vampire had tapped his great toe: there +was a wound somewhat less than that made by a leech; the blood was +still oozing from it; I conjectured he might have lost from ten to +twelve ounces of blood. Whilst examining it, I think I put him into a +worse humour by remarking that a European surgeon would not have been +so generous as to have blooded him without making a charge. He looked +up in my face, but did not say a word: I saw he was of opinion that I +had better have spared this piece of ill-timed levity. + +It was not the last punishment of this good gentleman in the River +Paumaron. The next night he was doomed to undergo a kind of ordeal +unknown in Europe. There is a species of large red ant in Guiana +sometimes called ranger, sometimes coushie. These ants march in +millions through the country in compact order, like a regiment of +soldiers: they eat up every insect in their march; and if a house +obstruct their route, they do not turn out of the way, but go quite +through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, the planter is not +sorry to see them in his house, for it is but a passing visit, and they +destroy every kind of insect-vermin that has taken shelter under his +roof. + +Now in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in Europe, there +is always a little temple dedicated to the goddess Cloacina. Our dinner +had chiefly consisted of crabs dressed in rich and different ways. +Paumaron is famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider +them the greatest luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a very capital +dinner on crabs; but this change of diet was productive of unpleasant +circumstances: he awoke in the night in that state in which Virgil +describes Caeleno to have been, viz. "faedissima ventris proluvies." Up +he got to verify the remark: + + Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam. + +Now, unluckily for himself and the nocturnal tranquillity of the +planter's house, just at that unfortunate hour the coushie-ants were +passing across the seat of Cloacina's temple. He had never dreamed of +this; and so, turning his face to the door, he placed himself in the +usual situation which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a +lighted match dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he afterwards +remarked, it could not have caused a greater recoil. Up he jumped and +forced his way out, roaring for help and for a light, for he was +worried alive by ten thousand devils. The fact is he had sat down upon +an intervening body of coushie-ants. Many of those which escaped being +crushed to death turned again, and in revenge stung the unintentional +intruder most severely. The watchman had fallen asleep, and it was some +time before a light could be procured, the fire having gone out; in the +meantime the poor gentleman was suffering an indescribable martyrdom, +and would have found himself more at home in the Augean stable than in +the planter's house. + +I had often wished to have been once sucked by the vampire in order +that I might have it in my power to say it had really happened to me. +There can be no pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep +when the vampire is sucking him; and as for the loss of a few ounces of +blood, that would be a trifle in the long run. Many a night have I +slept with my foot out of the hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, +expecting that he would be there, but it was all in vain; the vampire +never sucked me, and I could never account for his not doing so, for we +were inhabitants of the same loft for months together. + +The armadillo is very common in these forests; he burrows in the +sandhills like a rabbit. As it often takes a considerable time to dig +him out of his hole, it would be a long and laborious business to +attack each hole indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal +were there or not. To prevent disappointment the Indians carefully +examine the mouth of the hole, and put a short stick down it. Now if, +on introducing the stick, a number of mosquitos come out, the Indians +know to a certainty that the armadillo is in it: whenever there are no +mosquitos in the hole there is no armadillo. The Indian having +satisfied himself that the armadillo is there by the mosquitos which +come out, he immediately cuts a long and slender stick and introduces +it into the hole. He carefully observes the line the stick takes, and +then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the end of it: this done, he puts +it farther into the hole, and digs another pit, and so on, till at last +he comes up with the armadillo, which had been making itself a passage +in the sand till it had exhausted all its strength through pure +exertion. I have been sometimes three-quarters of a day in digging out +one armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits seven feet deep +before I got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very fond of the +flesh, but I considered it strong and rank. + +On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious not to come in +contact with his feet: they are armed with sharp claws, and with them +he will inflict a severe wound in self-defence. When not molested he is +very harmless and innocent: he would put you in mind of the hare in +Gay's fables: + + Whose care was never to offend, + And every creature was her friend. + +The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not go into the +water by choice. He is very seldom seen abroad during the day; and when +surprised, he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of +the armadillo is well protected by his shell, except his ears. In life +this shell is very limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full +stretch or roll himself up into a ball, as occasion may require. + +On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you very much in +mind of a coat of armour; indeed, it is a natural coat of armour to the +armadillo, and being composed both of scale and bone it affords ample +security, and has a pleasing effect. + +Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with the +land-tortoise; he too adds another to the list of unoffending animals. +He subsists on the fallen fruits of the forest. When an enemy +approaches he never thinks of moving, but quietly draws himself under +his shell and there awaits his doom in patience. He only seems to have +two enemies who can do him any damage: one of these is the +boa-constrictor--this snake swallows the tortoise alive, shell and all. +But a boa large enough to do this is very scarce, and thus there is not +much to apprehend from that quarter. The other enemy is man, who takes +up the tortoise and carries him away. Man also is scarce in these +never-ending wilds, and the little depredations he may commit upon the +tortoise will be nothing, or a mere trifle. The tiger's teeth cannot +penetrate its shell, nor can a stroke of his paws do it any damage. It +is of so compact and strong a nature that there is a common saying, a +London waggon might roll over it and not break it. + +Ere we proceed, let us take a retrospective view of the five animals +just enumerated: they are all quadrupeds, and have some very particular +mark or mode of existence different from all other animals. The sloth +has four feet, but never can use them to support his body on the earth: +they want soles, which are a marked feature in the feet of other +animals. The ant-bear has not a tooth in his head, still he roves +fearless on in the same forests with the jaguar and boa-constrictor. +The vampire does not make use of his feet to walk, but to stretch a +membrane which enables him to go up into an element where no other +quadruped is seen. The armadillo has only here and there a straggling +hair, and has neither fur nor wool nor bristles, but in lieu of them +has received a movable shell on which are scales very much like those +of fishes. The tortoise is oviparous, entirely without any appearance +of hair, and is obliged to accommodate itself to a shell which is quite +hard and inflexible, and in no point of view whatever obedient to the +will or pleasure of the bearer. The egg of the tortoise has a very hard +shell, while that of the turtle is quite soft. + +In some parts of these forests I saw the vanilla growing luxuriantly. +It creeps up the trees to the height of thirty or forty feet. I found +it difficult to get a ripe pod, as the monkeys are very fond of it, and +generally took care to get there before me. The pod hangs from the tree +in the shape of a little scabbard. _Vayna_ is the Spanish for a +scabbard, and _vanilla_ for a little scabbard. Hence the name. + +In Mibiri Creek there was a cayman of the small species, measuring +about five feet in length; I saw it in the same place for months, but +could never get a shot at it, for, the moment I thought I was sure of +it, it dived under the water before I could pull the trigger. At last I +got an Indian with his bow and arrow: he stood up in the canoe with his +bow ready bent, and as we drifted past the place he sent his arrow into +the cayman's eye, and killed it dead. The skin of this little species +is much harder and stronger than that of the large kind; it is good +food, and tastes like veal. + +My friend Mr. Edmonstone had very kindly let me have one of his old +negroes, and he constantly attended me: his name was Daddy Quashi. He +had a brave stomach for heterogeneous food; it could digest and relish, +too, caymen, monkeys, hawks and grubs. The Daddy made three or four +meals on this cayman while it was not absolutely putrid, and salted the +rest. I could never get him to face a snake; the horror he betrayed on +seeing one was beyond description. I asked him why he was so terribly +alarmed. He said it was by seeing so many dogs from time to time killed +by them. + +Here I had a fine opportunity of examining several species of the +caprimulgus. I am fully persuaded that these innocent little birds +never suck the herds, for when they approach them, and jump up at their +udders, it is to catch the flies and insects there. When the moon shone +bright I would frequently go and stand within three yards of a cow, and +distinctly see the caprimulgus catch the flies on its udder. On looking +for them in the forest during the day, I either found them on the +ground, or else invariably sitting _longitudinally_ on the branch of a +tree, not _crosswise_, like all other birds. + +The wasps, or maribuntas, are great plagues in these forests, and +require the naturalist to be cautious as he wanders up and down. Some +make their nests pendent from the branches; others have them fixed to +the underside of a leaf. Now, in passing on, if you happen to disturb +one of these, they sally forth and punish you severely. The largest +kind is blue: it brings blood where its sting enters, and causes pain +and inflammation enough to create a fever. The Indians make a fire +under the nest, and, after killing or driving away the old ones, they +roast the young grubs in the comb and eat them. I tried them once by +way of dessert after dinner, but my stomach was offended at their +intrusion; probably it was more the idea than the taste that caused the +stomach to rebel. + +Time and experience have convinced me that there is not much danger in +roving amongst snakes and wild beasts, provided only that you have +self-command. You must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are +sure to pay for your rashness, because the idea of self-defence is +predominant in every animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from +what he considers an attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the +deadly effect of his poisonous fangs. The jaguar flies at you, and +knocks you senseless with a stroke of his paw; whereas, if you had not +come upon him too suddenly, it is ten to one but that he had retired in +lieu of disputing the path with you. The labarri-snake is very +poisonous, and I have often approached within two yards of him without +fear. I took care to move very softly and gently, without moving my +arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him without +showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. He would appear +to keep his eye fixed on me as though suspicious, but that was all. +Sometimes I have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the +labarri's back. He would then glide away without offering resistance. +But when I put the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he +immediately opened his mouth, flew at it, and bit it. + +One day, wishful to see how the poison comes out of the fang of the +snake, I caught a labarri alive. He was about eight feet long. I held +him by the neck, and my hand was so near his jaw that he had not room +to move his head to bite it. This was the only position I could have +held him in with safety and effect. To do so it only required a little +resolution and coolness. I then took a small piece of stick in the +other hand and pressed it against the fang, which is invariably in the +upper jaw. Towards the point of the fang there is a little oblong +aperture on the convex side of it. Through this there is a +communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a little bag +containing the poison. Now, when the point of the fang is pressed, the +root of the fang also presses against the bag, and sends up a portion +of the poison therein contained. Thus, when I applied a piece of stick +to the point of the fang, there came out of the hole a liquor thick and +yellow, like strong camomile-tea. This was the poison which is so +dreadful in its effects as to render the labarri-snake one of the most +poisonous in the forests of Guiana. I once caught a fine labarri and +made it bite itself. I forced the poisonous fang into its belly. In a +few minutes I thought it was going to die, for it appeared dull and +heavy. However, in half an hour's time he was as brisk and vigorous as +ever, and in the course of the day showed no symptoms of being +affected. Is then the life of the snake proof against its own poison? +This subject is not unworthy of the consideration of the naturalist. + +In Guiana there is a little insect in the grass and on the shrubs which +the French call bete-rouge. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour, and so +minute that you must bring your eye close to it before you can perceive +it. It is most numerous in the rainy season. Its bite causes an +intolerable itching. The best way to get rid of it is to rub the part +affected with oil or rum. You must be careful not to scratch it. If you +do so, and break the skin, you expose yourself to a sore. The first +year I was in Guiana the bete-rouge and my own want of knowledge, and, +I may add, the little attention I paid to it, created an ulcer above +the ankle which annoyed me for six months, and if I hobbled out into +the grass a number of bete-rouge would settle on the edges of the sore +and increase the inflammation. + +Still more inconvenient, painful and annoying is another little pest +called the chegoe. It looks exactly like a very small flea, and a +stranger would take it for one. However, in about four and twenty hours +he would have several broad hints that he had made a mistake in his +ideas of the animal. It attacks different parts of the body, but +chiefly the feet, betwixt the toe-nails and the flesh. There it buries +itself, and at first causes an itching not unpleasant. In a day or so, +after examining the part, you perceive a place about the size of a pea, +somewhat discoloured, rather of a blue appearance. Sometimes it happens +that the itching is so trivial, you are not aware that the miner is at +work. Time, they say, makes great discoveries. The discoloured part +turns out to be the nest of the chegoe, containing hundreds of eggs, +which, if allowed to hatch there, the young ones will soon begin to +form other nests, and in time cause a spreading ulcer. As soon as you +perceive that you have got the chegoe in your flesh, you must take a +needle or a sharp-pointed knife and take it out. If the nest be formed, +great care must be taken not to break it, otherwise some of the eggs +remain in the flesh, and then you will soon be annoyed with more +chegoes. After removing the nest it is well to drop spirit of +turpentine into the hole: that will most effectually destroy any chegoe +that may be lurking there. Sometimes I have taken four nests out of my +feet in the course of the day. + +Every evening, before sundown, it was part of my toilette to examine my +feet and see that they were clear of chegoes. Now and then a nest would +escape the scrutiny, and then I had to smart for it a day or two after. +A chegoe once lit upon the back of my hand; wishful to see how he +worked, I allowed him to take possession. He immediately set to work, +head foremost, and in about half an hour he had completely buried +himself in the skin. I then let him feel the point of my knife, and +exterminated him. + +More than once, after sitting down upon a rotten stump, I have found +myself covered with ticks. There is a short and easy way to get quit of +these unwelcome adherents. Make a large fire and stand close to it, and +if you be covered with ticks they will all fall off. + +Let us now forget for awhile the quadrupeds, serpents and insects, and +take a transitory view of the native Indians of these forests. + +There are five principal nations or tribes of Indians in _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, commonly known by the name of Warow, Arowack, Acoway, +Carib and Macoushi. They live in small hamlets, which consist of a few +huts, never exceeding twelve in number. These huts are always in the +forest, near a river or some creek. They are open on all sides (except +those of the Macoushi), and covered with a species of palm-leaf. + +Their principal furniture is the hammock. It serves them both for chair +and bed. It is commonly made of cotton; though those of the Warows are +formed from the aeta-tree. At night they always make a fire close to it. +The heat keeps them warm, and the smoke drives away the mosquitos and +sand-flies. You sometimes find a table in the hut; but it was not made +by the Indians, but by some negro or mulatto carpenter. + +They cut down about an acre or two of the trees which surround the +huts, and there plant pepper, papaws, sweet and bitter cassava, +plantains, sweet potatoes, yams, pine-apples and silk-grass. Besides +these, they generally have a few acres in some fertile part of the +forest for their cassava, which is as bread to them. They make earthen +pots to boil their provisions in; and they get from the white men flat +circular plates of iron on which they bake their cassava. They have to +grate the cassava before it is pressed preparatory to baking; and those +Indians who are too far in the wilds to procure graters from the white +men make use of a flat piece of wood studded with sharp stones. They +have no cows, horses, mules, goats, sheep or asses. The men hunt and +fish, and the women work in the provision-ground and cook their +victuals. + +In each hamlet there is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out like a +trough. In this, from their cassava, they make an abominable ill-tasted +and sour kind of fermented liquor called piwarri. They are very fond of +it, and never fail to get drunk after every brewing. The frequency of +the brewing depends upon the superabundance of cassava. + +Both men and women go without clothes. The men have a cotton wrapper, +and the women a bead-ornamented square piece of cotton about the size +of your hand for the fig-leaf. Those far away in the interior use the +bark of a tree for this purpose. They are a very clean people, and wash +in the river or creek at least twice every day. They paint themselves +with the roucou, sweetly perfumed with hayawa or accaiari. Their hair +is black and lank, and never curled. The women braid it up fancifully, +something in the shape of Diana's head-dress in ancient pictures. They +have very few diseases. Old age and pulmonary complaints seem to be the +chief agents for removing them to another world. The pulmonary +complaints are generally brought on by a severe cold, which they do not +know how to arrest in its progress by the use of the lancet. I never +saw an idiot amongst them, nor could I perceive any that were deformed +from their birth. Their women never perish in childbed, owing, no +doubt, to their never wearing stays. + +They have no public religious ceremony. They acknowledge two superior +beings--a good one and a bad one. They pray to the latter not to hurt +them, and they are of opinion that the former is too good to do the man +injury. I suspect, if the truth were known, the individuals of the +village never offer up a single prayer or ejaculation. They have a kind +of a priest called a Pee-ay-man, who is an enchanter. He finds out +things lost. He mutters prayers to the evil spirit over them and their +children when they are sick. If a fever be in the village, the +Pee-ay-man goes about all night long howling and making dreadful +noises, and begs the bad spirit to depart. But he has very seldom to +perform this part of his duty, as fevers seldom visit the Indian +hamlets. However, when a fever does come, and his incantations are of +no avail, which I imagine is most commonly the case, they abandon the +place for ever and make a new settlement elsewhere. They consider the +owl and the goat-sucker as familiars of the evil spirit, and never +destroy them. + +I could find no monuments or marks of antiquity amongst these Indians; +so that, after penetrating to the Rio Branco from the shores of the +Western Ocean, had anybody questioned me on this subject I should have +answered, I have seen nothing amongst these Indians which tells me that +they have existed here for a century; though, for aught I know to the +contrary, they may have been here before the Redemption, but their +total want of civilisation has assimilated them to the forests in which +they wander. Thus an aged tree falls and moulders into dust and you +cannot tell what was its appearance, its beauties, or its diseases +amongst the neighbouring trees; another has shot up in its place, and +after Nature has had her course it will make way for a successor in its +turn. So it is with the Indian of Guiana. He is now laid low in the +dust; he has left no record behind him, either on parchment or on a +stone or in earthenware to say what he has done. Perhaps the place +where his buried ruins lie was unhealthy, and the survivors have left +it long ago and gone far away into the wilds. All that you can say is, +the trees where I stand appear lower and smaller than the rest, and +from this I conjecture that some Indians may have had a settlement here +formerly. Were I by chance to meet the son of the father who moulders +here, he could tell me that his father was famous for slaying tigers +and serpents and caymen, and noted in the chase of the tapir and wild +boar, but that he remembers little or nothing of his grandfather. + +They are very jealous of their liberty, and much attached to their own +mode of living. Though those in the neighbourhood of the European +settlements have constant communication with the whites, they have no +inclination to become civilised. Some Indians who have accompanied +white men to Europe, on returning to their own land have thrown off +their clothes and gone back into the forests. + +In Georgetown, the capital of Demerara, there is a large shed, open on +all sides, built for them by order of Government. Hither the Indians +come with monkeys, parrots, bows and arrows, and pegalls. They sell +these to the white men for money, and too often purchase rum with it, +to which they are wonderfully addicted. + +Government allows them annual presents in order to have their services +when the colony deems it necessary to scour the forests in quest of +runaway negroes. Formerly these expeditions were headed by Charles +Edmonstone, Esq., now of Cardross Park, near Dumbarton. This brave +colonist never returned from the woods without being victorious. Once, +in an attack upon the rebel-negroes' camp, he led the way and received +two balls in his body; at the same moment that he was wounded two of +his Indians fell dead by his side; he recovered, after his life was +despaired of, but the balls could never be extracted. + +Since the above appeared in print I have had the account of this +engagement with the negroes in the forest from Mr. Edmonstone's own +mouth. + +He received four slugs in his body, as will be seen in the sequel. + +The plantations of Demerara and Essequibo are bounded by an almost +interminable extent of forest. Hither the runaway negroes repair, and +form settlements from whence they issue to annoy the colonists, as +occasion may offer. + +In 1801 the runaway slaves had increased to an alarming extent. The +Governor gave orders that an expedition should be immediately organised +and proceed to the woods under the command of Charles Edmonstone, Esq. +General Hislop sent him a corporal, a sergeant and eleven men, and he +was joined by a part of the colonial militia and by sixty Indians. With +this force Mr. Edmonstone entered the forest and proceeded in a +direction towards Mahaica. + +He marched for eight days through swamps and over places obstructed by +fallen trees and the bush-rope; tormented by myriads of mosquitos, and +ever in fear of treading on the poisonous snakes which can scarcely be +distinguished from the fallen leaves. + +At last he reached a wooded sandhill, where the Maroons had entrenched +themselves in great force. Not expecting to come so soon upon them, Mr. +Edmonstone, his faithful man Coffee and two Indian chiefs found +themselves considerably ahead of their own party. As yet they were +unperceived by the enemy, but unfortunately one of the Indian chiefs +fired a random shot at a distant Maroon. Immediately the whole negro +camp turned out and formed themselves in a crescent in front of Mr. +Edmonstone. Their chief was an uncommonly fine negro, above six feet in +height; and his head-dress was that of an African warrior, ornamented +with a profusion of small shells. He advanced undauntedly with his gun +in his hand, and, in insulting language, called out to Mr. Edmonstone +to come on and fight him. + +Mr. Edmonstone approached him slowly in order to give his own men time +to come up; but they were yet too far off for him to profit by this +manoeuvre. Coffee, who carried his master's gun, now stepped up behind +him, and put the gun into his hand, which Mr. Edmonstone received +without advancing it to his shoulder. + +He was now within a few yards of the Maroon chief, who seemed to betray +some symptoms of uncertainty, for, instead of firing directly at Mr. +Edmonstone, he took a step sideways, and rested his gun against a tree; +no doubt with the intention of taking a surer aim. Mr. Edmonstone, on +perceiving this, immediately cocked his gun and fired it off, still +holding it in the position in which he had received it from Coffee. The +whole of the contents entered the negro's body, and he dropped dead on +his face. + +The negroes, who had formed in a crescent, now in their turn fired a +volley, which brought Mr. Edmonstone and his two Indian chiefs to the +ground. The Maroons did not stand to reload, but, on Mr. Edmonstone's +party coming up, they fled precipitately into the surrounding forest. + +Four slugs had entered Mr. Edmonstone's body. After coming to himself, +on looking around he saw one of the fallen Indian chiefs bleeding by +his side. He accosted him by name and said he hoped he was not much +hurt. The dying Indian had just strength enough to answer, "Oh +no,"--and then expired. The other chief was lying quite dead. He must +have received his mortal wound just as he was in the act of cocking his +gun to fire on the negroes; for it appeared that the ball which gave +him his death-wound had carried off the first joint of his thumb and +passed through his forehead. By this time his wife, who had accompanied +the expedition, came up. She was a fine young woman, and had her long +black hair fancifully braided in a knot on the top of her head, +fastened with a silver ornament. She unloosed it, and, falling on her +husband's body, covered it with her hair, bewailing his untimely end +with the most heart-rending cries. + +The blood was now running out of Mr. Edmonstone's shoes. On being +raised up, he ordered his men to pursue the flying Maroons, requesting +at the same time that he might be left where he had fallen, as he felt +that he was mortally wounded. They gently placed him on the ground, +and, after the pursuit of the Maroons had ended, the corporal and +sergeant returned to their commander and formed their men. On his +asking what this meant, the sergeant replied, "I had the General's +orders, on setting out from town, not to leave you in the forest, +happen what might." By slow and careful marches, as much as the +obstructions in the woods would admit of, the party reached Plantation +Alliance, on the bank of the Demerara, and from thence it crossed the +river to Plantation Vredestein. + +The news of the rencounter had been spread far and wide by the Indians, +and had already reached town. The General, Captains Macrai and +Johnstone and Doctor Dunkin proceeded to Vredestein. On examining Mr. +Edmonstone's wounds, four slugs were found to have entered the body: +one was extracted, the rest remained there till the year 1824, when +another was cut out by a professional gentleman of Port Glasgow. The +other two still remain in the body; and it is supposed that either one +or both have touched a nerve, as they cause almost continual pain. Mr. +Edmonstone has commanded fifteen different expeditions in the forest in +quest of the Maroons. The Colonial Government has requited his services +by freeing his property from all taxes and presenting him a handsome +sword and a silver urn, bearing the following inscription: + + Presented to CHARLES EDMONSTONE, Esq., by the Governor + and Court of Policy of the Colony of Demerara, as a token of + their esteem and the deep sense they entertain of the very great + activity and spirit manifested by him, on various occasions, in + his successful exertions for the internal security of the Colony. + --_January 1st, 1809_. + +I do not believe that there is a single Indian in _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana who can read or write, nor am I aware that any white man has +reduced their language to the rules of grammar; some may have made a +short manuscript vocabulary of the few necessary words, but that is +all. Here and there a white man, and some few people of colour, talk +the language well. The temper of the Indian of Guiana is mild and +gentle, and he is very fond of his children. + +Some ignorant travellers and colonists call these Indians a lazy race. +Man in general will not be active without an object. Now when the +Indian has caught plenty of fish, and killed game enough to last him +for a week, what need has he to range the forest? He has no idea of +making pleasure-grounds. Money is of no use to him, for in these wilds +there are no markets for him to frequent, nor milliners' shops for his +wife and daughters; he has no taxes to pay, no highways to keep up, no +poor to maintain, nor army nor navy to supply; he lies in his hammock +both night and day (for he has no chair or bed, neither does he want +them), and in it he forms his bow and makes his arrows and repairs his +fishing-tackle. But as soon as he has consumed his provisions, he then +rouses himself and, like the lion, scours the forest in quest of food. +He plunges into the river after the deer and tapir, and swims across +it; passes through swamps and quagmires, and never fails to obtain a +sufficient supply of food. Should the approach of night stop his career +while he is hunting the wild boar, he stops for the night and continues +the chase the next morning. In my way through the wilds to the +Portuguese frontier I had a proof of this: we were eight in number, six +Indians, a negro and myself. About ten o'clock in the morning we +observed the feet-mark of the wild boars; we judged by the freshness of +the marks that they had passed that way early the same morning. As we +were not gifted, like the hound, with scent, and as we had no dog with +us, we followed their track by the eye. The Indian after game is as +sure with his eye as the dog is with his nose. We followed the herd +till three in the afternoon, then gave up the chase for the present, +made our fires close to a creek where there was plenty of fish, and +then arranged the hammocks. In an hour the Indians shot more fish with +their arrows than we could consume. The night was beautifully serene +and clear, and the moon shone as bright as day. Next morn we rose at +dawn, got breakfast, packed up, each took his burden, and then we put +ourselves on the track of the wild boars which we had been following +the day before. We supposed that they too would sleep that night in the +forest, as we had done; and thus the delay on our part would be no +disadvantage to us. This was just the case, for about nine o'clock +their feet-marks became fresher and fresher: we now doubled, our pace, +but did not give mouth like hounds. We pushed on in silence, and soon +came up with them: there were above one hundred of them. We killed six +and the rest took off in different directions. But to the point. + +Amongst us the needy man works from light to dark for a maintenance. +Should this man chance to acquire a fortune, he soon changes his +habits. No longer under "strong necessity's supreme command," he +contrives to get out of bed betwixt nine and ten in the morning. His +servant helps him to dress, he walks on a soft carpet to his +breakfast-table, his wife pours out his tea, and his servant hands him +his toast. After breakfast the doctor advises a little gentle exercise +in the carriage for an hour or so. At dinner-time he sits down to a +table groaning beneath the weight of heterogeneous luxury: there he +rests upon a chair for three or four hours, eats, drinks and talks +(often unmeaningly) till tea is announced. He proceeds slowly to the +drawing-room, and there spends best part of his time in sitting, till +his wife tempts him with something warm for supper. After supper he +still remains on his chair at rest till he retires to rest for the +night. He mounts leisurely upstairs upon a carpet, and enters his +bedroom: there, one would hope that at least he mutters a prayer or +two, though perhaps not on bended knee. He then lets himself drop in to +a soft and downy bed, over which has just passed the comely Jenny's +warming-pan. Now, could the Indian in his turn see this, he would call +the white men a lazy, indolent set. + +Perhaps, then, upon due reflection you would draw this conclusion: that +men will always be indolent where there is no object to rouse them. + +As the Indian of Guiana has no idea whatever of communicating his +intentions by writing, he has fallen upon a plan of communication sure +and simple. When two or three families have determined to come down the +river and pay you a visit, they send an Indian beforehand with a string +of beads. You take one bead off every day, and on the day that the +string is beadless they arrive at your house. + +In finding their way through these pathless wilds the sun is to them +what Ariadne's clue was to Theseus. When he is on the meridian they +generally sit down, and rove onwards again as soon as he has +sufficiently declined to the west; they require no other compass. When +in chase, they break a twig on the bushes as they pass by, every three +or four hundred paces, and this often prevents them from losing their +way on their return. + +You will not be long in the forests of Guiana before you perceive how +very thinly they are inhabited. You may wander for a week together +without seeing a hut. The wild beasts, snakes, the swamps, the trees, +the uncurbed luxuriance of everything around you conspire to inform you +that man has no habitation here--man has seldom passed this way. + +Let us now return to natural history. There was a person making +shingles with twenty or thirty negroes not far from Mibiri Hill. I had +offered a reward to any of them who would find a good-sized snake in +the forest and come and let me know where it was. Often had these +negroes looked for a large snake, and as often been disappointed. + +One Sunday morning I met one of them in the forest, and asked him which +way he was going: he said he was going towards Waratilla Creek to hunt +an armadillo; and he had his little dog with him. On coming back, about +noon, the dog began to bark at the root of a large tree which had been +upset by the whirlwind and was lying there in a gradual state of decay. +The negro said he thought his dog was barking at an acouri which had +probably taken refuge under the tree, and he went up with an intention +to kill it; he there saw a snake, and hastened back to inform me of it. + +The sun had just passed the meridian in a cloudless sky; there was +scarcely a bird to be seen, for the winged inhabitants of the forest, +as though overcome by heat, had retired to the thickest shade: all +would have been like midnight silence were it not for the shrill voice +of the pi-pi-yo, every now and then resounded from a distant tree. I +was sitting with a little Horace in my hand, on what had once been the +steps which formerly led up to the now mouldering and dismantled +building. The negro and his little dog came down the hill in haste, and +I was soon informed that a snake had been discovered; but it was a +young one, called the bush-master, a rare and poisonous snake. + +I instantly rose up, and laying hold of the eight-foot lance which was +close by me, "Well, then, Daddy," said I, "we'll go and have a look at +the snake." I was barefoot, with an old hat, and check shirt, and +trousers on, and a pair of braces to keep them up. The negro had his +cutlass, and as we ascended the hill another negro, armed with a +cutlass, joined us, judging from our pace that there was something to +do. The little dog came along with us, and when we had got about half a +mile in the forest the negro stopped and pointed to the fallen tree: +all was still and silent. I told the negroes not to stir from the place +where they were, and keep the little dog in, and that I would go in and +reconnoitre. + +I advanced up to the place slow and cautious. The snake was well +concealed, but at last I made him out; it was a coulacanara, not +poisonous, but large enough to have crushed any of us to death. On +measuring him afterwards he was something more than fourteen feet long. +This species of snake is very rare, and much thicker in proportion to +his length than any other snake in the forest. A coulacanara of +fourteen feet in length is as thick as a common boa of twenty-four. +After skinning this snake I could easily get my head into his mouth, as +the singular formation of the jaws admits of wonderful extension. + +A Dutch friend of mine, by name Brouwer, killed a boa twenty-two feet +long with a pair of stag's horns in his mouth. He had swallowed the +stag, but could not get the horns down; so he had to wait in patience +with that uncomfortable mouthful till his stomach digested the body, +and then the horns would drop out. In this plight the Dutchman found +him as he was going in his canoe up the river, and sent a ball through +his head. + +On ascertaining the size of the serpent which the negro had just found, +I retired slowly the way I came, and promised four dollars to the negro +who had shown it to me, and one to the other who had joined us. Aware +that the day was on the decline, and that the approach of night would +be detrimental to the dissection, a thought struck me that I could take +him alive. I imagined if I could strike him with the lance behind the +head, and pin him to the ground, I might succeed in capturing him. When +I told this to the negroes they begged and entreated me to let them go +for a gun and bring more force, as they were sure the snake would kill +some of us. + +I had been at the siege of Troy for nine years, and it would not do now +to carry back to Greece "nil decimo nisi dedecus anno." I mean I had +been in search of a large serpent for years, and now having come up +with one it did not become me to turn soft. So, taking a cutlass from +one of the negroes, and then ranging both the sable slaves behind me, I +told them to follow me, and that I would cut them down if they offered +to fly. I smiled as I said this, but they shook their heads in silence +and seemed to have but a bad heart of it. + +When we got up to the place the serpent had not stirred, but I could +see nothing of his head, and I judged by the folds of his body that it +must be at the farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had +formed a complete mantle over the branches of the fallen tree, almost +impervious to the rain or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted +to this sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an +ancient settlement. + +I now took my knife, determining to cut away the woodbine and break the +twigs in the gentlest manner possible, till I could get a view of his +head. One negro stood guard close behind me with the lance; and near +him the other with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the +first negro was on the ground close by me in case of need. + +After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, with one knee +all the time on the ground, I had cleared away enough to see his head. +It appeared coming out betwixt the first and second coil of his body, +and was flat on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to +be in. + +I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a sign to the +negroes to do the same. The dog was sitting at a distance in mute +observance. I could now read in the face of the negroes that they +considered this as a very unpleasant affair; and they made another +attempt to persuade me to let them go for a gun. I smiled in a +good-natured manner, and made a feint to cut them down with the weapon +I had in my hand. This was all the answer I made to their request, and +they looked very uneasy. + +It must be observed we were now about twenty yards from the snake's +den. I now ranged the negroes behind me, and told him who stood next to +me to lay hold of the lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the +other must attend my movements. It now only remained to take their +cutlasses from them, for I was sure if I did not disarm them they would +be tempted to strike the snake in time of danger, and thus for ever +spoil his skin. On taking their cutlasses from them, if I might judge +from their physiognomy, they seemed to consider it as a most +intolerable act of tyranny in me. Probably nothing kept them from +bolting but the consolation that I was to be betwixt them and the +snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite of all I could do, beat quicker +than usual; and I felt those sensations which one has on board a +merchant-vessel in war-time, when the captain orders all hands on deck +to prepare for action, while a strange vessel is coming down upon us +under suspicious colours. + +We went slowly on in silence without moving our arms or heads, in order +to prevent all alarm as much as possible, lest the snake should glide +off or attack us in self-defence. I carried the lance perpendicularly +before me, with the point about a foot from the ground. The snake had +not moved; and on getting up to him I struck him with the lance on the +near-side, just behind the neck, and pinned him to the ground. That +moment the negro next to me seized the lance and held it firm in its +place, while I dashed head foremost into the den to grapple with the +snake and to get hold of his tail before he could do any mischief. + +On pinning him to the ground with the lance he gave a tremendous loud +hiss, and the little dog ran away, howling as he went. We had a sharp +fray in the den, the rotten sticks flying on all sides, and each party +struggling for superiority. I called out to the second negro to throw +himself upon me, as I found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and the +additional weight was of great service. I had now got firm hold of his +tail; and after a violent struggle or two he gave in, finding himself +overpowered. This was the moment to secure him. So while the first +negro continued to hold the lance firm to the ground, and the other was +helping me, I contrived to unloose my braces and with them tied up the +snake's mouth. + +The snake, now finding himself in an unpleasant situation, tried to +better himself, and set resolutely to work, but we overpowered him. We +contrived to make him twist himself round the shaft of the lance, and +then prepared to convey him out of the forest. I stood at his head and +held it firm under my arm, one negro supported the belly and the other +the tail. In this order we began to move slowly towards home, and +reached it after resting ten times: for the snake was too heavy for us +to support him without stopping to recruit our strength. As we +proceeded onwards with him he fought hard for freedom, but it was all +in vain. The day was now too far spent to think of dissecting him. Had +I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have taken place before +morning. I had brought with me up into the forest a strong bag large +enough to contain any animal that I should want to dissect. I +considered this the best mode of keeping live wild animals when I was +pressed for daylight; for the bag yielding in every direction to their +efforts, they would have nothing solid or fixed to work on, and thus +would be prevented from making a hole through it. I say fixed, for +after the mouth of the bag was closed the bag itself was not fastened +or tied to anything, but moved about wherever the animal inside caused +it to roll. After securing afresh the mouth of the coulacanara, so that +he could not open it, he was forced into this bag and left to his fate +till morning. + +I cannot say he allowed me to have a quiet night. My hammock was in the +loft just above him, and the floor betwixt us half gone to decay, so +that in parts of it no boards intervened betwixt his lodging-room and +mine. He was very restless and fretful; and had Medusa been my wife, +there could not have been more continued and disagreeable hissing in +the bed-chamber that night. At daybreak I sent to borrow ten of the +negroes who were cutting wood at a distance; I could have done with +half that number, but judged it most prudent to have a good force, in +case he should try to escape from the house when we opened the bag. +However, nothing serious occurred. + +We untied the mouth of the bag, kept him down by main force, and then I +cut his throat. He bled like an ox. By six o'clock the same evening he +was completely dissected. On examining his teeth I observed that they +were all bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat, and not so +large or strong as I expected to have found them; but they are exactly +suited to what they are intended by Nature to perform. The snake does +not masticate his food, and thus the only service his teeth have to +perform is to seize his prey and hold it till he swallows it whole. + +In general, the skins of snakes are sent to museums without the head: +for when the Indians and negroes kill a snake they seldom fail to cut +off the head, and then they run no risk from its teeth. When the skin +is stuffed in the museum a wooden head is substituted, armed with teeth +which are large enough to suit a tiger's jaw; and this tends to mislead +the spectator and give him erroneous ideas. + +During this fray with the serpent the old negro, Daddy Quashi, was in +Georgetown procuring provisions, and just returned in time to help to +take the skin off. He had spent best part of his life in the forest +with his old master, Mr. Edmonstone, and amused me much in recounting +their many adventures amongst the wild beasts. The Daddy had a +particular horror of snakes, and frankly declared he could never have +faced the one in question. + +The week following his courage was put to the test, and he made good +his words. It was a curious conflict, and took place near the spot +where I had captured the large snake. In the morning I had been +following a new species of paroquet, and, the day being rainy, I had +taken an umbrella to keep the gun dry, and had left it under a tree; in +the afternoon I took Daddy Quashi with me to look for it. Whilst he was +searching about, curiosity took me towards the place of the late scene +of action. There was a path where timber had formerly been dragged +along. Here I observed a young coulacanara, ten feet long, slowly +moving onwards. I saw he was not thick enough to break my arm, in case +he got twisted round it. There was not a moment to be lost. I laid hold +of his tail with the left hand, one knee being on the ground; with the +right I took off my hat, and held it as you would hold a shield for +defence. + +The snake instantly turned and came on at me, with his head about a +yard from the ground, as if to ask me what business I had to take +liberties with his tail. I let him come, hissing and open-mouthed, +within two feet of my face, and then with all the force I was master of +I drove my fist, shielded by my hat, full in his jaws. He was stunned +and confounded by the blow, and ere he could recover himself I had +seized his throat with both hands in such a position that he could not +bite me. I then allowed him to coil himself round my body, and marched +off with him as my lawful prize. He pressed me hard, but not alarmingly +so. + +In the meantime Daddy Quashi, having found the umbrella and having +heard the noise which the fray occasioned, was coming cautiously up. As +soon as he saw me and in what company I was, he turned about and ran +off home, I after him, and shouting to increase his fear. On scolding +him for his cowardice, the old rogue begged that I would forgive him, +for that the sight of the snake had positively turned him sick at +stomach. + +When I had done with the carcass of the large snake it was conveyed +into the forest, as I expected that it would attract the king of the +vultures as soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. +In a few days it sent forth that odour which a carcass should send +forth, and about twenty of the common vultures came and perched on the +neighbouring trees. The king of the vultures came, too; and I observed +that none of the common ones seemed inclined to begin breakfast till +his majesty had finished. When he had consumed as much snake as Nature +informed him would do him good, he retired to the top of a high +mora-tree, and then all the common vultures fell to and made a hearty +meal. + +The head and neck of the king of the vultures are bare of feathers; but +the beautiful appearance they exhibit fades in death. The throat and +the back of the neck are of a fine lemon colour; both sides of the +neck, from the ears downwards, of a rich scarlet; behind the corrugated +part there is a white spot. The crown of the head is scarlet; betwixt +the lower mandible and the eye and close by the ear there is a part +which has a fine silvery-blue appearance; the corrugated part is of a +dirty light brown; behind it and just above the white spot a portion of +the skin is blue, and the rest scarlet; the skin which juts out behind +the neck, and appears like an oblong caruncle, is blue in part and part +orange. + +The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and +the cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white. Below the +bare part of the neck there is a cinereous ruff. The bag of the +stomach, which is only seen when distended with food, is of a most +delicate white, intersected with blue veins, which appear on it just +like the blue veins on the arm of a fair-complexioned person. The tail +and long wing-feathers are black, the belly white, and the rest of the +body a fine satin colour. + +I cannot be persuaded that the vultures ever feed upon live animals, +not even upon lizards, rats, mice or frogs. I have watched them for +hours together, but never could see them touch any living animals, +though innumerable lizards, frogs and small birds swarmed all around +them. I have killed lizards and frogs, and put them in a proper place +for observation; as soon as they began to stink the aura vulture +invariably came and took them off. I have frequently observed that the +day after the planter had burnt the trash in a cane-field the aura +vulture was sure to be there, feeding on the snakes, lizards and frogs +which had suffered in the conflagration. I often saw a large bird (very +much like the common gregarious vulture, at a distance) catch and +devour lizards; after shooting one it turned out to be not a vulture +but a hawk, with a tail squarer and shorter than hawks have in general. +The vultures, like the goat-sucker and woodpecker, seem to be in +disgrace with man. They are generally termed a voracious, stinking, +cruel and ignoble tribe. Under these impressions the fowler discharges +his gun at them, and probably thinks he has done well in ridding the +earth of such vermin. + +Some Governments impose a fine on him who kills a vulture. This is a +salutary law, and it were to be wished that other Governments would +follow so good an example. I would fain here say a word or two in +favour of this valuable scavenger. + +Kind Providence has conferred a blessing on hot countries in giving +them the vulture; He has ordered it to consume that which, if left to +dissolve in putrefaction, would infect the air and produce a +pestilence. When full of food the vulture certainly appears an indolent +bird; he will stand for hours together on the branch of a tree, or on +the top of a house, with his wings drooping, and, after rain, with them +spread and elevated to catch the rays of the sun. It has been remarked +by naturalists that the flight of this bird is laborious. I have paid +attention to the vulture in Andalusia and to those in Guiana, Brazil, +and the West Indies, and conclude that they are birds of long, even and +lofty flight. Indeed, whoever has observed the aura vulture will be +satisfied that his flight is wonderfully majestic and of long +continuance. + +This bird is above five feet from wing to wing extended. You will see +it soaring aloft in the aerial expanse on pinions which never flutter, +and which at the same time carry him through the fields of ether with a +rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. In Paramaribo the laws +protect the vulture, and the Spaniards of Angustura never think of +molesting him. In 1808 I saw the vultures in that city as tame as +domestic fowls; a person who had never seen a vulture would have taken +them for turkeys. They were very useful to the Spaniards. Had it not +been for them, the refuse of the slaughter-houses in Angustura would +have caused an intolerable nuisance. + +The common black, short, square-tailed vulture is gregarious, but the +aura vulture is not so; for though you may see fifteen or twenty of +them feeding on the dead vermin in a cane-field, after the trash has +been set fire to, still, if you have paid attention to their arrival, +you will have observed that they came singly and retired singly; and +thus their being altogether in the same field was merely accidental and +caused by each one smelling the effluvia as he was soaring through the +sky to look out for food. I have watched twenty come into a cane-field; +they arrived one by one, and from different parts of the heavens. Hence +we may conclude that, though the other species of vulture are +gregarious, the aura vulture is not. + +If you dissect a vulture that has just been feeding on carrion, you +must expect that your olfactory nerves will be somewhat offended with +the rank effluvia from his craw; just as they would be were you to +dissect a citizen after the Lord Mayor's dinner. If, on the contrary, +the vulture be empty at the time you commence the operation, there will +be no offensive smell, but a strong scent of musk. + +I had long wished to examine the native haunts of the cayman, but as +the River Demerara did not afford a specimen of the large kind, I was +obliged to go to the River Essequibo to look for one. + +I got the canoe ready, and went down in it to Georgetown, where, having +put in the necessary articles for the expedition, not forgetting a +couple of large shark-hooks with chains attached to them, and a coil of +strong new rope, I hoisted a little sail which I had got made on +purpose, and at six o'clock in the morning shaped our course for the +River Essequibo. I had put a pair of shoes on to prevent the tar at the +bottom of the canoe from sticking to my feet. The sun was flaming hot, +and from eleven o'clock till two beat perpendicularly upon the top of +my feet, betwixt the shoes and the trousers. Not feeling it +disagreeable, or being in the least aware of painful consequences, as I +had been barefoot for months, I neglected to put on a pair of short +stockings which I had with me. I did not reflect that sitting still in +one place, with your feet exposed to the sun, was very different from +being exposed to the sun while in motion. + +We went ashore in the Essequibo about three o'clock in the afternoon, +to choose a place for the night's residence, to collect firewood, and +to set the fish-hooks. It was then that I first began to find my legs +very painful: they soon became much inflamed and red and blistered; and +it required considerable caution not to burst the blisters, otherwise +sores would have ensued. I immediately got into the hammock, and there +passed a painful and sleepless night, and for two days after I was +disabled from walking. + +About midnight, as I was lying awake and in great pain, I heard the +Indian say, "Massa, massa, you no hear tiger?" I listened attentively, +and heard the softly sounding tread of his feet as he approached us. +The moon had gone down, but every now and then we could get a glance of +him by the light of our fire. He was the jaguar, for I could see the +spots on his body. Had I wished to have fired at him I was not able to +take a sure aim, for I was in such pain that I could not turn myself in +my hammock. The Indian would have fired, but I would not allow him to +do so, as I wanted to see a little more of our new visitor, for it is +not every day or night that the traveller is favoured with an +undisturbed sight of the jaguar in his own forests. + +Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little nearer, and when the +Indian renewed it he retired abruptly. Sometimes he would come within +twenty yards, and then we had a view of him sitting on his hind-legs +like a dog; sometimes he moved slowly to and fro, and at other times we +could hear him mend his pace, as if impatient. At last the Indian, not +relishing the idea of having such company in the neighbourhood, could +contain himself no longer, and set up a most tremendous yell. The +jaguar bounded off like a racehorse, and returned no more. It appeared +by the print of his feet the next morning that he was a full-grown +jaguar. + +In two days after this we got to the first falls in the Essequibo. +There was a superb barrier of rocks quite across the river. In the +rainy season these rocks are for the most part under water, but it +being now dry weather we had a fine view of them, while the water from +the river above them rushed through the different openings in majestic +grandeur. Here, on a little hill jutting out into the river, stands the +house of Mrs. Peterson, the last house of people of colour up this +river. I hired a negro from her and a coloured man who pretended that +they knew the haunts of the cayman and understood everything about +taking him. We were a day in passing these falls and rapids, celebrated +for the pacou, the richest and most delicious fish in Guiana. The +coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the head of the canoe, +and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were swimming in the +stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had plunged +headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling with +it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he +aimed at. + +Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here +give thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that +not being the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and +well-intended attempt. + +Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each +side of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all +covered with trees of gigantic height and size. Here their leaves were +of a lively purple, and there of the deepest green. Sometimes the +caracara extended its scarlet blossoms from branch to branch, and gave +the tree the appearance as though it had been hung with garlands. + +This delightful scenery of the Essequibo made the soul overflow with +joy, and caused you to rove in fancy through fairyland; till, on +turning an angle of the river, you were recalled to more sober +reflections on seeing the once grand and towering mora now dead and +ragged in its topmost branches, while its aged trunk, undermined by the +rushing torrent, hung as though in sorrow over the river, which ere +long would receive it and sweep it away for ever. + +During the day the trade-wind blew a gentle and refreshing breeze, +which died away as the night set in, and then the river was as smooth +as glass. + +The moon was within three days of being full, so that we did not regret +the loss of the sun, which set in all its splendour. Scarce had he sunk +behind the western hills when the goat-suckers sent forth their soft +and plaintive cries; some often repeating, "Who are you--who, who, who +are you?" and others "Willy, willy, willy come go." + +The Indian and Daddy Quashi often shook their head at this, and said +they were bringing talk from Yabahou, who is the Evil Spirit of the +Essequibo. It was delightful to sit on the branch of a fallen tree near +the water's edge and listen to these harmless birds as they repeated +their evening song; and watch the owls and vampires as they every now +and then passed up and down the river. + +The next day, about noon, as we were proceeding onwards, we heard the +campanero tolling in the depth of the forest. Though I should not then +have stopped to dissect even a rare bird, having a greater object in +view, still I could not resist the opportunity offered of acquiring the +campanero. The place where he was tolling was low and swampy, and my +legs not having quite recovered from the effects of the sun, I sent the +Indian to shoot the campanero. He got up to the tree, which he +described as very high, with a naked top, and situated in a swamp. He +fired at the bird, but either missed it or did not wound it +sufficiently to bring it down. This was the only opportunity I had of +getting a campanero during this expedition. We had never heard one toll +before this morning, and never heard one after. + +About an hour before sunset we reached the place which the two men who +had joined us at the falls pointed out as a proper one to find a +cayman. There was a large creek close by and a sandbank gently sloping +to the water. Just within the forest, on this bank, we cleared a place +of brushwood, suspended the hammocks from the trees, and then picked up +enough of decayed wood for fuel. + +The Indian found a large land-tortoise, and this, with plenty of fresh +fish which we had in the canoe, afforded a supper not to be despised. + +The tigers had kept up a continual roaring every night since we had +entered the Essequibo. The sound was awfully fine. Sometimes it was in +the immediate neighbourhood; at other times it was far off, and echoed +amongst the hills like distant thunder. + +It may, perhaps, not be amiss to observe here that when the word tiger +is used it does not mean the Bengal tiger. It means the jaguar, whose +skin is beautifully spotted, and not striped like that of the tiger in +the East. It is, in fact, the tiger of the new world, and receiving the +name of tiger from the discoverers of South America it has kept it ever +since. It is a cruel, strong and dangerous beast, but not so courageous +as the Bengal tiger. + +We now baited a shark-hook with a large fish, and put it upon a board +about a yard long and one foot broad which we had brought on purpose. +This board was carried out in the canoe, about forty yards into the +river. By means of a string long enough to reach the bottom of the +river, and at the end of which string was fastened a stone, the board +was kept, as it were, at anchor. One end of the new rope I had bought +in town was reeved through the chain of the shark-hook and the other +end fastened to a tree on the sandbank. + +It was now an hour after sunset. The sky was cloudless, and the moon +shone beautifully bright. There was not a breath of wind in the +heavens, and the river seemed like a large plain of quicksilver. Every +now and then a huge fish would strike and plunge in the water; then the +owls and goat-suckers would continue their lamentations, and the sound +of these was lost in the prowling tiger's growl. Then all was still +again and silent as midnight. + +The caymen were now upon the stir, and at intervals their noise could +be distinguished amid that of the jaguar, the owls, the goat-suckers +and frogs. It was a singular and awful sound. It was like a suppressed +sigh bursting forth all of a sudden, and so loud that you might hear it +above a mile off. First one emitted this horrible noise, and then +another answered him; and on looking at the countenances of the people +round me I could plainly see that they expected to have a cayman that +night. + +We were at supper when the Indian, who seemed to have had one eye on +the turtle-pot and the other on the bait in the river, said he saw the +cayman coming. Upon looking towards the place there appeared something +on the water like a black log of wood. It was so unlike anything alive +that I doubted if it were a cayman; but the Indian smiled and said he +was sure it was one, for he remembered seeing a cayman some years ago +when he was in the Essequibo. + +At last it gradually approached the bait, and the board began to move. +The moon shone so bright that we could distinctly see him open his huge +jaws and take in the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop +the bait; and then we saw his black head retreating from the board to +the distance of a few yards; and there it remained quite motionless. + +He did not seem inclined to advance again; and so we finished our +supper. In about an hour's time he again put himself in motion, and +took hold of the bait. But probably suspecting that he had to deal with +knaves and cheats, he held it in his mouth but did not swallow it. We +pulled the rope again, but with no better success than the first time. + +He retreated as usual, and came back again in about an hour. We paid +him every attention till three o'clock in the morning, when, worn out +with disappointment, we went to the hammocks, turned in and fell asleep. + +When day broke we found that he had contrived to get the bait from the +hook, though we had tied it on with string. We had now no more hopes of +taking a cayman till the return of night. The Indian took off into the +woods and brought back a noble supply of game. The rest of us went into +the canoe and proceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more +than we could use. + +As we approached the shallows we could see the large sting-rays moving +at the bottom. The coloured man never failed to hit them with his +arrow. The weather was delightful. There was scarcely a cloud to +intercept the sun's rays. + +I saw several scarlet aras, anhingas and ducks, but could not get a +shot at them. The parrots crossed the river in innumerable quantities, +always flying in pairs. Here, too, I saw the sun-bird, called tirana by +the Spaniards in the Oroonoque, and shot one of them. The black and +white scarlet-headed finch was very common here. I could never see this +bird in the Demerara, nor hear of its being there. + +We at last came to a large sandbank, probably two miles in +circumference. As we approached it we could see two or three hundred +fresh-water turtle on the edge of the bank. Ere we could get near +enough to let fly an arrow at them they had all sunk into the river and +appeared no more. + +We went on the sandbank to look for their nests, as this was the +breeding-season. The coloured man showed us how to find them. Wherever +a portion of the sand seemed smoother than the rest there was sure to +be a turtle's nest. On digging down with our hands about nine inches +deep we found from twenty to thirty white eggs; in less than an hour we +got above two hundred. Those which had a little black spot or two on +the shell we ate the same day, as it was a sign that they were not +fresh, and of course would not keep; those which had no speck were put +into dry sand, and were good some weeks after. + +At midnight two of our people went to this sandbank while the rest +stayed to watch the cayman. The turtle had advanced on to the sand to +lay their eggs, and the men got betwixt them and the water; they +brought off half a dozen very fine and well-fed turtle. The eggshell of +the fresh-water turtle is not hard like that of the land-tortoise, but +appears like white parchment, and gives way to the pressure of the +fingers; but it is very tough, and does not break. On this sandbank, +close to the forest, we found several guana's nests; but they had never +more than fourteen eggs apiece. Thus passed the day in exercise and +knowledge, till the sun's declining orb reminded us it was time to +return to the place from whence we had set out. + +The second night's attempt upon the cayman was a repetition of the +first, quite unsuccessful. We went a-fishing the day after, had +excellent sport, and returned to experience a third night's +disappointment. On the fourth evening, about four o'clock, we began to +erect a stage amongst the trees close to the water's edge. From this we +intended to shoot an arrow into the cayman: at the end of this arrow +was to be attached a string which would be tied to the rope, and as +soon as the cayman was struck we were to have the canoe ready and +pursue him in the river. + +While we were busy in preparing the stage a tiger began to roar. We +judged by the sound that he was not above a quarter of a mile from us, +and that he was close to the side of the river. Unfortunately the +Indian said it was not a jaguar that was roaring, but a couguar. The +couguar is of a pale, brownish-red colour, and not as large as the +jaguar. As there was nothing particular in this animal I thought it +better to attend to the apparatus for catching the cayman than to go in +quest of the couguar. The people, however, went in the canoe to the +place where the couguar was roaring. On arriving near the spot they saw +it was not a couguar, but an immense jaguar, standing on the trunk of +an aged mora-tree which bended over the river; he growled and showed +his teeth as they approached; the coloured man fired at him with a +ball, but probably missed him, and the tiger instantly descended and +took off into the woods. I went to the place before dark, and we +searched the forest for about half a mile in the direction he had fled, +but we could see no traces of him or any marks of blood; so I concluded +that fear had prevented the man from taking steady aim. + +We spent best part of the fourth night in trying for the cayman, but +all to no purpose. I was now convinced that something was materially +wrong. We ought to have been successful, considering our vigilance and +attention, and that we had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless +to tarry here any longer; moreover, the coloured man began to take +airs, and fancied that I could not do without him. I never admit of +this in any expedition where I am commander; and so I convinced the +man, to his sorrow, that I could do without him, for I paid him what I +had agreed to give him, which amounted to eight dollars, and ordered +him back in his own curial to Mrs. Peterson's, on the hill at the first +falls. I then asked the negro if there were any Indian settlements in +the neighbourhood; he said he knew of one, a day and a half off. We +went in quest of it, and about one o'clock the next day the negro +showed us the creek where it was. + +The entrance was so concealed by thick bushes that a stranger would +have passed it without knowing it to be a creek. In going up it we +found it dark, winding, and intricate beyond any creek that I had ever +seen before. When Orpheus came back with his young wife from Styx his +path must have been similar to this, for Ovid says it was + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca, + +and this creek was exactly so. + +When we had got about two-thirds up it we met the Indians going +a-fishing. I saw by the way their things were packed in the curial that +they did not intend to return for some days. However, on telling them +what we wanted, and by promising handsome presents of powder, shot and +hooks, they dropped their expedition and invited us up to the +settlement they had just left, and where we laid in a provision of +cassava. + +They gave us for dinner boiled ant-bear and red monkey: two dishes +unknown even at Beauvilliers in Paris or at a London city feast. The +monkey was very good indeed, but the ant-bear had been kept beyond its +time: it stunk as our venison does in England; and so, after tasting +it, I preferred dining entirely on monkey. After resting here we went +back to the river. The Indians, three in number, accompanied us in +their own curial, and, on entering the river, pointed to a place a +little way above well calculated to harbour a cayman. The water was +deep and still, and flanked by an immense sandbank; there was also a +little shallow creek close by. + +On this sandbank, near the forest, the people made a shelter for the +night. My own was already made, for I always take with me a painted +sheet about twelve feet by ten. This thrown over a pole, supported +betwixt two trees, makes you a capital roof with very little trouble. + +We showed one of the Indians the shark-hook. He shook his head and +laughed at it, and said it would not do. When he was a boy he had seen +his father catch the caymen, and on the morrow he would make something +that would answer. + +In the meantime we set the shark-hook, but it availed us naught: a +cayman came and took it, but would not swallow it. + +Seeing it was useless to attend the shark-hook any longer, we left it +for the night and returned to our hammocks. + +Ere I fell asleep a reflection or two broke in upon me. I considered +that as far as the judgment of civilised man went, everything had been +procured and done to ensure success. We had hooks and lines and baits +and patience; we had spent nights in watching, had seen the cayman come +and take the bait, and after our expectations had been wound up to the +highest pitch all ended in disappointment. Probably this poor wild man +of the woods would succeed by means of a very simple process, and thus +prove to his more civilised brother that, notwithstanding books and +schools, there is a vast deal of knowledge to be picked up at every +step, whichever way we turn ourselves. + +In the morning, as usual, we found the bait gone from the shark-hook. +The Indians went into the forest to hunt, and we took the canoe to +shoot fish and get another supply of turtle's eggs, which we found in +great abundance on this large sandbank. + +We went to the little shallow creek, and shot some young caymen about +two feet long. It was astonishing to see what spite and rage these +little things showed when the arrow struck them; they turned round and +bit it: and snapped at us when we went into the water to take them up. +Daddy Quashi boiled one of them for his dinner, and found it very sweet +and tender. I do not see why it should not be as good as frog or veal. + +The day was now declining apace, and the Indian had made his instrument +to take the cayman. It was very simple. There were four pieces of +tough, hardwood a foot long, and about as thick as your little finger, +and barbed at both ends; they were tied round the end of the rope in +such a manner that if you conceive the rope to be an arrow, these four +sticks would form the arrow's head; so that one end of the four united +sticks answered to the point of the arrowhead, while the other end of +the sticks expanded at equal distances round the rope, thus: + +[Illustration] + +Now it is evident that, if the cayman swallowed this (the other end of +the rope, which was thirty yards long, being fastened to a tree), the +more he pulled the faster the barbs would stick into his stomach. This +wooden hook, if you may so call it, was well-baited with the flesh of +the acouri, and the entrails were twisted round the rope for about a +foot above it. + +Nearly a mile from where we had our hammocks the sandbank was steep and +abrupt, and the river very still and deep; there the Indian pricked a +stick into the sand. It was two feet long, and on its extremity was +fixed the machine: it hung suspended about a foot from the water, and +the end of the rope was made fast to a stake driven well into the sand. + +The Indian then took the empty shell of a land-tortoise and gave it +some heavy blows with an axe. I asked why he did that. He said it was +to let the cayman hear that something was going on. In fact, the Indian +meant it as the cayman's dinner-bell. + +[Illustration: cayman bait] + +Having done this we went back to the hammocks, not intending to visit +it again till morning. During the night the jaguars roared and grumbled +in the forest as though the world was going wrong with them, and at +intervals we could hear the distant cayman. The roaring of the jaguars +was awful, but it was music to the dismal noise of these hideous and +malicious reptiles. + +About half-past five in the morning the Indian stole off silently to +take a look at the bait. On arriving at the place he set up a +tremendous shout. We all jumped out of our hammocks and ran to him. The +Indians got there before me, for they had no clothes to put on, and I +lost two minutes in looking for my trousers and in slipping into them. + +We found a cayman ten feet and a half long fast to the end of the rope. +Nothing now remained to do but to get him out of the water without +injuring his scales: "hoc opus, hic labor." We mustered strong: there +were three Indians from the creek, there was my own Indian Yan, Daddy +Quashi, the negro from Mrs. Peterson's, James, Mr. R. Edmonstone's man, +whom I was instructing to preserve birds, and lastly myself. + +I informed the Indians that it was my intention to draw him quietly out +of the water and then secure him. They looked and stared at each other, +and said I might do it myself, but they would have no hand in it; the +cayman would worry some of us. On saying this, "consedere duces," they +squatted on their hams with the most perfect indifference. + +The Indians of these wilds have never been subject to the least +restraint, and I knew enough of them to be aware that if I tried to +force them against their will they would take off and leave me and my +presents unheeded, and never return. + +Daddy Quashi was for applying to our guns, as usual, considering them +our best and safest friends. I immediately offered to knock him down +for his cowardice, and he shrunk back, begging that I would be +cautious, and not get myself worried, and apologising for his own want +of resolution. My Indian was now in conversation with the others, and +they asked if I would allow them to shoot a dozen arrows into him, and +thus disable him. This would have ruined all. I had come above three +hundred miles on purpose to get a cayman uninjured, and not to carry +back a mutilated specimen. I rejected their proposition with firmness, +and darted a disdainful eye upon the Indians. + +Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remonstrate, and I chased him on +the sandbank for a quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards he thought +he should have dropped down dead with fright, for he was firmly +persuaded if I had caught him I should have bundled him into the +cayman's jaws. Here, then, we stood in silence like a calm before a +thunderstorm. "Hoc res summa loco. Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They +wanted to kill him, and I wanted to take him alive. + +I now walked up and down the sand, revolving a dozen projects in my +head. The canoe was at a considerable distance, and I ordered the +people to bring it round to the place where we were. The mast was eight +feet long, and not much thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the +canoe and wrapped the sail round the end of it. Now it appeared clear +to me that, if I went down upon one knee and held the mast in the same +position as the soldier holds his bayonet when rushing to the charge, I +could force it down the cayman's throat should he come open-mouthed at +me. When this was told to the Indians they brightened up, and said they +would help me to pull him out of the river. + +"Brave squad!" said I to myself. "'Audax omnia perpeti,' now that you +have got me betwixt yourselves and danger." I then mustered all hands +for the last time before the battle. We were four South American +savages, two negroes from Africa, a creole from Trinidad, and myself a +white man from Yorkshire. In fact, a little tower of Babel group, in +dress, no dress, address, and language. + +Daddy Quashi hung in the rear. I showed him a large Spanish knife which +I always carried in the waistband of my trousers: it spoke volumes to +him, and he shrugged up his shoulders in absolute despair. The sun was +just peeping over the high forests on the eastern hills, as if coming +to look on and bid us act with becoming fortitude. I placed all the +people at the end of the rope, and ordered them to pull till the cayman +appeared on the surface of the water, and then, should he plunge, to +slacken the rope and let him go again into the deep. + +I now took the mast of the canoe in my hand (the sail being tied round +the end of the mast) and sunk down upon one knee, about four yards from +the water's edge, determining to thrust it down his throat in case he +gave me an opportunity. I certainly felt somewhat uncomfortable in this +situation, and I thought of Cerberus on the other side of the Styx +ferry. The people pulled the cayman to the surface; he plunged +furiously as soon as he arrived in these upper regions, and immediately +went below again on their slackening the rope. I saw enough not to fall +in love at first sight. I now told them we would run all risks and have +him on land immediately. They pulled again, and out he came--"monstrum +horrendum, informe." This was an interesting moment. I kept my position +firmly, with my eye fixed steadfast on him. + +By the time the cayman was within two yards of me I saw he was in a +state of fear and perturbation. I instantly dropped the mast, sprung up +and jumped on his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I +gained my seat with my face in a right position. I immediately seized +his fore-legs, and by main force twisted them on his back; thus they +served me for a bridle. + +He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and probably +fancying himself in hostile company he began to plunge furiously, and +lashed the sand with his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of +the strokes of it by being near his head. He continued to plunge and +strike and made my seat very uncomfortable. It must have been a fine +sight for an unoccupied spectator. + +The people roared out in triumph, and were so vociferous that it was +some time before they heard me tell them to pull me and my beast of +burden farther inland. I was apprehensive the rope might break, and +then there would have been every chance of going down to the regions +under water with the cayman. That would have been more perilous than +Arion's marine morning ride: + + Delphini insidens vada caerula sulcat Arion. + +The people now dragged us above forty yards on the sand: it was the +first and last time I was ever on a cayman's back. Should it be asked +how I managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with +Lord Darlington's fox-hounds. + +After repeated attempts to regain his liberty the cayman gave in and +became tranquil through exhaustion. I now managed to tie up his jaws +and firmly secured his fore-feet in the position I had held them. We +had now another severe struggle for superiority, but he was soon +overcome and again remained quiet. While some of the people were +pressing upon his head and shoulders I threw myself on his tail, and by +keeping it down to the sand prevented him from kicking up another dust. +He was finally conveyed to the canoe, and then to the place where we +had suspended our hammocks. There I cut his throat; and after breakfast +was over commenced the dissection. + +Now that the affray had ceased, Daddy Ouashi played a good finger and +thumb at breakfast: he said he found himself much revived, and became +very talkative and useful, as there was no longer any danger. He was a +faithful, honest negro. His master, my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, +had been so obliging as to send out particular orders to the colony +that the Daddy should attend me all the time I was in the forest. He +had lived in the wilds of Demerara with Mr. Edmonstone for many years, +and often amused me with the account of the frays his master had had in +the woods with snakes, wild beasts and runaway negroes. Old age was now +coming fast upon him; he had been an able fellow in his younger days, +and a gallant one, too, for he had a large scar over his eyebrow caused +by the stroke of a cutlass from another negro while the Daddy was +engaged in an intrigue. + +The back of the cayman may be said to be almost impenetrable to a +musket-ball, but his sides are not near so strong, and are easily +pierced with an arrow; indeed, were they as strong as the back and the +belly, there would be no part of the cayman's body soft and elastic +enough to admit of expansion after taking in a supply of food. + +The cayman has no grinders; his teeth are entirely made for snatch and +swallow: there are thirty-two in each jaw. Perhaps no animal in +existence bears more decided marks in his countenance of cruelty and +malice than the cayman. He is the scourge and terror of all the large +rivers in South America near the line. + +One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de +Ynciarte, Governor of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, "Stop +here a minute or two, Don Carlos," said he to me, "while I recount a +sad accident. One fine evening last year, as the people of Angustura +were sauntering up and down here in the Alameda, I was within twenty +yards of this place when I saw a large cayman rush out of the river, +seize a man, and carry him down before anybody had it in his power to +assist him. The screams of the poor fellow were terrible as the cayman +was running off with him. He plunged into the river with his prey; we +instantly lost sight of him, and never saw or heard him more." + +I was a day and a half in dissecting our cayman, and then we got all +ready to return to Demerara. + +It was much more perilous to descend than to ascend the falls in the +Essequibo. + +The place we had to pass had proved fatal to four Indians about a month +before. The water foamed and dashed and boiled amongst the steep and +craggy rocks, and seemed to warn us to be careful how we ventured there. + +I was for all hands to get out of the canoe, and then, after lashing a +long rope ahead and astern, we might have climbed from rock to rock and +tempered her in her passage down, and our getting out would have +lightened her much. But the negro who had joined us at Mrs. Peterson's +said he was sure it would be safer to stay in the canoe while she went +down the fall. I was loath to give way to him, but I did so this time +against my better judgment, as he assured me that he was accustomed to +pass and repass these falls. + +Accordingly we determined to push down: I was at the helm, the rest at +their paddles. But before we got half-way through the rushing waters +deprived the canoe of all power of steerage, and she became the sport +of the torrent; in a second she was half-full of water, and I cannot +comprehend to this day why she did not go down; luckily the people +exerted themselves to the utmost, she got headway, and they pulled +through the whirlpool: I being quite in the stern of the canoe, part of +a wave struck me, and nearly knocked me overboard. + +We now paddled to some rocks at a distance, got out, unloaded the canoe +and dried the cargo in the sun, which was very hot and powerful. Had it +been the wet season almost everything would have been spoiled. + +After this the voyage down the Essequibo was quick and pleasant till we +reached the sea-coast: there we had a trying day of it; the wind was +dead against us, and the sun remarkably hot; we got twice aground upon +a mud-flat, and were twice obliged to get out, up to the middle in mud, +to shove the canoe through it. Half-way betwixt the Essequibo and +Demerara the tide of flood caught us, and, after the utmost exertions, +it was half-past six in the evening before we got to Georgetown. + +We had been out from six in the morning in an open canoe on the +sea-coast, without umbrella or awning, exposed all day to the fiery +rays of a tropical sun. My face smarted so that I could get no sleep +during the night, and the next morning my lips were all in blisters. +The Indian Yan went down to the Essequibo a copper-colour, but the +reflection of the sun from the sea and from the sandbanks in the river +had turned him nearly black. He laughed at himself, and said the +Indians in the Demerara would not know him again. I stayed one day in +Georgetown, and then set off the next morning for headquarters in +Mibiri Creek, where I finished the cayman. + +Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds and in paying +particular attention to their haunts and economy. The rainy season +having set in, the weather became bad and stormy; the lightning and +thunder were incessant; the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. +I had now been eleven months in the forests, and collected some rare +insects, two hundred and thirty birds, two land-tortoises, five +armadillos, two large serpents, a sloth, an ant-bear and a cayman. + +I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a few days with +Mr. R. Edmonstone previous to embarking for Europe. I must here return +my sincerest thanks to this worthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to +me; his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he never failed +to send me supplies up into the forest by every opportunity. + +I embarked for England on board the _Dee_, West-Indiaman, commanded by +Captain Grey. + +Sir Joseph Banks had often told me he hoped that I would give a lecture +in public on the new mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in +natural history for museums. I always declined to do so, as I despaired +of ever being able to hit upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds; and +I was aware that it would have been an imperfect lecture to treat of +birds only. I imparted what little knowledge I was master of at Sir +Joseph's, to the unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore +the Congo; and that was all that took place in the shape of a lecture. +Now that I had hit upon the way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up a little +plan on board the _Dee_, which I trusted would have been of service to +naturalists, and by proving to them the superiority of the new plan +they would probably be induced to abandon the old and common way, which +is a disgrace to the present age, and renders hideous every specimen in +every museum that I have as yet visited. I intended to have given three +lectures: one on insects and serpents; one on birds; and one on +quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this little plan was +doomed not to be unfolded to public view. Illiberality blasted it in +the bud. + +We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, and arrived in the +Mersey in fine trim and good spirits. Great was the attention I +received from the commander of the _Dee_. He and his mate, Mr. Spence, +took every care of my collection. + +On our landing the gentlemen of the Liverpool Custom House received me +as an old friend and acquaintance, and obligingly offered their +services. + +Twice before had I landed in Liverpool, and twice had I reason to +admire their conduct and liberality. They knew I was incapable of +trying to introduce anything contraband, and they were aware that I +never dreamed of turning to profit the specimens I had procured. They +considered that I had left a comfortable home in quest of science; and +that I had wandered into far-distant climes, and gone barefooted, +ill-clothed and ill-fed, through swamps and woods, to procure +specimens, some of which had never been seen in Europe. They considered +that it would be difficult to fix a price upon specimens which had +never been bought or sold, and which never were to be, as they were +intended to ornament my own house. It was hard, they said, to have +exposed myself for years to danger, and then be obliged to pay on +returning to my native land. Under these considerations they fixed a +moderate duty which satisfied all parties. + +However, this last expedition ended not so. It taught me how hard it is +to learn the grand lesson, "aequam memento rebus in arduis, servare +mentem." + +But my good friends in the Custom House of Liverpool were not to blame. +On the contrary, they did all in their power to procure balm for me +instead of rue. But it would not answer. + +They appointed a very civil officer to attend me to the ship. While we +were looking into some of the boxes to see that the specimens were +properly stowed, previous to their being conveyed to the king's depot, +another officer entered the cabin. He was an entire stranger to me, and +seemed wonderfully aware of his own consequence. Without preface or +apology he thrust his head over my shoulder and said we had no business +to have opened a single box without his permission. I answered they had +been opened almost every day since they had come on board, and that I +considered there was no harm in doing so. + +He then left the cabin, and I said to myself as he went out, I suspect +I shall see that man again at Philippi. The boxes, ten in number, were +conveyed in safety from the ship to the depot. I then proceeded to the +Custom House. The necessary forms were gone through, and a +proportionate duty, according to circumstances, was paid. + +This done, we returned from the Custom House to the depot, accompanied +by several gentlemen who wished to see the collection. They expressed +themselves highly gratified. The boxes were closed, and nothing now +remained but to convey them to the cart, which was in attendance at the +door of the depot. Just as one of the inferior officers was carrying a +box thither, in stepped the man whom I suspected I should see again at +Philippi. He abruptly declared himself dissatisfied with the valuation +which the gentlemen of the customs had put upon the collection, and +said he must detain it. I remonstrated, but it was all in vain. + +After this pitiful stretch of power and bad compliment to the other +officers of the customs, who had been satisfied with the valuation, +this man had the folly to take me aside, and after assuring me that he +had a great regard for the arts and sciences, he lamented that +conscience obliged him to do what he had done, and he wished he had +been fifty miles from Liverpool at the time that it fell to his lot to +detain the collection. Had he looked in my face as he said this he +would have seen no marks of credulity there. + +I now returned to the Custom House, and after expressing my opinion of +the officer's conduct at the depot, I pulled a bunch of keys (which +belonged to the detained boxes) out of my pocket, laid them on the +table, took my leave of the gentlemen present, and soon after set off +for Yorkshire. + +I saved nothing from the grasp of the stranger officer but a pair of +live Malay fowls, which a gentleman in Georgetown had made me a present +of. I had collected in the forest several eggs of curious birds in +hopes of introducing the breed into England, and had taken great pains +in doing them over with gum arabic, and in packing them in charcoal, +according to a receipt I had seen in the gazette from the _Edinburgh +Philosophical Journal_. But these were detained in the depot, instead +of being placed under a hen; which utterly ruined all my hopes of +rearing a new species of birds in England. Titled personages in London +interested themselves in behalf of the collection, but all in vain. And +vain also were the public and private representations of the first +officer of the Liverpool Custom House in my favour. + +At last there came an order from the Treasury to say that any specimens +Mr. Waterton intended to present to public institutions might pass duty +free; but those which he intended to keep for himself must pay the +duty! A friend now wrote to me from Liverpool requesting that I would +come over and pay the duty in order to save the collection, which had +just been detained there six weeks. I did so. On paying an additional +duty (for the moderate duty first imposed had already been paid), the +man who had detained the collection delivered it up to me, assuring me +that it had been well taken care of, and that a fire had been +frequently made in the room. It is but justice to add that on opening +the boxes there was nothing injured. + +I could never get a clue to these harsh and unexpected measures, except +that there had been some recent smuggling discovered in Liverpool, and +that the man in question had been sent down from London to act the part +of Argus. If so, I landed in an evil hour: "nefasto die," making good +the Spanish proverb, "Pagan a las veces, justos por pecadores": At +times the innocent suffer for the guilty. After all, a little +encouragement, in the shape of exemption from paying the duty on this +collection, might have been expected, but it turned out otherwise; and +after expending large sums in pursuit of natural history, on my return +home I was doomed to pay for my success: + + Hic finis, Caroli fatorum, hic exitus illum, + Sorte tulit! + +Thus my fleece, already ragged and torn with the thorns and briers +which one must naturally expect to find in distant and untrodden wilds, +was shorn, I may say, on its return to England. + +However, this is nothing new. Sancho Panza must have heard of similar +cases, for he says, "Muchos van por lana, y vuelven trasquilados": Many +go for wool and come home shorn. In order to pick up matter for natural +history I have wandered through the wildest parts of South America's +equatorial regions. I have attacked and slain a modern Python, and rode +on the back of a cayman close to the water's edge; a very different +situation from that of a Hyde Park dandy on his Sunday prancer before +the ladies. Alone and barefoot I have pulled poisonous snakes out of +their lurking-places; climbed up trees to peep into holes for bats and +vampires, and for days together hastened through sun and rain to the +thickest parts of the forest to procure specimens I had never got +before. In fine, I have pursued the wild beasts over hill and dale, +through swamps and quagmires, now scorched by the noon-day sun, now +drenched by the pelting shower, and returned to the hammock to satisfy +the cravings of hunger, often on a poor and scanty supper. + +These vicissitudes have turned to chestnut hue a once English +complexion, and changed the colour of my hair before Father Time had +meddled with it. The detention of the collection after it had fairly +passed the Customs, and the subsequent order from the Treasury that I +should pay duty for the specimens unless they were presented to some +public institution, have cast a damp upon my energy, and forced, as it +were, the cup of Lethe to my lips, by drinking which I have forgot my +former intention of giving a lecture in public on preparing specimens +to adorn museums. In fine, it is this ungenerous treatment that has +paralysed my plans, and caused me to give up the idea I once had of +inserting here the newly-discovered mode of preparing quadrupeds and +serpents; and without it the account of this last expedition to the +wilds of Guiana is nothing but a--fragment. + +Farewell, gentle reader. + + + * * * * * + + + + +FOURTH JOURNEY + + Nunc huc, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro. + +Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell I thought these +wanderings were brought to a final close; afterwards I often roved in +imagination through distant countries famous for natural history, but +felt no strong inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had +terminated in such unexpected vexation. The departure of the cuckoo and +swallow and summer birds of passage for warmer regions, once so +interesting to me, now scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south; +and I continued in this cold and dreary climate for three years. During +this period I seldom or never mounted my hobby-horse; indeed, it may be +said, with the old song, + + The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf, + +and only taken down once, on the night that I was induced to give a +lecture in the Philosophical Hall of Leeds. A little after this +Wilson's _Ornithology of the United States_ fell into my hands. + +The desire I had of seeing that country, together with the animated +description which Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the +almost-expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded to, and +set off for New York in the beautiful packet _John Wells_, commanded by +Captain Harris. The passage was long and cold, but the elegant +accommodations on board and the polite attention of the commander +rendered it very agreeable; and I landed in health and merriment in the +stately capital of the New World. + +We will soon pen down a few remarks on this magnificent city, but not +just now. I want to venture into the north-west country, and get to +their great canal, which the world talks so much about, though I fear +it will be hard work to make one's way through bugs, bears, brutes and +buffaloes, which we Europeans imagine are so frequent and ferocious in +these never-ending western wilds. + +I left New York on a fine morning in July, without one letter of +introduction, for the city of Albany, some hundred and eighty miles up +the celebrated Hudson. I seldom care about letters of introduction, for +I am one of those who depend much upon an accidental acquaintance. Full +many a face do I see as I go wandering up and down the world whose mild +eye and sweet and placid features seem to beckon to me and say, as it +were, "Speak but civilly to me, and I will do what I can for you." Such +a face as this is worth more than a dozen letters of introduction; and +such a face, gentle reader, I found on board the steamboat from New +York to the city of Albany. + +There was a great number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen in the +vessel, all entire strangers to me. I fancied I could see several whose +countenances invited an unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside +them; but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. I saw +clearly that he was an American, and I judged by his manners and +appearance that he had not spent all his time upon his native soil. I +was right in this conjecture, for he afterwards told me that he had +been in France and England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman +ought to salute another when he wants a little information; and soon +after I dropped in a word or two by which he might conjecture that I +was a foreigner, but I did not tell him so; I wished him to make the +discovery himself. + +He entered into conversation with the openness and candour which is so +remarkable in the American, and in a little time observed that he +presumed I was from the old country. I told him that I was, and added +that I was an entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at +the prospect he had of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn or two, and +he completely won my regard by an affability which I shall never +forget. This obliging gentleman pointed out everything that was grand +and interesting as the steamboat plied her course up the majestic +Hudson. Here the Catskill Mountains raised their lofty summit; and +there the hills came sloping down to the water's edge. Here he pointed +to an aged and venerable oak which, having escaped the levelling axe of +man, seemed almost to defy the blasting storm and desolating hand of +Time; and there he bade me observe an extended tract of wood by which I +might form an idea how rich and grand the face of the country had once +been. Here it was that, in the great and momentous struggle, the +colonists lost the day; and there they carried all before them: + + They closed full fast, on every side + No slackness there was found; + And many a gallant gentleman + Lay gasping on the ground. + +Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there moved their great captain; +here the fleets fired their broadsides; and there the whole force +rushed on to battle: + + Hic Dolopum manus, hic magnus tendebat Achilles, + Classibus hic locus, hic acies certare solebat. + +At teatime we took our tea together, and the next morning this worthy +American walked up with me to the inn in Albany, shook me by the hand, +and then went his way. I bade him farewell and again farewell, and +hoped that Fortune might bring us together again once more. Possibly +she may yet do so; and should it be in England, I will take him to my +house as an old friend and acquaintance, and offer him my choicest +cheer. It is at Albany that the great canal opens into the Hudson and +joins the waters of this river to those of Lake Erie. The Hudson, at +the city of Albany, is distant from Lake Erie about 360 miles. The +level of the lake is 564 feet higher than the Hudson, and there are +eighty-one locks on the canal. It is to the genius and perseverance of +De Witt Clinton that the United States owe the almost incalculable +advantages of this inland navigation: "Exegit monumentum aere +perennius." You may either go along it all the way to Buffalo on Lake +Erie or by the stage; or sometimes on one and then in the other, just +as you think fit. Grand indeed is the scenery by either route and +capital the accommodations. Cold and phlegmatic must he be who is not +warmed into admiration by the surrounding scenery, and charmed with the +affability of the travellers he meets on the way. + +This is now the season of roving and joy and merriment for the gentry +of this happy country. Thousands are on the move from different parts +of the Union for the springs and lakes and the Falls of Niagara. There +is nothing haughty or forbidding in the Americans; and wherever you +meet them they appear to be quite at home. This is exactly what it +ought to be, and very much in favour of the foreigner who journeys +amongst them. The immense number of highly-polished females who go in +the stages to visit the different places of amusement and see the +stupendous natural curiosities of this extensive country incontestably +proves that safety and convenience are ensured to them, and that the +most distant attempt at rudeness would by common consent be immediately +put down. + +By the time I had got to Schenectady I began strongly to suspect that I +had come into the wrong country to look for bugs, bears, brutes and +buffaloes. It is an enchanting journey from Albany to Schenectady, and +from thence to Lake Erie. The situation of the city of Utica is +particularly attractive: the Mohawk running close by it, the fertile +fields and woody mountains, and the Falls of Trenton forcibly press the +stranger to stop a day or two here before he proceeds onward to the +lake. + +At some far distant period, when it will not be possible to find the +place where many of the celebrated cities of the East once stood, the +world will have to thank the United States of America for bringing +their names into the western regions. It is, indeed, a pretty thought +of these people to give to their rising towns the names of places so +famous and conspicuous in former times. + +As I was sitting one evening under an oak in the high grounds behind +Utica, I could not look down upon the city without thinking of Cato and +his misfortunes. Had the town been called Crofton, or Warmfield, or +Dewsbury, there would have been nothing remarkable in it; but Utica at +once revived the scenes at school long past and half-forgotten, and +carried me with full speed back again to Italy, and from thence to +Africa. I crossed the Rubicon with Caesar; fought at Pharsalia; saw poor +Pompey into Larissa, and tried to wrest the fatal sword from Cato's +hand in Utica. When I perceived he was no more, I mourned over the +noble-minded man who took that part which he thought would most benefit +his country. There is something magnificent in the idea of a man taking +by choice the conquered side. The Roman gods themselves did otherwise. + + _Victrix_ causa Diis placuit, sed _victa_ Catoni. + + In this did Cato with the gods divide, + _They_ chose the conquering, _he_ the conquer'd side. + +The whole of the country from Utica to Buffalo is pleasing; and the +intervening of the inland lakes, large and deep and clear, adds +considerably to the effect. The spacious size of the inns, their +excellent provisions, and the attention which the traveller receives in +going from Albany to Buffalo, must at once convince him that this +country is very much visited by strangers; and he will draw the +conclusion that there must be something in it uncommonly interesting to +cause so many travellers to pass to and fro. + +Nature is losing fast her ancient garb and putting on a new dress in +these extensive regions. Most of the stately timber has been carried +away; thousands of trees are lying prostrate on the ground; while +meadows, cornfields, villages and pastures are ever and anon bursting +upon the traveller's view as he journeys on through the remaining +tracts of wood. I wish I could say a word or two for the fine timber +which is yet standing. Spare it, gentle inhabitants, for your country's +sake. These noble sons of the forest beautify your landscapes beyond +all description; when they are gone, a century will not replace their +loss; they cannot, they must not fall; their vernal bloom, their summer +richness, and autumnal tints, please and refresh the eye of man; and +even when the days of joy and warmth are fled, the wintry blast soothes +the listening ear with a sublime and pleasing melancholy as it howls +through their naked branches. + + Around me trees unnumber'd rise, + Beautiful in various dyes. + The gloomy pine, the poplar blue, + The yellow beech, the sable yew; + The slender fir, that taper grows, + The sturdy oak, with broad-spread boughs. + +A few miles before you reach Buffalo the road is low and bad, and in +stepping out of the stage I sprained my foot very severely; it swelled +to a great size, and caused me many a day of pain and mortification, as +will be seen in the sequel. + +Buffalo looks down on Lake Erie, and possesses a fine and commodious +inn. At a little distance is the Black Rock, and there you pass over to +the Canada side. A stage is in waiting to convey you some sixteen or +twenty miles down to the falls. Long before you reach the spot you hear +the mighty roar of waters and see the spray of the far-famed Falls of +Niagara rising up like a column to the heavens and mingling with the +passing clouds. + +At this stupendous cascade of Nature the waters of the lake fall 176 +feet perpendicular. It has been calculated, I forget by whom, that the +quantity of water discharged down this mighty fall is 670,255 tons per +minute. There are two large inns on the Canada side; but after you have +satisfied your curiosity in viewing the falls, and in seeing the +rainbow in the foam far below where you are standing, do not, I pray +you, tarry long at either of them. Cross over to the American side, and +there you will find a spacious inn which has nearly all the +attractions: there you meet with great attention and every +accommodation. + +The day is passed in looking at the falls and in sauntering up and down +the wooded and rocky environs of the Niagara; and the evening is often +enlivened by the merry dance. + +Words can hardly do justice to the unaffected ease and elegance of the +American ladies who visit the Falls of Niagara. The traveller need not +rove in imagination through Circassia in search of fine forms, or +through England, France and Spain to meet with polished females. The +numbers who are continually arriving from all parts of the Union +confirm the justness of this remark. + +I was looking one evening at a dance, being unable to join in it on +account of the accident I had received near Buffalo, when a young +American entered the ballroom with such a becoming air and grace that +it was impossible not to have been struck with her appearance. + + Her bloom was like the springing flower + That sips the silver dew, + The rose was budded in her cheek, + Just opening to the view. + +I could not help feeling a wish to know where she had + + Into such beauty spread, and blown so fair. + +Upon inquiry I found that she was from the city of Albany. The more I +looked at the fair Albanese the more I was convinced that in the United +States of America may be found grace and beauty and symmetry equal to +anything in the Old World. + +I now for good and all (and well I might) gave up the idea of finding +bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes in this country, and was thoroughly +satisfied that I had laboured under a great mistake in suspecting that +I should ever meet with them. + +I wished to join in the dance where the fair Albanese was "to brisk +notes in cadence beating," but the state of my unlucky foot rendered it +impossible; and as I sat with it reclined upon a sofa, full many a +passing gentleman stopped to inquire the cause of my misfortune, +presuming at the same time that I had got an attack of gout. Now this +surmise of theirs always mortified me; for I never had a fit of gout in +my life, and, moreover, never expect to have one. + +In many of the inns in the United States there is an album on the table +in which travellers insert their arrival and departure, and now and +then indulge in a little flash or two of wit. + +I thought under existing circumstances that there would be no harm in +briefly telling my misadventure; and so taking up the pen I wrote what +follows, and was never after asked a single question about the gout. + +C. Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the county of York, England, arrived at +the Falls of Niagara in July 1824, and begs leave to pen down the +following dreadful accident: + + He sprained his foot, and hurt his toe, + On the rough road near Buffalo. + It quite distresses him to stagger a- + Long the sharp rocks of famed Niagara. + So thus he's doomed to drink the measure + Of pain, in lieu of that of pleasure. + On Hope's delusive pinions borne + He came for wool, and goes back shorn. + _N.B._--Here he alludes to nothing but + Th' adventure of his toe and foot; + Save this,--he sees all that which can + Delight and charm the soul of man, + But feels it not,--because his toe + And foot together plague him so. + +I remember once to have sprained my ankle very violently many years +ago, and that the doctor ordered me to hold it under the pump two or +three times a day. Now in the United States of America all is upon a +grand scale, except taxation; and I am convinced that the traveller's +ideas become much more enlarged as he journeys through the country. +This being the case, I can easily account for the desire I felt to hold +my sprained foot under the Fall of Niagara. I descended the +winding-staircase which has been made for the accommodation of +travellers, and then hobbled on to the scene of action. As I held my +leg under the fall I tried to meditate on the immense difference there +was betwixt a house-pump and this tremendous cascade of Nature, and +what effect it might have upon the sprain; but the magnitude of the +subject was too overwhelming, and I was obliged to drop it. + +Perhaps, indeed, there was an unwarrantable tincture of vanity in an +unknown wanderer wishing to have it in his power to tell the world that +he had held his sprained foot under a fall of water which discharges +670,255 tons per minute. A gentle purling stream would have suited +better. Now it would have become Washington to have quenched his +battle-thirst in the Fall of Niagara; and there was something royal in +the idea of Cleopatra drinking pearl-vinegar made from the grandest +pearl in Egypt; and it became Caius Marius to send word that he was +sitting upon the ruins of Carthage. Here we have the person suited to +the thing, and the thing to the person. + +If, gentle reader, thou wouldst allow me to indulge a little longer in +this harmless pen-errantry, I would tell thee that I have had my ups +and downs in life as well as other people: for I have climbed to the +point of the conductor above the cross on the top of St. Peter's in +Rome and left my glove there; I have stood on one foot upon the +Guardian Angel's head on the Castle of St. Angelo; and, as I have just +told thee, I have been low down under the Fall of Niagara. But this is +neither here nor there; let us proceed to something else. + +When the pain of my foot had become less violent, and the swelling +somewhat abated, I could not resist the inclination I felt to go down +Ontario, and so on to Montreal and Quebec, and take Lakes Champlain and +George in my way back to Albany. + +Just as I had made up my mind to it, a family from the Bowling-Green in +New York, who was going the same route, politely invited me to join +their party. Nothing could be more fortunate. They were highly +accomplished. The young ladies sang delightfully; and all contributed +their portion to render the tour pleasant and amusing. + +Travellers have already filled the world with descriptions of the bold +and sublime scenery from Lake Erie to Quebec: + + The fountain's fall, the river's flow, + The woody valleys, warm and low; + The windy summit, wild and high, + Roughly rushing to the sky. + +And there is scarce one of them who has not described the achievements +of former and latter times on the different battle-grounds. Here great +Wolfe expired. Brave Montcalm was carried, mortally wounded, through +yonder gate. Here fell the gallant Brock; and there General Sheaffee +captured all the invaders. And in yonder harbour may be seen the +mouldering remnants of British vessels. Their hour of misfortune has +long passed away. The victors have now no use for them in an inland +lake. Some have already sunk, while others, dismantled and +half-dismasted, are just above the water, waiting in shattered state +that destiny which must sooner or later destroy the fairest works of +man. + +The excellence and despatch of the steamboats, together with the +company which the traveller is sure to meet with at this time of the +year, render the trip down to Montreal and Quebec very agreeable. + +The Canadians are a quiet and apparently a happy people. They are very +courteous and affable to strangers. On comparing them with the +character which a certain female traveller, a journalist, has thought +fit to give them, the stranger might have great doubts whether or not +he were amongst the Canadians. + +Montreal, Quebec and the Falls of Montmorency are well worth going to +see. They are making tremendous fortifications at Quebec. It will be +the Gibraltar of the New World. When one considers its distance from +Europe, and takes a view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, +Virgil's remark at once rushes into the mind: + + Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves. + +I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to +the Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and +worthy set of gentlemen, and on my taking leave of them I felt a +heaviness at heart in reflecting that I had not more time to cultivate +their acquaintance. + +In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec I only met with one bug; and I +cannot even swear that it belonged to the United States. In going down +the St. Lawrence in the steamboat I felt something crossing over my +neck, and on laying hold of it with my finger and thumb it turned out +to be a little half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now whether it were +going from the American to the Canada side, or from the Canada to the +American, and had taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself +across, I could not tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby +and the fly; and so, in lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then +putting my thumb-nail vertically upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst +some baggage that was close by and recommended it to get ashore by the +first opportunity. + +When we had seen all that was worth seeing in Quebec and at the Falls +of Montmorency, and had been on board the enormous ship _Columbus_, we +returned for a day or two to Montreal, and then proceeded to Saratoga +by Lakes Champlain and George. + +The steamboat from Quebec to Montreal had above five hundred Irish +emigrants on board. They were going "they hardly knew whither," far +away from dear Ireland. It made one's heart ache to see them all +huddled together, without any expectation of ever revisiting their +native soil. We feared that the sorrow of leaving home for ever, the +miserable accommodations on board the ship which had brought them away, +and the tossing of the angry ocean in a long and dreary voyage would +have rendered them callous to good behaviour. But it was quite +otherwise. They conducted themselves with great propriety. Every +American on board seemed to feel for them. And then "they were so full +of wretchedness. Need and oppression starved in their eyes. Upon their +backs hung ragged misery. The world was not their friend." Poor dear +Ireland, exclaimed an aged female as I was talking to her, I shall +never see it any more! and then her tears began to flow. Probably the +scenery on the banks of the St. Lawrence recalled to her mind the +remembrance of spots once interesting to her: + + The lovely daughter,--lovelier in her tears, + The fond companion of her father's years, + Here silent stood,--neglectful of her charms. + And left her lover's for her father's arms. + With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, + And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; + And pressed her thoughtless babes, with many a tear, + And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear. + While the fond husband strove to lend relief. + In all the silent manliness of grief. + +We went a few miles out of our route to take a look at the once +formidable fortress of Ticonderoga. It has long been in ruins, and +seems as if it were doomed to moulder quite away. + + Ever and anon there falls + Huge heaps of hoary moulder'd walls. + But time has seen, that lifts the low + And level lays the lofty brow, + Has seen this ruin'd pile complete, + Big with the vanity of state, + But transient is the smile of Fate. + +The scenery of Lake George is superb, the inn remarkably spacious and +well attended, and the conveyances from thence to Saratoga very good. +He must be sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice who, on his +arrival at Saratoga, remarks there is nothing here worth coming to see. +It is a gay and fashionable place; has four uncommonly fine hotels; its +waters for medicinal virtues are surpassed by none in the known world; +and it is resorted to throughout the whole of the summer by foreigners +and natives of the first consideration. Saratoga pleased me much; and +afforded a fair opportunity of forming a pretty correct idea of the +gentry of the United States. + +There is a pleasing frankness and ease and becoming dignity in the +American ladies, and the good humour and absence of all haughtiness and +puppyism in the gentlemen must, no doubt, impress the traveller with +elevated notions of the company who visit this famous spa. + +During my stay here all was joy and affability and mirth. In the +mornings the ladies played and sang for us; and the evenings were +generally enlivened with the merry dance. Here I bade farewell to the +charming family in whose company I had passed so many happy days, and +proceeded to Albany. + +The stage stopped a little while in the town of Troy. The name alone +was quite sufficient to recall to the mind scenes long past and gone. +Poor King Priam! Napoleon's sorrows, sad and piercing as they were, did +not come up to those of this ill-fated monarch. The Greeks first set +his town on fire and then began to bully: + + Incensa Danai dominantur in urbe. + +One of his sons was slain before his face: "ante ora parentum, +concidit." Another was crushed to mummy by boa-constrictors: "immensis +orbibus angues." His city was razed to the ground, "jacet Ilion +ingens." And Pyrrhus ran him through with his sword, "capulo tenus +abdidit ensem." This last may be considered as a fortunate stroke for +the poor old king. Had his life been spared at this juncture he could +not have lived long. He must have died broken-hearted. He would have +seen his son-in-law, once master of a noble stud, now, for want of a +horse, obliged to carry off his father up-hill on his own back, "cessi +et sublato, montem genitore petivi." He would have heard of his +grandson being thrown neck and heels from a high tower, "mittitur +Astyanax illis de turribus." He would have been informed of his wife +tearing out the eyes of King Odrysius with her finger-nails, "digitos +in perfida lumina condit." Soon after this, losing all appearance of +woman, she became a bitch, + + Perdidit infelix, hominis post omnia formam, + +and rent the heavens with her howlings, + + Externasque novo latratu terruit auras. + +Then, becoming distracted with the remembrance of her misfortunes, +"veterum memor illa malorum," she took off howling into the fields of +Thrace: + + Tum quoque Sithonios, ululavit moesta per agros. + +Juno, Jove's wife and sister, was heard to declare that poor Hecuba did +not deserve so terrible a fate: + + Ipsa Jovis conjuxque sororque, + Eventus Hecubam meruisse negaverit illos. + +Had poor Priam escaped from Troy, one thing, and only one thing, would +have given him a small ray of satisfaction, viz. he would have heard of +one of his daughters nobly preferring to leave this world rather than +live to become servant-maid to old Grecian ladies: + + Non ego Myrmidonum sedes, Dolopumve superbas, + Adspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus ibo. + +At some future period, should a foreign armed force, or intestine +broils (all which Heaven avert), raise Troy to the dignity of a +fortified city, Virgil's prophecy may then be fulfilled: + + Atque iterum ad Trojam magnus mittetur Achilles. + +After leaving Troy I passed through a fine country to Albany, and then +proceeded by steam down the Hudson to New York. + +Travellers hesitate whether to give the preference to Philadelphia or +to New York. Philadelphia is certainly a noble city and its environs +beautiful, but there is a degree of quiet and sedateness in it which, +though no doubt very agreeable to the man of calm and domestic habits, +is not so attractive to one of speedy movements. The quantity of white +marble which is used in the buildings gives to Philadelphia a gay and +lively appearance, but the sameness of the streets and their crossing +each other at right angles are somewhat tiresome. The waterworks which +supply the city are a proud monument of the skill and enterprise of its +inhabitants, and the market is well worth the attention of the stranger. + +When you go to Philadelphia be sure not to forget to visit the museum. +It will afford you a great treat. Some of Mr. Peale's family are +constantly in it, and are ever ready to show the curiosities to +strangers and to give them every necessary information. Mr. Peale has +now passed his eightieth year, and appears to possess the vivacity and, +I may almost add, the activity of youth. + +To the indefatigable exertions of this gentleman is the Western world +indebted for the possession of this splendid museum. Mr. Peale is, +moreover, an excellent artist. Look attentively, I pray you, at the +portrait he has taken of himself, by desire of the State of +Pennsylvania. On entering the room he appears in the act of holding up +a curtain to show you his curiosities. The effect of the light upon his +head is infinitely striking. I have never seen anything finer in the +way of light and shade. The skeleton of the mammoth is a national +treasure. I could form but a faint idea of it by description until I +had seen it. It is the most magnificent skeleton in the world. The city +ought never to forget the great expense Mr. Peale was put to, and the +skill and energy he showed during the many months he spent in searching +the swamps where these enormous bones had been concealed from the eyes +of the world for centuries. + +The extensive squares of this city are ornamented with well-grown and +luxuriant trees. Its unremitting attention to literature might cause it +to be styled the Athens of the United States. Here learning and science +have taken up their abode. The literary and philosophical associations, +the enthusiasm of individuals, the activity of the press and the +cheapness of the publications ought to raise the name of Philadelphia +to an elevated situation in the temple of knowledge. + +From the press of this city came Wilson's famous _Ornithology_. By +observing the birds in their native haunts he has been enabled to purge +their history of numberless absurdities which inexperienced theorists +had introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant work. We have +no description of birds in any European publication that can come up to +this. By perusing Wilson's _Ornithology_ attentively before I left +England I knew where to look for the birds, and immediately recognised +them in their native land. + +Since his time I fear that the white-headed eagles have been much +thinned. I was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very few. One +or two came now and then and soared in lofty flight over the Falls of +Niagara. The Americans are proud of this bird in effigy, and their +hearts rejoice when its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be +persuaded to protect the white-headed eagle, and allow it to glide in +safety over its own native forests? Were I an American I should think I +had committed a kind of sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. +The ibis was held sacred by the Egyptians; the Hollanders protect the +stork; the vulture sits unmolested on the top of the houses in the city +of Angustura; and Robin Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the +English: + + No burial these pretty babes + Of any man receives, + Till Robin-red-breast painfully. + Did cover them with leaves. [Footnote] + +[Footnote: The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea.] + +Poor Wilson was smote by the hand of death before he had finished his +work. Prince Charles Buonaparte, nephew to the late Emperor Napoleon, +aided by some of the most scientific gentlemen of Pennsylvania, is +continuing this valuable and interesting publication. + +New York, with great propriety, may be called the commercial capital of +the new world: + + Urbs augusta potens, nulli cessura. + +Ere long it will be on the coast of North America what Tyre once was on +that of Syria. In her port are the ships of all nations, and in her +streets is displayed merchandise from all parts of the known world. And +then the approach to it is so enchanting! The verdant fields, the woody +hills, the farms and country-houses form a beautiful landscape as you +sail up to the city of New York. + +Broadway is the principal street. It is three miles and a half long. I +am at a loss to know where to look for a street in any part of the +world which has so many attractions as this. There are no steam-engines +to annoy you by filling the atmosphere full of soot and smoke; the +houses have a stately appearance; while the eye is relieved from the +perpetual sameness, which is common in most streets, by lofty and +luxuriant trees. + +Nothing can surpass the appearance of the American ladies when they +take their morning walk from twelve to three in Broadway. The stranger +will at once see that they have rejected the extravagant superfluities +which appear in the London and Parisian fashions, and have only +retained as much of those costumes as is becoming to the female form. +This, joined to their own just notions of dress, is what renders the +New York ladies so elegant in their attire. The way they wear the +Leghorn hat deserves a remark or two. With us the formal hand of the +milliner binds down the brim to one fixed shape, and that none of the +handsomest. The wearer is obliged to turn her head full ninety degrees +before she can see the person who is standing by her side. But in New +York the ladies have the brim of the hat not fettered with wire or tape +or ribbon, but quite free and undulating; and by applying the hand to +it they can conceal or expose as much of the face as circumstances +require. This hiding and exposing of the face, by the by, is certainly +a dangerous movement, and often fatal to the passing swain. I am +convinced, in my own mind, that many a determined and unsuspecting +bachelor has been shot down by this sudden manoeuvre before he was +aware that he was within reach of the battery. + +The American ladies seem to have an abhorrence (and a very just one, +too) of wearing caps. When one considers for a moment that women wear +the hair long, which Nature has given them both for an ornament and to +keep the head warm, one is apt to wonder by what perversion of good +taste they can be induced to enclose it in a cap. A mob-cap, a +lace-cap, a low cap, a high cap, a flat cap, a cap with ribbons +dangling loose, a cap with ribbons tied under the chin, a peak-cap, an +angular cap, a round cap and a pyramid cap! How would Canova's Venus +look in a mob-cap? If there be any ornament to the head in wearing a +cap, it must surely be a false ornament. The American ladies are +persuaded that the head can be ornamented without a cap. A rosebud or +two, a woodbine, or a sprig of eglantine look well in the braided hair; +and if there be raven locks, a lily or a snowdrop may be interwoven +with effect. + +Now that the packets are so safe, and make such quick passages to the +United States, it would be as well if some of our head milliners would +go on board of them in lieu of getting into the diligence for Paris. +They would bring back more taste and less caricature. And if they could +persuade a dozen or two of the farmer's servant-girls to return with +them, we should soon have proof-positive that as good butter and cheese +may be made with the hair braided up, and a daisy or primrose in it, as +butter and cheese made in a cap of barbarous shape, washed, perhaps, in +soapsuds last new moon. + +New York has very good hotels and genteel boarding-houses. All charges +included, you do not pay above two dollars a day. Little enough, when +you consider the capital accommodations and the abundance of food. + +In this city, as well as in others which I visited, everybody seemed to +walk at his ease. I could see no inclination for jostling, no +impertinent staring at you, nor attempts to create a row in order to +pick your pocket. I would stand for an hour together in Broadway to +observe the passing multitude. There is certainly a gentleness in these +people both to be admired and imitated. I could see very few dogs, +still fewer cats, and but a very small proportion of fat women in the +streets of New York. The climate was the only thing that I had really +to find fault with; and as the autumn was now approaching I began to +think of preparing for warmer regions. + +Strangers are apt to get violent colds on account of the sudden change +of the atmosphere. The noon would often be as warm as tropical weather +and the close of day cold and chilly. This must sometimes act with +severity upon the newly-arrived stranger, and it requires more care and +circumspection than I am master of to guard against it. I contracted a +bad and obstinate cough which did not quite leave me till I had got +under the regular heat of the sun near the equator. + +I may be asked, was it all good-fellowship and civility during my stay +in the United States? Did no forward person cause offence? Was there no +exhibition of drunkenness or swearing or rudeness? or display of +conduct which disgraces civilised man in other countries? I answer, +very few indeed: scarce any worth remembering, and none worth noticing. +These are a gentle and a civil people. Should a traveller now and then +in the long run witness a few of the scenes alluded to, he ought not, +on his return home, to adduce a solitary instance or two as the custom +of the country. In roving through the wilds of Guiana I have sometimes +seen a tree hollow at heart, shattered and leafless, but I did not on +that account condemn its vigorous neighbours, and put down a memorandum +that the woods were bad; on the contrary, I made allowances: a +thunderstorm, the whirlwind, a blight from heaven might have robbed it +of its bloom and caused its present forbidding appearance. And in +leaving the forest I carried away the impression that, though some few +of the trees were defective, the rest were an ornament to the wilds, +full of uses and virtues, and capable of benefiting the world in a +superior degree. + +A man generally travels into foreign countries for his own ends, and I +suspect there is scarcely an instance to be found of a person leaving +his own home solely with the intention of benefiting those amongst whom +he is about to travel. A commercial speculation, curiosity, a wish for +information, a desire to reap benefit from an acquaintance with our +distant fellow-creatures are the general inducements for a man to leave +his own fireside. This ought never to be forgotten, and then the +traveller will journey on under the persuasion that it rather becomes +him to court than expect to be courted, as his own interest is the +chief object of his travels. With this in view he will always render +himself pleasant to the natives; and they are sure to repay his little +acts of courtesy with ample interest, and with a fund of information +which will be of great service to him. + +While in the United States I found our Western brother a very pleasant +fellow; but his portrait has been drawn in such different shades by +different travellers who have been through his territory, that it +requires a personal interview before a correct idea can be formed of +his true colours. He is very inquisitive; but it is quite wrong on that +account to tax him with being of an impertinent turn. He merely +interrogates you for information, and, when you have satisfied him on +that score, only ask him in your turn for an account of what is going +on in his own country and he will tell you everything about it with +great good humour and in excellent language. He has certainly hit upon +the way (but I could not make out by what means) of speaking a much +purer English language than that which is in general spoken on the +parent soil. This astonished me much; but it is really the case. +Amongst his many good qualities he has one unenviable and, I may add, a +bad propensity: he is immoderately fond of smoking. He may say that he +learned it from his nurse, with whom it was once much in vogue. In +Dutch William's time (he was a man of bad taste) the English gentleman +could not do without his pipe. During the short space of time that +Corporal Trim was at the inn inquiring after poor Lefevre's health, my +Uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of three pipes. "It was not till +my Uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe," etc. Now +these times have luckily gone by, and the custom of smoking amongst +genteel Englishmen has nearly died away with them. It is a foul custom; +it makes a foul mouth, and a foul place where the smoker stands. +However, every nation has its whims. John Bull relishes stinking +venison; a Frenchman depopulates whole swamps in quest of frogs; a +Dutchman's pipe is never out of his mouth; a Russian will eat +tallow-candles; and the American indulges in the cigar. "De gustibus +non est disputandum." + +Our Western brother is in possession of a country replete with +everything that can contribute to the happiness and comfort of mankind. +His code of laws, purified by experience and common-sense, has fully +answered the expectations of the public. By acting up to the true +spirit of this code he has reaped immense advantages from it. His +advancement as a nation has been rapid beyond all calculation, and, +young as he is, it may be remarked without any impropriety that he is +now actually reading a salutary lesson to the rest of the civilised +world. + +It is but some forty years ago that he had the dispute with his nurse +about a dish of tea. She wanted to force the boy to drink it according +to her own receipt. He said he did not like it, and that it absolutely +made him ill. After a good deal of sparring she took up the birch-rod +and began to whip him with an uncommon degree of asperity. When the +poor lad found that he must either drink the nauseous dish of tea or be +flogged to death, he turned upon her in self-defence, showed her to the +outside of the nursery-door, and never more allowed her to meddle with +his affairs. + +Since the Independence the population has increased from three to ten +millions. A fine navy has been built, and everything attended to that +could ensure prosperity at home and respect abroad. + +The former wilds of North America bear ample testimony to the +achievements of this enterprising people. Forests have been cleared +away, swamps drained, canals dug and flourishing settlements +established. From the shores of the Atlantic an immense column of +knowledge has rolled into the interior. The Mississippi, the Ohio, the +Missouri and their tributary streams have been wonderfully benefited by +it. It now seems as if it were advancing towards the stony mountains, +and probably will not become stationary till it reaches the Pacific +Ocean. This almost immeasurable territory affords a shelter and a home +to mankind in general: Jew or Gentile, king's-man or republican, he +meets with a friendly reception in the United States. His opinions, his +persecutions, his errors or mistakes, however they may have injured him +in other countries, are dead and of no avail on his arrival here. +Provided he keeps the peace he is sure to be at rest. + +Politicians of other countries imagine that intestine feuds will cause +a division in this commonwealth; at present there certainly appears to +be no reason for such a conjecture. Heaven forbid that it should +happen. The world at large would suffer by it. For ages yet to come may +this great commonwealth continue to be the United States of North +America. + +The sun was now within a week or two of passing into the southern +hemisphere, and the mornings and evenings were too cold to be +comfortable. I embarked for the Island of Antigua with the intention of +calling at the different islands in the Caribbean Sea on my way once +more towards the wilds of Guiana. + +We were thirty days in making Antigua, and thanked Providence for +ordering us so long a passage. A tremendous gale of wind, approaching +to a hurricane, had done much damage in the West Indies. Had our +passage been of ordinary length we should inevitably have been caught +in the gale. + +St. John's is the capital of Antigua. In better times it may have had +its gaieties and amusements. At present it appears sad and woebegone. +The houses, which are chiefly of wood, seem as if they have not had a +coat of paint for many years; the streets are uneven and ill-paved; and +as the stranger wanders through them, he might fancy that they would +afford a congenial promenade to the man who is about to take his last +leave of surrounding worldly misery before he hangs himself. There had +been no rain for some time, so that the parched and barren pastures +near the town might, with great truth, be called Rosinante's own. The +mules feeding on them put you in mind of Ovid's description of famine: + + Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent. + +It is somewhat singular that there is not a single river or brook in +the whole Island of Antigua. In this it differs from Tartary in the +other world, which, according to old writers, has five rivers--viz. +Acheron, Phlegeton, Cocytus, Styx and Lethe. + +In this island I found the redstart, described in Wilson's _Ornithology +of the United States_. I wished to learn whether any of these birds +remain the whole year in Antigua and breed there, or whether they all +leave it for the north when the sun comes out of the southern +hemisphere; but upon inquiry I could get no information whatever. + +After passing a dull week here I sailed for Guadaloupe, whose bold and +cloud-capped mountains have a grand appearance as you approach the +island. Basseterre, the capital, is a neat town, with a handsome public +walk in the middle of it, well shaded by a row of fine tamarind trees +on each side. Behind the town La Souffriere raises its high romantic +summit, and on a clear day you may see the volcanic smoke which issues +from it. + +Nearly midway betwixt Guadaloupe and Dominica you escry the Saintes. +Though high and bold and rocky, they have still a diminutive appearance +when compared with their two gigantic neighbours. You just see +Marigalante to windward of them, some leagues off, about a yard high in +the horizon. + +Dominica is majestic in high and rugged mountains. As you sail along it +you cannot help admiring its beautiful coffee-plantations, in places so +abrupt and steep that you would pronounce them almost inaccessible. +Roseau, the capital, is but a small town, and has nothing attractive +except the well-known hospitality of the present harbour-master, who is +particularly attentive to strangers and furnishes them with a world of +information concerning the West Indies. Roseau has seen better days, +and you can trace good taste and judgment in the way in which the town +has originally been laid out. + +Some years ago it was visited by a succession of misfortunes which +smote it so severely that it has never recovered its former appearance. +A strong French fleet bombarded it; while a raging fire destroyed its +finest buildings. Some time after an overwhelming flood rolled down the +gullies and fissures of the adjacent mountains and carried all before +it. Men, women and children, houses and property, were all swept away +by this mighty torrent. The terrible scene was said to beggar all +description, and the loss was immense. + +Dominica is famous for a large species of frog which the inhabitants +keep in readiness to slaughter for the table. In the woods of this +island the large rhinoceros-beetle is very common: it measures above +six inches in length. In the same woods is found the beautiful +humming-bird, the breast and throat of which are of a brilliant +changing purple. I have searched for this bird in Brazil and through +the whole of the wilds from the Rio Branco, which is a branch of the +Amazons, to the River Paumaron, but never could find it. I was told by +a man in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly that this humming-bird is +found in Mexico; but upon questioning him more about it his information +seemed to have been acquired by hearsay; and so I concluded that it +does not appear in Mexico. I suspect that it is never found out of the +Antilles. + +After leaving Dominica you soon reach the grand and magnificent Island +of Martinico. St. Pierre, its capital, is a fine town, and possesses +every comfort. The inhabitants seem to pay considerable attention to +the cultivation of the tropical fruits. A stream of water runs down the +streets with great rapidity, producing a pleasing effect as you pass +along. + +Here I had an opportunity of examining a cuckoo which had just been +shot. It was exactly the same as the metallic cuckoo in Wilson's +_Ornithology_. They told me it is a migratory bird in Martinico. It +probably repairs to this island after its departure from the United +States. + +At a little distance from Martinico the celebrated Diamond Rock rises +in insulated majesty out of the sea. It was fortified during the last +war with France, and bravely defended by an English captain. + +In a few hours from Martinico you are at St. Lucie, whose rough and +towering mountains fill you with sublime ideas, as you approach its +rocky shore. The town Castries is quite embayed. It was literally blown +to pieces by the fatal hurricane in which the unfortunate governor and +his lady lost their lives. Its present forlorn and gloomy appearance, +and the grass which is grown up in the streets, too plainly show that +its hour of joy is passed away and that it is in mourning, as it were, +with the rest of the British West Indies. + +From St. Lucie I proceeded to Barbadoes in quest of a conveyance to the +Island of Trinidad. + +Near Bridgetown, the capital of Barbadoes, I saw the metallic cuckoo +already alluded to. + +Barbadoes is no longer the merry island it was when I visited it some +years ago: + + Infelix habitum, temporis hujus habet. + +There is an old song, to the tune of "La Belle Catharine," which must +evidently have been composed in brighter times: + + Come let us dance and sing, + While Barbadoes bells do ring; + Quashi scrapes the fiddle-string, + And Venus plays the lute. + +Quashi's fiddle was silent, and mute was the lute of Venus during my +stay in Barbadoes. The difference betwixt the French and British +islands was very striking. The first appeared happy and content; the +second were filled with murmurs and complaints. The late proceedings in +England concerning slavery and the insurrection in Demerara had +evidently caused the gloom. The abolition of slavery is a question full +of benevolence and fine feelings, difficulties and danger: + + Tantum ne noceas, dum vis prodesse videto. + +It requires consummate prudence and a vast fund of true information in +order to draw just conclusions on this important subject. Phaeton, by +awkward driving, set the world on fire: "Sylvae cum montibus ardent." +Daedalus gave his son a pair of wings without considering the +consequence; the boy flew out of all bounds, lost his wings, and +tumbled into the sea: + + Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis. + +When the old man saw what had happened, he damned his own handicraft in +wing-making: "devovitque suas artes." Prudence is a cardinal virtue: + + Omnia consulta mente gerenda tegens. + +Foresight is half the battle. "Hombre apercebido, medio combatido," +says Don Quixote, or Sancho, I do not remember which. Had Queen Bess +weighed well in her own mind the probable consequences of this +lamentable traffic, it is likely she would not have been owner of two +vessels in Sir John Hawkins's squadron, which committed the first +robbery in negro flesh on the coast of Africa. As philanthropy is the +very life and soul of this momentous question on slavery, which is +certainly fraught with great difficulties and danger, perhaps it would +be as well at present for the nation to turn its thoughts to poor +ill-fated Ireland, where oppression, poverty and rags make a +heart-rending appeal to the feelings of the benevolent. + +But to proceed. There was another thing which added to the dullness of +Barbadoes and which seemed to have considerable effect in keeping away +strangers from the island. The Legislature had passed a most +extraordinary Bill, by virtue of which every person who arrives at +Barbadoes is obliged to pay two dollars, and two dollars more on his +departure from it. It is called the Alien Bill; and every Barbadian who +leaves or returns to the island, and every Englishman too, pays the tax! + +Finding no vessel here for Trinidad, I embarked in a schooner for +Demerara, landed there after being nearly stranded on a sandbank, and +proceeded without loss of time to the forests in the interior. It was +the dry season, which renders a residence in the woods very delightful. + +There are three species of jacamar to be found on the different +sandhills and dry savannas of Demerara; but there is another much +larger and far more beautiful to be seen when you arrive in that part +of the country where there are rocks. The jacamar has no affinity to +the woodpecker or kingfisher (notwithstanding what travellers affirm) +either in its haunts or anatomy. The jacamar lives entirely on insects, +but never goes in search of them. It sits patiently for hours together +on the branch of a tree, and when the incautious insect approaches it +flies at it with the rapidity of an arrow, seizes it, and generally +returns to eat it on the branch which it had just quitted. It has not +the least attempt at song, is very solitary, and so tame that you may +get within three or four yards of it before it takes flight. The males +of all the different species which I have examined have white feathers +on the throat. I suspect that all the male jacamars hitherto discovered +have this distinctive mark. I could learn nothing of its incubation. +The Indians informed me that one species of jacamar lays its eggs in +the wood-ants' nests, which are so frequent in the trees of Guiana, and +appear like huge black balls. I wish there had been proof positive of +this; but the breeding-time was over, and in the ants' nests which I +examined I could find no marks of birds having ever been in them. Early +in January the jacamar is in fine plumage for the cabinet of the +naturalist. The largest species measures ten inches and a half from the +point of the beak to the end of the tail. Its name amongst the Indians +is una-waya-adoucati, that is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is +certainly a splendid bird, and in the brilliancy and changeableness of +its metallic colours it yields to none of the Asiatic and African +feathered tribe. The colours of the female are nearly as bright as +those of the male, but she wants the white feathers on the throat. The +large jacamar is pretty common about two hundred miles up the River +Demerara. + +Here I had a fine opportunity once more of examining the three-toed +sloth. He was in the house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a +description of him as he lay sprawling on the floor I should have +misled the world and injured natural history. On the ground he appeared +really a bungled composition, and faulty at all points; awkwardness and +misery were depicted on his countenance; and when I made him advance he +sighed as though in pain. Perhaps it was that by seeing him thus out of +his element, as it were, that the Count de Buffon, in his history of +the sloth, asks the question: "Why should not some animals be created +for misery, since, in the human species, the greatest number of +individuals are devoted to pain from the moment of their existence?" +Were the question put to me I would answer, I cannot conceive that any +of them are created for misery. That thousands live in misery there can +be no doubt; but then misery has overtaken them in their path through +life, and wherever man has come up with them I should suppose they have +seldom escaped from experiencing a certain proportion of misery. + +After fully satisfying myself that it only leads the world into error +to describe the sloth while he is on the ground or in any place except +in a tree, I carried the one I had in my possession to his native +haunts. As soon as he came in contact with the branch of a tree all +went right with him. I could see as he climbed up into his own country +that he was on the right road to happiness; and felt persuaded more +than ever that the world has hitherto erred in its conjectures +concerning the sloth, on account of naturalists not having given a +description of him when he was in the only position in which he ought +to have been described, namely, clinging to the branch of a tree. + +As the appearance of this part of the country bears great resemblance +to Cayenne, and is so near to it, I was in hopes to have found the +grande gobe-mouche of Buffon and the septi-coloured tangara, both of +which are common in Cayenne; but after many diligent searches I did not +succeed, nor could I learn from the Indians that they had ever seen +those two species of birds in these parts. + +Here I procured the gross-beak with a rich scarlet body and black head +and throat. Buffon mentions it as coming from America. I had been in +quest of it for years, but could never see it, and concluded that it +was not to be found in Demerara. This bird is of a greenish brown +before it acquires its rich plumage. + +Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this part of the +river, a red crab sometimes makes its appearance as you are passing up +and down. It is preyed upon by a large species of owl which I was +fortunate enough to procure. Its head, back, wings and tail are of so +dark a brown as almost to appear black. The breast is of a somewhat +lighter brown. The belly and thighs are of a dirty yellow-white. The +feathers round the eyes are of the same dark brown as the rest of the +body; and then comes a circle of white which has much the appearance of +the rim of a large pair of spectacles. I strongly suspect that the +dirty yellow-white of the belly and thighs has originally been pure +white, and that it has come to its present colour by means of the bird +darting down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere conjecture. + +Here, too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird called +sun-bird by the English colonists and tirana by the Spaniards in the +Oroonoque. It is very elegant, and in its outward appearance approaches +near to the heron tribe; still, it does not live upon fish. Flies and +insects are its food, and it takes them just as the heron takes fish, +by approaching near and then striking with its beak at its prey so +quick that it has no chance to escape. The beautiful mixture of grey, +yellow, green, black, white and chestnut in the plumage of this bird +baffles any attempt to give a description of the distribution of them +which would be satisfactory to the reader. + +There is something remarkable in the great tinamou which I suspect has +hitherto escaped notice. It invariably roosts in trees, but the feet +are so very small in proportion to the body of this bulky bird that +they can be of no use to it in grasping the branch; and, moreover, the +hind-toe is so short that it does not touch the ground when the bird is +walking. The back part of the leg, just below the knee, is quite flat +and somewhat concave. On it are strong pointed scales, which are very +rough, and catch your finger as you move it along from the knee to the +toe. Now, by means of these scales and the particular flatness of that +part of the leg, the bird is enabled to sleep in safety upon the branch +of a tree. + +At the close of day the great tinamou gives a loud, monotonous, +plaintive whistle, and then immediately springs into the tree. By the +light of the full-moon the vigilant and cautious naturalist may see him +sitting in the position already described. + +The small tinamou has nothing that can be called a tail. It never lays +more than one egg, which is of a chocolate colour. It makes no nest, +but merely scratches a little hollow in the sand, generally at the foot +of a tree. + +Here we have an instance of a bird the size of a partridge, and of the +same tribe, laying only one egg, while the rest of the family, from the +peahen to the quail, are known to lay a considerable number. The foot +of this bird is very small in proportion, but the back part of the leg +bears no resemblance to that of the larger tinamou; hence one might +conclude that it sleeps upon the ground. + +Independent of the hollow trees, the vampires have another +hiding-place. They clear out the inside of the large ants' nests and +then take possession of the shell. I had gone about half a day down the +river to a part of the forest where the wallaba-trees were in great +plenty. The seeds had ripened, and I was in hopes to have got the large +scarlet ara, which feeds on them. But unfortunately the time had passed +away, and the seeds had fallen. + +While ranging here in the forest we stopped under an ants' nest, and, +by the dirt below, conjectured that it had got new tenants. Thinking it +no harm to dislodge them, "vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the +tree, but before he reached the nest out flew above a dozen vampires. + +I have formerly remarked that I wished to have it in my power to say +that I had been sucked by the vampire. I gave them many an opportunity, +but they always fought shy; and though they now sucked a young man of +the Indian breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his hammock in +the shed next to mine, they would have nothing to do with me. His great +toe seemed to have all the attractions. I examined it minutely as he +was bathing it in the river at daybreak. The midnight surgeon had made +a hole in it almost of a triangular shape, and the blood was then +running from it apace. His hammock was so defiled and stained with +clotted blood that he was obliged to beg an old black woman to wash it. +As she was taking it down to the river-side she spread it out before +me, and shook her head. I remarked that I supposed her own toe was too +old and tough to invite the vampire-doctor to get his supper out of it, +and she answered, with a grin, that doctors generally preferred young +people. + +Nobody has yet been able to inform me how it is that the vampire +manages to draw such a large quantity of blood, generally from the toe, +and the patient all the time remains in a profound sleep. I have never +heard of an instance of a man waking under the operation. On the +contrary, he continues in a sound sleep, and at the time of rising his +eyes first inform him that there has been a thirsty thief on his toe. + +The teeth of the vampire are very sharp and not unlike those of a rat. +If it be that he inflicts the wound with his teeth (and he seems to +have no other instruments), one would suppose that the acuteness of the +pain would cause the person who is sucked to awake. We are in darkness +in this matter, and I know of no means by which one might be enabled to +throw light upon it. It is to be hoped that some future wanderer +through the wilds of Guiana will be more fortunate than I have been and +catch this nocturnal depredator in the fact. I have once before +mentioned that I killed a vampire which measured thirty-two inches from +wing to wing extended, but others which I have since examined have +generally been from twenty to twenty-six inches in dimension. + +The large humming-bird, called by the Indians kara-bimiti, invariably +builds its nest in the slender branches of the trees which hang over +the rivers and creeks. In appearance it is like brown tanned leather, +and without any particle of lining. The rim of the nest is doubled +inwards, and I always conjectured that it had taken this shape on +account of the body of the bird pressing against it while she was +laying her eggs. But this was quite a wrong conjecture. Instinct has +taught the bird to give it this shape in order that the eggs may be +prevented from rolling out. + +The trees on the river's bank are particularly exposed to violent gusts +of wind, and while I have been sitting in the canoe and looking on, I +have seen the slender branch of the tree which held the humming-bird's +nest so violently shaken that the bottom of the inside of the nest has +appeared, and had there been nothing at the rim to stop the eggs they +must inevitably have been jerked out into the water. I suspect the +humming-bird never lays more than two eggs. I never found more than two +in any of the many nests which have come in my way. The eggs were +always white without any spots on them. + +Probably travellers have erred in asserting that the monkeys of South +America throw sticks and fruit at their pursuers. I have had fine +opportunities of narrowly watching the different species of monkeys +which are found in the wilds betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque. I +entirely acquit them of acting on the offensive. When the monkeys are +in the high trees over your head the dead branches will now and then +fall down upon you, having been broken off as the monkeys pass along +them; but they are never hurled from their hands. + +Monkeys, commonly so called, both in the old and new continent, may be +classed into three grand divisions: namely, the ape, which has no tail +whatever; the baboon, which has only a short tail; and the monkey, +which has a long tail. There are no apes and no baboons as yet +discovered in the new world. Its monkeys may be very well and very +briefly ranged under two heads: namely, those with hairy and bushy +tails; and those whose tails are bare of hair underneath about six +inches from the extremity. Those with hairy and bushy tails climb just +like the squirrel, and make no use of the tail to help them from branch +to branch. Those which have the tail bare underneath towards the end +find it of infinite advantage to them in their ascent and descent. They +apply it to the branch of the tree, as though it were a supple finger, +and frequently swing by it from the branch like the pendulum of a +clock. It answers all the purposes of a fifth hand to the monkey, as +naturalists have already observed. + +The large red monkey of Demerara is not a baboon, though it goes by +that name, having a long pensile tail. [Footnote: I believe _pensile_ +is a new-coined word. I have seen it, but do not remember where.] +Nothing can sound more dreadful than its nocturnal howlings. While +lying in your hammock in these gloomy and immeasurable wilds, you hear +him howling at intervals from eleven o'clock at night till daybreak. +You would suppose that half the wild beasts of the forest were +collecting for the work of carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of +the jaguar as he springs on his prey: now it changes to his terrible +and deep-toned growlings as he is pressed on all sides by superior +force: and now you hear his last dying moan beneath a mortal wound. + +Some naturalists have supposed that these awful sounds which you would +fancy are those of enraged and dying wild beasts proceed from a number +of the red monkeys howling in concert. One of them alone is capable of +producing all these sounds; and the anatomists on an inspection of his +trachea will be fully satisfied that this is the case. When you look at +him, as he is sitting on the branch of a tree, you will see a lump in +his throat the size of a large hen's egg. In dark and cloudy weather, +and just before a squall of rain, this monkey will often howl in the +daytime; and if you advance cautiously, and get under the high and +tufted tree where he is sitting, you may have a capital opportunity of +witnessing his wonderful powers of producing these dreadful and +discordant sounds. + +His flesh is good food; but when skinned his appearance is so like that +of a young one of our own species that a delicate stomach might +possibly revolt at the idea of putting a knife and fork into it. +However, I can affirm from experience that, after a long and dreary +march through these remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not to +be sneezed at when boiled in cayenne-pepper or roasted on a stick over +a good fire. A young one tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have +somewhat the flavour of he-goat. + +I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit upon an entirely new +plan of making the skins of quadrupeds retain their exact form and +feature. Intense application to the subject has since that period +enabled me to shorten the process and hit the character of an animal to +a very great nicety, even to the preservation of the pouting lip, +dimples, warts and wrinkles on the face. I got a fine specimen of the +howling monkey, and took some pains with it in order to show the +immense difference that exists betwixt the features of this monkey and +those of man. + +I also procured an animal which has caused not a little speculation and +astonishment. In my opinion, his thick coat of hair and great length of +tail put his species out of all question, but then his face and head +cause the inspector to pause for a moment before he ventures to +pronounce his opinion of the classification. He was a large animal, and +as I was pressed for daylight, and moreover, felt no inclination to +have the whole weight of his body upon my back, I contented myself with +his head and shoulders, which I cut off, and have brought them with me +to Europe. [Footnote: My young friend Mr. J. H. Foljambe, eldest son of +Thomas Foljambe, Esq., of Wakefield, has made a drawing of the head and +shoulders of this animal, and it is certainly a most correct and +striking likeness of the original.] I have since found that I acted +quite right in doing so, having had enough to answer for the head +alone, without saying anything of his hands and feet, and of his tail, +which is an appendage, Lord Kames asserts, belongs to us. + +The features of this animal are quite of the Grecian cast, and he has a +placidity of countenance which shows that things went well with him +when in life. Some gentlemen of great skill and talent, on inspecting +his head, were convinced that the whole series of its features has been +changed. Others again have hesitated, and betrayed doubts, not being +able to make up their minds whether it be possible that the brute +features of the monkey can be changed into the noble countenance of +man: "Scinditur vulgus." One might argue at considerable length on this +novel subject; and perhaps, after all, produce little more than prolix +pedantry: "Vox et praeterea nihil." + +Let us suppose for an instant that it is a new species. Well; "Una +golondrina no hace verano": One swallow does not make summer, as Sancho +Panza says. Still, for all that, it would be well worth while going out +to search for it; and these times of Pasco-Peruvian enterprise are +favourable to the undertaking. Perhaps, gentle reader, you would wish +me to go in quest of another. I would beg leave respectfully to answer +that the way is dubious, long and dreary; and though, unfortunately, I +cannot allege the excuse of "me pia conjux detinet," still I would fain +crave a little repose. I have already been a long while errant: + + Longa mihi exilia, et vastum maris aequor aravi, + Ne mandate mihi, nam ego sum defessus agendo. + +Should anybody be induced to go, great and innumerable are the +discoveries yet to be made in those remote wilds; and should he succeed +in bringing home even a head alone, with features as perfect as those +of that which I have brought, far from being envious of him, I should +consider him a modern Alcides, fully entitled to register a thirteenth +labour. Now if, on the other hand, we argue that this head in question +has had all its original features destroyed, and a set of new ones +given to it, by what means has this hitherto unheard-of change been +effected? Nobody in any of our museums has as yet been able to restore +the natural features to stuffed animals; and he who has any doubts of +this, let him take a living cat or dog and compare them with a stuffed +cat or dog in any of the first-rate museums. A momentary glance of the +eye would soon settle his doubts on this head. + +If I have succeeded in effacing the features of a brute, and putting +those of a man in their place, we might be entitled to say that the sun +of Proteus has risen to our museums: + + Unius hic faciem, facies transformat in omnes; + Nunc homo, nunc tigris; nunc equa, nunc mulier. + +If I have effected this, we can now give to one side of the skin of a +man's face the appearance of eighty years and to the other side that of +blooming seventeen. We could make the forehead and eyes serene in +youthful beauty and shape the mouth and jaws to the features of a +malicious old ape. Here is a new field opened to the adventurous and +experimental naturalist: I have trodden it up and down till I am almost +weary. To get at it myself I have groped through an alley which may be +styled in the words of Ovid: + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca. + +I pray thee, gentle reader, let me out awhile. Time passes on apace; +and I want to take thee to have a peep at the spots where mines are +supposed to exist in Guiana. As the story of this singular head has +probably not been made out to thy satisfaction, perhaps (I may say it +nearly in Corporal Trim's words), on some long and dismal winter's +evening, but not now, I may tell thee more about it; together with that +of another head which is equally striking. + +It is commonly reported, and I think there is no reason to doubt the +fact, that when Demerara and Essequibo were under the Dutch flag there +were mines of gold and silver opened near to the River Essequibo. The +miners were not successful in their undertaking, and it is generally +conjectured that their failure proceeded from inexperience. + +Now, when you ascend the Essequibo, some hundred miles above the place +where these mines are said to be found, you get into a high, rocky and +mountainous country. Here many of the mountains have a very barren +aspect, producing only a few stinted shrubs, and here and there a tuft +of coarse grass. I could not learn that they have ever been explored, +and at this day their mineralogy is totally unknown to us. The Indians +are so thinly scattered in this part of the country that there would be +no impropriety in calling it uninhabited: + + Apparent rari errantes in gurgite vasto. + +It remains to be yet learnt whether this portion of Guiana be worth +looking after with respect to its supposed mines. The mining +speculations at present are flowing down another channel. The rage in +England for working the mines of other states has now risen to such a +pitch, that it would require a considerable degree of caution in a mere +wanderer of the woods in stepping forward to say anything that might +tend to raise or depress the spirits of the speculators. + +A question or two, however, might be asked. When the revolted colonies +shall have repaired in some measure the ravages of war, and settled +their own political economy upon a firm foundation, will they quietly +submit to see foreigners carrying away those treasures which are +absolutely part of their own soil, and which necessity (necessity has +no law) forced them to barter away in their hour of need? Now, if it +should so happen that the masters of the country begin to repent of +their bargain and become envious of the riches which foreigners carry +off, many a teasing law might be made and many a vexatious enaction +might be put in force that would in all probability bring the +speculators into trouble and disappointment. + +Besides this consideration there is another circumstance which ought +not to be overlooked. I allude to the change of masters nearly +throughout the whole of America. It is a curious subject for the +European philosopher to moralise upon and for the politician to +examine. The more they consider it, the more they will be astonished. +If we may judge by what has already taken place, we are entitled to +predict that in a very few years more no European banner will be seen +to float in any part of the new world. Let us take a cursory view of it. + +England some years ago possessed a large portion of the present United +States. France had Louisiana; Spain held the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, +Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru and California; and +Portugal ruled the whole of Brazil. All these immense regions are now +independent states. England, to be sure, still has Canada, Nova Scotia +and a few creeks on the coast of Labrador; also a small settlement in +Honduras, and the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo; and these are all. +France has not a foot of ground, except the forests of Cayenne. +Portugal has lost every province; Spain is blockaded in nearly her last +citadel; and the Dutch flag is only seen in Surinam. Nothing more now +remains to Europe of this immense continent where but a very few years +ago she reigned triumphant. + +With regard to the West India Islands, they may be considered as the +mere outposts of this mammoth domain. St. Domingo has already shaken +off her old masters and become a star of observation to the rest of the +sable brethren. The anti-slavery associations of England, full of +benevolence and activity, have opened a tremendous battery upon the +last remaining forts which the lords of the old continent still hold in +the new world; and in all probability will not cease firing till they +shall have caused the last flag to be struck of Europe's late mighty +empire in the transatlantic regions. It cannot well be doubted but that +the sable hordes in the West Indies will like to follow good example +whenever they shall have it in their power to do so. + +Now with St. Domingo as an example before them, how long will it be +before they try to raise themselves into independent states? And if +they should succeed in crushing us in these our last remaining +tenements, I would bet ten to one that none of the new Governments will +put on mourning for our departure out of the new world. We must well +remember that our own Government was taxed with injustice and +oppression by the United States during their great struggle; and the +British press for years past has, and is still, teeming with every kind +of abuse and unbecoming satire against Spain and Portugal for their +conduct towards the now revolted colonies. + +France also comes in for her share of obloquy. Now this being the case, +will not America at large wish most devoutly for the day to come when +Europe shall have no more dominion over her? Will she not say to us: +Our new forms of government are very different from your old ones. We +will trade with you, but we shall always be very suspicious of you as +long as you retain possession of the West Indies, which are, as we may +say, close to our door-steads. You must be very cautious how you +interfere with our politics; for, if we find you meddling with them, +and by that means cause us to come to loggerheads, we shall be obliged +to send you back to your own homes three or four thousand miles across +the Atlantic; and then with that great ditch betwixt us we may hope we +shall be good friends. He who casts his eye on the East Indies will +there see quite a different state of things. The conquered districts +have merely changed one European master for another; and I believe +there is no instance of any portion of the East Indies throwing off the +yoke of the Europeans and establishing a Government of their own. + +Ye who are versed in politics, and study the rise and fall of empires, +and know what is good for civilised man and what is bad for him, or, in +other words, what will make him happy and what will make him +miserable--tell us how comes it that Europe has lost almost her last +acre in the boundless expanse of territory which she so lately +possessed in the West, and still contrives to hold her vast property in +the extensive regions of the East? + +But whither am I going? I find myself on a new and dangerous path. +Pardon, gentle reader, this sudden deviation. Methinks I hear thee +saying to me: + + Tramite quo tendis, majoraque viribus audes. + +I grant that I have erred, but I will do so no more. In general I avoid +politics; they are too heavy for me, and I am aware that they have +caused the fall of many a strong and able man; they require the +shoulders of Atlas to support their weight. + +When I was in the rocky mountains of Macoushia, in the month of June +1812, I saw four young cock-of-the-rocks in an Indian's hut; they had +been taken out of the nest that week. They were of a uniform dirty +brown colour, and by the position of the young feathers upon the head +you might see that there would be a crest there when the bird arrived +at maturity. By seeing young ones in the month of June I immediately +concluded that the old cock-of-the-rock would be in fine plumage from +the end of November to the beginning of May; and that the naturalist +who was in quest of specimens for his museum ought to arrange his plans +in such a manner as to be able to get into Macoushia during these +months. However, I find now that no exact period can be fixed; for in +December 1824 an Indian in the River Demerara gave me a young +cock-of-the-rock not a month old, and it had just been brought from the +Macoushi country. By having a young specimen at this time of the year +it puts it out of one's power to say at what precise time the old birds +are in full plumage. I took it on board a ship with me for England, but +it was so very susceptible of cold that it shivered and died three days +after we had passed Antigua. + +If ever there should be a great demand for large supplies of +gum-elastic, commonly called india-rubber, it may be procured in +abundance far away in the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. + +Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi country, there was a capital +trick played upon me about india-rubber. It is, almost too good to be +left out of these wanderings, and it shows that the wild and uneducated +Indian is not without abilities. Weary and sick and feeble through loss +of blood, I arrived at some Indian huts which were about two hours +distant from the place where the gum-elastic trees grew. After a day +and a night's rest I went to them, and with my own hands made a fine +ball of pure india-rubber; it hardened immediately as it became exposed +to the air, and its elasticity was almost incredible. + +While procuring it, exposure to the rain, which fell in torrents, +brought on a return of inflammation in the stomach, and I was obliged +to have recourse again to the lancet, and to use it with an unsparing +hand. I wanted another ball, but was not in a state the next morning to +proceed to the trees. A fine interesting young Indian, observing my +eagerness to have it, tendered his services, and asked two handfuls of +fish-hooks for his trouble. + +Off he went, and to my great surprise returned in a very short time. +Bearing in mind the trouble and time it had cost me to make a ball, I +could account for this Indian's expedition in no other way except that, +being an inhabitant of the forest, he knew how to go about his work in +a much shorter way than I did. His ball, to be sure, had very little +elasticity in it. I tried it repeatedly, but it never rebounded a yard +high. The young Indian watched me with great gravity, and when I made +him understand that I expected the ball would dance better, he called +another Indian who knew a little English to assure me that I might be +quite easy on that score. The young rogue, in order to render me a +complete dupe, brought the new moon to his aid. He gave me to +understand that the ball was like the little moon which he pointed to, +and by the time it grew big and old the ball would bounce beautifully. +This satisfied me, and I gave him the fish-hooks, which he received +without the least change of countenance. + +I bounced the ball repeatedly for two months after, but I found that it +still remained in its infancy. At last I suspected that the savage (to +use a vulgar phrase) had "come Yorkshire" over me; and so I determined +to find out how he had managed to take me in. I cut the ball in two, +and then saw what a taught trick he had played me. It seems he had +chewed some leaves into a lump the size of a walnut, and then dipped +them in the liquid gum-elastic. It immediately received a coat about as +thick as a sixpence. He then rolled some more leaves round it and gave +it another coat. He seems to have continued this process till he made +the ball considerably larger than the one I had procured; and in order +to put his roguery out of all chance of detection he made the last and +outer coat thicker than a dollar. This Indian would, no doubt, have +thriven well in some of our great towns. + +Finding that the rainy season was coming on, I left the wilds of +Demerara and Essequibo with regret towards the close of December 1824, +and reached once more the shores of England after a long and unpleasant +passage. + +Ere we part, kind reader, I could wish to draw a little of thy +attention to the instructions which are to be found at the end of this +book. Twenty years have now rolled away since I first began to examine +the specimens of zoology in our museums. As the system of preparation +is founded in error, nothing but deformity, distortion and +disproportion will be the result of the best intentions and utmost +exertions of the workman. Canova's education, taste and genius enabled +him to present to the world statues so correct and beautiful that they +are worthy of universal admiration. Had a common stonecutter tried his +hand upon the block out of which these statues were sculptured, what a +lamentable want of symmetry and fine countenance there would have been. +Now when we reflect that the preserved specimens in our museums and +private collections are always done upon a wrong principle, and +generally by low and illiterate people whose daily bread depends upon +the shortness of time in which they can get through their work, and +whose opposition to the true way of preparing specimens can only be +surpassed by their obstinacy in adhering to the old method, can we any +longer wonder at their want of success or hope to see a single specimen +produced that will be worth looking at? With this I conclude, hoping +that thou hast received some information, and occasionally had a smile +upon thy countenance, while perusing these _Wanderings_; and begging at +the same time to add that: + + Well I know thy penetration + Many a stain and blot will see, + In the languid long narration, + Of my sylvan errantry. + + For the pen too oft was weary, + In the wandering writer's hand, + As he roved through deep and dreary + Forests, in a distant land. + + Show thy mercy, gentle reader, + Let him not entreat in vain; + It will be his strength's best feeder, + Should he ever go again. + + And who knows, how soon complaining + Of a cold and wifeless home, + He may leave it, and again in + Equatorial regions roam. + +C.W. + + + * * * * * + + + + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Were you to pay as much attention to birds as the sculptor does to the +human frame, you would immediately see, on entering a museum, that the +specimens are not well done. + +This remark will not be thought severe when you reflect that that which +once was a bird has probably been stretched, stuffed, stiffened and +wired by the hand of a common clown. Consider, likewise, how the +plumage must have been disordered by too much stretching or drying, and +perhaps sullied, or at least deranged, by the pressure of a coarse and +heavy hand--plumage which, ere life had fled from within it, was +accustomed to be touched by nothing rougher than the dew of heaven and +the pure and gentle breath of air. + +In dissecting, three things are necessary to ensure success: viz. a +penknife, a hand not coarse or clumsy, and practice. The first will +furnish you with the means; the second will enable you to dissect; and +the third cause you to dissect well. These may be called the mere +mechanical requisites. + +In stuffing, you require cotton, a needle and thread, a little stick +the size of a common knitting-needle, glass eyes, a solution of +corrosive sublimate, and any kind of a common temporary box to hold the +specimen. These also may go under the same denomination as the former. +But if you wish to excel in the art, if you wish to be in ornithology +what Angelo was in sculpture, you must apply to profound study and your +own genius to assist you. And these may be called the scientific +requisites. + +You must have a complete knowledge of ornithological anatomy. You must +pay close attention to the form and attitude of the bird, and know +exactly the proportion each curve, or extension, or contraction, or +expansion of any particular part bears to the rest of the body. In a +word, you must possess Promethean boldness and bring down fire and +animation, as it were, into your preserved specimen. + +Repair to the haunts of birds on plains and mountains, forests, swamps +and lakes, and give up your time to examine the economy of the +different orders of birds. + +Then you will place your eagle in attitude commanding, the same as +Nelson stood in in the day of battle on the _Victory's_ quarter-deck. +Your pie will seem crafty and just ready to take flight, as though +fearful of being surprised in some mischievous plunder. Your sparrow +will retain its wonted pertness by means of placing his tail a little +elevated and giving a moderate arch to the neck. Your vulture will show +his sluggish habits by having his body nearly parallel to the earth, +his wings somewhat drooping, and their extremities under the tail +instead of above it--expressive of ignoble indolence. + +Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence; looking mildly at you +with its neck not too much stretched, as if uneasy in its situation; or +drawn too close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a +discovery; but in moderate, perpendicular length, supporting the head +horizontally, which will set off the breast to the best advantage. And +the breast ought to be conspicuous, and have this attention paid to +it--for when a young lady is sweet and gentle in her manners, kind and +affable to those around her, when her eyes stand in tears of pity for +the woes of others, and she puts a small portion of what Providence has +blessed her with into the hand of imploring poverty and hunger, then we +say she has the breast of a turtle-dove. + +You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged: +one falling over the other in nicest order; and that where this +charming harmony is interrupted, the defect, though not noticed by an +ordinary spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. +Thus a bird not wounded and in perfect feather must be procured if +possible, for the loss of feathers can seldom be made good; and where +the deficiency is great, all the skill of the artist will avail him +little in his attempt to conceal the defect, because in order to hide +it he must contract the skin, bring down the upper feathers, and shove +in the lower ones, which would throw all the surrounding parts into +contortion. + +You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce +feathers, and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow. +The bare parts are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and +stomach, and they fit into the different cavities of the body at the +wings, shoulders, rump and thighs with wonderful exactness; so that, in +stuffing the bird, if you make an even, rotund surface of the skin +where these cavities existed, in lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry, +order and proportion are lost for ever. + +You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be +entirely skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true and +pleasing specimen. + +You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the nature +of the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in: first, they +require to be well seasoned with aromatic spices; secondly, they must +be put into the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of the fire, and the +natural tendency all cured flesh has to shrink and become hard, render +the specimen withered, distorted and too small; fourthly, the inside +then becomes like a ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects +claim it as their own, the feathers begin to drop off, and you have the +hideous spectacle of death in ragged plumage. + +Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance; +for where it is introduced a disagreeable stiffness and derangement of +symmetry follow. + +The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the body supported, +the wings closed, extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised or +expanded, the thighs set horizontal or oblique, without any aid from +wire. Cotton will effect all this. + +A very small proportion of the skull-bone, say from the forepart of the +eyes to the bill, is to be left in; though even this is not absolutely +necessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones and half of the +thigh-bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains +and tendons --is all to be taken away. + +While dissecting it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking off +the skin from the body by means of your fingers and a little knife, you +must try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. + +That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now +and then take a view of it to see that the feathers, etc., are all +right. + +That when you come to the head you must take care that the body of the +skin rests on your knee; for if you allow it to dangle from your hand +its own weight will stretch it too much. + +That, throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin +from the body you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it; +and this will effectually prevent any fat, blood or moisture from +coming in contact with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on the +belly you find an inner skin, which keeps the bowels in their place. By +a nice operation with the knife you can cut through the outer skin and +leave the inner skin whole. Attention to this will render your work +very clean; so that with a little care in other parts you may skin a +bird without even soiling your finger-ends. + +As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on this +head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard with +your finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon expire. +Carry it by the legs, and then the body being reversed the blood cannot +escape down the plumage through the shot-holes. As blood will often +have issued out before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the +shot-holes by dividing the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on +them, and then with your penknife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully +remove the clotted blood and put a little cotton on the hole. If, after +all, the plumage has not escaped the marks of blood, or if it has +imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part in water, without soap, +and keep gently agitating the feathers with your fingers till they are +quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them to dry by themselves, +they would have a very mean and shrivelled appearance. + +In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or +upon your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee; because when you +cross one knee over the other and have the bird upon the uppermost, you +can raise it to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foot +on the ground, and then your knee will always move in unison with your +body, by which much stooping will be avoided and lassitude prevented. + +With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect +a bird. Suppose we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with a +song for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he is +just the thing. His skin is also pretty tough, and the feathers adhere +to it. + +We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive +sublimate in alcohol; also a stick like a common knitting-needle and a +handful or two of cotton. Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird +with cotton, and place it upon your knee on its back, with its head +pointing to your left shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two +first fingers and thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point +of the knife perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you +to hold it so, you would cut the inner skin of the belly, and thus let +the bowels out. To avoid this let your knife be parallel to the body, +and then, you will divide the outer skin with great ease. + +Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle, quite +to the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and +separate the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of the +thigh. Cut it through, and do nothing more there at present, except +introducing cotton all the way on that side, from the vent to the +breastbone. Do exactly the same on the opposite side. + +Now place the bird perpendicular, its breast resting on your knee, with +its back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each side at +the vent, and never mind at present the part from the vent to the root +of the tail. Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while your +finger and thumb are keeping down the detached parts of the skin on +each side of the vent, cut quite across and deep, till you see the +backbone, near the oil-gland at the root of the tail. Sever the +backbone at the joint, and then you have all the root of the tail, +together with the oil-gland, dissected from the body. Apply plenty of +cotton. + +After this seize the end of the backbone with your finger and thumb: +and now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round +and round as occasion requires. While you are holding it thus, +contrive, with the help of your other hand and knife, by cutting and +shoving, to get the skin pushed up till you come to where the wing +joins on to the body. Forget not to apply cotton; cut this joint +through; do the same at the other wing, add cotton, and gently push the +skin over the head; cut out the roots of the ears, which lie very deep +in the head, and continue skinning till you reach the middle of the +eye; cut the nictitating membrane quite through, otherwise you would +tear the orbit of the eye; and after this nothing difficult intervenes +to prevent your arriving at the root of the bill. + +When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of skull, +just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye; clean well the +jaw-bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick, dip it into +the solution, and touch the skull and corresponding part of the skin, +as you cannot well get to these places afterwards. From the time of +pushing the skin over the head you are supposed to have had the bird +resting upon your knee; keep it there still, and with great caution and +tenderness return the head through the inverted skin, and when you see +the beak appearing pull it very gently till the head comes out +unruffled and unstained. + +You may now take the cotton out of the mouth; cut away all the +remaining flesh at the palate, and whatever may have remained at the +under-jaw. + +Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all +the flesh, fat and uncleaned bones out of it, except the middle joint +of the wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. +The extreme point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, +comparatively speaking, so that it requires no attention except +touching it with the solution from the outside. Take all in the flesh +from the remaining joint of the wing, and tie a thread about four +inches long to the end of it; touch all with the solution, and put the +wing-bone back into its place. In baring this bone you must by no means +pull the skin; you would tear it to pieces beyond all doubt, for the +ends of the long feathers are attached to the bone itself; you must +push off the skin with your thumb-nail and forefinger. Now skin the +thigh quite to the knee; cut away all flesh and tendons, and leave the +bone; form an artificial thigh round it with cotton; apply the solution +and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh: the same to the other +thigh. + +Lastly, proceed to the tail: take out the inside of the oil-gland, +remove all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of +the tail-feathers; give it the solution and replace it. Now take out +all the cotton which you have been putting into the body from time to +time to preserve the feathers from grease and stains. Place the bird +upon your knee on its back; tie together the two threads which you had +fastened to the end of the wing-joints, leaving exactly the same space +betwixt them as your knowledge in anatomy informs you existed there +when the bird was entire; hold the skin open with your finger and +thumb, and apply the solution to every part of the inside. Neglect the +head and neck at present; they are to receive it afterwards. + +Fill the body moderately with cotton, lest the feathers on the belly +should be injured whilst you are about the following operation. You +must recollect that half of the thigh, or in other words, one joint of +the thigh-bone, has been cut away. Now, as this bone never moved +perpendicular to the body, but, on the contrary, in an oblique +direction, of course, as soon as it is cut off, the remaining part of +the thigh and leg having nothing now to support them obliquely, must +naturally fall to their perpendicular. Hence the reason why the legs +appear considerably too long. To correct this, take your needle and +thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and then push the needle +through the skin just opposite to it. Look on the outside, and after +finding the needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the +wing with several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and +render it quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without +the help of wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton except the +artificial thighs, and adjust the wing-bones (which are connected by +the thread) in the most even manner possible, so that one joint does +not appear to lie lower than the other; for unless they are quite +equal, the wings themselves will be unequal when you come to put them +in their proper attitude. Here, then, rests the shell of the poor hawk, +ready to receive from your skill and judgment the size, the shape, the +features and expression it had, ere death and your dissecting hand +brought it to its present still and formless state. The cold hand of +death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate victim. When the heart +ceases to beat, and the blood no longer courses through the veins, the +features collapse, and the whole frame seems to shrink within itself. +If then you have formed your idea of the real appearance of the bird +from a dead specimen, you will be in error. With this in mind, and at +the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger than life, to make +up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a bird that will +please you. + +It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means +of the little stick like a knitting-needle; and without any other aid +or substance than that of this little stick and cotton, your own genius +must produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that +elegance and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature, +so little attended to in preserved specimens. After you have introduced +the cotton, sew up the orifice you originally made in the belly, +beginning at the vent. And from time to time, till you arrive at the +last stitch, keep adding a little cotton in order that there may be no +deficiency there. Lastly, dip your stick into the solution, and put it +down the throat three or four times, in order that every part may +receive it. + +When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking, +close the bill as in nature. A little bit of bees' wax at the point of +it will keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be +stuck into the lower mandible perpendicularly. You will shortly see the +use of it. Bring also the feet together by a pin, and then run a thread +through the knees, by which you may draw them to each other as near as +you judge proper. Nothing now remains to be added but the eyes. With +your little stick make a hollow in the cotton within the orbit, and +introduce the glass eyes through the orbit. Adjust the orbit to them as +in nature, and that requires no other fastener. + +Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have informed +you that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body than that +part of the eye which appears within it when in life. So that, were you +to proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable of receiving, +it would be far too large. Inattention to this has caused the eyes of +every specimen in the best cabinets of natural history to be out of all +proportion. To prevent this, contract the orbit by means of a very +small delicate needle and thread at that part of it farthest from the +beak. This may be done with such nicety that the stitch cannot be +observed; and thus you have the artificial eye in true proportion. + +After this touch the bill, orbits, feet and former oil-gland at the +root of the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the hawk +everything necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of +elasticity, two qualities very essential. + +Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about three-fourths +up to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make a moderate +hollow in it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your hands and, +after putting the wings in order, place it in the cotton with its legs +in a sitting posture. The head will fall down. Never mind. Get a cork +and run three pins into the end, just like a three-legged stool. Place +it under the bird's bill, and run the needle which you formerly fixed +there into the head of the cork. This will support the bird's head +admirably. If you wish to lengthen the neck, raise the cork by putting +more cotton under it. If the head is to be brought forward, bring the +cork nearer to the end of the box. If it requires to be set backwards +on the shoulders, move back the cork. + +As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore +part, and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be, putting +you in mind of a stargazing horse, prevent this fault by tying a thread +to the beak and fastening it to the end of the box with a pin or +needle. If you choose to elevate the wings, do so, and support them +with cotton; and should you wish to have them particularly high, apply +a little stick under each wing, and fasten the end of them to the side +of the box with a little bees' wax. + +If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the feathers, +beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them in their +true order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion you have +given it. Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a contrary +direction to that in which they lie for a day or two, and it will never +fall down after. + +Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun, +wind and fire; for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to +reproduce every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive +sublimate is uncommonly serviceable; for at the same time that it +totally prevents putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible +for many days. While the bird is drying, take it out, and replace it in +its position once every day. Then, if you see that any part begins to +shrink into disproportion, you can easily remedy it. + +The small covert-feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little, +because the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in +the wing. Pull gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb +for a day or two. Press the feathers down. The skin will adhere no more +to the bone, and they will cease to rise. + +Every now and then touch and retouch all the different parts of the +features in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at +the same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings, flatness +or rotundity. This is putting the last finishing hand to it. + +In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the +knees begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the +legs any angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position, +or curve them to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch, +bore a little hole under each foot a little way up the leg; and having +fixed two proportional spikes on the branch, you can, in a moment, +transfer the bird from your finger to it, and from it to your finger at +pleasure. + +When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take away +the needle, etc., from under the bill, and all is done. In lieu of +being stiff with wires, the cotton will have given a considerable +elasticity to every part of your bird; so that, when perching on your +finger, if you press it down with the other hand, it will rise again. +You need not fear that your hawk will alter, or its colours fade. The +alcohol has introduced the sublimate into every part and pore of the +skin, quite to the roots of the feathers. Its use is twofold: firstly, +it has totally prevented all tendency to putrefaction; and thus a sound +skin has attached itself to the roots of the feathers. You may take +hold of a single one, and from it suspend five times the weight of the +bird. You may jerk it; it will still adhere to the skin, and after +repeated trials often break short. Secondly, as no part of the skin has +escaped receiving particles of sublimate contained in the alcohol, +there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of insects: for they +will never venture to attack any substance which has received corrosive +sublimate. + +You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to +insects that is known. It is anti-putrescent; so is alcohol; and they +are both colourless, of course; they cannot leave a stain behind them. +The spirit penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, +deposits invisible particles of the sublimate and flies off. The +sublimate will not injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the +parts where the alcohol has left it. [Footnote: All the feathers +require to be touched with the solution, in order that they may be +preserved from the depredation of the moth. The surest way of +proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution of corrosive +sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it.] + +Furs of animals immersed in this solution will retain their pristine +brightness and durability in any climate. + +Take the finest curled feather from a lady's head, dip it in the +solution, and shake it gently till it be dry; you will find that the +spirit will fly off in a few minutes, not a curl in the feather will be +injured, and the sublimate will preserve it from the depredation of the +insect. + +Perhaps it may be satisfactory to add here that some years ago I did a +bird upon this plan in Demerara. It remained there two years. It was +then conveyed to England, where it stayed five months, and returned to +Demerara. After being four years more there it was conveyed back again +through the West Indies to England, where it has now been near five +years, unfaded and unchanged. + +On reflecting that this bird has been twice in the Temperate and Torrid +Zone, and remained some years in the hot and humid climate of Demerara, +only six degrees from the line, and where almost everything becomes a +prey to the insect, and that it is still as sound and bright as when it +was first done, it will not be thought extravagant to surmise that this +specimen will retain its pristine form and colours for years after the +hand that stuffed it has mouldered into dust. + +I have shown this art to the naturalists in Brazil, Cayenne, Demerara, +Oroonoque and Rome, and to the royal cabinets of Turin and Florence. A +severe accident prevented me from communicating it to the cabinet of +Paris, according to my promise. A word or two more, and then we will +conclude. + +A little time and experience will enable you to produce a finished +specimen: "Mox similis volucri, mox vera volucris." If your early +performance should not correspond with your expectations, do not let +that cast you down. You cannot become an adept all at once. The poor +hawk itself, which you have just been dissecting, waited to be fledged +before it durst rise on expanded pinion, and had parental aid and +frequent practice ere it could soar with safety and ease beyond the +sight of man. + +Little more remains to be added, except that what has been penned down +with regard to birds may be applied in some measure to serpents, +insects and four-footed animals. + +Should you find these instructions too tedious, let the wish to give +you every information plead in their defence. They might have been +shorter; but Horace says, by labouring to be brief you become obscure. + +If by their means you should be enabled to procure specimens from +foreign parts in better preservation than usual, so that the naturalist +may have it in his power to give a more perfect description of them +than has hitherto been the case; should they cause any unknown species +to be brought into public view, and thus add a little more to the page +of natural history, it will please me much. But should they +unfortunately tend to cause a wanton expense of life; should they tempt +you to shoot the pretty songster warbling near your door, or destroy +the mother as she is sitting on the nest to warm her little ones, or +kill the father as he is bringing a mouthful of food for their +support--Oh, then! deep indeed will be the regret that I ever wrote +them. + +Adieu, + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +FINIS + + + GLOSSARY + + + Acaiari, _the resinous gum of + the hiawa-tree_. + Acouri, _one of the agutis_; + a rodent about the size of a rabbit. + Acuero, _a species of palm_. + AEta, _a palm of great size_; + it may reach a hundred feet + before the leaves begin. + Ai, _the three-toed sloth_. + Albicore, _a fish closely related to + the tunny_. + Anhinga, _the darter or snake-bird_; + a cormorant-like bird. + Ant-bear, _now called the ant-eater_. + Ara, _a macaw_. + Ara, Scarlet, _the scarlet macaw_. + + Bisa, _one of the Saki monkeys_. + + Cabbage Mountain, _one of the most + beautiful of the palm-trees_. + Camoudi, _the anaconda._ + Campanero, _the bell-bird._ + Caprimulgus, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Cassique, _a bird of the hang-nest + family._ + Cayman, _an alligator, as here used._ + Cotingas, _chatterers._ + Couguar, _the puma._ + Coulacanara, _the boa-constrictor._ + Courada, _the white mangrove tree._ + Crabier, _the boat-bill--a small heron._ + Crickets, _cicadas._ + Cuia, _one of the Trojans._ + Curlew, Scarlet, _the scarlet ibis._ + + Dolphin, _a coryphene--a true fish--not + a cetacean._ + + Guana, _the iguana lizard._ + + Hannaquoi, _one of the curassows._ + Houtou, _one of the motmots._ + Humming-bird Ara or Karabimiti, + _the crimson topaz._ + + Jacamar, _Jacana_, as anglicized--_the + spur-winged waterhen._ + + Labba, _a rodent allied to the + cavies._ + + Naudapoa, _an ibis._ + + Patasa, _unidentified._ + Phaeton, _the tropic bird._ + Pi-pi-yo, _unidentified._ + Porcupine, _the tree-porcupine._ + + Quake, _a basket of open-work, very + elastic and expansive._ + + Redstart, _quite distinct from the + English redstart._ + + Sacawinki, _one of the squirrel + monkeys._ + Sangre-do-buey, _the scarlet tanager._ + + Tangara, _now called tanager. See + Sangre-do-buey._ + + Waracaba, _the trumpeter._ + Whip-poor-will, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Who-are-you? _one of the goat-suckers._ + Willy-come-go, _one of the goat-suckers._ + Work-away, _one of the goat-suckers._ + + Yawaraciri, _one of the blue + creepers._ + + + + + ACAIARI + Ai, _see_ Sloths + Alligators + American cities, + classical names of + American ladies, + praise of; + their attire + American manners + Ant-bears + Ant-eating birds + Antigua + Ants; + an ingredient of wourali poison; + nests of + Apoura-poura, River + Ara (macaw) + Armadillo + Arrowroot, + wild + Arrows, Indian + Arthur, King + Asses, + effect of wourali poison on + Aura vulture + + Banks, Sir Joseph + Barbadoes + Basseterre + Bete-rouge + Birds, Demeraran; + Brazilian, + Bitterns + Blow-pipe, Indian + Boa-constrictor + Boclora + Bois immortel + Bow, Indian + Broadway + Bucaniers + Buffalo + Bug, + encounter with a + Buonaparte, Prince Charles + Bush-master + Bush-rope + + Camoudi snake + Campanero + Canadians characterised + Caprimulgus, + _see_ Goat-suckers + Caps, + a diatribe against + Cassava + Cassique + Castries + Cayenne + Cayman; + expedition in search of; + fishing for; + ridden by author + Chegoe + Clove-trees + Cock-of-the-rock + Constable rock + Coral snake + Cotingas + Couguar + Coulacanara snake, + capture of a + Counacouchi, + _see_ Bush-master + Coushie-ant + Cuia + Curlew, scarlet + Custom House difficulties + + Demerara, + falls of the River + potentialities of the + colony + _Deserted Village_, Goldsmith's, + quoted + Dog, + effect of wourali poison on a; + probably not native to Guiana + Dolphin + Dominica + + Eagle, + white-headed + Edmonstone, Charles + Edmonstone, Robert + Egret + Erie Canal; + Lake + Essequibo river; + falls of the; + scenery + Europe, + future American independence of + + Fever, + treatment of + Fig-tree, + wild + Fire-fly + Fish, Demeraran + Fishing, Indian method of, + Flying-fish, + Forest-trees, Demeraran; + destruction of North American, + Fort St. Joachim, + Fowl, + effect of wourali poison on a, + Frigate pelican, + + Goat-suckers; + superstitious fear of, + Grand gobe-mouche, + Gross-beak, + Guadalope, + Guiana, + future of; + bird's-eye view of, + + Hannaquoi, + Hermit, + a white, + Hia-hia, + _History of Brazil_, Southey's, + Horned screamer, + Houtou, + Howling monkey, + _see_ Monkeys + Hudson, + journey up the, + Hugues, Victor, + Humming-birds, + + Ibibirou, + Impostor, + an Indian, + Indians; + mode of life; + religion, + _See also_ Macoushi Indians + India-rubber, + Inn-album, + inscription in an, + Insects, Demeraran, + Irish emigrants, + + Jabiru, + Jacamar, + Jaguar, + Jay, Guianan, + Jesuits, + expulsion of the, + + Kearney, Dennis, + Kessi-kessi paroquet, + Kingfishers, + King of the vultures, + + Labarri snake, + La Gabrielle, + national plantation at, + Land-tortoise, + Lizards, + + Maam, + _see_ Tinamou + Macoushi Indians; + their methods of hunting; + trick played by one on the author, + Manikins, + Maroudis, + Martin, M., + Martinico, + Metallic-cuckoo, + Mibiri Creek, + Mines in Guiana, + Monkeys; + red, or howling; + a specimen with Grecian features, + Monteiro, + Montreal, + Mora-tree, + Museum at Philadelphia, + + New Amsterdam, + New York, + Niagara, + Falls of, + Nobrega, Father, + + Olinda; + botanic garden at, + _Ornithology of the United States_, + Wilson's, + Otters, + Owl, + a crab-eating, + Ox, + effect of wourali poison on an, + + Pacou, + Paramaribo, + Parasitic plants, + Parima, Lake, + Park, Mungo, + Parrots, + Partridge, + Peccari, + Pelican, + Percy, Earl, + Pernambuco; + environs, + Petrel, + stormy, + Philadelphia, + Phaeton, + Pi-pi-yo, + Pombal, + Preservation of colours of toucan's bill; + of quadrupeds; + of zoological specimens generally; + of birds, + Purple-heart, + + Quadrupeds, + forest, + Quashi, Daddy, + Quebec, + Quiver, Indian, + + Rattlesnake, + Red-headed finch, + Red monkey, + _see_ Monkeys + Redstart, + Rhinoceros-beetle, + Rice-bird, + Roseau, + Rubber-tree, + + Saba, + St. John's, + St. Lucie, + St. Pierre, + Saintes, the, + Sangre-de-buey, + Saratoga, + Savanna, a Demerara, + Slavery in Demerara; + in West Indies, + Slaves, + encounter with runaway, + Sloths; + three-toed, or ai; + two-toed, + Smoking, + Snakes; + hunting, + Spice plantations, + Spikes, poisoned, + Stabroek, + Southey, Robert, + Sun-bird, + Superstition, + reflections on, + Surinam, + + Tangaras, + Tapir, + Tarbet, misadventures of Mr., + Tauronina, + Taxidermy, + _see_ Preservation + Ticks, + Ticonderoga, + Tiger, + _see_ Jaguar + Tiger-bird, + small, + Tinamou, + Toucans, + Travellers, + advice to, + Travellers' tales, + Troupiales, + Troy, + Trumpeters, + Turtle, + + United States, + progress of the, + Utica, + + Vampires, + Vanilla, + Vultures, + + Wallaba-tree, + Wasps, + Water-hens, + Water-mamma, + Weapons, Indian, + Whip-poor-will, + _see_ Goat-suckers + Whipsnake, + Wild boars, + hunting, + Wild man of the woods, a, + Wilson, Alexander, + Woodpeckers, + Wound, + treatment of a, + Wourali poison; + its effects; + ingredients; + preparation; + method of using: + antidotes; + experiments in England, + + Yabahou, + the evil spirit, + Yawaraciri, + + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Wanderings in South America, by Charles Waterton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + +***** This file should be named 8159.txt or 8159.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/1/5/8159/ + +Produced by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Wanderings In South America + +Author: Charles Waterton + +Release Date: May, 2005 [EBook #8159] +[This file was first posted on June 22, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + + + + +E-text prepared by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + +By CHARLES WATERTON + + + + + + + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + + +I offer this book of "Wanderings" with a hesitating hand. It has little +merit, and must make its way through the world as well as it can. It will +receive many a jostle as it goes along, and perhaps is destined to add one +more to the number of slain in the field of modern criticism. But if it +fall, it may still, in death, be useful to me; for should some accidental +rover take it up and, in turning over its pages, imbibe the idea of going +out to explore Guiana in order to give the world an enlarged description of +that noble country, I shall say, "fortem ad fortia misi," and demand the +armour; that is, I shall lay claim to a certain portion of the honours he +will receive, upon the plea that I was the first mover of his discoveries; +for, as Ulysses sent Achilles to Troy, so I sent him to Guiana. I intended +to have written much more at length; but days and months and years have +passed away, and nothing has been done. Thinking it very probable that I +shall never have patience enough to sit down and write a full account of +all I saw and examined in those remote wilds, I give up the intention of +doing so, and send forth this account of my "Wanderings" just as it was +written at the time. + +If critics are displeased with it in its present form, I beg to observe +that it is not totally devoid of interest, and that it contains something +useful. Several of the unfortunate gentlemen who went out to explore the +Congo were thankful for the instructions they found in it; and Sir Joseph +Banks, on sending back the journal, said in his letter: "I return your +journal with abundant thanks for the very instructive lesson you have +favoured us with this morning, which far excelled, in real utility, +everything I have hitherto seen." And in another letter he says: "I hear +with particular pleasure your intention of resuming your interesting +travels, to which natural history has already been so much indebted." And +again: "I am sorry you did not deposit some part of your last harvest of +birds in the British Museum, that your name might become familiar to +naturalists and your unrivalled skill in preserving birds be made known to +the public." And again: "You certainly have talents to set forth a book +which will improve and extend materially the bounds of natural science." + +Sir Joseph never read the third adventure. Whilst I was engaged in it, +death robbed England of one of her most valuable subjects and deprived the +Royal Society of its brightest ornament. + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + +FIRST JOURNEY + REMARKS + +SECOND JOURNEY + +THIRD JOURNEY + +FOURTH JOURNEY + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + +GLOSSARY + +INDEX + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + + +FIRST JOURNEY + + ----nec herba, nec latens in asperis + Radix fefellit me locis. + +In the month of April 1812 I left the town of Stabroek to travel through +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo, a part of _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana, in South America. + +The chief objects in view were to collect a quantity of the strongest +wourali poison and to reach the inland frontier-fort of Portuguese Guiana. + +It would be a tedious journey for him who wishes to travel through these +wilds to set out from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust him in his +attempts to wade through the swamps, and the mosquitos at night would +deprive him of every hour of sleep. + +The road for horses runs parallel to the river, but it extends a very +little way, and even ends before the cultivation of the plantations ceases. + +The only mode then that remains is to proceed by water; and when you come +to the high-lands, you may make your way through the forest on foot or +continue your route on the river. + +After passing the third island in the River Demerara there are few +plantations to be seen, and those not joining on to one another, but +separated by large tracts of wood. + +The Loo is the last where the sugar-cane is growing. The greater part of +its negroes have just been ordered to another estate, and ere a few months +shall have elapsed all signs of cultivation will be lost in underwood. + +Higher up stand the sugar-works of Amelia's Waard, solitary and abandoned; +and after passing these there is not a ruin to inform the traveller that +either coffee or sugar have ever been cultivated. + +From Amelia's Waard an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the +river, saving here and there where a hut discovers itself, inhabited by +free people of colour, with a rood or two of bared ground about it; or +where the wood-cutter has erected himself a dwelling and cleared a few +acres for pasturage. Sometimes you see level ground on each side of you for +two or three hours at a stretch; at other times a gently sloping hill +presents itself; and often, on turning a point, the eye is pleased with the +contrast of an almost perpendicular height jutting into the water. The +trees put you in mind of an eternal spring, with summer and autumn kindly +blended into it. + +Here you may see a sloping extent of noble trees whose foliage displays a +charming variety of every shade, from the lightest to the darkest green and +purple. The tops of some are crowned with bloom of the loveliest hue, while +the boughs of others bend with a profusion of seeds and fruits. + +Those whose heads have been bared by time or blasted by the thunderstorm +strike the eye, as a mournful sound does the ear in music, and seem to +beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a moment or two and see that +the forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, have their periods +of misfortune and decay. + +The first rocks of any considerable size that are observed on the side of +the river are at a place called Saba, from the Indian word which means a +stone. They appear sloping down to the water's edge, not shelvy, but +smooth, and their exuberances rounded off and, in some places, deeply +furrowed, as though they had been worn with continual floods of water. + +There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge stones amongst them +produce a pleasing and novel effect. You see a few coffee-trees of a fine +luxuriant growth, and nearly on the top of Saba stands the house of the +post-holder. + +He is appointed by Government to give in his report to the protector of the +Indians of what is going on amongst them and to prevent suspicious people +from passing up the river. + +When the Indians assemble here, the stranger may have an opportunity of +seeing the aborigines dancing to the sound of their country music and +painted in their native style. They will shoot their arrows for him with an +unerring aim and send the poisoned dart, from the blow-pipe, true to its +destination: and here he may often view all the different shades, from the +red savage to the white man; and from the white man to the sootiest son of +Africa. + +Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white men or free people +of colour. + +In a country so extensively covered with wood as this is, having every +advantage that a tropical sun and the richest mould, in many places, can +give to vegetation, it is natural to look for trees of very large +dimensions. But it is rare to meet with them above six yards in +circumference. If larger have ever existed they have fallen a sacrifice +either to the axe or to fire. + +If, however, they disappoint you in size, they make ample amends in height. +Heedless, and bankrupt in all curiosity, must he be who can journey on +without stopping to take a view of the towering mora. Its topmost branch, +when naked with age or dried by accident, is the favourite resort of the +toucan. Many a time has this singular bird felt the shot faintly strike him +from the gun of the fowler beneath, and owed his life to the distance +betwixt them. + +The trees which form these far-extending wilds are as useful as they are +ornamental. It would take a volume of itself to describe them. + +The green-heart, famous for its hardness and durability; the hackea for its +toughness; the ducalabali surpassing mahogany; the ebony and letter-wood +vying with the choicest woods of the old world; the locust-tree yielding +copal; and the hayawa- and olou-trees furnishing a sweet-smelling resin, +are all to be met with in the forest betwixt the plantations and the rock +Saba. + +Beyond this rock the country has been little explored, but it is very +probable that these, and a vast collection of other kinds, and possibly +many new species, are scattered up and down, in all directions, through the +swamps and hills and savannas of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana. + +On viewing the stately trees around him, the naturalist will observe many +of them bearing leaves and blossoms and fruit not their own. + +The wild fig-tree, as large as a common English apple-tree, often rears +itself from one of the thick branches at the top of the mora, and when its +fruit is ripe, to it the birds resort for nourishment. It was to an +undigested seed passing through the body of the bird which had perched on +the mora that the fig-tree first owed its elevated station there. The sap +of the mora raised it into full bearing, but now, in its turn, it is doomed +to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices towards the growth of +different species of vines, the seeds of which also the birds deposited on +its branches. These soon vegetate, and bear fruit in great quantities; so +what with their usurpation of the resources of the fig-tree, and the fig- +tree of the mora, the mora, unable to support a charge which nature never +intended it should, languishes and dies under its burden; and then the fig- +tree, and its usurping progeny of vines, receiving no more succour from +their late foster-parent, droop and perish in their turn. + +A vine called the bush-rope by the wood-cutters, on account of its use in +hauling out the heaviest timber, has a singular appearance in the forests +of Demerara. Sometimes you see it nearly as thick as a man's body, twisted +like a corkscrew round the tallest trees and rearing its head high above +their tops. At other times three or four of them, like strands in a cable, +join tree and tree and branch and branch together. Others, descending from +on high, take root as soon as their extremity touches the ground, and +appear like shrouds and stays supporting the mainmast of a line-of-battle +ship; while others, sending out parallel, oblique, horizontal and +perpendicular shoots in all directions, put you in mind of what travellers +call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, above a hundred feet high, +uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its fall by these amazing cables +of nature, and hence it is that you account for the phenomenon of seeing +trees not only vegetating, but sending forth vigorous shoots, though far +from their perpendicular, and their trunks inclined to every degree from +the meridian to the horizon. + +Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope; many of their roots +soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot will +sprout out perpendicularly from near the root of the reclined trunk, and in +time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees and few weeds, +except in the swamps. + +The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to sever +the small bush-ropes it is not difficult walking among the trees. + +The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and decayed trees, is very +rich and fertile in the valleys. On the hills it is little better than +sand. The rains seem to have carried away and swept into the valleys every +particle which Nature intended to have formed a mould. + +Four-footed animals are scarce considering how very thinly these forests +are inhabited by men. + +Several species of the animal commonly called tiger, though in reality it +approaches nearer to the leopard, are found here, and two of their +diminutives, named tiger-cats. The tapir, the lobba and deer afford +excellent food, and chiefly frequent the swamps and low ground near the +sides of the river and creeks. + +In stating that four-footed animals are scarce, the peccari must be +excepted. Three or four hundred of them herd together and traverse the +wilds in all directions in quest of roots and fallen seeds. The Indians +mostly shoot them with poisoned arrows. When wounded they run about one +hundred and fifty paces; they then drop, and make wholesome food. + +The red monkey, erroneously called the baboon, is heard oftener than it is +seen, while the common brown monkey, the bisa, and sacawinki rove from tree +to tree, and amuse the stranger as he journeys on. + +A species of the polecat, and another of the fox, are destructive to the +Indian's poultry, while the opossum, the guana and salempenta afford him a +delicious morsel. + +The small ant-bear, and the large one, remarkable for his long, broad, +bushy tail, are sometimes seen on the tops of the wood-ants' nests; the +armadillos bore in the sand-hills, like rabbits in a warren; and the +porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head. + +This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures and +his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These are the +only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While other animals +assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these boundless wilds, the +sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot escape from you. It is +said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and turn out of the way. Do +not then level your gun at him or pierce him with a poisoned arrow--he has +never hurt one living creature. A few leaves, and those of the commonest +and coarsest kind, are all he asks for his support. On comparing him with +other animals you would say that you could perceive deficiency, deformity +and superabundance in his composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though +four stomachs, he still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He +has only one inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet +nor has he the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and +puts you in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too +short; they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the +body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to be +of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant has +only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to mark +down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority amongst +the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim would be the +last upon the lowest degree. + +Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and beautiful +productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious stones are far +surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The naturalist may +exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in forming new species and +painting her requisite shades. Almost every one of those singular and +elegant birds described by Buffon as belonging to Cayenne are to be met +with in Demerara, but it is only by an indefatigable naturalist that they +are to be found. + +The scarlet curlew breeds in innumerable quantities in the muddy islands on +the coasts of Pomauron; the egrets and crabiers in the same place. They +resort to the mud-flats at ebbing water, while thousands of sandpipers and +plovers, with here and there a spoonbill and flamingo, are seen amongst +them. The pelicans go farther out to sea, but return at sundown to the +courada-trees. The humming-birds are chiefly to be found near the flowers +at which each of the species of the genus is wont to feed. The pie, the +gallinaceous, the columbine and passerine tribes resort to the fruit- +bearing trees. + +You never fail to see the common vulture where there is carrion. In passing +up the river there was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the king of the +vultures; they were sitting on the naked branch of a tree, with about a +dozen of the common ones with them. A tiger had killed a goat the day +before; he had been driven away in the act of sucking the blood, and not +finding it safe or prudent to return, the goat remained in the same place +where he had killed it; it had begun to putrefy, and the vultures had +arrived that morning to claim the savoury morsel. + +At the close of day the vampires leave the hollow trees, whither they had +fled at the morning's dawn, and scour along the river's banks in quest of +prey. On waking from sleep the astonished traveller finds his hammock all +stained with blood. It is the vampire that hath sucked him. Not man alone, +but every unprotected animal, is exposed to his depredations; and so gently +does this nocturnal surgeon draw the blood that, instead of being roused, +the patient is lulled into a still profounder sleep. There are two species +of vampire in Demerara, and both suck living animals: one is rather larger +than the common bat, the other measures above two feet from wing to wing +extended. + +Snakes are frequently met with in the woods betwixt the sea-coast and the +rock Saba, chiefly near the creeks and on the banks of the river. They are +large, beautiful and formidable. The rattlesnake seems partial to a tract +of ground known by the name of Canal Number-three: there the effects of his +poison will be long remembered. + +The camoudi snake has been killed from thirty to forty feet long; though +not venomous, his size renders him destructive to the passing animals. The +Spaniards in the Oroonoque positively affirm that he grows to the length of +seventy or eighty feet and that he will destroy the strongest and largest +bull. His name seems to confirm this: there he is called "matatoro," which +literally means "bull-killer." Thus he may be ranked amongst the deadly +snakes, for it comes nearly to the same thing in the end whether the victim +dies by poison from the fangs, which corrupts his blood and makes it stink +horribly, or whether his body be crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this +hideous beast. + +The whipsnake of a beautiful changing green, and the coral, with alternate +broad traverse bars of black and red, glide from bush to bush, and may be +handled with safety; they are harmless little creatures. + +The labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown colour, and can scarcely be +distinguished from the ground or stump on which he is coiled up; he grows +to the length of about eight feet and his bite often proves fatal in a few +minutes. + +Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and +unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the counacouchi glides +undaunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is commonly known by the +name of the bush-master. Both man and beast fly before him, and allow him +to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes grows to the length of fourteen +feet. + +A few small caymen, from two to twelve feet long, may be observed now and +then in passing up and down the river; they just keep their heads above the +water, and a stranger would not know them from a rotten stump. + +Lizards of the finest green, brown and copper colour, from two inches to +two feet and a half long, are ever and anon rustling among the fallen +leaves and crossing the path before you, whilst the chameleon is busily +employed in chasing insects round the trunks of the neighbouring trees. + +The fish are of many different sorts and well-tasted, but not, generally +speaking, very plentiful. It is probable that their numbers are +considerably thinned by the otters, which are much larger than those of +Europe. In going through the overflowed savannas, which have all a +communication with the river, you may often see a dozen or two of them +sporting amongst the sedges before you. + +This warm and humid climate seems particularly adapted to the producing of +insects; it gives birth to myriads, beautiful past description in their +variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of them +noxious in their qualities. + +He whose eye can distinguish the various beauties of uncultivated nature, +and whose ear is not shut to the wild sounds in the woods, will be +delighted in passing up the River Demerara. Every now and then the maam or +tinamou sends forth one long and plaintive whistle from the depth of the +forest, and then stops; whilst the yelping of the toucan and the shrill +voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo is heard during the interval. The +campanero never fails to attract the attention of the passenger; at a +distance of nearly three miles you may hear this snow-white bird tolling +every four or five minutes, like the distant convent-bell. From six to nine +in the morning the forests resound with the mingled cries and strains of +the feathered race; after this they gradually die away. From eleven to +three all nature is hushed as in a midnight silence, and scarce a note is +heard, saving that of the campanero and the pi-pi-yo; it is then that, +oppressed by the solar heat, the birds retire to the thickest shade and +wait for the refreshing cool of evening. + +At sundown the vampires, bats and goat-suckers dart from their lonely +retreat and skim along the trees on the river's bank. The different kinds +of frogs almost stun the ear with their hoarse and hollow-sounding +croaking, while the owls and goat-suckers lament and mourn all night long. + +About two hours before daybreak you will hear the red monkey moaning as +though in deep distress; the houtou, a solitary bird, and only found in the +thickest recesses of the forest, distinctly articulates "houtou, houtou," +in a low and plaintive tone an hour before sunrise; the maam whistles about +the same hour; the hannaquoi, pataca and maroudi announce his near approach +to the eastern horizon, and the parrots and paroquets confirm his arrival +there. + +The crickets chirp from sunset to sunrise, and often during the day when +the weather is cloudy. The bete-rouge is exceedingly numerous in these +extensive wilds, and not only man, but beasts and birds, are tormented by +it. Mosquitos are very rare after you pass the third island in the +Demerara, and sand-flies but seldom appear. + +Courteous reader, here thou hast the outlines of an amazing landscape given +thee; thou wilt see that the principal parts of it are but faintly traced, +some of them scarcely visible at all, and that the shades are wholly +wanting. If thy soul partakes of the ardent flame which the persevering +Mungo Park's did, these outlines will be enough for thee; they will give +thee some idea of what a noble country this is; and if thou hast but +courage to set about giving the world a finished picture of it, neither +materials to work on nor colours to paint it in its true shades will be +wanting to thee. It may appear a difficult task at a distance, but look +close at it, and it is nothing at all; provided thou hast but a quiet mind, +little more is necessary, and the genius which presides over these wilds +will kindly help thee through the rest. She will allow thee to slay the +fawn and to cut down the mountain-cabbage for thy support, and to select +from every part of her domain whatever may be necessary for the work thou +art about; but having killed a pair of doves in order to enable thee to +give mankind a true and proper description of them, thou must not destroy a +third through wantonness or to show what a good marksman thou art: that +would only blot the picture thou art finishing, not colour it. + +Though retired from the haunts of men, and even without a friend with thee, +thou wouldst not find it solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi will sound +in thine ears like the daybreak town-clock; and the wren and the thrush +will join with thee in thy matin hymn to thy Creator, to thank Him for thy +night's rest. + +At noon the genius will lead thee to the troely, one leaf of which will +defend thee from both sun and rain. And if, in the cool of the evening, +thou hast been tempted to stray too far from thy place of abode, and art +deprived of light to write down the information thou hast collected, the +fire-fly, which thou wilt see in almost every bush around thee, will be thy +candle. Hold it over thy pocket-book, in any position which thou knowest +will not hurt it, and it will afford thee ample light. And when thou hast +done with it, put it kindly back again on the next branch to thee. It will +want no other reward for its services. + +When in thy hammock, should the thought of thy little crosses and +disappointments, in thy ups and downs through life, break in upon thee and +throw thee into a pensive mood, the owl will bear thee company. She will +tell thee that hard has been her fate, too; and at intervals "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" will take up the tale of sorrow. Ovid has told +thee how the owl once boasted the human form and lost it for a very small +offence; and were the poet alive now he would inform thee that "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" are the shades of those poor African and Indian +slaves who died worn out and broken-hearted. They wail and cry "Whip-poor- +will," "Willy come go," all night long; and often, when the moon shines, +you see them sitting on the green turf near the houses of those whose +ancestors tore them from the bosom of their helpless families, which all +probably perished through grief and want after their support was gone. + +About an hour above the rock of Saba stands the habitation of an Indian +called Simon, on the top of a hill. The side next the river is almost +perpendicular, and you may easily throw a stone over to the opposite bank. +Here there was an opportunity of seeing man in his rudest state. The +Indians who frequented this habitation, though living in the midst of +woods, bore evident marks of attention to their persons. Their hair was +neatly collected and tied up in a knot; their bodies fancifully painted +red, and the paint was scented with hayawa. This gave them a gay and +animated appearance. Some of them had on necklaces composed of the teeth of +wild boars slain in the chase; many wore rings, and others had an ornament +on the left arm midway betwixt the shoulder and the elbow. At the close of +day they regularly bathed in the river below, and the next morning seemed +busy in renewing the faded colours of their faces. + +One day there came into the hut a form which literally might be called the +wild man of the woods. On entering he laid down a ball of wax which he had +collected in the forest. His hammock was all ragged and torn, and his bow, +though of good wood, was without any ornament or polish: "erubuit domino, +cultior esse suo." His face was meagre, his looks forbidding and his whole +appearance neglected. His long black hair hung from his head in matted +confusion; nor had his body, to all appearance, ever been painted. They +gave him some cassava bread and boiled fish, which he ate voraciously, and +soon after left the hut. As he went out you could observe no traces in his +countenance or demeanour which indicated that he was in the least mindful +of having been benefited by the society he was just leaving. + +The Indians said that he had neither wife nor child nor friend. They had +often tried to persuade him to come and live amongst them, but all was of +no avail. He went roving on, plundering the wild bees of their honey and +picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When he fell in with +game he procured fire from two sticks and cooked it on the spot. When a hut +happened to be in his way he stepped in and asked for something to eat, and +then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They did not know what had +caused him to be thus unsettled: he had been so for years; nor did they +believe that even old age itself would change the habits of this poor +harmless, solitary wanderer. + +From Simon's the traveller may reach the large fall, with ease, in four +days. + +The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a stone appearing +above the water in the rainy season; and those in the bed of the river +barely high enough to arrest the water's course, and by causing a bubbling +show that they are there. + +With this small change of appearance in the stream, the stranger observes +nothing new till he comes within eight or ten miles of the great fall. Each +side of the river presents an uninterrupted range of wood, just as it did +below. All the productions found betwixt the plantations and the rock Saba +are to be met with here. + +From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations of the Indians: +two of them close to the river's side; the other three a little way in the +forest. These habitations consist of from four to eight huts, situated on +about an acre of ground which they have cleared from the surrounding woods. +A few pappaw, cotton and mountain-cabbage trees are scattered round them. + +At one of these habitations a small quantity of the wourali poison was +procured. It was in a little gourd. The Indian who had it said that he had +killed a number of wild hogs with it, and two tapirs. Appearances seemed to +confirm what he said, for on one side it had been nearly taken out to the +bottom, at different times, which probably would not have been the case had +the first or second trial failed. + +Its strength was proved on a middle-sized dog. He was wounded in the thigh, +in order that there might be no possibility of touching a vital part. In +three or four minutes he began to be affected, smelt at every little thing +on the ground around him, and looked wistfully at the wounded part. Soon +after this he staggered, laid himself down, and never rose more. He barked +once, though not as if in pain. His voice was low and weak; and in a second +attempt it quite failed him. He now put his head betwixt his fore-legs, and +raising it slowly again he fell over on his side. His eye immediately +became fixed, and though his extremities every now and then shot +convulsively, he never showed the least desire to raise up his head. His +heart fluttered much from the time he laid down, and at intervals beat very +strong; then stopped for a moment or two, and then beat again; and +continued faintly beating several minutes after every other part of his +body seemed dead. + +In a quarter of an hour after he had received the poison he was quite +motionless. + +A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which indeed is the only +one which can be called a fall, large balls of froth come floating past +you. The river appears beautifully marked with streaks of foam, and on your +nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. + +At first you behold the fall rushing down a bed of rocks with a tremendous +noise, divided into two foamy streams which, at their junction again, form +a small island covered with wood. Above this island, for a short space, +there appears but one stream, all white with froth, and fretting and +boiling amongst the huge rocks which obstruct its course. + +Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel or two, and trees +grow on the rocks which cause its separation. The torrent, in many places, +has eaten deep into the rocks, and split them into large fragments by +driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are in bloom and +vigour, though their roots are half bared and many of them bruised and +broken by the rushing waters. + +This is the general appearance of the fall from the level of the water +below to where the river is smooth and quiet above. It must be remembered +that this is during the periodical rains. Probably, in the dry season, it +puts on a very different appearance. There is no perpendicular fall of +water of any consequence throughout it, but the dreadful roaring and +rushing of the torrent, down a long rocky and moderately sloping channel, +has a fine effect; and the stranger returns well pleased with what he has +seen. No animal, nor craft of any kind, could stem this downward flood. In +a few moments the first would be killed, the second dashed in pieces. + +The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the forest, where +prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this path they drag their canoes and +launch them into the river above; and on their return bring them down the +same way. + +About two hours below this fall is the habitation of an Acoway chief called +Sinkerman. At night you hear the roaring of the fall from it. It is +pleasantly situated on the top of a sand-hill. At this place you have the +finest view the River Demerara affords: three tiers of hills rise in slow +gradation, one above the other, before you, and present a grand and +magnificent scene, especially to him who has been accustomed to a level +country. + +Here, a little after midnight, on the first of May, was heard a most +strange and unaccountable noise: it seemed as though several regiments were +engaged and musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, terrified +beyond description, left their hammocks and crowded all together like sheep +at the approach of the wolf. There were no soldiers within three or four +hundred miles. Conjecture was of no avail, and all conversation next +morning on the subject was as useless and unsatisfactory as the dead +silence which succeeded to the noise. + +He who wishes to reach the Macoushi country had better send his canoe over- +land from Sinkerman's to the Essequibo. + +There is a pretty good path, and meeting a creek about three-quarters of +the way, it eases the labour, and twelve Indians will arrive with it in the +Essequibo in four days. + +The traveller need not attend his canoe; there is a shorter and a better +way. Half an hour below Sinkerman's he finds a little creek on the western +bank of the Demerara. After proceeding about a couple of hundred yards up +it, he leaves it, and pursues a west-north-west direction by land for the +Essequibo. The path is good, though somewhat rugged with the roots of +trees, and here and there obstructed by fallen ones; it extends more over +level ground than otherwise. There are a few steep ascents and descents in +it, with a little brook running at the bottom of them, but they are easily +passed over, and the fallen trees serve for a bridge. + +You may reach the Essequibo with ease in a day and a half; and so matted +and interwoven are the tops of the trees above you that the sun is not felt +once all the way, saving where the space which a newly-fallen tree occupied +lets in his rays upon you. The forest contains an abundance of wild hogs, +lobbas, acouries, powisses, maams, maroudis and waracabas for your +nourishment, and there are plenty of leaves to cover a shed whenever you +are inclined to sleep. + +The soil has three-fourths of sand in it till you come within half an +hour's walk of the Essequibo, where you find a red gravel and rocks. In +this retired and solitary tract Nature's garb, to all appearance, has not +been injured by fire nor her productions broken in upon by the +exterminating hand of man. + +Here the finest green-heart grows, and wallaba, purple-heart, siloabali, +sawari, buletre, tauronira and mora are met with in vast abundance, far and +near, towering up in majestic grandeur, straight as pillars, sixty or +seventy feet high, without a knot or branch. + +Traveller, forget for a little while the idea thou hast of wandering +farther on, and stop and look at this grand picture of vegetable nature: it +is a reflection of the crowd thou hast lately been in, and though a silent +monitor, it is not a less eloquent one on that account. See that noble +purple-heart before thee! Nature has been kind to it. Not a hole, not the +least oozing from its trunk, to show that its best days are past. Vigorous +in youthful blooming beauty, it stands the ornament of these sequestered +wilds and tacitly rebukes those base ones of thine own species who have +been hardy enough to deny the existence of Him who ordered it to flourish +here. + +Behold that one next to it! Hark how the hammerings of the red-headed +woodpecker resound through its distempered boughs! See what a quantity of +holes he has made in it, and how its bark is stained with the drops which +trickle down from them. The lightning, too, has blasted one side of it. +Nature looks pale and wan in its leaves, and her resources are nearly dried +up in its extremities: its sap is tainted; a mortal sickness, slow as a +consumption and as sure in its consequences, has long since entered its +frame, vitiating and destroying the wholesome juices there. + +Step a few paces aside and cast thine eye on that remnant of a mora behind +it. Best part of its branches, once so high and ornamental, now lie on the +ground in sad confusion, one upon the other, all shattered and fungus-grown +and a prey to millions of insects which are busily employed in destroying +them. One branch of it still looks healthy! Will it recover? No, it cannot; +Nature has already run her course, and that healthy-looking branch is only +as a fallacious good symptom in him who is just about to die of a +mortification when he feels no more pain, and fancies his distemper has +left him; it is as the momentary gleam of a wintry sun's ray close to the +western horizon. See! while we are speaking a gust of wind has brought the +tree to the ground and made room for its successor. + +Come farther on and examine that apparently luxuriant tauronira on thy +right hand. It boasts a verdure not its own; they are false ornaments it +wears. The bush-rope and bird-vines have clothed it from the root to its +topmost branch. The succession of fruit which it hath borne, like good +cheer in the houses of the great, has invited the birds to resort to it, +and they have disseminated beautiful, though destructive, plants on its +branches which, like the distempers vice brings into the human frame, rob +it of all its health and vigour. They have shortened its days, and probably +in another year they will finally kill it, long before Nature intended that +it should die. + +Ere thou leavest this interesting scene, look on the ground around thee, +and see what everything here below must come to. + +Behold that newly-fallen wallaba! The whirlwind has uprooted it in its +prime, and it has brought down to the ground a dozen small ones in its +fall. Its bark has already begun to drop off! And that heart of mora close +by it is fast yielding, in spite of its firm, tough texture. + +The tree which thou passedst but a little ago, and which perhaps has laid +over yonder brook for years, can now hardly support itself, and in a few +months more it will have fallen into the water. + +Put thy foot on that large trunk thou seest to the left. It seems entire +amid the surrounding fragments. Mere outward appearance, delusive phantom +of what it once was! Tread on it and, like the fuss-ball, it will break +into dust. + +Sad and silent mementos to the giddy traveller as he wanders on! Prostrate +remnants of vegetable nature, how incontestably ye prove what we must all +at last come to, and how plain your mouldering ruins show that the firmest +texture avails us naught when Heaven wills that we should cease to be! + + The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, + The solemn temples, the great globe itself, + Yea, all which it inhabit, shall dissolve, + And, like the baseless fabric of a vision, + Leave not a wreck behind. + +Cast thine eye around thee and see the thousands of Nature's productions. +Take a view of them from the opening seed on the surface sending a downward +shoot, to the loftiest and the largest trees rising up and blooming in wild +luxuriance: some side by side, others separate; some curved and knotty, +others straight as lances; all, in beautiful gradation, fulfilling the +mandates they had received from Heaven and, though condemned to die, still +never failing to keep up their species till time shall be no more. + +Reader, canst thou not be induced to dedicate a few months to the good of +the public, and examine with thy scientific eye the productions which the +vast and well-stored colony of Demerara presents to thee? + +What an immense range of forest is there from the rock Saba to the great +fall! and what an uninterrupted extent before thee from it to the banks of +the Essequibo! No doubt there is many a balsam and many a medicinal root +yet to be discovered, and many a resin, gum and oil yet unnoticed. Thy work +would be a pleasing one, and thou mightest make several useful observations +in it. + +Would it be thought impertinent in thee to hazard a conjecture that, with +the resources the Government of Demerara has, stones might be conveyed from +the rock Saba to Stabroek to stem the equinoctial tides which are for ever +sweeping away the expensive wooden piles round the mounds of the fort? Or +would the timber-merchant point at thee in passing by and call thee a +descendant of La Mancha's knight, because thou maintainest that the stones +which form the rapids might be removed with little expense, and thus open +the navigation to the wood-cutter from Stabroek to the great fall? Or +wouldst thou be deemed enthusiastic or biassed because thou givest it as +thy opinion that the climate in these high-lands is exceedingly wholesome, +and the lands themselves capable of nourishing and maintaining any number +of settlers? In thy dissertation on the Indians thou mightest hint that +possibly they could be induced to help the new settlers a little; and that, +finding their labours well requited, it would be the means of their keeping +up a constant communication with us which probably might be the means of +laying the first stone towards their Christianity. They are a poor +harmless, inoffensive set of people, and their wandering and ill-provided +way of living seems more to ask for pity from us than to fill our heads +with thoughts that they would be hostile to us. + +What a noble field, kind reader, for thy experimental philosophy and +speculations, for thy learning, for thy perseverance, for thy +kindheartedness, for everything that is great and good within thee! + +The accidental traveller who has journeyed on from Stabroek to the rock +Saba, and from thence to the banks of the Essequibo, in pursuit of other +things, as he told thee at the beginning, with but an indifferent +interpreter to talk to, no friend to converse with, and totally unfit for +that which he wishes thee to do, can merely mark the outlines of the path +he has trodden, or tell thee the sounds he has heard, or faintly describe +what he has seen in the environs of his resting-places; but if this be +enough to induce thee to undertake the journey, and give the world a +description of it, he will be amply satisfied. + +It will be two days and a half from the time of entering the path on the +western bank of the Demerara till all be ready and the canoe fairly afloat +on the Essequibo. The new rigging it, and putting every little thing to +rights and in its proper place, cannot well be done in less than a day. + +After being night and day in the forest, impervious to the sun's and moon's +rays, the sudden transition to light has a fine heart-cheering effect. +Welcome as a lost friend, the solar beam makes the frame rejoice, and with +it a thousand enlivening thoughts rush at once on the soul and disperse, as +a vapour, every sad and sorrowful idea which the deep gloom had helped to +collect there. In coming out of the woods you see the western bank of the +Essequibo before you, low and flat. Here the river is two-thirds as broad +as the Demerara at Stabroek. + +To the northward there is a hill higher than any in the Demerara; and in +the south-south-west quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears like a +bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not the least opening on either side. +Hills, valleys and low-lands are all linked together by a chain of forest. +Ascend the highest mountain, climb the loftiest tree, as far as the eye can +extend, whichever way it directs itself, all is luxuriant and unbroken +forest. + +In about nine or ten hours from this you get to an Indian habitation of +three huts, on the point of an island. It is said that a Dutch post once +stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige of it remaining and, +except that the trees appear younger than those on the other islands, which +shows that the place has been cleared some time or other, there is no mark +left by which you can conjecture that ever this was a post. + +The many islands which you meet with in the way enliven and change the +scene, by the avenues which they make, which look like the mouths of other +rivers, and break that long-extended sameness which is seen in the +Demerara. + +Proceeding onwards you get to the falls and rapids. In the rainy season +they are very tedious to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry +season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians soon manage to get a +canoe over them. But when the river is swollen, as it was in May 1812, it +is then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one, too. At that time many +of the islands were over-flowed, the rocks covered and the lower branches +of the trees in the water. Sometimes the Indians were obliged to take +everything out of the canoe, cut a passage through the branches which hung +over into the river, and then drag up the canoe by main force. + +At one place the falls form an oblique line quite across the river +impassable to the ascending canoe, and you are forced to have it dragged +four or five hundred yards by land. + +It will take you five days, from the Indian habitation on the point of the +island, to where these falls and rapids terminate. + +There are no huts in the way. You must bring your own cassava bread along +with you, hunt in the forest for your meat and make the night's shelter for +yourself. + +Here is a noble range of hills, all covered with the finest trees rising +majestically one above the other, on the western bank, and presenting as +rich a scene as ever the eye would wish to look on. Nothing in vegetable +nature can be conceived more charming, grand and luxuriant. + +How the heart rejoices in viewing this beautiful landscape when the sky is +serene, the air cool and the sun just sunk behind the mountain's top! + +The hayawa-tree perfumes the woods around: pairs of scarlet aras are +continually crossing the river. The maam sends forth its plaintive note, +the wren chants its evening song. The caprimulgus wheels in busy flight +around the canoe, while "Whip-poor-will" sits on the broken stump near the +water's edge, complaining as the shades of night set in. + +A little before you pass the last of these rapids two immense rocks appear, +nearly on the summit of one of the many hills which form this far-extending +range where it begins to fall off gradually to the south. + +They look like two ancient stately towers of some Gothic potentate rearing +their heads above the surrounding trees. What with their situation and +their shape together, they strike the beholder with an idea of antiquated +grandeur which he will never forget. He may travel far and near and see +nothing like them. On looking at them through a glass the summit of the +southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The one to the north was quite +bare. The Indians have it from their ancestors that they are the abode of +an evil genius, and they pass in the river below with a reverential awe. + +In about seven hours from these stupendous sons of the hill you leave the +Essequibo and enter the River Apoura-poura, which falls into it from the +south. The Apoura-poura is nearly one-third the size of the Demerara at +Stabroek. For two days you see nothing but level ground richly clothed in +timber. You leave the Siparouni to the right hand, and on the third day +come to a little hill. The Indians have cleared about an acre of ground on +it and erected a temporary shed. If it be not intended for provision-ground +alone, perhaps the next white man who travels through these remote wilds +will find an Indian settlement here. + +Two days after leaving this you get to a rising ground on the western bank +where stands a single hut, and about half a mile in the forest there are a +few more: some of them square and some round, with spiral roofs. + +Here the fish called pacou is very plentiful: it is perhaps the fattest and +most delicious fish in Guiana. It does not take the hook, but the Indians +decoy it to the surface of the water by means of the seeds of the crab-wood +tree and then shoot it with an arrow. + +You are now within the borders of Macoushia, inhabited by a different tribe +of people called Macoushi Indians, uncommonly dexterous in the use of the +blow-pipe and famous for their skill in preparing the deadly vegetable- +poison commonly called wourali. + +It is from this country that those beautiful paroquets named kessi-kessi +are procured. Here the crystal mountains are found; and here the three +different species of the ara are seen in great abundance. Here too grows +the tree from which the gum-elastic is got: it is large and as tall as any +in the forest. The wood has much the appearance of sycamore. The gum is +contained in the bark: when that is cut through it oozes out very freely; +it is quite white and looks as rich as cream; it hardens almost immediately +as it issues from the tree, so that it is very easy to collect a ball by +forming the juice into a globular shape as fast as it comes out. It becomes +nearly black by being exposed to the air, and is real india-rubber without +undergoing any other process. + +The elegant crested bird called cock-of-the-rock, admirably described by +Buffon, is a native of the woody mountains of Macoushia. In the daytime it +retires amongst the darkest rocks, and only comes out to feed a little +before sunrise and at sunset: he is of a gloomy disposition and, like the +houtou, never associates with the other birds of the forest. + +The Indians in the just-mentioned settlement seemed to depend more on the +wourali poison for killing their game than upon anything else. They had +only one gun, and it appeared rusty and neglected, but their poisoned +weapons were in fine order. Their blow-pipes hung from the roof of the hut, +carefully suspended by a silk-grass cord, and on taking a nearer view of +them no dust seemed to have collected there, nor had the spider spun the +smallest web on them, which showed that they were in constant use. The +quivers were close by them, with the jaw-bone of the fish pirai tied by a +string to their brim and a small wicker-basket of wild cotton, which hung +down to the centre; they were nearly full of poisoned arrows. It was with +difficulty these Indians could be persuaded to part with any of the wourali +poison, though a good price was offered for it: they gave to understand +that it was powder and shot to them, and very difficult to be procured. + +On the second day after leaving this settlement, in passing along, the +Indians show you a place where once a white man lived. His retiring so far +from those of his own colour and acquaintance seemed to carry something +extraordinary along with it, and raised a desire to know what could have +induced him to do so. It seems he had been unsuccessful, and that his +creditors had treated him with as little mercy as the strong generally show +to the weak. Seeing his endeavours daily frustrated and his best intentions +of no avail, and fearing that when they had taken all he had they would +probably take his liberty too, he thought the world would not be +hardhearted enough to condemn him for retiring from the evils which pressed +so heavily on him, and which he had done all that an honest man could do to +ward off. He left his creditors to talk of him as they thought fit, and, +bidding adieu for ever to the place in which he had once seen better times, +he penetrated thus far into these remote and gloomy wilds and ended his +days here. + +According to the new map of South America, Lake Parima, or the White Sea, +ought to be within three or four days' walk from this place. On asking the +Indians whether there was such a place or not, and describing that the +water was fresh and good to drink, an old Indian, who appeared to be about +sixty, said that there was such a place, and that he had been there. This +information would have been satisfactory in some degree had not the Indians +carried the point a little too far. It is very large, said another Indian, +and ships come to it. Now these unfortunate ships were the very things +which were not wanted: had he kept them out, it might have done, but his +introducing them was sadly against the lake. Thus you must either suppose +that the old savage and his companion had a confused idea of the thing, and +that probably the Lake Parima they talked of was the Amazons, not far from +the city of Para, or that it was their intention to deceive you. You ought +to be cautious in giving credit to their stories, otherwise you will be apt +to be led astray. + +Many a ridiculous thing concerning the interior of Guiana has been +propagated and received as true merely because six or seven Indians, +questioned separately, have agreed in their narrative. + +Ask those who live high up in the Demerara, and they will, every one of +them, tell you that there is a nation of Indians with long tails; that they +are very malicious, cruel and ill-natured; and that the Portuguese have +been obliged to stop them off in a certain river to prevent their +depredations. They have also dreadful stories concerning a horrible beast +called the water-mamma which, when it happens to take a spite against a +canoe, rises out of the river and in the most unrelenting manner possible +carries both canoe and Indians down to the bottom with it, and there +destroys them. Ludicrous extravagances! pleasing to those fond of the +marvellous, and excellent matter for a distempered brain. + +The misinformed and timid court of policy in Demerara was made the dupe of +a savage who came down the Essequibo and gave himself out as king of a +mighty tribe. This naked wild man of the woods seemed to hold the said +court in tolerable contempt, and demanded immense supplies, all which he +got; and moreover, some time after, an invitation to come down the ensuing +year for more, which he took care not to forget. + +This noisy chieftain boasted so much of his dynasty and domain that the +Government was induced to send up an expedition into his territories to see +if he had spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. It appeared, +however, that his palace was nothing but a hut, the monarch a needy savage, +the heir-apparent nothing to inherit but his father's club and bow and +arrows, and his officers of state wild and uncultivated as the forests +through which they strayed. + +There was nothing in the hut of this savage, saving the presents he had +received from Government, but what was barely sufficient to support +existence; nothing that indicated a power to collect a hostile force; +nothing that showed the least progress towards civilisation. All was rude +and barbarous in the extreme, expressive of the utmost poverty and a scanty +population. + +You may travel six or seven days without seeing a hut, and when you reach a +settlement it seldom contains more than ten. + +The farther you advance into the interior, the more you are convinced that +it is thinly inhabited. + +The day after passing the place where the white man lived you see a creek +on the left-hand, and shortly after the path to the open country. Here you +drag the canoe up into the forest, and leave it there. Your baggage must +now be carried by the Indians. The creek you passed in the river intersects +the path to the next settlement; a large mora has fallen across it and +makes an excellent bridge. After walking an hour and a half you come to the +edge of the forest, and a savanna unfolds itself to the view. + +The finest park that England boasts falls far short of this delightful +scene. There are about two thousand acres of grass, with here and there a +clump of trees and a few bushes and single trees scattered up and down by +the hand of Nature. The ground is neither hilly nor level, but diversified +with moderate rises and falls, so gently running into one another that the +eye cannot distinguish where they begin nor where they end; while the +distant black rocks have the appearance of a herd at rest. Nearly in the +middle there is an eminence which falls off gradually on every side, and on +this the Indians have erected their huts. + +To the northward of them the forest forms a circle, as though it had been +done by art; to the eastward it hangs in festoons; and to the south and +west it rushes in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it at every step +as you advance along. + +This beautiful park of Nature is quite surrounded by lofty hills, all +arrayed in superbest garb of trees: some in the form of pyramids, others +like sugar-loaves, towering one above the other, some rounded off, and +others as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills rise up in spiral +summits, and the wooded line of communication betwixt them sinks so +gradually that it forms a crescent; and there the ridges of others resemble +the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these appear others, and others past +them, and others still farther on, till they can scarcely be distinguished +from the clouds. + +There are no sand-flies nor bete-rouge nor mosquitos in this pretty spot. +The fire-flies, during the night, vie in numbers and brightness with the +stars in the firmament above; the air is pure, and the north-east breeze +blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. Here the white-crested maroudi, +which is never found in the Demerara, is pretty plentiful; and here grows +the tree which produces the moran, sometimes called balsam-capivi. + +Your route lies south from this place; and at the extremity of the savanna +you enter the forest and journey along a winding path at the foot of a +hill. There is no habitation within this day's walk. The traveller, as +usual, must sleep in the forest; the path is not so good the following day. +The hills over which it lies are rocky, steep and rugged; and the spaces +betwixt them swampy and mostly knee-deep in water. After eight hours' walk +you find two or three Indian huts, surrounded by the forest; and in little +more than half an hour from these you come to ten or twelve others, where +you pass the night. They are prettily situated at the entrance into a +savanna. The eastern and western hills are still covered with wood; but on +looking to the south-west quarter you perceive it begins to die away. In +these forests you may find plenty of the trees which yield the sweet- +smelling resin called accaiari, and which, when pounded and burnt on +charcoal, gives a delightful fragrance. + +From hence you proceed, in a south-west direction, through a long swampy +savanna. Some of the hills which border on it have nothing but a thin +coarse grass and huge stones on them: others quite wooded; others with +their summits crowned and their base quite bare; and others again with +their summits bare and their base in thickest wood. + +Half of this day's march is in water nearly up to the knees. There are four +creeks to pass: one of them has a fallen tree across it. You must make your +own bridge across the other three. Probably, were the truth known, these +apparently four creeks are only the meanders of one. + +The jabiru, the largest bird in Guiana, feeds in the marshy savanna through +which you have just passed. He is wary and shy, and will not allow you to +get within gunshot of him. + +You sleep this night in the forest, and reach an Indian settlement about +three o'clock the next evening, after walking one-third of the way through +wet and miry ground. + +But bad as the walking is through it, it is easier than where you cross +over the bare hills, where you have to tread on sharp stones, most of them +lying edgewise. + +The ground gone over these two last days seems condemned to perpetual +solitude and silence. There was not one four-footed animal to be seen, nor +even the marks of one. It would have been as silent as midnight, and all as +still and unmoved as a monument, had not the jabiru in the marsh and a few +vultures soaring over the mountain's top shown that it was not quite +deserted by animated nature. There were no insects, except one kind of fly +about one-fourth the size of the common house-fly. It bit cruelly, and was +much more tormenting than the mosquito on the sea-coast. + +This seems to be the native country of the arrowroot. Wherever you passed +through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it growing +luxuriantly. + +The Indian place you are now at is not the proper place to have come to in +order to reach the Portuguese frontiers. You have advanced too much to the +westward. But there was no alternative. The ground betwixt you and another +small settlement (which was the right place to have gone to) was +overflowed; and thus, instead of proceeding southward, you were obliged to +wind along the foot of the western hills, quite out of your way. + +But the grand landscape this place affords makes you ample amends for the +time you have spent in reaching it. It would require great descriptive +powers to give a proper idea of the situation these people have chosen for +their dwelling. + +The hill they are on is steep and high, and full of immense rocks. The huts +are not all in one place, but dispersed wherever they have found a place +level enough for a lodgment. Before you ascend the hill you see at +intervals an acre or two of wood, then an open space with a few huts on it; +then wood again, and then an open space, and so on, till the intervening of +the western hills, higher and steeper still, and crowded with trees of the +loveliest shades, closes the enchanting scene. + +At the base of this hill stretches an immense plain which appears to the +eye, on this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The mountains on +the other side are piled one upon the other in romantic forms, and +gradually retire, till they are undiscernible from the clouds in which they +are involved. To the south-southwest this far-extending plain is lost in +the horizon. The trees on it, which look like islands on the ocean, add +greatly to the beauty of the landscape, while the rivulet's course is +marked out by the aeta-trees which follow its meanders. + +Not being able to pursue the direct course from hence to the next Indian +habitation, on account of the floods of water which fall at this time of +the year, you take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. + +At last a large and deep creek stops your progress: it is wide and rapid, +and its banks very steep. There is neither curial nor canoe nor purple- +heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a wood-skin to carry you over, so +that you are obliged to swim across; and by the time you have formed a kind +of raft composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass to ferry over your +baggage, the day will be too far spent to think of proceeding. You must be +very cautious before you venture to swim across this creek, for the +alligators are numerous and near twenty feet long. On the present occasion +the Indians took uncommon precautions lest they should be devoured by this +cruel and voracious reptile. They cut long sticks and examined closely the +side of the creek for half a mile above and below the place where it was to +be crossed; and as soon as the boldest had swum over he did the same on the +other side, and then all followed. + +After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is well wooded, it is a +brisk walk of nine hours before you reach four Indian huts, on a rising +ground, a few hundred paces from a little brook whose banks are covered +over with coucourite- and aeta-trees. + +This is the place you ought to have come to two days ago, had the water +permitted you. In crossing the plain at the most advantageous place you are +above ankle-deep in water for three hours; the remainder of the way is dry, +the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this spacious plain put on +somewhat the appearance of a lake during the periodical rains, it is not +improbable but that this is the place which hath given rise to the supposed +existence of the famed Lake Parima, or El Dorado; but this is mere +conjecture. + +A few deer are feeding on the coarse, rough grass of this far-extending +plain; they keep at a distance from you, and are continually on the look- +out. + +The spur-winged plover and a species of the curlew, black with a white bar +across the wings, nearly as large again as the scarlet curlew on the sea- +coast, frequently rise before you. Here too the muscovy duck is numerous, +and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you as you pass on, but +keep out of gunshot. The milk-white egrets and jabirus are distinguished at +a great distance, and in the aeta- and coucourite-trees you may observe +flocks of scarlet and blue aras feeding on the seeds. + +It is to these trees that the largest sort of toucan resorts. He is +remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his fine yellow bill. He +is very scarce in Demerara, and never seen except near the sea-coast. + +The ants' nests have a singular appearance on this plain; they are in vast +abundance on those parts of it free from water, and are formed of an +exceeding hard yellow clay. They rise eight or ten feet from the ground, in +a spiral form, impenetrable to the rain and strong enough to defy the +severest tornado. + +The wourali poison procured in these last-mentioned huts seemed very good, +and proved afterwards to be very strong. + +There are now no more Indian settlements betwixt you and the Portuguese +frontiers. If you wish to visit their fort, it would be advisable to send +an Indian with a letter from hence and wait his return. On the present +occasion a very fortunate circumstance occurred. The Portuguese commander +had sent some Indians and soldiers to build a canoe not far from this +settlement; they had just finished it, and those who did not stay with it +had stopped here on their return. + +The soldier who commanded the rest said he durst not, upon any account, +convey a stranger to the fort: but he added, as there were two canoes, one +of them might be despatched with a letter, and then we could proceed slowly +on in the other. + +About three hours from this settlement there is a river called Pirarara, +and here the soldiers had left their canoes while they were making the new +one. From the Pirarara you get into the River Maou, and then into the +Tacatou; and just where the Tacatou falls into the Rio Branco there stands +the Portuguese frontier-fort called Fort St. Joachim. From the time of +embarking in the River Pirarara it takes you four days before you reach +this fort. + +There was nothing very remarkable in passing down these rivers. It is an +open country, producing a coarse grass and interspersed with clumps of +trees. The banks have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and +crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. + +The tapir frequently plunged into the river; he was by no means shy, and it +was easy to get a shot at him on land. The kessi-kessi paroquets were in +great abundance, and the fine scarlet aras innumerable in the coucourite- +trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou was seen the +troupiale. It was charming to hear the sweet and plaintive notes of this +pretty songster of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the nightingale of +Guiana. + +Towards the close of the fourth evening the canoe which had been sent on +with a letter met us with the commander's answer. During its absence the +nights had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, the days +cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet hammocks. Exposed thus, day and +night, to the chilling blast and pelting shower, strength of constitution +at last failed and a severe fever came on. The commander's answer was very +polite. He remarked, he regretted much to say that he had received orders +to allow no stranger to enter the frontier, and this being the case he +hoped I would not consider him as uncivil: "however," continued he, "I have +ordered the soldier to land you at a certain distance from the fort, where +we can consult together." + +We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which brought the letter +returned to the fort to tell the commander I had fallen sick. + +The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after when the Portuguese +officer came to the spot where we had landed the preceding evening. He was +tall and spare, and appeared to be from fifty to fifty-five years old; and +though thirty years of service under an equatorial sun had burnt and +shrivelled up his face, still there was something in it so inexpressibly +affable and kind that it set you immediately at your ease. He came close up +to the hammock, and taking hold of my wrist to feel the pulse, "I am sorry, +Sir," said he, "to see that the fever has taken such hold of you. You shall +go directly with me," continued he, "to the fort; and though we have no +doctor there, I trust," added he, "we shall soon bring you about again. The +orders I have received forbidding the admission of strangers were never +intended to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." + +As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river towards the fort, the +commander asked with much more interest than a question in ordinary +conversation is asked, where was I on the night of the first of May? On +telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the great +fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden noise had alarmed all +the Indians, he said the same astonishing noise had roused every man in +Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under arms till morning. He +observed that he had been quite at a loss to form any idea what could have +caused the noise; but now learning that the same noise had been heard at +the same time far away from the Rio Branco, it struck him there must have +been an earthquake somewhere or other. + +Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied attention and kindness of the +Portuguese commander, stopped the progress of the fever and enabled me to +walk about in six days. + +Fort St. Joachim was built about five and forty years ago under the +apprehension, it is said, that the Spaniards were coming from the Rio Negro +to settle there. It has been much neglected; the floods of water have +carried away the gate and destroyed the wall on each side of it, but the +present commander is putting it into thorough repair. When finished it will +mount six nine- and six twelve-pounders. + +In a straight line with the fort, and within a few yards of the river, +stand the commander's house, the barracks, the chapel, the father- +confessor's house and two others, all at little intervals from each other; +and these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The neighbouring +extensive plains afford good pasturage for a fine breed of cattle, and the +Portuguese make enough of butter and cheese for their own consumption. + +On asking the old officer if there were such a place as Lake Parima, or El +Dorado, he replied he looked upon it as imaginary altogether. "I have been +above forty years," added he, "in Portuguese Guiana, but have never yet met +with anybody who has seen the lake." + +So much for Lake Parima, or El Dorado, or the White Sea. Its existence at +best seems doubtful: some affirm that there is such a place and others deny +it. + + Grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est. + +Having now reached the Portuguese inland frontier and collected a +sufficient quantity of the wourali poison, nothing remains but to give a +brief account of its composition, its effects, its uses and its supposed +antidotes. + +It has been already remarked that in the extensive wilds of Demerara and +Essequibo, far away from any European settlement, there is a tribe of +Indians who are known by the name of Macoushi. + +Though the wourali poison is used by all the South American savages betwixt +the Amazons and the Oroonoque, still this tribe makes it stronger than any +of the rest. The Indians in the vicinity of the Rio Negro are aware of +this, and come to the Macoushi country to purchase it. + +Much has been said concerning this fatal and extraordinary poison. Some +have affirmed that its effects are almost instantaneous, provided the +minutest particle of it mixes with the blood; and others again have +maintained that it is not strong enough to kill an animal of the size and +strength of a man. The first have erred by lending a too willing ear to the +marvellous and believing assertions without sufficient proof. The following +short story points out the necessity of a cautious examination. + +One day, on asking an Indian if he thought the poison would kill a man, he +replied that they always go to battle with it; that he was standing by when +an Indian was shot with a poisoned arrow, and that he expired almost +immediately. Not wishing to dispute this apparently satisfactory +information the subject was dropped. + +However, about an hour after, having purposely asked him in what part of +the body the said Indian was wounded, he answered without hesitation that +the arrow entered betwixt his shoulders and passed quite through his heart. +Was it the weapon or the strength of the poison that brought on immediate +dissolution in this case? Of course the weapon. + +The second have been misled by disappointment caused by neglect in keeping +the poisoned arrows, or by not knowing how to use them, or by trying +inferior poison. If the arrows are not kept dry the poison loses its +strength, and in wet or damp weather it turns mouldy and becomes quite +soft. In shooting an arrow in this state, upon examining the place where it +has entered, it will be observed that, though the arrow has penetrated deep +into the flesh, still by far the greatest part of the poison has shrunk +back, and thus, instead of entering with the arrow, it has remained +collected at the mouth of the wound. In this case the arrow might as well +have not been poisoned. Probably it was to this that a gentleman, some time +ago, owed his disappointment when he tried the poison on a horse in the +town of Stabroek, the capital of Demerara; the horse never betrayed the +least symptom of being affected by it. + +Wishful to obtain the best information concerning this poison, and as +repeated inquiries, in lieu of dissipating the surrounding shade, did but +tend more and more to darken the little light that existed, I determined to +penetrate into the country where the poisonous ingredients grow, where this +pernicious composition is prepared and where it is constantly used. Success +attended the adventure, and the information acquired made amends for one +hundred and twenty days passed in the solitudes of Guiana, and afforded a +balm to the wounds and bruises which every traveller must expect to receive +who wanders through a thorny and obstructed path. + +Thou must not, courteous reader, expect a dissertation on the manner in +which the wourali poison operates on the system: a treatise has been +already written on the subject, and, after all, there is probably still +reason to doubt. It is supposed to affect the nervous system, and thus +destroy the vital functions; it is also said to be perfectly harmless +provided it does not touch the blood. However, this is certain: when a +sufficient quantity of it enters the blood, death is the inevitable +consequence; but there is no alteration in the colour of the blood, and +both the blood and flesh may be eaten with safety. + +All that thou wilt find here is a concise, unadorned account of the wourali +poison. It may be of service to thee some time or other shouldst thou ever +travel through the wilds where it is used. Neither attribute to cruelty, +nor to a want of feeling for the sufferings of the inferior animals, the +ensuing experiments. The larger animals were destroyed in order to have +proof positive of the strength of a poison which hath hitherto been +doubted, and the smaller ones were killed with the hope of substantiating +that which has commonly been supposed to be an antidote. + +It makes a pitying heart ache to see a poor creature in distress and pain; +and too often has the compassionate traveller occasion to heave a sigh as +he journeys on. However, here, though the kind-hearted will be sorry to +read of an unoffending animal doomed to death in order to satisfy a doubt, +still it will be a relief to know that the victim was not tortured. The +wourali poison destroys life's action so gently that the victim appears to +be in no pain whatever; and probably, were the truth known, it feels none, +saving the momentary smart at the time the arrow enters. + +A day or two before the Macoushi Indian prepares his poison he goes into +the forest in quest of the ingredients. A vine grows in these wilds which +is called wourali. It is from this that the poison takes its name, and it +is the principal ingredient. When he has procured enough of this he digs up +a root of a very bitter taste, ties them together, and then looks about for +two kinds of bulbous plants which contain a green and glutinous juice. He +fills a little quake which he carries on his back with the stalks of these; +and lastly ranges up and down till he finds two species of ants. One of +them is very large and black, and so venomous that its sting produces a +fever: it is most commonly to be met with on the ground. The other is a +little red ant which stings like a nettle, and generally has its nest under +the leaf of a shrub. After obtaining these he has no more need to range the +forest. + +A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is used, but this he has already +planted round his hut. The pounded fangs of the labarri snake and those of +the counacouchi are likewise added. These he commonly has in store, for +when he kills a snake he generally extracts the fangs and keeps them by +him. + +Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he scrapes the wourali vine +and bitter root into thin shavings and puts them into a kind of colander +made of leaves. This he holds over an earthen pot, and pours water on the +shavings: the liquor which comes through has the appearance of coffee. When +a sufficient quantity has been procured the shavings are thrown aside. He +then bruises the bulbous stalks and squeezes a proportionate quantity of +their juice through his hands into the pot. Lastly the snakes' fangs, ants +and pepper are bruised and thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow +fire, and as it boils more of the juice of the wourali is added, according +as it may be found necessary, and the scum is taken off with a leaf: it +remains on the fire till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. +As soon as it has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with it, +to try its strength. If it answer the expectations it is poured out into a +calabash, or little pot of Indian manufacture, which is carefully covered +with a couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin tied round +with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part of the hut, and from time to +time suspend it over the fire to counteract the effects of dampness. + +The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the +savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and +make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or in +the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali poison, many +precautions are supposed to be necessary. + +The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the Yabahou, +or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it has been +boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He who makes the +poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue fasting as long as +the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled must be a new one, and +must never have held anything before, otherwise the poison would be +deficient in strength: add to this that the operator must take particular +care not to expose himself to the vapour which arises from it while on the +fire. + +Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing the +face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; and the +operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself to be, sick +for some days after. + +Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a +gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it +affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one +evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having +anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child! + +Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned necessary in +order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions and conjectures +may militate against the absolute necessity of some of them, still it would +be hardly fair to pronounce them added by the hand of superstition till +proof positive can be obtained. + +We might argue on the subject, and by bringing forward instances of Indian +superstition draw our conclusion by inference, and still remain in doubt on +this head. You know superstition to be the offspring of ignorance, and of +course that it takes up its abode amongst the rudest tribes of uncivilised +man. It even too often resides with man in his more enlightened state. + +The Augustan age furnishes numerous examples. A bone snatched from the jaws +of a fasting bitch, and a feather from the wing of a night-owl--"ossa ab +ore rapta jejunae canis, plumamque nocturnae strigis"--were necessary for +Canidia's incantations. And in after-times Parson Evans, the Welshman, was +treated most ungenteelly by an enraged spirit solely because he had +forgotten a fumigation in his witch-work. + +If, then, enlightened man lets his better sense give way, and believes, or +allows himself to be persuaded, that certain substances and actions, in +reality of no avail, possess a virtue which renders them useful in +producing the wished-for effect, may not the wild, untaught, unenlightened +savage of Guiana add an ingredient which, on account of the harm it does +him, he fancies may be useful to the perfection of his poison, though in +fact it be of no use at all? If a bone snatched from the jaws of a fasting +bitch be thought necessary in incantation; or if witchcraft have recourse +to the raiment of the owl because it resorts to the tombs and mausoleums of +the dead and wails and hovers about at the time that the rest of animated +nature sleeps; certainly the savage may imagine that the ants, whose sting +causes a fever, and the teeth of the labarri and counacouchi snakes, which +convey death in a very short space of time, are essentially necessary in +the composition of his poison; and being once impressed with this idea, he +will add them every time he makes the poison and transmit the absolute use +of them to his posterity. The question to be answered seems not to be if it +is natural for the Indians to mix these ingredients, but if they are +essential to make the poison. + +So much for the preparing of this vegetable essence: terrible importer of +death, into whatever animal it enters. Let us now see how it is used; let +us examine the weapons which bear it to its destination, and take a view of +the poor victim from the time he receives his wound till death comes to his +relief. + +When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of feathered game or other birds +he seldom carries his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he then uses. +This extraordinary tube of death is, perhaps, one of the greatest natural +curiosities of Guiana. It is not found in the country of the Macoushi. +Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south-west of them, in the +wilds which extend betwixt them and the Rio Negro. The reed must grow to an +amazing length, as the part the Indians use is from ten to eleven feet +long, and no tapering can be perceived in it, one end being as thick as the +other. It is of a bright yellow colour, perfectly smooth both inside and +out. It grows hollow, nor is there the least appearance of a knot or joint +throughout the whole extent. The natives call it ourah. This of itself is +too slender to answer the end of a blow-pipe, but there is a species of +palma, larger and stronger, and common in Guiana, and this the Indians make +use of as a case in which they put the ourah. It is brown, susceptible of a +fine polish, and appears as if it had joints five or six inches from each +other. It is called samourah, and the pulp inside is easily extracted by +steeping it for a few days in water. + +Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the other, form the blow-pipe of +Guiana. The end which is applied to the mouth is tied round with a small +silk-grass cord to prevent its splitting, and the other end, which is apt +to strike against the ground, is secured by the seed of the acuero fruit +cut horizontally through the middle, with a hole made in the end through +which is put the extremity of the blow-pipe. It is fastened on with string +on the outside, and the inside is filled up with wild-bees' wax. + +The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It is made out of the leaf of a +species of palm-tree called coucourite, hard and brittle, and pointed as +sharp as a needle. About an inch of the pointed end is poisoned. The other +end is burnt to make it still harder, and wild cotton is put round it for +about an inch and a half. It requires considerable practice to put on this +cotton well. It must just be large enough to fit the hollow of the tube and +taper off to nothing downwards. They tie it on with a thread of the silk- +grass to prevent its slipping off the arrow. + +The Indians have shown ingenuity in making a quiver to hold the arrows. It +will contain from five to six hundred. It is generally from twelve to +fourteen inches long, and in shape resembles a dice-box used at backgammon. +The inside is prettily done in basket-work with wood not unlike bamboo, and +the outside has a coat of wax. The cover is all of one piece formed out of +the skin of the tapir. Round the centre there is fastened a loop large +enough to admit the arm and shoulder, from which it hangs when used. To the +rim is tied a little bunch of silk-grass and half of the jaw-bone of the +fish called pirai, with which the Indian scrapes the point of his arrow. + +Before he puts the arrows into the quiver he links them together by two +strings of cotton, one string at each end, and then folds them round a +stick which is nearly the length of the quiver. The end of the stick, which +is uppermost, is guarded by two little pieces of wood crosswise, with a +hoop round their extremities, which appears something like a wheel, and +this saves the hand from being wounded when the quiver is reversed in order +to let the bunch of arrows drop out. + +There is also attached to the quiver a little kind of basket to hold the +wild cotton which is put on the blunt end of the arrow. With a quiver of +poisoned arrows slung over his shoulder, and with his blow-pipe in his +hand, in the same position as a soldier carries his musket, see the +Macoushi Indian advancing towards the forest in quest of powises, maroudis, +waracabas and other feathered game. + +These generally sit high up in the tall and tufted trees, but still are not +out of the Indian's reach, for his blow-pipe, at its greatest elevation, +will send an arrow three hundred feet. Silent as midnight he steals under +them, and so cautiously does he tread the ground that the fallen leaves +rustle not beneath his feet. His ears are open to the least sound, while +his eye, keen as that of the lynx, is employed in finding out the game in +the thickest shade. Often he imitates their cry, and decoys them from tree +to tree, till they are within range of his tube. Then taking a poisoned +arrow from his quiver, he puts it in the blow-pipe and collects his breath +for the fatal puff. + +About two feet from the end through which he blows there are fastened two +teeth of the acouri, and these serve him for a sight. Silent and swift the +arrow flies, and seldom fails to pierce the object at which it is sent. +Sometimes the wounded bird remains in the same tree where it was shot, and +in three minutes falls down at the Indian's feet. Should he take wing his +flight is of short duration, and the Indian, following the direction he has +gone, is sure to find him dead. + +It is natural to imagine that when a slight wound only is inflicted the +game will make its escape. Far otherwise; the wourali poison almost +instantaneously mixes with blood or water, so that if you wet your finger +and dash it along the poisoned arrow in the quickest manner possible you +are sure to carry off some of the poison. Though three minutes generally +elapse before the convulsions come on in the wounded bird, still a stupor +evidently takes place sooner, and this stupor manifests itself by an +apparent unwillingness in the bird to move. This was very visible in a +dying fowl. + +Having procured a healthy full-grown one, a short piece of a poisoned blow- +pipe arrow was broken off and run up into its thigh, as near as possible +betwixt the skin and the flesh, in order that it might not be incommoded by +the wound. For the first minute it walked about, but walked very slowly, +and did not appear the least agitated. During the second minute it stood +still, and began to peck the ground; and ere half another had elapsed it +frequently opened and shut its mouth. The tail had now dropped and the +wings almost touched the ground. By the termination of the third minute it +had sat down, scarce able to support its head, which nodded, and then +recovered itself, and then nodded again, lower and lower every time, like +that of a weary traveller slumbering in an erect position; the eyes +alternately open and shut. The fourth minute brought on convulsions, and +life and the fifth terminated together. + +The flesh of the game is not in the least injured by the poison, nor does +it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife. The body +of this fowl was kept for sixteen hours in a climate damp and rainy, and +within seven degrees of the equator, at the end of which time it had +contracted no bad smell whatever and there were no symptoms of +putrefaction, saving that just round the wound the flesh appeared somewhat +discoloured. + +The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends his blow-pipe from the +top of his spiral roof, seldom placing it in an oblique position, lest it +should receive a cast. + +Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended while you take a view of the arms +which are made to slay the larger beasts of the forest. + +When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or surprise the deer, or +rouse the tapir from his marshy retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, +which are very different from the weapons already described. + +The bow is generally from six to seven feet long and strung with a cord +spun out of the silk-grass. The forests of Guiana furnish many species of +hard wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and excellent bows are +formed. + +The arrows are from four to five feet in length, made of a yellow reed +without a knot or joint. It is found in great plenty up and down throughout +Guiana. A piece of hard wood about nine inches long is inserted into the +end of the reed, and fastened with cotton well waxed. A square hole an inch +deep is then made in the end of this piece of hard wood, done tight round +with cotton to keep it from splitting. Into this square hole is fitted a +spike of coucourite-wood, poisoned, and which may be kept there or taken +out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo, about as thick as your finger, is +fitted on over the poisoned spike to prevent accidents and defend it from +the rain, and is taken off when the arrow is about to be used. Lastly, two +feathers are fastened the other end of the reed to steady it in its flight. + +Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a little box made of bamboo +which holds a dozen or fifteen poisoned spikes six inches long. They are +poisoned in the following manner: a small piece of wood is dipped in the +poison, and with this they give the spike a first coat. It is then exposed +to the sun or fire. After it is dry it receives another coat, and then +dried again; after this a third coat, and sometimes a fourth. + +They take great care to put the poison on thicker at the middle than at the +sides, by which means the spike retains the shape of a two-edged sword. It +is rather a tedious operation to make one of these arrows complete, and as +the Indian is not famed for industry, except when pressed by hunger, he has +hit upon a plan of preserving his arrows which deserves notice. + +About a quarter of an inch above the part where the coucourite spike is +fixed into the square hole he cuts it half through, and thus, when it has +entered the animal, the weight of the arrow causes it to break off there, +by which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured, so that, should +this be the only arrow he happens to have with him and should another shot +immediately occur, he has only to take another poisoned spike out of his +little bamboo box, fit it on its arrow, and send it to its destination. + +Thus armed with deadly poison, and hungry as the hyaena, he ranges through +the forest in quest of the wild-beasts' track. No hound can act a surer +part. Without clothes to fetter him or shoes to bind his feet, he observes +the footsteps of the game where an European eye could not discern the +smallest vestige. He pursues it through all its turns and windings with +astonishing perseverance, and success generally crowns his efforts. The +animal, after receiving the poisoned arrow, seldom retreats two hundred +paces before it drops. + +In passing over-land from the Essequibo to the Demerara we fell in with a +herd of wild hogs. Though encumbered with baggage and fatigued with a hard +day's walk, an Indian got his bow ready and let fly a poisoned arrow at one +of them. It entered the cheek-bone and broke off. The wild hog was found +quite dead about one hundred and seventy paces from the place where he had +been shot. He afforded us an excellent and wholesome supper. + +Thus the savage of Guiana, independent of the common weapons of +destruction, has it in his power to prepare a poison by which he can +generally ensure to himself a supply of animal food: and the food so +destroyed imbibes no deleterious qualities. Nature has been bountiful to +him. She has not only ordered poisonous herbs and roots to grow in the +unbounded forests through which he strays, but has also furnished an +excellent reed for his arrows, and another still more singular for his +blow-pipe, and planted trees of an amazing hard, tough and elastic texture +out of which he forms his bows. And in order that nothing might be wanting, +she has superadded a tree which yields him a fine wax and disseminated up +and down a plant not unlike that of the pine-apple which affords him +capital bow-strings. + +Having now followed the Indian in the chase and described the poison, let +us take a nearer view of its action and observe a large animal expiring +under the weight of its baneful virulence. + +Many have doubted the strength of the wourali poison. Should they ever by +chance read what follows, probably their doubts on that score will be +settled for ever. + +In the former experiment on the dog some faint resistance on the part of +Nature was observed, as if existence struggled for superiority, but in the +following instance of the sloth life sunk in death without the least +apparent contention, without a cry, without a struggle and without a groan. +This was an ai, or three-toed sloth. It was in the possession of a +gentleman who was collecting curiosities. He wished to have it killed in +order to preserve the skin, and the wourali poison was resorted to as the +easiest death. + +Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor ill- +formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after it has +received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal, and it may be +said, on seeing a mortally-wounded sloth, that life disputes with death +every inch of flesh in its body. + +The ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor about two feet +from the table; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and fastened +itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last advancing +step: life was ebbing fast though imperceptibly, nor could this singular +production of Nature, which has been formed of a texture to resist death in +a thousand shapes, make any stand against the wourali poison. + +First one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its +side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost their +strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body and placed its head betwixt its +hind-legs, which still adhered to the table; but when the poison had +affected these also it sunk to the ground, but sunk so gently that you +could not distinguish the movement from an ordinary motion, and had you +been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned arrow you would never +have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was shut, nor had any froth or +saliva collected there. + +There was no _subsultus tendinum_ or any visible alteration in its +breathing. During the tenth minute from the time it was wounded it stirred, +and that was all; and the minute after life's last spark went out. From the +time the poison began to operate you would have conjectured that sleep was +overpowering it, and you would have exclaimed: "Pressitque jacentem, dulcis +et alta quies, placidaeque simillima morti." + +There are now two positive proofs of the effect of this fatal poison: viz. +the death of the dog and that of the sloth. But still these animals were +nothing remarkable for size, and the strength of the poison in large +animals might yet be doubted were it not for what follows. + +A large well-fed ox, from nine hundred to a thousand pounds weight, was +tied to a stake by a rope sufficiently strong to allow him to move to and +fro. Having no large coucourite spikes at hand, it was judged necessary, on +account of his superior size, to put three wild-hog arrows into him: one +was sent into each thigh just above the hock in order to avoid wounding a +vital part, and the third was shot traversely into the extremity of the +nostril. + +The poison seemed to take effect in four minutes. Conscious as though he +would fall, the ox set himself firmly on his legs and remained quite still +in the same place till about the fourteenth minute, when he smelled the +ground and appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a pace or two, +staggered and fell, and remained extended on his side, with his head on the +ground. His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and lively, now became fixed +and dim, and though you put your hand close to it, as if to give him a blow +there, he never closed his eyelid. + +His legs were convulsed and his head from time to time started +involuntarily, but he never showed the least desire to raise it from the +ground. He breathed hard and emitted foam from his mouth. The startings, or +_subsultus tendinum_, now became gradually weaker and weaker; his +hinder parts were fixed in death, and in a minute or two more his head and +fore-legs ceased to stir. + +Nothing now remained to show that life was still within him except that his +heart faintly beat and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty minutes +from the time of his being wounded he was quite dead. His flesh was very +sweet and savoury at dinner. + +On taking a retrospective view of the two different kinds of poisoned +arrows, and the animals destroyed by them, it would appear that the +quantity of poison must be proportioned to the animal, and thus those +probably labour under an error who imagine that the smallest particle of it +introduced into the blood has almost instantaneous effects. + +Make an estimate of the difference in size betwixt the fowl and the ox, and +then weigh a sufficient quantity of poison for a blow-pipe arrow, with +which the fowl was killed, and weigh also enough poison for three wild-hog +arrows, which destroyed the ox, and it will appear that the fowl received +much more poison in proportion than the ox. Hence the cause why the fowl +died in five minutes and the ox in five and twenty. + +Indeed, were it the case that the smallest particle of it introduced into +the blood has almost instantaneous effects, the Indian would not find it +necessary to make the large arrow: that of the blow-pipe is much easier +made and requires less poison. + +And now for the antidotes, or rather the supposed antidotes. The Indians +tell you, that if the wounded animal be held for a considerable time up to +the mouth in water the poison will not prove fatal; also that the juice of +the sugar-cane poured down the throat will counteract the effects of it. +These antidotes were fairly tried upon full-grown healthy fowls, but they +all died, as though no steps had been taken to preserve their lives. Rum +was recommended, and given to another, but with as little success. + +It is supposed by some that wind introduced into the lungs by means of a +small pair of bellows would revive the poisoned patient, provided the +operation be continued for a sufficient length of time. It may be so; but +this is a difficult and a tedious mode of cure, and he who is wounded in +the forest, far away from his friends, or in the hut of the savages, stands +but a poor chance of being saved by it. + +Had the Indians a sure antidote, it is likely they would carry it about +with them or resort to it immediately after being wounded, if at hand; and +their confidence in its efficacy would greatly diminish the horror they +betray when you point a poisoned arrow at them. + +One day, while we were eating a red monkey erroneously called the baboon, +in Demerara, an Arowack Indian told an affecting story of what happened to +a comrade of his. He was present at his death. As it did not interest this +Indian in any point to tell a falsehood, it is very probable that his +account was a true one. If so, it appears that there is no certain +antidote, or at least an antidote that could be resorted to in a case of +urgent need, for the Indian gave up all thoughts of life as soon as he was +wounded. + +The Arowack Indian said it was but four years ago that he and his companion +were ranging in the forest in quest of game. His companion took a poisoned +arrow and sent it at a red monkey in a tree above him. It was nearly a +perpendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in the descent struck +him in the arm a little above the elbow. He was convinced it was all over +with him. "I shall never," said he to his companion, in a faltering voice, +and looking at his bow as he said it, "I shall never," said he, "bend this +bow again." And having said that, he took off his little bamboo poison-box, +which hung across his shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and +arrows on the ground, he laid himself down close by them, bid his companion +farewell, and never spoke more. + +He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded by a poisoned arrow from +Macoushia had better not depend upon the common antidotes for a cure. Many +who have been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in water, or to +take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth full of salt; and +they recommend these antidotes because they have got them from the Indians. +But were you to ask them if they ever saw these antidotes used with +success, it is ten to one their answer would be in the negative. + +Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable and of no avail. +He has got an active and deadly foe within him which, like Shakespeare's +fell Serjeant Death, is strict in his arrest, and will allow him but little +time--very, very little time. In a few minutes he will be numbered with the +dead. Life ought, if possible, to be preserved, be the expense ever so +great. Should the part affected admit of it, let a ligature be tied tight +round the wound, and have immediate recourse to the knife: + + Continuo, culpam ferro compesce, priusquam + Dira per infaustum serpant contagia corpus. + +And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. The two ends +proposed have been obtained. The Portuguese inland frontier-fort has been +reached and the Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of this +excursion through the interior of Guiana has been submitted to thy perusal +in order to induce thy abler genius to undertake a more extensive one. If +any difficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they have been caused by +the periodical rains which fall in torrents as the sun approaches the +Tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there would be no difficulties or +sickness. + +Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou wouldest be able to +draw during the journey there is one which, perhaps, would please thee not +a little, and that is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no doubt, thou hast +heard it hotly disputed that dogs existed in Guiana previously to the +arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. Whatever the Spaniards introduced, +and which bore no resemblance to anything the Indians had been accustomed +to see, retains its Spanish name to this day. + +Thus the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Macoushi and Carib tribes call +a hat _sombrero_; a shirt or any kind of cloth _camisa_; a shoe _zapalo_; a +letter _carta_; a fowl _gallina_; gunpowder _colvora_ (Spanish _polvora_); +ammunition _bala_; a cow _vaca_; and a dog _perro_. + +This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in Guiana before it was +discovered by the Spaniards, and probably may be of use to thee in thy next +canine dispute. + +In a political point of view this country presents a large field for +speculation. A few years ago there was but little inducement for any +Englishman to explore the interior of these rich and fine colonies, as the +British Government did not consider them worth holding at the Peace of +Amiens. Since that period their mother-country has been blotted out from +the list of nations, and America has unfolded a new sheet of politics. On +one side the Crown of Braganza, attacked by an ambitious chieftain, has +fled from the palace of its ancestors, and now seems fixed on the banks of +the Janeiro. Cayenne has yielded to its arms, La Plata has raised the +standard of independence and thinks itself sufficiently strong to obtain a +Government of its own. On the other side the Caraccas are in open revolt, +and should Santa Fe join them in good earnest they may form a powerful +association. + +Thus on each side of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana most unexpected and +astonishing changes have taken place. Will they raise or lower it in the +scale of estimation at the Court of St. James's? Will they be of benefit to +these grand and extensive colonies? Colonies enjoying perpetual summer. +Colonies of the richest soil. Colonies containing within themselves +everything necessary for their support. Colonies, in fine, so varied in +their quality and situation as to be capable of bringing to perfection +every tropical production, and only want the support of Government, and an +enlightened governor, to render them as fine as the finest portions of the +equatorial regions. Kind reader, fare thee well! + + * * * * * + +_Letter to the Portuguese Commander_ + +MUY SENOR, + +Como no tengo el honor, de ser conocido de VM. lo pienso mejor, y mas +decoroso, quedarme aqui, hastaque huviere recibido su respuesta. Haviendo +caminado hasta la choza, adonde estoi, no quisiere volverme, antes de haver +visto la fortaleza de los Portugueses; y pido licencia de VM. para que me +adelante. Honradissimos son mis motivos, ni tengo proyecto ninguno, o de +comercio, o de la soldadesca, no siendo yo, o comerciante, o oficial. +Hidalgo catolico soy, de hacienda in Ynglatierra, y muchos anos de mi vida +he pasado en caminar. Ultimamente, de Demeraria vengo, la quai dexe el 5 +dia de Abril, para ver este hermoso pais, y coger unas curiosidades, +especialmente, el veneno, que se llama wourali. Las mas recentes noticias +que tenian en Demeraria, antes di mi salida, eran medias tristes, medias +alegres. Tristes digo, viendo que Valencia ha caido en poder del enemigo +comun, y el General Blake, y sus valientes tropas quedan prisioneros de +guerra. Alegres, al contrario, porque Milord Wellington se ha apoderado de +Ciudad Rodrigo. A pesar de la caida de Valencia, parece claro al mundo, que +las cosas del enemigo, estan andando, de pejor a pejor cada dia. Nosotros +debemos dar gracias al Altissimo, por haver sido servido dexarnos castigar +ultimamente, a los robadores, de sus santas Yglesias. Se vera VM. que yo no +escribo Portugues ni aun lo hablo, pero, haviendo aprendido el Castellano, +no nos faltara medio de communicar y tener conversacion. Ruego se escuse +esta carta escrita sin tinta, porque un Indio dexo caer mi tintero y +quebrose. Dios le de a VM. muchos anos de salud. Entretanto, tengo el honor +de ser + +Su mas obedeciente servidor, + +CARLOS WATERTON. + + * * * * * + +REMARKS + + Incertus, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur. + +Kind and gentle reader, if the journey in quest of the wourali poison has +engaged thy attention, probably thou mayest recollect that the traveller +took leave of thee at Fort St. Joachim, on the Rio Branco. Shouldest thou +wish to know what befell him afterwards, excuse the following uninteresting +narrative. + +Having had a return of fever, and aware that the farther he advanced into +these wild and lonely regions the less would be the chance of regaining his +health, he gave up all idea of proceeding onwards, and went slowly back +towards the Demerara, nearly by the same route he had come. + +On descending the falls in the Essequibo, which form an oblique line quite +across the river, it was resolved to push through them, the downward stream +being in the canoe's favour. At a little distance from the place a large +tree had fallen into the river, and in the meantime the canoe was lashed to +one of its branches. + +The roaring of the water was dreadful: it foamed and dashed over the rocks +with a tremendous spray, like breakers on a lee-shore, threatening +destruction to whatever approached it. You would have thought, by the +confusion it caused in the river and the whirlpools it made, that Scylla +and Charybdis, and their whole progeny, had left the Mediterranean and come +and settled here. The channel was barely twelve feet wide, and the torrent +in rushing down formed traverse furrows which showed how near the rocks +were to the surface. + +Nothing could surpass the skill of the Indian who steered the canoe. He +looked steadfastly at it, then at the rocks, then cast an eye on the +channel, and then looked at the canoe again. It was in vain to speak. The +sound was lost in the roar of waters, but his eye showed that he had +already passed it in imagination. He held up his paddle in a position as +much as to say that he would keep exactly amid channel, and then made a +sign to cut the bush-rope that held the canoe to the fallen tree. The canoe +drove down the torrent with inconceivable rapidity. It did not touch the +rocks once all the way. The Indian proved to a nicety: "medio tutissimus +ibis." + +Shortly after this it rained almost day and night, the lightning flashing +incessantly and the roar of thunder awful beyond expression. + +The fever returned, and pressed so heavy on him that to all appearance his +last day's march was over. However, it abated, his spirits rallied, and he +marched again; and after delays and inconveniences he reached the house of +his worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek, which falls into the +Demerara. No words of his can do justice to the hospitality of that +gentleman, whose repeated encounters with the hostile negroes in the forest +have been publicly rewarded and will be remembered in the colony for years +to come. + +Here he learned that an eruption had taken place in St. Vincent's, and thus +the noise heard in the night of the first of May, which had caused such +terror amongst the Indians and made the garrison at Fort St. Joachim remain +under arms the rest of the night, is accounted for. + +After experiencing every kindness and attention from Mr. Edmonstone he +sailed for Granada, and from thence to St. Thomas's, a few days before poor +Captain Peake lost his life on his own quarter-deck bravely fighting for +his country on the coast of Guiana. + +At St. Thomas's they show you a tower, a little distance from the town, +which they say formerly belonged to a bucanier chieftain. Probably the fury +of besiegers has reduced it to its present dismantled state. What still +remains of it bears testimony of its former strength and may brave the +attack of time for centuries. You cannot view its ruins without calling to +mind the exploits of those fierce and hardy hunters, long the terror of the +Western world. While you admire their undaunted courage, you lament that it +was often stained with cruelty; while you extol their scrupulous justice to +each other, you will find a want of it towards the rest of mankind. Often +possessed of enormous wealth, often in extreme poverty, often triumphant on +the ocean and often forced to fly to the forests, their life was an ever- +changing scene of advance and retreat, of glory and disorder, of luxury and +famine. Spain treated them as outlaws and pirates, while other European +powers publicly disowned them. They, on the other hand, maintained that +injustice on the part of Spain first forced them to take up arms in self- +defence, and that, whilst they kept inviolable the laws which they had +framed for their own common benefit and protection, they had a right to +consider as foes those who treated them as outlaws. Under this impression +they drew the sword and rushed on as though in lawful war, and divided the +spoils of victory in the scale of justice. + +After leaving St. Thomas's, a severe tertian ague every now and then kept +putting the traveller in mind that his shattered frame, "starting and +shivering in the inconstant blast, meagre and pale, the ghost of what it +was," wanted repairs. Three years elapsed after arriving in England before +the ague took its final leave of him. + +During that time, several experiments were made with the wourali poison. In +London an ass was inoculated with it and died in twelve minutes. The poison +was inserted into the leg of another, round which a bandage had been +previously tied a little above the place where the wourali was introduced. +He walked about as usual and ate his food as though all were right. After +an hour had elapsed the bandage was untied, and ten minutes after death +overtook him. + +A she-ass received the wourali poison in the shoulder, and died apparently +in ten minutes. An incision was then made in its windpipe and through it +the lungs were regularly inflated for two hours with a pair of bellows. +Suspended animation returned. The ass held up her head and looked around, +but the inflating being discontinued she sunk once more in apparent death. +The artificial breathing was immediately recommenced, and continued without +intermission for two hours more. This saved the ass from final dissolution: +she rose up and walked about; she seemed neither in agitation nor in pain. +The wound through which the poison entered was healed without difficulty. +Her constitution, however, was so severely affected that it was long a +doubt if ever she would be well again. She looked lean and sickly for above +a year, but began to mend the spring after, and by midsummer became fat and +frisky. + +The kind-hearted reader will rejoice on learning that Earl Percy, pitying +her misfortunes, sent her down from London to Walton Hall, near Wakefield. +There she goes by the name of Wouralia. Wouralia shall be sheltered from +the wintry storm; and when summer comes she shall feed in the finest +pasture. No burden shall be placed upon her, and she shall end her days in +peace. + +For three revolving autumns, the ague-beaten wanderer never saw without a +sigh the swallow bend her flight towards warmer regions. He wished to go +too, but could not for sickness had enfeebled him, and prudence pointed out +the folly of roving again too soon across the northern tropic. To be sure, +the Continent was now open, and change of air might prove beneficial, but +there was nothing very tempting in a trip across the Channel, and as for a +tour through England!--England has long ceased to be the land for +adventures. Indeed, when good King Arthur reappears to claim his crown, he +will find things strangely altered here; and may we not look for his +coming? for there is written upon his gravestone: + + Hic jacet Arturus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus. + + Here Arthur lies, who formerly + Was king--and king again to be. + +Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous king did not die, but +that he was changed into a raven by enchantment and that the English are +momentarily expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is certain that +when he reigned here all was harmony and joy. The browsing herds passed +from vale to vale, the swains sang from the bluebell-teeming groves, and +nymphs, with eglantine and roses in their neatly-braided hair, went hand in +hand to the flowery mead to weave garlands for their lambkins. If by chance +some rude, uncivil fellow dared to molest them, or attempted to throw +thorns in their path, there was sure to be a knight-errant not far off +ready to rush forward in their defence. But alas! in these degenerate days +it is not so. Should a harmless cottage-maid wander out of the highway to +pluck a primrose or two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner +sternly bids her retire; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort her back, +he is perhaps seized by the gaunt house-dog ere he reach her! + +Aeneas's route on the other side of Styx could not have been much worse +than this, though, by his account, when he got back to earth, it appears +that he had fallen in with "Bellua Lernae, horrendum stridens, flammisque, +armata Chimaera." + +Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps; and as such a conductress +nowadays could not be got for love or money, it was judged most prudent to +refrain from sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with +patience the return of health. At last this long-looked-for, ever-welcome +stranger came. + + + + +SECOND JOURNEY + + +In the year 1816, two days before the vernal equinox, I sailed from +Liverpool for Pernambuco, in the southern hemisphere, on the coast of +Brazil. There is little at this time of the year, in the European part of +the Atlantic, to engage the attention of the naturalist. As you go down the +Channel you see a few divers and gannets. The middle-sized gulls, with a +black spot at the end of the wings, attend you a little way into the Bay of +Biscay. When it blows a hard gale of wind the stormy petrel makes its +appearance. While the sea runs mountains high, and every wave threatens +destruction to the labouring vessel, this little harbinger of storms is +seen enjoying itself, on rapid pinion, up and down the roaring billows. +When the storm is over it appears no more. It is known to every English +sailor by the name of Mother Carey's chicken. It must have been hatched in +Aeolus's cave, amongst a clutch of squalls and tempests, for whenever they +get out upon the ocean it always contrives to be of the party. + +Though the calms and storms and adverse winds in these latitudes are +vexatious, still, when you reach the trade-winds, you are amply repaid for +all disappointments and inconveniences. The trade-winds prevail about +thirty degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the ocean may be +called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's empire; and the torrid zone, +notwithstanding Ovid's remark, "non est habitabilis aestu," is rendered +healthy and pleasant by these gently-blowing breezes. The ship glides +smoothly on, and you soon find yourself within the northern tropic. When +you are on it Cancer is just over your head, and betwixt him and Capricorn +is the high-road of the Zodiac, forty-seven degrees wide, famous for +Phaeton's misadventure. His father begged and entreated him not to take it +into his head to drive parallel to the five zones, but to mind and keep on +the turnpike which runs obliquely across the equator. "There you will +distinctly see," said he, "the ruts of my chariot wheels, 'manifesta rotae +vestigia cernes.'" "But," added he, "even suppose you keep on it, and avoid +the by-roads, nevertheless, my dear boy, believe me, you will be most sadly +put to your shifts; 'ardua prima via est,' the first part of the road is +confoundedly steep! 'ultima via prona est,' and after that, it is all down- +hill! Moreover, 'per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,' the road is +full of nooses and bull-dogs, 'Haemoniosque arcus,' and spring guns, +'saevaque circuitu, curvantem brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of +uncommon size and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton; go he +would, so off he set, full speed, four in hand. He had a tough drive of it, +and after doing a prodigious deal of mischief, very luckily for the world +he got thrown out of the box, and tumbled into the River Po. + +Some of our modern bloods have been shallow enough to try to ape this poor +empty-headed coachman on a little scale, making London their Zodiac. Well +for them if tradesmen's bills and other trivial perplexities have not +caused them to be thrown into the King's Bench. + +The productions of the torrid zone are uncommonly grand. Its plains, its +swamps, its savannas and forests abound with the largest serpents and wild +beasts; and its trees are the habitation of the most beautiful of the +feathered race. While the traveller in the Old World is astonished at the +elephant, the tiger, the lion and rhinoceros, he who wanders through the +torrid regions of the New is lost in admiration at the cotingas, the +toucans, the humming-birds and aras. + +The ocean likewise swarms with curiosities. Probably the flying-fish may be +considered as one of the most singular. This little scaled inhabitant of +water and air seems to have been more favoured than the rest of its finny +brethren. It can rise out of the waves and on wing visit the domain of the +birds. + +After flying two or three hundred yards, the intense heat of the sun has +dried its pellucid wings, and it is obliged to wet them in order to +continue its flight. It just drops into the ocean for a moment, and then +rises again and flies on; and then descends to remoisten them, and then up +again into the air; thus passing its life, sometimes wet, sometimes dry, +sometimes in sunshine, and sometimes in the pale moon's nightly beam, as +pleasure dictates or as need requires. The additional assistance of wings +is not thrown away upon it. It has full occupation both for fins and wings, +as its life is in perpetual danger. + +The bonito and albicore chase it day and night, but the dolphin is its +worst and swiftest foe. If it escape into the air, the dolphin pushes on +with proportional velocity beneath, and is ready to snap it up the moment +it descends to wet its wings. + +You will often see above one hundred of these little marine aerial +fugitives on the wing at once. They appear to use every exertion to prolong +their flight, but vain are all their efforts, for when the last drop of +water on their wings is dried up their flight is at an end, and they must +drop into the ocean. Some are instantly devoured by their merciless +pursuer, part escape by swimming, and others get out again as quick as +possible, and trust once more to their wings. + +It often happens that this unfortunate little creature, after alternate +dips and flights, finding all its exertions of no avail, at last drops on +board the vessel, verifying the old remark: + + Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. + +There, stunned by the fall, it beats the deck with its tail and dies. When +eating it you would take it for a fresh herring. The largest measure from +fourteen to fifteen inches in length. The dolphin, after pursuing it to the +ship, sometimes forfeits his own life. + +In days of yore the musician used to play in softest, sweetest strain, and +then take an airing amongst the dolphins: "inter delphinas Arion." But +nowadays our tars have quite capsized the custom, and instead of riding +ashore on the dolphin, they invite the dolphin aboard. While he is darting +and playing around the vessel a sailor goes out to the spritsail yard-arm, +and with a long staff, leaded at one end, and armed at the other with five +barbed spikes, he heaves it at him. If successful in his aim there is a +fresh mess for all hands. The dying dolphin affords a superb and brilliant +sight: + + Mille trahit moriens, adverse sole colores. + +All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in rapid succession over his +body, till the dark hand of death closes the scene. + +From the Cape de Verd Islands to the coast of Brazil you see several +different kinds of gulls, which, probably, are bred in the Island of St. +Paul. Sometimes the large bird called the frigate pelican soars +majestically over the vessel, and the tropic bird comes near enough to let +you have a fair view of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, when it +is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their appearance. They are +descried from the ship by means of the dorsal fin, which is above the +water. + +On entering the Bay of Pernambuco, the frigate pelican is seen watching the +shoals of fish from a prodigious height. It seldom descends without a +successful attack on its numerous prey below. + +As you approach the shore the view is charming. The hills are clothed with +wood, gradually rising towards the interior, none of them of any +considerable height. A singular reef of rocks runs parallel to the coast +and forms the harbour of Pernambuco. The vessels are moored betwixt it and +the town, safe from every storm. You enter the harbour through a very +narrow passage, close by a fort built on the reef. The hill of Olinda, +studded with houses and convents, is on your right-hand, and an island +thickly planted with cocoa-nut trees adds considerably to the scene on your +left. There are two strong forts on the isthmus betwixt Olinda and +Pernambuco, and a pillar midway to aid the pilot. + +Pernambuco probably contains upwards of fifty thousand souls. It stands on +a flat, and is divided into three parts: a peninsula, an island and the +continent. Though within a few degrees of the line, its climate is +remarkably salubrious and rendered almost temperate by the refreshing sea- +breeze. Had art and judgment contributed their portion to its natural +advantages, Pernambuco at this day would have been a stately ornament to +the coast of Brazil. On viewing it, it will strike you that everyone has +built his house entirely for himself, and deprived public convenience of +the little claim she had a right to put in. You would wish that this city, +so famous for its harbour, so happy in its climate and so well situated for +commerce, could have risen under the flag of Dido, in lieu of that of +Braganza. + +As you walk down the streets the appearance of the houses is not much in +their favour. Some of them are very high, and some very low; some newly +whitewashed, and others stained and mouldy and neglected, as though they +had no owner. + +The balconies, too, are of a dark and gloomy appearance. They are not, in +general, open as in most tropical cities, but grated like a farmer's dairy- +window, though somewhat closer. + +There is a lamentable want of cleanliness in the streets. The impurities +from the houses and the accumulation of litter from the beasts of burden +are unpleasant sights to the passing stranger. He laments the want of a +police as he goes along, and when the wind begins to blow his nose and eyes +are too often exposed to a cloud of very unsavoury dust. + +When you view the port of Pernambuco, full of ships of all nations; when +you know that the richest commodities of Europe, Africa and Asia are +brought to it; when you see immense quantities of cotton, dye-wood and the +choicest fruits pouring into the town, you are apt to wonder at the little +attention these people pay to the common comforts which one always expects +to find in a large and opulent city. However, if the inhabitants are +satisfied, there is nothing more to be said. Should they ever be convinced +that inconveniences exist, and that nuisances are too frequent, the remedy +is in their own hands. At present, certainly, they seem perfectly +regardless of them; and the Captain-General of Pernambuco walks through the +streets with as apparent content and composure as an English statesman +would proceed down Charing Cross. Custom reconciles everything. In a week +or two the stranger himself begins to feel less the things which annoyed +him so much upon his first arrival, and after a few months' residence he +thinks no more about them, while he is partaking of the hospitality and +enjoying the elegance and splendour within doors in this great city. + +Close by the river-side stands what is called the palace of the Captain- +General of Pernambuco. Its form and appearance altogether strike the +traveller that it was never intended for the use it is at present put to. + +Reader, throw a veil over thy recollection for a little while, and forget +the cruel, unjust and unmerited censures thou hast heard against an +unoffending order. This palace was once the Jesuits' college, and +originally built by those charitable fathers. Ask the aged and respectable +inhabitants of Pernambuco, and they will tell thee that the destruction of +the Society of Jesus was a terrible disaster to the public, and its +consequences severely felt to the present day. + +When Pombal took the reins of power into his own hands, virtue and learning +beamed bright within the college walls. Public catechism to the children, +and religious instruction to all, flowed daily from the mouths of its +venerable priests. + +They were loved, revered and respected throughout the whole town. The +illuminating philosophers of the day had sworn to exterminate Christian +knowledge, and the college of Pernambuco was doomed to founder in the +general storm. To the long-lasting sorrow and disgrace of Portugal, the +philosophers blinded her king and flattered her prime minister. Pombal was +exactly the tool these sappers of every public and private virtue wanted. +He had the naked sword of power in his own hand, and his heart was hard as +flint. He struck a mortal blow and the Society of Jesus, throughout the +Portuguese dominions, was no more. + +One morning all the fathers of the college in Pernambuco, some of them very +old and feeble, were suddenly ordered into the refectory. They had notice +beforehand of the fatal storm, in pity, from the governor, but not one of +them abandoned his charge. They had done their duty and had nothing to +fear. They bowed with resignation to the will of Heaven. As soon as they +had all reached the refectory they were there locked up, and never more did +they see their rooms, their friends, their scholars, or acquaintance. In +the dead of the following night a strong guard of soldiers literally drove +them through the streets to the water's edge. They were then conveyed in +boats aboard a ship and steered for Bahia. Those who survived the barbarous +treatment they experienced from Pombal's creatures, were at last ordered to +Lisbon. The college of Pernambuco was plundered, and some time after an +elephant was kept there. + +Thus the arbitrary hand of power, in one night, smote and swept away the +sciences: to which succeeded the low vulgar buffoonery of a showman. Virgil +and Cicero made way for a wild beast from Angola! and now a guard is on +duty at the very gate where, in times long past, the poor were daily fed! + +Trust not, kind reader, to the envious remarks which their enemies have +scattered far and near; believe not the stories of those who have had a +hand in the sad tragedy. Go to Brazil, and see with thine own eyes the +effect of Pombal's short-sighted policy. There vice reigns triumphant and +learning is at its lowest ebb. Neither is this to be wondered at. Destroy +the compass, and will the vessel find her far-distant port? Will the flock +keep together, and escape the wolves, after the shepherds are all slain? +The Brazilians were told that public education would go on just as usual. +They might have asked Government, who so able to instruct our youth as +those whose knowledge is proverbial? who so fit as those who enjoy our +entire confidence? who so worthy as those whose lives are irreproachable? + +They soon found that those who succeeded the fathers of the Society of +Jesus had neither their manner nor their abilities. They had not made the +instruction of youth their particular study. Moreover, they entered on the +field after a defeat where the officers had all been slain; where the plan +of the campaign was lost; where all was in sorrow and dismay. No exertions +of theirs could rally the dispersed, or skill prevent the fatal +consequences. At the present day the seminary of Olinda, in comparison with +the former Jesuits' college, is only as the waning moon's beam to the sun's +meridian splendour. + +When you visit the places where those learned fathers once flourished, and +see with your own eyes the evils their dissolution has caused; when you +hear the inhabitants telling you how good, how clever, how charitable they +were; what will you think of our poet laureate for calling them, in his +_History of Brazil_, "Missioners whose zeal the most fanatical was +directed by the coolest policy"? + +Was it _fanatical_ to renounce the honours and comforts of this +transitory life in order to gain eternal glory in the next, by denying +themselves, and taking up the cross? Was it _fanatical_ to preach +salvation to innumerable wild hordes of Americans? to clothe the naked? to +encourage the repenting sinner? to aid the dying Christian? The fathers of +the Society of Jesus did all this. And for this their zeal is pronounced to +be the most fanatical, directed by the coolest policy. It will puzzle many +a clear brain to comprehend how it is possible, in the nature of things, +that _zeal_ the most _fanatical_ should be directed by the +_coolest policy_. Ah, Mr. Laureate, Mr. Laureate, that "quidlibet +audendi" of yours may now and then gild the poet at the same time that it +makes the historian cut a sorry figure! + +Could Father Nobrega rise from the tomb, he would thus address you: +"Ungrateful Englishman, you have drawn a great part of your information +from the writings of the Society of Jesus, and in return you attempt to +stain its character by telling your countrymen that 'we taught the idolatry +we believed'! In speaking of me, you say it was my happy fortune to be +stationed in a country where _none_ but the good principles of my +order were called into action. Ungenerous laureate, the narrow policy of +the times has kept your countrymen in the dark with regard to the true +character of the Society of Jesus; and you draw the bandage still tighter +over their eyes by a malicious insinuation. I lived and taught and died in +Brazil, where you state that _none_ but the good principles of my +order were called into action, and still, in most absolute contradiction to +this, you remark we believed the _idolatry_ we taught in Brazil. Thus +we brought none but good principles into action, and still taught idolatry! + +"Again, you state there is no individual to whose talents Brazil is so +greatly and permanently indebted as mine, and that I must be regarded as +the founder of that system so successfully pursued by the Jesuits in +Paraguay: a system productive of as much good as is compatible with pious +fraud. Thus you make me, at one and the same time, a teacher of none but +good principles, and a teacher of idolatry, and a believer in idolatry, and +still the founder of a system for which Brazil is greatly and permanently +indebted to me, though, by the by, the system was only productive of as +much good as is compatible with pious fraud! + +"What means all this? After reading such incomparable nonsense, should your +countrymen wish to be properly informed concerning the Society of Jesus, +there are in England documents enough to show that the system of the +Jesuits was a system of Christian charity towards their fellow-creatures +administered in a manner which human prudence judged best calculated to +ensure success; and that the idolatry which you uncharitably affirm they +taught was really and truly the very same faith which the Catholic Church +taught for centuries in England, which she still teaches to those who wish +to hear her, and which she will continue to teach, pure and unspotted, till +time shall be no more." + +The environs of Pernambuco are very pretty. You see country houses in all +directions, and the appearance of here and there a sugar-plantation +enriches the scenery. Palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, orange and lemon groves, +and all the different fruits peculiar to Brazil, are here in the greatest +abundance. + +At Olinda there is a national botanical garden: it wants space, produce and +improvement. The forests, which are several leagues off, abound with birds, +beasts, insects and serpents. Besides a brilliant plumage, many of the +birds have a very fine song. The troupiale, noted for its rich colours, +sings delightfully in the environs of Pernambuco. The red-headed finch, +larger than the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet and varied strain, in +company with two species of wrens, a little before daylight. There are also +several species of the thrush, which have a song somewhat different from +that of the European thrush; and two species of the linnet, whose strain is +so soft and sweet that it dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird +called here sangre-do-buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage your +attention: he is of the passerine tribe, and very common about the houses; +the wings and tail are black and every other part of the body a flaming +red. In Guiana there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, note +and economy, but differing in colour, its whole body being like black +velvet; on its breast a tinge of red appears through the black. Thus Nature +has ordered this little tangara to put on mourning to the north of the line +and wear scarlet to the south of it. + +For three months in the year the environs of Pernambuco are animated beyond +description. From November to March the weather is particularly fine; then +it is that rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and natives, all issue +from the city to enjoy the country till Lent approaches, when back they hie +them. Villages and hamlets, where nothing before but rags was seen, now +shine in all the elegance of dress; every house, every room, every shed +become eligible places for those whom nothing but extreme necessity could +have forced to live there a few weeks ago: some join in the merry dance, +others saunter up and down the orange groves; and towards evening the roads +become a moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables have constant +visitors: there thousands are daily and nightly lost and won--parties even +sit down to try their luck round the outside of the door as well as in the +room: + + Vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus aulae + Luctus et ultrices, posucre sedilia curae. + +About six or seven miles from Pernambuco stands a pretty little village +called Monteiro. The river runs close by it, and its rural beauties seem to +surpass all others in the neighbourhood. There the Captain-General of +Pernambuco resides during this time of merriment and joy. + +The traveller who allots a portion of his time to peep at his fellow- +creatures in their relaxations, and accustoms himself to read their several +little histories in their looks and gestures as he goes musing on, may have +full occupation for an hour or two every day at this season amid the +variegated scenes around the pretty village of Monteiro. In the evening +groups sitting at the door, he may sometimes see with a sigh how wealth and +the prince's favour cause a booby to pass for a Solon, and be reverenced as +such, while perhaps a poor neglected Camoens stands silent at a distance, +awed by the dazzling glare of wealth and power. Retired from the public +road he may see poor Maria sitting under a palm-tree, with her elbow in her +lap and her head leaning on one side within her hand, weeping over her +forbidden bans. And as he moves on "with wandering step and slow," he may +hear a broken-hearted nymph ask her faithless swain: + + How could you say my face was fair, + And yet that face forsake? + How could you win my virgin heart, + Yet leave that heart to break? + +One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from Monteiro, these +adventures were near being brought to a speedy and a final close: six or +seven blackbirds, with a white spot betwixt the shoulders, were making a +noise and passing to and fro on the lower branches of a tree in an +abandoned, weed-grown orange-orchard. In the long grass underneath the tree +apparently a pale green grasshopper was fluttering, as though it had got +entangled in it. When you once fancy that the thing you are looking at is +really what you take it for, the more you look at it the more you are +convinced it is so. In the present case this was a grasshopper beyond all +doubt, and nothing more remained to be done but to wait in patience till it +had settled, in order that you might run no risk of breaking its legs in +attempting to lay hold of it while it was fluttering--it still kept +fluttering; and having quietly approached it, intending to make sure of it +--behold, the head of a large rattlesnake appeared in the grass close by: +an instantaneous spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What had +been taken for a grasshopper was, in fact, the elevated rattle of the +snake in the act of announcing that he was quite prepared, though +unwilling, to make a sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed +slowly from under the orange-tree to the neighbouring wood on the side +of a hill: as he moved over a place bare of grass and weeds he appeared +to be about eight feet long; it was he who had engaged the attention +of the birds and made them heedless of danger from another quarter: +they flew away on his retiring--one alone left his little life in the +air, destined to become a specimen, mute and motionless, for the +inspection of the curious in a far distant clime. + +It was now the rainy season. The birds were moulting--fifty-eight specimens +of the handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernambuco had been +collected; and it was time to proceed elsewhere. The conveyance to the +interior was by horses, and this mode, together with the heavy rains, would +expose preserved specimens to almost certain damage. The journey to +Maranham by land would take at least forty days. The route was not wild +enough to engage the attention of an explorer, or civilised enough to +afford common comforts to a traveller. By sea there were no opportunities, +except slave-ships. As the transporting poor negroes from port to port for +sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' decks are crowded with them. This +would not do. + +Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of gratitude to an Irish +family whose urbanity and goodness have long gained it the esteem and +respect of all ranks in Pernambuco. The kindness and attention I received +from Dennis Kearney, Esq., and his amiable lady will be remembered with +gratitude to my dying day. + +After wishing farewell to this hospitable family, I embarked on board a +Portuguese brig, with poor accommodations, for Cayenne in Guiana. The most +eligible bedroom was the top of a hen-coop on deck. Even here an unsavoury +little beast, called bug, was neither shy nor deficient in appetite. + +The Portuguese seamen are famed for catching fish. One evening, under the +line, four sharks made their appearance in the wake of the vessel. The +sailors caught them all. + +On the fourteenth day after leaving Pernambuco, the brig cast anchor off +the Island of Cayenne. The entrance is beautiful. To windward, not far off, +there are two bold wooded islands called the Father and Mother, and near +them are others, their children, smaller, though as beautiful as their +parents. Another is seen a long way to leeward of the family, and seems as +if it had strayed from home and cannot find its way back. The French call +it "l'enfant perdu." As you pass the islands the stately hills on the main, +ornamented with ever-verdant foliage, show you that this is by far the +sublimest scenery on the sea-coast from the Amazons to the Oroonoque. On +casting your eye towards Dutch Guiana you will see that the mountains +become unconnected and few in number, and long before you reach Surinam the +Atlantic wave washes a flat and muddy shore. + +Considerably to windward of Cayenne, and about twelve leagues from land, +stands a stately and towering rock called the Constable. As nothing grows +on it to tempt greedy and aspiring man to claim it as his own, the sea-fowl +rest and raise their offspring there. The bird called the frigate is ever +soaring round its rugged summit. Hither the phaeton bends his rapid flight, +and flocks of rosy flamingos here defy the fowler's cunning. All along the +coast, opposite the Constable, and indeed on every uncultivated part of it +to windward and leeward, are seen innumerable quantities of snow-white +egrets, scarlet curlews, spoonbills and flamingos. + +Cayenne is capable of being a noble and productive colony. At present it is +thought to be the poorest on the coast of Guiana. Its estates are too much +separated one from the other by immense tracts of forest; and the +revolutionary war, like a cold eastern wind, has chilled their zeal and +blasted their best expectations. + +The clove-tree, the cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, and many other choice +spices and fruits of the Eastern and Asiatic regions, produce abundantly in +Cayenne. + +The town itself is prettily laid out, and was once well fortified. They +tell you it might easily have been defended against the invading force of +the two united nations; but Victor Hugues, its governor, ordered the tri- +coloured flag to be struck; and ever since that day the standard of +Braganza has waved on the ramparts of Cayenne. + +He who has received humiliations from the hand of this haughty, iron- +hearted governor may see him now, in Cayenne, stripped of all his +revolutionary honours, broken down and ruined, and under arrest in his own +house. He has four accomplished daughters, respected by the whole town. +Towards the close of day, when the sun's rays are no longer oppressive, +these much-pitied ladies are seen walking up and down the balcony with +their aged parent, trying, by their kind and filial attention, to remove +the settled gloom from his too guilty brow. + +This was not the time for a traveller to enjoy Cayenne. The hospitality of +the inhabitants was the same as ever, but they had lost their wonted gaiety +in public, and the stranger might read in their countenances, as the +recollection of recent humiliations and misfortunes every now and then kept +breaking in upon them, that they were still in sorrow for their fallen +country: the victorious hostile cannon of Waterloo still sounded in their +ears: their emperor was a prisoner amongst the hideous rocks of St. Helena; +and many a Frenchman who had fought and bled for France was now amongst +them begging for a little support to prolong a life which would be +forfeited on the parent soil. To add another handful to the cypress and +wormwood already scattered amongst these polite colonists, they had just +received orders from the Court of Janeiro to put on deep mourning for six +months, and half-mourning for as many more, on account of the death of the +queen of Portugal. + +About a day's journey in the interior is the celebrated national +plantation. This spot was judiciously chosen, for it is out of the reach of +enemies' cruisers. It is called La Gabrielle. No plantation in the Western +world can vie with La Gabrielle. Its spices are of the choicest kind, its +soil particularly favourable to them, its arrangements beautiful, and its +directeur, Monsieur Martin, a botanist of first-rate abilities. This +indefatigable naturalist ranged through the East, under a royal commission, +in quest of botanical knowledge; and during his stay in the Western regions +has sent over to Europe from twenty to twenty-five thousand specimens in +botany and zoology. La Gabrielle is on a far-extending range of woody +hills. Figure to yourself a hill in the shape of a bowl reversed, with the +buildings on the top of it, and you will have an idea of the appearance of +La Gabrielle. You approach the house through a noble avenue, five hundred +toises long, of the choicest tropical fruit-trees, planted with the +greatest care and judgment; and should you chance to stray through it, +after sunset, when the clove-trees are in blossom, you would fancy yourself +in the Idalian groves or near the banks of the Nile, where they were +burning the finest incense as the queen of Egypt passed. + +On La Gabrielle there are twenty-two thousand clove-trees in full bearing. +They are planted thirty feet asunder. Their lower branches touch the +ground. In general the trees are topped at five and twenty feet high, +though you will see some here towering up above sixty. The black pepper, +the cinnamon and nutmeg are also in great abundance here, and very +productive. + +While the stranger views the spicy groves of La Gabrielle, and tastes the +most delicious fruits which have been originally imported hither from all +parts of the tropical world, he will thank the Government which has +supported, and admire the talents of the gentleman who has raised to its +present grandeur, this noble collection of useful fruits. There is a large +nursery attached to La Gabrielle where plants of all the different species +are raised and distributed gratis to those colonists who wish to cultivate +them. + +Not far from the banks of the River Oyapoc, to windward of Cayenne, is a +mountain which contains an immense cavern. Here the cock-of-the-rock is +plentiful. He is about the size of a fantail pigeon, his colour a bright +orange and his wings and tail appear as though fringed; his head is +ornamented with a superb double-feathery crest edged with purple. He passes +the day amid gloomy damps and silence, and only issues out for food a short +time at sunrise and sunset. He is of the gallinaceous tribe. The South- +American Spaniards call him "Gallo del Rio Negro" (Cock of the Black +River), and suppose that he is only to be met with in the vicinity of that +far-inland stream; but he is common in the interior of Demerara, amongst +the huge rocks in the forests of Macoushia, and he has been shot south of +the line, in the captainship of Para. + +The bird called by Buffon grand gobe-mouche has never been found in +Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. He is not quite so large as the +jackdaw, and is entirely black, except a large spot under the throat, which +is a glossy purple. + +You may easily sail from Cayenne to the River Surinam in two days. Its +capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich and populous: hitherto it has been +considered by far the finest town in Guiana, but probably the time is not +far off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of superiority. +You may enter a creek above Paramaribo and travel through the interior of +Surinam till you come to the Nicari, which is close to the large River +Coryntin. When you have passed this river there is a good public road to +New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. + +On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike you that something or +other has intervened to prevent its arriving at that state of wealth and +consequence for which its original plan shows it was once intended. What +has caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and populous +city remains for those to find out who are interested in it; certain it is +that New Amsterdam has been languid for some years, and now the tide of +commerce seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. + +Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. Perhaps, kind reader, +thou hast not forgot that it was from Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, +that the adventurer set out, some years ago, to reach the Portuguese +frontier-fort and collect the wourali poison. It was not intended, when +this second sally was planned in England, to have visited Stabroek again by +the route here described. The plan was to have ascended the Amazons from +Para and got into the Rio Negro, and from thence to have returned towards +the source of the Essequibo, in order to examine the crystal mountains and +look once more for Lake Parima, or the White Sea; but on arriving at +Cayenne the current was running with such amazing rapidity to leeward that +a Portuguese sloop, which had been beating up towards Para for four weeks, +was then only half-way. Finding, therefore, that a beat to the Amazons +would be long, tedious and even uncertain, and aware that the season for +procuring birds in fine plumage had already set in, I left Cayenne in an +American ship for Paramaribo, went through the interior to the Coryntin, +stopped a few days in New Amsterdam, and proceeded to Demerara. If, gentle +reader, thy patience be not already worn out, and thy eyes half-closed in +slumber by perusing the dull adventures of this second sally, perhaps thou +wilt pardon a line or two on Demerara; and then we will retire to its +forests to collect and examine the economy of its most rare and beautiful +birds, and give the world a new mode of preserving them. + +Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, has been rapidly increasing for some +years back; and if prosperity go hand in hand with the present enterprising +spirit, Stabroek, ere long, will be of the first colonial consideration. It +stands on the eastern bank at the mouth of the Demerara, and enjoys all the +advantages of the refreshing sea-breeze; the streets are spacious, well +bricked and elevated, the trenches clean, the bridges excellent, and the +houses handsome. Almost every commodity and luxury of London may be bought +in the shops at Stabroek: its market wants better regulations. The hotels +are commodious, clean and well-attended. Demerara boasts as fine and well- +disciplined militia as any colony in the Western world. + +The court of justice, where in times of old the bandage was easily removed +from the eyes of the goddess and her scales thrown out of equilibrium, now +rises in dignity under the firmness, talents and urbanity of Mr. President +Rough. + +The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation; a tolerable idea +may be formed of their value when you know that last year Demerara numbered +72,999 slaves. They made above 44,000,000 pounds of sugar, near 2,000,000 +gallons of rum, above 11,000,000 pounds of coffee, and 3,819,512 pounds of +cotton; the receipt into the public chest was 553,956 guilders; the public +expenditure 451,603 guilders. + +Slavery can never be defended. He whose heart is not of iron can never wish +to be able to defend it: while he heaves a sigh for the poor negro in +captivity, he wishes from his soul that the traffic had been stifled in its +birth; but unfortunately the Governments of Europe nourished it, and now +that they are exerting themselves to do away the evil, and ensure liberty +to the sons of Africa, the situation of the plantation-slaves is depicted +as truly deplorable and their condition wretched. It is not so. A Briton's +heart, proverbially kind and generous, is not changed by climate or its +streams of compassion dried up by the scorching heat of a Demerara sun: he +cheers his negroes in labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in +old age, and never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. + +Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as well as all the +world over, but the edicts of the colonial Government are well calculated +to prevent them, and the British planter, except here and there one, feels +for the wrongs done to a poor ill-treated slave, and shows that his heart +grieves for him by causing immediate redress and preventing a repetition. + +Long may ye flourish, peaceful and liberal inhabitants of Demerara. Your +doors are ever open to harbour the harbourless; your purses never shut to +the wants of the distressed: many a ruined fugitive from the Oroonoque will +bless your kindness to him in the hour of need, when flying from the woes +of civil discord, without food or raiment, he begged for shelter underneath +your roof. The poor sufferer in Trinidad who lost his all in the devouring +flames will remember your charity to his latest moments. The traveller, as +he leaves your port, casts a longing, lingering look behind: your +attentions, your hospitality, your pleasantry and mirth are uppermost in +his thoughts; your prosperity is close to his heart. Let us now, gentle +reader, retire from the busy scenes of man and journey on towards the wilds +in quest of the feathered tribe. + +Leave behind you your high-seasoned dishes, your wines and your delicacies: +carry nothing but what is necessary for your own comfort and the object in +view, and depend upon the skill of an Indian, or your own, for fish and +game. A sheet about twelve feet long, ten wide, painted, and with loop- +holes on each side, will be of great service: in a few minutes you can +suspend it betwixt two trees in the shape of a roof. Under this, in your +hammock, you may defy the pelting shower, and sleep heedless of the dews of +night. A hat, a shirt and a light pair of trousers will be all the raiment +you require. Custom will soon teach you to tread lightly and barefoot on +the little inequalities of the ground, and show you how to pass on +unwounded amid the mantling briers. + +Snakes, in these wilds, are certainly an annoyance, though perhaps more in +imagination than reality, for you must recollect that the serpent is never +the first to offend: his poisonous fang was not given him for conquest--he +never inflicts a wound with it but to defend existence. Provided you walk +cautiously and do not absolutely touch him, you may pass in safety close by +him. As he is often coiled up on the ground, and amongst the branches of +the trees above you, a degree of circumspection is necessary lest you +unwarily disturb him. + +Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the noble face of man, to +require a moment of your attention. + +The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at the very worst, only causes +a transient fever with a degree of pain more or less. + +Birds in general, with a few exceptions, are not common in the very remote +parts of the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes and creeks, the borders of +savannas, the old abandoned habitations of Indians and wood-cutters, seem +to be their favourite haunts. + +Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird entitles it +to the first place in the list of the birds of the new world. It may truly +be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed in the Old World, it +would have claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the honour +to bear it. See it darting through the air almost as quick as thought!--now +it is within a yard of your face!--in an instant gone!--now it flutters +from flower to flower to sip the silver dew--it is now a ruby--now a topaz +--now an emerald--now all burnished gold! It would be arrogant to pretend +to describe this winged gem of Nature after Buffon's elegant description +of it. + +Cayenne and Demerara produce the same hummingbirds. Perhaps you would wish +to know something of their haunts. Chiefly in the months of July and +August, the tree called bois immortel, very common in Demerara, bears +abundance of red blossom which stays on the tree for some weeks; then it is +that most of the different species of humming-birds are very plentiful. The +wild red sage is also their favourite shrub, and they buzz like bees round +the blossom of the wallaba tree. Indeed, there is scarce a flower in the +interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives frequent visits from one +or other of the species. + +On entering the forests, on the rising land in the interior, the blue and +green, the smallest brown, no bigger than the humble-bee, with two long +feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated humming- +birds, glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes. One species alone +never shows his beauty to the sun: and were it not for his lovely shining +colours, you might almost be tempted to class him with the goat-suckers, on +account of his habits. He is the largest of all the humming-birds, and is +all red and changing gold-green, except the head, which is black. He has +two long feathers in the tail which cross each other, and these have gained +him the name of karabimiti, or ara humming-bird, from the Indians. You +never find him on the sea-coast, or where the river is salt, or in the +heart of the forest, unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the +side of woody fresh-water rivers and dark and lonely creeks. He leaves his +retreat before sunrise to feed on the insects over the water; he returns to +it as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light, is sedentary all day +long, and comes out again for a short tune after sunset. He builds his nest +on a twig over the water in the unfrequented creeks: it looks like tanned +cow-leather. + +As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara other species of humming- +birds present themselves before you. It seems to be an erroneous opinion +that the humming-bird lives entirely on honey-dew. Almost every flower of +the tropical climates contains insects of one kind or other. Now the +humming-bird is most busy about the flowers an hour or two after sunrise +and after a shower of rain, and it is just at this time that the insects +come out to the edge of the flower in order that the sun's rays may dry the +nocturnal dew and rain which they have received. On opening the stomach of +the humming-bird dead insects are almost always found there. + +Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas display the gayest plumage. They +are of the order of Passer, and you number five species betwixt the sea- +coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet cotinga is the richest of the +five, and is one of those birds which are found in the deepest recesses of +the forest. His crown is flaming red; to this abruptly succeeds a dark +shining brown, reaching half-way down the back: the remainder of the back, +the rump and tail, the extremity of which is edged with black, are a lively +red; the belly is a somewhat lighter red; the breast reddish-black; the +wings brown. He has no song, is solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle +which sounds like "quet." He is fond of the seeds of the hitia-tree and +those of the siloabali- and bastard siloabali-trees, which ripen in +December and continue on the trees for above two months. He is found +throughout the year in Demerara; still nothing is known of his incubation. +The Indians all agree in telling you that they have never seen his nest. + +The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and breast of a deep purple, the +wings and tail black, and all the rest of the body a most lovely shining +blue. + +The purple-throated cotinga has black wings and tail, and every other part +a light and glossy blue, save the throat, which is purple. + +The pompadour cotinga is entirely purple, except his wings, which are +white, their four first feathers tipped with brown. The great coverts of +the wings are stiff, narrow and pointed, being shaped quite different from +those of any other bird. When you are betwixt this bird and the sun, in his +flight, he appears uncommonly brilliant. He makes a hoarse noise which +sounds like "wallababa." Hence his name amongst the Indians. + +None of these three cotingas have a song. They feed on the hitia, +siloabali- and bastard siloabali-seeds, the wild guava, the fig, and other +fruit-trees of the forest. They are easily shot in these trees during the +months of December, January and part of February. The greater part of them +disappear after this, and probably retire far away to breed. Their nests +have never been found in Demerara. + +The fifth species is the celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, called dara +by the Indians, and bell-bird by the English. He is about the size of the +jay. His plumage is white as snow. On his forehead rises a spiral tube +nearly three inches long. It is jet black, dotted all over with small white +feathers. It has a communication with the palate, and when filled with air +looks like a spire; when empty it becomes pendulous. His note is loud and +clear, like the sound of a bell, and may be heard at the distance of three +miles. In the midst of these extensive wilds, generally on the dried top of +an aged mora, almost out of gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No sound +or song from any of the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the +clearly pronounced "Whip-poor-will" from the goat-sucker, cause such +astonishment as the toll of the campanero. + +With many of the feathered race he pays the common tribute of a morning and +an evening song; and even when the meridian sun has shut in silence the +mouths of almost the whole of animated nature the campanero still cheers +the forest. You hear his toll, and then a pause for a minute, then another +toll, and then a pause again, and then a toll, and again a pause. Then he +is silent for six or eight minutes, and then another toll, and so on. +Acteon would stop in mid-chase, Maria would defer her evening song, and +Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to him, so sweet, so novel +and romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white campanero. He is never +seen to feed with the other cotingas, nor is it known in what part of +Guiana he makes his nest. + +While the cotingas attract your attention by their superior plumage, the +singular form of the toucan makes a lasting impression on your memory. +There are three species of toucans in Demerara, and three diminutives, +which may be called toucanets. The largest of the first species frequents +the mangrove trees on the sea-coast. He is never seen in the interior till +you reach Macoushia, where he is found in the neighbourhood of the River +Tacatou. The other two species are very common. They feed entirely on the +fruits of the forest and, though of the pie kind, never kill the young of +other birds or touch carrion. The larger is called bouradi by the Indians +(which means nose), the other scirou. They seem partial to each other's +company, and often resort to the same feeding-tree and retire together to +the same shady noon-day retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at +all hours of the day, and in fair weather at morn and eve. The sound which +the bouradi makes is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog, and you fancy +he says "pia-po-o-co," and thus the South-American Spaniards call him +piapoco. + +All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the toucan feeds, and +every species of this family of enormous bill lays its eggs in the hollow +trees. They are social, but not gregarious. You may sometimes see eight or +ten in company, and from this you would suppose they are gregarious; but +upon a closer examination you will find it has only been a dinner-party, +which breaks up and disperses towards roosting-time. + +You will be at a loss to conjecture for what ends Nature has overloaded the +head of this bird with such an enormous bill. It cannot be for the +offensive, as it has no need to wage war with any of the tribes of animated +nature, for its food is fruits and seeds, and those are in superabundance +throughout the whole year in the regions where the toucan is found. It can +hardly be for the defensive, as the toucan is preyed upon by no bird in +South America and, were it obliged to be at war, the texture of the bill is +ill-adapted to give or receive blows, as you will see in dissecting it. It +cannot be for any particular protection to the tongue, as the tongue is a +perfect feather. + +The flight of the toucan is by jerks: in the action of flying it seems +incommoded by this huge disproportioned feature, and the head seems as if +bowed down to the earth by it against its will. If the extraordinary form +and size of the bill expose the toucan to ridicule, its colours make it +amends. Were a specimen of each species of the toucan presented to you, you +would pronounce the bill of the bouradi the most rich and beautiful: on the +ridge of the upper mandible a broad stripe of most lovely yellow extends +from the head to the point; a stripe of the same breadth, though somewhat +deeper yellow, falls from it at right angles next the head down to the edge +of the mandible; then follows a black stripe, half as broad, falling at +right angles from the ridge and running narrower along the edge to within +half an inch of the point. The rest of the mandible is a deep bright red. +The lower mandible has no yellow: its black and red are distributed in the +same manner as on the upper one, with this difference, that there is black +about an inch from the point. The stripe corresponding to the deep yellow +stripe on the upper mandible is sky-blue. It is worthy of remark that all +these brilliant colours of the bill are to be found in the plumage of the +body and the bare skin round the eye. + +All these colours, except the blue, are inherent in the horn: that part +which appears blue is in reality transparent white, and receives its colour +from a thin piece of blue skin inside. This superb bill fades in death, and +in three or four days' time has quite lost its original colours. + +Till within these few years no idea of the true colours of the bill could +be formed from the stuffed toucans brought to Europe. About eight years +ago, while eating a boiled toucan, the thought struck me that the colours +in the bill of a preserved specimen might be kept as bright as those in +life. A series of experiments proved this beyond a doubt. If you take your +penknife and cut away the roof of the upper mandible, you will find that +the space betwixt it and the outer shell contains a large collection of +veins and small osseous fibres running in all directions through the whole +extent of the bill. Clear away all these with your knife, and you will come +to a substance more firm than skin, but of not so strong a texture as the +horn itself. Cut this away also, and behind it is discovered a thin and +tender membrane: yellow where it has touched the yellow part of the horn, +blue where it has touched the red part, and black towards the edge and +point; when dried this thin and tender membrane becomes nearly black; as +soon as it is cut away nothing remains but the outer horn, red and yellow, +and now become transparent. The under mandible must undergo the same +operation. Great care must be taken and the knife used very cautiously when +you are cutting through the different parts close to where the bill joins +on to the head: if you cut away too much the bill drops off; if you press +too hard the knife comes through the horn; if you leave too great a portion +of the membrane it appears through the horn and, by becoming black when +dried, makes the horn appear black also, and has a bad effect. Judgment, +caution, skill and practice will ensure success. + +You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which are the cause of +its apparent fading, for, as has been said before, these bodies dry in +death and become quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn; and +reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that its former bright +colours are lost. + +Something still remains to be done. You have rendered the bill transparent +by the operation, and that transparency must be done away to make it appear +perfectly natural. Pound some clean chalk and give it enough water till it +be of the consistency of tar, add a proportion of gum-arabic to make it +adhesive, then take a camel-hair brush and give the inside of both +mandibles a coat; apply a second when the first is dry, then another, and a +fourth to finish all. The gum-arabic will prevent the chalk from cracking +and falling off. If you remember, there is a little space of transparent +white in the lower mandible which originally appeared blue, but which +became transparent white as soon as the thin piece of blue skin was cut +away: this must be painted blue inside. When all this is completed the bill +will please you: it will appear in its original colours. Probably your own +abilities will suggest a cleverer mode of operating than the one here +described. A small gouge would assist the penknife and render the operation +less difficult. + +The houtou ranks high in beauty amongst the birds of Demerara. His whole +body is green, with a bluish cast in the wings and tail; his crown, which +he erects at pleasure, consists of black in the centre, surrounded with +lovely blue of two different shades; he has a triangular black spot, edged +with blue, behind the eye extending to the ear, and on his breast a sable +tuft consisting of nine feathers edged also with blue. This bird seems to +suppose that its beauty can be increased by trimming the tail, which +undergoes the same operation as our hair in a barber's shop, only with this +difference, that it uses its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu of a pair +of scissors. As soon as his tail is full grown, he begins about an inch +from the extremity of the two longest feathers in it and cuts away the web +on both sides of the shaft, making a gap about an inch long. Both male and +female adonise their tails in this manner, which gives them a remarkable +appearance amongst all other birds. While we consider the tail of the +houtou blemished and defective, were he to come amongst us he would +probably consider our heads, cropped and bald, in no better light. He who +wishes to observe this handsome bird in his native haunts must be in the +forest at the morning's dawn. The houtou shuns the society of man: the +plantations and cultivated parts are too much disturbed to engage it to +settle there; the thick and gloomy forests are the places preferred by the +solitary houtou. + +In those far-extending wilds, about daybreak, you hear him articulate, in a +distinct and mournful tone, "houtou, houtou." Move cautious on to where the +sound proceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the underwood about a +couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up and down every time he +articulates "houtou." He lives on insects and the berries amongst the +underwood, and very rarely is seen in the lofty trees, except the bastard +siloabali-tree, the fruit of which is grateful to him. He makes no nest, +but rears his young in a hole in the sand, generally on the side of a hill. + +While in quest of the houtou, you will now and then fall in with the jay of +Guiana, called by the Indians ibibirou. Its forehead is black, the rest of +the head white, the throat and breast like the English magpie; about an +inch of the extremity of the tail is white, the other part of it, together +with the back and wings, a greyish changing purple; the belly is white. +There are generally six or eight of them in company: they are shy and +garrulous, and tarry a very short time in one place. They are never seen in +the cultivated parts. + +Through the whole extent of the forest, chiefly from sunrise till nine +o'clock in the morning, you hear a sound of "wow, wow, wow, wow." This is +the bird called boclora by the Indians. It is smaller than the common +pigeon, and seems, in some measure, to partake of its nature: its head and +breast are blue; the back and rump somewhat resemble the colour on the +peacock's neck; its belly is a bright yellow. The legs are so very short +that it always appears as if sitting on the branch: it is as ill-adapted +for walking as the swallow. Its neck, for above an inch all round, is quite +bare of feathers, but this deficiency is not seen, for it always sits with +its head drawn in upon its shoulders. It sometimes feeds with the cotingas +on the guava- and hitia-trees, but its chief nutriment seems to be insects, +and, like most birds which follow this prey, its chaps are well armed with +bristles: it is found in Demerara at all times of the year, and makes a +nest resembling that of the stock-dove. This bird never takes long nights, +and when it crosses a river or creek it goes by long jerks. + +The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing quite heedless of danger: the +report of a gun within twenty yards will not cause it to leave the branch +on which it is sitting, and you may often approach it so near as almost to +touch it with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is no bird known whose +feathers are so slightly fixed to the skin as those of the boclora. After +shooting it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if it drop on hard +ground, whole heaps of feathers fall off: on this account it is extremely +hard to procure a specimen for preservation. As soon as the skin is dry in +the preserved specimen the feathers become as well fixed as those in any +other bird. + +Another species, larger than the boclora, attracts much of your notice in +these wilds: it is called cuia by the Indians, from the sound of its voice. +Its habits are the same as those of the boclora, but its colours different: +its head, breast, back and rump are a shining, changing green; its tail not +quite so bright; a black bar runs across the tail towards the extremity, +and the outside feathers are partly white, as in the boclora; its belly is +entirely vermilion, a bar of white separating it from the green on the +breast. + +There are diminutives of both these birds: they have the same habits, with +a somewhat different plumage, and about half the size. Arrayed from head to +tail in a robe of richest sable hue, the bird called rice-bird loves spots +cultivated by the hand of man. The woodcutter's house on the hills in the +interior, and the planter's habitation on the sea-coast, equally attract +this songless species of the order of pie, provided the Indian-corn be ripe +there. He is nearly of the jackdaw's size and makes his nest far away from +the haunts of men. He may truly be called a blackbird: independent of his +plumage, his beak, inside and out, his legs, his toes and claws are jet +black. + +Mankind, by clearing the ground and sowing a variety of seeds, induces many +kinds of birds to leave their native haunts and come and settle near him: +their little depredations on his seeds and fruits prove that it is the +property, and not the proprietor, which has the attractions. + +One bird, however, in Demerara is not actuated by selfish motives: this is +the cassique. In size he is larger than the starling: he courts the society +of man, but disdains to live by his labours. When Nature calls for support +he repairs to the neighbouring forest, and there partakes of the store of +fruits and seeds which she has produced in abundance for her aerial tribes. +When his repast is over he returns to man, and pays the little tribute +which he owes him for his protection. He takes his station on a tree close +to his house, and there, for hours together, pours forth a succession of +imitative notes. His own song is sweet, but very short. If a toucan be +yelping in the neighbourhood, he drops it, and imitates him. Then he will +amuse his protector with the cries of the different species of the +woodpecker, and when the sheep bleat he will distinctly answer them. Then +comes his own song again; and if a puppy-dog or a guinea-fowl interrupt +him, he takes them off admirably, and by his different gestures during the +time you would conclude that he enjoys the sport. + +The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any sound he hears with such +exactness that he goes by no other name than that of mocking bird amongst +the colonists. + +At breeding-time a number of these pretty choristers resort to a tree near +the planter's house, and from its outside branches weave their pendulous +nests. So conscious do they seem that they never give offence, and so +little suspicious are they of receiving any injury from man, that they will +choose a tree within forty yards from his house, and occupy the branches so +low down that he may peep into the nests. A tree in Waratilla Creek affords +a proof of this. + +The proportions of the cassique are so fine that he may be said to be a +model of symmetry in ornithology. On each wing he has a bright yellow spot, +and his rump, belly and half the tail are of the same colour. All the rest +of the body is black. His beak is the colour of sulphur, but it fades in +death, and requires the same operation as the bill of the toucan to make it +keep its colours. Up the rivers, in the interior, there is another +cassique, nearly the same size and of the same habits, though not gifted +with its powers of imitation. Except in breeding-time, you will see +hundreds of them retiring to roost amongst the moca-moca-trees and low +shrubs on the banks of the Demerara, after you pass the first island. They +are not common on the sea-coast. The rump of this cassique is a flaming +scarlet. All the rest of the body is a rich glossy black. His bill is +sulphur-colour. You may often see numbers of this species weaving their +pendulous nests on one side of a tree, while numbers of the other species +are busy in forming theirs on the opposite side of the same tree. Though +such near neighbours, the females are never observed to kick up a row or +come to blows! + +Another species of cassique, as large as a crow, is very common in the +plantations. In the morning he generally repairs to a large tree, and +there, with his tail spread over his back and shaking his lowered wings, he +produces notes which, though they cannot be said to amount to a song, still +have something very sweet and pleasing in them. He makes his nest in the +same form as the other cassiques. It is above four feet long, and when you +pass under the tree, which often contains fifty or sixty of them, you +cannot help stopping to admire them as they wave to and fro, the sport of +every storm and breeze. The rump is chestnut; ten feathers of the tail are +a fine yellow, the remaining two, which are the middle ones, are black, and +an inch shorter than the others. His bill is sulphur-colour; all the rest +of the body black, with here and there shades of brown. He has five or six +long narrow black feathers on the back of his head, which he erects at +pleasure. + +There is one more species of cassique in Demerara which always prefers the +forests to the cultivated parts. His economy is the same as that of the +other cassiques. He is rather smaller than the last described bird. His +body is greenish, and his tail and rump paler than those of the former. +Half of his beak is red. + +You would not be long in the forests of Demerara without noticing the +woodpeckers. You meet with them feeding at all hours of the day. Well may +they do so. Were they to follow the example of most of the other birds, and +only feed in the morning and evening, they would be often on short +allowance, for they sometimes have to labour three or four hours at the +tree before they get to their food. The sound which the largest kind makes +in hammering against the bark of the tree is so loud that you would never +suppose it to proceed from the efforts of a bird. You would take it to be +the woodman, with his axe, trying by a sturdy blow, often repeated, whether +the tree were sound or not. There are fourteen species here: the largest +the size of a magpie, the smallest no bigger than the wren. They are all +beautiful, and the greater part of them have their heads ornamented with a +fine crest, movable at pleasure. + +It is said, if you once give a dog a bad name, whether innocent or guilty, +he never loses it. It sticks close to him wherever he goes. He has many a +kick and many a blow to bear on account of it; and there is nobody to stand +up for him. The woodpecker is little better off. The proprietors of woods +in Europe have long accused him of injuring their timber by boring holes in +it and letting in the water, which soon rots it. The colonists in America +have the same complaint against him. Had he the power of speech, which +Ovid's birds possessed in days of yore, he could soon make a defence: +"Mighty lord of the woods," he would say to man, "why do you wrongfully +accuse me? Why do you hunt me up and down to death for an imaginary +offence? I have never spoiled a leaf of your property, much less your wood. +Your merciless shot strikes me at the very time I am doing you a service. +But your shortsightedness will not let you see it, or your pride is above +examining closely the actions of so insignificant a little bird as I am. If +there be that spark of feeling in your breast which they say man possesses, +or ought to possess, above all other animals, do a poor injured creature a +little kindness and watch me in your woods only for one day. I never wound +your healthy trees. I should perish for want in the attempt. The sound bark +would easily resist the force of my bill; and were I even to pierce through +it, there would be nothing inside that I could fancy or my stomach digest. +I often visit them it is true, but a knock or two convince me that I must +go elsewhere for support; and were you to listen attentively to the sound +which my bill causes, you would know whether I am upon a healthy or an +unhealthy tree. Wood and bark are not my food. I live entirely upon the +insects which have already formed a lodgment in the distempered tree. When +the sound informs me that my prey is there, I labour for hours together +till I get at it, and by consuming it for my own support, I prevent its +further depredations in that part. Thus I discover for you your hidden and +unsuspected foe, which has been devouring your wood in such secrecy that +you had not the least suspicion it was there. The hole which I make in +order to get at the pernicious vermin will be seen by you as you pass under +the tree. I leave it as a signal to tell you that your tree has already +stood too long. It is past its prime. Millions of insects, engendered by +disease, are preying upon its vitals. Ere long it will fall a log in +useless ruins. Warned by this loss, cut down the rest in time, and spare, O +spare the unoffending woodpecker." + +In the rivers and different creeks you number six species of the +kingfisher. They make their nest in a hole in the sand on the side of the +bank. As there is always plenty of foliage to protect them from the heat of +the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though their plumage is +prettily varied, still it falls far short of the brilliancy displayed by +the English kingfisher. This little native of Britain would outweigh them +altogether in the scale of beauty. + +A bird called jacamar is often taken for a kingfisher, but it has no +relationship to that tribe. It frequently sits in the trees over the water, +and as its beak bears some resemblance to that of the kingfisher, this may +probably account for its being taken for one; it feeds entirely upon +insects; it sits on a branch in motionless expectation, and as soon as a +fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it darts at it, and returns to the branch +it had just left. It seems an indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the +society of all others in the forest. It never visits the plantations, but +is found at all times of the year in the woods. There are four species of +jacamar in Demerara. They are all beautiful: the largest, rich and superb +in the extreme. Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden-green +that it may be ranked with the choicest of the humming-birds. Nature has +denied it a song, but given a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest +species of jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The second size, all +golden-green on the back, must be looked for in the wallaba-forest. The +third is found throughout the whole extent of these wilds, and the fourth, +which is the largest, frequents the interior, where you begin to perceive +stones in the ground. + +When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty songster +called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive notes. This is +the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of Guiana. Its +predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, arrayed to great +advantage. His delicate and well-shaped frame seems unable to bear +captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales to Stabroek, but in +a few months they languish and die in a cage. They soon become very +familiar, and if you allow them the liberty of the house, they live longer +than in a cage and appear in better spirits, but when you least expect it +they drop down and die in epilepsy. + +Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently +arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara. The +woodcutter is particularly favoured by him, for while the hen is sitting on +her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he sings for hours +together close by. He prefers the forests to the cultivated parts. + +You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in the +plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, tail and +throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. There is +something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much shorter than +that of the troupiale in the interior. + +A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place, in the cultivated +parts, at the time the indian-corn is ripe; he is all black, except the +head and throat, which are yellow. His attempt at song is not worth +attending to. + +Wherever there is a wild fig-tree ripe, a numerous species of birds called +tangara is sure to be on it. There are eighteen beautiful species here. +Their plumage is very rich and diversified. Some of them boast six separate +colours; others have the blue, purple, green and black so kindly blended +into each other that it would be impossible to mark their boundaries; while +others again exhibit them strong, distinct and abrupt. Many of these +tangaras have a fine song. They seem to partake much of the nature of our +linnets, sparrows and finches. Some of them are fond of the plantations; +others are never seen there, preferring the wild seeds of the forest to the +choicest fruits planted by the hand of man. + +On the same fig-trees to which they repair, and often accidentally up and +down the forest, you fall in with four species of manikin. The largest is +white and black, with the feathers on the throat remarkably long; the next +in size is half red and half black; the third black, with a white crown; +the fourth black, with a golden crown, and red feathers at the knee. The +half-red and half-black species is the scarcest. There is a creek in the +Demerara called Camouni. About ten minutes from the mouth you see a common- +sized fig-tree on your right hand, as you ascend, hanging over the water; +it bears a very small fig twice a year. When its fruit is ripe this manikin +is on the tree from morn till eve. + +On all the ripe fig-trees in the forest you see the bird called the small +tiger-bird. Like some of our belles and dandies, it has a gaudy vest to +veil an ill-shaped body. The throat, and part of the head, are a bright +red; the breast and belly have black spots on a yellow ground; the wings +are a dark green, black, and white; and the rump and tail black and green. +Like the manikin, it has no song: it depends solely upon a showy garment +for admiration. + +Devoid, too, of song, and in a still superber garb, the yawaraciri comes to +feed on the same tree. It has a bar like black velvet from the eyes to the +beak; its legs are yellow; its throat, wings and tail black; all the rest +of the body a charming blue. Chiefly in the dry savannas, and here and +there accidentally in the forest, you see a songless yawaraciri still +lovelier than the last: his crown is whitish blue, arrayed like a coat of +mail; his tail is black, his wings black and yellow; legs red; and the +whole body a glossy blue. Whilst roving through the forest, ever and anon +you see individuals of the wren species busy amongst the fallen leaves, or +seeking insects at the roots of the trees. + +Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds whose backs appear +to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a chestnut breast, +smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like horns on his head, and +white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, feeds entirely upon ants. When +a nest of large light-brown ants emigrates, one following the other in +meandering lines above a mile long, you see this bird watching them and +every now and then picking them up. When they disappear he is seen no more: +perhaps this is the only kind of ant he is fond of. When these ants are +stirring, you are sure to find him near them. You cannot well mistake the +ant after you have once been in its company, for its sting is very severe, +and you can hardly shoot the bird and pick it up without having five or six +upon you. + +Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different kinds. +You will know when they are near you in the forest not only by the noise +they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let fall while they +are feeding. + +The hia-hia parrot, called in England the parrot of the sun, is very +remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan +feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The fore-part of +his head is white; his back, tail and wings green; and his breast and belly +tartan. + +Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara will +force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and gaze at +him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body, the lovely +variety of red, yellow, blue and green in his wings, the extraordinary +length of his scarlet and blue tail, seem all to join and demand for him +the title of emperor of all the parrots. He is scarce in Demerara till you +reach the confines of the Macoushi country: there he is in vast abundance. +He mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. When the coucourite-trees +have ripe fruit on them they are covered with this magnificent parrot. He +is not shy or wary: you may take your blow-pipe and quiver of poisoned +arrows and kill more than you are able to carry back to your hut. They are +very vociferous, and, like the common parrots, rise up in bodies towards +sunset and fly two and two to their place of rest. It is a grand sight in +ornithology to see thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to +let you have a full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians find their +flesh very good, and the feathers serve for ornaments in their head- +dresses. They breed in the holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and +learn to speak pretty distinctly. + +Another species frequents the low-lands of Demerara. He is nearly the size +of the scarlet ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and yellow are his +predominant colours. + +Along the creeks and river-sides, and in the wet savannas, six species of +the bittern will engage your attention. They are all handsome, the smallest +not so large as the English water-hen. + +In the savannas, too, you will sometimes surprise the snow-white egret, +whose back is adorned with the plumes from which it takes its name. Here, +too, the spur-winged water-hen, the blue and green water-hen and two other +species of ordinary plumage are found. While in quest of these, the blue +heron, the large and small brown heron, the boatbill and muscovy duck now +and then rise up before you. + +When the sun has sunk in the western woods, no longer agitated by the +breeze; when you can only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe +hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting-place, then it is that +the goat-sucker comes out of the forest, where it has sat all day long in +slumbering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes around it. Its eyes +are too delicately formed to bear the light, and thus it is forced to shun +the flaming face of day and wait in patience till night invites him to +partake of the pleasures her dusky presence brings. + +The harmless, unoffending goat-sucker, from the time of Aristotle down to +the present day, has been in disgrace with man. Father has handed down to +son, and author to author, that this nocturnal thief subsists by milking +the flocks. Poor injured little bird of night, how sadly hast thou +suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to facts put upon thy +character! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his property nor +deprived the kid of a drop of milk. + +When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of examining +the goat-sucker. You will see it close by the cows, goats and sheep, +jumping up every now and then under their bellies. Approach a little +nearer--he is not shy: "he fears no danger, for he knows no sin." See how +the nocturnal flies are tormenting the herd, and with what dexterity he +springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on the belly, legs and +udder of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, and how sensible they +seem of his good offices, for they neither strike at him nor hit him with +their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive him away as an uncivil +intruder. Were you to dissect him, and inspect his stomach, you would find +no milk there. It is full of the flies which have been annoying the herd. + +The prettily-mottled plumage of the goat-sucker, like that of the owl, +wants the lustre which is observed in the feathers of the birds of day. +This at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's nightly beams. There +are nine species here. The largest appears nearly the size of the English +wood-owl. Its cry is so remarkable that, having once heard it, you will +never forget it. When night reigns over these immeasurable wilds, whilst +lying in your hammock you will hear this goat-sucker lamenting like one in +deep distress. A stranger would never conceive it to be the cry of a bird. +He would say it was the departing voice of a midnight murdered victim or +the last wailing of Niobe for her poor children before she was turned into +stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless sorrow, begin with a high loud note, +and pronounce "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till +the last is scarcely heard, pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and +you will have some idea of the moaning of the largest goat-sucker in +Demerara. + +Four other species of the goat-sucker articulate some words so distinctly +that they have received their names from the sentences they utter, and +absolutely bewilder the stranger on his arrival in these parts. The most +common one sits down close by your door, and flies and alights three or +four yards before you, as you walk along the road, crying, "Who-are-you, +who-who-who-are-you." Another bids you "Work-away, work-work-work-away." A +third cries, mournfully, "Willy-come-go, willy-willy-willy-come-go." And +high up in the country a fourth tells you to "Whip-poor-will, whip-whip- +whip-poor-will." + +You will never persuade the negro to destroy these birds or get the Indian +to let fly his arrow at them. They are birds of omen and reverential dread. +Jumbo, the demon of Africa, has them under his command, and they equally +obey the Yabahou, or Demerara Indian devil. They are the receptacles for +departed souls, who come back again to earth, unable to rest for crimes +done in their days of nature; or they are expressly sent by Jumbo, or +Yabahou, to haunt cruel and hard-hearted masters and retaliate injuries +received from them. If the largest goat-sucker chance to cry near the white +man's door, sorrow and grief will soon be inside: and they expect to see +the master waste away with a slow consuming sickness. If it be heard close +to the negro's or Indian's hut, from that night misfortune sits brooding +over it: and they await the event in terrible suspense. + +You will forgive the poor Indian of Guiana for this. He knows no better; he +has nobody to teach him. But shame it is that in our own civilised country +the black cat and broomstaff should be considered as conductors to and from +the regions of departed spirits. + +Many years ago I knew poor harmless Mary: old age had marked her strongly, +just as he will mark you and me, should we arrive at her years and carry +the weight of grief which bent her double. The old men of the village said +she had been very pretty in her youth, and nothing could be seen more +comely than Mary when she danced on the green. He who had gained her heart +left her for another, less fair, though richer, than Mary. From that time +she became sad and pensive; the rose left her cheek, and she was never more +seen to dance round the maypole on the green. Her expectations were +blighted; she became quite indifferent to everything around her, and seemed +to think of nothing but how she could best attend her mother, who was lame +and not long for this life. Her mother had begged a black kitten from some +boys who were going to drown it, and in her last illness she told Mary to +be kind to it for her sake. + +When age and want had destroyed the symmetry of Mary's fine form, the +village began to consider her as one who had dealings with spirits: her cat +confirmed the suspicion. If a cow died, or a villager wasted away with an +unknown complaint, Mary and her cat had it to answer for. Her broom +sometimes served her for a walking-stick: and if ever she supported her +tottering frame with it as far as the maypole, where once, in youthful +bloom and beauty, she had attracted the eyes of all, the boys would +surround her and make sport of her, while her cat had neither friend nor +safety beyond the cottage-wall. Nobody considered it cruel or uncharitable +to torment a witch; and it is probable, long before this, that cruelty, old +age and want have worn her out, and that both poor Mary and her cat have +ceased to be. + +Would you wish to pursue the different species of game, well-stored and +boundless is your range in Demerara. Here no one dogs you, and afterwards +clandestinely inquires if you have a hundred a year in land to entitle you +to enjoy such patrician sport. Here no saucy intruder asks if you have +taken out a licence, by virtue of which you are allowed to kill the birds +which have bred upon your own property. Here + + You are as free as when God first made man, + Ere the vile laws of servitude began, + And wild in woods the noble savage ran. + +Before the morning's dawn you hear a noise in the forest which sounds like +"duraquaura" often repeated. This is the partridge, a little smaller than +and differing somewhat in colour from the English partridge: it lives +entirely in the forest, and probably the young brood very soon leaves its +parents, as you never flush more than two birds in the same place, and in +general only one. + +About the same hour, and sometimes even at midnight, you hear two species +of maam, or tinamou, send forth their long and plaintive whistle from the +depth of the forest. The flesh of both is delicious. The largest is +plumper, and almost equals in size the blackcock of Northumberland. The +quail is said to be here, though rare. + +The hannaquoi, which some have compared to the pheasant, though with little +reason, is very common. + +Here are also two species of the powise, or hocco, and two of the small +wild turkeys called maroudi: they feed on the ripe fruits of the forest and +are found in all directions in these extensive wilds. You will admire the +horned screamer as a stately and majestic bird: he is almost the size of +the turkey-cock, on his head is a long slender horn, and each wing is armed +with a strong, sharp, triangular spur an inch long. + +Sometimes you will fall in with flocks of two or three hundred waracabas, +or trumpeters, called so from the singular noise they produce. Their breast +is adorned with beautiful changing blue and purple feathers; their head and +neck like velvet; their wings and back grey, and belly black. They run with +great swiftness, and when domesticated attend their master in his walks +with as much apparent affection as his dog. They have no spurs, but still, +such is their high spirit and activity, they browbeat every dunghill fowl +in the yard and force the guinea-birds, dogs and turkeys to own their +superiority. + +If, kind and gentle reader, thou shouldst ever visit these regions with an +intention to examine their productions, perhaps the few observations +contained in these wanderings may be of service to thee. Excuse their +brevity: more could have been written, and each bird more particularly +described, but it would have been pressing too hard upon thy time and +patience. + +Soon after arriving in these parts thou wilt find that the species here +enumerated are only as a handful from a well-stored granary. Nothing has +been said of the eagles, the falcons, the hawks and shrikes; nothing of the +different species of vultures, the king of which is very handsome, and +seems to be the only bird which claims regal honours from a surrounding +tribe. It is a fact beyond all dispute that, when the scent of carrion has +drawn together hundreds of the common vultures, they all retire from the +carcass as soon as the king of the vultures makes his appearance. When his +majesty has satisfied the cravings of his royal stomach with the choicest +bits from the most stinking and corrupted parts, he generally retires to a +neighbouring tree, and then the common vultures return in crowds to gobble +down his leavings. The Indians, as well as the whites, have observed this, +for when one of them, who has learned a little English, sees the king, and +wishes you to have a proper notion of the bird, he says: "There is the +governor of the carrion-crows." + +Now the Indians have never heard of a personage in Demerara higher than +that of governor; and the colonists, through a common mistake, call the +vultures carrion-crows. Hence the Indian, in order to express the dominion +of this bird over the common vultures, tells you he is governor of the +carrion-crows. The Spaniards have also observed it, for through all the +Spanish Main he is called Rey de Zamuros, king of the vultures. The many +species of owls, too, have not been noticed; and no mention made of the +columbine tribe. The prodigious variety of water-fowl on the sea-shore has +been but barely hinted at. + +There, and on the borders and surface of the inland waters, in the marshes +and creeks, besides the flamingos, scarlet curlews and spoonbills already +mentioned, will be found greenish-brown curlews, sandpipers, rails, coots, +gulls, pelicans, jabirus, nandapoas, crabiers, snipes, plovers, ducks, +geese, cranes and anhingas; most of them in vast abundance; some +frequenting only the sea-coast, others only the interior, according to +their different natures; all worthy the attention of the naturalist, all +worthy of a place in the cabinet of the curious. + +Should thy comprehensive genius not confine itself to birds alone, grand is +the appearance of other objects all around. Thou art in a land rich in +botany and mineralogy, rich in zoology and entomology. Animation will glow +in thy looks and exercise will brace thy frame in vigour. The very time of +thy absence from the tables of heterogeneous luxury will be profitable to +thy stomach, perhaps already sorely drenched with Londo-Parisian sauces, +and a new stock of health will bring thee an appetite to relish the +wholesome food of the chase. Never-failing sleep will wait on thee at the +time she comes to soothe the rest of animated nature, and ere the sun's +rays appear in the horizon thou wilt spring from thy hammock fresh as the +April lark. Be convinced also that the dangers and difficulties which are +generally supposed to accompany the traveller in his journey through +distant regions are not half so numerous or dreadful as they are commonly +thought to be. + +The youth who incautiously reels into the lobby of Drury Lane after leaving +the table sacred to the god of wine is exposed to more certain ruin, +sickness and decay than he who wanders a whole year in the wilds of +Demerara. But this will never be believed because the disasters arising +from dissipation are so common and frequent in civilised life that man +becomes quite habituated to them, and sees daily victims sink into the tomb +long before their time without ever once taking alarm at the causes which +precipitated them headlong into it. + +But the dangers which a traveller exposes himself to in foreign parts are +novel, out-of-the-way things to a man at home. The remotest apprehension of +meeting a tremendous tiger, of being carried off by a flying dragon, or +having his bones picked by a famished cannibal: oh, that makes him shudder. +It sounds in his ears like the bursting of a bombshell. Thank Heaven he is +safe by his own fireside. + +Prudence and resolution ought to be the traveller's constant companions. +The first will cause him to avoid a number of snares which he will find in +the path as he journeys on; and the second will always lend a hand to +assist him if he has unavoidably got entangled in them. The little +distinctions which have been shown him at his own home ought to be +forgotten when he travels over the world at large, for strangers know +nothing of his former merits, and it is necessary that they should witness +them before they pay him the tribute which he was wont to receive within +his own doors. Thus to be kind and affable to those we meet, to mix in +their amusements, to pay a compliment or two to their manners and customs, +to respect their elders, to give a little to their distressed and needy, +and to feel, as it were, at home amongst them, is the sure way to enable +you to pass merrily on, and to find other comforts as sweet and palatable +as those which you were accustomed to partake of amongst your friends and +acquaintance in your own native land. + +We will now ascend in fancy on Icarian wing and take a view of Guiana in +general. See an immense plain! betwixt two of the largest rivers in the +world, level as a bowling-green, save at Cayenne, and covered with trees +along the coast quite to the Atlantic wave, except where the plantations +make a little vacancy amongst the foliage. + +Though nearly in the centre of the Torrid Zone, the sun's rays are not so +intolerable as might be imagined, on account of the perpetual verdure and +refreshing north-east breeze. See what numbers of broad and rapid rivers +intersect it in their journey to the ocean, and that not a stone or a +pebble is to be found on their banks, or in any part of the country, till +your eye catches the hills in the interior. How beautiful and magnificent +are the lakes in the heart of the forests, and how charming the forests +themselves, for miles after miles on each side of the rivers! How extensive +appear the savannas or natural meadows, teeming with innumerable herds of +cattle, where the Portuguese and Spaniards are settled, but desert as Saara +where the English and Dutch claim dominion! How gradually the face of the +country rises! See the sandhills all clothed in wood first emerging from +the level, then hills a little higher, rugged with bold and craggy rocks, +peeping out from amongst the most luxuriant timber. Then come plains and +dells and far-extending valleys, arrayed in richest foliage; and beyond +them mountains piled on mountains, some bearing prodigious forests, others +of bleak and barren aspect. Thus your eye wanders on over scenes of varied +loveliness and grandeur, till it rests on the stupendous pinnacles of the +long-continued Cordilleras de los Andes, which rise in towering majesty and +command all America. + +How fertile must the low-lands be from the accumulation of fallen leaves +and trees for centuries! How propitious the swamps and slimy beds of the +rivers, heated by a downward sun, to the amazing growth of alligators, +serpents and innumerable insects! How inviting the forests to the feathered +tribes, where you see buds, blossoms, green and ripe fruit, full grown and +fading leaves all on the same tree! How secure the wild beasts may rove in +endless mazes! Perhaps those mountains, too, which appear so bleak and +naked, as if quite neglected, are, like Potosi, full of precious metals. + +Let us now return the pinions we borrowed from Icarus, and prepare to bid +farewell to the wilds. The time allotted to these wanderings is drawing +fast to a close. Every day for the last six months has been employed in +paying close attention to natural history in the forests of Demerara. Above +two hundred specimens of the finest birds have been collected and a pretty +just knowledge formed of their haunts and economy. From the time of leaving +England, in March 1816, to the present day, nothing has intervened to +arrest a fine flow of health, saving a quartan ague which did not tarry, +but fled as suddenly as it appeared. + +And now I take leave of thee, kind and gentle reader. The new mode of +preserving birds heretofore promised thee shall not be forgotten. The plan +is already formed in imagination, and can be penned down during the passage +across the Atlantic. If the few remarks in these wanderings shall have any +weight in inciting thee to sally forth and explore the vast and well-stored +regions of Demerara, I have gained my end. Adieu. + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +_April 6, 1817._ + + + * * * * * + + + + +THIRD JOURNEY + + Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum. + +Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I strayed across the +Alps and the Apennines, and returned home, but could not tarry. Guiana +still whispered in my ear, and seemed to invite me once more to wander +through her distant forests. + +Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, I pray thee pardon +the frequent use of that unwelcome monosyllable _I_. It could not well +be avoided, as will be seen in the sequel. In February 1820 I sailed from +the Clyde, on board the _Glenbervie_, a fine West-Indiaman. She was +driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to contend with a foul and +wintry wind for above a fortnight. At last it changed, and we had a +pleasant passage across the Atlantic. + +Sad and mournful was the story we heard on entering the River Demerara. The +yellow fever had swept off numbers of the old inhabitants, and the mortal +remains of many a new-comer were daily passing down the streets in slow and +mute procession to their last resting-place. + +After staying a few days in the town, I went up the Demerara to the former +habitation of my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek. + +The house had been abandoned for some years. On arriving at the hill, the +remembrance of scenes long past and gone naturally broke in upon the mind. +All was changed: the house was in ruins and gradually sinking under the +influence of the sun and rain; the roof had nearly fallen in; and the room, +where once governors and generals had caroused, was now dismantled and +tenanted by the vampire. You would have said: + + 'Tis now the vampire's bleak abode, + 'Tis now the apartment of the toad: + 'Tis here the painful chegoe feeds, + 'Tis here the dire labarri breeds + Conceal'd in ruins, moss, and weeds. + +On the outside of the house Nature had nearly reassumed her ancient right: +a few straggling fruit-trees were still discernible amid the varied hue of +the near-approaching forest; they seemed like strangers lost and bewildered +and unpitied in a foreign land, destined to linger a little longer, and +then sink down for ever. + +I hired some negroes from a woodcutter in another creek to repair the roof; +and then the house, or at least what remained of it, became headquarters +for natural history. The frogs, and here and there a snake, received that +attention which the weak in this world generally experience from the +strong, and which the law commonly denominates an ejectment. But here +neither the frogs nor serpents were ill-treated: they sallied forth, +without buffet or rebuke, to choose their place of residence--the world was +all before them. The owls went away of their own accord, preferring to +retire to a hollow tree rather than to associate with their new landlord. +The bats and vampires stayed with me, and went in and out as usual. + +It was upon this hill in former days that I first tried to teach John, the +black slave of my friend Mr. Edmonstone, the proper way to do birds. But +John had poor abilities, and it required much time and patience to drive +anything into him. Some years after this his master took him to Scotland, +where, becoming free, John left him, and got employed in the Glasgow, and +then the Edinburgh, Museum. Mr. Robert Edmonstone, nephew to the above +gentleman, had a fine mulatto capable of learning anything. He requested me +to teach him the art. I did so. He was docile and active, and was with me +all the time in the forest. I left him there to keep up this new art of +preserving birds and to communicate it to others. Here, then, I fixed my +headquarters, in the ruins of this once gay and hospitable house. Close by, +in a little hut which, in times long past, had served for a store to keep +provisions in, there lived a coloured man and his wife, by name Backer. +Many a kind turn they did to me; and I was more than once a service to them +and their children, by bringing to their relief in time of sickness what +little knowledge I had acquired of medicine. + +I would here, gentle reader, wish to draw thy attention, for a few minutes, +to physic, raiment and diet. Shouldst thou ever wander through these remote +and dreary wilds, forget not to carry with thee bark, laudanum, calomel and +jalap, and the lancet. There are no druggist-shops here, nor sons of Galen +to apply to in time of need. I never go encumbered with many clothes. A +thin flannel waistcoat under a check shirt, a pair of trousers and a hat +were all my wardrobe: shoes and stockings I seldom had on. In dry weather +they would have irritated the feet and retarded me in the chase of wild +beasts; and in the rainy season they would have kept me in a perpetual +state of damp and moisture. I eat moderately, and never drink wine, spirits +or fermented liquors in any climate. This abstemiousness has ever proved a +faithful friend; it carried me triumphant through the epidemia at Malaga, +where death made such havoc about the beginning of the present century; and +it has since befriended me in many a fit of sickness brought on by exposure +to the noon-day sun, to the dews of night, to the pelting shower and +unwholesome food. + +Perhaps it will be as well here to mention a fever which came on, and the +treatment of it: it may possibly be of use to thee, shouldst thou turn +wanderer in the tropics; a word or two also of a wound I got in the forest, +and then we will say no more of the little accidents which sometimes occur, +and attend solely to natural history. We shall have an opportunity of +seeing the wild animals in their native haunts, undisturbed and unbroken in +upon by man. We shall have time and leisure to look more closely at them, +and probably rectify some errors which, for want of proper information or a +near observance, have crept into their several histories. + +It was in the month of June, when the sun was within a few days of Cancer, +that I had a severe attack of fever. There had been a deluge of rain, +accompanied with tremendous thunder and lightning, and very little sun. +Nothing could exceed the dampness of the atmosphere. For two or three days +I had been in a kind of twilight state of health, neither ill nor what you +may call well: I yawned and felt weary without exercise, and my sleep was +merely slumber. This was the time to have taken medicine, but I neglected +to do so, though I had just been reading: "O navis, referent in mare te +novi fluctus, O quid agis? fortiter occupa portum." I awoke at midnight: a +cruel headache, thirst and pain in the small of the back informed me what +the case was. Had Chiron himself been present he could not have told me +more distinctly that I was going to have a tight brush of it, and that I +ought to meet it with becoming fortitude. I dozed and woke and startled, +and then dozed again, and suddenly awoke thinking I was falling down a +precipice. + +The return of the bats to their diurnal retreat, which was in the thatch +above my hammock, informed me that the sun was now fast approaching to the +eastern horizon. I arose in languor and in pain, the pulse at one hundred +and twenty. I took ten grains of calomel and a scruple of jalap, and drank +during the day large draughts of tea, weak and warm. The physic did its +duty, but there was no remission of fever or headache, though the pain of +the back was less acute. I was saved the trouble of keeping the room cool, +as the wind beat in at every quarter. + +At five in the evening the pulse had risen to one hundred and thirty, and +the headache almost insupportable, especially on looking to the right or +left. I now opened a vein, and made a large orifice, to allow the blood to +rush out rapidly; I closed it after losing sixteen ounces. I then steeped +my feet in warm water and got into the hammock. After bleeding the pulse +fell to ninety, and the head was much relieved, but during the night, which +was very restless, the pulse rose again to one hundred and twenty, and at +times the headache was distressing. I relieved the headache from time to +time by applying cold water to the temples and holding a wet handkerchief +there. The next morning the fever ran very high, and I took five more +grains of calomel and ten of jalap, determined, whatever might be the case, +this should be the last dose of calomel. About two o'clock in the afternoon +the fever remitted, and a copious perspiration came on: there was no more +headache nor thirst nor pain in the back, and the following night was +comparatively a good one. The next morning I swallowed a large dose of +castor-oil: it was genuine, for Louisa Backer had made it from the seeds of +the trees which grew near the door. I was now entirely free from all +symptoms of fever, or apprehensions of a return; and the morning after I +began to take bark, and continued it for a fortnight. This put all to +rights. + +The story of the wound I got in the forest and the mode of cure are very +short. I had pursued a redheaded woodpecker for above a mile in the forest +without being able to get a shot at it. Thinking more of the woodpecker, as +I ran along, than of the way before me, I trod upon a little hardwood stump +which was just about an inch or so above the ground; it entered the hollow +part of my foot, making a deep and lacerated wound there. It had brought me +to the ground, and there I lay till a transitory fit of sickness went off. +I allowed it to bleed freely, and on reaching headquarters washed it well +and probed it, to feel if any foreign body was left within it. Being +satisfied that there was none, I brought the edges of the wound together +and then put a piece of lint on it, and over that a very large poultice, +which was changed morning, noon and night. Luckily Backer had a cow or two +upon the hill; now as heat and moisture are the two principal virtues of a +poultice, nothing could produce those two qualities better than fresh cow- +dung boiled: had there been no cows there I could have made out with boiled +grass and leaves. I now took entirely to the hammock, placing the foot +higher than the knee: this prevented it from throbbing, and was, indeed, +the only position in which I could be at ease. When the inflammation was +completely subdued I applied a wet cloth to the wound, and every now and +then steeped the foot in cold water during the day, and at night again +applied a poultice. The wound was now healing fast, and in three weeks from +the time of the accident nothing but a scar remained: so that I again +sallied forth sound and joyful, and said to myself: + + I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae + Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo + Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim, + Rumpe ferarum. + +Now this contus was a tough, light pole eight feet long, on the end of +which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it: it +was of great use in starting the beasts and snakes out of the hollow trees, +and in case of need was an excellent defence. + +In 1819 I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph Banks. I saw with +sorrow that death was going to rob us of him. We talked much of the present +mode adopted by all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and condemned it as +being very imperfect: still we could not find out a better way, and at last +concluded that the lips and nose ought to be cut off and replaced with wax, +it being impossible to make those parts appear like life, as they shrink to +nothing and render the stuffed specimens in the different museums horrible +to look at. The defects in the legs and feet would not be quite so glaring, +being covered with hair. + +I had paid great attention to this subject for above fourteen years; still +it would not do. However, one night, while I was lying in the hammock and +harping on the string on which hung all my solicitude, I hit upon the +proper mode by inference: it appeared clear to me that it was the only true +way of going to work, and ere I closed my eyes in sleep I was able to prove +to myself that there could not be any other way that would answer. I tried +it the next day, and succeeded according to expectation. + +By means of this process, which is very simple, we can now give every +feature back again to the animal's face after it has been skinned; and when +necessary stamp grief or pain, or pleasure, or rage, or mildness upon it. +But more of this hereafter. + +Let us now turn our attention to the sloth, whose native haunts have +hitherto been so little known and probably little looked into. Those who +have written on this singular animal have remarked that he is in a +perpetual state of pain, that he is proverbially slow in his movements, +that he is a prisoner in space, and that, as soon as he has consumed all +the leaves of the tree upon which he had mounted, he rolls himself up in +the form of a ball and then falls to the ground. This is not the case. + +If the naturalists who have written the history of the sloth had gone into +the wilds in order to examine his haunts and economy, they would not have +drawn the foregoing conclusions. They would have learned that, though all +other quadrupeds may be described while resting upon the ground, the sloth +is an exception to this rule, and that his history must be written while he +is in the tree. + +This singular animal is destined by Nature to be produced, to live and to +die in the trees; and to do justice to him naturalists must examine him in +this his upper element. He is a scarce and solitary animal, and being good +food he is never allowed to escape. He inhabits remote and gloomy forests +where snakes take up their abode, and where cruelly-stinging ants and +scorpions and swamps and innumerable thorny shrubs and bushes obstruct the +steps of civilised man. Were you to draw your own conclusions from the +descriptions which have been given of the sloth, you would probably suspect +that no naturalist has actually gone into the wilds with the fixed +determination to find him out and examine his haunts, and see whether +Nature has committed any blunder in the formation of this extraordinary +creature, which appears to us so forlorn and miserable, so ill put +together, and so totally unfit to enjoy the blessings which have been so +bountifully given to the rest of animated nature; for, as it has formerly +been remarked, he has no soles to his feet, and he is evidently ill at ease +when he tries to move on the ground, and it is then that he looks up in +your face with a countenance that says: "Have pity on me, for I am in pain +and sorrow." + +It mostly happens that Indians and negroes are the people who catch the +sloth and bring it to the white man: hence it may be conjectured that the +erroneous accounts we have hitherto had of the sloth have not been penned +down with the slightest intention to mislead the reader or give him an +exaggerated history, but that these errors have naturally arisen by +examining the sloth in those places where Nature never intended that he +should be exhibited. + +However, we are now in his own domain. Man but little frequents these thick +and noble forests, which extend far and wide on every side of us. This, +then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. We will first take a +near view of him. By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy we shall be +enabled to account for his movements hereafter, when we see him in his +proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, his arms, are +apparently much too long, while his hind-legs are very short, and look as +if they could be bent almost to the shape of a corkscrew. Both the fore- +and hind-legs, by their form and by the manner in which they are joined to +the body, are quite incapacitated from acting in a perpendicular direction, +or in supporting it on the earth, as the bodies of other quadrupeds are +supported by their legs. Hence, when you place him on the floor, his belly +touches the ground. Now, granted that he supported himself on his legs like +other animals, nevertheless he would be in pain, for he has no soles to his +feet, and his claws are very sharp and long and curved; so that were his +body supported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, just as your +body would be were you to throw yourself on all-fours and try to support it +on the ends of your toes and fingers--a trying position. Were the floor of +glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would actually be quite +stationary; but as the ground is generally rough, with little protuberances +upon it, such as stones, or roots of grass, etc., this just suits the +sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all directions, in order to find +something to lay hold of; and when he has succeeded he pulls himself +forward, and is thus enabled to travel onwards, but at the same time in so +tardy and awkward a manner as to acquire him the name of sloth. + +Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently betray his uncomfortable +situation: and as a sigh every now and then escapes him, we may be entitled +to conclude that he is actually in pain. + +Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for several months. I often took +him out of the house and placed him upon the ground, in order to have an +opportunity of observing his motions. If the ground were rough, he would +pull himself forwards by means of his fore-legs at a pretty good pace, and +he invariably immediately shaped his course towards the nearest tree. But +if I put him upon a smooth and well-trodden part of the road, he appeared +to be in trouble and distress. His favourite abode was the back of a chair +and, after getting all his legs in a line upon the topmost part of it, he +would hang there for hours together, and often with a low and inward cry +would seem to invite me to take notice of him. + +The sloth, in its wild state, spends its whole life in trees, and never +leaves them but through force or by accident. An all-ruling Providence has +ordered man to tread on the surface of the earth, the eagle to soar in the +expanse of the skies, and the monkey and squirrel to inhabit the trees: +still these may change their relative situations without feeling much +inconvenience; but the sloth is doomed to spend his whole life in the +trees, and, what is more extraordinary, not _upon_ the branches, like +the squirrel and the monkey, but _under_ them. He moves suspended from +the branch, he rests suspended from it, and he sleeps suspended from it. To +enable him to do this he must have a very different formation from that of +any other known quadruped. + +Hence his seemingly bungled conformation is at once accounted for; and in +lieu of the sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a melancholy and +miserable existence on its progeny, it is but fair to surmise that it just +enjoys life as much as any other animal, and that its extraordinary +formation and singular habits are but further proofs to engage us to admire +the wonderful works of Omnipotence. + +It must be observed that the sloth does not hang head-downwards like the +vampire. When asleep he supports himself from a branch parallel to the +earth. He first seizes the branch with one arm, and then with the other; +and after that brings up both his legs, one by one, to the same branch; so +that all four are in a line: he seems perfectly at rest in this position. +Now had he a tail, he would be at a loss to know what to do with it in this +position: were he to draw it up within his legs it would interfere with +them, and were he to let it hang down it would become the sport of the +winds. Thus his deficiency of tail is a benefit to him; it is merely an +apology for a tail, scarcely exceeding an inch and a half in length. + +I observed, when he was climbing, he never used his arms both together, but +first one and then the other, and so on alternately. There is a singularity +in his hair, different from that of all other animals, and, I believe, +hitherto unnoticed by naturalists. His hair is thick and coarse at the +extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, where it becomes fine as a +spider's web. His fur has so much the hue of the moss which grows on the +branches of the trees that it is very difficult to make him out when he is +at rest. + +The male of the three-toed sloth has a longitudinal bar of very fine black +hair on his back, rather lower than the shoulder-blades; on each side of +this black bar there is a space of yellow hair, equally fine; it has the +appearance of being pressed into the body, and looks exactly as if it had +been singed. If we examine the anatomy of his fore-legs, we shall +immediately perceive by their firm and muscular texture how very capable +they are of supporting the pendent weight of his body, both in climbing and +at rest; and, instead of pronouncing them a bungled composition, as a +celebrated naturalist has done, we shall consider them as remarkably well +calculated to perform their extraordinary functions. + +As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within the tropics, where the +trees touch each other in the greatest profusion, there seems to be no +reason why he should confine himself to one tree alone for food, and +entirely strip it of its leaves. During the many years I have ranged the +forests I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity; indeed, I would +hazard a conjecture that, by the time the animal had finished the last of +the old leaves, there would be a new crop on the part of the tree he had +stripped first, ready for him to begin again, so quick is the process of +vegetation in these countries. + +There is a saying amongst the Indians that, when the wind blows, the sloth +begins to travel. In calm weather he remains tranquil, probably not liking +to cling to the brittle extremity of the branches, lest they should break +with him in passing from one tree to another; but as soon as the wind rises +the branches of the neighbouring trees become interwoven, and then the +sloth seizes hold of them and pursues his journey in safety. There is +seldom an entire day of calm in these forests. The tradewind generally sets +in about ten o'clock in the morning, and thus the sloth may set off after +breakfast, and get a considerable way before dinner. He travels at a good +round pace; and were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, +you would never think of calling him a sloth. + +Thus it would appear that the different histories we have of this quadruped +are erroneous on two accounts: first, that the writers of them, deterred by +difficulties and local annoyances, have not paid sufficient attention to +him in his native haunts; and secondly, they have described him in a +situation in which he was never intended by Nature to cut a figure: I mean +on the ground. The sloth is as much at a loss to proceed on his journey +upon a smooth and level floor as a man would be who had to walk a mile in +stilts upon a line of feather-beds. + +One day, as we were crossing the Essequibo, I saw a large two-toed sloth on +the ground upon the bank. How he had got there nobody could tell: the +Indian said he had never surprised a sloth in such a situation before. He +would hardly have come there to drink, for both above and below the place +the branches of the trees touched the water, and afforded him an easy and +safe access to it. Be this as it may, though the trees were not above +twenty yards from him, he could not make his way through the sand time +enough to escape before we landed. As soon as we got up to him he threw +himself upon his back, and defended himself in gallant style with his fore- +legs. "Come, poor fellow," said I to him, "if thou hast got into a hobble +to-day, thou shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage of thee in +misfortune; the forest is large enough both for thee and me to rove in: go +thy ways up above, and enjoy thyself in these endless wilds; it is more +than probable thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare thee +well." On saying this, I took a long stick which was lying there, held it +for him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately mora. He +ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about a minute he was almost at +the top of the tree. He now went off in a side direction, and caught hold +of the branch of a neighbouring tree; he then proceeded towards the heart +of the forest. I stood looking on, lost in amazement at his singular mode +of progress. I followed him with my eye till the intervening branches +closed in betwixt us; and then I lost sight for ever of the two-toed sloth. +I was going to add that I never saw a sloth take to his heels in such +earnest: but the expression will not do, for the sloth has no heels. + +That which naturalists have advanced of his being so tenacious of life is +perfectly true. I saw the heart of one beat for half an hour after it was +taken out of the body. The wourali poison seems to be the only thing that +will kill it quickly. On reference to a former part of these wanderings, it +will be seen that a poisoned arrow killed the sloth in about ten minutes. + +So much for this harmless, unoffending animal. He holds a conspicuous place +in the catalogue of the animals of the new world. Though naturalists have +made no mention of what follows, still it is not less true on that account. +The sloth is the only quadruped known which spends its whole life from the +branch of a tree, suspended by his feet. I have paid uncommon attention to +him in his native haunts. The monkey and squirrel will seize a branch with +their fore-feet, and pull themselves up, and rest or run upon it; but the +sloth, after seizing it, still remains suspended, and suspended moves along +under the branch, till he can lay hold of another. Whenever I have seen him +in his native woods, whether at rest or asleep or on his travels, I have +always observed that he was suspended from the branch of a tree. When his +form and anatomy are attentively considered, it will appear evident that +the sloth cannot be at ease in any situation where his body is higher, or +above, his feet. We will now take our leave of him. + +In the far-extending wilds of Guiana the traveller will be astonished at +the immense quantity of ants which he perceives on the ground and in the +trees. They have nests in the branches four or five times as large as that +of the rook; and they have a covered way from them to the ground. In this +covered way thousands are perpetually passing and repassing; and if you +destroy part of it, they turn to and immediately repair it. + +Other species of ants again have no covered way, but travel exposed to view +upon the surface of the earth. You will sometimes see a string of these +ants a mile long, each carrying in its mouth, to its nest, a green leaf the +size of a sixpence. It is wonderful to observe the order in which they +move, and with what pains and labour they surmount the obstructions of the +path. + +The ants have their enemies as well as the rest of animated nature. Amongst +the foremost of these stand the three species of ant-bears. The smallest is +not much larger than a rat; the next is nearly the size of a fox; and the +third a stout and powerful animal, measuring about six feet from the snout +to the end of the tail. He is the most inoffensive of all animals, and +never injures the property of man. He is chiefly found in the inmost +recesses of the forest, and seems partial to the low and swampy parts near +creeks, where the troely-tree grows. There he goes up and down in quest of +ants, of which there is never the least scarcity; so that he soon obtains a +sufficient supply of food with very little trouble. He cannot travel fast; +man is superior to him in speed. Without swiftness to enable him to escape +from his enemies, without teeth, the possession of which would assist him +in self-defence, and without the power of burrowing in the ground, by which +he might conceal himself from his pursuers, he still is capable of ranging +through these wilds in perfect safety; nor does he fear the fatal pressure +of the serpent's fold or the teeth of the famished jaguar. Nature has +formed his fore-legs wonderfully thick and strong and muscular, and armed +his feet with three tremendous sharp and crooked claws. Whenever he seizes +an animal with these formidable weapons he hugs it close to his body, and +keeps it there till it dies through pressure or through want of food. Nor +does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from loss of aliment, as it +is a well-known fact that he can go longer without food than, perhaps, any +other animal, except the land-tortoise. His skin is of a texture that +perfectly resists the bite of a dog; his hinder-parts are protected by +thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large enough to cover his +whole body. + +The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact with the ant-bear and, +after disabling him in the chase, never think of approaching him till he be +quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution that naturalists have +never yet given to the world a true and correct drawing of this singular +animal, or described the peculiar position of his fore-feet when he walks +or stands. If, in taking a drawing from a dead ant-bear, you judge of the +position in which he stands from that of all other terrestrial animals, the +sloth excepted, you will be in error. Examine only a figure of this animal +in books of natural history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best +museums, and you will see that the fore-claws are just in the same forward +attitude as those of a dog, or a common bear when he walks or stands. But +this is a distorted and unnatural position, and in life would be a painful +and intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. The length and curve of his +claws cannot admit of such a position. When he walks or stands his feet +have somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes entirely on the outer +side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards, the claws collected +into a point, and going under the foot. In this position he is quite at +ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to render them +harmless to him and are prevented from becoming dull and worn, like those +of the dog, which would inevitably be the case did their points come in +actual contact with the ground; for his claws have not that retractile +power which is given to animals of the feline species, by which they are +enabled to preserve the sharpness of their claws on the most flinty path. A +slight inspection of the fore-feet of the ant-bear will immediately +convince you of the mistake artists and naturalists have fallen into by +putting his fore-feet in the same position as those of other quadrupeds, +for you will perceive that the whole outer side of his foot is not only +deprived of hair, but is hard and callous: proof positive of its being in +perpetual contact with the ground. Now, on the contrary, the inner side of +the bottom of his foot is soft and rather hairy. + +There is another singularity in the anatomy of the ant-bear, I believe as +yet unnoticed in the page of natural history. He has two very large glands +situated below the root of the tongue. From these is emitted a glutinous +liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when he puts it into the +ants' nests. These glands are of the same substance as those found in the +lower jaw of the woodpecker. The secretion from them, when wet, is very +clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it loses these qualities, and you +can pulverise it betwixt your finger and thumb; so that in dissection, if +any of it has got upon the fur of the animal or the feathers of the bird, +allow it to dry there, and then it may be removed without leaving the least +stain behind. + +The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the first to begin the +attack. His motto may be "Noli me tangere." As his habits and his haunts +differ materially from those of every other animal in the forest, their +interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good old age, and die at +last in peace, were it not that his flesh is good food. On this account the +Indian wages perpetual war against him and, as he cannot escape by flight, +he falls an easy prey to the poisoned arrow shot from the Indian's bow at a +distance. If ever he be closely attacked by dogs, he immediately throws +himself on his back, and if he be fortunate enough to catch hold of his +enemy with his tremendous claws, the invader is sure to pay for his +rashness with the loss of life. + +We will now take a view of the vampire. As there was a free entrance and +exit to the vampire in the loft where I slept, I had many a fine +opportunity of paying attention to this nocturnal surgeon. He does not +always live on blood. When the moon shone bright, and the fruit of the +banana-tree was ripe, I could see him approach and eat it. He would also +bring into the loft, from the forest, a green round fruit something like +the wild guava and about the size of a nutmeg. There was something also in +the blossom of the sawarri nut-tree which was grateful to him, for on +coming up Waratilla Creek, in a moonlight night, I saw several vampires +fluttering round the top of the sawarri-tree, and every now and then the +blossoms, which they had broken off, fell into the water. They certainly +did not drop off naturally, for on examining several of them they appeared +quite fresh and blooming. So I concluded the vampires pulled them from the +tree either to get at the incipient fruit or to catch the insects which +often take up their abode in flowers. + +The vampire, in general, measures about twenty-six inches from wing to wing +extended, though I once killed one which measured thirty-two inches. He +frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; and sometimes a cluster of +them may be seen in the forest hanging head downwards from the branch of a +tree. + +Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vampire hangs in clusters; for +in the _Deserted Village_, speaking of America, he says: + + And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, + But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling. + +The vampire has a curious membrane which rises from the nose, and gives it +a very singular appearance. It has been remarked before that there are two +species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The larger sucks men +and other animals; the smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. I +learnt from a gentleman high up in the River Demerara that he was +completely unsuccessful with his fowls on account of the small vampire. He +showed me some that had been sucked the night before, and they were +scarcely able to walk. + +Some years ago I went to the River Paumaron with a Scotch gentleman, by +name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's +house. Next morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, and +now and then letting fall an imprecation or two just about the time he +ought to have been saying his morning prayers. "What is the matter, sir?" +said I softly. "Is anything amiss?" "What's the matter?" answered he +surlily; "why, the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon as +there was light enough I went to his hammock and saw it much stained with +blood. "There," said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, "see how +these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On examining his +foot I found the vampire had tapped his great toe: there was a wound +somewhat less than that made by a leech; the blood was still oozing from +it; I conjectured he might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of blood. +Whilst examining it, I think I put him into a worse humour by remarking +that a European surgeon would not have been so generous as to have blooded +him without making a charge. He looked up in my face, but did not say a +word: I saw he was of opinion that I had better have spared this piece of +ill-timed levity. + +It was not the last punishment of this good gentleman in the River +Paumaron. The next night he was doomed to undergo a kind of ordeal unknown +in Europe. There is a species of large red ant in Guiana sometimes called +ranger, sometimes coushie. These ants march in millions through the country +in compact order, like a regiment of soldiers: they eat up every insect in +their march; and if a house obstruct their route, they do not turn out of +the way, but go quite through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, +the planter is not sorry to see them in his house, for it is but a passing +visit, and they destroy every kind of insect-vermin that has taken shelter +under his roof. + +Now in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in Europe, there is +always a little temple dedicated to the goddess Cloacina. Our dinner had +chiefly consisted of crabs dressed in rich and different ways. Paumaron is +famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider them the greatest +luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a very capital dinner on crabs; but this +change of diet was productive of unpleasant circumstances: he awoke in the +night in that state in which Virgil describes Caeleno to have been, viz. +"faedissima ventris proluvies." Up he got to verify the remark: + + Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam. + +Now, unluckily for himself and the nocturnal tranquillity of the planter's +house, just at that unfortunate hour the coushie-ants were passing across +the seat of Cloacina's temple. He had never dreamed of this; and so, +turning his face to the door, he placed himself in the usual situation +which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a lighted match +dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he afterwards remarked, it could not +have caused a greater recoil. Up he jumped and forced his way out, roaring +for help and for a light, for he was worried alive by ten thousand devils. +The fact is he had sat down upon an intervening body of coushie-ants. Many +of those which escaped being crushed to death turned again, and in revenge +stung the unintentional intruder most severely. The watchman had fallen +asleep, and it was some time before a light could be procured, the fire +having gone out; in the meantime the poor gentleman was suffering an +indescribable martyrdom, and would have found himself more at home in the +Augean stable than in the planter's house. + +I had often wished to have been once sucked by the vampire in order that I +might have it in my power to say it had really happened to me. There can be +no pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep when the vampire +is sucking him; and as for the loss of a few ounces of blood, that would be +a trifle in the long run. Many a night have I slept with my foot out of the +hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, expecting that he would be there, but +it was all in vain; the vampire never sucked me, and I could never account +for his not doing so, for we were inhabitants of the same loft for months +together. + +The armadillo is very common in these forests; he burrows in the sandhills +like a rabbit. As it often takes a considerable time to dig him out of his +hole, it would be a long and laborious business to attack each hole +indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal were there or not. To +prevent disappointment the Indians carefully examine the mouth of the hole, +and put a short stick down it. Now if, on introducing the stick, a number +of mosquitos come out, the Indians know to a certainty that the armadillo +is in it: whenever there are no mosquitos in the hole there is no +armadillo. The Indian having satisfied himself that the armadillo is there +by the mosquitos which come out, he immediately cuts a long and slender +stick and introduces it into the hole. He carefully observes the line the +stick takes, and then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the end of it: this +done, he puts it farther into the hole, and digs another pit, and so on, +till at last he comes up with the armadillo, which had been making itself a +passage in the sand till it had exhausted all its strength through pure +exertion. I have been sometimes three-quarters of a day in digging out one +armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits seven feet deep before I +got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very fond of the flesh, but I +considered it strong and rank. + +On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious not to come in contact +with his feet: they are armed with sharp claws, and with them he will +inflict a severe wound in self-defence. When not molested he is very +harmless and innocent: he would put you in mind of the hare in Gay's +fables: + + Whose care was never to offend, + And every creature was her friend. + +The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not go into the water by +choice. He is very seldom seen abroad during the day; and when surprised, +he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of the armadillo is +well protected by his shell, except his ears. In life this shell is very +limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full stretch or roll himself +up into a ball, as occasion may require. + +On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you very much in mind +of a coat of armour; indeed, it is a natural coat of armour to the +armadillo, and being composed both of scale and bone it affords ample +security, and has a pleasing effect. + +Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with the land-tortoise; he +too adds another to the list of unoffending animals. He subsists on the +fallen fruits of the forest. When an enemy approaches he never thinks of +moving, but quietly draws himself under his shell and there awaits his doom +in patience. He only seems to have two enemies who can do him any damage: +one of these is the boa-constrictor--this snake swallows the tortoise +alive, shell and all. But a boa large enough to do this is very scarce, and +thus there is not much to apprehend from that quarter. The other enemy is +man, who takes up the tortoise and carries him away. Man also is scarce in +these never-ending wilds, and the little depredations he may commit upon +the tortoise will be nothing, or a mere trifle. The tiger's teeth cannot +penetrate its shell, nor can a stroke of his paws do it any damage. It is +of so compact and strong a nature that there is a common saying, a London +waggon might roll over it and not break it. + +Ere we proceed, let us take a retrospective view of the five animals just +enumerated: they are all quadrupeds, and have some very particular mark or +mode of existence different from all other animals. The sloth has four +feet, but never can use them to support his body on the earth: they want +soles, which are a marked feature in the feet of other animals. The ant- +bear has not a tooth in his head, still he roves fearless on in the same +forests with the jaguar and boa-constrictor. The vampire does not make use +of his feet to walk, but to stretch a membrane which enables him to go up +into an element where no other quadruped is seen. The armadillo has only +here and there a straggling hair, and has neither fur nor wool nor +bristles, but in lieu of them has received a movable shell on which are +scales very much like those of fishes. The tortoise is oviparous, entirely +without any appearance of hair, and is obliged to accommodate itself to a +shell which is quite hard and inflexible, and in no point of view whatever +obedient to the will or pleasure of the bearer. The egg of the tortoise has +a very hard shell, while that of the turtle is quite soft. + +In some parts of these forests I saw the vanilla growing luxuriantly. It +creeps up the trees to the height of thirty or forty feet. I found it +difficult to get a ripe pod, as the monkeys are very fond of it, and +generally took care to get there before me. The pod hangs from the tree in +the shape of a little scabbard. _Vayna_ is the Spanish for a scabbard, +and _vanilla_ for a little scabbard. Hence the name. + +In Mibiri Creek there was a cayman of the small species, measuring about +five feet in length; I saw it in the same place for months, but could never +get a shot at it, for, the moment I thought I was sure of it, it dived +under the water before I could pull the trigger. At last I got an Indian +with his bow and arrow: he stood up in the canoe with his bow ready bent, +and as we drifted past the place he sent his arrow into the cayman's eye, +and killed it dead. The skin of this little species is much harder and +stronger than that of the large kind; it is good food, and tastes like +veal. + +My friend Mr. Edmonstone had very kindly let me have one of his old +negroes, and he constantly attended me: his name was Daddy Quashi. He had a +brave stomach for heterogeneous food; it could digest and relish, too, +caymen, monkeys, hawks and grubs. The Daddy made three or four meals on +this cayman while it was not absolutely putrid, and salted the rest. I +could never get him to face a snake; the horror he betrayed on seeing one +was beyond description. I asked him why he was so terribly alarmed. He said +it was by seeing so many dogs from time to time killed by them. + +Here I had a fine opportunity of examining several species of the +caprimulgus. I am fully persuaded that these innocent little birds never +suck the herds, for when they approach them, and jump up at their udders, +it is to catch the flies and insects there. When the moon shone bright I +would frequently go and stand within three yards of a cow, and distinctly +see the caprimulgus catch the flies on its udder. On looking for them in +the forest during the day, I either found them on the ground, or else +invariably sitting _longitudinally_ on the branch of a tree, not +_crosswise_, like all other birds. + +The wasps, or maribuntas, are great plagues in these forests, and require +the naturalist to be cautious as he wanders up and down. Some make their +nests pendent from the branches; others have them fixed to the underside of +a leaf. Now, in passing on, if you happen to disturb one of these, they +sally forth and punish you severely. The largest kind is blue: it brings +blood where its sting enters, and causes pain and inflammation enough to +create a fever. The Indians make a fire under the nest, and, after killing +or driving away the old ones, they roast the young grubs in the comb and +eat them. I tried them once by way of dessert after dinner, but my stomach +was offended at their intrusion; probably it was more the idea than the +taste that caused the stomach to rebel. + +Time and experience have convinced me that there is not much danger in +roving amongst snakes and wild beasts, provided only that you have self- +command. You must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are sure to pay +for your rashness, because the idea of self-defence is predominant in every +animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from what he considers an +attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the deadly effect of his poisonous +fangs. The jaguar flies at you, and knocks you senseless with a stroke of +his paw; whereas, if you had not come upon him too suddenly, it is ten to +one but that he had retired in lieu of disputing the path with you. The +labarri-snake is very poisonous, and I have often approached within two +yards of him without fear. I took care to move very softly and gently, +without moving my arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him +without showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. He would +appear to keep his eye fixed on me as though suspicious, but that was all. +Sometimes I have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the labarri's +back. He would then glide away without offering resistance. But when I put +the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he immediately opened his mouth, +flew at it, and bit it. + +One day, wishful to see how the poison comes out of the fang of the snake, +I caught a labarri alive. He was about eight feet long. I held him by the +neck, and my hand was so near his jaw that he had not room to move his head +to bite it. This was the only position I could have held him in with safety +and effect. To do so it only required a little resolution and coolness. I +then took a small piece of stick in the other hand and pressed it against +the fang, which is invariably in the upper jaw. Towards the point of the +fang there is a little oblong aperture on the convex side of it. Through +this there is a communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a +little bag containing the poison. Now, when the point of the fang is +pressed, the root of the fang also presses against the bag, and sends up a +portion of the poison therein contained. Thus, when I applied a piece of +stick to the point of the fang, there came out of the hole a liquor thick +and yellow, like strong camomile-tea. This was the poison which is so +dreadful in its effects as to render the labarri-snake one of the most +poisonous in the forests of Guiana. I once caught a fine labarri and made +it bite itself. I forced the poisonous fang into its belly. In a few +minutes I thought it was going to die, for it appeared dull and heavy. +However, in half an hour's time he was as brisk and vigorous as ever, and +in the course of the day showed no symptoms of being affected. Is then the +life of the snake proof against its own poison? This subject is not +unworthy of the consideration of the naturalist. + +In Guiana there is a little insect in the grass and on the shrubs which the +French call bete-rouge. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour, and so minute +that you must bring your eye close to it before you can perceive it. It is +most numerous in the rainy season. Its bite causes an intolerable itching. +The best way to get rid of it is to rub the part affected with oil or rum. +You must be careful not to scratch it. If you do so, and break the skin, +you expose yourself to a sore. The first year I was in Guiana the bete- +rouge and my own want of knowledge, and, I may add, the little attention I +paid to it, created an ulcer above the ankle which annoyed me for six +months, and if I hobbled out into the grass a number of bete-rouge would +settle on the edges of the sore and increase the inflammation. + +Still more inconvenient, painful and annoying is another little pest called +the chegoe. It looks exactly like a very small flea, and a stranger would +take it for one. However, in about four and twenty hours he would have +several broad hints that he had made a mistake in his ideas of the animal. +It attacks different parts of the body, but chiefly the feet, betwixt the +toe-nails and the flesh. There it buries itself, and at first causes an +itching not unpleasant. In a day or so, after examining the part, you +perceive a place about the size of a pea, somewhat discoloured, rather of a +blue appearance. Sometimes it happens that the itching is so trivial, you +are not aware that the miner is at work. Time, they say, makes great +discoveries. The discoloured part turns out to be the nest of the chegoe, +containing hundreds of eggs, which, if allowed to hatch there, the young +ones will soon begin to form other nests, and in time cause a spreading +ulcer. As soon as you perceive that you have got the chegoe in your flesh, +you must take a needle or a sharp-pointed knife and take it out. If the +nest be formed, great care must be taken not to break it, otherwise some of +the eggs remain in the flesh, and then you will soon be annoyed with more +chegoes. After removing the nest it is well to drop spirit of turpentine +into the hole: that will most effectually destroy any chegoe that may be +lurking there. Sometimes I have taken four nests out of my feet in the +course of the day. + +Every evening, before sundown, it was part of my toilette to examine my +feet and see that they were clear of chegoes. Now and then a nest would +escape the scrutiny, and then I had to smart for it a day or two after. A +chegoe once lit upon the back of my hand; wishful to see how he worked, I +allowed him to take possession. He immediately set to work, head foremost, +and in about half an hour he had completely buried himself in the skin. I +then let him feel the point of my knife, and exterminated him. + +More than once, after sitting down upon a rotten stump, I have found myself +covered with ticks. There is a short and easy way to get quit of these +unwelcome adherents. Make a large fire and stand close to it, and if you be +covered with ticks they will all fall off. + +Let us now forget for awhile the quadrupeds, serpents and insects, and take +a transitory view of the native Indians of these forests. + +There are five principal nations or tribes of Indians in _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, commonly known by the name of Warow, Arowack, Acoway, Carib +and Macoushi. They live in small hamlets, which consist of a few huts, +never exceeding twelve in number. These huts are always in the forest, near +a river or some creek. They are open on all sides (except those of the +Macoushi), and covered with a species of palm-leaf. + +Their principal furniture is the hammock. It serves them both for chair and +bed. It is commonly made of cotton; though those of the Warows are formed +from the aeta-tree. At night they always make a fire close to it. The heat +keeps them warm, and the smoke drives away the mosquitos and sand-flies. +You sometimes find a table in the hut; but it was not made by the Indians, +but by some negro or mulatto carpenter. + +They cut down about an acre or two of the trees which surround the huts, +and there plant pepper, papaws, sweet and bitter cassava, plantains, sweet +potatoes, yams, pine-apples and silk-grass. Besides these, they generally +have a few acres in some fertile part of the forest for their cassava, +which is as bread to them. They make earthen pots to boil their provisions +in; and they get from the white men flat circular plates of iron on which +they bake their cassava. They have to grate the cassava before it is +pressed preparatory to baking; and those Indians who are too far in the +wilds to procure graters from the white men make use of a flat piece of +wood studded with sharp stones. They have no cows, horses, mules, goats, +sheep or asses. The men hunt and fish, and the women work in the provision- +ground and cook their victuals. + +In each hamlet there is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out like a +trough. In this, from their cassava, they make an abominable ill-tasted and +sour kind of fermented liquor called piwarri. They are very fond of it, and +never fail to get drunk after every brewing. The frequency of the brewing +depends upon the superabundance of cassava. + +Both men and women go without clothes. The men have a cotton wrapper, and +the women a bead-ornamented square piece of cotton about the size of your +hand for the fig-leaf. Those far away in the interior use the bark of a +tree for this purpose. They are a very clean people, and wash in the river +or creek at least twice every day. They paint themselves with the roucou, +sweetly perfumed with hayawa or accaiari. Their hair is black and lank, and +never curled. The women braid it up fancifully, something in the shape of +Diana's head-dress in ancient pictures. They have very few diseases. Old +age and pulmonary complaints seem to be the chief agents for removing them +to another world. The pulmonary complaints are generally brought on by a +severe cold, which they do not know how to arrest in its progress by the +use of the lancet. I never saw an idiot amongst them, nor could I perceive +any that were deformed from their birth. Their women never perish in +childbed, owing, no doubt, to their never wearing stays. + +They have no public religious ceremony. They acknowledge two superior +beings--a good one and a bad one. They pray to the latter not to hurt them, +and they are of opinion that the former is too good to do the man injury. I +suspect, if the truth were known, the individuals of the village never +offer up a single prayer or ejaculation. They have a kind of a priest +called a Pee-ay-man, who is an enchanter. He finds out things lost. He +mutters prayers to the evil spirit over them and their children when they +are sick. If a fever be in the village, the Pee-ay-man goes about all night +long howling and making dreadful noises, and begs the bad spirit to depart. +But he has very seldom to perform this part of his duty, as fevers seldom +visit the Indian hamlets. However, when a fever does come, and his +incantations are of no avail, which I imagine is most commonly the case, +they abandon the place for ever and make a new settlement elsewhere. They +consider the owl and the goat-sucker as familiars of the evil spirit, and +never destroy them. + +I could find no monuments or marks of antiquity amongst these Indians; so +that, after penetrating to the Rio Branco from the shores of the Western +Ocean, had anybody questioned me on this subject I should have answered, I +have seen nothing amongst these Indians which tells me that they have +existed here for a century; though, for aught I know to the contrary, they +may have been here before the Redemption, but their total want of +civilisation has assimilated them to the forests in which they wander. Thus +an aged tree falls and moulders into dust and you cannot tell what was its +appearance, its beauties, or its diseases amongst the neighbouring trees; +another has shot up in its place, and after Nature has had her course it +will make way for a successor in its turn. So it is with the Indian of +Guiana. He is now laid low in the dust; he has left no record behind him, +either on parchment or on a stone or in earthenware to say what he has +done. Perhaps the place where his buried ruins lie was unhealthy, and the +survivors have left it long ago and gone far away into the wilds. All that +you can say is, the trees where I stand appear lower and smaller than the +rest, and from this I conjecture that some Indians may have had a +settlement here formerly. Were I by chance to meet the son of the father +who moulders here, he could tell me that his father was famous for slaying +tigers and serpents and caymen, and noted in the chase of the tapir and +wild boar, but that he remembers little or nothing of his grandfather. + +They are very jealous of their liberty, and much attached to their own mode +of living. Though those in the neighbourhood of the European settlements +have constant communication with the whites, they have no inclination to +become civilised. Some Indians who have accompanied white men to Europe, on +returning to their own land have thrown off their clothes and gone back +into the forests. + +In Georgetown, the capital of Demerara, there is a large shed, open on all +sides, built for them by order of Government. Hither the Indians come with +monkeys, parrots, bows and arrows, and pegalls. They sell these to the +white men for money, and too often purchase rum with it, to which they are +wonderfully addicted. + +Government allows them annual presents in order to have their services when +the colony deems it necessary to scour the forests in quest of runaway +negroes. Formerly these expeditions were headed by Charles Edmonstone, +Esq., now of Cardross Park, near Dumbarton. This brave colonist never +returned from the woods without being victorious. Once, in an attack upon +the rebel-negroes' camp, he led the way and received two balls in his body; +at the same moment that he was wounded two of his Indians fell dead by his +side; he recovered, after his life was despaired of, but the balls could +never be extracted. + +Since the above appeared in print I have had the account of this engagement +with the negroes in the forest from Mr. Edmonstone's own mouth. + +He received four slugs in his body, as will be seen in the sequel. + +The plantations of Demerara and Essequibo are bounded by an almost +interminable extent of forest. Hither the runaway negroes repair, and form +settlements from whence they issue to annoy the colonists, as occasion may +offer. + +In 1801 the runaway slaves had increased to an alarming extent. The +Governor gave orders that an expedition should be immediately organised and +proceed to the woods under the command of Charles Edmonstone, Esq. General +Hislop sent him a corporal, a sergeant and eleven men, and he was joined by +a part of the colonial militia and by sixty Indians. With this force Mr. +Edmonstone entered the forest and proceeded in a direction towards Mahaica. + +He marched for eight days through swamps and over places obstructed by +fallen trees and the bush-rope; tormented by myriads of mosquitos, and ever +in fear of treading on the poisonous snakes which can scarcely be +distinguished from the fallen leaves. + +At last he reached a wooded sandhill, where the Maroons had entrenched +themselves in great force. Not expecting to come so soon upon them, Mr. +Edmonstone, his faithful man Coffee and two Indian chiefs found themselves +considerably ahead of their own party. As yet they were unperceived by the +enemy, but unfortunately one of the Indian chiefs fired a random shot at a +distant Maroon. Immediately the whole negro camp turned out and formed +themselves in a crescent in front of Mr. Edmonstone. Their chief was an +uncommonly fine negro, above six feet in height; and his head-dress was +that of an African warrior, ornamented with a profusion of small shells. He +advanced undauntedly with his gun in his hand, and, in insulting language, +called out to Mr. Edmonstone to come on and fight him. + +Mr. Edmonstone approached him slowly in order to give his own men time to +come up; but they were yet too far off for him to profit by this manoeuvre. +Coffee, who carried his master's gun, now stepped up behind him, and put +the gun into his hand, which Mr. Edmonstone received without advancing it +to his shoulder. + +He was now within a few yards of the Maroon chief, who seemed to betray +some symptoms of uncertainty, for, instead of firing directly at Mr. +Edmonstone, he took a step sideways, and rested his gun against a tree; no +doubt with the intention of taking a surer aim. Mr. Edmonstone, on +perceiving this, immediately cocked his gun and fired it off, still holding +it in the position in which he had received it from Coffee. The whole of +the contents entered the negro's body, and he dropped dead on his face. + +The negroes, who had formed in a crescent, now in their turn fired a +volley, which brought Mr. Edmonstone and his two Indian chiefs to the +ground. The Maroons did not stand to reload, but, on Mr. Edmonstone's party +coming up, they fled precipitately into the surrounding forest. + +Four slugs had entered Mr. Edmonstone's body. After coming to himself, on +looking around he saw one of the fallen Indian chiefs bleeding by his side. +He accosted him by name and said he hoped he was not much hurt. The dying +Indian had just strength enough to answer, "Oh no,"--and then expired. The +other chief was lying quite dead. He must have received his mortal wound +just as he was in the act of cocking his gun to fire on the negroes; for it +appeared that the ball which gave him his death-wound had carried off the +first joint of his thumb and passed through his forehead. By this time his +wife, who had accompanied the expedition, came up. She was a fine young +woman, and had her long black hair fancifully braided in a knot on the top +of her head, fastened with a silver ornament. She unloosed it, and, falling +on her husband's body, covered it with her hair, bewailing his untimely end +with the most heart-rending cries. + +The blood was now running out of Mr. Edmonstone's shoes. On being raised +up, he ordered his men to pursue the flying Maroons, requesting at the same +time that he might be left where he had fallen, as he felt that he was +mortally wounded. They gently placed him on the ground, and, after the +pursuit of the Maroons had ended, the corporal and sergeant returned to +their commander and formed their men. On his asking what this meant, the +sergeant replied, "I had the General's orders, on setting out from town, +not to leave you in the forest, happen what might." By slow and careful +marches, as much as the obstructions in the woods would admit of, the party +reached Plantation Alliance, on the bank of the Demerara, and from thence +it crossed the river to Plantation Vredestein. + +The news of the rencounter had been spread far and wide by the Indians, and +had already reached town. The General, Captains Macrai and Johnstone and +Doctor Dunkin proceeded to Vredestein. On examining Mr. Edmonstone's +wounds, four slugs were found to have entered the body: one was extracted, +the rest remained there till the year 1824, when another was cut out by a +professional gentleman of Port Glasgow. The other two still remain in the +body; and it is supposed that either one or both have touched a nerve, as +they cause almost continual pain. Mr. Edmonstone has commanded fifteen +different expeditions in the forest in quest of the Maroons. The Colonial +Government has requited his services by freeing his property from all taxes +and presenting him a handsome sword and a silver urn, bearing the following +inscription: + + Presented to CHARLES EDMONSTONE, Esq., by the Governor + and Court of Policy of the Colony of Demerara, as a token of + their esteem and the deep sense they entertain of the very great + activity and spirit manifested by him, on various occasions, in + his successful exertions for the internal security of the Colony. + --_January 1st, 1809_. + +I do not believe that there is a single Indian in _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana who can read or write, nor am I aware that any white man has reduced +their language to the rules of grammar; some may have made a short +manuscript vocabulary of the few necessary words, but that is all. Here and +there a white man, and some few people of colour, talk the language well. +The temper of the Indian of Guiana is mild and gentle, and he is very fond +of his children. + +Some ignorant travellers and colonists call these Indians a lazy race. Man +in general will not be active without an object. Now when the Indian has +caught plenty of fish, and killed game enough to last him for a week, what +need has he to range the forest? He has no idea of making pleasure-grounds. +Money is of no use to him, for in these wilds there are no markets for him +to frequent, nor milliners' shops for his wife and daughters; he has no +taxes to pay, no highways to keep up, no poor to maintain, nor army nor +navy to supply; he lies in his hammock both night and day (for he has no +chair or bed, neither does he want them), and in it he forms his bow and +makes his arrows and repairs his fishing-tackle. But as soon as he has +consumed his provisions, he then rouses himself and, like the lion, scours +the forest in quest of food. He plunges into the river after the deer and +tapir, and swims across it; passes through swamps and quagmires, and never +fails to obtain a sufficient supply of food. Should the approach of night +stop his career while he is hunting the wild boar, he stops for the night +and continues the chase the next morning. In my way through the wilds to +the Portuguese frontier I had a proof of this: we were eight in number, six +Indians, a negro and myself. About ten o'clock in the morning we observed +the feet-mark of the wild boars; we judged by the freshness of the marks +that they had passed that way early the same morning. As we were not +gifted, like the hound, with scent, and as we had no dog with us, we +followed their track by the eye. The Indian after game is as sure with his +eye as the dog is with his nose. We followed the herd till three in the +afternoon, then gave up the chase for the present, made our fires close to +a creek where there was plenty of fish, and then arranged the hammocks. In +an hour the Indians shot more fish with their arrows than we could consume. +The night was beautifully serene and clear, and the moon shone as bright as +day. Next morn we rose at dawn, got breakfast, packed up, each took his +burden, and then we put ourselves on the track of the wild boars which we +had been following the day before. We supposed that they too would sleep +that night in the forest, as we had done; and thus the delay on our part +would be no disadvantage to us. This was just the case, for about nine +o'clock their feet-marks became fresher and fresher: we now doubled, our +pace, but did not give mouth like hounds. We pushed on in silence, and soon +came up with them: there were above one hundred of them. We killed six and +the rest took off in different directions. But to the point. + +Amongst us the needy man works from light to dark for a maintenance. Should +this man chance to acquire a fortune, he soon changes his habits. No longer +under "strong necessity's supreme command," he contrives to get out of bed +betwixt nine and ten in the morning. His servant helps him to dress, he +walks on a soft carpet to his breakfast-table, his wife pours out his tea, +and his servant hands him his toast. After breakfast the doctor advises a +little gentle exercise in the carriage for an hour or so. At dinner-time he +sits down to a table groaning beneath the weight of heterogeneous luxury: +there he rests upon a chair for three or four hours, eats, drinks and talks +(often unmeaningly) till tea is announced. He proceeds slowly to the +drawing-room, and there spends best part of his time in sitting, till his +wife tempts him with something warm for supper. After supper he still +remains on his chair at rest till he retires to rest for the night. He +mounts leisurely upstairs upon a carpet, and enters his bedroom: there, one +would hope that at least he mutters a prayer or two, though perhaps not on +bended knee. He then lets himself drop in to a soft and downy bed, over +which has just passed the comely Jenny's warming-pan. Now, could the Indian +in his turn see this, he would call the white men a lazy, indolent set. + +Perhaps, then, upon due reflection you would draw this conclusion: that men +will always be indolent where there is no object to rouse them. + +As the Indian of Guiana has no idea whatever of communicating his +intentions by writing, he has fallen upon a plan of communication sure and +simple. When two or three families have determined to come down the river +and pay you a visit, they send an Indian beforehand with a string of beads. +You take one bead off every day, and on the day that the string is beadless +they arrive at your house. + +In finding their way through these pathless wilds the sun is to them what +Ariadne's clue was to Theseus. When he is on the meridian they generally +sit down, and rove onwards again as soon as he has sufficiently declined to +the west; they require no other compass. When in chase, they break a twig +on the bushes as they pass by, every three or four hundred paces, and this +often prevents them from losing their way on their return. + +You will not be long in the forests of Guiana before you perceive how very +thinly they are inhabited. You may wander for a week together without +seeing a hut. The wild beasts, snakes, the swamps, the trees, the uncurbed +luxuriance of everything around you conspire to inform you that man has no +habitation here--man has seldom passed this way. + +Let us now return to natural history. There was a person making shingles +with twenty or thirty negroes not far from Mibiri Hill. I had offered a +reward to any of them who would find a good-sized snake in the forest and +come and let me know where it was. Often had these negroes looked for a +large snake, and as often been disappointed. + +One Sunday morning I met one of them in the forest, and asked him which way +he was going: he said he was going towards Waratilla Creek to hunt an +armadillo; and he had his little dog with him. On coming back, about noon, +the dog began to bark at the root of a large tree which had been upset by +the whirlwind and was lying there in a gradual state of decay. The negro +said he thought his dog was barking at an acouri which had probably taken +refuge under the tree, and he went up with an intention to kill it; he +there saw a snake, and hastened back to inform me of it. + +The sun had just passed the meridian in a cloudless sky; there was scarcely +a bird to be seen, for the winged inhabitants of the forest, as though +overcome by heat, had retired to the thickest shade: all would have been +like midnight silence were it not for the shrill voice of the pi-pi-yo, +every now and then resounded from a distant tree. I was sitting with a +little Horace in my hand, on what had once been the steps which formerly +led up to the now mouldering and dismantled building. The negro and his +little dog came down the hill in haste, and I was soon informed that a +snake had been discovered; but it was a young one, called the bush-master, +a rare and poisonous snake. + +I instantly rose up, and laying hold of the eight-foot lance which was +close by me, "Well, then, Daddy," said I, "we'll go and have a look at the +snake." I was barefoot, with an old hat, and check shirt, and trousers on, +and a pair of braces to keep them up. The negro had his cutlass, and as we +ascended the hill another negro, armed with a cutlass, joined us, judging +from our pace that there was something to do. The little dog came along +with us, and when we had got about half a mile in the forest the negro +stopped and pointed to the fallen tree: all was still and silent. I told +the negroes not to stir from the place where they were, and keep the little +dog in, and that I would go in and reconnoitre. + +I advanced up to the place slow and cautious. The snake was well concealed, +but at last I made him out; it was a coulacanara, not poisonous, but large +enough to have crushed any of us to death. On measuring him afterwards he +was something more than fourteen feet long. This species of snake is very +rare, and much thicker in proportion to his length than any other snake in +the forest. A coulacanara of fourteen feet in length is as thick as a +common boa of twenty-four. After skinning this snake I could easily get my +head into his mouth, as the singular formation of the jaws admits of +wonderful extension. + +A Dutch friend of mine, by name Brouwer, killed a boa twenty-two feet long +with a pair of stag's horns in his mouth. He had swallowed the stag, but +could not get the horns down; so he had to wait in patience with that +uncomfortable mouthful till his stomach digested the body, and then the +horns would drop out. In this plight the Dutchman found him as he was going +in his canoe up the river, and sent a ball through his head. + +On ascertaining the size of the serpent which the negro had just found, I +retired slowly the way I came, and promised four dollars to the negro who +had shown it to me, and one to the other who had joined us. Aware that the +day was on the decline, and that the approach of night would be detrimental +to the dissection, a thought struck me that I could take him alive. I +imagined if I could strike him with the lance behind the head, and pin him +to the ground, I might succeed in capturing him. When I told this to the +negroes they begged and entreated me to let them go for a gun and bring +more force, as they were sure the snake would kill some of us. + +I had been at the siege of Troy for nine years, and it would not do now to +carry back to Greece "nil decimo nisi dedecus anno." I mean I had been in +search of a large serpent for years, and now having come up with one it did +not become me to turn soft. So, taking a cutlass from one of the negroes, +and then ranging both the sable slaves behind me, I told them to follow me, +and that I would cut them down if they offered to fly. I smiled as I said +this, but they shook their heads in silence and seemed to have but a bad +heart of it. + +When we got up to the place the serpent had not stirred, but I could see +nothing of his head, and I judged by the folds of his body that it must be +at the farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had formed a +complete mantle over the branches of the fallen tree, almost impervious to +the rain or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted to this +sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an ancient +settlement. + +I now took my knife, determining to cut away the woodbine and break the +twigs in the gentlest manner possible, till I could get a view of his head. +One negro stood guard close behind me with the lance; and near him the +other with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the first negro +was on the ground close by me in case of need. + +After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, with one knee all +the time on the ground, I had cleared away enough to see his head. It +appeared coming out betwixt the first and second coil of his body, and was +flat on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to be in. + +I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a sign to the negroes +to do the same. The dog was sitting at a distance in mute observance. I +could now read in the face of the negroes that they considered this as a +very unpleasant affair; and they made another attempt to persuade me to let +them go for a gun. I smiled in a good-natured manner, and made a feint to +cut them down with the weapon I had in my hand. This was all the answer I +made to their request, and they looked very uneasy. + +It must be observed we were now about twenty yards from the snake's den. I +now ranged the negroes behind me, and told him who stood next to me to lay +hold of the lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the other must +attend my movements. It now only remained to take their cutlasses from +them, for I was sure if I did not disarm them they would be tempted to +strike the snake in time of danger, and thus for ever spoil his skin. On +taking their cutlasses from them, if I might judge from their physiognomy, +they seemed to consider it as a most intolerable act of tyranny in me. +Probably nothing kept them from bolting but the consolation that I was to +be betwixt them and the snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite of all I +could do, beat quicker than usual; and I felt those sensations which one +has on board a merchant-vessel in war-time, when the captain orders all +hands on deck to prepare for action, while a strange vessel is coming down +upon us under suspicious colours. + +We went slowly on in silence without moving our arms or heads, in order to +prevent all alarm as much as possible, lest the snake should glide off or +attack us in self-defence. I carried the lance perpendicularly before me, +with the point about a foot from the ground. The snake had not moved; and +on getting up to him I struck him with the lance on the near-side, just +behind the neck, and pinned him to the ground. That moment the negro next +to me seized the lance and held it firm in its place, while I dashed head +foremost into the den to grapple with the snake and to get hold of his tail +before he could do any mischief. + +On pinning him to the ground with the lance he gave a tremendous loud hiss, +and the little dog ran away, howling as he went. We had a sharp fray in the +den, the rotten sticks flying on all sides, and each party struggling for +superiority. I called out to the second negro to throw himself upon me, as +I found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and the additional weight was of +great service. I had now got firm hold of his tail; and after a violent +struggle or two he gave in, finding himself overpowered. This was the +moment to secure him. So while the first negro continued to hold the lance +firm to the ground, and the other was helping me, I contrived to unloose my +braces and with them tied up the snake's mouth. + +The snake, now finding himself in an unpleasant situation, tried to better +himself, and set resolutely to work, but we overpowered him. We contrived +to make him twist himself round the shaft of the lance, and then prepared +to convey him out of the forest. I stood at his head and held it firm under +my arm, one negro supported the belly and the other the tail. In this order +we began to move slowly towards home, and reached it after resting ten +times: for the snake was too heavy for us to support him without stopping +to recruit our strength. As we proceeded onwards with him he fought hard +for freedom, but it was all in vain. The day was now too far spent to think +of dissecting him. Had I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have +taken place before morning. I had brought with me up into the forest a +strong bag large enough to contain any animal that I should want to +dissect. I considered this the best mode of keeping live wild animals when +I was pressed for daylight; for the bag yielding in every direction to +their efforts, they would have nothing solid or fixed to work on, and thus +would be prevented from making a hole through it. I say fixed, for after +the mouth of the bag was closed the bag itself was not fastened or tied to +anything, but moved about wherever the animal inside caused it to roll. +After securing afresh the mouth of the coulacanara, so that he could not +open it, he was forced into this bag and left to his fate till morning. + +I cannot say he allowed me to have a quiet night. My hammock was in the +loft just above him, and the floor betwixt us half gone to decay, so that +in parts of it no boards intervened betwixt his lodging-room and mine. He +was very restless and fretful; and had Medusa been my wife, there could not +have been more continued and disagreeable hissing in the bed-chamber that +night. At daybreak I sent to borrow ten of the negroes who were cutting +wood at a distance; I could have done with half that number, but judged it +most prudent to have a good force, in case he should try to escape from the +house when we opened the bag. However, nothing serious occurred. + +We untied the mouth of the bag, kept him down by main force, and then I cut +his throat. He bled like an ox. By six o'clock the same evening he was +completely dissected. On examining his teeth I observed that they were all +bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat, and not so large or +strong as I expected to have found them; but they are exactly suited to +what they are intended by Nature to perform. The snake does not masticate +his food, and thus the only service his teeth have to perform is to seize +his prey and hold it till he swallows it whole. + +In general, the skins of snakes are sent to museums without the head: for +when the Indians and negroes kill a snake they seldom fail to cut off the +head, and then they run no risk from its teeth. When the skin is stuffed in +the museum a wooden head is substituted, armed with teeth which are large +enough to suit a tiger's jaw; and this tends to mislead the spectator and +give him erroneous ideas. + +During this fray with the serpent the old negro, Daddy Quashi, was in +Georgetown procuring provisions, and just returned in time to help to take +the skin off. He had spent best part of his life in the forest with his old +master, Mr. Edmonstone, and amused me much in recounting their many +adventures amongst the wild beasts. The Daddy had a particular horror of +snakes, and frankly declared he could never have faced the one in question. + +The week following his courage was put to the test, and he made good his +words. It was a curious conflict, and took place near the spot where I had +captured the large snake. In the morning I had been following a new species +of paroquet, and, the day being rainy, I had taken an umbrella to keep the +gun dry, and had left it under a tree; in the afternoon I took Daddy Quashi +with me to look for it. Whilst he was searching about, curiosity took me +towards the place of the late scene of action. There was a path where +timber had formerly been dragged along. Here I observed a young +coulacanara, ten feet long, slowly moving onwards. I saw he was not thick +enough to break my arm, in case he got twisted round it. There was not a +moment to be lost. I laid hold of his tail with the left hand, one knee +being on the ground; with the right I took off my hat, and held it as you +would hold a shield for defence. + +The snake instantly turned and came on at me, with his head about a yard +from the ground, as if to ask me what business I had to take liberties with +his tail. I let him come, hissing and open-mouthed, within two feet of my +face, and then with all the force I was master of I drove my fist, shielded +by my hat, full in his jaws. He was stunned and confounded by the blow, and +ere he could recover himself I had seized his throat with both hands in +such a position that he could not bite me. I then allowed him to coil +himself round my body, and marched off with him as my lawful prize. He +pressed me hard, but not alarmingly so. + +In the meantime Daddy Quashi, having found the umbrella and having heard +the noise which the fray occasioned, was coming cautiously up. As soon as +he saw me and in what company I was, he turned about and ran off home, I +after him, and shouting to increase his fear. On scolding him for his +cowardice, the old rogue begged that I would forgive him, for that the +sight of the snake had positively turned him sick at stomach. + +When I had done with the carcass of the large snake it was conveyed into +the forest, as I expected that it would attract the king of the vultures as +soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. In a few days it +sent forth that odour which a carcass should send forth, and about twenty +of the common vultures came and perched on the neighbouring trees. The king +of the vultures came, too; and I observed that none of the common ones +seemed inclined to begin breakfast till his majesty had finished. When he +had consumed as much snake as Nature informed him would do him good, he +retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common vultures +fell to and made a hearty meal. + +The head and neck of the king of the vultures are bare of feathers; but the +beautiful appearance they exhibit fades in death. The throat and the back +of the neck are of a fine lemon colour; both sides of the neck, from the +ears downwards, of a rich scarlet; behind the corrugated part there is a +white spot. The crown of the head is scarlet; betwixt the lower mandible +and the eye and close by the ear there is a part which has a fine silvery- +blue appearance; the corrugated part is of a dirty light brown; behind it +and just above the white spot a portion of the skin is blue, and the rest +scarlet; the skin which juts out behind the neck, and appears like an +oblong caruncle, is blue in part and part orange. + +The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and the +cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white. Below the bare part +of the neck there is a cinereous ruff. The bag of the stomach, which is +only seen when distended with food, is of a most delicate white, +intersected with blue veins, which appear on it just like the blue veins on +the arm of a fair-complexioned person. The tail and long wing-feathers are +black, the belly white, and the rest of the body a fine satin colour. + +I cannot be persuaded that the vultures ever feed upon live animals, not +even upon lizards, rats, mice or frogs. I have watched them for hours +together, but never could see them touch any living animals, though +innumerable lizards, frogs and small birds swarmed all around them. I have +killed lizards and frogs, and put them in a proper place for observation; +as soon as they began to stink the aura vulture invariably came and took +them off. I have frequently observed that the day after the planter had +burnt the trash in a cane-field the aura vulture was sure to be there, +feeding on the snakes, lizards and frogs which had suffered in the +conflagration. I often saw a large bird (very much like the common +gregarious vulture, at a distance) catch and devour lizards; after shooting +one it turned out to be not a vulture but a hawk, with a tail squarer and +shorter than hawks have in general. The vultures, like the goat-sucker and +woodpecker, seem to be in disgrace with man. They are generally termed a +voracious, stinking, cruel and ignoble tribe. Under these impressions the +fowler discharges his gun at them, and probably thinks he has done well in +ridding the earth of such vermin. + +Some Governments impose a fine on him who kills a vulture. This is a +salutary law, and it were to be wished that other Governments would follow +so good an example. I would fain here say a word or two in favour of this +valuable scavenger. + +Kind Providence has conferred a blessing on hot countries in giving them +the vulture; He has ordered it to consume that which, if left to dissolve +in putrefaction, would infect the air and produce a pestilence. When full +of food the vulture certainly appears an indolent bird; he will stand for +hours together on the branch of a tree, or on the top of a house, with his +wings drooping, and, after rain, with them spread and elevated to catch the +rays of the sun. It has been remarked by naturalists that the flight of +this bird is laborious. I have paid attention to the vulture in Andalusia +and to those in Guiana, Brazil, and the West Indies, and conclude that they +are birds of long, even and lofty flight. Indeed, whoever has observed the +aura vulture will be satisfied that his flight is wonderfully majestic and +of long continuance. + +This bird is above five feet from wing to wing extended. You will see it +soaring aloft in the aerial expanse on pinions which never flutter, and +which at the same time carry him through the fields of ether with a +rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. In Paramaribo the laws protect +the vulture, and the Spaniards of Angustura never think of molesting him. +In 1808 I saw the vultures in that city as tame as domestic fowls; a person +who had never seen a vulture would have taken them for turkeys. They were +very useful to the Spaniards. Had it not been for them, the refuse of the +slaughter-houses in Angustura would have caused an intolerable nuisance. + +The common black, short, square-tailed vulture is gregarious, but the aura +vulture is not so; for though you may see fifteen or twenty of them feeding +on the dead vermin in a cane-field, after the trash has been set fire to, +still, if you have paid attention to their arrival, you will have observed +that they came singly and retired singly; and thus their being altogether +in the same field was merely accidental and caused by each one smelling the +effluvia as he was soaring through the sky to look out for food. I have +watched twenty come into a cane-field; they arrived one by one, and from +different parts of the heavens. Hence we may conclude that, though the +other species of vulture are gregarious, the aura vulture is not. + +If you dissect a vulture that has just been feeding on carrion, you must +expect that your olfactory nerves will be somewhat offended with the rank +effluvia from his craw; just as they would be were you to dissect a citizen +after the Lord Mayor's dinner. If, on the contrary, the vulture be empty at +the time you commence the operation, there will be no offensive smell, but +a strong scent of musk. + +I had long wished to examine the native haunts of the cayman, but as the +River Demerara did not afford a specimen of the large kind, I was obliged +to go to the River Essequibo to look for one. + +I got the canoe ready, and went down in it to Georgetown, where, having put +in the necessary articles for the expedition, not forgetting a couple of +large shark-hooks with chains attached to them, and a coil of strong new +rope, I hoisted a little sail which I had got made on purpose, and at six +o'clock in the morning shaped our course for the River Essequibo. I had put +a pair of shoes on to prevent the tar at the bottom of the canoe from +sticking to my feet. The sun was flaming hot, and from eleven o'clock till +two beat perpendicularly upon the top of my feet, betwixt the shoes and the +trousers. Not feeling it disagreeable, or being in the least aware of +painful consequences, as I had been barefoot for months, I neglected to put +on a pair of short stockings which I had with me. I did not reflect that +sitting still in one place, with your feet exposed to the sun, was very +different from being exposed to the sun while in motion. + +We went ashore in the Essequibo about three o'clock in the afternoon, to +choose a place for the night's residence, to collect firewood, and to set +the fish-hooks. It was then that I first began to find my legs very +painful: they soon became much inflamed and red and blistered; and it +required considerable caution not to burst the blisters, otherwise sores +would have ensued. I immediately got into the hammock, and there passed a +painful and sleepless night, and for two days after I was disabled from +walking. + +About midnight, as I was lying awake and in great pain, I heard the Indian +say, "Massa, massa, you no hear tiger?" I listened attentively, and heard +the softly sounding tread of his feet as he approached us. The moon had +gone down, but every now and then we could get a glance of him by the light +of our fire. He was the jaguar, for I could see the spots on his body. Had +I wished to have fired at him I was not able to take a sure aim, for I was +in such pain that I could not turn myself in my hammock. The Indian would +have fired, but I would not allow him to do so, as I wanted to see a little +more of our new visitor, for it is not every day or night that the +traveller is favoured with an undisturbed sight of the jaguar in his own +forests. + +Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little nearer, and when the +Indian renewed it he retired abruptly. Sometimes he would come within +twenty yards, and then we had a view of him sitting on his hind-legs like a +dog; sometimes he moved slowly to and fro, and at other times we could hear +him mend his pace, as if impatient. At last the Indian, not relishing the +idea of having such company in the neighbourhood, could contain himself no +longer, and set up a most tremendous yell. The jaguar bounded off like a +racehorse, and returned no more. It appeared by the print of his feet the +next morning that he was a full-grown jaguar. + +In two days after this we got to the first falls in the Essequibo. There +was a superb barrier of rocks quite across the river. In the rainy season +these rocks are for the most part under water, but it being now dry weather +we had a fine view of them, while the water from the river above them +rushed through the different openings in majestic grandeur. Here, on a +little hill jutting out into the river, stands the house of Mrs. Peterson, +the last house of people of colour up this river. I hired a negro from her +and a coloured man who pretended that they knew the haunts of the cayman +and understood everything about taking him. We were a day in passing these +falls and rapids, celebrated for the pacou, the richest and most delicious +fish in Guiana. The coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the +head of the canoe, and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were +swimming in the stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had +plunged headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling +with it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he +aimed at. + +Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here give +thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that not being +the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and well-intended attempt. + +Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each side +of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all covered +with trees of gigantic height and size. Here their leaves were of a lively +purple, and there of the deepest green. Sometimes the caracara extended its +scarlet blossoms from branch to branch, and gave the tree the appearance as +though it had been hung with garlands. + +This delightful scenery of the Essequibo made the soul overflow with joy, +and caused you to rove in fancy through fairyland; till, on turning an +angle of the river, you were recalled to more sober reflections on seeing +the once grand and towering mora now dead and ragged in its topmost +branches, while its aged trunk, undermined by the rushing torrent, hung as +though in sorrow over the river, which ere long would receive it and sweep +it away for ever. + +During the day the trade-wind blew a gentle and refreshing breeze, which +died away as the night set in, and then the river was as smooth as glass. + +The moon was within three days of being full, so that we did not regret the +loss of the sun, which set in all its splendour. Scarce had he sunk behind +the western hills when the goat-suckers sent forth their soft and plaintive +cries; some often repeating, "Who are you--who, who, who are you?" and +others "Willy, willy, willy come go." + +The Indian and Daddy Quashi often shook their head at this, and said they +were bringing talk from Yabahou, who is the Evil Spirit of the Essequibo. +It was delightful to sit on the branch of a fallen tree near the water's +edge and listen to these harmless birds as they repeated their evening +song; and watch the owls and vampires as they every now and then passed up +and down the river. + +The next day, about noon, as we were proceeding onwards, we heard the +campanero tolling in the depth of the forest. Though I should not then have +stopped to dissect even a rare bird, having a greater object in view, still +I could not resist the opportunity offered of acquiring the campanero. The +place where he was tolling was low and swampy, and my legs not having quite +recovered from the effects of the sun, I sent the Indian to shoot the +campanero. He got up to the tree, which he described as very high, with a +naked top, and situated in a swamp. He fired at the bird, but either missed +it or did not wound it sufficiently to bring it down. This was the only +opportunity I had of getting a campanero during this expedition. We had +never heard one toll before this morning, and never heard one after. + +About an hour before sunset we reached the place which the two men who had +joined us at the falls pointed out as a proper one to find a cayman. There +was a large creek close by and a sandbank gently sloping to the water. Just +within the forest, on this bank, we cleared a place of brushwood, suspended +the hammocks from the trees, and then picked up enough of decayed wood for +fuel. + +The Indian found a large land-tortoise, and this, with plenty of fresh fish +which we had in the canoe, afforded a supper not to be despised. + +The tigers had kept up a continual roaring every night since we had entered +the Essequibo. The sound was awfully fine. Sometimes it was in the +immediate neighbourhood; at other times it was far off, and echoed amongst +the hills like distant thunder. + +It may, perhaps, not be amiss to observe here that when the word tiger is +used it does not mean the Bengal tiger. It means the jaguar, whose skin is +beautifully spotted, and not striped like that of the tiger in the East. It +is, in fact, the tiger of the new world, and receiving the name of tiger +from the discoverers of South America it has kept it ever since. It is a +cruel, strong and dangerous beast, but not so courageous as the Bengal +tiger. + +We now baited a shark-hook with a large fish, and put it upon a board about +a yard long and one foot broad which we had brought on purpose. This board +was carried out in the canoe, about forty yards into the river. By means of +a string long enough to reach the bottom of the river, and at the end of +which string was fastened a stone, the board was kept, as it were, at +anchor. One end of the new rope I had bought in town was reeved through the +chain of the shark-hook and the other end fastened to a tree on the +sandbank. + +It was now an hour after sunset. The sky was cloudless, and the moon shone +beautifully bright. There was not a breath of wind in the heavens, and the +river seemed like a large plain of quicksilver. Every now and then a huge +fish would strike and plunge in the water; then the owls and goat-suckers +would continue their lamentations, and the sound of these was lost in the +prowling tiger's growl. Then all was still again and silent as midnight. + +The caymen were now upon the stir, and at intervals their noise could be +distinguished amid that of the jaguar, the owls, the goat-suckers and +frogs. It was a singular and awful sound. It was like a suppressed sigh +bursting forth all of a sudden, and so loud that you might hear it above a +mile off. First one emitted this horrible noise, and then another answered +him; and on looking at the countenances of the people round me I could +plainly see that they expected to have a cayman that night. + +We were at supper when the Indian, who seemed to have had one eye on the +turtle-pot and the other on the bait in the river, said he saw the cayman +coming. Upon looking towards the place there appeared something on the +water like a black log of wood. It was so unlike anything alive that I +doubted if it were a cayman; but the Indian smiled and said he was sure it +was one, for he remembered seeing a cayman some years ago when he was in +the Essequibo. + +At last it gradually approached the bait, and the board began to move. The +moon shone so bright that we could distinctly see him open his huge jaws +and take in the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop the bait; +and then we saw his black head retreating from the board to the distance of +a few yards; and there it remained quite motionless. + +He did not seem inclined to advance again; and so we finished our supper. +In about an hour's time he again put himself in motion, and took hold of +the bait. But probably suspecting that he had to deal with knaves and +cheats, he held it in his mouth but did not swallow it. We pulled the rope +again, but with no better success than the first time. + +He retreated as usual, and came back again in about an hour. We paid him +every attention till three o'clock in the morning, when, worn out with +disappointment, we went to the hammocks, turned in and fell asleep. + +When day broke we found that he had contrived to get the bait from the +hook, though we had tied it on with string. We had now no more hopes of +taking a cayman till the return of night. The Indian took off into the +woods and brought back a noble supply of game. The rest of us went into the +canoe and proceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more than we +could use. + +As we approached the shallows we could see the large sting-rays moving at +the bottom. The coloured man never failed to hit them with his arrow. The +weather was delightful. There was scarcely a cloud to intercept the sun's +rays. + +I saw several scarlet aras, anhingas and ducks, but could not get a shot at +them. The parrots crossed the river in innumerable quantities, always +flying in pairs. Here, too, I saw the sun-bird, called tirana by the +Spaniards in the Oroonoque, and shot one of them. The black and white +scarlet-headed finch was very common here. I could never see this bird in +the Demerara, nor hear of its being there. + +We at last came to a large sandbank, probably two miles in circumference. +As we approached it we could see two or three hundred fresh-water turtle on +the edge of the bank. Ere we could get near enough to let fly an arrow at +them they had all sunk into the river and appeared no more. + +We went on the sandbank to look for their nests, as this was the breeding- +season. The coloured man showed us how to find them. Wherever a portion of +the sand seemed smoother than the rest there was sure to be a turtle's +nest. On digging down with our hands about nine inches deep we found from +twenty to thirty white eggs; in less than an hour we got above two hundred. +Those which had a little black spot or two on the shell we ate the same +day, as it was a sign that they were not fresh, and of course would not +keep; those which had no speck were put into dry sand, and were good some +weeks after. + +At midnight two of our people went to this sandbank while the rest stayed +to watch the cayman. The turtle had advanced on to the sand to lay their +eggs, and the men got betwixt them and the water; they brought off half a +dozen very fine and well-fed turtle. The eggshell of the fresh-water turtle +is not hard like that of the land-tortoise, but appears like white +parchment, and gives way to the pressure of the fingers; but it is very +tough, and does not break. On this sandbank, close to the forest, we found +several guana's nests; but they had never more than fourteen eggs apiece. +Thus passed the day in exercise and knowledge, till the sun's declining orb +reminded us it was time to return to the place from whence we had set out. + +The second night's attempt upon the cayman was a repetition of the first, +quite unsuccessful. We went a-fishing the day after, had excellent sport, +and returned to experience a third night's disappointment. On the fourth +evening, about four o'clock, we began to erect a stage amongst the trees +close to the water's edge. From this we intended to shoot an arrow into the +cayman: at the end of this arrow was to be attached a string which would be +tied to the rope, and as soon as the cayman was struck we were to have the +canoe ready and pursue him in the river. + +While we were busy in preparing the stage a tiger began to roar. We judged +by the sound that he was not above a quarter of a mile from us, and that he +was close to the side of the river. Unfortunately the Indian said it was +not a jaguar that was roaring, but a couguar. The couguar is of a pale, +brownish-red colour, and not as large as the jaguar. As there was nothing +particular in this animal I thought it better to attend to the apparatus +for catching the cayman than to go in quest of the couguar. The people, +however, went in the canoe to the place where the couguar was roaring. On +arriving near the spot they saw it was not a couguar, but an immense +jaguar, standing on the trunk of an aged mora-tree which bended over the +river; he growled and showed his teeth as they approached; the coloured man +fired at him with a ball, but probably missed him, and the tiger instantly +descended and took off into the woods. I went to the place before dark, and +we searched the forest for about half a mile in the direction he had fled, +but we could see no traces of him or any marks of blood; so I concluded +that fear had prevented the man from taking steady aim. + +We spent best part of the fourth night in trying for the cayman, but all to +no purpose. I was now convinced that something was materially wrong. We +ought to have been successful, considering our vigilance and attention, and +that we had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless to tarry here any +longer; moreover, the coloured man began to take airs, and fancied that I +could not do without him. I never admit of this in any expedition where I +am commander; and so I convinced the man, to his sorrow, that I could do +without him, for I paid him what I had agreed to give him, which amounted +to eight dollars, and ordered him back in his own curial to Mrs. +Peterson's, on the hill at the first falls. I then asked the negro if there +were any Indian settlements in the neighbourhood; he said he knew of one, a +day and a half off. We went in quest of it, and about one o'clock the next +day the negro showed us the creek where it was. + +The entrance was so concealed by thick bushes that a stranger would have +passed it without knowing it to be a creek. In going up it we found it +dark, winding, and intricate beyond any creek that I had ever seen before. +When Orpheus came back with his young wife from Styx his path must have +been similar to this, for Ovid says it was + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca, + +and this creek was exactly so. + +When we had got about two-thirds up it we met the Indians going a-fishing. +I saw by the way their things were packed in the curial that they did not +intend to return for some days. However, on telling them what we wanted, +and by promising handsome presents of powder, shot and hooks, they dropped +their expedition and invited us up to the settlement they had just left, +and where we laid in a provision of cassava. + +They gave us for dinner boiled ant-bear and red monkey: two dishes unknown +even at Beauvilliers in Paris or at a London city feast. The monkey was +very good indeed, but the ant-bear had been kept beyond its time: it stunk +as our venison does in England; and so, after tasting it, I preferred +dining entirely on monkey. After resting here we went back to the river. +The Indians, three in number, accompanied us in their own curial, and, on +entering the river, pointed to a place a little way above well calculated +to harbour a cayman. The water was deep and still, and flanked by an +immense sandbank; there was also a little shallow creek close by. + +On this sandbank, near the forest, the people made a shelter for the night. +My own was already made, for I always take with me a painted sheet about +twelve feet by ten. This thrown over a pole, supported betwixt two trees, +makes you a capital roof with very little trouble. + +We showed one of the Indians the shark-hook. He shook his head and laughed +at it, and said it would not do. When he was a boy he had seen his father +catch the caymen, and on the morrow he would make something that would +answer. + +In the meantime we set the shark-hook, but it availed us naught: a cayman +came and took it, but would not swallow it. + +Seeing it was useless to attend the shark-hook any longer, we left it for +the night and returned to our hammocks. + +Ere I fell asleep a reflection or two broke in upon me. I considered that +as far as the judgment of civilised man went, everything had been procured +and done to ensure success. We had hooks and lines and baits and patience; +we had spent nights in watching, had seen the cayman come and take the +bait, and after our expectations had been wound up to the highest pitch all +ended in disappointment. Probably this poor wild man of the woods would +succeed by means of a very simple process, and thus prove to his more +civilised brother that, notwithstanding books and schools, there is a vast +deal of knowledge to be picked up at every step, whichever way we turn +ourselves. + +In the morning, as usual, we found the bait gone from the shark-hook. The +Indians went into the forest to hunt, and we took the canoe to shoot fish +and get another supply of turtle's eggs, which we found in great abundance +on this large sandbank. + +We went to the little shallow creek, and shot some young caymen about two +feet long. It was astonishing to see what spite and rage these little +things showed when the arrow struck them; they turned round and bit it: and +snapped at us when we went into the water to take them up. Daddy Quashi +boiled one of them for his dinner, and found it very sweet and tender. I do +not see why it should not be as good as frog or veal. + +The day was now declining apace, and the Indian had made his instrument to +take the cayman. It was very simple. There were four pieces of tough, +hardwood a foot long, and about as thick as your little finger, and barbed +at both ends; they were tied round the end of the rope in such a manner +that if you conceive the rope to be an arrow, these four sticks would form +the arrow's head; so that one end of the four united sticks answered to the +point of the arrowhead, while the other end of the sticks expanded at equal +distances round the rope, thus: + +[Illustration] + +Now it is evident that, if the cayman swallowed this (the other end of the +rope, which was thirty yards long, being fastened to a tree), the more he +pulled the faster the barbs would stick into his stomach. This wooden hook, +if you may so call it, was well-baited with the flesh of the acouri, and +the entrails were twisted round the rope for about a foot above it. + +Nearly a mile from where we had our hammocks the sandbank was steep and +abrupt, and the river very still and deep; there the Indian pricked a stick +into the sand. It was two feet long, and on its extremity was fixed the +machine: it hung suspended about a foot from the water, and the end of the +rope was made fast to a stake driven well into the sand. + +The Indian then took the empty shell of a land-tortoise and gave it some +heavy blows with an axe. I asked why he did that. He said it was to let +the cayman hear that something was going on. In fact, the Indian meant +it as the cayman's dinner-bell. + +[Illustration: cayman bait] + +Having done this we went back to the hammocks, not intending to visit it +again till morning. During the night the jaguars roared and grumbled in the +forest as though the world was going wrong with them, and at intervals we +could hear the distant cayman. The roaring of the jaguars was awful, but it +was music to the dismal noise of these hideous and malicious reptiles. + +About half-past five in the morning the Indian stole off silently to take a +look at the bait. On arriving at the place he set up a tremendous shout. We +all jumped out of our hammocks and ran to him. The Indians got there before +me, for they had no clothes to put on, and I lost two minutes in looking +for my trousers and in slipping into them. + +We found a cayman ten feet and a half long fast to the end of the rope. +Nothing now remained to do but to get him out of the water without injuring +his scales: "hoc opus, hic labor." We mustered strong: there were three +Indians from the creek, there was my own Indian Yan, Daddy Quashi, the +negro from Mrs. Peterson's, James, Mr. R. Edmonstone's man, whom I was +instructing to preserve birds, and lastly myself. + +I informed the Indians that it was my intention to draw him quietly out of +the water and then secure him. They looked and stared at each other, and +said I might do it myself, but they would have no hand in it; the cayman +would worry some of us. On saying this, "consedere duces," they squatted on +their hams with the most perfect indifference. + +The Indians of these wilds have never been subject to the least restraint, +and I knew enough of them to be aware that if I tried to force them against +their will they would take off and leave me and my presents unheeded, and +never return. + +Daddy Quashi was for applying to our guns, as usual, considering them our +best and safest friends. I immediately offered to knock him down for his +cowardice, and he shrunk back, begging that I would be cautious, and not +get myself worried, and apologising for his own want of resolution. My +Indian was now in conversation with the others, and they asked if I would +allow them to shoot a dozen arrows into him, and thus disable him. This +would have ruined all. I had come above three hundred miles on purpose to +get a cayman uninjured, and not to carry back a mutilated specimen. I +rejected their proposition with firmness, and darted a disdainful eye upon +the Indians. + +Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remonstrate, and I chased him on the +sandbank for a quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards he thought he +should have dropped down dead with fright, for he was firmly persuaded if I +had caught him I should have bundled him into the cayman's jaws. Here, +then, we stood in silence like a calm before a thunderstorm. "Hoc res summa +loco. Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They wanted to kill him, and I wanted +to take him alive. + +I now walked up and down the sand, revolving a dozen projects in my head. +The canoe was at a considerable distance, and I ordered the people to bring +it round to the place where we were. The mast was eight feet long, and not +much thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the canoe and wrapped the sail +round the end of it. Now it appeared clear to me that, if I went down upon +one knee and held the mast in the same position as the soldier holds his +bayonet when rushing to the charge, I could force it down the cayman's +throat should he come open-mouthed at me. When this was told to the Indians +they brightened up, and said they would help me to pull him out of the +river. + +"Brave squad!" said I to myself. "'Audax omnia perpeti,' now that you have +got me betwixt yourselves and danger." I then mustered all hands for the +last time before the battle. We were four South American savages, two +negroes from Africa, a creole from Trinidad, and myself a white man from +Yorkshire. In fact, a little tower of Babel group, in dress, no dress, +address, and language. + +Daddy Quashi hung in the rear. I showed him a large Spanish knife which I +always carried in the waistband of my trousers: it spoke volumes to him, +and he shrugged up his shoulders in absolute despair. The sun was just +peeping over the high forests on the eastern hills, as if coming to look on +and bid us act with becoming fortitude. I placed all the people at the end +of the rope, and ordered them to pull till the cayman appeared on the +surface of the water, and then, should he plunge, to slacken the rope and +let him go again into the deep. + +I now took the mast of the canoe in my hand (the sail being tied round the +end of the mast) and sunk down upon one knee, about four yards from the +water's edge, determining to thrust it down his throat in case he gave me +an opportunity. I certainly felt somewhat uncomfortable in this situation, +and I thought of Cerberus on the other side of the Styx ferry. The people +pulled the cayman to the surface; he plunged furiously as soon as he +arrived in these upper regions, and immediately went below again on their +slackening the rope. I saw enough not to fall in love at first sight. I now +told them we would run all risks and have him on land immediately. They +pulled again, and out he came--"monstrum horrendum, informe." This was an +interesting moment. I kept my position firmly, with my eye fixed steadfast +on him. + +By the time the cayman was within two yards of me I saw he was in a state +of fear and perturbation. I instantly dropped the mast, sprung up and +jumped on his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I gained my +seat with my face in a right position. I immediately seized his fore-legs, +and by main force twisted them on his back; thus they served me for a +bridle. + +He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and probably fancying +himself in hostile company he began to plunge furiously, and lashed the +sand with his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of the strokes of +it by being near his head. He continued to plunge and strike and made my +seat very uncomfortable. It must have been a fine sight for an unoccupied +spectator. + +The people roared out in triumph, and were so vociferous that it was some +time before they heard me tell them to pull me and my beast of burden +farther inland. I was apprehensive the rope might break, and then there +would have been every chance of going down to the regions under water with +the cayman. That would have been more perilous than Arion's marine morning +ride: + + Delphini insidens vada caerula sulcat Arion. + +The people now dragged us above forty yards on the sand: it was the first +and last time I was ever on a cayman's back. Should it be asked how I +managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with Lord +Darlington's fox-hounds. + +After repeated attempts to regain his liberty the cayman gave in and became +tranquil through exhaustion. I now managed to tie up his jaws and firmly +secured his fore-feet in the position I had held them. We had now another +severe struggle for superiority, but he was soon overcome and again +remained quiet. While some of the people were pressing upon his head and +shoulders I threw myself on his tail, and by keeping it down to the sand +prevented him from kicking up another dust. He was finally conveyed to the +canoe, and then to the place where we had suspended our hammocks. There I +cut his throat; and after breakfast was over commenced the dissection. + +Now that the affray had ceased, Daddy Ouashi played a good finger and thumb +at breakfast: he said he found himself much revived, and became very +talkative and useful, as there was no longer any danger. He was a faithful, +honest negro. His master, my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, had been so +obliging as to send out particular orders to the colony that the Daddy +should attend me all the time I was in the forest. He had lived in the +wilds of Demerara with Mr. Edmonstone for many years, and often amused me +with the account of the frays his master had had in the woods with snakes, +wild beasts and runaway negroes. Old age was now coming fast upon him; he +had been an able fellow in his younger days, and a gallant one, too, for he +had a large scar over his eyebrow caused by the stroke of a cutlass from +another negro while the Daddy was engaged in an intrigue. + +The back of the cayman may be said to be almost impenetrable to a musket- +ball, but his sides are not near so strong, and are easily pierced with an +arrow; indeed, were they as strong as the back and the belly, there would +be no part of the cayman's body soft and elastic enough to admit of +expansion after taking in a supply of food. + +The cayman has no grinders; his teeth are entirely made for snatch and +swallow: there are thirty-two in each jaw. Perhaps no animal in existence +bears more decided marks in his countenance of cruelty and malice than the +cayman. He is the scourge and terror of all the large rivers in South +America near the line. + +One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de +Ynciarte, Governor of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, "Stop here a +minute or two, Don Carlos," said he to me, "while I recount a sad accident. +One fine evening last year, as the people of Angustura were sauntering up +and down here in the Alameda, I was within twenty yards of this place when +I saw a large cayman rush out of the river, seize a man, and carry him down +before anybody had it in his power to assist him. The screams of the poor +fellow were terrible as the cayman was running off with him. He plunged +into the river with his prey; we instantly lost sight of him, and never saw +or heard him more." + +I was a day and a half in dissecting our cayman, and then we got all ready +to return to Demerara. + +It was much more perilous to descend than to ascend the falls in the +Essequibo. + +The place we had to pass had proved fatal to four Indians about a month +before. The water foamed and dashed and boiled amongst the steep and craggy +rocks, and seemed to warn us to be careful how we ventured there. + +I was for all hands to get out of the canoe, and then, after lashing a long +rope ahead and astern, we might have climbed from rock to rock and tempered +her in her passage down, and our getting out would have lightened her much. +But the negro who had joined us at Mrs. Peterson's said he was sure it +would be safer to stay in the canoe while she went down the fall. I was +loath to give way to him, but I did so this time against my better +judgment, as he assured me that he was accustomed to pass and repass these +falls. + +Accordingly we determined to push down: I was at the helm, the rest at +their paddles. But before we got half-way through the rushing waters +deprived the canoe of all power of steerage, and she became the sport of +the torrent; in a second she was half-full of water, and I cannot +comprehend to this day why she did not go down; luckily the people exerted +themselves to the utmost, she got headway, and they pulled through the +whirlpool: I being quite in the stern of the canoe, part of a wave struck +me, and nearly knocked me overboard. + +We now paddled to some rocks at a distance, got out, unloaded the canoe and +dried the cargo in the sun, which was very hot and powerful. Had it been +the wet season almost everything would have been spoiled. + +After this the voyage down the Essequibo was quick and pleasant till we +reached the sea-coast: there we had a trying day of it; the wind was dead +against us, and the sun remarkably hot; we got twice aground upon a mud- +flat, and were twice obliged to get out, up to the middle in mud, to shove +the canoe through it. Half-way betwixt the Essequibo and Demerara the tide +of flood caught us, and, after the utmost exertions, it was half-past six +in the evening before we got to Georgetown. + +We had been out from six in the morning in an open canoe on the sea-coast, +without umbrella or awning, exposed all day to the fiery rays of a tropical +sun. My face smarted so that I could get no sleep during the night, and the +next morning my lips were all in blisters. The Indian Yan went down to the +Essequibo a copper-colour, but the reflection of the sun from the sea and +from the sandbanks in the river had turned him nearly black. He laughed at +himself, and said the Indians in the Demerara would not know him again. I +stayed one day in Georgetown, and then set off the next morning for +headquarters in Mibiri Creek, where I finished the cayman. + +Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds and in paying +particular attention to their haunts and economy. The rainy season having +set in, the weather became bad and stormy; the lightning and thunder were +incessant; the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. I had now been +eleven months in the forests, and collected some rare insects, two hundred +and thirty birds, two land-tortoises, five armadillos, two large serpents, +a sloth, an ant-bear and a cayman. + +I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a few days with Mr. R. +Edmonstone previous to embarking for Europe. I must here return my +sincerest thanks to this worthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to me; +his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he never failed to send +me supplies up into the forest by every opportunity. + +I embarked for England on board the _Dee_, West-Indiaman, commanded by +Captain Grey. + +Sir Joseph Banks had often told me he hoped that I would give a lecture in +public on the new mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in natural +history for museums. I always declined to do so, as I despaired of ever +being able to hit upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds; and I was aware +that it would have been an imperfect lecture to treat of birds only. I +imparted what little knowledge I was master of at Sir Joseph's, to the +unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore the Congo; and that was +all that took place in the shape of a lecture. Now that I had hit upon the +way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up a little plan on board the _Dee_, +which I trusted would have been of service to naturalists, and by proving +to them the superiority of the new plan they would probably be induced to +abandon the old and common way, which is a disgrace to the present age, and +renders hideous every specimen in every museum that I have as yet visited. +I intended to have given three lectures: one on insects and serpents; one +on birds; and one on quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this +little plan was doomed not to be unfolded to public view. Illiberality +blasted it in the bud. + +We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, and arrived in the Mersey in +fine trim and good spirits. Great was the attention I received from the +commander of the _Dee_. He and his mate, Mr. Spence, took every care +of my collection. + +On our landing the gentlemen of the Liverpool Custom House received me as +an old friend and acquaintance, and obligingly offered their services. + +Twice before had I landed in Liverpool, and twice had I reason to admire +their conduct and liberality. They knew I was incapable of trying to +introduce anything contraband, and they were aware that I never dreamed of +turning to profit the specimens I had procured. They considered that I had +left a comfortable home in quest of science; and that I had wandered into +far-distant climes, and gone barefooted, ill-clothed and ill-fed, through +swamps and woods, to procure specimens, some of which had never been seen +in Europe. They considered that it would be difficult to fix a price upon +specimens which had never been bought or sold, and which never were to be, +as they were intended to ornament my own house. It was hard, they said, to +have exposed myself for years to danger, and then be obliged to pay on +returning to my native land. Under these considerations they fixed a +moderate duty which satisfied all parties. + +However, this last expedition ended not so. It taught me how hard it is to +learn the grand lesson, "aequam memento rebus in arduis, servare mentem." + +But my good friends in the Custom House of Liverpool were not to blame. On +the contrary, they did all in their power to procure balm for me instead of +rue. But it would not answer. + +They appointed a very civil officer to attend me to the ship. While we were +looking into some of the boxes to see that the specimens were properly +stowed, previous to their being conveyed to the king's depot, another +officer entered the cabin. He was an entire stranger to me, and seemed +wonderfully aware of his own consequence. Without preface or apology he +thrust his head over my shoulder and said we had no business to have opened +a single box without his permission. I answered they had been opened almost +every day since they had come on board, and that I considered there was no +harm in doing so. + +He then left the cabin, and I said to myself as he went out, I suspect I +shall see that man again at Philippi. The boxes, ten in number, were +conveyed in safety from the ship to the depot. I then proceeded to the +Custom House. The necessary forms were gone through, and a proportionate +duty, according to circumstances, was paid. + +This done, we returned from the Custom House to the depot, accompanied by +several gentlemen who wished to see the collection. They expressed +themselves highly gratified. The boxes were closed, and nothing now +remained but to convey them to the cart, which was in attendance at the +door of the depot. Just as one of the inferior officers was carrying a box +thither, in stepped the man whom I suspected I should see again at +Philippi. He abruptly declared himself dissatisfied with the valuation +which the gentlemen of the customs had put upon the collection, and said he +must detain it. I remonstrated, but it was all in vain. + +After this pitiful stretch of power and bad compliment to the other +officers of the customs, who had been satisfied with the valuation, this +man had the folly to take me aside, and after assuring me that he had a +great regard for the arts and sciences, he lamented that conscience obliged +him to do what he had done, and he wished he had been fifty miles from +Liverpool at the time that it fell to his lot to detain the collection. Had +he looked in my face as he said this he would have seen no marks of +credulity there. + +I now returned to the Custom House, and after expressing my opinion of the +officer's conduct at the depot, I pulled a bunch of keys (which belonged to +the detained boxes) out of my pocket, laid them on the table, took my leave +of the gentlemen present, and soon after set off for Yorkshire. + +I saved nothing from the grasp of the stranger officer but a pair of live +Malay fowls, which a gentleman in Georgetown had made me a present of. I +had collected in the forest several eggs of curious birds in hopes of +introducing the breed into England, and had taken great pains in doing them +over with gum arabic, and in packing them in charcoal, according to a +receipt I had seen in the gazette from the _Edinburgh Philosophical +Journal_. But these were detained in the depot, instead of being placed +under a hen; which utterly ruined all my hopes of rearing a new species of +birds in England. Titled personages in London interested themselves in +behalf of the collection, but all in vain. And vain also were the public +and private representations of the first officer of the Liverpool Custom +House in my favour. + +At last there came an order from the Treasury to say that any specimens Mr. +Waterton intended to present to public institutions might pass duty free; +but those which he intended to keep for himself must pay the duty! A friend +now wrote to me from Liverpool requesting that I would come over and pay +the duty in order to save the collection, which had just been detained +there six weeks. I did so. On paying an additional duty (for the moderate +duty first imposed had already been paid), the man who had detained the +collection delivered it up to me, assuring me that it had been well taken +care of, and that a fire had been frequently made in the room. It is but +justice to add that on opening the boxes there was nothing injured. + +I could never get a clue to these harsh and unexpected measures, except +that there had been some recent smuggling discovered in Liverpool, and that +the man in question had been sent down from London to act the part of +Argus. If so, I landed in an evil hour: "nefasto die," making good the +Spanish proverb, "Pagan a las veces, justos por pecadores": At times the +innocent suffer for the guilty. After all, a little encouragement, in the +shape of exemption from paying the duty on this collection, might have been +expected, but it turned out otherwise; and after expending large sums in +pursuit of natural history, on my return home I was doomed to pay for my +success: + + Hic finis, Caroli fatorum, hic exitus illum, + Sorte tulit! + +Thus my fleece, already ragged and torn with the thorns and briers which +one must naturally expect to find in distant and untrodden wilds, was +shorn, I may say, on its return to England. + +However, this is nothing new. Sancho Panza must have heard of similar +cases, for he says, "Muchos van por lana, y vuelven trasquilados": Many go +for wool and come home shorn. In order to pick up matter for natural +history I have wandered through the wildest parts of South America's +equatorial regions. I have attacked and slain a modern Python, and rode on +the back of a cayman close to the water's edge; a very different situation +from that of a Hyde Park dandy on his Sunday prancer before the ladies. +Alone and barefoot I have pulled poisonous snakes out of their lurking- +places; climbed up trees to peep into holes for bats and vampires, and for +days together hastened through sun and rain to the thickest parts of the +forest to procure specimens I had never got before. In fine, I have pursued +the wild beasts over hill and dale, through swamps and quagmires, now +scorched by the noon-day sun, now drenched by the pelting shower, and +returned to the hammock to satisfy the cravings of hunger, often on a poor +and scanty supper. + +These vicissitudes have turned to chestnut hue a once English complexion, +and changed the colour of my hair before Father Time had meddled with it. +The detention of the collection after it had fairly passed the Customs, and +the subsequent order from the Treasury that I should pay duty for the +specimens unless they were presented to some public institution, have cast +a damp upon my energy, and forced, as it were, the cup of Lethe to my lips, +by drinking which I have forgot my former intention of giving a lecture in +public on preparing specimens to adorn museums. In fine, it is this +ungenerous treatment that has paralysed my plans, and caused me to give up +the idea I once had of inserting here the newly-discovered mode of +preparing quadrupeds and serpents; and without it the account of this last +expedition to the wilds of Guiana is nothing but a--fragment. + +Farewell, gentle reader. + + + * * * * * + + + + +FOURTH JOURNEY + + Nunc huc, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro. + +Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell I thought these wanderings +were brought to a final close; afterwards I often roved in imagination +through distant countries famous for natural history, but felt no strong +inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had terminated in such +unexpected vexation. The departure of the cuckoo and swallow and summer +birds of passage for warmer regions, once so interesting to me, now +scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south; and I continued in this +cold and dreary climate for three years. During this period I seldom or +never mounted my hobby-horse; indeed, it may be said, with the old song, + + The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf, + +and only taken down once, on the night that I was induced to give a lecture +in the Philosophical Hall of Leeds. A little after this Wilson's +_Ornithology of the United States_ fell into my hands. + +The desire I had of seeing that country, together with the animated +description which Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the almost- +expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded to, and set off for +New York in the beautiful packet _John Wells_, commanded by Captain +Harris. The passage was long and cold, but the elegant accommodations on +board and the polite attention of the commander rendered it very agreeable; +and I landed in health and merriment in the stately capital of the New +World. + +We will soon pen down a few remarks on this magnificent city, but not just +now. I want to venture into the north-west country, and get to their great +canal, which the world talks so much about, though I fear it will be hard +work to make one's way through bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes, which we +Europeans imagine are so frequent and ferocious in these never-ending +western wilds. + +I left New York on a fine morning in July, without one letter of +introduction, for the city of Albany, some hundred and eighty miles up the +celebrated Hudson. I seldom care about letters of introduction, for I am +one of those who depend much upon an accidental acquaintance. Full many a +face do I see as I go wandering up and down the world whose mild eye and +sweet and placid features seem to beckon to me and say, as it were, "Speak +but civilly to me, and I will do what I can for you." Such a face as this +is worth more than a dozen letters of introduction; and such a face, gentle +reader, I found on board the steamboat from New York to the city of Albany. + +There was a great number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen in the +vessel, all entire strangers to me. I fancied I could see several whose +countenances invited an unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside +them; but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. I saw clearly +that he was an American, and I judged by his manners and appearance that he +had not spent all his time upon his native soil. I was right in this +conjecture, for he afterwards told me that he had been in France and +England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman ought to salute another +when he wants a little information; and soon after I dropped in a word or +two by which he might conjecture that I was a foreigner, but I did not tell +him so; I wished him to make the discovery himself. + +He entered into conversation with the openness and candour which is so +remarkable in the American, and in a little time observed that he presumed +I was from the old country. I told him that I was, and added that I was an +entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at the prospect he had +of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn or two, and he completely won my +regard by an affability which I shall never forget. This obliging gentleman +pointed out everything that was grand and interesting as the steamboat +plied her course up the majestic Hudson. Here the Catskill Mountains raised +their lofty summit; and there the hills came sloping down to the water's +edge. Here he pointed to an aged and venerable oak which, having escaped +the levelling axe of man, seemed almost to defy the blasting storm and +desolating hand of Time; and there he bade me observe an extended tract of +wood by which I might form an idea how rich and grand the face of the +country had once been. Here it was that, in the great and momentous +struggle, the colonists lost the day; and there they carried all before +them: + + They closed full fast, on every side + No slackness there was found; + And many a gallant gentleman + Lay gasping on the ground. + +Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there moved their great captain; +here the fleets fired their broadsides; and there the whole force rushed on +to battle: + + Hic Dolopum manus, hic magnus tendebat Achilles, + Classibus hic locus, hic acies certare solebat. + +At teatime we took our tea together, and the next morning this worthy +American walked up with me to the inn in Albany, shook me by the hand, and +then went his way. I bade him farewell and again farewell, and hoped that +Fortune might bring us together again once more. Possibly she may yet do +so; and should it be in England, I will take him to my house as an old +friend and acquaintance, and offer him my choicest cheer. It is at Albany +that the great canal opens into the Hudson and joins the waters of this +river to those of Lake Erie. The Hudson, at the city of Albany, is distant +from Lake Erie about 360 miles. The level of the lake is 564 feet higher +than the Hudson, and there are eighty-one locks on the canal. It is to the +genius and perseverance of De Witt Clinton that the United States owe the +almost incalculable advantages of this inland navigation: "Exegit +monumentum aere perennius." You may either go along it all the way to +Buffalo on Lake Erie or by the stage; or sometimes on one and then in the +other, just as you think fit. Grand indeed is the scenery by either route +and capital the accommodations. Cold and phlegmatic must he be who is not +warmed into admiration by the surrounding scenery, and charmed with the +affability of the travellers he meets on the way. + +This is now the season of roving and joy and merriment for the gentry of +this happy country. Thousands are on the move from different parts of the +Union for the springs and lakes and the Falls of Niagara. There is nothing +haughty or forbidding in the Americans; and wherever you meet them they +appear to be quite at home. This is exactly what it ought to be, and very +much in favour of the foreigner who journeys amongst them. The immense +number of highly-polished females who go in the stages to visit the +different places of amusement and see the stupendous natural curiosities of +this extensive country incontestably proves that safety and convenience are +ensured to them, and that the most distant attempt at rudeness would by +common consent be immediately put down. + +By the time I had got to Schenectady I began strongly to suspect that I had +come into the wrong country to look for bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes. +It is an enchanting journey from Albany to Schenectady, and from thence to +Lake Erie. The situation of the city of Utica is particularly attractive: +the Mohawk running close by it, the fertile fields and woody mountains, and +the Falls of Trenton forcibly press the stranger to stop a day or two here +before he proceeds onward to the lake. + +At some far distant period, when it will not be possible to find the place +where many of the celebrated cities of the East once stood, the world will +have to thank the United States of America for bringing their names into +the western regions. It is, indeed, a pretty thought of these people to +give to their rising towns the names of places so famous and conspicuous in +former times. + +As I was sitting one evening under an oak in the high grounds behind Utica, +I could not look down upon the city without thinking of Cato and his +misfortunes. Had the town been called Crofton, or Warmfield, or Dewsbury, +there would have been nothing remarkable in it; but Utica at once revived +the scenes at school long past and half-forgotten, and carried me with full +speed back again to Italy, and from thence to Africa. I crossed the Rubicon +with Caesar; fought at Pharsalia; saw poor Pompey into Larissa, and tried +to wrest the fatal sword from Cato's hand in Utica. When I perceived he was +no more, I mourned over the noble-minded man who took that part which he +thought would most benefit his country. There is something magnificent in +the idea of a man taking by choice the conquered side. The Roman gods +themselves did otherwise. + + _Victrix_ causa Diis placuit, sed _victa_ Catoni. + + In this did Cato with the gods divide, + _They_ chose the conquering, _he_ the conquer'd side. + +The whole of the country from Utica to Buffalo is pleasing; and the +intervening of the inland lakes, large and deep and clear, adds +considerably to the effect. The spacious size of the inns, their excellent +provisions, and the attention which the traveller receives in going from +Albany to Buffalo, must at once convince him that this country is very much +visited by strangers; and he will draw the conclusion that there must be +something in it uncommonly interesting to cause so many travellers to pass +to and fro. + +Nature is losing fast her ancient garb and putting on a new dress in these +extensive regions. Most of the stately timber has been carried away; +thousands of trees are lying prostrate on the ground; while meadows, +cornfields, villages and pastures are ever and anon bursting upon the +traveller's view as he journeys on through the remaining tracts of wood. I +wish I could say a word or two for the fine timber which is yet standing. +Spare it, gentle inhabitants, for your country's sake. These noble sons of +the forest beautify your landscapes beyond all description; when they are +gone, a century will not replace their loss; they cannot, they must not +fall; their vernal bloom, their summer richness, and autumnal tints, please +and refresh the eye of man; and even when the days of joy and warmth are +fled, the wintry blast soothes the listening ear with a sublime and +pleasing melancholy as it howls through their naked branches. + + Around me trees unnumber'd rise, + Beautiful in various dyes. + The gloomy pine, the poplar blue, + The yellow beech, the sable yew; + The slender fir, that taper grows, + The sturdy oak, with broad-spread boughs. + +A few miles before you reach Buffalo the road is low and bad, and in +stepping out of the stage I sprained my foot very severely; it swelled to a +great size, and caused me many a day of pain and mortification, as will be +seen in the sequel. + +Buffalo looks down on Lake Erie, and possesses a fine and commodious inn. +At a little distance is the Black Rock, and there you pass over to the +Canada side. A stage is in waiting to convey you some sixteen or twenty +miles down to the falls. Long before you reach the spot you hear the mighty +roar of waters and see the spray of the far-famed Falls of Niagara rising +up like a column to the heavens and mingling with the passing clouds. + +At this stupendous cascade of Nature the waters of the lake fall 176 feet +perpendicular. It has been calculated, I forget by whom, that the quantity +of water discharged down this mighty fall is 670,255 tons per minute. There +are two large inns on the Canada side; but after you have satisfied your +curiosity in viewing the falls, and in seeing the rainbow in the foam far +below where you are standing, do not, I pray you, tarry long at either of +them. Cross over to the American side, and there you will find a spacious +inn which has nearly all the attractions: there you meet with great +attention and every accommodation. + +The day is passed in looking at the falls and in sauntering up and down the +wooded and rocky environs of the Niagara; and the evening is often +enlivened by the merry dance. + +Words can hardly do justice to the unaffected ease and elegance of the +American ladies who visit the Falls of Niagara. The traveller need not rove +in imagination through Circassia in search of fine forms, or through +England, France and Spain to meet with polished females. The numbers who +are continually arriving from all parts of the Union confirm the justness +of this remark. + +I was looking one evening at a dance, being unable to join in it on account +of the accident I had received near Buffalo, when a young American entered +the ballroom with such a becoming air and grace that it was impossible not +to have been struck with her appearance. + + Her bloom was like the springing flower + That sips the silver dew, + The rose was budded in her cheek, + Just opening to the view. + +I could not help feeling a wish to know where she had + + Into such beauty spread, and blown so fair. + +Upon inquiry I found that she was from the city of Albany. The more I +looked at the fair Albanese the more I was convinced that in the United +States of America may be found grace and beauty and symmetry equal to +anything in the Old World. + +I now for good and all (and well I might) gave up the idea of finding bugs, +bears, brutes and buffaloes in this country, and was thoroughly satisfied +that I had laboured under a great mistake in suspecting that I should ever +meet with them. + +I wished to join in the dance where the fair Albanese was "to brisk notes +in cadence beating," but the state of my unlucky foot rendered it +impossible; and as I sat with it reclined upon a sofa, full many a passing +gentleman stopped to inquire the cause of my misfortune, presuming at the +same time that I had got an attack of gout. Now this surmise of theirs +always mortified me; for I never had a fit of gout in my life, and, +moreover, never expect to have one. + +In many of the inns in the United States there is an album on the table in +which travellers insert their arrival and departure, and now and then +indulge in a little flash or two of wit. + +I thought under existing circumstances that there would be no harm in +briefly telling my misadventure; and so taking up the pen I wrote what +follows, and was never after asked a single question about the gout. + +C. Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the county of York, England, +arrived at the Falls of Niagara in July 1824, and begs leave to +pen down the following dreadful accident: + + He sprained his foot, and hurt his toe, + On the rough road near Buffalo. + It quite distresses him to stagger a- + Long the sharp rocks of famed Niagara. + So thus he's doomed to drink the measure + Of pain, in lieu of that of pleasure. + On Hope's delusive pinions borne + He came for wool, and goes back shorn. + _N.B._--Here he alludes to nothing but + Th' adventure of his toe and foot; + Save this,--he sees all that which can + Delight and charm the soul of man, + But feels it not,--because his toe + And foot together plague him so. + +I remember once to have sprained my ankle very violently many years ago, +and that the doctor ordered me to hold it under the pump two or three times +a day. Now in the United States of America all is upon a grand scale, +except taxation; and I am convinced that the traveller's ideas become much +more enlarged as he journeys through the country. This being the case, I +can easily account for the desire I felt to hold my sprained foot under the +Fall of Niagara. I descended the winding-staircase which has been made for +the accommodation of travellers, and then hobbled on to the scene of +action. As I held my leg under the fall I tried to meditate on the immense +difference there was betwixt a house-pump and this tremendous cascade of +Nature, and what effect it might have upon the sprain; but the magnitude of +the subject was too overwhelming, and I was obliged to drop it. + +Perhaps, indeed, there was an unwarrantable tincture of vanity in an +unknown wanderer wishing to have it in his power to tell the world that he +had held his sprained foot under a fall of water which discharges 670,255 +tons per minute. A gentle purling stream would have suited better. Now it +would have become Washington to have quenched his battle-thirst in the Fall +of Niagara; and there was something royal in the idea of Cleopatra drinking +pearl-vinegar made from the grandest pearl in Egypt; and it became Caius +Marius to send word that he was sitting upon the ruins of Carthage. Here we +have the person suited to the thing, and the thing to the person. + +If, gentle reader, thou wouldst allow me to indulge a little longer in this +harmless pen-errantry, I would tell thee that I have had my ups and downs +in life as well as other people: for I have climbed to the point of the +conductor above the cross on the top of St. Peter's in Rome and left my +glove there; I have stood on one foot upon the Guardian Angel's head on the +Castle of St. Angelo; and, as I have just told thee, I have been low down +under the Fall of Niagara. But this is neither here nor there; let us +proceed to something else. + +When the pain of my foot had become less violent, and the swelling somewhat +abated, I could not resist the inclination I felt to go down Ontario, and +so on to Montreal and Quebec, and take Lakes Champlain and George in my way +back to Albany. + +Just as I had made up my mind to it, a family from the Bowling-Green in New +York, who was going the same route, politely invited me to join their +party. Nothing could be more fortunate. They were highly accomplished. The +young ladies sang delightfully; and all contributed their portion to render +the tour pleasant and amusing. + +Travellers have already filled the world with descriptions of the bold and +sublime scenery from Lake Erie to Quebec: + + The fountain's fall, the river's flow, + The woody valleys, warm and low; + The windy summit, wild and high, + Roughly rushing to the sky. + +And there is scarce one of them who has not described the achievements of +former and latter times on the different battle-grounds. Here great Wolfe +expired. Brave Montcalm was carried, mortally wounded, through yonder gate. +Here fell the gallant Brock; and there General Sheaffee captured all the +invaders. And in yonder harbour may be seen the mouldering remnants of +British vessels. Their hour of misfortune has long passed away. The victors +have now no use for them in an inland lake. Some have already sunk, while +others, dismantled and half-dismasted, are just above the water, waiting in +shattered state that destiny which must sooner or later destroy the fairest +works of man. + +The excellence and despatch of the steamboats, together with the company +which the traveller is sure to meet with at this time of the year, render +the trip down to Montreal and Quebec very agreeable. + +The Canadians are a quiet and apparently a happy people. They are very +courteous and affable to strangers. On comparing them with the character +which a certain female traveller, a journalist, has thought fit to give +them, the stranger might have great doubts whether or not he were amongst +the Canadians. + +Montreal, Quebec and the Falls of Montmorency are well worth going to see. +They are making tremendous fortifications at Quebec. It will be the +Gibraltar of the New World. When one considers its distance from Europe, +and takes a view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, Virgil's +remark at once rushes into the mind: + + Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves. + +I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to the +Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and worthy set +of gentlemen, and on my taking leave of them I felt a heaviness at heart in +reflecting that I had not more time to cultivate their acquaintance. + +In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec I only met with one bug; and I cannot +even swear that it belonged to the United States. In going down the St. +Lawrence in the steamboat I felt something crossing over my neck, and on +laying hold of it with my finger and thumb it turned out to be a little +half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now whether it were going from the +American to the Canada side, or from the Canada to the American, and had +taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself across, I could not +tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby and the fly; and so, in +lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then putting my thumb-nail vertically +upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst some baggage that was close by and +recommended it to get ashore by the first opportunity. + +When we had seen all that was worth seeing in Quebec and at the Falls of +Montmorency, and had been on board the enormous ship _Columbus_, we +returned for a day or two to Montreal, and then proceeded to Saratoga by +Lakes Champlain and George. + +The steamboat from Quebec to Montreal had above five hundred Irish +emigrants on board. They were going "they hardly knew whither," far away +from dear Ireland. It made one's heart ache to see them all huddled +together, without any expectation of ever revisiting their native soil. We +feared that the sorrow of leaving home for ever, the miserable +accommodations on board the ship which had brought them away, and the +tossing of the angry ocean in a long and dreary voyage would have rendered +them callous to good behaviour. But it was quite otherwise. They conducted +themselves with great propriety. Every American on board seemed to feel for +them. And then "they were so full of wretchedness. Need and oppression +starved in their eyes. Upon their backs hung ragged misery. The world was +not their friend." Poor dear Ireland, exclaimed an aged female as I was +talking to her, I shall never see it any more! and then her tears began to +flow. Probably the scenery on the banks of the St. Lawrence recalled to her +mind the remembrance of spots once interesting to her: + + The lovely daughter,--lovelier in her tears, + The fond companion of her father's years, + Here silent stood,--neglectful of her charms. + And left her lover's for her father's arms. + With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, + And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; + And pressed her thoughtless babes, with many a tear, + And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear. + While the fond husband strove to lend relief. + In all the silent manliness of grief. + +We went a few miles out of our route to take a look at the once formidable +fortress of Ticonderoga. It has long been in ruins, and seems as if it were +doomed to moulder quite away. + + Ever and anon there falls + Huge heaps of hoary moulder'd walls. + But time has seen, that lifts the low + And level lays the lofty brow, + Has seen this ruin'd pile complete, + Big with the vanity of state, + But transient is the smile of Fate. + +The scenery of Lake George is superb, the inn remarkably spacious and well +attended, and the conveyances from thence to Saratoga very good. He must be +sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice who, on his arrival at Saratoga, +remarks there is nothing here worth coming to see. It is a gay and +fashionable place; has four uncommonly fine hotels; its waters for +medicinal virtues are surpassed by none in the known world; and it is +resorted to throughout the whole of the summer by foreigners and natives of +the first consideration. Saratoga pleased me much; and afforded a fair +opportunity of forming a pretty correct idea of the gentry of the United +States. + +There is a pleasing frankness and ease and becoming dignity in the American +ladies, and the good humour and absence of all haughtiness and puppyism in +the gentlemen must, no doubt, impress the traveller with elevated notions +of the company who visit this famous spa. + +During my stay here all was joy and affability and mirth. In the mornings +the ladies played and sang for us; and the evenings were generally +enlivened with the merry dance. Here I bade farewell to the charming family +in whose company I had passed so many happy days, and proceeded to Albany. + +The stage stopped a little while in the town of Troy. The name alone was +quite sufficient to recall to the mind scenes long past and gone. Poor King +Priam! Napoleon's sorrows, sad and piercing as they were, did not come up +to those of this ill-fated monarch. The Greeks first set his town on fire +and then began to bully: + + Incensa Danai dominantur in urbe. + +One of his sons was slain before his face: "ante ora parentum, concidit." +Another was crushed to mummy by boa-constrictors: "immensis orbibus +angues." His city was razed to the ground, "jacet Ilion ingens." And +Pyrrhus ran him through with his sword, "capulo tenus abdidit ensem." This +last may be considered as a fortunate stroke for the poor old king. Had his +life been spared at this juncture he could not have lived long. He must +have died broken-hearted. He would have seen his son-in-law, once master of +a noble stud, now, for want of a horse, obliged to carry off his father up- +hill on his own back, "cessi et sublato, montem genitore petivi." He would +have heard of his grandson being thrown neck and heels from a high tower, +"mittitur Astyanax illis de turribus." He would have been informed of his +wife tearing out the eyes of King Odrysius with her finger-nails, "digitos +in perfida lumina condit." Soon after this, losing all appearance of woman, +she became a bitch, + + Perdidit infelix, hominis post omnia formam, + +and rent the heavens with her howlings, + + Externasque novo latratu terruit auras. + +Then, becoming distracted with the remembrance of her misfortunes, "veterum +memor illa malorum," she took off howling into the fields of Thrace: + + Tum quoque Sithonios, ululavit moesta per agros. + +Juno, Jove's wife and sister, was heard to declare that poor Hecuba did not +deserve so terrible a fate: + + Ipsa Jovis conjuxque sororque, + Eventus Hecubam meruisse negaverit illos. + +Had poor Priam escaped from Troy, one thing, and only one thing, would have +given him a small ray of satisfaction, viz. he would have heard of one of +his daughters nobly preferring to leave this world rather than live to +become servant-maid to old Grecian ladies: + + Non ego Myrmidonum sedes, Dolopumve superbas, + Adspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus ibo. + +At some future period, should a foreign armed force, or intestine broils +(all which Heaven avert), raise Troy to the dignity of a fortified city, +Virgil's prophecy may then be fulfilled: + + Atque iterum ad Trojam magnus mittetur Achilles. + +After leaving Troy I passed through a fine country to Albany, and then +proceeded by steam down the Hudson to New York. + +Travellers hesitate whether to give the preference to Philadelphia or to +New York. Philadelphia is certainly a noble city and its environs +beautiful, but there is a degree of quiet and sedateness in it which, +though no doubt very agreeable to the man of calm and domestic habits, is +not so attractive to one of speedy movements. The quantity of white marble +which is used in the buildings gives to Philadelphia a gay and lively +appearance, but the sameness of the streets and their crossing each other +at right angles are somewhat tiresome. The waterworks which supply the city +are a proud monument of the skill and enterprise of its inhabitants, and +the market is well worth the attention of the stranger. + +When you go to Philadelphia be sure not to forget to visit the museum. It +will afford you a great treat. Some of Mr. Peale's family are constantly in +it, and are ever ready to show the curiosities to strangers and to give +them every necessary information. Mr. Peale has now passed his eightieth +year, and appears to possess the vivacity and, I may almost add, the +activity of youth. + +To the indefatigable exertions of this gentleman is the Western world +indebted for the possession of this splendid museum. Mr. Peale is, +moreover, an excellent artist. Look attentively, I pray you, at the +portrait he has taken of himself, by desire of the State of Pennsylvania. +On entering the room he appears in the act of holding up a curtain to show +you his curiosities. The effect of the light upon his head is infinitely +striking. I have never seen anything finer in the way of light and shade. +The skeleton of the mammoth is a national treasure. I could form but a +faint idea of it by description until I had seen it. It is the most +magnificent skeleton in the world. The city ought never to forget the great +expense Mr. Peale was put to, and the skill and energy he showed during the +many months he spent in searching the swamps where these enormous bones had +been concealed from the eyes of the world for centuries. + +The extensive squares of this city are ornamented with well-grown and +luxuriant trees. Its unremitting attention to literature might cause it to +be styled the Athens of the United States. Here learning and science have +taken up their abode. The literary and philosophical associations, the +enthusiasm of individuals, the activity of the press and the cheapness of +the publications ought to raise the name of Philadelphia to an elevated +situation in the temple of knowledge. + +From the press of this city came Wilson's famous _Ornithology_. By +observing the birds in their native haunts he has been enabled to purge +their history of numberless absurdities which inexperienced theorists had +introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant work. We have no +description of birds in any European publication that can come up to this. +By perusing Wilson's _Ornithology_ attentively before I left England I +knew where to look for the birds, and immediately recognised them in their +native land. + +Since his time I fear that the white-headed eagles have been much thinned. +I was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very few. One or two came +now and then and soared in lofty flight over the Falls of Niagara. The +Americans are proud of this bird in effigy, and their hearts rejoice when +its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be persuaded to protect the +white-headed eagle, and allow it to glide in safety over its own native +forests? Were I an American I should think I had committed a kind of +sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. The ibis was held sacred by +the Egyptians; the Hollanders protect the stork; the vulture sits +unmolested on the top of the houses in the city of Angustura; and Robin +Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the English: + + No burial these pretty babes + Of any man receives, + Till Robin-red-breast painfully. + Did cover them with leaves. [Footnote] + +[Footnote: The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea.] + +Poor Wilson was smote by the hand of death before he had finished his work. +Prince Charles Buonaparte, nephew to the late Emperor Napoleon, aided by +some of the most scientific gentlemen of Pennsylvania, is continuing this +valuable and interesting publication. + +New York, with great propriety, may be called the commercial capital of the +new world: + + Urbs augusta potens, nulli cessura. + +Ere long it will be on the coast of North America what Tyre once was on +that of Syria. In her port are the ships of all nations, and in her streets +is displayed merchandise from all parts of the known world. And then the +approach to it is so enchanting! The verdant fields, the woody hills, the +farms and country-houses form a beautiful landscape as you sail up to the +city of New York. + +Broadway is the principal street. It is three miles and a half long. I am +at a loss to know where to look for a street in any part of the world which +has so many attractions as this. There are no steam-engines to annoy you by +filling the atmosphere full of soot and smoke; the houses have a stately +appearance; while the eye is relieved from the perpetual sameness, which is +common in most streets, by lofty and luxuriant trees. + +Nothing can surpass the appearance of the American ladies when they take +their morning walk from twelve to three in Broadway. The stranger will at +once see that they have rejected the extravagant superfluities which appear +in the London and Parisian fashions, and have only retained as much of +those costumes as is becoming to the female form. This, joined to their own +just notions of dress, is what renders the New York ladies so elegant in +their attire. The way they wear the Leghorn hat deserves a remark or two. +With us the formal hand of the milliner binds down the brim to one fixed +shape, and that none of the handsomest. The wearer is obliged to turn her +head full ninety degrees before she can see the person who is standing by +her side. But in New York the ladies have the brim of the hat not fettered +with wire or tape or ribbon, but quite free and undulating; and by applying +the hand to it they can conceal or expose as much of the face as +circumstances require. This hiding and exposing of the face, by the by, is +certainly a dangerous movement, and often fatal to the passing swain. I am +convinced, in my own mind, that many a determined and unsuspecting bachelor +has been shot down by this sudden manoeuvre before he was aware that he was +within reach of the battery. + +The American ladies seem to have an abhorrence (and a very just one, too) +of wearing caps. When one considers for a moment that women wear the hair +long, which Nature has given them both for an ornament and to keep the head +warm, one is apt to wonder by what perversion of good taste they can be +induced to enclose it in a cap. A mob-cap, a lace-cap, a low cap, a high +cap, a flat cap, a cap with ribbons dangling loose, a cap with ribbons tied +under the chin, a peak-cap, an angular cap, a round cap and a pyramid cap! +How would Canova's Venus look in a mob-cap? If there be any ornament to the +head in wearing a cap, it must surely be a false ornament. The American +ladies are persuaded that the head can be ornamented without a cap. A +rosebud or two, a woodbine, or a sprig of eglantine look well in the +braided hair; and if there be raven locks, a lily or a snowdrop may be +interwoven with effect. + +Now that the packets are so safe, and make such quick passages to the +United States, it would be as well if some of our head milliners would go +on board of them in lieu of getting into the diligence for Paris. They +would bring back more taste and less caricature. And if they could persuade +a dozen or two of the farmer's servant-girls to return with them, we should +soon have proof-positive that as good butter and cheese may be made with +the hair braided up, and a daisy or primrose in it, as butter and cheese +made in a cap of barbarous shape, washed, perhaps, in soapsuds last new +moon. + +New York has very good hotels and genteel boarding-houses. All charges +included, you do not pay above two dollars a day. Little enough, when you +consider the capital accommodations and the abundance of food. + +In this city, as well as in others which I visited, everybody seemed to +walk at his ease. I could see no inclination for jostling, no impertinent +staring at you, nor attempts to create a row in order to pick your pocket. +I would stand for an hour together in Broadway to observe the passing +multitude. There is certainly a gentleness in these people both to be +admired and imitated. I could see very few dogs, still fewer cats, and but +a very small proportion of fat women in the streets of New York. The +climate was the only thing that I had really to find fault with; and as the +autumn was now approaching I began to think of preparing for warmer +regions. + +Strangers are apt to get violent colds on account of the sudden change of +the atmosphere. The noon would often be as warm as tropical weather and the +close of day cold and chilly. This must sometimes act with severity upon +the newly-arrived stranger, and it requires more care and circumspection +than I am master of to guard against it. I contracted a bad and obstinate +cough which did not quite leave me till I had got under the regular heat of +the sun near the equator. + +I may be asked, was it all good-fellowship and civility during my stay in +the United States? Did no forward person cause offence? Was there no +exhibition of drunkenness or swearing or rudeness? or display of conduct +which disgraces civilised man in other countries? I answer, very few +indeed: scarce any worth remembering, and none worth noticing. These are a +gentle and a civil people. Should a traveller now and then in the long run +witness a few of the scenes alluded to, he ought not, on his return home, +to adduce a solitary instance or two as the custom of the country. In +roving through the wilds of Guiana I have sometimes seen a tree hollow at +heart, shattered and leafless, but I did not on that account condemn its +vigorous neighbours, and put down a memorandum that the woods were bad; on +the contrary, I made allowances: a thunderstorm, the whirlwind, a blight +from heaven might have robbed it of its bloom and caused its present +forbidding appearance. And in leaving the forest I carried away the +impression that, though some few of the trees were defective, the rest were +an ornament to the wilds, full of uses and virtues, and capable of +benefiting the world in a superior degree. + +A man generally travels into foreign countries for his own ends, and I +suspect there is scarcely an instance to be found of a person leaving his +own home solely with the intention of benefiting those amongst whom he is +about to travel. A commercial speculation, curiosity, a wish for +information, a desire to reap benefit from an acquaintance with our distant +fellow-creatures are the general inducements for a man to leave his own +fireside. This ought never to be forgotten, and then the traveller will +journey on under the persuasion that it rather becomes him to court than +expect to be courted, as his own interest is the chief object of his +travels. With this in view he will always render himself pleasant to the +natives; and they are sure to repay his little acts of courtesy with ample +interest, and with a fund of information which will be of great service to +him. + +While in the United States I found our Western brother a very pleasant +fellow; but his portrait has been drawn in such different shades by +different travellers who have been through his territory, that it requires +a personal interview before a correct idea can be formed of his true +colours. He is very inquisitive; but it is quite wrong on that account to +tax him with being of an impertinent turn. He merely interrogates you for +information, and, when you have satisfied him on that score, only ask him +in your turn for an account of what is going on in his own country and he +will tell you everything about it with great good humour and in excellent +language. He has certainly hit upon the way (but I could not make out by +what means) of speaking a much purer English language than that which is in +general spoken on the parent soil. This astonished me much; but it is +really the case. Amongst his many good qualities he has one unenviable and, +I may add, a bad propensity: he is immoderately fond of smoking. He may say +that he learned it from his nurse, with whom it was once much in vogue. In +Dutch William's time (he was a man of bad taste) the English gentleman +could not do without his pipe. During the short space of time that Corporal +Trim was at the inn inquiring after poor Lefevre's health, my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of three pipes. "It was not till my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe," etc. Now these times have +luckily gone by, and the custom of smoking amongst genteel Englishmen has +nearly died away with them. It is a foul custom; it makes a foul mouth, and +a foul place where the smoker stands. However, every nation has its whims. +John Bull relishes stinking venison; a Frenchman depopulates whole swamps +in quest of frogs; a Dutchman's pipe is never out of his mouth; a Russian +will eat tallow-candles; and the American indulges in the cigar. "De +gustibus non est disputandum." + +Our Western brother is in possession of a country replete with everything +that can contribute to the happiness and comfort of mankind. His code of +laws, purified by experience and common-sense, has fully answered the +expectations of the public. By acting up to the true spirit of this code he +has reaped immense advantages from it. His advancement as a nation has been +rapid beyond all calculation, and, young as he is, it may be remarked +without any impropriety that he is now actually reading a salutary lesson +to the rest of the civilised world. + +It is but some forty years ago that he had the dispute with his nurse about +a dish of tea. She wanted to force the boy to drink it according to her own +receipt. He said he did not like it, and that it absolutely made him ill. +After a good deal of sparring she took up the birch-rod and began to whip +him with an uncommon degree of asperity. When the poor lad found that he +must either drink the nauseous dish of tea or be flogged to death, he +turned upon her in self-defence, showed her to the outside of the nursery- +door, and never more allowed her to meddle with his affairs. + +Since the Independence the population has increased from three to ten +millions. A fine navy has been built, and everything attended to that could +ensure prosperity at home and respect abroad. + +The former wilds of North America bear ample testimony to the achievements +of this enterprising people. Forests have been cleared away, swamps +drained, canals dug and flourishing settlements established. From the +shores of the Atlantic an immense column of knowledge has rolled into the +interior. The Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri and their tributary +streams have been wonderfully benefited by it. It now seems as if it were +advancing towards the stony mountains, and probably will not become +stationary till it reaches the Pacific Ocean. This almost immeasurable +territory affords a shelter and a home to mankind in general: Jew or +Gentile, king's-man or republican, he meets with a friendly reception in +the United States. His opinions, his persecutions, his errors or mistakes, +however they may have injured him in other countries, are dead and of no +avail on his arrival here. Provided he keeps the peace he is sure to be at +rest. + +Politicians of other countries imagine that intestine feuds will cause a +division in this commonwealth; at present there certainly appears to be no +reason for such a conjecture. Heaven forbid that it should happen. The +world at large would suffer by it. For ages yet to come may this great +commonwealth continue to be the United States of North America. + +The sun was now within a week or two of passing into the southern +hemisphere, and the mornings and evenings were too cold to be comfortable. +I embarked for the Island of Antigua with the intention of calling at the +different islands in the Caribbean Sea on my way once more towards the +wilds of Guiana. + +We were thirty days in making Antigua, and thanked Providence for ordering +us so long a passage. A tremendous gale of wind, approaching to a +hurricane, had done much damage in the West Indies. Had our passage been of +ordinary length we should inevitably have been caught in the gale. + +St. John's is the capital of Antigua. In better times it may have had its +gaieties and amusements. At present it appears sad and woebegone. The +houses, which are chiefly of wood, seem as if they have not had a coat of +paint for many years; the streets are uneven and ill-paved; and as the +stranger wanders through them, he might fancy that they would afford a +congenial promenade to the man who is about to take his last leave of +surrounding worldly misery before he hangs himself. There had been no rain +for some time, so that the parched and barren pastures near the town might, +with great truth, be called Rosinante's own. The mules feeding on them put +you in mind of Ovid's description of famine: + + Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent. + +It is somewhat singular that there is not a single river or brook in the +whole Island of Antigua. In this it differs from Tartary in the other +world, which, according to old writers, has five rivers--viz. Acheron, +Phlegeton, Cocytus, Styx and Lethe. + +In this island I found the redstart, described in Wilson's _Ornithology +of the United States_. I wished to learn whether any of these birds +remain the whole year in Antigua and breed there, or whether they all leave +it for the north when the sun comes out of the southern hemisphere; but +upon inquiry I could get no information whatever. + +After passing a dull week here I sailed for Guadaloupe, whose bold and +cloud-capped mountains have a grand appearance as you approach the island. +Basseterre, the capital, is a neat town, with a handsome public walk in the +middle of it, well shaded by a row of fine tamarind trees on each side. +Behind the town La Souffriere raises its high romantic summit, and on a +clear day you may see the volcanic smoke which issues from it. + +Nearly midway betwixt Guadaloupe and Dominica you escry the Saintes. Though +high and bold and rocky, they have still a diminutive appearance when +compared with their two gigantic neighbours. You just see Marigalante to +windward of them, some leagues off, about a yard high in the horizon. + +Dominica is majestic in high and rugged mountains. As you sail along it you +cannot help admiring its beautiful coffee-plantations, in places so abrupt +and steep that you would pronounce them almost inaccessible. Roseau, the +capital, is but a small town, and has nothing attractive except the well- +known hospitality of the present harbour-master, who is particularly +attentive to strangers and furnishes them with a world of information +concerning the West Indies. Roseau has seen better days, and you can trace +good taste and judgment in the way in which the town has originally been +laid out. + +Some years ago it was visited by a succession of misfortunes which smote it +so severely that it has never recovered its former appearance. A strong +French fleet bombarded it; while a raging fire destroyed its finest +buildings. Some time after an overwhelming flood rolled down the gullies +and fissures of the adjacent mountains and carried all before it. Men, +women and children, houses and property, were all swept away by this mighty +torrent. The terrible scene was said to beggar all description, and the +loss was immense. + +Dominica is famous for a large species of frog which the inhabitants keep +in readiness to slaughter for the table. In the woods of this island the +large rhinoceros-beetle is very common: it measures above six inches in +length. In the same woods is found the beautiful humming-bird, the breast +and throat of which are of a brilliant changing purple. I have searched for +this bird in Brazil and through the whole of the wilds from the Rio Branco, +which is a branch of the Amazons, to the River Paumaron, but never could +find it. I was told by a man in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly that this +humming-bird is found in Mexico; but upon questioning him more about it his +information seemed to have been acquired by hearsay; and so I concluded +that it does not appear in Mexico. I suspect that it is never found out of +the Antilles. + +After leaving Dominica you soon reach the grand and magnificent Island of +Martinico. St. Pierre, its capital, is a fine town, and possesses every +comfort. The inhabitants seem to pay considerable attention to the +cultivation of the tropical fruits. A stream of water runs down the streets +with great rapidity, producing a pleasing effect as you pass along. + +Here I had an opportunity of examining a cuckoo which had just been shot. +It was exactly the same as the metallic cuckoo in Wilson's +_Ornithology_. They told me it is a migratory bird in Martinico. It +probably repairs to this island after its departure from the United States. + +At a little distance from Martinico the celebrated Diamond Rock rises in +insulated majesty out of the sea. It was fortified during the last war with +France, and bravely defended by an English captain. + +In a few hours from Martinico you are at St. Lucie, whose rough and +towering mountains fill you with sublime ideas, as you approach its rocky +shore. The town Castries is quite embayed. It was literally blown to pieces +by the fatal hurricane in which the unfortunate governor and his lady lost +their lives. Its present forlorn and gloomy appearance, and the grass which +is grown up in the streets, too plainly show that its hour of joy is passed +away and that it is in mourning, as it were, with the rest of the British +West Indies. + +From St. Lucie I proceeded to Barbadoes in quest of a conveyance to the +Island of Trinidad. + +Near Bridgetown, the capital of Barbadoes, I saw the metallic cuckoo +already alluded to. + +Barbadoes is no longer the merry island it was when I visited it some years +ago: + + Infelix habitum, temporis hujus habet. + +There is an old song, to the tune of "La Belle Catharine," which must +evidently have been composed in brighter times: + + Come let us dance and sing, + While Barbadoes bells do ring; + Quashi scrapes the fiddle-string, + And Venus plays the lute. + +Quashi's fiddle was silent, and mute was the lute of Venus during my stay +in Barbadoes. The difference betwixt the French and British islands was +very striking. The first appeared happy and content; the second were filled +with murmurs and complaints. The late proceedings in England concerning +slavery and the insurrection in Demerara had evidently caused the gloom. +The abolition of slavery is a question full of benevolence and fine +feelings, difficulties and danger: + + Tantum ne noceas, dum vis prodesse videto. + +It requires consummate prudence and a vast fund of true information in +order to draw just conclusions on this important subject. Phaeton, by +awkward driving, set the world on fire: "Sylvae cum montibus ardent." +Daedalus gave his son a pair of wings without considering the consequence; +the boy flew out of all bounds, lost his wings, and tumbled into the sea: + + Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis. + +When the old man saw what had happened, he damned his own handicraft in +wing-making: "devovitque suas artes." Prudence is a cardinal virtue: + + Omnia consulta mente gerenda tegens. + +Foresight is half the battle. "Hombre apercebido, medio combatido," says +Don Quixote, or Sancho, I do not remember which. Had Queen Bess weighed +well in her own mind the probable consequences of this lamentable traffic, +it is likely she would not have been owner of two vessels in Sir John +Hawkins's squadron, which committed the first robbery in negro flesh on the +coast of Africa. As philanthropy is the very life and soul of this +momentous question on slavery, which is certainly fraught with great +difficulties and danger, perhaps it would be as well at present for the +nation to turn its thoughts to poor ill-fated Ireland, where oppression, +poverty and rags make a heart-rending appeal to the feelings of the +benevolent. + +But to proceed. There was another thing which added to the dullness of +Barbadoes and which seemed to have considerable effect in keeping away +strangers from the island. The Legislature had passed a most extraordinary +Bill, by virtue of which every person who arrives at Barbadoes is obliged +to pay two dollars, and two dollars more on his departure from it. It is +called the Alien Bill; and every Barbadian who leaves or returns to the +island, and every Englishman too, pays the tax! + +Finding no vessel here for Trinidad, I embarked in a schooner for Demerara, +landed there after being nearly stranded on a sandbank, and proceeded +without loss of time to the forests in the interior. It was the dry season, +which renders a residence in the woods very delightful. + +There are three species of jacamar to be found on the different sandhills +and dry savannas of Demerara; but there is another much larger and far more +beautiful to be seen when you arrive in that part of the country where +there are rocks. The jacamar has no affinity to the woodpecker or +kingfisher (notwithstanding what travellers affirm) either in its haunts or +anatomy. The jacamar lives entirely on insects, but never goes in search of +them. It sits patiently for hours together on the branch of a tree, and +when the incautious insect approaches it flies at it with the rapidity of +an arrow, seizes it, and generally returns to eat it on the branch which it +had just quitted. It has not the least attempt at song, is very solitary, +and so tame that you may get within three or four yards of it before it +takes flight. The males of all the different species which I have examined +have white feathers on the throat. I suspect that all the male jacamars +hitherto discovered have this distinctive mark. I could learn nothing of +its incubation. The Indians informed me that one species of jacamar lays +its eggs in the wood-ants' nests, which are so frequent in the trees of +Guiana, and appear like huge black balls. I wish there had been proof +positive of this; but the breeding-time was over, and in the ants' nests +which I examined I could find no marks of birds having ever been in them. +Early in January the jacamar is in fine plumage for the cabinet of the +naturalist. The largest species measures ten inches and a half from the +point of the beak to the end of the tail. Its name amongst the Indians is +una-waya-adoucati, that is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is certainly a +splendid bird, and in the brilliancy and changeableness of its metallic +colours it yields to none of the Asiatic and African feathered tribe. The +colours of the female are nearly as bright as those of the male, but she +wants the white feathers on the throat. The large jacamar is pretty common +about two hundred miles up the River Demerara. + +Here I had a fine opportunity once more of examining the three-toed sloth. +He was in the house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a description of +him as he lay sprawling on the floor I should have misled the world and +injured natural history. On the ground he appeared really a bungled +composition, and faulty at all points; awkwardness and misery were depicted +on his countenance; and when I made him advance he sighed as though in +pain. Perhaps it was that by seeing him thus out of his element, as it +were, that the Count de Buffon, in his history of the sloth, asks the +question: "Why should not some animals be created for misery, since, in the +human species, the greatest number of individuals are devoted to pain from +the moment of their existence?" Were the question put to me I would answer, +I cannot conceive that any of them are created for misery. That thousands +live in misery there can be no doubt; but then misery has overtaken them in +their path through life, and wherever man has come up with them I should +suppose they have seldom escaped from experiencing a certain proportion of +misery. + +After fully satisfying myself that it only leads the world into error to +describe the sloth while he is on the ground or in any place except in a +tree, I carried the one I had in my possession to his native haunts. As +soon as he came in contact with the branch of a tree all went right with +him. I could see as he climbed up into his own country that he was on the +right road to happiness; and felt persuaded more than ever that the world +has hitherto erred in its conjectures concerning the sloth, on account of +naturalists not having given a description of him when he was in the only +position in which he ought to have been described, namely, clinging to the +branch of a tree. + +As the appearance of this part of the country bears great resemblance to +Cayenne, and is so near to it, I was in hopes to have found the grande +gobe-mouche of Buffon and the septi-coloured tangara, both of which are +common in Cayenne; but after many diligent searches I did not succeed, nor +could I learn from the Indians that they had ever seen those two species of +birds in these parts. + +Here I procured the gross-beak with a rich scarlet body and black head and +throat. Buffon mentions it as coming from America. I had been in quest of +it for years, but could never see it, and concluded that it was not to be +found in Demerara. This bird is of a greenish brown before it acquires its +rich plumage. + +Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this part of the river, a +red crab sometimes makes its appearance as you are passing up and down. It +is preyed upon by a large species of owl which I was fortunate enough to +procure. Its head, back, wings and tail are of so dark a brown as almost to +appear black. The breast is of a somewhat lighter brown. The belly and +thighs are of a dirty yellow-white. The feathers round the eyes are of the +same dark brown as the rest of the body; and then comes a circle of white +which has much the appearance of the rim of a large pair of spectacles. I +strongly suspect that the dirty yellow-white of the belly and thighs has +originally been pure white, and that it has come to its present colour by +means of the bird darting down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere +conjecture. + +Here, too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird called sun-bird by +the English colonists and tirana by the Spaniards in the Oroonoque. It is +very elegant, and in its outward appearance approaches near to the heron +tribe; still, it does not live upon fish. Flies and insects are its food, +and it takes them just as the heron takes fish, by approaching near and +then striking with its beak at its prey so quick that it has no chance to +escape. The beautiful mixture of grey, yellow, green, black, white and +chestnut in the plumage of this bird baffles any attempt to give a +description of the distribution of them which would be satisfactory to the +reader. + +There is something remarkable in the great tinamou which I suspect has +hitherto escaped notice. It invariably roosts in trees, but the feet are so +very small in proportion to the body of this bulky bird that they can be of +no use to it in grasping the branch; and, moreover, the hind-toe is so +short that it does not touch the ground when the bird is walking. The back +part of the leg, just below the knee, is quite flat and somewhat concave. +On it are strong pointed scales, which are very rough, and catch your +finger as you move it along from the knee to the toe. Now, by means of +these scales and the particular flatness of that part of the leg, the bird +is enabled to sleep in safety upon the branch of a tree. + +At the close of day the great tinamou gives a loud, monotonous, plaintive +whistle, and then immediately springs into the tree. By the light of the +full-moon the vigilant and cautious naturalist may see him sitting in the +position already described. + +The small tinamou has nothing that can be called a tail. It never lays more +than one egg, which is of a chocolate colour. It makes no nest, but merely +scratches a little hollow in the sand, generally at the foot of a tree. + +Here we have an instance of a bird the size of a partridge, and of the same +tribe, laying only one egg, while the rest of the family, from the peahen +to the quail, are known to lay a considerable number. The foot of this bird +is very small in proportion, but the back part of the leg bears no +resemblance to that of the larger tinamou; hence one might conclude that it +sleeps upon the ground. + +Independent of the hollow trees, the vampires have another hiding-place. +They clear out the inside of the large ants' nests and then take possession +of the shell. I had gone about half a day down the river to a part of the +forest where the wallaba-trees were in great plenty. The seeds had ripened, +and I was in hopes to have got the large scarlet ara, which feeds on them. +But unfortunately the time had passed away, and the seeds had fallen. + +While ranging here in the forest we stopped under an ants' nest, and, by +the dirt below, conjectured that it had got new tenants. Thinking it no +harm to dislodge them, "vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the tree, but +before he reached the nest out flew above a dozen vampires. + +I have formerly remarked that I wished to have it in my power to say that I +had been sucked by the vampire. I gave them many an opportunity, but they +always fought shy; and though they now sucked a young man of the Indian +breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his hammock in the shed next to +mine, they would have nothing to do with me. His great toe seemed to have +all the attractions. I examined it minutely as he was bathing it in the +river at daybreak. The midnight surgeon had made a hole in it almost of a +triangular shape, and the blood was then running from it apace. His hammock +was so defiled and stained with clotted blood that he was obliged to beg an +old black woman to wash it. As she was taking it down to the river-side she +spread it out before me, and shook her head. I remarked that I supposed her +own toe was too old and tough to invite the vampire-doctor to get his +supper out of it, and she answered, with a grin, that doctors generally +preferred young people. + +Nobody has yet been able to inform me how it is that the vampire manages to +draw such a large quantity of blood, generally from the toe, and the +patient all the time remains in a profound sleep. I have never heard of an +instance of a man waking under the operation. On the contrary, he continues +in a sound sleep, and at the time of rising his eyes first inform him that +there has been a thirsty thief on his toe. + +The teeth of the vampire are very sharp and not unlike those of a rat. If +it be that he inflicts the wound with his teeth (and he seems to have no +other instruments), one would suppose that the acuteness of the pain would +cause the person who is sucked to awake. We are in darkness in this matter, +and I know of no means by which one might be enabled to throw light upon +it. It is to be hoped that some future wanderer through the wilds of Guiana +will be more fortunate than I have been and catch this nocturnal depredator +in the fact. I have once before mentioned that I killed a vampire which +measured thirty-two inches from wing to wing extended, but others which I +have since examined have generally been from twenty to twenty-six inches in +dimension. + +The large humming-bird, called by the Indians kara-bimiti, invariably +builds its nest in the slender branches of the trees which hang over the +rivers and creeks. In appearance it is like brown tanned leather, and +without any particle of lining. The rim of the nest is doubled inwards, and +I always conjectured that it had taken this shape on account of the body of +the bird pressing against it while she was laying her eggs. But this was +quite a wrong conjecture. Instinct has taught the bird to give it this +shape in order that the eggs may be prevented from rolling out. + +The trees on the river's bank are particularly exposed to violent gusts of +wind, and while I have been sitting in the canoe and looking on, I have +seen the slender branch of the tree which held the humming-bird's nest so +violently shaken that the bottom of the inside of the nest has appeared, +and had there been nothing at the rim to stop the eggs they must inevitably +have been jerked out into the water. I suspect the humming-bird never lays +more than two eggs. I never found more than two in any of the many nests +which have come in my way. The eggs were always white without any spots on +them. + +Probably travellers have erred in asserting that the monkeys of South +America throw sticks and fruit at their pursuers. I have had fine +opportunities of narrowly watching the different species of monkeys which +are found in the wilds betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque. I entirely +acquit them of acting on the offensive. When the monkeys are in the high +trees over your head the dead branches will now and then fall down upon +you, having been broken off as the monkeys pass along them; but they are +never hurled from their hands. + +Monkeys, commonly so called, both in the old and new continent, may be +classed into three grand divisions: namely, the ape, which has no tail +whatever; the baboon, which has only a short tail; and the monkey, which +has a long tail. There are no apes and no baboons as yet discovered in the +new world. Its monkeys may be very well and very briefly ranged under two +heads: namely, those with hairy and bushy tails; and those whose tails are +bare of hair underneath about six inches from the extremity. Those with +hairy and bushy tails climb just like the squirrel, and make no use of the +tail to help them from branch to branch. Those which have the tail bare +underneath towards the end find it of infinite advantage to them in their +ascent and descent. They apply it to the branch of the tree, as though it +were a supple finger, and frequently swing by it from the branch like the +pendulum of a clock. It answers all the purposes of a fifth hand to the +monkey, as naturalists have already observed. + +The large red monkey of Demerara is not a baboon, though it goes by that +name, having a long pensile tail. [Footnote: I believe _pensile_ is a +new-coined word. I have seen it, but do not remember where.] Nothing can +sound more dreadful than its nocturnal howlings. While lying in your +hammock in these gloomy and immeasurable wilds, you hear him howling at +intervals from eleven o'clock at night till daybreak. You would suppose +that half the wild beasts of the forest were collecting for the work of +carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of the jaguar as he springs on his +prey: now it changes to his terrible and deep-toned growlings as he is +pressed on all sides by superior force: and now you hear his last dying +moan beneath a mortal wound. + +Some naturalists have supposed that these awful sounds which you would +fancy are those of enraged and dying wild beasts proceed from a number of +the red monkeys howling in concert. One of them alone is capable of +producing all these sounds; and the anatomists on an inspection of his +trachea will be fully satisfied that this is the case. When you look at +him, as he is sitting on the branch of a tree, you will see a lump in his +throat the size of a large hen's egg. In dark and cloudy weather, and just +before a squall of rain, this monkey will often howl in the daytime; and if +you advance cautiously, and get under the high and tufted tree where he is +sitting, you may have a capital opportunity of witnessing his wonderful +powers of producing these dreadful and discordant sounds. + +His flesh is good food; but when skinned his appearance is so like that of +a young one of our own species that a delicate stomach might possibly +revolt at the idea of putting a knife and fork into it. However, I can +affirm from experience that, after a long and dreary march through these +remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not to be sneezed at when +boiled in cayenne-pepper or roasted on a stick over a good fire. A young +one tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have somewhat the flavour of +he-goat. + +I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit upon an entirely new +plan of making the skins of quadrupeds retain their exact form and feature. +Intense application to the subject has since that period enabled me to +shorten the process and hit the character of an animal to a very great +nicety, even to the preservation of the pouting lip, dimples, warts and +wrinkles on the face. I got a fine specimen of the howling monkey, and took +some pains with it in order to show the immense difference that exists +betwixt the features of this monkey and those of man. + +I also procured an animal which has caused not a little speculation and +astonishment. In my opinion, his thick coat of hair and great length of +tail put his species out of all question, but then his face and head cause +the inspector to pause for a moment before he ventures to pronounce his +opinion of the classification. He was a large animal, and as I was pressed +for daylight, and moreover, felt no inclination to have the whole weight of +his body upon my back, I contented myself with his head and shoulders, +which I cut off, and have brought them with me to Europe. [Footnote: My +young friend Mr. J. H. Foljambe, eldest son of Thomas Foljambe, Esq., of +Wakefield, has made a drawing of the head and shoulders of this animal, and +it is certainly a most correct and striking likeness of the original.] I +have since found that I acted quite right in doing so, having had enough to +answer for the head alone, without saying anything of his hands and feet, +and of his tail, which is an appendage, Lord Kames asserts, belongs to us. + +The features of this animal are quite of the Grecian cast, and he has a +placidity of countenance which shows that things went well with him when in +life. Some gentlemen of great skill and talent, on inspecting his head, +were convinced that the whole series of its features has been changed. +Others again have hesitated, and betrayed doubts, not being able to make up +their minds whether it be possible that the brute features of the monkey +can be changed into the noble countenance of man: "Scinditur vulgus." One +might argue at considerable length on this novel subject; and perhaps, +after all, produce little more than prolix pedantry: "Vox et praeterea +nihil." + +Let us suppose for an instant that it is a new species. Well; "Una +golondrina no hace verano": One swallow does not make summer, as Sancho +Panza says. Still, for all that, it would be well worth while going out to +search for it; and these times of Pasco-Peruvian enterprise are favourable +to the undertaking. Perhaps, gentle reader, you would wish me to go in +quest of another. I would beg leave respectfully to answer that the way is +dubious, long and dreary; and though, unfortunately, I cannot allege the +excuse of "me pia conjux detinet," still I would fain crave a little +repose. I have already been a long while errant: + + Longa mihi exilia, et vastum maris aequor aravi, + Ne mandate mihi, nam ego sum defessus agendo. + +Should anybody be induced to go, great and innumerable are the discoveries +yet to be made in those remote wilds; and should he succeed in bringing +home even a head alone, with features as perfect as those of that which I +have brought, far from being envious of him, I should consider him a modern +Alcides, fully entitled to register a thirteenth labour. Now if, on the +other hand, we argue that this head in question has had all its original +features destroyed, and a set of new ones given to it, by what means has +this hitherto unheard-of change been effected? Nobody in any of our museums +has as yet been able to restore the natural features to stuffed animals; +and he who has any doubts of this, let him take a living cat or dog and +compare them with a stuffed cat or dog in any of the first-rate museums. A +momentary glance of the eye would soon settle his doubts on this head. + +If I have succeeded in effacing the features of a brute, and putting those +of a man in their place, we might be entitled to say that the sun of +Proteus has risen to our museums: + + Unius hic faciem, facies transformat in omnes; + Nunc homo, nunc tigris; nunc equa, nunc mulier. + +If I have effected this, we can now give to one side of the skin of a man's +face the appearance of eighty years and to the other side that of blooming +seventeen. We could make the forehead and eyes serene in youthful beauty +and shape the mouth and jaws to the features of a malicious old ape. Here +is a new field opened to the adventurous and experimental naturalist: I +have trodden it up and down till I am almost weary. To get at it myself I +have groped through an alley which may be styled in the words of Ovid: + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca. + +I pray thee, gentle reader, let me out awhile. Time passes on apace; and I +want to take thee to have a peep at the spots where mines are supposed to +exist in Guiana. As the story of this singular head has probably not been +made out to thy satisfaction, perhaps (I may say it nearly in Corporal +Trim's words), on some long and dismal winter's evening, but not now, I may +tell thee more about it; together with that of another head which is +equally striking. + +It is commonly reported, and I think there is no reason to doubt the fact, +that when Demerara and Essequibo were under the Dutch flag there were mines +of gold and silver opened near to the River Essequibo. The miners were not +successful in their undertaking, and it is generally conjectured that their +failure proceeded from inexperience. + +Now, when you ascend the Essequibo, some hundred miles above the place +where these mines are said to be found, you get into a high, rocky and +mountainous country. Here many of the mountains have a very barren aspect, +producing only a few stinted shrubs, and here and there a tuft of coarse +grass. I could not learn that they have ever been explored, and at this day +their mineralogy is totally unknown to us. The Indians are so thinly +scattered in this part of the country that there would be no impropriety in +calling it uninhabited: + + Apparent rari errantes in gurgite vasto. + +It remains to be yet learnt whether this portion of Guiana be worth looking +after with respect to its supposed mines. The mining speculations at +present are flowing down another channel. The rage in England for working +the mines of other states has now risen to such a pitch, that it would +require a considerable degree of caution in a mere wanderer of the woods in +stepping forward to say anything that might tend to raise or depress the +spirits of the speculators. + +A question or two, however, might be asked. When the revolted colonies +shall have repaired in some measure the ravages of war, and settled their +own political economy upon a firm foundation, will they quietly submit to +see foreigners carrying away those treasures which are absolutely part of +their own soil, and which necessity (necessity has no law) forced them to +barter away in their hour of need? Now, if it should so happen that the +masters of the country begin to repent of their bargain and become envious +of the riches which foreigners carry off, many a teasing law might be made +and many a vexatious enaction might be put in force that would in all +probability bring the speculators into trouble and disappointment. + +Besides this consideration there is another circumstance which ought not to +be overlooked. I allude to the change of masters nearly throughout the +whole of America. It is a curious subject for the European philosopher to +moralise upon and for the politician to examine. The more they consider it, +the more they will be astonished. If we may judge by what has already taken +place, we are entitled to predict that in a very few years more no European +banner will be seen to float in any part of the new world. Let us take a +cursory view of it. + +England some years ago possessed a large portion of the present United +States. France had Louisiana; Spain held the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, +Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru and California; and +Portugal ruled the whole of Brazil. All these immense regions are now +independent states. England, to be sure, still has Canada, Nova Scotia and +a few creeks on the coast of Labrador; also a small settlement in Honduras, +and the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo; and these are all. France has not +a foot of ground, except the forests of Cayenne. Portugal has lost every +province; Spain is blockaded in nearly her last citadel; and the Dutch flag +is only seen in Surinam. Nothing more now remains to Europe of this immense +continent where but a very few years ago she reigned triumphant. + +With regard to the West India Islands, they may be considered as the mere +outposts of this mammoth domain. St. Domingo has already shaken off her old +masters and become a star of observation to the rest of the sable brethren. +The anti-slavery associations of England, full of benevolence and activity, +have opened a tremendous battery upon the last remaining forts which the +lords of the old continent still hold in the new world; and in all +probability will not cease firing till they shall have caused the last flag +to be struck of Europe's late mighty empire in the transatlantic regions. +It cannot well be doubted but that the sable hordes in the West Indies will +like to follow good example whenever they shall have it in their power to +do so. + +Now with St. Domingo as an example before them, how long will it be before +they try to raise themselves into independent states? And if they should +succeed in crushing us in these our last remaining tenements, I would bet +ten to one that none of the new Governments will put on mourning for our +departure out of the new world. We must well remember that our own +Government was taxed with injustice and oppression by the United States +during their great struggle; and the British press for years past has, and +is still, teeming with every kind of abuse and unbecoming satire against +Spain and Portugal for their conduct towards the now revolted colonies. + +France also comes in for her share of obloquy. Now this being the case, +will not America at large wish most devoutly for the day to come when +Europe shall have no more dominion over her? Will she not say to us: Our +new forms of government are very different from your old ones. We will +trade with you, but we shall always be very suspicious of you as long as +you retain possession of the West Indies, which are, as we may say, close +to our door-steads. You must be very cautious how you interfere with our +politics; for, if we find you meddling with them, and by that means cause +us to come to loggerheads, we shall be obliged to send you back to your own +homes three or four thousand miles across the Atlantic; and then with that +great ditch betwixt us we may hope we shall be good friends. He who casts +his eye on the East Indies will there see quite a different state of +things. The conquered districts have merely changed one European master for +another; and I believe there is no instance of any portion of the East +Indies throwing off the yoke of the Europeans and establishing a Government +of their own. + +Ye who are versed in politics, and study the rise and fall of empires, and +know what is good for civilised man and what is bad for him, or, in other +words, what will make him happy and what will make him miserable--tell us +how comes it that Europe has lost almost her last acre in the boundless +expanse of territory which she so lately possessed in the West, and still +contrives to hold her vast property in the extensive regions of the East? + +But whither am I going? I find myself on a new and dangerous path. Pardon, +gentle reader, this sudden deviation. Methinks I hear thee saying to me: + + Tramite quo tendis, majoraque viribus audes. + +I grant that I have erred, but I will do so no more. In general I avoid +politics; they are too heavy for me, and I am aware that they have caused +the fall of many a strong and able man; they require the shoulders of Atlas +to support their weight. + +When I was in the rocky mountains of Macoushia, in the month of June 1812, +I saw four young cock-of-the-rocks in an Indian's hut; they had been taken +out of the nest that week. They were of a uniform dirty brown colour, and +by the position of the young feathers upon the head you might see that +there would be a crest there when the bird arrived at maturity. By seeing +young ones in the month of June I immediately concluded that the old cock- +of-the-rock would be in fine plumage from the end of November to the +beginning of May; and that the naturalist who was in quest of specimens for +his museum ought to arrange his plans in such a manner as to be able to get +into Macoushia during these months. However, I find now that no exact +period can be fixed; for in December 1824 an Indian in the River Demerara +gave me a young cock-of-the-rock not a month old, and it had just been +brought from the Macoushi country. By having a young specimen at this time +of the year it puts it out of one's power to say at what precise time the +old birds are in full plumage. I took it on board a ship with me for +England, but it was so very susceptible of cold that it shivered and died +three days after we had passed Antigua. + +If ever there should be a great demand for large supplies of gum-elastic, +commonly called india-rubber, it may be procured in abundance far away in +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. + +Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi country, there was a capital +trick played upon me about india-rubber. It is, almost too good to be left +out of these wanderings, and it shows that the wild and uneducated Indian +is not without abilities. Weary and sick and feeble through loss of blood, +I arrived at some Indian huts which were about two hours distant from the +place where the gum-elastic trees grew. After a day and a night's rest I +went to them, and with my own hands made a fine ball of pure india-rubber; +it hardened immediately as it became exposed to the air, and its elasticity +was almost incredible. + +While procuring it, exposure to the rain, which fell in torrents, brought +on a return of inflammation in the stomach, and I was obliged to have +recourse again to the lancet, and to use it with an unsparing hand. I +wanted another ball, but was not in a state the next morning to proceed to +the trees. A fine interesting young Indian, observing my eagerness to have +it, tendered his services, and asked two handfuls of fish-hooks for his +trouble. + +Off he went, and to my great surprise returned in a very short time. +Bearing in mind the trouble and time it had cost me to make a ball, I could +account for this Indian's expedition in no other way except that, being an +inhabitant of the forest, he knew how to go about his work in a much +shorter way than I did. His ball, to be sure, had very little elasticity in +it. I tried it repeatedly, but it never rebounded a yard high. The young +Indian watched me with great gravity, and when I made him understand that I +expected the ball would dance better, he called another Indian who knew a +little English to assure me that I might be quite easy on that score. The +young rogue, in order to render me a complete dupe, brought the new moon to +his aid. He gave me to understand that the ball was like the little moon +which he pointed to, and by the time it grew big and old the ball would +bounce beautifully. This satisfied me, and I gave him the fish-hooks, which +he received without the least change of countenance. + +I bounced the ball repeatedly for two months after, but I found that it +still remained in its infancy. At last I suspected that the savage (to use +a vulgar phrase) had "come Yorkshire" over me; and so I determined to find +out how he had managed to take me in. I cut the ball in two, and then saw +what a taught trick he had played me. It seems he had chewed some leaves +into a lump the size of a walnut, and then dipped them in the liquid gum- +elastic. It immediately received a coat about as thick as a sixpence. He +then rolled some more leaves round it and gave it another coat. He seems to +have continued this process till he made the ball considerably larger than +the one I had procured; and in order to put his roguery out of all chance +of detection he made the last and outer coat thicker than a dollar. This +Indian would, no doubt, have thriven well in some of our great towns. + +Finding that the rainy season was coming on, I left the wilds of Demerara +and Essequibo with regret towards the close of December 1824, and reached +once more the shores of England after a long and unpleasant passage. + +Ere we part, kind reader, I could wish to draw a little of thy attention to +the instructions which are to be found at the end of this book. Twenty +years have now rolled away since I first began to examine the specimens of +zoology in our museums. As the system of preparation is founded in error, +nothing but deformity, distortion and disproportion will be the result of +the best intentions and utmost exertions of the workman. Canova's +education, taste and genius enabled him to present to the world statues so +correct and beautiful that they are worthy of universal admiration. Had a +common stonecutter tried his hand upon the block out of which these statues +were sculptured, what a lamentable want of symmetry and fine countenance +there would have been. Now when we reflect that the preserved specimens in +our museums and private collections are always done upon a wrong principle, +and generally by low and illiterate people whose daily bread depends upon +the shortness of time in which they can get through their work, and whose +opposition to the true way of preparing specimens can only be surpassed by +their obstinacy in adhering to the old method, can we any longer wonder at +their want of success or hope to see a single specimen produced that will +be worth looking at? With this I conclude, hoping that thou hast received +some information, and occasionally had a smile upon thy countenance, while +perusing these _Wanderings_; and begging at the same time to add that: + + Well I know thy penetration + Many a stain and blot will see, + In the languid long narration, + Of my sylvan errantry. + + For the pen too oft was weary, + In the wandering writer's hand, + As he roved through deep and dreary + Forests, in a distant land. + + Show thy mercy, gentle reader, + Let him not entreat in vain; + It will be his strength's best feeder, + Should he ever go again. + + And who knows, how soon complaining + Of a cold and wifeless home, + He may leave it, and again in + Equatorial regions roam. + +C.W. + + + * * * * * + + + + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS +OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Were you to pay as much attention to birds as the sculptor does to the +human frame, you would immediately see, on entering a museum, that the +specimens are not well done. + +This remark will not be thought severe when you reflect that that which +once was a bird has probably been stretched, stuffed, stiffened and wired +by the hand of a common clown. Consider, likewise, how the plumage must +have been disordered by too much stretching or drying, and perhaps sullied, +or at least deranged, by the pressure of a coarse and heavy hand--plumage +which, ere life had fled from within it, was accustomed to be touched by +nothing rougher than the dew of heaven and the pure and gentle breath of +air. + +In dissecting, three things are necessary to ensure success: viz. a +penknife, a hand not coarse or clumsy, and practice. The first will furnish +you with the means; the second will enable you to dissect; and the third +cause you to dissect well. These may be called the mere mechanical +requisites. + +In stuffing, you require cotton, a needle and thread, a little stick the +size of a common knitting-needle, glass eyes, a solution of corrosive +sublimate, and any kind of a common temporary box to hold the specimen. +These also may go under the same denomination as the former. But if you +wish to excel in the art, if you wish to be in ornithology what Angelo was +in sculpture, you must apply to profound study and your own genius to +assist you. And these may be called the scientific requisites. + +You must have a complete knowledge of ornithological anatomy. You must pay +close attention to the form and attitude of the bird, and know exactly the +proportion each curve, or extension, or contraction, or expansion of any +particular part bears to the rest of the body. In a word, you must possess +Promethean boldness and bring down fire and animation, as it were, into +your preserved specimen. + +Repair to the haunts of birds on plains and mountains, forests, swamps and +lakes, and give up your time to examine the economy of the different orders +of birds. + +Then you will place your eagle in attitude commanding, the same as Nelson +stood in in the day of battle on the _Victory's_ quarter-deck. Your +pie will seem crafty and just ready to take flight, as though fearful of +being surprised in some mischievous plunder. Your sparrow will retain its +wonted pertness by means of placing his tail a little elevated and giving a +moderate arch to the neck. Your vulture will show his sluggish habits by +having his body nearly parallel to the earth, his wings somewhat drooping, +and their extremities under the tail instead of above it--expressive of +ignoble indolence. + +Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence; looking mildly at you +with its neck not too much stretched, as if uneasy in its situation; or +drawn too close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a discovery; +but in moderate, perpendicular length, supporting the head horizontally, +which will set off the breast to the best advantage. And the breast ought +to be conspicuous, and have this attention paid to it--for when a young +lady is sweet and gentle in her manners, kind and affable to those around +her, when her eyes stand in tears of pity for the woes of others, and she +puts a small portion of what Providence has blessed her with into the hand +of imploring poverty and hunger, then we say she has the breast of a +turtle-dove. + +You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged: one +falling over the other in nicest order; and that where this charming +harmony is interrupted, the defect, though not noticed by an ordinary +spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. Thus a bird +not wounded and in perfect feather must be procured if possible, for the +loss of feathers can seldom be made good; and where the deficiency is +great, all the skill of the artist will avail him little in his attempt to +conceal the defect, because in order to hide it he must contract the skin, +bring down the upper feathers, and shove in the lower ones, which would +throw all the surrounding parts into contortion. + +You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce feathers, +and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow. The bare parts +are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and stomach, and they +fit into the different cavities of the body at the wings, shoulders, rump +and thighs with wonderful exactness; so that, in stuffing the bird, if you +make an even, rotund surface of the skin where these cavities existed, in +lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry, order and proportion are lost for +ever. + +You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be entirely +skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true and pleasing +specimen. + +You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the nature of +the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in: first, they require +to be well seasoned with aromatic spices; secondly, they must be put into +the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of the fire, and the natural tendency +all cured flesh has to shrink and become hard, render the specimen +withered, distorted and too small; fourthly, the inside then becomes like a +ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects claim it as their own, +the feathers begin to drop off, and you have the hideous spectacle of death +in ragged plumage. + +Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance; for +where it is introduced a disagreeable stiffness and derangement of symmetry +follow. + +The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the body supported, the +wings closed, extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised or expanded, +the thighs set horizontal or oblique, without any aid from wire. Cotton +will effect all this. + +A very small proportion of the skull-bone, say from the forepart of the +eyes to the bill, is to be left in; though even this is not absolutely +necessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones and half of the thigh- +bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains and tendons +--is all to be taken away. + +While dissecting it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking off the +skin from the body by means of your fingers and a little knife, you must +try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. + +That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now and +then take a view of it to see that the feathers, etc., are all right. + +That when you come to the head you must take care that the body of the skin +rests on your knee; for if you allow it to dangle from your hand its own +weight will stretch it too much. + +That, throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin from +the body you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it; and this +will effectually prevent any fat, blood or moisture from coming in contact +with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on the belly you find an +inner skin, which keeps the bowels in their place. By a nice operation with +the knife you can cut through the outer skin and leave the inner skin +whole. Attention to this will render your work very clean; so that with a +little care in other parts you may skin a bird without even soiling your +finger-ends. + +As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on this +head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard with your +finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon expire. Carry it +by the legs, and then the body being reversed the blood cannot escape down +the plumage through the shot-holes. As blood will often have issued out +before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the shot-holes by dividing +the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on them, and then with your +penknife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully remove the clotted blood and put +a little cotton on the hole. If, after all, the plumage has not escaped the +marks of blood, or if it has imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part +in water, without soap, and keep gently agitating the feathers with your +fingers till they are quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them to +dry by themselves, they would have a very mean and shrivelled appearance. + +In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or upon +your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee; because when you cross one +knee over the other and have the bird upon the uppermost, you can raise it +to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foot on the ground, +and then your knee will always move in unison with your body, by which much +stooping will be avoided and lassitude prevented. + +With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect a +bird. Suppose we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with a song +for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he is just the +thing. His skin is also pretty tough, and the feathers adhere to it. + +We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive +sublimate in alcohol; also a stick like a common knitting-needle and a +handful or two of cotton. Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird with +cotton, and place it upon your knee on its back, with its head pointing to +your left shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two first fingers and +thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point of the knife +perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you to hold it so, you +would cut the inner skin of the belly, and thus let the bowels out. To +avoid this let your knife be parallel to the body, and then, you will +divide the outer skin with great ease. + +Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle, quite to +the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and separate +the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of the thigh. Cut +it through, and do nothing more there at present, except introducing cotton +all the way on that side, from the vent to the breastbone. Do exactly the +same on the opposite side. + +Now place the bird perpendicular, its breast resting on your knee, with its +back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each side at the vent, +and never mind at present the part from the vent to the root of the tail. +Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while your finger and thumb are +keeping down the detached parts of the skin on each side of the vent, cut +quite across and deep, till you see the backbone, near the oil-gland at the +root of the tail. Sever the backbone at the joint, and then you have all +the root of the tail, together with the oil-gland, dissected from the body. +Apply plenty of cotton. + +After this seize the end of the backbone with your finger and thumb: and +now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round and round +as occasion requires. While you are holding it thus, contrive, with the +help of your other hand and knife, by cutting and shoving, to get the skin +pushed up till you come to where the wing joins on to the body. Forget not +to apply cotton; cut this joint through; do the same at the other wing, add +cotton, and gently push the skin over the head; cut out the roots of the +ears, which lie very deep in the head, and continue skinning till you reach +the middle of the eye; cut the nictitating membrane quite through, +otherwise you would tear the orbit of the eye; and after this nothing +difficult intervenes to prevent your arriving at the root of the bill. + +When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of skull, +just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye; clean well the jaw- +bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick, dip it into the +solution, and touch the skull and corresponding part of the skin, as you +cannot well get to these places afterwards. From the time of pushing the +skin over the head you are supposed to have had the bird resting upon your +knee; keep it there still, and with great caution and tenderness return the +head through the inverted skin, and when you see the beak appearing pull it +very gently till the head comes out unruffled and unstained. + +You may now take the cotton out of the mouth; cut away all the remaining +flesh at the palate, and whatever may have remained at the under-jaw. + +Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all the +flesh, fat and uncleaned bones out of it, except the middle joint of the +wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. The extreme +point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, comparatively +speaking, so that it requires no attention except touching it with the +solution from the outside. Take all in the flesh from the remaining joint +of the wing, and tie a thread about four inches long to the end of it; +touch all with the solution, and put the wing-bone back into its place. In +baring this bone you must by no means pull the skin; you would tear it to +pieces beyond all doubt, for the ends of the long feathers are attached to +the bone itself; you must push off the skin with your thumb-nail and +forefinger. Now skin the thigh quite to the knee; cut away all flesh and +tendons, and leave the bone; form an artificial thigh round it with cotton; +apply the solution and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh: the +same to the other thigh. + +Lastly, proceed to the tail: take out the inside of the oil-gland, remove +all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of the tail- +feathers; give it the solution and replace it. Now take out all the cotton +which you have been putting into the body from time to time to preserve the +feathers from grease and stains. Place the bird upon your knee on its back; +tie together the two threads which you had fastened to the end of the wing- +joints, leaving exactly the same space betwixt them as your knowledge in +anatomy informs you existed there when the bird was entire; hold the skin +open with your finger and thumb, and apply the solution to every part of +the inside. Neglect the head and neck at present; they are to receive it +afterwards. + +Fill the body moderately with cotton, lest the feathers on the belly should +be injured whilst you are about the following operation. You must recollect +that half of the thigh, or in other words, one joint of the thigh-bone, has +been cut away. Now, as this bone never moved perpendicular to the body, +but, on the contrary, in an oblique direction, of course, as soon as it is +cut off, the remaining part of the thigh and leg having nothing now to +support them obliquely, must naturally fall to their perpendicular. Hence +the reason why the legs appear considerably too long. To correct this, take +your needle and thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and then push +the needle through the skin just opposite to it. Look on the outside, and +after finding the needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the +wing with several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and render +it quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without the help of +wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton except the artificial thighs, +and adjust the wing-bones (which are connected by the thread) in the most +even manner possible, so that one joint does not appear to lie lower than +the other; for unless they are quite equal, the wings themselves will be +unequal when you come to put them in their proper attitude. Here, then, +rests the shell of the poor hawk, ready to receive from your skill and +judgment the size, the shape, the features and expression it had, ere death +and your dissecting hand brought it to its present still and formless +state. The cold hand of death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate +victim. When the heart ceases to beat, and the blood no longer courses +through the veins, the features collapse, and the whole frame seems to +shrink within itself. If then you have formed your idea of the real +appearance of the bird from a dead specimen, you will be in error. With +this in mind, and at the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger +than life, to make up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a +bird that will please you. + +It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means of +the little stick like a knitting-needle; and without any other aid or +substance than that of this little stick and cotton, your own genius must +produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that elegance +and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature, so little +attended to in preserved specimens. After you have introduced the cotton, +sew up the orifice you originally made in the belly, beginning at the vent. +And from time to time, till you arrive at the last stitch, keep adding a +little cotton in order that there may be no deficiency there. Lastly, dip +your stick into the solution, and put it down the throat three or four +times, in order that every part may receive it. + +When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking, close +the bill as in nature. A little bit of bees' wax at the point of it will +keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be stuck into the +lower mandible perpendicularly. You will shortly see the use of it. Bring +also the feet together by a pin, and then run a thread through the knees, +by which you may draw them to each other as near as you judge proper. +Nothing now remains to be added but the eyes. With your little stick make a +hollow in the cotton within the orbit, and introduce the glass eyes through +the orbit. Adjust the orbit to them as in nature, and that requires no +other fastener. + +Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have informed you +that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body than that part of +the eye which appears within it when in life. So that, were you to +proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable of receiving, it would +be far too large. Inattention to this has caused the eyes of every specimen +in the best cabinets of natural history to be out of all proportion. To +prevent this, contract the orbit by means of a very small delicate needle +and thread at that part of it farthest from the beak. This may be done with +such nicety that the stitch cannot be observed; and thus you have the +artificial eye in true proportion. + +After this touch the bill, orbits, feet and former oil-gland at the root of +the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the hawk everything +necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of elasticity, two qualities +very essential. + +Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about three-fourths up +to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make a moderate hollow in +it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your hands and, after putting +the wings in order, place it in the cotton with its legs in a sitting +posture. The head will fall down. Never mind. Get a cork and run three pins +into the end, just like a three-legged stool. Place it under the bird's +bill, and run the needle which you formerly fixed there into the head of +the cork. This will support the bird's head admirably. If you wish to +lengthen the neck, raise the cork by putting more cotton under it. If the +head is to be brought forward, bring the cork nearer to the end of the box. +If it requires to be set backwards on the shoulders, move back the cork. + +As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore part, +and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be, putting you in mind +of a stargazing horse, prevent this fault by tying a thread to the beak and +fastening it to the end of the box with a pin or needle. If you choose to +elevate the wings, do so, and support them with cotton; and should you wish +to have them particularly high, apply a little stick under each wing, and +fasten the end of them to the side of the box with a little bees' wax. + +If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the feathers, +beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them in their true +order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion you have given it. +Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a contrary direction to that +in which they lie for a day or two, and it will never fall down after. + +Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun, wind +and fire; for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to reproduce +every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive sublimate is +uncommonly serviceable; for at the same time that it totally prevents +putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible for many days. While +the bird is drying, take it out, and replace it in its position once every +day. Then, if you see that any part begins to shrink into disproportion, +you can easily remedy it. + +The small covert-feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little, because +the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in the wing. Pull +gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb for a day or two. +Press the feathers down. The skin will adhere no more to the bone, and they +will cease to rise. + +Every now and then touch and retouch all the different parts of the +features in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at the +same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings, flatness or +rotundity. This is putting the last finishing hand to it. + +In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the knees +begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the legs any +angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position, or curve them +to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch, bore a little hole +under each foot a little way up the leg; and having fixed two proportional +spikes on the branch, you can, in a moment, transfer the bird from your +finger to it, and from it to your finger at pleasure. + +When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take away the +needle, etc., from under the bill, and all is done. In lieu of being stiff +with wires, the cotton will have given a considerable elasticity to every +part of your bird; so that, when perching on your finger, if you press it +down with the other hand, it will rise again. You need not fear that your +hawk will alter, or its colours fade. The alcohol has introduced the +sublimate into every part and pore of the skin, quite to the roots of the +feathers. Its use is twofold: firstly, it has totally prevented all +tendency to putrefaction; and thus a sound skin has attached itself to the +roots of the feathers. You may take hold of a single one, and from it +suspend five times the weight of the bird. You may jerk it; it will still +adhere to the skin, and after repeated trials often break short. Secondly, +as no part of the skin has escaped receiving particles of sublimate +contained in the alcohol, there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of +insects: for they will never venture to attack any substance which has +received corrosive sublimate. + +You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to insects +that is known. It is anti-putrescent; so is alcohol; and they are both +colourless, of course; they cannot leave a stain behind them. The spirit +penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, deposits +invisible particles of the sublimate and flies off. The sublimate will not +injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the parts where the alcohol +has left it. [Footnote: All the feathers require to be touched with the +solution, in order that they may be preserved from the depredation of the +moth. The surest way of proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution +of corrosive sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it.] + +Furs of animals immersed in this solution will retain their pristine +brightness and durability in any climate. + +Take the finest curled feather from a lady's head, dip it in the solution, +and shake it gently till it be dry; you will find that the spirit will fly +off in a few minutes, not a curl in the feather will be injured, and the +sublimate will preserve it from the depredation of the insect. + +Perhaps it may be satisfactory to add here that some years ago I did a bird +upon this plan in Demerara. It remained there two years. It was then +conveyed to England, where it stayed five months, and returned to Demerara. +After being four years more there it was conveyed back again through the +West Indies to England, where it has now been near five years, unfaded and +unchanged. + +On reflecting that this bird has been twice in the Temperate and Torrid +Zone, and remained some years in the hot and humid climate of Demerara, +only six degrees from the line, and where almost everything becomes a prey +to the insect, and that it is still as sound and bright as when it was +first done, it will not be thought extravagant to surmise that this +specimen will retain its pristine form and colours for years after the hand +that stuffed it has mouldered into dust. + +I have shown this art to the naturalists in Brazil, Cayenne, Demerara, +Oroonoque and Rome, and to the royal cabinets of Turin and Florence. A +severe accident prevented me from communicating it to the cabinet of Paris, +according to my promise. A word or two more, and then we will conclude. + +A little time and experience will enable you to produce a finished +specimen: "Mox similis volucri, mox vera volucris." If your early +performance should not correspond with your expectations, do not let that +cast you down. You cannot become an adept all at once. The poor hawk +itself, which you have just been dissecting, waited to be fledged before it +durst rise on expanded pinion, and had parental aid and frequent practice +ere it could soar with safety and ease beyond the sight of man. + +Little more remains to be added, except that what has been penned down with +regard to birds may be applied in some measure to serpents, insects and +four-footed animals. + +Should you find these instructions too tedious, let the wish to give you +every information plead in their defence. They might have been shorter; but +Horace says, by labouring to be brief you become obscure. + +If by their means you should be enabled to procure specimens from foreign +parts in better preservation than usual, so that the naturalist may have it +in his power to give a more perfect description of them than has hitherto +been the case; should they cause any unknown species to be brought into +public view, and thus add a little more to the page of natural history, it +will please me much. But should they unfortunately tend to cause a wanton +expense of life; should they tempt you to shoot the pretty songster +warbling near your door, or destroy the mother as she is sitting on the +nest to warm her little ones, or kill the father as he is bringing a +mouthful of food for their support--Oh, then! deep indeed will be the +regret that I ever wrote them. + +Adieu, + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +FINIS + +GLOSSARY + + +Acaiari, _the resinous gum of + the hiawa-tree_. +Acouri, _one of the agutis_; + a rodent about the size of a rabbit. +Acuero, _a species of palm_. +Aeta, _a palm of great size_; + it may reach a hundred feet + before the leaves begin. +Ai, _the three-toed sloth_. +Albicore, _a fish closely related to + the tunny_. +Anhinga, _the darter or snake-bird_; + a cormorant-like bird. +Ant-bear, _now called the ant-eater_. +Ara, _a macaw_. +Ara, Scarlet, _the scarlet macaw_. + +Bisa, _one of the Saki monkeys_. + +Cabbage Mountain, _one of the most + beautiful of the palm-trees_. +Camoudi, _the anaconda._ +Campanero, _the bell-bird._ +Caprimulgus, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Cassique, _a bird of the hang-nest + family._ +Cayman, _an alligator, as here used._ +Cotingas, _chatterers._ +Couguar, _the puma._ +Coulacanara, _the boa-constrictor._ +Courada, _the white mangrove tree._ +Crabier, _the boat-bill--a small heron._ +Crickets, _cicadas._ +Cuia, _one of the Trojans._ +Curlew, Scarlet, _the scarlet ibis._ + +Dolphin, _a coryphene--a true fish--not + a cetacean._ + +Guana, _the iguana lizard._ + +Hannaquoi, _one of the curassows._ +Houtou, _one of the motmots._ +Humming-bird Ara or Karabimiti, + _the crimson topaz._ + +Jacamar, _Jacana_, as anglicized--_the + spur-winged waterhen._ + +Labba, _a rodent allied to the + cavies._ + +Naudapoa, _an ibis._ + +Patasa, _unidentified._ +Phaeton, _the tropic bird._ +Pi-pi-yo, _unidentified._ +Porcupine, _the tree-porcupine._ + +Quake, _a basket of open-work, very + elastic and expansive._ + +Redstart, _quite distinct from the + English redstart._ + +Sacawinki, _one of the squirrel + monkeys._ +Sangre-do-buey, _the scarlet tanager._ + +Tangara, _now called tanager. See + Sangre-do-buey._ + +Waracaba, _the trumpeter._ +Whip-poor-will, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Who-are-you? _one of the goat-suckers._ +Willy-come-go, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Work-away, _one of the goat-suckers._ + +Yawaraciri, _one of the blue + creepers._ + + + + +ACAIARI +Ai, _see_ Sloths +Alligators +American cities, + classical names of +American ladies, + praise of; + their attire +American manners +Ant-bears +Ant-eating birds +Antigua +Ants; + an ingredient of wourali poison; + nests of +Apoura-poura, River +Ara (macaw) +Armadillo +Arrowroot, + wild +Arrows, Indian +Arthur, King +Asses, + effect of wourali poison on +Aura vulture + +Banks, Sir Joseph +Barbadoes +Basseterre +Bete-rouge +Birds, Demeraran; + Brazilian, +Bitterns +Blow-pipe, Indian +Boa-constrictor +Boclora +Bois immortel +Bow, Indian +Broadway +Bucaniers +Buffalo +Bug, + encounter with a +Buonaparte, Prince Charles +Bush-master +Bush-rope + +Camoudi snake +Campanero +Canadians characterised +Caprimulgus, + _see_ Goat-suckers +Caps, + a diatribe against +Cassava +Cassique +Castries +Cayenne +Cayman; + expedition in search of; + fishing for; + ridden by author +Chegoe +Clove-trees +Cock-of-the-rock +Constable rock +Coral snake +Cotingas +Couguar +Coulacanara snake, + capture of a +Counacouchi, + _see_ Bush-master +Coushie-ant +Cuia +Curlew, scarlet +Custom House difficulties + +Demerara, + falls of the River + potentialities of the + colony +_Deserted Village_, Goldsmith's, + quoted +Dog, + effect of wourali poison on a; + probably not native to Guiana +Dolphin +Dominica + +Eagle, + white-headed +Edmonstone, Charles +Edmonstone, Robert +Egret +Erie Canal; + Lake +Essequibo river; + falls of the; + scenery +Europe, + future American independence of + +Fever, + treatment of +Fig-tree, + wild +Fire-fly +Fish, Demeraran +Fishing, Indian method of, +Flying-fish, +Forest-trees, Demeraran; + destruction of North American, +Fort St. Joachim, +Fowl, + effect of wourali poison on a, +Frigate pelican, + +Goat-suckers; + superstitious fear of, +Grand gobe-mouche, +Gross-beak, +Guadalope, +Guiana, + future of; + bird's-eye view of, + +Hannaquoi, +Hermit, + a white, +Hia-hia, +_History of Brazil_, Southey's, +Horned screamer, +Houtou, +Howling monkey, + _see_ Monkeys +Hudson, + journey up the, +Hugues, Victor, +Humming-birds, + +Ibibirou, +Impostor, + an Indian, +Indians; + mode of life; + religion, + _See also_ Macoushi Indians +India-rubber, +Inn-album, + inscription in an, +Insects, Demeraran, +Irish emigrants, + +Jabiru, +Jacamar, +Jaguar, +Jay, Guianan, +Jesuits, + expulsion of the, + +Kearney, Dennis, +Kessi-kessi paroquet, +Kingfishers, +King of the vultures, + +Labarri snake, +La Gabrielle, + national plantation at, +Land-tortoise, +Lizards, + +Maam, + _see_ Tinamou +Macoushi Indians; + their methods of hunting; + trick played by one on the author, +Manikins, +Maroudis, +Martin, M., +Martinico, +Metallic-cuckoo, +Mibiri Creek, +Mines in Guiana, +Monkeys; + red, or howling; + a specimen with Grecian features, +Monteiro, +Montreal, +Mora-tree, +Museum at Philadelphia, + +New Amsterdam, +New York, +Niagara, + Falls of, +Nobrega, Father, + +Olinda; + botanic garden at, +_Ornithology of the United States_, + Wilson's, +Otters, +Owl, + a crab-eating, +Ox, + effect of wourali poison on an, + +Pacou, +Paramaribo, +Parasitic plants, +Parima, Lake, +Park, Mungo, +Parrots, +Partridge, +Peccari, +Pelican, +Percy, Earl, +Pernambuco; + environs, +Petrel, + stormy, +Philadelphia, +Phaeton, +Pi-pi-yo, +Pombal, +Preservation of colours of toucan's bill; + of quadrupeds; + of zoological specimens generally; + of birds, +Purple-heart, + +Quadrupeds, + forest, +Quashi, Daddy, +Quebec, +Quiver, Indian, + +Rattlesnake, +Red-headed finch, +Red monkey, + _see_ Monkeys +Redstart, +Rhinoceros-beetle, +Rice-bird, +Roseau, +Rubber-tree, + +Saba, +St. John's, +St. Lucie, +St. Pierre, +Saintes, the, +Sangre-de-buey, +Saratoga, +Savanna, a Demerara, +Slavery in Demerara; + in West Indies, +Slaves, + encounter with runaway, +Sloths; + three-toed, or ai; + two-toed, +Smoking, +Snakes; + hunting, +Spice plantations, +Spikes, poisoned, +Stabroek, +Southey, Robert, +Sun-bird, +Superstition, + reflections on, +Surinam, + +Tangaras, +Tapir, +Tarbet, misadventures of Mr., +Tauronina, +Taxidermy, + _see_ Preservation +Ticks, +Ticonderoga, +Tiger, + _see_ Jaguar +Tiger-bird, + small, +Tinamou, +Toucans, +Travellers, + advice to, +Travellers' tales, +Troupiales, +Troy, +Trumpeters, +Turtle, + +United States, + progress of the, +Utica, + +Vampires, +Vanilla, +Vultures, + +Wallaba-tree, +Wasps, +Water-hens, +Water-mamma, +Weapons, Indian, +Whip-poor-will, + _see_ Goat-suckers +Whipsnake, +Wild boars, + hunting, +Wild man of the woods, a, +Wilson, Alexander, +Woodpeckers, +Wound, + treatment of a, +Wourali poison; + its effects; + ingredients; + preparation; + method of using: + antidotes; + experiments in England, + +Yabahou, + the evil spirit, +Yawaraciri, + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + +This file should be named 7wnsa10.txt or 7wnsa10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7wnsa11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7wnsa10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Wanderings In South America + +Author: Charles Waterton + +Release Date: May, 2005 [EBook #8159] +[This file was first posted on June 22, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: iso-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + + + + +E-text prepared by Eric Eldred, Jerry Fairbanks, Charles Franks, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + +By CHARLES WATERTON + + + + + + + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + + +I offer this book of "Wanderings" with a hesitating hand. It has little +merit, and must make its way through the world as well as it can. It will +receive many a jostle as it goes along, and perhaps is destined to add one +more to the number of slain in the field of modern criticism. But if it +fall, it may still, in death, be useful to me; for should some accidental +rover take it up and, in turning over its pages, imbibe the idea of going +out to explore Guiana in order to give the world an enlarged description of +that noble country, I shall say, "fortem ad fortia misi," and demand the +armour; that is, I shall lay claim to a certain portion of the honours he +will receive, upon the plea that I was the first mover of his discoveries; +for, as Ulysses sent Achilles to Troy, so I sent him to Guiana. I intended +to have written much more at length; but days and months and years have +passed away, and nothing has been done. Thinking it very probable that I +shall never have patience enough to sit down and write a full account of +all I saw and examined in those remote wilds, I give up the intention of +doing so, and send forth this account of my "Wanderings" just as it was +written at the time. + +If critics are displeased with it in its present form, I beg to observe +that it is not totally devoid of interest, and that it contains something +useful. Several of the unfortunate gentlemen who went out to explore the +Congo were thankful for the instructions they found in it; and Sir Joseph +Banks, on sending back the journal, said in his letter: "I return your +journal with abundant thanks for the very instructive lesson you have +favoured us with this morning, which far excelled, in real utility, +everything I have hitherto seen." And in another letter he says: "I hear +with particular pleasure your intention of resuming your interesting +travels, to which natural history has already been so much indebted." And +again: "I am sorry you did not deposit some part of your last harvest of +birds in the British Museum, that your name might become familiar to +naturalists and your unrivalled skill in preserving birds be made known to +the public." And again: "You certainly have talents to set forth a book +which will improve and extend materially the bounds of natural science." + +Sir Joseph never read the third adventure. Whilst I was engaged in it, +death robbed England of one of her most valuable subjects and deprived the +Royal Society of its brightest ornament. + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION + +FIRST JOURNEY + REMARKS + +SECOND JOURNEY + +THIRD JOURNEY + +FOURTH JOURNEY + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY + +GLOSSARY + +INDEX + + + + +WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA + + +FIRST JOURNEY + + ----nec herba, nec latens in asperis + Radix fefellit me locis. + +In the month of April 1812 I left the town of Stabroek to travel through +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo, a part of _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana, in South America. + +The chief objects in view were to collect a quantity of the strongest +wourali poison and to reach the inland frontier-fort of Portuguese Guiana. + +It would be a tedious journey for him who wishes to travel through these +wilds to set out from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust him in his +attempts to wade through the swamps, and the mosquitos at night would +deprive him of every hour of sleep. + +The road for horses runs parallel to the river, but it extends a very +little way, and even ends before the cultivation of the plantations ceases. + +The only mode then that remains is to proceed by water; and when you come +to the high-lands, you may make your way through the forest on foot or +continue your route on the river. + +After passing the third island in the River Demerara there are few +plantations to be seen, and those not joining on to one another, but +separated by large tracts of wood. + +The Loo is the last where the sugar-cane is growing. The greater part of +its negroes have just been ordered to another estate, and ere a few months +shall have elapsed all signs of cultivation will be lost in underwood. + +Higher up stand the sugar-works of Amelia's Waard, solitary and abandoned; +and after passing these there is not a ruin to inform the traveller that +either coffee or sugar have ever been cultivated. + +From Amelia's Waard an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the +river, saving here and there where a hut discovers itself, inhabited by +free people of colour, with a rood or two of bared ground about it; or +where the wood-cutter has erected himself a dwelling and cleared a few +acres for pasturage. Sometimes you see level ground on each side of you for +two or three hours at a stretch; at other times a gently sloping hill +presents itself; and often, on turning a point, the eye is pleased with the +contrast of an almost perpendicular height jutting into the water. The +trees put you in mind of an eternal spring, with summer and autumn kindly +blended into it. + +Here you may see a sloping extent of noble trees whose foliage displays a +charming variety of every shade, from the lightest to the darkest green and +purple. The tops of some are crowned with bloom of the loveliest hue, while +the boughs of others bend with a profusion of seeds and fruits. + +Those whose heads have been bared by time or blasted by the thunderstorm +strike the eye, as a mournful sound does the ear in music, and seem to +beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a moment or two and see that +the forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, have their periods +of misfortune and decay. + +The first rocks of any considerable size that are observed on the side of +the river are at a place called Saba, from the Indian word which means a +stone. They appear sloping down to the water's edge, not shelvy, but +smooth, and their exuberances rounded off and, in some places, deeply +furrowed, as though they had been worn with continual floods of water. + +There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge stones amongst them +produce a pleasing and novel effect. You see a few coffee-trees of a fine +luxuriant growth, and nearly on the top of Saba stands the house of the +post-holder. + +He is appointed by Government to give in his report to the protector of the +Indians of what is going on amongst them and to prevent suspicious people +from passing up the river. + +When the Indians assemble here, the stranger may have an opportunity of +seeing the aborigines dancing to the sound of their country music and +painted in their native style. They will shoot their arrows for him with an +unerring aim and send the poisoned dart, from the blow-pipe, true to its +destination: and here he may often view all the different shades, from the +red savage to the white man; and from the white man to the sootiest son of +Africa. + +Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white men or free people +of colour. + +In a country so extensively covered with wood as this is, having every +advantage that a tropical sun and the richest mould, in many places, can +give to vegetation, it is natural to look for trees of very large +dimensions. But it is rare to meet with them above six yards in +circumference. If larger have ever existed they have fallen a sacrifice +either to the axe or to fire. + +If, however, they disappoint you in size, they make ample amends in height. +Heedless, and bankrupt in all curiosity, must he be who can journey on +without stopping to take a view of the towering mora. Its topmost branch, +when naked with age or dried by accident, is the favourite resort of the +toucan. Many a time has this singular bird felt the shot faintly strike him +from the gun of the fowler beneath, and owed his life to the distance +betwixt them. + +The trees which form these far-extending wilds are as useful as they are +ornamental. It would take a volume of itself to describe them. + +The green-heart, famous for its hardness and durability; the hackea for its +toughness; the ducalabali surpassing mahogany; the ebony and letter-wood +vying with the choicest woods of the old world; the locust-tree yielding +copal; and the hayawa- and olou-trees furnishing a sweet-smelling resin, +are all to be met with in the forest betwixt the plantations and the rock +Saba. + +Beyond this rock the country has been little explored, but it is very +probable that these, and a vast collection of other kinds, and possibly +many new species, are scattered up and down, in all directions, through the +swamps and hills and savannas of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana. + +On viewing the stately trees around him, the naturalist will observe many +of them bearing leaves and blossoms and fruit not their own. + +The wild fig-tree, as large as a common English apple-tree, often rears +itself from one of the thick branches at the top of the mora, and when its +fruit is ripe, to it the birds resort for nourishment. It was to an +undigested seed passing through the body of the bird which had perched on +the mora that the fig-tree first owed its elevated station there. The sap +of the mora raised it into full bearing, but now, in its turn, it is doomed +to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices towards the growth of +different species of vines, the seeds of which also the birds deposited on +its branches. These soon vegetate, and bear fruit in great quantities; so +what with their usurpation of the resources of the fig-tree, and the fig- +tree of the mora, the mora, unable to support a charge which nature never +intended it should, languishes and dies under its burden; and then the fig- +tree, and its usurping progeny of vines, receiving no more succour from +their late foster-parent, droop and perish in their turn. + +A vine called the bush-rope by the wood-cutters, on account of its use in +hauling out the heaviest timber, has a singular appearance in the forests +of Demerara. Sometimes you see it nearly as thick as a man's body, twisted +like a corkscrew round the tallest trees and rearing its head high above +their tops. At other times three or four of them, like strands in a cable, +join tree and tree and branch and branch together. Others, descending from +on high, take root as soon as their extremity touches the ground, and +appear like shrouds and stays supporting the mainmast of a line-of-battle +ship; while others, sending out parallel, oblique, horizontal and +perpendicular shoots in all directions, put you in mind of what travellers +call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, above a hundred feet high, +uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its fall by these amazing cables +of nature, and hence it is that you account for the phenomenon of seeing +trees not only vegetating, but sending forth vigorous shoots, though far +from their perpendicular, and their trunks inclined to every degree from +the meridian to the horizon. + +Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope; many of their roots +soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot will +sprout out perpendicularly from near the root of the reclined trunk, and in +time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees and few weeds, +except in the swamps. + +The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to sever +the small bush-ropes it is not difficult walking among the trees. + +The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and decayed trees, is very +rich and fertile in the valleys. On the hills it is little better than +sand. The rains seem to have carried away and swept into the valleys every +particle which Nature intended to have formed a mould. + +Four-footed animals are scarce considering how very thinly these forests +are inhabited by men. + +Several species of the animal commonly called tiger, though in reality it +approaches nearer to the leopard, are found here, and two of their +diminutives, named tiger-cats. The tapir, the lobba and deer afford +excellent food, and chiefly frequent the swamps and low ground near the +sides of the river and creeks. + +In stating that four-footed animals are scarce, the peccari must be +excepted. Three or four hundred of them herd together and traverse the +wilds in all directions in quest of roots and fallen seeds. The Indians +mostly shoot them with poisoned arrows. When wounded they run about one +hundred and fifty paces; they then drop, and make wholesome food. + +The red monkey, erroneously called the baboon, is heard oftener than it is +seen, while the common brown monkey, the bisa, and sacawinki rove from tree +to tree, and amuse the stranger as he journeys on. + +A species of the polecat, and another of the fox, are destructive to the +Indian's poultry, while the opossum, the guana and salempenta afford him a +delicious morsel. + +The small ant-bear, and the large one, remarkable for his long, broad, +bushy tail, are sometimes seen on the tops of the wood-ants' nests; the +armadillos bore in the sand-hills, like rabbits in a warren; and the +porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head. + +This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures and +his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These are the +only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While other animals +assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these boundless wilds, the +sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot escape from you. It is +said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and turn out of the way. Do +not then level your gun at him or pierce him with a poisoned arrow--he has +never hurt one living creature. A few leaves, and those of the commonest +and coarsest kind, are all he asks for his support. On comparing him with +other animals you would say that you could perceive deficiency, deformity +and superabundance in his composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though +four stomachs, he still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He +has only one inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet +nor has he the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and +puts you in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too +short; they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the +body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to be +of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant has +only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to mark +down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority amongst +the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim would be the +last upon the lowest degree. + +Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and beautiful +productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious stones are far +surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The naturalist may +exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in forming new species and +painting her requisite shades. Almost every one of those singular and +elegant birds described by Buffon as belonging to Cayenne are to be met +with in Demerara, but it is only by an indefatigable naturalist that they +are to be found. + +The scarlet curlew breeds in innumerable quantities in the muddy islands on +the coasts of Pomauron; the egrets and crabiers in the same place. They +resort to the mud-flats at ebbing water, while thousands of sandpipers and +plovers, with here and there a spoonbill and flamingo, are seen amongst +them. The pelicans go farther out to sea, but return at sundown to the +courada-trees. The humming-birds are chiefly to be found near the flowers +at which each of the species of the genus is wont to feed. The pie, the +gallinaceous, the columbine and passerine tribes resort to the fruit- +bearing trees. + +You never fail to see the common vulture where there is carrion. In passing +up the river there was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the king of the +vultures; they were sitting on the naked branch of a tree, with about a +dozen of the common ones with them. A tiger had killed a goat the day +before; he had been driven away in the act of sucking the blood, and not +finding it safe or prudent to return, the goat remained in the same place +where he had killed it; it had begun to putrefy, and the vultures had +arrived that morning to claim the savoury morsel. + +At the close of day the vampires leave the hollow trees, whither they had +fled at the morning's dawn, and scour along the river's banks in quest of +prey. On waking from sleep the astonished traveller finds his hammock all +stained with blood. It is the vampire that hath sucked him. Not man alone, +but every unprotected animal, is exposed to his depredations; and so gently +does this nocturnal surgeon draw the blood that, instead of being roused, +the patient is lulled into a still profounder sleep. There are two species +of vampire in Demerara, and both suck living animals: one is rather larger +than the common bat, the other measures above two feet from wing to wing +extended. + +Snakes are frequently met with in the woods betwixt the sea-coast and the +rock Saba, chiefly near the creeks and on the banks of the river. They are +large, beautiful and formidable. The rattlesnake seems partial to a tract +of ground known by the name of Canal Number-three: there the effects of his +poison will be long remembered. + +The camoudi snake has been killed from thirty to forty feet long; though +not venomous, his size renders him destructive to the passing animals. The +Spaniards in the Oroonoque positively affirm that he grows to the length of +seventy or eighty feet and that he will destroy the strongest and largest +bull. His name seems to confirm this: there he is called "matatoro," which +literally means "bull-killer." Thus he may be ranked amongst the deadly +snakes, for it comes nearly to the same thing in the end whether the victim +dies by poison from the fangs, which corrupts his blood and makes it stink +horribly, or whether his body be crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this +hideous beast. + +The whipsnake of a beautiful changing green, and the coral, with alternate +broad traverse bars of black and red, glide from bush to bush, and may be +handled with safety; they are harmless little creatures. + +The labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown colour, and can scarcely be +distinguished from the ground or stump on which he is coiled up; he grows +to the length of about eight feet and his bite often proves fatal in a few +minutes. + +Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and +unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the counacouchi glides +undaunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is commonly known by the +name of the bush-master. Both man and beast fly before him, and allow him +to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes grows to the length of fourteen +feet. + +A few small caymen, from two to twelve feet long, may be observed now and +then in passing up and down the river; they just keep their heads above the +water, and a stranger would not know them from a rotten stump. + +Lizards of the finest green, brown and copper colour, from two inches to +two feet and a half long, are ever and anon rustling among the fallen +leaves and crossing the path before you, whilst the chameleon is busily +employed in chasing insects round the trunks of the neighbouring trees. + +The fish are of many different sorts and well-tasted, but not, generally +speaking, very plentiful. It is probable that their numbers are +considerably thinned by the otters, which are much larger than those of +Europe. In going through the overflowed savannas, which have all a +communication with the river, you may often see a dozen or two of them +sporting amongst the sedges before you. + +This warm and humid climate seems particularly adapted to the producing of +insects; it gives birth to myriads, beautiful past description in their +variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of them +noxious in their qualities. + +He whose eye can distinguish the various beauties of uncultivated nature, +and whose ear is not shut to the wild sounds in the woods, will be +delighted in passing up the River Demerara. Every now and then the maam or +tinamou sends forth one long and plaintive whistle from the depth of the +forest, and then stops; whilst the yelping of the toucan and the shrill +voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo is heard during the interval. The +campanero never fails to attract the attention of the passenger; at a +distance of nearly three miles you may hear this snow-white bird tolling +every four or five minutes, like the distant convent-bell. From six to nine +in the morning the forests resound with the mingled cries and strains of +the feathered race; after this they gradually die away. From eleven to +three all nature is hushed as in a midnight silence, and scarce a note is +heard, saving that of the campanero and the pi-pi-yo; it is then that, +oppressed by the solar heat, the birds retire to the thickest shade and +wait for the refreshing cool of evening. + +At sundown the vampires, bats and goat-suckers dart from their lonely +retreat and skim along the trees on the river's bank. The different kinds +of frogs almost stun the ear with their hoarse and hollow-sounding +croaking, while the owls and goat-suckers lament and mourn all night long. + +About two hours before daybreak you will hear the red monkey moaning as +though in deep distress; the houtou, a solitary bird, and only found in the +thickest recesses of the forest, distinctly articulates "houtou, houtou," +in a low and plaintive tone an hour before sunrise; the maam whistles about +the same hour; the hannaquoi, pataca and maroudi announce his near approach +to the eastern horizon, and the parrots and paroquets confirm his arrival +there. + +The crickets chirp from sunset to sunrise, and often during the day when +the weather is cloudy. The bête-rouge is exceedingly numerous in these +extensive wilds, and not only man, but beasts and birds, are tormented by +it. Mosquitos are very rare after you pass the third island in the +Demerara, and sand-flies but seldom appear. + +Courteous reader, here thou hast the outlines of an amazing landscape given +thee; thou wilt see that the principal parts of it are but faintly traced, +some of them scarcely visible at all, and that the shades are wholly +wanting. If thy soul partakes of the ardent flame which the persevering +Mungo Park's did, these outlines will be enough for thee; they will give +thee some idea of what a noble country this is; and if thou hast but +courage to set about giving the world a finished picture of it, neither +materials to work on nor colours to paint it in its true shades will be +wanting to thee. It may appear a difficult task at a distance, but look +close at it, and it is nothing at all; provided thou hast but a quiet mind, +little more is necessary, and the genius which presides over these wilds +will kindly help thee through the rest. She will allow thee to slay the +fawn and to cut down the mountain-cabbage for thy support, and to select +from every part of her domain whatever may be necessary for the work thou +art about; but having killed a pair of doves in order to enable thee to +give mankind a true and proper description of them, thou must not destroy a +third through wantonness or to show what a good marksman thou art: that +would only blot the picture thou art finishing, not colour it. + +Though retired from the haunts of men, and even without a friend with thee, +thou wouldst not find it solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi will sound +in thine ears like the daybreak town-clock; and the wren and the thrush +will join with thee in thy matin hymn to thy Creator, to thank Him for thy +night's rest. + +At noon the genius will lead thee to the troely, one leaf of which will +defend thee from both sun and rain. And if, in the cool of the evening, +thou hast been tempted to stray too far from thy place of abode, and art +deprived of light to write down the information thou hast collected, the +fire-fly, which thou wilt see in almost every bush around thee, will be thy +candle. Hold it over thy pocket-book, in any position which thou knowest +will not hurt it, and it will afford thee ample light. And when thou hast +done with it, put it kindly back again on the next branch to thee. It will +want no other reward for its services. + +When in thy hammock, should the thought of thy little crosses and +disappointments, in thy ups and downs through life, break in upon thee and +throw thee into a pensive mood, the owl will bear thee company. She will +tell thee that hard has been her fate, too; and at intervals "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" will take up the tale of sorrow. Ovid has told +thee how the owl once boasted the human form and lost it for a very small +offence; and were the poet alive now he would inform thee that "Whip-poor- +will" and "Willy come go" are the shades of those poor African and Indian +slaves who died worn out and broken-hearted. They wail and cry "Whip-poor- +will," "Willy come go," all night long; and often, when the moon shines, +you see them sitting on the green turf near the houses of those whose +ancestors tore them from the bosom of their helpless families, which all +probably perished through grief and want after their support was gone. + +About an hour above the rock of Saba stands the habitation of an Indian +called Simon, on the top of a hill. The side next the river is almost +perpendicular, and you may easily throw a stone over to the opposite bank. +Here there was an opportunity of seeing man in his rudest state. The +Indians who frequented this habitation, though living in the midst of +woods, bore evident marks of attention to their persons. Their hair was +neatly collected and tied up in a knot; their bodies fancifully painted +red, and the paint was scented with hayawa. This gave them a gay and +animated appearance. Some of them had on necklaces composed of the teeth of +wild boars slain in the chase; many wore rings, and others had an ornament +on the left arm midway betwixt the shoulder and the elbow. At the close of +day they regularly bathed in the river below, and the next morning seemed +busy in renewing the faded colours of their faces. + +One day there came into the hut a form which literally might be called the +wild man of the woods. On entering he laid down a ball of wax which he had +collected in the forest. His hammock was all ragged and torn, and his bow, +though of good wood, was without any ornament or polish: "erubuit domino, +cultior esse suo." His face was meagre, his looks forbidding and his whole +appearance neglected. His long black hair hung from his head in matted +confusion; nor had his body, to all appearance, ever been painted. They +gave him some cassava bread and boiled fish, which he ate voraciously, and +soon after left the hut. As he went out you could observe no traces in his +countenance or demeanour which indicated that he was in the least mindful +of having been benefited by the society he was just leaving. + +The Indians said that he had neither wife nor child nor friend. They had +often tried to persuade him to come and live amongst them, but all was of +no avail. He went roving on, plundering the wild bees of their honey and +picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When he fell in with +game he procured fire from two sticks and cooked it on the spot. When a hut +happened to be in his way he stepped in and asked for something to eat, and +then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They did not know what had +caused him to be thus unsettled: he had been so for years; nor did they +believe that even old age itself would change the habits of this poor +harmless, solitary wanderer. + +From Simon's the traveller may reach the large fall, with ease, in four +days. + +The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a stone appearing +above the water in the rainy season; and those in the bed of the river +barely high enough to arrest the water's course, and by causing a bubbling +show that they are there. + +With this small change of appearance in the stream, the stranger observes +nothing new till he comes within eight or ten miles of the great fall. Each +side of the river presents an uninterrupted range of wood, just as it did +below. All the productions found betwixt the plantations and the rock Saba +are to be met with here. + +From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations of the Indians: +two of them close to the river's side; the other three a little way in the +forest. These habitations consist of from four to eight huts, situated on +about an acre of ground which they have cleared from the surrounding woods. +A few pappaw, cotton and mountain-cabbage trees are scattered round them. + +At one of these habitations a small quantity of the wourali poison was +procured. It was in a little gourd. The Indian who had it said that he had +killed a number of wild hogs with it, and two tapirs. Appearances seemed to +confirm what he said, for on one side it had been nearly taken out to the +bottom, at different times, which probably would not have been the case had +the first or second trial failed. + +Its strength was proved on a middle-sized dog. He was wounded in the thigh, +in order that there might be no possibility of touching a vital part. In +three or four minutes he began to be affected, smelt at every little thing +on the ground around him, and looked wistfully at the wounded part. Soon +after this he staggered, laid himself down, and never rose more. He barked +once, though not as if in pain. His voice was low and weak; and in a second +attempt it quite failed him. He now put his head betwixt his fore-legs, and +raising it slowly again he fell over on his side. His eye immediately +became fixed, and though his extremities every now and then shot +convulsively, he never showed the least desire to raise up his head. His +heart fluttered much from the time he laid down, and at intervals beat very +strong; then stopped for a moment or two, and then beat again; and +continued faintly beating several minutes after every other part of his +body seemed dead. + +In a quarter of an hour after he had received the poison he was quite +motionless. + +A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which indeed is the only +one which can be called a fall, large balls of froth come floating past +you. The river appears beautifully marked with streaks of foam, and on your +nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. + +At first you behold the fall rushing down a bed of rocks with a tremendous +noise, divided into two foamy streams which, at their junction again, form +a small island covered with wood. Above this island, for a short space, +there appears but one stream, all white with froth, and fretting and +boiling amongst the huge rocks which obstruct its course. + +Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel or two, and trees +grow on the rocks which cause its separation. The torrent, in many places, +has eaten deep into the rocks, and split them into large fragments by +driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are in bloom and +vigour, though their roots are half bared and many of them bruised and +broken by the rushing waters. + +This is the general appearance of the fall from the level of the water +below to where the river is smooth and quiet above. It must be remembered +that this is during the periodical rains. Probably, in the dry season, it +puts on a very different appearance. There is no perpendicular fall of +water of any consequence throughout it, but the dreadful roaring and +rushing of the torrent, down a long rocky and moderately sloping channel, +has a fine effect; and the stranger returns well pleased with what he has +seen. No animal, nor craft of any kind, could stem this downward flood. In +a few moments the first would be killed, the second dashed in pieces. + +The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the forest, where +prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this path they drag their canoes and +launch them into the river above; and on their return bring them down the +same way. + +About two hours below this fall is the habitation of an Acoway chief called +Sinkerman. At night you hear the roaring of the fall from it. It is +pleasantly situated on the top of a sand-hill. At this place you have the +finest view the River Demerara affords: three tiers of hills rise in slow +gradation, one above the other, before you, and present a grand and +magnificent scene, especially to him who has been accustomed to a level +country. + +Here, a little after midnight, on the first of May, was heard a most +strange and unaccountable noise: it seemed as though several regiments were +engaged and musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, terrified +beyond description, left their hammocks and crowded all together like sheep +at the approach of the wolf. There were no soldiers within three or four +hundred miles. Conjecture was of no avail, and all conversation next +morning on the subject was as useless and unsatisfactory as the dead +silence which succeeded to the noise. + +He who wishes to reach the Macoushi country had better send his canoe over- +land from Sinkerman's to the Essequibo. + +There is a pretty good path, and meeting a creek about three-quarters of +the way, it eases the labour, and twelve Indians will arrive with it in the +Essequibo in four days. + +The traveller need not attend his canoe; there is a shorter and a better +way. Half an hour below Sinkerman's he finds a little creek on the western +bank of the Demerara. After proceeding about a couple of hundred yards up +it, he leaves it, and pursues a west-north-west direction by land for the +Essequibo. The path is good, though somewhat rugged with the roots of +trees, and here and there obstructed by fallen ones; it extends more over +level ground than otherwise. There are a few steep ascents and descents in +it, with a little brook running at the bottom of them, but they are easily +passed over, and the fallen trees serve for a bridge. + +You may reach the Essequibo with ease in a day and a half; and so matted +and interwoven are the tops of the trees above you that the sun is not felt +once all the way, saving where the space which a newly-fallen tree occupied +lets in his rays upon you. The forest contains an abundance of wild hogs, +lobbas, acouries, powisses, maams, maroudis and waracabas for your +nourishment, and there are plenty of leaves to cover a shed whenever you +are inclined to sleep. + +The soil has three-fourths of sand in it till you come within half an +hour's walk of the Essequibo, where you find a red gravel and rocks. In +this retired and solitary tract Nature's garb, to all appearance, has not +been injured by fire nor her productions broken in upon by the +exterminating hand of man. + +Here the finest green-heart grows, and wallaba, purple-heart, siloabali, +sawari, buletre, tauronira and mora are met with in vast abundance, far and +near, towering up in majestic grandeur, straight as pillars, sixty or +seventy feet high, without a knot or branch. + +Traveller, forget for a little while the idea thou hast of wandering +farther on, and stop and look at this grand picture of vegetable nature: it +is a reflection of the crowd thou hast lately been in, and though a silent +monitor, it is not a less eloquent one on that account. See that noble +purple-heart before thee! Nature has been kind to it. Not a hole, not the +least oozing from its trunk, to show that its best days are past. Vigorous +in youthful blooming beauty, it stands the ornament of these sequestered +wilds and tacitly rebukes those base ones of thine own species who have +been hardy enough to deny the existence of Him who ordered it to flourish +here. + +Behold that one next to it! Hark how the hammerings of the red-headed +woodpecker resound through its distempered boughs! See what a quantity of +holes he has made in it, and how its bark is stained with the drops which +trickle down from them. The lightning, too, has blasted one side of it. +Nature looks pale and wan in its leaves, and her resources are nearly dried +up in its extremities: its sap is tainted; a mortal sickness, slow as a +consumption and as sure in its consequences, has long since entered its +frame, vitiating and destroying the wholesome juices there. + +Step a few paces aside and cast thine eye on that remnant of a mora behind +it. Best part of its branches, once so high and ornamental, now lie on the +ground in sad confusion, one upon the other, all shattered and fungus-grown +and a prey to millions of insects which are busily employed in destroying +them. One branch of it still looks healthy! Will it recover? No, it cannot; +Nature has already run her course, and that healthy-looking branch is only +as a fallacious good symptom in him who is just about to die of a +mortification when he feels no more pain, and fancies his distemper has +left him; it is as the momentary gleam of a wintry sun's ray close to the +western horizon. See! while we are speaking a gust of wind has brought the +tree to the ground and made room for its successor. + +Come farther on and examine that apparently luxuriant tauronira on thy +right hand. It boasts a verdure not its own; they are false ornaments it +wears. The bush-rope and bird-vines have clothed it from the root to its +topmost branch. The succession of fruit which it hath borne, like good +cheer in the houses of the great, has invited the birds to resort to it, +and they have disseminated beautiful, though destructive, plants on its +branches which, like the distempers vice brings into the human frame, rob +it of all its health and vigour. They have shortened its days, and probably +in another year they will finally kill it, long before Nature intended that +it should die. + +Ere thou leavest this interesting scene, look on the ground around thee, +and see what everything here below must come to. + +Behold that newly-fallen wallaba! The whirlwind has uprooted it in its +prime, and it has brought down to the ground a dozen small ones in its +fall. Its bark has already begun to drop off! And that heart of mora close +by it is fast yielding, in spite of its firm, tough texture. + +The tree which thou passedst but a little ago, and which perhaps has laid +over yonder brook for years, can now hardly support itself, and in a few +months more it will have fallen into the water. + +Put thy foot on that large trunk thou seest to the left. It seems entire +amid the surrounding fragments. Mere outward appearance, delusive phantom +of what it once was! Tread on it and, like the fuss-ball, it will break +into dust. + +Sad and silent mementos to the giddy traveller as he wanders on! Prostrate +remnants of vegetable nature, how incontestably ye prove what we must all +at last come to, and how plain your mouldering ruins show that the firmest +texture avails us naught when Heaven wills that we should cease to be! + + The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, + The solemn temples, the great globe itself, + Yea, all which it inhabit, shall dissolve, + And, like the baseless fabric of a vision, + Leave not a wreck behind. + +Cast thine eye around thee and see the thousands of Nature's productions. +Take a view of them from the opening seed on the surface sending a downward +shoot, to the loftiest and the largest trees rising up and blooming in wild +luxuriance: some side by side, others separate; some curved and knotty, +others straight as lances; all, in beautiful gradation, fulfilling the +mandates they had received from Heaven and, though condemned to die, still +never failing to keep up their species till time shall be no more. + +Reader, canst thou not be induced to dedicate a few months to the good of +the public, and examine with thy scientific eye the productions which the +vast and well-stored colony of Demerara presents to thee? + +What an immense range of forest is there from the rock Saba to the great +fall! and what an uninterrupted extent before thee from it to the banks of +the Essequibo! No doubt there is many a balsam and many a medicinal root +yet to be discovered, and many a resin, gum and oil yet unnoticed. Thy work +would be a pleasing one, and thou mightest make several useful observations +in it. + +Would it be thought impertinent in thee to hazard a conjecture that, with +the resources the Government of Demerara has, stones might be conveyed from +the rock Saba to Stabroek to stem the equinoctial tides which are for ever +sweeping away the expensive wooden piles round the mounds of the fort? Or +would the timber-merchant point at thee in passing by and call thee a +descendant of La Mancha's knight, because thou maintainest that the stones +which form the rapids might be removed with little expense, and thus open +the navigation to the wood-cutter from Stabroek to the great fall? Or +wouldst thou be deemed enthusiastic or biassed because thou givest it as +thy opinion that the climate in these high-lands is exceedingly wholesome, +and the lands themselves capable of nourishing and maintaining any number +of settlers? In thy dissertation on the Indians thou mightest hint that +possibly they could be induced to help the new settlers a little; and that, +finding their labours well requited, it would be the means of their keeping +up a constant communication with us which probably might be the means of +laying the first stone towards their Christianity. They are a poor +harmless, inoffensive set of people, and their wandering and ill-provided +way of living seems more to ask for pity from us than to fill our heads +with thoughts that they would be hostile to us. + +What a noble field, kind reader, for thy experimental philosophy and +speculations, for thy learning, for thy perseverance, for thy +kindheartedness, for everything that is great and good within thee! + +The accidental traveller who has journeyed on from Stabroek to the rock +Saba, and from thence to the banks of the Essequibo, in pursuit of other +things, as he told thee at the beginning, with but an indifferent +interpreter to talk to, no friend to converse with, and totally unfit for +that which he wishes thee to do, can merely mark the outlines of the path +he has trodden, or tell thee the sounds he has heard, or faintly describe +what he has seen in the environs of his resting-places; but if this be +enough to induce thee to undertake the journey, and give the world a +description of it, he will be amply satisfied. + +It will be two days and a half from the time of entering the path on the +western bank of the Demerara till all be ready and the canoe fairly afloat +on the Essequibo. The new rigging it, and putting every little thing to +rights and in its proper place, cannot well be done in less than a day. + +After being night and day in the forest, impervious to the sun's and moon's +rays, the sudden transition to light has a fine heart-cheering effect. +Welcome as a lost friend, the solar beam makes the frame rejoice, and with +it a thousand enlivening thoughts rush at once on the soul and disperse, as +a vapour, every sad and sorrowful idea which the deep gloom had helped to +collect there. In coming out of the woods you see the western bank of the +Essequibo before you, low and flat. Here the river is two-thirds as broad +as the Demerara at Stabroek. + +To the northward there is a hill higher than any in the Demerara; and in +the south-south-west quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears like a +bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not the least opening on either side. +Hills, valleys and low-lands are all linked together by a chain of forest. +Ascend the highest mountain, climb the loftiest tree, as far as the eye can +extend, whichever way it directs itself, all is luxuriant and unbroken +forest. + +In about nine or ten hours from this you get to an Indian habitation of +three huts, on the point of an island. It is said that a Dutch post once +stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige of it remaining and, +except that the trees appear younger than those on the other islands, which +shows that the place has been cleared some time or other, there is no mark +left by which you can conjecture that ever this was a post. + +The many islands which you meet with in the way enliven and change the +scene, by the avenues which they make, which look like the mouths of other +rivers, and break that long-extended sameness which is seen in the +Demerara. + +Proceeding onwards you get to the falls and rapids. In the rainy season +they are very tedious to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry +season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians soon manage to get a +canoe over them. But when the river is swollen, as it was in May 1812, it +is then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one, too. At that time many +of the islands were over-flowed, the rocks covered and the lower branches +of the trees in the water. Sometimes the Indians were obliged to take +everything out of the canoe, cut a passage through the branches which hung +over into the river, and then drag up the canoe by main force. + +At one place the falls form an oblique line quite across the river +impassable to the ascending canoe, and you are forced to have it dragged +four or five hundred yards by land. + +It will take you five days, from the Indian habitation on the point of the +island, to where these falls and rapids terminate. + +There are no huts in the way. You must bring your own cassava bread along +with you, hunt in the forest for your meat and make the night's shelter for +yourself. + +Here is a noble range of hills, all covered with the finest trees rising +majestically one above the other, on the western bank, and presenting as +rich a scene as ever the eye would wish to look on. Nothing in vegetable +nature can be conceived more charming, grand and luxuriant. + +How the heart rejoices in viewing this beautiful landscape when the sky is +serene, the air cool and the sun just sunk behind the mountain's top! + +The hayawa-tree perfumes the woods around: pairs of scarlet aras are +continually crossing the river. The maam sends forth its plaintive note, +the wren chants its evening song. The caprimulgus wheels in busy flight +around the canoe, while "Whip-poor-will" sits on the broken stump near the +water's edge, complaining as the shades of night set in. + +A little before you pass the last of these rapids two immense rocks appear, +nearly on the summit of one of the many hills which form this far-extending +range where it begins to fall off gradually to the south. + +They look like two ancient stately towers of some Gothic potentate rearing +their heads above the surrounding trees. What with their situation and +their shape together, they strike the beholder with an idea of antiquated +grandeur which he will never forget. He may travel far and near and see +nothing like them. On looking at them through a glass the summit of the +southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The one to the north was quite +bare. The Indians have it from their ancestors that they are the abode of +an evil genius, and they pass in the river below with a reverential awe. + +In about seven hours from these stupendous sons of the hill you leave the +Essequibo and enter the River Apoura-poura, which falls into it from the +south. The Apoura-poura is nearly one-third the size of the Demerara at +Stabroek. For two days you see nothing but level ground richly clothed in +timber. You leave the Siparouni to the right hand, and on the third day +come to a little hill. The Indians have cleared about an acre of ground on +it and erected a temporary shed. If it be not intended for provision-ground +alone, perhaps the next white man who travels through these remote wilds +will find an Indian settlement here. + +Two days after leaving this you get to a rising ground on the western bank +where stands a single hut, and about half a mile in the forest there are a +few more: some of them square and some round, with spiral roofs. + +Here the fish called pacou is very plentiful: it is perhaps the fattest and +most delicious fish in Guiana. It does not take the hook, but the Indians +decoy it to the surface of the water by means of the seeds of the crab-wood +tree and then shoot it with an arrow. + +You are now within the borders of Macoushia, inhabited by a different tribe +of people called Macoushi Indians, uncommonly dexterous in the use of the +blow-pipe and famous for their skill in preparing the deadly vegetable- +poison commonly called wourali. + +It is from this country that those beautiful paroquets named kessi-kessi +are procured. Here the crystal mountains are found; and here the three +different species of the ara are seen in great abundance. Here too grows +the tree from which the gum-elastic is got: it is large and as tall as any +in the forest. The wood has much the appearance of sycamore. The gum is +contained in the bark: when that is cut through it oozes out very freely; +it is quite white and looks as rich as cream; it hardens almost immediately +as it issues from the tree, so that it is very easy to collect a ball by +forming the juice into a globular shape as fast as it comes out. It becomes +nearly black by being exposed to the air, and is real india-rubber without +undergoing any other process. + +The elegant crested bird called cock-of-the-rock, admirably described by +Buffon, is a native of the woody mountains of Macoushia. In the daytime it +retires amongst the darkest rocks, and only comes out to feed a little +before sunrise and at sunset: he is of a gloomy disposition and, like the +houtou, never associates with the other birds of the forest. + +The Indians in the just-mentioned settlement seemed to depend more on the +wourali poison for killing their game than upon anything else. They had +only one gun, and it appeared rusty and neglected, but their poisoned +weapons were in fine order. Their blow-pipes hung from the roof of the hut, +carefully suspended by a silk-grass cord, and on taking a nearer view of +them no dust seemed to have collected there, nor had the spider spun the +smallest web on them, which showed that they were in constant use. The +quivers were close by them, with the jaw-bone of the fish pirai tied by a +string to their brim and a small wicker-basket of wild cotton, which hung +down to the centre; they were nearly full of poisoned arrows. It was with +difficulty these Indians could be persuaded to part with any of the wourali +poison, though a good price was offered for it: they gave to understand +that it was powder and shot to them, and very difficult to be procured. + +On the second day after leaving this settlement, in passing along, the +Indians show you a place where once a white man lived. His retiring so far +from those of his own colour and acquaintance seemed to carry something +extraordinary along with it, and raised a desire to know what could have +induced him to do so. It seems he had been unsuccessful, and that his +creditors had treated him with as little mercy as the strong generally show +to the weak. Seeing his endeavours daily frustrated and his best intentions +of no avail, and fearing that when they had taken all he had they would +probably take his liberty too, he thought the world would not be +hardhearted enough to condemn him for retiring from the evils which pressed +so heavily on him, and which he had done all that an honest man could do to +ward off. He left his creditors to talk of him as they thought fit, and, +bidding adieu for ever to the place in which he had once seen better times, +he penetrated thus far into these remote and gloomy wilds and ended his +days here. + +According to the new map of South America, Lake Parima, or the White Sea, +ought to be within three or four days' walk from this place. On asking the +Indians whether there was such a place or not, and describing that the +water was fresh and good to drink, an old Indian, who appeared to be about +sixty, said that there was such a place, and that he had been there. This +information would have been satisfactory in some degree had not the Indians +carried the point a little too far. It is very large, said another Indian, +and ships come to it. Now these unfortunate ships were the very things +which were not wanted: had he kept them out, it might have done, but his +introducing them was sadly against the lake. Thus you must either suppose +that the old savage and his companion had a confused idea of the thing, and +that probably the Lake Parima they talked of was the Amazons, not far from +the city of Para, or that it was their intention to deceive you. You ought +to be cautious in giving credit to their stories, otherwise you will be apt +to be led astray. + +Many a ridiculous thing concerning the interior of Guiana has been +propagated and received as true merely because six or seven Indians, +questioned separately, have agreed in their narrative. + +Ask those who live high up in the Demerara, and they will, every one of +them, tell you that there is a nation of Indians with long tails; that they +are very malicious, cruel and ill-natured; and that the Portuguese have +been obliged to stop them off in a certain river to prevent their +depredations. They have also dreadful stories concerning a horrible beast +called the water-mamma which, when it happens to take a spite against a +canoe, rises out of the river and in the most unrelenting manner possible +carries both canoe and Indians down to the bottom with it, and there +destroys them. Ludicrous extravagances! pleasing to those fond of the +marvellous, and excellent matter for a distempered brain. + +The misinformed and timid court of policy in Demerara was made the dupe of +a savage who came down the Essequibo and gave himself out as king of a +mighty tribe. This naked wild man of the woods seemed to hold the said +court in tolerable contempt, and demanded immense supplies, all which he +got; and moreover, some time after, an invitation to come down the ensuing +year for more, which he took care not to forget. + +This noisy chieftain boasted so much of his dynasty and domain that the +Government was induced to send up an expedition into his territories to see +if he had spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. It appeared, +however, that his palace was nothing but a hut, the monarch a needy savage, +the heir-apparent nothing to inherit but his father's club and bow and +arrows, and his officers of state wild and uncultivated as the forests +through which they strayed. + +There was nothing in the hut of this savage, saving the presents he had +received from Government, but what was barely sufficient to support +existence; nothing that indicated a power to collect a hostile force; +nothing that showed the least progress towards civilisation. All was rude +and barbarous in the extreme, expressive of the utmost poverty and a scanty +population. + +You may travel six or seven days without seeing a hut, and when you reach a +settlement it seldom contains more than ten. + +The farther you advance into the interior, the more you are convinced that +it is thinly inhabited. + +The day after passing the place where the white man lived you see a creek +on the left-hand, and shortly after the path to the open country. Here you +drag the canoe up into the forest, and leave it there. Your baggage must +now be carried by the Indians. The creek you passed in the river intersects +the path to the next settlement; a large mora has fallen across it and +makes an excellent bridge. After walking an hour and a half you come to the +edge of the forest, and a savanna unfolds itself to the view. + +The finest park that England boasts falls far short of this delightful +scene. There are about two thousand acres of grass, with here and there a +clump of trees and a few bushes and single trees scattered up and down by +the hand of Nature. The ground is neither hilly nor level, but diversified +with moderate rises and falls, so gently running into one another that the +eye cannot distinguish where they begin nor where they end; while the +distant black rocks have the appearance of a herd at rest. Nearly in the +middle there is an eminence which falls off gradually on every side, and on +this the Indians have erected their huts. + +To the northward of them the forest forms a circle, as though it had been +done by art; to the eastward it hangs in festoons; and to the south and +west it rushes in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it at every step +as you advance along. + +This beautiful park of Nature is quite surrounded by lofty hills, all +arrayed in superbest garb of trees: some in the form of pyramids, others +like sugar-loaves, towering one above the other, some rounded off, and +others as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills rise up in spiral +summits, and the wooded line of communication betwixt them sinks so +gradually that it forms a crescent; and there the ridges of others resemble +the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these appear others, and others past +them, and others still farther on, till they can scarcely be distinguished +from the clouds. + +There are no sand-flies nor bête-rouge nor mosquitos in this pretty spot. +The fire-flies, during the night, vie in numbers and brightness with the +stars in the firmament above; the air is pure, and the north-east breeze +blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. Here the white-crested maroudi, +which is never found in the Demerara, is pretty plentiful; and here grows +the tree which produces the moran, sometimes called balsam-capivi. + +Your route lies south from this place; and at the extremity of the savanna +you enter the forest and journey along a winding path at the foot of a +hill. There is no habitation within this day's walk. The traveller, as +usual, must sleep in the forest; the path is not so good the following day. +The hills over which it lies are rocky, steep and rugged; and the spaces +betwixt them swampy and mostly knee-deep in water. After eight hours' walk +you find two or three Indian huts, surrounded by the forest; and in little +more than half an hour from these you come to ten or twelve others, where +you pass the night. They are prettily situated at the entrance into a +savanna. The eastern and western hills are still covered with wood; but on +looking to the south-west quarter you perceive it begins to die away. In +these forests you may find plenty of the trees which yield the sweet- +smelling resin called accaiari, and which, when pounded and burnt on +charcoal, gives a delightful fragrance. + +From hence you proceed, in a south-west direction, through a long swampy +savanna. Some of the hills which border on it have nothing but a thin +coarse grass and huge stones on them: others quite wooded; others with +their summits crowned and their base quite bare; and others again with +their summits bare and their base in thickest wood. + +Half of this day's march is in water nearly up to the knees. There are four +creeks to pass: one of them has a fallen tree across it. You must make your +own bridge across the other three. Probably, were the truth known, these +apparently four creeks are only the meanders of one. + +The jabiru, the largest bird in Guiana, feeds in the marshy savanna through +which you have just passed. He is wary and shy, and will not allow you to +get within gunshot of him. + +You sleep this night in the forest, and reach an Indian settlement about +three o'clock the next evening, after walking one-third of the way through +wet and miry ground. + +But bad as the walking is through it, it is easier than where you cross +over the bare hills, where you have to tread on sharp stones, most of them +lying edgewise. + +The ground gone over these two last days seems condemned to perpetual +solitude and silence. There was not one four-footed animal to be seen, nor +even the marks of one. It would have been as silent as midnight, and all as +still and unmoved as a monument, had not the jabiru in the marsh and a few +vultures soaring over the mountain's top shown that it was not quite +deserted by animated nature. There were no insects, except one kind of fly +about one-fourth the size of the common house-fly. It bit cruelly, and was +much more tormenting than the mosquito on the sea-coast. + +This seems to be the native country of the arrowroot. Wherever you passed +through a patch of wood in a low situation, there you found it growing +luxuriantly. + +The Indian place you are now at is not the proper place to have come to in +order to reach the Portuguese frontiers. You have advanced too much to the +westward. But there was no alternative. The ground betwixt you and another +small settlement (which was the right place to have gone to) was +overflowed; and thus, instead of proceeding southward, you were obliged to +wind along the foot of the western hills, quite out of your way. + +But the grand landscape this place affords makes you ample amends for the +time you have spent in reaching it. It would require great descriptive +powers to give a proper idea of the situation these people have chosen for +their dwelling. + +The hill they are on is steep and high, and full of immense rocks. The huts +are not all in one place, but dispersed wherever they have found a place +level enough for a lodgment. Before you ascend the hill you see at +intervals an acre or two of wood, then an open space with a few huts on it; +then wood again, and then an open space, and so on, till the intervening of +the western hills, higher and steeper still, and crowded with trees of the +loveliest shades, closes the enchanting scene. + +At the base of this hill stretches an immense plain which appears to the +eye, on this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The mountains on +the other side are piled one upon the other in romantic forms, and +gradually retire, till they are undiscernible from the clouds in which they +are involved. To the south-southwest this far-extending plain is lost in +the horizon. The trees on it, which look like islands on the ocean, add +greatly to the beauty of the landscape, while the rivulet's course is +marked out by the æta-trees which follow its meanders. + +Not being able to pursue the direct course from hence to the next Indian +habitation, on account of the floods of water which fall at this time of +the year, you take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. + +At last a large and deep creek stops your progress: it is wide and rapid, +and its banks very steep. There is neither curial nor canoe nor purple- +heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a wood-skin to carry you over, so +that you are obliged to swim across; and by the time you have formed a kind +of raft composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass to ferry over your +baggage, the day will be too far spent to think of proceeding. You must be +very cautious before you venture to swim across this creek, for the +alligators are numerous and near twenty feet long. On the present occasion +the Indians took uncommon precautions lest they should be devoured by this +cruel and voracious reptile. They cut long sticks and examined closely the +side of the creek for half a mile above and below the place where it was to +be crossed; and as soon as the boldest had swum over he did the same on the +other side, and then all followed. + +After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is well wooded, it is a +brisk walk of nine hours before you reach four Indian huts, on a rising +ground, a few hundred paces from a little brook whose banks are covered +over with coucourite- and æta-trees. + +This is the place you ought to have come to two days ago, had the water +permitted you. In crossing the plain at the most advantageous place you are +above ankle-deep in water for three hours; the remainder of the way is dry, +the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this spacious plain put on +somewhat the appearance of a lake during the periodical rains, it is not +improbable but that this is the place which hath given rise to the supposed +existence of the famed Lake Parima, or El Dorado; but this is mere +conjecture. + +A few deer are feeding on the coarse, rough grass of this far-extending +plain; they keep at a distance from you, and are continually on the look- +out. + +The spur-winged plover and a species of the curlew, black with a white bar +across the wings, nearly as large again as the scarlet curlew on the sea- +coast, frequently rise before you. Here too the muscovy duck is numerous, +and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you as you pass on, but +keep out of gunshot. The milk-white egrets and jabirus are distinguished at +a great distance, and in the æta- and coucourite-trees you may observe +flocks of scarlet and blue aras feeding on the seeds. + +It is to these trees that the largest sort of toucan resorts. He is +remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his fine yellow bill. He +is very scarce in Demerara, and never seen except near the sea-coast. + +The ants' nests have a singular appearance on this plain; they are in vast +abundance on those parts of it free from water, and are formed of an +exceeding hard yellow clay. They rise eight or ten feet from the ground, in +a spiral form, impenetrable to the rain and strong enough to defy the +severest tornado. + +The wourali poison procured in these last-mentioned huts seemed very good, +and proved afterwards to be very strong. + +There are now no more Indian settlements betwixt you and the Portuguese +frontiers. If you wish to visit their fort, it would be advisable to send +an Indian with a letter from hence and wait his return. On the present +occasion a very fortunate circumstance occurred. The Portuguese commander +had sent some Indians and soldiers to build a canoe not far from this +settlement; they had just finished it, and those who did not stay with it +had stopped here on their return. + +The soldier who commanded the rest said he durst not, upon any account, +convey a stranger to the fort: but he added, as there were two canoes, one +of them might be despatched with a letter, and then we could proceed slowly +on in the other. + +About three hours from this settlement there is a river called Pirarara, +and here the soldiers had left their canoes while they were making the new +one. From the Pirarara you get into the River Maou, and then into the +Tacatou; and just where the Tacatou falls into the Rio Branco there stands +the Portuguese frontier-fort called Fort St. Joachim. From the time of +embarking in the River Pirarara it takes you four days before you reach +this fort. + +There was nothing very remarkable in passing down these rivers. It is an +open country, producing a coarse grass and interspersed with clumps of +trees. The banks have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and +crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. + +The tapir frequently plunged into the river; he was by no means shy, and it +was easy to get a shot at him on land. The kessi-kessi paroquets were in +great abundance, and the fine scarlet aras innumerable in the coucourite- +trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou was seen the +troupiale. It was charming to hear the sweet and plaintive notes of this +pretty songster of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the nightingale of +Guiana. + +Towards the close of the fourth evening the canoe which had been sent on +with a letter met us with the commander's answer. During its absence the +nights had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, the days +cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet hammocks. Exposed thus, day and +night, to the chilling blast and pelting shower, strength of constitution +at last failed and a severe fever came on. The commander's answer was very +polite. He remarked, he regretted much to say that he had received orders +to allow no stranger to enter the frontier, and this being the case he +hoped I would not consider him as uncivil: "however," continued he, "I have +ordered the soldier to land you at a certain distance from the fort, where +we can consult together." + +We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which brought the letter +returned to the fort to tell the commander I had fallen sick. + +The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after when the Portuguese +officer came to the spot where we had landed the preceding evening. He was +tall and spare, and appeared to be from fifty to fifty-five years old; and +though thirty years of service under an equatorial sun had burnt and +shrivelled up his face, still there was something in it so inexpressibly +affable and kind that it set you immediately at your ease. He came close up +to the hammock, and taking hold of my wrist to feel the pulse, "I am sorry, +Sir," said he, "to see that the fever has taken such hold of you. You shall +go directly with me," continued he, "to the fort; and though we have no +doctor there, I trust," added he, "we shall soon bring you about again. The +orders I have received forbidding the admission of strangers were never +intended to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." + +As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river towards the fort, the +commander asked with much more interest than a question in ordinary +conversation is asked, where was I on the night of the first of May? On +telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the great +fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden noise had alarmed all +the Indians, he said the same astonishing noise had roused every man in +Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under arms till morning. He +observed that he had been quite at a loss to form any idea what could have +caused the noise; but now learning that the same noise had been heard at +the same time far away from the Rio Branco, it struck him there must have +been an earthquake somewhere or other. + +Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied attention and kindness of the +Portuguese commander, stopped the progress of the fever and enabled me to +walk about in six days. + +Fort St. Joachim was built about five and forty years ago under the +apprehension, it is said, that the Spaniards were coming from the Rio Negro +to settle there. It has been much neglected; the floods of water have +carried away the gate and destroyed the wall on each side of it, but the +present commander is putting it into thorough repair. When finished it will +mount six nine- and six twelve-pounders. + +In a straight line with the fort, and within a few yards of the river, +stand the commander's house, the barracks, the chapel, the father- +confessor's house and two others, all at little intervals from each other; +and these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The neighbouring +extensive plains afford good pasturage for a fine breed of cattle, and the +Portuguese make enough of butter and cheese for their own consumption. + +On asking the old officer if there were such a place as Lake Parima, or El +Dorado, he replied he looked upon it as imaginary altogether. "I have been +above forty years," added he, "in Portuguese Guiana, but have never yet met +with anybody who has seen the lake." + +So much for Lake Parima, or El Dorado, or the White Sea. Its existence at +best seems doubtful: some affirm that there is such a place and others deny +it. + + Grammatici certant, et adhuc sub judice lis est. + +Having now reached the Portuguese inland frontier and collected a +sufficient quantity of the wourali poison, nothing remains but to give a +brief account of its composition, its effects, its uses and its supposed +antidotes. + +It has been already remarked that in the extensive wilds of Demerara and +Essequibo, far away from any European settlement, there is a tribe of +Indians who are known by the name of Macoushi. + +Though the wourali poison is used by all the South American savages betwixt +the Amazons and the Oroonoque, still this tribe makes it stronger than any +of the rest. The Indians in the vicinity of the Rio Negro are aware of +this, and come to the Macoushi country to purchase it. + +Much has been said concerning this fatal and extraordinary poison. Some +have affirmed that its effects are almost instantaneous, provided the +minutest particle of it mixes with the blood; and others again have +maintained that it is not strong enough to kill an animal of the size and +strength of a man. The first have erred by lending a too willing ear to the +marvellous and believing assertions without sufficient proof. The following +short story points out the necessity of a cautious examination. + +One day, on asking an Indian if he thought the poison would kill a man, he +replied that they always go to battle with it; that he was standing by when +an Indian was shot with a poisoned arrow, and that he expired almost +immediately. Not wishing to dispute this apparently satisfactory +information the subject was dropped. + +However, about an hour after, having purposely asked him in what part of +the body the said Indian was wounded, he answered without hesitation that +the arrow entered betwixt his shoulders and passed quite through his heart. +Was it the weapon or the strength of the poison that brought on immediate +dissolution in this case? Of course the weapon. + +The second have been misled by disappointment caused by neglect in keeping +the poisoned arrows, or by not knowing how to use them, or by trying +inferior poison. If the arrows are not kept dry the poison loses its +strength, and in wet or damp weather it turns mouldy and becomes quite +soft. In shooting an arrow in this state, upon examining the place where it +has entered, it will be observed that, though the arrow has penetrated deep +into the flesh, still by far the greatest part of the poison has shrunk +back, and thus, instead of entering with the arrow, it has remained +collected at the mouth of the wound. In this case the arrow might as well +have not been poisoned. Probably it was to this that a gentleman, some time +ago, owed his disappointment when he tried the poison on a horse in the +town of Stabroek, the capital of Demerara; the horse never betrayed the +least symptom of being affected by it. + +Wishful to obtain the best information concerning this poison, and as +repeated inquiries, in lieu of dissipating the surrounding shade, did but +tend more and more to darken the little light that existed, I determined to +penetrate into the country where the poisonous ingredients grow, where this +pernicious composition is prepared and where it is constantly used. Success +attended the adventure, and the information acquired made amends for one +hundred and twenty days passed in the solitudes of Guiana, and afforded a +balm to the wounds and bruises which every traveller must expect to receive +who wanders through a thorny and obstructed path. + +Thou must not, courteous reader, expect a dissertation on the manner in +which the wourali poison operates on the system: a treatise has been +already written on the subject, and, after all, there is probably still +reason to doubt. It is supposed to affect the nervous system, and thus +destroy the vital functions; it is also said to be perfectly harmless +provided it does not touch the blood. However, this is certain: when a +sufficient quantity of it enters the blood, death is the inevitable +consequence; but there is no alteration in the colour of the blood, and +both the blood and flesh may be eaten with safety. + +All that thou wilt find here is a concise, unadorned account of the wourali +poison. It may be of service to thee some time or other shouldst thou ever +travel through the wilds where it is used. Neither attribute to cruelty, +nor to a want of feeling for the sufferings of the inferior animals, the +ensuing experiments. The larger animals were destroyed in order to have +proof positive of the strength of a poison which hath hitherto been +doubted, and the smaller ones were killed with the hope of substantiating +that which has commonly been supposed to be an antidote. + +It makes a pitying heart ache to see a poor creature in distress and pain; +and too often has the compassionate traveller occasion to heave a sigh as +he journeys on. However, here, though the kind-hearted will be sorry to +read of an unoffending animal doomed to death in order to satisfy a doubt, +still it will be a relief to know that the victim was not tortured. The +wourali poison destroys life's action so gently that the victim appears to +be in no pain whatever; and probably, were the truth known, it feels none, +saving the momentary smart at the time the arrow enters. + +A day or two before the Macoushi Indian prepares his poison he goes into +the forest in quest of the ingredients. A vine grows in these wilds which +is called wourali. It is from this that the poison takes its name, and it +is the principal ingredient. When he has procured enough of this he digs up +a root of a very bitter taste, ties them together, and then looks about for +two kinds of bulbous plants which contain a green and glutinous juice. He +fills a little quake which he carries on his back with the stalks of these; +and lastly ranges up and down till he finds two species of ants. One of +them is very large and black, and so venomous that its sting produces a +fever: it is most commonly to be met with on the ground. The other is a +little red ant which stings like a nettle, and generally has its nest under +the leaf of a shrub. After obtaining these he has no more need to range the +forest. + +A quantity of the strongest Indian pepper is used, but this he has already +planted round his hut. The pounded fangs of the labarri snake and those of +the counacouchi are likewise added. These he commonly has in store, for +when he kills a snake he generally extracts the fangs and keeps them by +him. + +Having thus found the necessary ingredients, he scrapes the wourali vine +and bitter root into thin shavings and puts them into a kind of colander +made of leaves. This he holds over an earthen pot, and pours water on the +shavings: the liquor which comes through has the appearance of coffee. When +a sufficient quantity has been procured the shavings are thrown aside. He +then bruises the bulbous stalks and squeezes a proportionate quantity of +their juice through his hands into the pot. Lastly the snakes' fangs, ants +and pepper are bruised and thrown into it. It is then placed on a slow +fire, and as it boils more of the juice of the wourali is added, according +as it may be found necessary, and the scum is taken off with a leaf: it +remains on the fire till reduced to a thick syrup of a deep brown colour. +As soon as it has arrived at this state a few arrows are poisoned with it, +to try its strength. If it answer the expectations it is poured out into a +calabash, or little pot of Indian manufacture, which is carefully covered +with a couple of leaves, and over them a piece of deer's skin tied round +with a cord. They keep it in the most dry part of the hut, and from time to +time suspend it over the fire to counteract the effects of dampness. + +The act of preparing this poison is not considered as a common one: the +savage may shape his bow, fasten the barb on the point of his arrow and +make his other implements of destruction either lying in his hammock or in +the midst of his family; but if he has to prepare the wourali poison, many +precautions are supposed to be necessary. + +The women and young girls are not allowed to be present, lest the Yabahou, +or evil spirit, should do them harm. The shed under which it has been +boiled is pronounced polluted, and abandoned ever after. He who makes the +poison must eat nothing that morning, and must continue fasting as long as +the operation lasts. The pot in which it is boiled must be a new one, and +must never have held anything before, otherwise the poison would be +deficient in strength: add to this that the operator must take particular +care not to expose himself to the vapour which arises from it while on the +fire. + +Though this and other precautions are taken, such as frequently washing the +face and hands, still the Indians think that it affects the health; and the +operator either is, or, what is more probable, supposes himself to be, sick +for some days after. + +Thus it appears that the making the wourali poison is considered as a +gloomy and mysterious operation; and it would seem that they imagine it +affects others as well as him who boils it, for an Indian agreed one +evening to make some for me, but the next morning he declined having +anything to do with it, alleging that his wife was with child! + +Here it might be asked, are all the ingredients just mentioned necessary in +order to produce the wourali poison? Though our opinions and conjectures +may militate against the absolute necessity of some of them, still it would +be hardly fair to pronounce them added by the hand of superstition till +proof positive can be obtained. + +We might argue on the subject, and by bringing forward instances of Indian +superstition draw our conclusion by inference, and still remain in doubt on +this head. You know superstition to be the offspring of ignorance, and of +course that it takes up its abode amongst the rudest tribes of uncivilised +man. It even too often resides with man in his more enlightened state. + +The Augustan age furnishes numerous examples. A bone snatched from the jaws +of a fasting bitch, and a feather from the wing of a night-owl--"ossa ab +ore rapta jejunæ canis, plumamque nocturnæ strigis"--were necessary for +Canidia's incantations. And in after-times Parson Evans, the Welshman, was +treated most ungenteelly by an enraged spirit solely because he had +forgotten a fumigation in his witch-work. + +If, then, enlightened man lets his better sense give way, and believes, or +allows himself to be persuaded, that certain substances and actions, in +reality of no avail, possess a virtue which renders them useful in +producing the wished-for effect, may not the wild, untaught, unenlightened +savage of Guiana add an ingredient which, on account of the harm it does +him, he fancies may be useful to the perfection of his poison, though in +fact it be of no use at all? If a bone snatched from the jaws of a fasting +bitch be thought necessary in incantation; or if witchcraft have recourse +to the raiment of the owl because it resorts to the tombs and mausoleums of +the dead and wails and hovers about at the time that the rest of animated +nature sleeps; certainly the savage may imagine that the ants, whose sting +causes a fever, and the teeth of the labarri and counacouchi snakes, which +convey death in a very short space of time, are essentially necessary in +the composition of his poison; and being once impressed with this idea, he +will add them every time he makes the poison and transmit the absolute use +of them to his posterity. The question to be answered seems not to be if it +is natural for the Indians to mix these ingredients, but if they are +essential to make the poison. + +So much for the preparing of this vegetable essence: terrible importer of +death, into whatever animal it enters. Let us now see how it is used; let +us examine the weapons which bear it to its destination, and take a view of +the poor victim from the time he receives his wound till death comes to his +relief. + +When a native of Macoushia goes in quest of feathered game or other birds +he seldom carries his bow and arrows. It is the blow-pipe he then uses. +This extraordinary tube of death is, perhaps, one of the greatest natural +curiosities of Guiana. It is not found in the country of the Macoushi. +Those Indians tell you that it grows to the south-west of them, in the +wilds which extend betwixt them and the Rio Negro. The reed must grow to an +amazing length, as the part the Indians use is from ten to eleven feet +long, and no tapering can be perceived in it, one end being as thick as the +other. It is of a bright yellow colour, perfectly smooth both inside and +out. It grows hollow, nor is there the least appearance of a knot or joint +throughout the whole extent. The natives call it ourah. This of itself is +too slender to answer the end of a blow-pipe, but there is a species of +palma, larger and stronger, and common in Guiana, and this the Indians make +use of as a case in which they put the ourah. It is brown, susceptible of a +fine polish, and appears as if it had joints five or six inches from each +other. It is called samourah, and the pulp inside is easily extracted by +steeping it for a few days in water. + +Thus the ourah and samourah, one within the other, form the blow-pipe of +Guiana. The end which is applied to the mouth is tied round with a small +silk-grass cord to prevent its splitting, and the other end, which is apt +to strike against the ground, is secured by the seed of the acuero fruit +cut horizontally through the middle, with a hole made in the end through +which is put the extremity of the blow-pipe. It is fastened on with string +on the outside, and the inside is filled up with wild-bees' wax. + +The arrow is from nine to ten inches long. It is made out of the leaf of a +species of palm-tree called coucourite, hard and brittle, and pointed as +sharp as a needle. About an inch of the pointed end is poisoned. The other +end is burnt to make it still harder, and wild cotton is put round it for +about an inch and a half. It requires considerable practice to put on this +cotton well. It must just be large enough to fit the hollow of the tube and +taper off to nothing downwards. They tie it on with a thread of the silk- +grass to prevent its slipping off the arrow. + +The Indians have shown ingenuity in making a quiver to hold the arrows. It +will contain from five to six hundred. It is generally from twelve to +fourteen inches long, and in shape resembles a dice-box used at backgammon. +The inside is prettily done in basket-work with wood not unlike bamboo, and +the outside has a coat of wax. The cover is all of one piece formed out of +the skin of the tapir. Round the centre there is fastened a loop large +enough to admit the arm and shoulder, from which it hangs when used. To the +rim is tied a little bunch of silk-grass and half of the jaw-bone of the +fish called pirai, with which the Indian scrapes the point of his arrow. + +Before he puts the arrows into the quiver he links them together by two +strings of cotton, one string at each end, and then folds them round a +stick which is nearly the length of the quiver. The end of the stick, which +is uppermost, is guarded by two little pieces of wood crosswise, with a +hoop round their extremities, which appears something like a wheel, and +this saves the hand from being wounded when the quiver is reversed in order +to let the bunch of arrows drop out. + +There is also attached to the quiver a little kind of basket to hold the +wild cotton which is put on the blunt end of the arrow. With a quiver of +poisoned arrows slung over his shoulder, and with his blow-pipe in his +hand, in the same position as a soldier carries his musket, see the +Macoushi Indian advancing towards the forest in quest of powises, maroudis, +waracabas and other feathered game. + +These generally sit high up in the tall and tufted trees, but still are not +out of the Indian's reach, for his blow-pipe, at its greatest elevation, +will send an arrow three hundred feet. Silent as midnight he steals under +them, and so cautiously does he tread the ground that the fallen leaves +rustle not beneath his feet. His ears are open to the least sound, while +his eye, keen as that of the lynx, is employed in finding out the game in +the thickest shade. Often he imitates their cry, and decoys them from tree +to tree, till they are within range of his tube. Then taking a poisoned +arrow from his quiver, he puts it in the blow-pipe and collects his breath +for the fatal puff. + +About two feet from the end through which he blows there are fastened two +teeth of the acouri, and these serve him for a sight. Silent and swift the +arrow flies, and seldom fails to pierce the object at which it is sent. +Sometimes the wounded bird remains in the same tree where it was shot, and +in three minutes falls down at the Indian's feet. Should he take wing his +flight is of short duration, and the Indian, following the direction he has +gone, is sure to find him dead. + +It is natural to imagine that when a slight wound only is inflicted the +game will make its escape. Far otherwise; the wourali poison almost +instantaneously mixes with blood or water, so that if you wet your finger +and dash it along the poisoned arrow in the quickest manner possible you +are sure to carry off some of the poison. Though three minutes generally +elapse before the convulsions come on in the wounded bird, still a stupor +evidently takes place sooner, and this stupor manifests itself by an +apparent unwillingness in the bird to move. This was very visible in a +dying fowl. + +Having procured a healthy full-grown one, a short piece of a poisoned blow- +pipe arrow was broken off and run up into its thigh, as near as possible +betwixt the skin and the flesh, in order that it might not be incommoded by +the wound. For the first minute it walked about, but walked very slowly, +and did not appear the least agitated. During the second minute it stood +still, and began to peck the ground; and ere half another had elapsed it +frequently opened and shut its mouth. The tail had now dropped and the +wings almost touched the ground. By the termination of the third minute it +had sat down, scarce able to support its head, which nodded, and then +recovered itself, and then nodded again, lower and lower every time, like +that of a weary traveller slumbering in an erect position; the eyes +alternately open and shut. The fourth minute brought on convulsions, and +life and the fifth terminated together. + +The flesh of the game is not in the least injured by the poison, nor does +it appear to corrupt sooner than that killed by the gun or knife. The body +of this fowl was kept for sixteen hours in a climate damp and rainy, and +within seven degrees of the equator, at the end of which time it had +contracted no bad smell whatever and there were no symptoms of +putrefaction, saving that just round the wound the flesh appeared somewhat +discoloured. + +The Indian, on his return home, carefully suspends his blow-pipe from the +top of his spiral roof, seldom placing it in an oblique position, lest it +should receive a cast. + +Here let the blow-pipe remain suspended while you take a view of the arms +which are made to slay the larger beasts of the forest. + +When the Indian intends to chase the peccari, or surprise the deer, or +rouse the tapir from his marshy retreat, he carries his bow and arrows, +which are very different from the weapons already described. + +The bow is generally from six to seven feet long and strung with a cord +spun out of the silk-grass. The forests of Guiana furnish many species of +hard wood, tough and elastic, out of which beautiful and excellent bows are +formed. + +The arrows are from four to five feet in length, made of a yellow reed +without a knot or joint. It is found in great plenty up and down throughout +Guiana. A piece of hard wood about nine inches long is inserted into the +end of the reed, and fastened with cotton well waxed. A square hole an inch +deep is then made in the end of this piece of hard wood, done tight round +with cotton to keep it from splitting. Into this square hole is fitted a +spike of coucourite-wood, poisoned, and which may be kept there or taken +out at pleasure. A joint of bamboo, about as thick as your finger, is +fitted on over the poisoned spike to prevent accidents and defend it from +the rain, and is taken off when the arrow is about to be used. Lastly, two +feathers are fastened the other end of the reed to steady it in its flight. + +Besides his bow and arrows, the Indian carries a little box made of bamboo +which holds a dozen or fifteen poisoned spikes six inches long. They are +poisoned in the following manner: a small piece of wood is dipped in the +poison, and with this they give the spike a first coat. It is then exposed +to the sun or fire. After it is dry it receives another coat, and then +dried again; after this a third coat, and sometimes a fourth. + +They take great care to put the poison on thicker at the middle than at the +sides, by which means the spike retains the shape of a two-edged sword. It +is rather a tedious operation to make one of these arrows complete, and as +the Indian is not famed for industry, except when pressed by hunger, he has +hit upon a plan of preserving his arrows which deserves notice. + +About a quarter of an inch above the part where the coucourite spike is +fixed into the square hole he cuts it half through, and thus, when it has +entered the animal, the weight of the arrow causes it to break off there, +by which means the arrow falls to the ground uninjured, so that, should +this be the only arrow he happens to have with him and should another shot +immediately occur, he has only to take another poisoned spike out of his +little bamboo box, fit it on its arrow, and send it to its destination. + +Thus armed with deadly poison, and hungry as the hyæna, he ranges through +the forest in quest of the wild-beasts' track. No hound can act a surer +part. Without clothes to fetter him or shoes to bind his feet, he observes +the footsteps of the game where an European eye could not discern the +smallest vestige. He pursues it through all its turns and windings with +astonishing perseverance, and success generally crowns his efforts. The +animal, after receiving the poisoned arrow, seldom retreats two hundred +paces before it drops. + +In passing over-land from the Essequibo to the Demerara we fell in with a +herd of wild hogs. Though encumbered with baggage and fatigued with a hard +day's walk, an Indian got his bow ready and let fly a poisoned arrow at one +of them. It entered the cheek-bone and broke off. The wild hog was found +quite dead about one hundred and seventy paces from the place where he had +been shot. He afforded us an excellent and wholesome supper. + +Thus the savage of Guiana, independent of the common weapons of +destruction, has it in his power to prepare a poison by which he can +generally ensure to himself a supply of animal food: and the food so +destroyed imbibes no deleterious qualities. Nature has been bountiful to +him. She has not only ordered poisonous herbs and roots to grow in the +unbounded forests through which he strays, but has also furnished an +excellent reed for his arrows, and another still more singular for his +blow-pipe, and planted trees of an amazing hard, tough and elastic texture +out of which he forms his bows. And in order that nothing might be wanting, +she has superadded a tree which yields him a fine wax and disseminated up +and down a plant not unlike that of the pine-apple which affords him +capital bow-strings. + +Having now followed the Indian in the chase and described the poison, let +us take a nearer view of its action and observe a large animal expiring +under the weight of its baneful virulence. + +Many have doubted the strength of the wourali poison. Should they ever by +chance read what follows, probably their doubts on that score will be +settled for ever. + +In the former experiment on the dog some faint resistance on the part of +Nature was observed, as if existence struggled for superiority, but in the +following instance of the sloth life sunk in death without the least +apparent contention, without a cry, without a struggle and without a groan. +This was an ai, or three-toed sloth. It was in the possession of a +gentleman who was collecting curiosities. He wished to have it killed in +order to preserve the skin, and the wourali poison was resorted to as the +easiest death. + +Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor ill- +formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after it has +received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal, and it may be +said, on seeing a mortally-wounded sloth, that life disputes with death +every inch of flesh in its body. + +The ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor about two feet +from the table; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and fastened +itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last advancing +step: life was ebbing fast though imperceptibly, nor could this singular +production of Nature, which has been formed of a texture to resist death in +a thousand shapes, make any stand against the wourali poison. + +First one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its +side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost their +strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body and placed its head betwixt its +hind-legs, which still adhered to the table; but when the poison had +affected these also it sunk to the ground, but sunk so gently that you +could not distinguish the movement from an ordinary motion, and had you +been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned arrow you would never +have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was shut, nor had any froth or +saliva collected there. + +There was no _subsultus tendinum_ or any visible alteration in its +breathing. During the tenth minute from the time it was wounded it stirred, +and that was all; and the minute after life's last spark went out. From the +time the poison began to operate you would have conjectured that sleep was +overpowering it, and you would have exclaimed: "Pressitque jacentem, dulcis +et alta quies, placidæque simillima morti." + +There are now two positive proofs of the effect of this fatal poison: viz. +the death of the dog and that of the sloth. But still these animals were +nothing remarkable for size, and the strength of the poison in large +animals might yet be doubted were it not for what follows. + +A large well-fed ox, from nine hundred to a thousand pounds weight, was +tied to a stake by a rope sufficiently strong to allow him to move to and +fro. Having no large coucourite spikes at hand, it was judged necessary, on +account of his superior size, to put three wild-hog arrows into him: one +was sent into each thigh just above the hock in order to avoid wounding a +vital part, and the third was shot traversely into the extremity of the +nostril. + +The poison seemed to take effect in four minutes. Conscious as though he +would fall, the ox set himself firmly on his legs and remained quite still +in the same place till about the fourteenth minute, when he smelled the +ground and appeared as if inclined to walk. He advanced a pace or two, +staggered and fell, and remained extended on his side, with his head on the +ground. His eye, a few minutes ago so bright and lively, now became fixed +and dim, and though you put your hand close to it, as if to give him a blow +there, he never closed his eyelid. + +His legs were convulsed and his head from time to time started +involuntarily, but he never showed the least desire to raise it from the +ground. He breathed hard and emitted foam from his mouth. The startings, or +_subsultus tendinum_, now became gradually weaker and weaker; his +hinder parts were fixed in death, and in a minute or two more his head and +fore-legs ceased to stir. + +Nothing now remained to show that life was still within him except that his +heart faintly beat and fluttered at intervals. In five and twenty minutes +from the time of his being wounded he was quite dead. His flesh was very +sweet and savoury at dinner. + +On taking a retrospective view of the two different kinds of poisoned +arrows, and the animals destroyed by them, it would appear that the +quantity of poison must be proportioned to the animal, and thus those +probably labour under an error who imagine that the smallest particle of it +introduced into the blood has almost instantaneous effects. + +Make an estimate of the difference in size betwixt the fowl and the ox, and +then weigh a sufficient quantity of poison for a blow-pipe arrow, with +which the fowl was killed, and weigh also enough poison for three wild-hog +arrows, which destroyed the ox, and it will appear that the fowl received +much more poison in proportion than the ox. Hence the cause why the fowl +died in five minutes and the ox in five and twenty. + +Indeed, were it the case that the smallest particle of it introduced into +the blood has almost instantaneous effects, the Indian would not find it +necessary to make the large arrow: that of the blow-pipe is much easier +made and requires less poison. + +And now for the antidotes, or rather the supposed antidotes. The Indians +tell you, that if the wounded animal be held for a considerable time up to +the mouth in water the poison will not prove fatal; also that the juice of +the sugar-cane poured down the throat will counteract the effects of it. +These antidotes were fairly tried upon full-grown healthy fowls, but they +all died, as though no steps had been taken to preserve their lives. Rum +was recommended, and given to another, but with as little success. + +It is supposed by some that wind introduced into the lungs by means of a +small pair of bellows would revive the poisoned patient, provided the +operation be continued for a sufficient length of time. It may be so; but +this is a difficult and a tedious mode of cure, and he who is wounded in +the forest, far away from his friends, or in the hut of the savages, stands +but a poor chance of being saved by it. + +Had the Indians a sure antidote, it is likely they would carry it about +with them or resort to it immediately after being wounded, if at hand; and +their confidence in its efficacy would greatly diminish the horror they +betray when you point a poisoned arrow at them. + +One day, while we were eating a red monkey erroneously called the baboon, +in Demerara, an Arowack Indian told an affecting story of what happened to +a comrade of his. He was present at his death. As it did not interest this +Indian in any point to tell a falsehood, it is very probable that his +account was a true one. If so, it appears that there is no certain +antidote, or at least an antidote that could be resorted to in a case of +urgent need, for the Indian gave up all thoughts of life as soon as he was +wounded. + +The Arowack Indian said it was but four years ago that he and his companion +were ranging in the forest in quest of game. His companion took a poisoned +arrow and sent it at a red monkey in a tree above him. It was nearly a +perpendicular shot. The arrow missed the monkey, and in the descent struck +him in the arm a little above the elbow. He was convinced it was all over +with him. "I shall never," said he to his companion, in a faltering voice, +and looking at his bow as he said it, "I shall never," said he, "bend this +bow again." And having said that, he took off his little bamboo poison-box, +which hung across his shoulder, and putting it together with his bow and +arrows on the ground, he laid himself down close by them, bid his companion +farewell, and never spoke more. + +He who is unfortunate enough to be wounded by a poisoned arrow from +Macoushia had better not depend upon the common antidotes for a cure. Many +who have been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in water, or to +take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the mouth full of salt; and +they recommend these antidotes because they have got them from the Indians. +But were you to ask them if they ever saw these antidotes used with +success, it is ten to one their answer would be in the negative. + +Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable and of no avail. +He has got an active and deadly foe within him which, like Shakespeare's +fell Serjeant Death, is strict in his arrest, and will allow him but little +time--very, very little time. In a few minutes he will be numbered with the +dead. Life ought, if possible, to be preserved, be the expense ever so +great. Should the part affected admit of it, let a ligature be tied tight +round the wound, and have immediate recourse to the knife: + + Continuo, culpam ferro compesce, priusquam + Dira per infaustum serpant contagia corpus. + +And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. The two ends +proposed have been obtained. The Portuguese inland frontier-fort has been +reached and the Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of this +excursion through the interior of Guiana has been submitted to thy perusal +in order to induce thy abler genius to undertake a more extensive one. If +any difficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they have been caused by +the periodical rains which fall in torrents as the sun approaches the +Tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there would be no difficulties or +sickness. + +Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou wouldest be able to +draw during the journey there is one which, perhaps, would please thee not +a little, and that is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no doubt, thou hast +heard it hotly disputed that dogs existed in Guiana previously to the +arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. Whatever the Spaniards introduced, +and which bore no resemblance to anything the Indians had been accustomed +to see, retains its Spanish name to this day. + +Thus the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Macoushi and Carib tribes call +a hat _sombrero_; a shirt or any kind of cloth _camisa_; a shoe _zapalo_; a +letter _carta_; a fowl _gallina_; gunpowder _colvora_ (Spanish _polvora_); +ammunition _bala_; a cow _vaca_; and a dog _perro_. + +This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in Guiana before it was +discovered by the Spaniards, and probably may be of use to thee in thy next +canine dispute. + +In a political point of view this country presents a large field for +speculation. A few years ago there was but little inducement for any +Englishman to explore the interior of these rich and fine colonies, as the +British Government did not consider them worth holding at the Peace of +Amiens. Since that period their mother-country has been blotted out from +the list of nations, and America has unfolded a new sheet of politics. On +one side the Crown of Braganza, attacked by an ambitious chieftain, has +fled from the palace of its ancestors, and now seems fixed on the banks of +the Janeiro. Cayenne has yielded to its arms, La Plata has raised the +standard of independence and thinks itself sufficiently strong to obtain a +Government of its own. On the other side the Caraccas are in open revolt, +and should Santa Fé join them in good earnest they may form a powerful +association. + +Thus on each side of _ci-devant_ Dutch Guiana most unexpected and +astonishing changes have taken place. Will they raise or lower it in the +scale of estimation at the Court of St. James's? Will they be of benefit to +these grand and extensive colonies? Colonies enjoying perpetual summer. +Colonies of the richest soil. Colonies containing within themselves +everything necessary for their support. Colonies, in fine, so varied in +their quality and situation as to be capable of bringing to perfection +every tropical production, and only want the support of Government, and an +enlightened governor, to render them as fine as the finest portions of the +equatorial regions. Kind reader, fare thee well! + + * * * * * + +_Letter to the Portuguese Commander_ + +MUY SEÑOR, + +Como no tengo el honor, de ser conocido de VM. lo pienso mejor, y mas +decoroso, quedarme aqui, hastaque huviere recibido su respuesta. Haviendo +caminado hasta la choza, adonde estoi, no quisiere volverme, antes de haver +visto la fortaleza de los Portugueses; y pido licencia de VM. para que me +adelante. Honradissimos son mis motivos, ni tengo proyecto ninguno, o de +comercio, o de la soldadesca, no siendo yo, o comerciante, o oficial. +Hidalgo catolico soy, de hacienda in Ynglatierra, y muchos años de mi vida +he pasado en caminar. Ultimamente, de Demeraria vengo, la quai dexé el 5 +dia de Abril, para ver este hermoso pais, y coger unas curiosidades, +especialmente, el veneno, que se llama wourali. Las mas recentes noticias +que tenian en Demeraria, antes di mi salida, eran medias tristes, medias +alegres. Tristes digo, viendo que Valencia ha caido en poder del enemigo +comun, y el General Blake, y sus valientes tropas quedan prisioneros de +guerra. Alegres, al contrario, porque Milord Wellington se ha apoderado de +Ciudad Rodrigo. A pesar de la caida de Valencia, parece claro al mundo, que +las cosas del enemigo, estan andando, de pejor a pejor cada dia. Nosotros +debemos dar gracias al Altissimo, por haver sido servido dexarnos castigar +ultimamente, a los robadores, de sus santas Yglesias. Se vera VM. que yo no +escribo Portugues ni aun lo hablo, pero, haviendo aprendido el Castellano, +no nos faltará medio de communicar y tener conversacion. Ruego se escuse +esta carta escrita sin tinta, porque un Indio dexo caer mi tintero y +quebrose. Dios le dé a VM. muchos años de salud. Entretanto, tengo el honor +de ser + +Su mas obedeciente servidor, + +CARLOS WATERTON. + + * * * * * + +REMARKS + + Incertus, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur. + +Kind and gentle reader, if the journey in quest of the wourali poison has +engaged thy attention, probably thou mayest recollect that the traveller +took leave of thee at Fort St. Joachim, on the Rio Branco. Shouldest thou +wish to know what befell him afterwards, excuse the following uninteresting +narrative. + +Having had a return of fever, and aware that the farther he advanced into +these wild and lonely regions the less would be the chance of regaining his +health, he gave up all idea of proceeding onwards, and went slowly back +towards the Demerara, nearly by the same route he had come. + +On descending the falls in the Essequibo, which form an oblique line quite +across the river, it was resolved to push through them, the downward stream +being in the canoe's favour. At a little distance from the place a large +tree had fallen into the river, and in the meantime the canoe was lashed to +one of its branches. + +The roaring of the water was dreadful: it foamed and dashed over the rocks +with a tremendous spray, like breakers on a lee-shore, threatening +destruction to whatever approached it. You would have thought, by the +confusion it caused in the river and the whirlpools it made, that Scylla +and Charybdis, and their whole progeny, had left the Mediterranean and come +and settled here. The channel was barely twelve feet wide, and the torrent +in rushing down formed traverse furrows which showed how near the rocks +were to the surface. + +Nothing could surpass the skill of the Indian who steered the canoe. He +looked steadfastly at it, then at the rocks, then cast an eye on the +channel, and then looked at the canoe again. It was in vain to speak. The +sound was lost in the roar of waters, but his eye showed that he had +already passed it in imagination. He held up his paddle in a position as +much as to say that he would keep exactly amid channel, and then made a +sign to cut the bush-rope that held the canoe to the fallen tree. The canoe +drove down the torrent with inconceivable rapidity. It did not touch the +rocks once all the way. The Indian proved to a nicety: "medio tutissimus +ibis." + +Shortly after this it rained almost day and night, the lightning flashing +incessantly and the roar of thunder awful beyond expression. + +The fever returned, and pressed so heavy on him that to all appearance his +last day's march was over. However, it abated, his spirits rallied, and he +marched again; and after delays and inconveniences he reached the house of +his worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek, which falls into the +Demerara. No words of his can do justice to the hospitality of that +gentleman, whose repeated encounters with the hostile negroes in the forest +have been publicly rewarded and will be remembered in the colony for years +to come. + +Here he learned that an eruption had taken place in St. Vincent's, and thus +the noise heard in the night of the first of May, which had caused such +terror amongst the Indians and made the garrison at Fort St. Joachim remain +under arms the rest of the night, is accounted for. + +After experiencing every kindness and attention from Mr. Edmonstone he +sailed for Granada, and from thence to St. Thomas's, a few days before poor +Captain Peake lost his life on his own quarter-deck bravely fighting for +his country on the coast of Guiana. + +At St. Thomas's they show you a tower, a little distance from the town, +which they say formerly belonged to a bucanier chieftain. Probably the fury +of besiegers has reduced it to its present dismantled state. What still +remains of it bears testimony of its former strength and may brave the +attack of time for centuries. You cannot view its ruins without calling to +mind the exploits of those fierce and hardy hunters, long the terror of the +Western world. While you admire their undaunted courage, you lament that it +was often stained with cruelty; while you extol their scrupulous justice to +each other, you will find a want of it towards the rest of mankind. Often +possessed of enormous wealth, often in extreme poverty, often triumphant on +the ocean and often forced to fly to the forests, their life was an ever- +changing scene of advance and retreat, of glory and disorder, of luxury and +famine. Spain treated them as outlaws and pirates, while other European +powers publicly disowned them. They, on the other hand, maintained that +injustice on the part of Spain first forced them to take up arms in self- +defence, and that, whilst they kept inviolable the laws which they had +framed for their own common benefit and protection, they had a right to +consider as foes those who treated them as outlaws. Under this impression +they drew the sword and rushed on as though in lawful war, and divided the +spoils of victory in the scale of justice. + +After leaving St. Thomas's, a severe tertian ague every now and then kept +putting the traveller in mind that his shattered frame, "starting and +shivering in the inconstant blast, meagre and pale, the ghost of what it +was," wanted repairs. Three years elapsed after arriving in England before +the ague took its final leave of him. + +During that time, several experiments were made with the wourali poison. In +London an ass was inoculated with it and died in twelve minutes. The poison +was inserted into the leg of another, round which a bandage had been +previously tied a little above the place where the wourali was introduced. +He walked about as usual and ate his food as though all were right. After +an hour had elapsed the bandage was untied, and ten minutes after death +overtook him. + +A she-ass received the wourali poison in the shoulder, and died apparently +in ten minutes. An incision was then made in its windpipe and through it +the lungs were regularly inflated for two hours with a pair of bellows. +Suspended animation returned. The ass held up her head and looked around, +but the inflating being discontinued she sunk once more in apparent death. +The artificial breathing was immediately recommenced, and continued without +intermission for two hours more. This saved the ass from final dissolution: +she rose up and walked about; she seemed neither in agitation nor in pain. +The wound through which the poison entered was healed without difficulty. +Her constitution, however, was so severely affected that it was long a +doubt if ever she would be well again. She looked lean and sickly for above +a year, but began to mend the spring after, and by midsummer became fat and +frisky. + +The kind-hearted reader will rejoice on learning that Earl Percy, pitying +her misfortunes, sent her down from London to Walton Hall, near Wakefield. +There she goes by the name of Wouralia. Wouralia shall be sheltered from +the wintry storm; and when summer comes she shall feed in the finest +pasture. No burden shall be placed upon her, and she shall end her days in +peace. + +For three revolving autumns, the ague-beaten wanderer never saw without a +sigh the swallow bend her flight towards warmer regions. He wished to go +too, but could not for sickness had enfeebled him, and prudence pointed out +the folly of roving again too soon across the northern tropic. To be sure, +the Continent was now open, and change of air might prove beneficial, but +there was nothing very tempting in a trip across the Channel, and as for a +tour through England!--England has long ceased to be the land for +adventures. Indeed, when good King Arthur reappears to claim his crown, he +will find things strangely altered here; and may we not look for his +coming? for there is written upon his gravestone: + + Hic jacet Arturus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus. + + Here Arthur lies, who formerly + Was king--and king again to be. + +Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous king did not die, but +that he was changed into a raven by enchantment and that the English are +momentarily expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is certain that +when he reigned here all was harmony and joy. The browsing herds passed +from vale to vale, the swains sang from the bluebell-teeming groves, and +nymphs, with eglantine and roses in their neatly-braided hair, went hand in +hand to the flowery mead to weave garlands for their lambkins. If by chance +some rude, uncivil fellow dared to molest them, or attempted to throw +thorns in their path, there was sure to be a knight-errant not far off +ready to rush forward in their defence. But alas! in these degenerate days +it is not so. Should a harmless cottage-maid wander out of the highway to +pluck a primrose or two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner +sternly bids her retire; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort her back, +he is perhaps seized by the gaunt house-dog ere he reach her! + +Æneas's route on the other side of Styx could not have been much worse than +this, though, by his account, when he got back to earth, it appears that he +had fallen in with "Bellua Lernæ, horrendum stridens, flammisque, armata +Chimæra." + +Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps; and as such a conductress +nowadays could not be got for love or money, it was judged most prudent to +refrain from sauntering through this land of freedom, and wait with +patience the return of health. At last this long-looked-for, ever-welcome +stranger came. + + + + +SECOND JOURNEY + + +In the year 1816, two days before the vernal equinox, I sailed from +Liverpool for Pernambuco, in the southern hemisphere, on the coast of +Brazil. There is little at this time of the year, in the European part of +the Atlantic, to engage the attention of the naturalist. As you go down the +Channel you see a few divers and gannets. The middle-sized gulls, with a +black spot at the end of the wings, attend you a little way into the Bay of +Biscay. When it blows a hard gale of wind the stormy petrel makes its +appearance. While the sea runs mountains high, and every wave threatens +destruction to the labouring vessel, this little harbinger of storms is +seen enjoying itself, on rapid pinion, up and down the roaring billows. +When the storm is over it appears no more. It is known to every English +sailor by the name of Mother Carey's chicken. It must have been hatched in +Æolus's cave, amongst a clutch of squalls and tempests, for whenever they +get out upon the ocean it always contrives to be of the party. + +Though the calms and storms and adverse winds in these latitudes are +vexatious, still, when you reach the trade-winds, you are amply repaid for +all disappointments and inconveniences. The trade-winds prevail about +thirty degrees on each side of the equator. This part of the ocean may be +called the Elysian Fields of Neptune's empire; and the torrid zone, +notwithstanding Ovid's remark, "non est habitabilis æstu," is rendered +healthy and pleasant by these gently-blowing breezes. The ship glides +smoothly on, and you soon find yourself within the northern tropic. When +you are on it Cancer is just over your head, and betwixt him and Capricorn +is the high-road of the Zodiac, forty-seven degrees wide, famous for +Phaeton's misadventure. His father begged and entreated him not to take it +into his head to drive parallel to the five zones, but to mind and keep on +the turnpike which runs obliquely across the equator. "There you will +distinctly see," said he, "the ruts of my chariot wheels, 'manifesta rotæ +vestigia cernes.'" "But," added he, "even suppose you keep on it, and avoid +the by-roads, nevertheless, my dear boy, believe me, you will be most sadly +put to your shifts; 'ardua prima via est,' the first part of the road is +confoundedly steep! 'ultima via prona est,' and after that, it is all down- +hill! Moreover, 'per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,' the road is +full of nooses and bull-dogs, 'Hæmoniosque arcus,' and spring guns, +'sævaque circuitu, curvantem brachia longo, Scorpio,' and steel traps of +uncommon size and shape." These were nothing in the eyes of Phaeton; go he +would, so off he set, full speed, four in hand. He had a tough drive of it, +and after doing a prodigious deal of mischief, very luckily for the world +he got thrown out of the box, and tumbled into the River Po. + +Some of our modern bloods have been shallow enough to try to ape this poor +empty-headed coachman on a little scale, making London their Zodiac. Well +for them if tradesmen's bills and other trivial perplexities have not +caused them to be thrown into the King's Bench. + +The productions of the torrid zone are uncommonly grand. Its plains, its +swamps, its savannas and forests abound with the largest serpents and wild +beasts; and its trees are the habitation of the most beautiful of the +feathered race. While the traveller in the Old World is astonished at the +elephant, the tiger, the lion and rhinoceros, he who wanders through the +torrid regions of the New is lost in admiration at the cotingas, the +toucans, the humming-birds and aras. + +The ocean likewise swarms with curiosities. Probably the flying-fish may be +considered as one of the most singular. This little scaled inhabitant of +water and air seems to have been more favoured than the rest of its finny +brethren. It can rise out of the waves and on wing visit the domain of the +birds. + +After flying two or three hundred yards, the intense heat of the sun has +dried its pellucid wings, and it is obliged to wet them in order to +continue its flight. It just drops into the ocean for a moment, and then +rises again and flies on; and then descends to remoisten them, and then up +again into the air; thus passing its life, sometimes wet, sometimes dry, +sometimes in sunshine, and sometimes in the pale moon's nightly beam, as +pleasure dictates or as need requires. The additional assistance of wings +is not thrown away upon it. It has full occupation both for fins and wings, +as its life is in perpetual danger. + +The bonito and albicore chase it day and night, but the dolphin is its +worst and swiftest foe. If it escape into the air, the dolphin pushes on +with proportional velocity beneath, and is ready to snap it up the moment +it descends to wet its wings. + +You will often see above one hundred of these little marine aerial +fugitives on the wing at once. They appear to use every exertion to prolong +their flight, but vain are all their efforts, for when the last drop of +water on their wings is dried up their flight is at an end, and they must +drop into the ocean. Some are instantly devoured by their merciless +pursuer, part escape by swimming, and others get out again as quick as +possible, and trust once more to their wings. + +It often happens that this unfortunate little creature, after alternate +dips and flights, finding all its exertions of no avail, at last drops on +board the vessel, verifying the old remark: + + Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. + +There, stunned by the fall, it beats the deck with its tail and dies. When +eating it you would take it for a fresh herring. The largest measure from +fourteen to fifteen inches in length. The dolphin, after pursuing it to the +ship, sometimes forfeits his own life. + +In days of yore the musician used to play in softest, sweetest strain, and +then take an airing amongst the dolphins: "inter delphinas Arion." But +nowadays our tars have quite capsized the custom, and instead of riding +ashore on the dolphin, they invite the dolphin aboard. While he is darting +and playing around the vessel a sailor goes out to the spritsail yard-arm, +and with a long staff, leaded at one end, and armed at the other with five +barbed spikes, he heaves it at him. If successful in his aim there is a +fresh mess for all hands. The dying dolphin affords a superb and brilliant +sight: + + Mille trahit moriens, adverse sole colores. + +All the colours of the rainbow pass and repass in rapid succession over his +body, till the dark hand of death closes the scene. + +From the Cape de Verd Islands to the coast of Brazil you see several +different kinds of gulls, which, probably, are bred in the Island of St. +Paul. Sometimes the large bird called the frigate pelican soars +majestically over the vessel, and the tropic bird comes near enough to let +you have a fair view of the long feathers in his tail. On the line, when it +is calm, sharks of a tremendous size make their appearance. They are +descried from the ship by means of the dorsal fin, which is above the +water. + +On entering the Bay of Pernambuco, the frigate pelican is seen watching the +shoals of fish from a prodigious height. It seldom descends without a +successful attack on its numerous prey below. + +As you approach the shore the view is charming. The hills are clothed with +wood, gradually rising towards the interior, none of them of any +considerable height. A singular reef of rocks runs parallel to the coast +and forms the harbour of Pernambuco. The vessels are moored betwixt it and +the town, safe from every storm. You enter the harbour through a very +narrow passage, close by a fort built on the reef. The hill of Olinda, +studded with houses and convents, is on your right-hand, and an island +thickly planted with cocoa-nut trees adds considerably to the scene on your +left. There are two strong forts on the isthmus betwixt Olinda and +Pernambuco, and a pillar midway to aid the pilot. + +Pernambuco probably contains upwards of fifty thousand souls. It stands on +a flat, and is divided into three parts: a peninsula, an island and the +continent. Though within a few degrees of the line, its climate is +remarkably salubrious and rendered almost temperate by the refreshing sea- +breeze. Had art and judgment contributed their portion to its natural +advantages, Pernambuco at this day would have been a stately ornament to +the coast of Brazil. On viewing it, it will strike you that everyone has +built his house entirely for himself, and deprived public convenience of +the little claim she had a right to put in. You would wish that this city, +so famous for its harbour, so happy in its climate and so well situated for +commerce, could have risen under the flag of Dido, in lieu of that of +Braganza. + +As you walk down the streets the appearance of the houses is not much in +their favour. Some of them are very high, and some very low; some newly +whitewashed, and others stained and mouldy and neglected, as though they +had no owner. + +The balconies, too, are of a dark and gloomy appearance. They are not, in +general, open as in most tropical cities, but grated like a farmer's dairy- +window, though somewhat closer. + +There is a lamentable want of cleanliness in the streets. The impurities +from the houses and the accumulation of litter from the beasts of burden +are unpleasant sights to the passing stranger. He laments the want of a +police as he goes along, and when the wind begins to blow his nose and eyes +are too often exposed to a cloud of very unsavoury dust. + +When you view the port of Pernambuco, full of ships of all nations; when +you know that the richest commodities of Europe, Africa and Asia are +brought to it; when you see immense quantities of cotton, dye-wood and the +choicest fruits pouring into the town, you are apt to wonder at the little +attention these people pay to the common comforts which one always expects +to find in a large and opulent city. However, if the inhabitants are +satisfied, there is nothing more to be said. Should they ever be convinced +that inconveniences exist, and that nuisances are too frequent, the remedy +is in their own hands. At present, certainly, they seem perfectly +regardless of them; and the Captain-General of Pernambuco walks through the +streets with as apparent content and composure as an English statesman +would proceed down Charing Cross. Custom reconciles everything. In a week +or two the stranger himself begins to feel less the things which annoyed +him so much upon his first arrival, and after a few months' residence he +thinks no more about them, while he is partaking of the hospitality and +enjoying the elegance and splendour within doors in this great city. + +Close by the river-side stands what is called the palace of the Captain- +General of Pernambuco. Its form and appearance altogether strike the +traveller that it was never intended for the use it is at present put to. + +Reader, throw a veil over thy recollection for a little while, and forget +the cruel, unjust and unmerited censures thou hast heard against an +unoffending order. This palace was once the Jesuits' college, and +originally built by those charitable fathers. Ask the aged and respectable +inhabitants of Pernambuco, and they will tell thee that the destruction of +the Society of Jesus was a terrible disaster to the public, and its +consequences severely felt to the present day. + +When Pombal took the reins of power into his own hands, virtue and learning +beamed bright within the college walls. Public catechism to the children, +and religious instruction to all, flowed daily from the mouths of its +venerable priests. + +They were loved, revered and respected throughout the whole town. The +illuminating philosophers of the day had sworn to exterminate Christian +knowledge, and the college of Pernambuco was doomed to founder in the +general storm. To the long-lasting sorrow and disgrace of Portugal, the +philosophers blinded her king and flattered her prime minister. Pombal was +exactly the tool these sappers of every public and private virtue wanted. +He had the naked sword of power in his own hand, and his heart was hard as +flint. He struck a mortal blow and the Society of Jesus, throughout the +Portuguese dominions, was no more. + +One morning all the fathers of the college in Pernambuco, some of them very +old and feeble, were suddenly ordered into the refectory. They had notice +beforehand of the fatal storm, in pity, from the governor, but not one of +them abandoned his charge. They had done their duty and had nothing to +fear. They bowed with resignation to the will of Heaven. As soon as they +had all reached the refectory they were there locked up, and never more did +they see their rooms, their friends, their scholars, or acquaintance. In +the dead of the following night a strong guard of soldiers literally drove +them through the streets to the water's edge. They were then conveyed in +boats aboard a ship and steered for Bahia. Those who survived the barbarous +treatment they experienced from Pombal's creatures, were at last ordered to +Lisbon. The college of Pernambuco was plundered, and some time after an +elephant was kept there. + +Thus the arbitrary hand of power, in one night, smote and swept away the +sciences: to which succeeded the low vulgar buffoonery of a showman. Virgil +and Cicero made way for a wild beast from Angola! and now a guard is on +duty at the very gate where, in times long past, the poor were daily fed! + +Trust not, kind reader, to the envious remarks which their enemies have +scattered far and near; believe not the stories of those who have had a +hand in the sad tragedy. Go to Brazil, and see with thine own eyes the +effect of Pombal's short-sighted policy. There vice reigns triumphant and +learning is at its lowest ebb. Neither is this to be wondered at. Destroy +the compass, and will the vessel find her far-distant port? Will the flock +keep together, and escape the wolves, after the shepherds are all slain? +The Brazilians were told that public education would go on just as usual. +They might have asked Government, who so able to instruct our youth as +those whose knowledge is proverbial? who so fit as those who enjoy our +entire confidence? who so worthy as those whose lives are irreproachable? + +They soon found that those who succeeded the fathers of the Society of +Jesus had neither their manner nor their abilities. They had not made the +instruction of youth their particular study. Moreover, they entered on the +field after a defeat where the officers had all been slain; where the plan +of the campaign was lost; where all was in sorrow and dismay. No exertions +of theirs could rally the dispersed, or skill prevent the fatal +consequences. At the present day the seminary of Olinda, in comparison with +the former Jesuits' college, is only as the waning moon's beam to the sun's +meridian splendour. + +When you visit the places where those learned fathers once flourished, and +see with your own eyes the evils their dissolution has caused; when you +hear the inhabitants telling you how good, how clever, how charitable they +were; what will you think of our poet laureate for calling them, in his +_History of Brazil_, "Missioners whose zeal the most fanatical was +directed by the coolest policy"? + +Was it _fanatical_ to renounce the honours and comforts of this +transitory life in order to gain eternal glory in the next, by denying +themselves, and taking up the cross? Was it _fanatical_ to preach +salvation to innumerable wild hordes of Americans? to clothe the naked? to +encourage the repenting sinner? to aid the dying Christian? The fathers of +the Society of Jesus did all this. And for this their zeal is pronounced to +be the most fanatical, directed by the coolest policy. It will puzzle many +a clear brain to comprehend how it is possible, in the nature of things, +that _zeal_ the most _fanatical_ should be directed by the +_coolest policy_. Ah, Mr. Laureate, Mr. Laureate, that "quidlibet +audendi" of yours may now and then gild the poet at the same time that it +makes the historian cut a sorry figure! + +Could Father Nobrega rise from the tomb, he would thus address you: +"Ungrateful Englishman, you have drawn a great part of your information +from the writings of the Society of Jesus, and in return you attempt to +stain its character by telling your countrymen that 'we taught the idolatry +we believed'! In speaking of me, you say it was my happy fortune to be +stationed in a country where _none_ but the good principles of my +order were called into action. Ungenerous laureate, the narrow policy of +the times has kept your countrymen in the dark with regard to the true +character of the Society of Jesus; and you draw the bandage still tighter +over their eyes by a malicious insinuation. I lived and taught and died in +Brazil, where you state that _none_ but the good principles of my +order were called into action, and still, in most absolute contradiction to +this, you remark we believed the _idolatry_ we taught in Brazil. Thus +we brought none but good principles into action, and still taught idolatry! + +"Again, you state there is no individual to whose talents Brazil is so +greatly and permanently indebted as mine, and that I must be regarded as +the founder of that system so successfully pursued by the Jesuits in +Paraguay: a system productive of as much good as is compatible with pious +fraud. Thus you make me, at one and the same time, a teacher of none but +good principles, and a teacher of idolatry, and a believer in idolatry, and +still the founder of a system for which Brazil is greatly and permanently +indebted to me, though, by the by, the system was only productive of as +much good as is compatible with pious fraud! + +"What means all this? After reading such incomparable nonsense, should your +countrymen wish to be properly informed concerning the Society of Jesus, +there are in England documents enough to show that the system of the +Jesuits was a system of Christian charity towards their fellow-creatures +administered in a manner which human prudence judged best calculated to +ensure success; and that the idolatry which you uncharitably affirm they +taught was really and truly the very same faith which the Catholic Church +taught for centuries in England, which she still teaches to those who wish +to hear her, and which she will continue to teach, pure and unspotted, till +time shall be no more." + +The environs of Pernambuco are very pretty. You see country houses in all +directions, and the appearance of here and there a sugar-plantation +enriches the scenery. Palm-trees, cocoanut-trees, orange and lemon groves, +and all the different fruits peculiar to Brazil, are here in the greatest +abundance. + +At Olinda there is a national botanical garden: it wants space, produce and +improvement. The forests, which are several leagues off, abound with birds, +beasts, insects and serpents. Besides a brilliant plumage, many of the +birds have a very fine song. The troupiale, noted for its rich colours, +sings delightfully in the environs of Pernambuco. The red-headed finch, +larger than the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet and varied strain, in +company with two species of wrens, a little before daylight. There are also +several species of the thrush, which have a song somewhat different from +that of the European thrush; and two species of the linnet, whose strain is +so soft and sweet that it dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird +called here sangre-do-buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage your +attention: he is of the passerine tribe, and very common about the houses; +the wings and tail are black and every other part of the body a flaming +red. In Guiana there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, note +and economy, but differing in colour, its whole body being like black +velvet; on its breast a tinge of red appears through the black. Thus Nature +has ordered this little tangara to put on mourning to the north of the line +and wear scarlet to the south of it. + +For three months in the year the environs of Pernambuco are animated beyond +description. From November to March the weather is particularly fine; then +it is that rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and natives, all issue +from the city to enjoy the country till Lent approaches, when back they hie +them. Villages and hamlets, where nothing before but rags was seen, now +shine in all the elegance of dress; every house, every room, every shed +become eligible places for those whom nothing but extreme necessity could +have forced to live there a few weeks ago: some join in the merry dance, +others saunter up and down the orange groves; and towards evening the roads +become a moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables have constant +visitors: there thousands are daily and nightly lost and won--parties even +sit down to try their luck round the outside of the door as well as in the +room: + + Vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus aulæ + Luctus et ultrices, posucre sedilia curæ. + +About six or seven miles from Pernambuco stands a pretty little village +called Monteiro. The river runs close by it, and its rural beauties seem to +surpass all others in the neighbourhood. There the Captain-General of +Pernambuco resides during this time of merriment and joy. + +The traveller who allots a portion of his time to peep at his fellow- +creatures in their relaxations, and accustoms himself to read their several +little histories in their looks and gestures as he goes musing on, may have +full occupation for an hour or two every day at this season amid the +variegated scenes around the pretty village of Monteiro. In the evening +groups sitting at the door, he may sometimes see with a sigh how wealth and +the prince's favour cause a booby to pass for a Solon, and be reverenced as +such, while perhaps a poor neglected Camoens stands silent at a distance, +awed by the dazzling glare of wealth and power. Retired from the public +road he may see poor Maria sitting under a palm-tree, with her elbow in her +lap and her head leaning on one side within her hand, weeping over her +forbidden bans. And as he moves on "with wandering step and slow," he may +hear a broken-hearted nymph ask her faithless swain: + + How could you say my face was fair, + And yet that face forsake? + How could you win my virgin heart, + Yet leave that heart to break? + +One afternoon, in an unfrequented part not far from Monteiro, these +adventures were near being brought to a speedy and a final close: six or +seven blackbirds, with a white spot betwixt the shoulders, were making a +noise and passing to and fro on the lower branches of a tree in an +abandoned, weed-grown orange-orchard. In the long grass underneath the tree +apparently a pale green grasshopper was fluttering, as though it had got +entangled in it. When you once fancy that the thing you are looking at is +really what you take it for, the more you look at it the more you are +convinced it is so. In the present case this was a grasshopper beyond all +doubt, and nothing more remained to be done but to wait in patience till it +had settled, in order that you might run no risk of breaking its legs in +attempting to lay hold of it while it was fluttering--it still kept +fluttering; and having quietly approached it, intending to make sure of it +--behold, the head of a large rattlesnake appeared in the grass close by: +an instantaneous spring backwards prevented fatal consequences. What had +been taken for a grasshopper was, in fact, the elevated rattle of the +snake in the act of announcing that he was quite prepared, though +unwilling, to make a sure and deadly spring. He shortly after passed +slowly from under the orange-tree to the neighbouring wood on the side +of a hill: as he moved over a place bare of grass and weeds he appeared +to be about eight feet long; it was he who had engaged the attention +of the birds and made them heedless of danger from another quarter: +they flew away on his retiring--one alone left his little life in the +air, destined to become a specimen, mute and motionless, for the +inspection of the curious in a far distant clime. + +It was now the rainy season. The birds were moulting--fifty-eight specimens +of the handsomest of them in the neighbourhood of Pernambuco had been +collected; and it was time to proceed elsewhere. The conveyance to the +interior was by horses, and this mode, together with the heavy rains, would +expose preserved specimens to almost certain damage. The journey to +Maranham by land would take at least forty days. The route was not wild +enough to engage the attention of an explorer, or civilised enough to +afford common comforts to a traveller. By sea there were no opportunities, +except slave-ships. As the transporting poor negroes from port to port for +sale pays well in Brazil, the ships' decks are crowded with them. This +would not do. + +Excuse here, benevolent reader, a small tribute of gratitude to an Irish +family whose urbanity and goodness have long gained it the esteem and +respect of all ranks in Pernambuco. The kindness and attention I received +from Dennis Kearney, Esq., and his amiable lady will be remembered with +gratitude to my dying day. + +After wishing farewell to this hospitable family, I embarked on board a +Portuguese brig, with poor accommodations, for Cayenne in Guiana. The most +eligible bedroom was the top of a hen-coop on deck. Even here an unsavoury +little beast, called bug, was neither shy nor deficient in appetite. + +The Portuguese seamen are famed for catching fish. One evening, under the +line, four sharks made their appearance in the wake of the vessel. The +sailors caught them all. + +On the fourteenth day after leaving Pernambuco, the brig cast anchor off +the Island of Cayenne. The entrance is beautiful. To windward, not far off, +there are two bold wooded islands called the Father and Mother, and near +them are others, their children, smaller, though as beautiful as their +parents. Another is seen a long way to leeward of the family, and seems as +if it had strayed from home and cannot find its way back. The French call +it "l'enfant perdu." As you pass the islands the stately hills on the main, +ornamented with ever-verdant foliage, show you that this is by far the +sublimest scenery on the sea-coast from the Amazons to the Oroonoque. On +casting your eye towards Dutch Guiana you will see that the mountains +become unconnected and few in number, and long before you reach Surinam the +Atlantic wave washes a flat and muddy shore. + +Considerably to windward of Cayenne, and about twelve leagues from land, +stands a stately and towering rock called the Constable. As nothing grows +on it to tempt greedy and aspiring man to claim it as his own, the sea-fowl +rest and raise their offspring there. The bird called the frigate is ever +soaring round its rugged summit. Hither the phaeton bends his rapid flight, +and flocks of rosy flamingos here defy the fowler's cunning. All along the +coast, opposite the Constable, and indeed on every uncultivated part of it +to windward and leeward, are seen innumerable quantities of snow-white +egrets, scarlet curlews, spoonbills and flamingos. + +Cayenne is capable of being a noble and productive colony. At present it is +thought to be the poorest on the coast of Guiana. Its estates are too much +separated one from the other by immense tracts of forest; and the +revolutionary war, like a cold eastern wind, has chilled their zeal and +blasted their best expectations. + +The clove-tree, the cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, and many other choice +spices and fruits of the Eastern and Asiatic regions, produce abundantly in +Cayenne. + +The town itself is prettily laid out, and was once well fortified. They +tell you it might easily have been defended against the invading force of +the two united nations; but Victor Hugues, its governor, ordered the tri- +coloured flag to be struck; and ever since that day the standard of +Braganza has waved on the ramparts of Cayenne. + +He who has received humiliations from the hand of this haughty, iron- +hearted governor may see him now, in Cayenne, stripped of all his +revolutionary honours, broken down and ruined, and under arrest in his own +house. He has four accomplished daughters, respected by the whole town. +Towards the close of day, when the sun's rays are no longer oppressive, +these much-pitied ladies are seen walking up and down the balcony with +their aged parent, trying, by their kind and filial attention, to remove +the settled gloom from his too guilty brow. + +This was not the time for a traveller to enjoy Cayenne. The hospitality of +the inhabitants was the same as ever, but they had lost their wonted gaiety +in public, and the stranger might read in their countenances, as the +recollection of recent humiliations and misfortunes every now and then kept +breaking in upon them, that they were still in sorrow for their fallen +country: the victorious hostile cannon of Waterloo still sounded in their +ears: their emperor was a prisoner amongst the hideous rocks of St. Helena; +and many a Frenchman who had fought and bled for France was now amongst +them begging for a little support to prolong a life which would be +forfeited on the parent soil. To add another handful to the cypress and +wormwood already scattered amongst these polite colonists, they had just +received orders from the Court of Janeiro to put on deep mourning for six +months, and half-mourning for as many more, on account of the death of the +queen of Portugal. + +About a day's journey in the interior is the celebrated national +plantation. This spot was judiciously chosen, for it is out of the reach of +enemies' cruisers. It is called La Gabrielle. No plantation in the Western +world can vie with La Gabrielle. Its spices are of the choicest kind, its +soil particularly favourable to them, its arrangements beautiful, and its +directeur, Monsieur Martin, a botanist of first-rate abilities. This +indefatigable naturalist ranged through the East, under a royal commission, +in quest of botanical knowledge; and during his stay in the Western regions +has sent over to Europe from twenty to twenty-five thousand specimens in +botany and zoology. La Gabrielle is on a far-extending range of woody +hills. Figure to yourself a hill in the shape of a bowl reversed, with the +buildings on the top of it, and you will have an idea of the appearance of +La Gabrielle. You approach the house through a noble avenue, five hundred +toises long, of the choicest tropical fruit-trees, planted with the +greatest care and judgment; and should you chance to stray through it, +after sunset, when the clove-trees are in blossom, you would fancy yourself +in the Idalian groves or near the banks of the Nile, where they were +burning the finest incense as the queen of Egypt passed. + +On La Gabrielle there are twenty-two thousand clove-trees in full bearing. +They are planted thirty feet asunder. Their lower branches touch the +ground. In general the trees are topped at five and twenty feet high, +though you will see some here towering up above sixty. The black pepper, +the cinnamon and nutmeg are also in great abundance here, and very +productive. + +While the stranger views the spicy groves of La Gabrielle, and tastes the +most delicious fruits which have been originally imported hither from all +parts of the tropical world, he will thank the Government which has +supported, and admire the talents of the gentleman who has raised to its +present grandeur, this noble collection of useful fruits. There is a large +nursery attached to La Gabrielle where plants of all the different species +are raised and distributed gratis to those colonists who wish to cultivate +them. + +Not far from the banks of the River Oyapoc, to windward of Cayenne, is a +mountain which contains an immense cavern. Here the cock-of-the-rock is +plentiful. He is about the size of a fantail pigeon, his colour a bright +orange and his wings and tail appear as though fringed; his head is +ornamented with a superb double-feathery crest edged with purple. He passes +the day amid gloomy damps and silence, and only issues out for food a short +time at sunrise and sunset. He is of the gallinaceous tribe. The South- +American Spaniards call him "Gallo del Rio Negro" (Cock of the Black +River), and suppose that he is only to be met with in the vicinity of that +far-inland stream; but he is common in the interior of Demerara, amongst +the huge rocks in the forests of Macoushia, and he has been shot south of +the line, in the captainship of Para. + +The bird called by Buffon grand gobe-mouche has never been found in +Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. He is not quite so large as the +jackdaw, and is entirely black, except a large spot under the throat, which +is a glossy purple. + +You may easily sail from Cayenne to the River Surinam in two days. Its +capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich and populous: hitherto it has been +considered by far the finest town in Guiana, but probably the time is not +far off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of superiority. +You may enter a creek above Paramaribo and travel through the interior of +Surinam till you come to the Nicari, which is close to the large River +Coryntin. When you have passed this river there is a good public road to +New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. + +On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike you that something or +other has intervened to prevent its arriving at that state of wealth and +consequence for which its original plan shows it was once intended. What +has caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and populous +city remains for those to find out who are interested in it; certain it is +that New Amsterdam has been languid for some years, and now the tide of +commerce seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. + +Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. Perhaps, kind reader, +thou hast not forgot that it was from Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, +that the adventurer set out, some years ago, to reach the Portuguese +frontier-fort and collect the wourali poison. It was not intended, when +this second sally was planned in England, to have visited Stabroek again by +the route here described. The plan was to have ascended the Amazons from +Para and got into the Rio Negro, and from thence to have returned towards +the source of the Essequibo, in order to examine the crystal mountains and +look once more for Lake Parima, or the White Sea; but on arriving at +Cayenne the current was running with such amazing rapidity to leeward that +a Portuguese sloop, which had been beating up towards Para for four weeks, +was then only half-way. Finding, therefore, that a beat to the Amazons +would be long, tedious and even uncertain, and aware that the season for +procuring birds in fine plumage had already set in, I left Cayenne in an +American ship for Paramaribo, went through the interior to the Coryntin, +stopped a few days in New Amsterdam, and proceeded to Demerara. If, gentle +reader, thy patience be not already worn out, and thy eyes half-closed in +slumber by perusing the dull adventures of this second sally, perhaps thou +wilt pardon a line or two on Demerara; and then we will retire to its +forests to collect and examine the economy of its most rare and beautiful +birds, and give the world a new mode of preserving them. + +Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, has been rapidly increasing for some +years back; and if prosperity go hand in hand with the present enterprising +spirit, Stabroek, ere long, will be of the first colonial consideration. It +stands on the eastern bank at the mouth of the Demerara, and enjoys all the +advantages of the refreshing sea-breeze; the streets are spacious, well +bricked and elevated, the trenches clean, the bridges excellent, and the +houses handsome. Almost every commodity and luxury of London may be bought +in the shops at Stabroek: its market wants better regulations. The hotels +are commodious, clean and well-attended. Demerara boasts as fine and well- +disciplined militia as any colony in the Western world. + +The court of justice, where in times of old the bandage was easily removed +from the eyes of the goddess and her scales thrown out of equilibrium, now +rises in dignity under the firmness, talents and urbanity of Mr. President +Rough. + +The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation; a tolerable idea +may be formed of their value when you know that last year Demerara numbered +72,999 slaves. They made above 44,000,000 pounds of sugar, near 2,000,000 +gallons of rum, above 11,000,000 pounds of coffee, and 3,819,512 pounds of +cotton; the receipt into the public chest was 553,956 guilders; the public +expenditure 451,603 guilders. + +Slavery can never be defended. He whose heart is not of iron can never wish +to be able to defend it: while he heaves a sigh for the poor negro in +captivity, he wishes from his soul that the traffic had been stifled in its +birth; but unfortunately the Governments of Europe nourished it, and now +that they are exerting themselves to do away the evil, and ensure liberty +to the sons of Africa, the situation of the plantation-slaves is depicted +as truly deplorable and their condition wretched. It is not so. A Briton's +heart, proverbially kind and generous, is not changed by climate or its +streams of compassion dried up by the scorching heat of a Demerara sun: he +cheers his negroes in labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in +old age, and never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. + +Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as well as all the +world over, but the edicts of the colonial Government are well calculated +to prevent them, and the British planter, except here and there one, feels +for the wrongs done to a poor ill-treated slave, and shows that his heart +grieves for him by causing immediate redress and preventing a repetition. + +Long may ye flourish, peaceful and liberal inhabitants of Demerara. Your +doors are ever open to harbour the harbourless; your purses never shut to +the wants of the distressed: many a ruined fugitive from the Oroonoque will +bless your kindness to him in the hour of need, when flying from the woes +of civil discord, without food or raiment, he begged for shelter underneath +your roof. The poor sufferer in Trinidad who lost his all in the devouring +flames will remember your charity to his latest moments. The traveller, as +he leaves your port, casts a longing, lingering look behind: your +attentions, your hospitality, your pleasantry and mirth are uppermost in +his thoughts; your prosperity is close to his heart. Let us now, gentle +reader, retire from the busy scenes of man and journey on towards the wilds +in quest of the feathered tribe. + +Leave behind you your high-seasoned dishes, your wines and your delicacies: +carry nothing but what is necessary for your own comfort and the object in +view, and depend upon the skill of an Indian, or your own, for fish and +game. A sheet about twelve feet long, ten wide, painted, and with loop- +holes on each side, will be of great service: in a few minutes you can +suspend it betwixt two trees in the shape of a roof. Under this, in your +hammock, you may defy the pelting shower, and sleep heedless of the dews of +night. A hat, a shirt and a light pair of trousers will be all the raiment +you require. Custom will soon teach you to tread lightly and barefoot on +the little inequalities of the ground, and show you how to pass on +unwounded amid the mantling briers. + +Snakes, in these wilds, are certainly an annoyance, though perhaps more in +imagination than reality, for you must recollect that the serpent is never +the first to offend: his poisonous fang was not given him for conquest--he +never inflicts a wound with it but to defend existence. Provided you walk +cautiously and do not absolutely touch him, you may pass in safety close by +him. As he is often coiled up on the ground, and amongst the branches of +the trees above you, a degree of circumspection is necessary lest you +unwarily disturb him. + +Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the noble face of man, to +require a moment of your attention. + +The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at the very worst, only causes +a transient fever with a degree of pain more or less. + +Birds in general, with a few exceptions, are not common in the very remote +parts of the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes and creeks, the borders of +savannas, the old abandoned habitations of Indians and wood-cutters, seem +to be their favourite haunts. + +Though least in size, the glittering mantle of the humming-bird entitles it +to the first place in the list of the birds of the new world. It may truly +be called the bird of paradise: and had it existed in the Old World, it +would have claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the honour +to bear it. See it darting through the air almost as quick as thought!--now +it is within a yard of your face!--in an instant gone!--now it flutters +from flower to flower to sip the silver dew--it is now a ruby--now a topaz +--now an emerald--now all burnished gold! It would be arrogant to pretend +to describe this winged gem of Nature after Buffon's elegant description +of it. + +Cayenne and Demerara produce the same hummingbirds. Perhaps you would wish +to know something of their haunts. Chiefly in the months of July and +August, the tree called bois immortel, very common in Demerara, bears +abundance of red blossom which stays on the tree for some weeks; then it is +that most of the different species of humming-birds are very plentiful. The +wild red sage is also their favourite shrub, and they buzz like bees round +the blossom of the wallaba tree. Indeed, there is scarce a flower in the +interior, or on the sea-coast, but what receives frequent visits from one +or other of the species. + +On entering the forests, on the rising land in the interior, the blue and +green, the smallest brown, no bigger than the humble-bee, with two long +feathers in the tail, and the little forked-tail purple-throated humming- +birds, glitter before you in ever-changing attitudes. One species alone +never shows his beauty to the sun: and were it not for his lovely shining +colours, you might almost be tempted to class him with the goat-suckers, on +account of his habits. He is the largest of all the humming-birds, and is +all red and changing gold-green, except the head, which is black. He has +two long feathers in the tail which cross each other, and these have gained +him the name of karabimiti, or ara humming-bird, from the Indians. You +never find him on the sea-coast, or where the river is salt, or in the +heart of the forest, unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the +side of woody fresh-water rivers and dark and lonely creeks. He leaves his +retreat before sunrise to feed on the insects over the water; he returns to +it as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light, is sedentary all day +long, and comes out again for a short tune after sunset. He builds his nest +on a twig over the water in the unfrequented creeks: it looks like tanned +cow-leather. + +As you advance towards the mountains of Demerara other species of humming- +birds present themselves before you. It seems to be an erroneous opinion +that the humming-bird lives entirely on honey-dew. Almost every flower of +the tropical climates contains insects of one kind or other. Now the +humming-bird is most busy about the flowers an hour or two after sunrise +and after a shower of rain, and it is just at this time that the insects +come out to the edge of the flower in order that the sun's rays may dry the +nocturnal dew and rain which they have received. On opening the stomach of +the humming-bird dead insects are almost always found there. + +Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas display the gayest plumage. They +are of the order of Passer, and you number five species betwixt the sea- +coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet cotinga is the richest of the +five, and is one of those birds which are found in the deepest recesses of +the forest. His crown is flaming red; to this abruptly succeeds a dark +shining brown, reaching half-way down the back: the remainder of the back, +the rump and tail, the extremity of which is edged with black, are a lively +red; the belly is a somewhat lighter red; the breast reddish-black; the +wings brown. He has no song, is solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle +which sounds like "quet." He is fond of the seeds of the hitia-tree and +those of the siloabali- and bastard siloabali-trees, which ripen in +December and continue on the trees for above two months. He is found +throughout the year in Demerara; still nothing is known of his incubation. +The Indians all agree in telling you that they have never seen his nest. + +The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and breast of a deep purple, the +wings and tail black, and all the rest of the body a most lovely shining +blue. + +The purple-throated cotinga has black wings and tail, and every other part +a light and glossy blue, save the throat, which is purple. + +The pompadour cotinga is entirely purple, except his wings, which are +white, their four first feathers tipped with brown. The great coverts of +the wings are stiff, narrow and pointed, being shaped quite different from +those of any other bird. When you are betwixt this bird and the sun, in his +flight, he appears uncommonly brilliant. He makes a hoarse noise which +sounds like "wallababa." Hence his name amongst the Indians. + +None of these three cotingas have a song. They feed on the hitia, +siloabali- and bastard siloabali-seeds, the wild guava, the fig, and other +fruit-trees of the forest. They are easily shot in these trees during the +months of December, January and part of February. The greater part of them +disappear after this, and probably retire far away to breed. Their nests +have never been found in Demerara. + +The fifth species is the celebrated campanero of the Spaniards, called dara +by the Indians, and bell-bird by the English. He is about the size of the +jay. His plumage is white as snow. On his forehead rises a spiral tube +nearly three inches long. It is jet black, dotted all over with small white +feathers. It has a communication with the palate, and when filled with air +looks like a spire; when empty it becomes pendulous. His note is loud and +clear, like the sound of a bell, and may be heard at the distance of three +miles. In the midst of these extensive wilds, generally on the dried top of +an aged mora, almost out of gun-reach, you will see the campanero. No sound +or song from any of the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the +clearly pronounced "Whip-poor-will" from the goat-sucker, cause such +astonishment as the toll of the campanero. + +With many of the feathered race he pays the common tribute of a morning and +an evening song; and even when the meridian sun has shut in silence the +mouths of almost the whole of animated nature the campanero still cheers +the forest. You hear his toll, and then a pause for a minute, then another +toll, and then a pause again, and then a toll, and again a pause. Then he +is silent for six or eight minutes, and then another toll, and so on. +Acteon would stop in mid-chase, Maria would defer her evening song, and +Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to him, so sweet, so novel +and romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white campanero. He is never +seen to feed with the other cotingas, nor is it known in what part of +Guiana he makes his nest. + +While the cotingas attract your attention by their superior plumage, the +singular form of the toucan makes a lasting impression on your memory. +There are three species of toucans in Demerara, and three diminutives, +which may be called toucanets. The largest of the first species frequents +the mangrove trees on the sea-coast. He is never seen in the interior till +you reach Macoushia, where he is found in the neighbourhood of the River +Tacatou. The other two species are very common. They feed entirely on the +fruits of the forest and, though of the pie kind, never kill the young of +other birds or touch carrion. The larger is called bouradi by the Indians +(which means nose), the other scirou. They seem partial to each other's +company, and often resort to the same feeding-tree and retire together to +the same shady noon-day retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at +all hours of the day, and in fair weather at morn and eve. The sound which +the bouradi makes is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog, and you fancy +he says "pia-po-o-co," and thus the South-American Spaniards call him +piapoco. + +All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the toucan feeds, and +every species of this family of enormous bill lays its eggs in the hollow +trees. They are social, but not gregarious. You may sometimes see eight or +ten in company, and from this you would suppose they are gregarious; but +upon a closer examination you will find it has only been a dinner-party, +which breaks up and disperses towards roosting-time. + +You will be at a loss to conjecture for what ends Nature has overloaded the +head of this bird with such an enormous bill. It cannot be for the +offensive, as it has no need to wage war with any of the tribes of animated +nature, for its food is fruits and seeds, and those are in superabundance +throughout the whole year in the regions where the toucan is found. It can +hardly be for the defensive, as the toucan is preyed upon by no bird in +South America and, were it obliged to be at war, the texture of the bill is +ill-adapted to give or receive blows, as you will see in dissecting it. It +cannot be for any particular protection to the tongue, as the tongue is a +perfect feather. + +The flight of the toucan is by jerks: in the action of flying it seems +incommoded by this huge disproportioned feature, and the head seems as if +bowed down to the earth by it against its will. If the extraordinary form +and size of the bill expose the toucan to ridicule, its colours make it +amends. Were a specimen of each species of the toucan presented to you, you +would pronounce the bill of the bouradi the most rich and beautiful: on the +ridge of the upper mandible a broad stripe of most lovely yellow extends +from the head to the point; a stripe of the same breadth, though somewhat +deeper yellow, falls from it at right angles next the head down to the edge +of the mandible; then follows a black stripe, half as broad, falling at +right angles from the ridge and running narrower along the edge to within +half an inch of the point. The rest of the mandible is a deep bright red. +The lower mandible has no yellow: its black and red are distributed in the +same manner as on the upper one, with this difference, that there is black +about an inch from the point. The stripe corresponding to the deep yellow +stripe on the upper mandible is sky-blue. It is worthy of remark that all +these brilliant colours of the bill are to be found in the plumage of the +body and the bare skin round the eye. + +All these colours, except the blue, are inherent in the horn: that part +which appears blue is in reality transparent white, and receives its colour +from a thin piece of blue skin inside. This superb bill fades in death, and +in three or four days' time has quite lost its original colours. + +Till within these few years no idea of the true colours of the bill could +be formed from the stuffed toucans brought to Europe. About eight years +ago, while eating a boiled toucan, the thought struck me that the colours +in the bill of a preserved specimen might be kept as bright as those in +life. A series of experiments proved this beyond a doubt. If you take your +penknife and cut away the roof of the upper mandible, you will find that +the space betwixt it and the outer shell contains a large collection of +veins and small osseous fibres running in all directions through the whole +extent of the bill. Clear away all these with your knife, and you will come +to a substance more firm than skin, but of not so strong a texture as the +horn itself. Cut this away also, and behind it is discovered a thin and +tender membrane: yellow where it has touched the yellow part of the horn, +blue where it has touched the red part, and black towards the edge and +point; when dried this thin and tender membrane becomes nearly black; as +soon as it is cut away nothing remains but the outer horn, red and yellow, +and now become transparent. The under mandible must undergo the same +operation. Great care must be taken and the knife used very cautiously when +you are cutting through the different parts close to where the bill joins +on to the head: if you cut away too much the bill drops off; if you press +too hard the knife comes through the horn; if you leave too great a portion +of the membrane it appears through the horn and, by becoming black when +dried, makes the horn appear black also, and has a bad effect. Judgment, +caution, skill and practice will ensure success. + +You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which are the cause of +its apparent fading, for, as has been said before, these bodies dry in +death and become quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn; and +reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that its former bright +colours are lost. + +Something still remains to be done. You have rendered the bill transparent +by the operation, and that transparency must be done away to make it appear +perfectly natural. Pound some clean chalk and give it enough water till it +be of the consistency of tar, add a proportion of gum-arabic to make it +adhesive, then take a camel-hair brush and give the inside of both +mandibles a coat; apply a second when the first is dry, then another, and a +fourth to finish all. The gum-arabic will prevent the chalk from cracking +and falling off. If you remember, there is a little space of transparent +white in the lower mandible which originally appeared blue, but which +became transparent white as soon as the thin piece of blue skin was cut +away: this must be painted blue inside. When all this is completed the bill +will please you: it will appear in its original colours. Probably your own +abilities will suggest a cleverer mode of operating than the one here +described. A small gouge would assist the penknife and render the operation +less difficult. + +The houtou ranks high in beauty amongst the birds of Demerara. His whole +body is green, with a bluish cast in the wings and tail; his crown, which +he erects at pleasure, consists of black in the centre, surrounded with +lovely blue of two different shades; he has a triangular black spot, edged +with blue, behind the eye extending to the ear, and on his breast a sable +tuft consisting of nine feathers edged also with blue. This bird seems to +suppose that its beauty can be increased by trimming the tail, which +undergoes the same operation as our hair in a barber's shop, only with this +difference, that it uses its own beak, which is serrated, in lieu of a pair +of scissors. As soon as his tail is full grown, he begins about an inch +from the extremity of the two longest feathers in it and cuts away the web +on both sides of the shaft, making a gap about an inch long. Both male and +female adonise their tails in this manner, which gives them a remarkable +appearance amongst all other birds. While we consider the tail of the +houtou blemished and defective, were he to come amongst us he would +probably consider our heads, cropped and bald, in no better light. He who +wishes to observe this handsome bird in his native haunts must be in the +forest at the morning's dawn. The houtou shuns the society of man: the +plantations and cultivated parts are too much disturbed to engage it to +settle there; the thick and gloomy forests are the places preferred by the +solitary houtou. + +In those far-extending wilds, about daybreak, you hear him articulate, in a +distinct and mournful tone, "houtou, houtou." Move cautious on to where the +sound proceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the underwood about a +couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up and down every time he +articulates "houtou." He lives on insects and the berries amongst the +underwood, and very rarely is seen in the lofty trees, except the bastard +siloabali-tree, the fruit of which is grateful to him. He makes no nest, +but rears his young in a hole in the sand, generally on the side of a hill. + +While in quest of the houtou, you will now and then fall in with the jay of +Guiana, called by the Indians ibibirou. Its forehead is black, the rest of +the head white, the throat and breast like the English magpie; about an +inch of the extremity of the tail is white, the other part of it, together +with the back and wings, a greyish changing purple; the belly is white. +There are generally six or eight of them in company: they are shy and +garrulous, and tarry a very short time in one place. They are never seen in +the cultivated parts. + +Through the whole extent of the forest, chiefly from sunrise till nine +o'clock in the morning, you hear a sound of "wow, wow, wow, wow." This is +the bird called boclora by the Indians. It is smaller than the common +pigeon, and seems, in some measure, to partake of its nature: its head and +breast are blue; the back and rump somewhat resemble the colour on the +peacock's neck; its belly is a bright yellow. The legs are so very short +that it always appears as if sitting on the branch: it is as ill-adapted +for walking as the swallow. Its neck, for above an inch all round, is quite +bare of feathers, but this deficiency is not seen, for it always sits with +its head drawn in upon its shoulders. It sometimes feeds with the cotingas +on the guava- and hitia-trees, but its chief nutriment seems to be insects, +and, like most birds which follow this prey, its chaps are well armed with +bristles: it is found in Demerara at all times of the year, and makes a +nest resembling that of the stock-dove. This bird never takes long nights, +and when it crosses a river or creek it goes by long jerks. + +The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing quite heedless of danger: the +report of a gun within twenty yards will not cause it to leave the branch +on which it is sitting, and you may often approach it so near as almost to +touch it with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is no bird known whose +feathers are so slightly fixed to the skin as those of the boclora. After +shooting it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if it drop on hard +ground, whole heaps of feathers fall off: on this account it is extremely +hard to procure a specimen for preservation. As soon as the skin is dry in +the preserved specimen the feathers become as well fixed as those in any +other bird. + +Another species, larger than the boclora, attracts much of your notice in +these wilds: it is called cuia by the Indians, from the sound of its voice. +Its habits are the same as those of the boclora, but its colours different: +its head, breast, back and rump are a shining, changing green; its tail not +quite so bright; a black bar runs across the tail towards the extremity, +and the outside feathers are partly white, as in the boclora; its belly is +entirely vermilion, a bar of white separating it from the green on the +breast. + +There are diminutives of both these birds: they have the same habits, with +a somewhat different plumage, and about half the size. Arrayed from head to +tail in a robe of richest sable hue, the bird called rice-bird loves spots +cultivated by the hand of man. The woodcutter's house on the hills in the +interior, and the planter's habitation on the sea-coast, equally attract +this songless species of the order of pie, provided the Indian-corn be ripe +there. He is nearly of the jackdaw's size and makes his nest far away from +the haunts of men. He may truly be called a blackbird: independent of his +plumage, his beak, inside and out, his legs, his toes and claws are jet +black. + +Mankind, by clearing the ground and sowing a variety of seeds, induces many +kinds of birds to leave their native haunts and come and settle near him: +their little depredations on his seeds and fruits prove that it is the +property, and not the proprietor, which has the attractions. + +One bird, however, in Demerara is not actuated by selfish motives: this is +the cassique. In size he is larger than the starling: he courts the society +of man, but disdains to live by his labours. When Nature calls for support +he repairs to the neighbouring forest, and there partakes of the store of +fruits and seeds which she has produced in abundance for her aerial tribes. +When his repast is over he returns to man, and pays the little tribute +which he owes him for his protection. He takes his station on a tree close +to his house, and there, for hours together, pours forth a succession of +imitative notes. His own song is sweet, but very short. If a toucan be +yelping in the neighbourhood, he drops it, and imitates him. Then he will +amuse his protector with the cries of the different species of the +woodpecker, and when the sheep bleat he will distinctly answer them. Then +comes his own song again; and if a puppy-dog or a guinea-fowl interrupt +him, he takes them off admirably, and by his different gestures during the +time you would conclude that he enjoys the sport. + +The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any sound he hears with such +exactness that he goes by no other name than that of mocking bird amongst +the colonists. + +At breeding-time a number of these pretty choristers resort to a tree near +the planter's house, and from its outside branches weave their pendulous +nests. So conscious do they seem that they never give offence, and so +little suspicious are they of receiving any injury from man, that they will +choose a tree within forty yards from his house, and occupy the branches so +low down that he may peep into the nests. A tree in Waratilla Creek affords +a proof of this. + +The proportions of the cassique are so fine that he may be said to be a +model of symmetry in ornithology. On each wing he has a bright yellow spot, +and his rump, belly and half the tail are of the same colour. All the rest +of the body is black. His beak is the colour of sulphur, but it fades in +death, and requires the same operation as the bill of the toucan to make it +keep its colours. Up the rivers, in the interior, there is another +cassique, nearly the same size and of the same habits, though not gifted +with its powers of imitation. Except in breeding-time, you will see +hundreds of them retiring to roost amongst the moca-moca-trees and low +shrubs on the banks of the Demerara, after you pass the first island. They +are not common on the sea-coast. The rump of this cassique is a flaming +scarlet. All the rest of the body is a rich glossy black. His bill is +sulphur-colour. You may often see numbers of this species weaving their +pendulous nests on one side of a tree, while numbers of the other species +are busy in forming theirs on the opposite side of the same tree. Though +such near neighbours, the females are never observed to kick up a row or +come to blows! + +Another species of cassique, as large as a crow, is very common in the +plantations. In the morning he generally repairs to a large tree, and +there, with his tail spread over his back and shaking his lowered wings, he +produces notes which, though they cannot be said to amount to a song, still +have something very sweet and pleasing in them. He makes his nest in the +same form as the other cassiques. It is above four feet long, and when you +pass under the tree, which often contains fifty or sixty of them, you +cannot help stopping to admire them as they wave to and fro, the sport of +every storm and breeze. The rump is chestnut; ten feathers of the tail are +a fine yellow, the remaining two, which are the middle ones, are black, and +an inch shorter than the others. His bill is sulphur-colour; all the rest +of the body black, with here and there shades of brown. He has five or six +long narrow black feathers on the back of his head, which he erects at +pleasure. + +There is one more species of cassique in Demerara which always prefers the +forests to the cultivated parts. His economy is the same as that of the +other cassiques. He is rather smaller than the last described bird. His +body is greenish, and his tail and rump paler than those of the former. +Half of his beak is red. + +You would not be long in the forests of Demerara without noticing the +woodpeckers. You meet with them feeding at all hours of the day. Well may +they do so. Were they to follow the example of most of the other birds, and +only feed in the morning and evening, they would be often on short +allowance, for they sometimes have to labour three or four hours at the +tree before they get to their food. The sound which the largest kind makes +in hammering against the bark of the tree is so loud that you would never +suppose it to proceed from the efforts of a bird. You would take it to be +the woodman, with his axe, trying by a sturdy blow, often repeated, whether +the tree were sound or not. There are fourteen species here: the largest +the size of a magpie, the smallest no bigger than the wren. They are all +beautiful, and the greater part of them have their heads ornamented with a +fine crest, movable at pleasure. + +It is said, if you once give a dog a bad name, whether innocent or guilty, +he never loses it. It sticks close to him wherever he goes. He has many a +kick and many a blow to bear on account of it; and there is nobody to stand +up for him. The woodpecker is little better off. The proprietors of woods +in Europe have long accused him of injuring their timber by boring holes in +it and letting in the water, which soon rots it. The colonists in America +have the same complaint against him. Had he the power of speech, which +Ovid's birds possessed in days of yore, he could soon make a defence: +"Mighty lord of the woods," he would say to man, "why do you wrongfully +accuse me? Why do you hunt me up and down to death for an imaginary +offence? I have never spoiled a leaf of your property, much less your wood. +Your merciless shot strikes me at the very time I am doing you a service. +But your shortsightedness will not let you see it, or your pride is above +examining closely the actions of so insignificant a little bird as I am. If +there be that spark of feeling in your breast which they say man possesses, +or ought to possess, above all other animals, do a poor injured creature a +little kindness and watch me in your woods only for one day. I never wound +your healthy trees. I should perish for want in the attempt. The sound bark +would easily resist the force of my bill; and were I even to pierce through +it, there would be nothing inside that I could fancy or my stomach digest. +I often visit them it is true, but a knock or two convince me that I must +go elsewhere for support; and were you to listen attentively to the sound +which my bill causes, you would know whether I am upon a healthy or an +unhealthy tree. Wood and bark are not my food. I live entirely upon the +insects which have already formed a lodgment in the distempered tree. When +the sound informs me that my prey is there, I labour for hours together +till I get at it, and by consuming it for my own support, I prevent its +further depredations in that part. Thus I discover for you your hidden and +unsuspected foe, which has been devouring your wood in such secrecy that +you had not the least suspicion it was there. The hole which I make in +order to get at the pernicious vermin will be seen by you as you pass under +the tree. I leave it as a signal to tell you that your tree has already +stood too long. It is past its prime. Millions of insects, engendered by +disease, are preying upon its vitals. Ere long it will fall a log in +useless ruins. Warned by this loss, cut down the rest in time, and spare, O +spare the unoffending woodpecker." + +In the rivers and different creeks you number six species of the +kingfisher. They make their nest in a hole in the sand on the side of the +bank. As there is always plenty of foliage to protect them from the heat of +the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though their plumage is +prettily varied, still it falls far short of the brilliancy displayed by +the English kingfisher. This little native of Britain would outweigh them +altogether in the scale of beauty. + +A bird called jacamar is often taken for a kingfisher, but it has no +relationship to that tribe. It frequently sits in the trees over the water, +and as its beak bears some resemblance to that of the kingfisher, this may +probably account for its being taken for one; it feeds entirely upon +insects; it sits on a branch in motionless expectation, and as soon as a +fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it darts at it, and returns to the branch +it had just left. It seems an indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the +society of all others in the forest. It never visits the plantations, but +is found at all times of the year in the woods. There are four species of +jacamar in Demerara. They are all beautiful: the largest, rich and superb +in the extreme. Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden-green +that it may be ranked with the choicest of the humming-birds. Nature has +denied it a song, but given a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest +species of jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The second size, all +golden-green on the back, must be looked for in the wallaba-forest. The +third is found throughout the whole extent of these wilds, and the fourth, +which is the largest, frequents the interior, where you begin to perceive +stones in the ground. + +When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty songster +called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive notes. This is +the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of Guiana. Its +predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, arrayed to great +advantage. His delicate and well-shaped frame seems unable to bear +captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales to Stabroek, but in +a few months they languish and die in a cage. They soon become very +familiar, and if you allow them the liberty of the house, they live longer +than in a cage and appear in better spirits, but when you least expect it +they drop down and die in epilepsy. + +Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently +arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara. The +woodcutter is particularly favoured by him, for while the hen is sitting on +her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he sings for hours +together close by. He prefers the forests to the cultivated parts. + +You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in the +plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, tail and +throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. There is +something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much shorter than +that of the troupiale in the interior. + +A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place, in the cultivated +parts, at the time the indian-corn is ripe; he is all black, except the +head and throat, which are yellow. His attempt at song is not worth +attending to. + +Wherever there is a wild fig-tree ripe, a numerous species of birds called +tangara is sure to be on it. There are eighteen beautiful species here. +Their plumage is very rich and diversified. Some of them boast six separate +colours; others have the blue, purple, green and black so kindly blended +into each other that it would be impossible to mark their boundaries; while +others again exhibit them strong, distinct and abrupt. Many of these +tangaras have a fine song. They seem to partake much of the nature of our +linnets, sparrows and finches. Some of them are fond of the plantations; +others are never seen there, preferring the wild seeds of the forest to the +choicest fruits planted by the hand of man. + +On the same fig-trees to which they repair, and often accidentally up and +down the forest, you fall in with four species of manikin. The largest is +white and black, with the feathers on the throat remarkably long; the next +in size is half red and half black; the third black, with a white crown; +the fourth black, with a golden crown, and red feathers at the knee. The +half-red and half-black species is the scarcest. There is a creek in the +Demerara called Camouni. About ten minutes from the mouth you see a common- +sized fig-tree on your right hand, as you ascend, hanging over the water; +it bears a very small fig twice a year. When its fruit is ripe this manikin +is on the tree from morn till eve. + +On all the ripe fig-trees in the forest you see the bird called the small +tiger-bird. Like some of our belles and dandies, it has a gaudy vest to +veil an ill-shaped body. The throat, and part of the head, are a bright +red; the breast and belly have black spots on a yellow ground; the wings +are a dark green, black, and white; and the rump and tail black and green. +Like the manikin, it has no song: it depends solely upon a showy garment +for admiration. + +Devoid, too, of song, and in a still superber garb, the yawaraciri comes to +feed on the same tree. It has a bar like black velvet from the eyes to the +beak; its legs are yellow; its throat, wings and tail black; all the rest +of the body a charming blue. Chiefly in the dry savannas, and here and +there accidentally in the forest, you see a songless yawaraciri still +lovelier than the last: his crown is whitish blue, arrayed like a coat of +mail; his tail is black, his wings black and yellow; legs red; and the +whole body a glossy blue. Whilst roving through the forest, ever and anon +you see individuals of the wren species busy amongst the fallen leaves, or +seeking insects at the roots of the trees. + +Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds whose backs appear +to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a chestnut breast, +smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like horns on his head, and +white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, feeds entirely upon ants. When +a nest of large light-brown ants emigrates, one following the other in +meandering lines above a mile long, you see this bird watching them and +every now and then picking them up. When they disappear he is seen no more: +perhaps this is the only kind of ant he is fond of. When these ants are +stirring, you are sure to find him near them. You cannot well mistake the +ant after you have once been in its company, for its sting is very severe, +and you can hardly shoot the bird and pick it up without having five or six +upon you. + +Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different kinds. +You will know when they are near you in the forest not only by the noise +they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let fall while they +are feeding. + +The hia-hia parrot, called in England the parrot of the sun, is very +remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan +feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The fore-part of +his head is white; his back, tail and wings green; and his breast and belly +tartan. + +Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara will +force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and gaze at +him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body, the lovely +variety of red, yellow, blue and green in his wings, the extraordinary +length of his scarlet and blue tail, seem all to join and demand for him +the title of emperor of all the parrots. He is scarce in Demerara till you +reach the confines of the Macoushi country: there he is in vast abundance. +He mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. When the coucourite-trees +have ripe fruit on them they are covered with this magnificent parrot. He +is not shy or wary: you may take your blow-pipe and quiver of poisoned +arrows and kill more than you are able to carry back to your hut. They are +very vociferous, and, like the common parrots, rise up in bodies towards +sunset and fly two and two to their place of rest. It is a grand sight in +ornithology to see thousands of aras flying over your head, low enough to +let you have a full view of their flaming mantle. The Indians find their +flesh very good, and the feathers serve for ornaments in their head- +dresses. They breed in the holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and +learn to speak pretty distinctly. + +Another species frequents the low-lands of Demerara. He is nearly the size +of the scarlet ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and yellow are his +predominant colours. + +Along the creeks and river-sides, and in the wet savannas, six species of +the bittern will engage your attention. They are all handsome, the smallest +not so large as the English water-hen. + +In the savannas, too, you will sometimes surprise the snow-white egret, +whose back is adorned with the plumes from which it takes its name. Here, +too, the spur-winged water-hen, the blue and green water-hen and two other +species of ordinary plumage are found. While in quest of these, the blue +heron, the large and small brown heron, the boatbill and muscovy duck now +and then rise up before you. + +When the sun has sunk in the western woods, no longer agitated by the +breeze; when you can only see a straggler or two of the feathered tribe +hastening to join its mate, already at its roosting-place, then it is that +the goat-sucker comes out of the forest, where it has sat all day long in +slumbering ease, unmindful of the gay and busy scenes around it. Its eyes +are too delicately formed to bear the light, and thus it is forced to shun +the flaming face of day and wait in patience till night invites him to +partake of the pleasures her dusky presence brings. + +The harmless, unoffending goat-sucker, from the time of Aristotle down to +the present day, has been in disgrace with man. Father has handed down to +son, and author to author, that this nocturnal thief subsists by milking +the flocks. Poor injured little bird of night, how sadly hast thou +suffered, and how foul a stain has inattention to facts put upon thy +character! Thou hast never robbed man of any part of his property nor +deprived the kid of a drop of milk. + +When the moon shines bright you may have a fair opportunity of examining +the goat-sucker. You will see it close by the cows, goats and sheep, +jumping up every now and then under their bellies. Approach a little +nearer--he is not shy: "he fears no danger, for he knows no sin." See how +the nocturnal flies are tormenting the herd, and with what dexterity he +springs up and catches them as fast as they alight on the belly, legs and +udder of the animals. Observe how quiet they stand, and how sensible they +seem of his good offices, for they neither strike at him nor hit him with +their tail, nor tread on him, nor try to drive him away as an uncivil +intruder. Were you to dissect him, and inspect his stomach, you would find +no milk there. It is full of the flies which have been annoying the herd. + +The prettily-mottled plumage of the goat-sucker, like that of the owl, +wants the lustre which is observed in the feathers of the birds of day. +This at once marks him as a lover of the pale moon's nightly beams. There +are nine species here. The largest appears nearly the size of the English +wood-owl. Its cry is so remarkable that, having once heard it, you will +never forget it. When night reigns over these immeasurable wilds, whilst +lying in your hammock you will hear this goat-sucker lamenting like one in +deep distress. A stranger would never conceive it to be the cry of a bird. +He would say it was the departing voice of a midnight murdered victim or +the last wailing of Niobe for her poor children before she was turned into +stone. Suppose yourself in hopeless sorrow, begin with a high loud note, +and pronounce "ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," each note lower and lower, till +the last is scarcely heard, pausing a moment or two betwixt every note, and +you will have some idea of the moaning of the largest goat-sucker in +Demerara. + +Four other species of the goat-sucker articulate some words so distinctly +that they have received their names from the sentences they utter, and +absolutely bewilder the stranger on his arrival in these parts. The most +common one sits down close by your door, and flies and alights three or +four yards before you, as you walk along the road, crying, "Who-are-you, +who-who-who-are-you." Another bids you "Work-away, work-work-work-away." A +third cries, mournfully, "Willy-come-go, willy-willy-willy-come-go." And +high up in the country a fourth tells you to "Whip-poor-will, whip-whip- +whip-poor-will." + +You will never persuade the negro to destroy these birds or get the Indian +to let fly his arrow at them. They are birds of omen and reverential dread. +Jumbo, the demon of Africa, has them under his command, and they equally +obey the Yabahou, or Demerara Indian devil. They are the receptacles for +departed souls, who come back again to earth, unable to rest for crimes +done in their days of nature; or they are expressly sent by Jumbo, or +Yabahou, to haunt cruel and hard-hearted masters and retaliate injuries +received from them. If the largest goat-sucker chance to cry near the white +man's door, sorrow and grief will soon be inside: and they expect to see +the master waste away with a slow consuming sickness. If it be heard close +to the negro's or Indian's hut, from that night misfortune sits brooding +over it: and they await the event in terrible suspense. + +You will forgive the poor Indian of Guiana for this. He knows no better; he +has nobody to teach him. But shame it is that in our own civilised country +the black cat and broomstaff should be considered as conductors to and from +the regions of departed spirits. + +Many years ago I knew poor harmless Mary: old age had marked her strongly, +just as he will mark you and me, should we arrive at her years and carry +the weight of grief which bent her double. The old men of the village said +she had been very pretty in her youth, and nothing could be seen more +comely than Mary when she danced on the green. He who had gained her heart +left her for another, less fair, though richer, than Mary. From that time +she became sad and pensive; the rose left her cheek, and she was never more +seen to dance round the maypole on the green. Her expectations were +blighted; she became quite indifferent to everything around her, and seemed +to think of nothing but how she could best attend her mother, who was lame +and not long for this life. Her mother had begged a black kitten from some +boys who were going to drown it, and in her last illness she told Mary to +be kind to it for her sake. + +When age and want had destroyed the symmetry of Mary's fine form, the +village began to consider her as one who had dealings with spirits: her cat +confirmed the suspicion. If a cow died, or a villager wasted away with an +unknown complaint, Mary and her cat had it to answer for. Her broom +sometimes served her for a walking-stick: and if ever she supported her +tottering frame with it as far as the maypole, where once, in youthful +bloom and beauty, she had attracted the eyes of all, the boys would +surround her and make sport of her, while her cat had neither friend nor +safety beyond the cottage-wall. Nobody considered it cruel or uncharitable +to torment a witch; and it is probable, long before this, that cruelty, old +age and want have worn her out, and that both poor Mary and her cat have +ceased to be. + +Would you wish to pursue the different species of game, well-stored and +boundless is your range in Demerara. Here no one dogs you, and afterwards +clandestinely inquires if you have a hundred a year in land to entitle you +to enjoy such patrician sport. Here no saucy intruder asks if you have +taken out a licence, by virtue of which you are allowed to kill the birds +which have bred upon your own property. Here + + You are as free as when God first made man, + Ere the vile laws of servitude began, + And wild in woods the noble savage ran. + +Before the morning's dawn you hear a noise in the forest which sounds like +"duraquaura" often repeated. This is the partridge, a little smaller than +and differing somewhat in colour from the English partridge: it lives +entirely in the forest, and probably the young brood very soon leaves its +parents, as you never flush more than two birds in the same place, and in +general only one. + +About the same hour, and sometimes even at midnight, you hear two species +of maam, or tinamou, send forth their long and plaintive whistle from the +depth of the forest. The flesh of both is delicious. The largest is +plumper, and almost equals in size the blackcock of Northumberland. The +quail is said to be here, though rare. + +The hannaquoi, which some have compared to the pheasant, though with little +reason, is very common. + +Here are also two species of the powise, or hocco, and two of the small +wild turkeys called maroudi: they feed on the ripe fruits of the forest and +are found in all directions in these extensive wilds. You will admire the +horned screamer as a stately and majestic bird: he is almost the size of +the turkey-cock, on his head is a long slender horn, and each wing is armed +with a strong, sharp, triangular spur an inch long. + +Sometimes you will fall in with flocks of two or three hundred waracabas, +or trumpeters, called so from the singular noise they produce. Their breast +is adorned with beautiful changing blue and purple feathers; their head and +neck like velvet; their wings and back grey, and belly black. They run with +great swiftness, and when domesticated attend their master in his walks +with as much apparent affection as his dog. They have no spurs, but still, +such is their high spirit and activity, they browbeat every dunghill fowl +in the yard and force the guinea-birds, dogs and turkeys to own their +superiority. + +If, kind and gentle reader, thou shouldst ever visit these regions with an +intention to examine their productions, perhaps the few observations +contained in these wanderings may be of service to thee. Excuse their +brevity: more could have been written, and each bird more particularly +described, but it would have been pressing too hard upon thy time and +patience. + +Soon after arriving in these parts thou wilt find that the species here +enumerated are only as a handful from a well-stored granary. Nothing has +been said of the eagles, the falcons, the hawks and shrikes; nothing of the +different species of vultures, the king of which is very handsome, and +seems to be the only bird which claims regal honours from a surrounding +tribe. It is a fact beyond all dispute that, when the scent of carrion has +drawn together hundreds of the common vultures, they all retire from the +carcass as soon as the king of the vultures makes his appearance. When his +majesty has satisfied the cravings of his royal stomach with the choicest +bits from the most stinking and corrupted parts, he generally retires to a +neighbouring tree, and then the common vultures return in crowds to gobble +down his leavings. The Indians, as well as the whites, have observed this, +for when one of them, who has learned a little English, sees the king, and +wishes you to have a proper notion of the bird, he says: "There is the +governor of the carrion-crows." + +Now the Indians have never heard of a personage in Demerara higher than +that of governor; and the colonists, through a common mistake, call the +vultures carrion-crows. Hence the Indian, in order to express the dominion +of this bird over the common vultures, tells you he is governor of the +carrion-crows. The Spaniards have also observed it, for through all the +Spanish Main he is called Rey de Zamuros, king of the vultures. The many +species of owls, too, have not been noticed; and no mention made of the +columbine tribe. The prodigious variety of water-fowl on the sea-shore has +been but barely hinted at. + +There, and on the borders and surface of the inland waters, in the marshes +and creeks, besides the flamingos, scarlet curlews and spoonbills already +mentioned, will be found greenish-brown curlews, sandpipers, rails, coots, +gulls, pelicans, jabirus, nandapoas, crabiers, snipes, plovers, ducks, +geese, cranes and anhingas; most of them in vast abundance; some +frequenting only the sea-coast, others only the interior, according to +their different natures; all worthy the attention of the naturalist, all +worthy of a place in the cabinet of the curious. + +Should thy comprehensive genius not confine itself to birds alone, grand is +the appearance of other objects all around. Thou art in a land rich in +botany and mineralogy, rich in zoology and entomology. Animation will glow +in thy looks and exercise will brace thy frame in vigour. The very time of +thy absence from the tables of heterogeneous luxury will be profitable to +thy stomach, perhaps already sorely drenched with Londo-Parisian sauces, +and a new stock of health will bring thee an appetite to relish the +wholesome food of the chase. Never-failing sleep will wait on thee at the +time she comes to soothe the rest of animated nature, and ere the sun's +rays appear in the horizon thou wilt spring from thy hammock fresh as the +April lark. Be convinced also that the dangers and difficulties which are +generally supposed to accompany the traveller in his journey through +distant regions are not half so numerous or dreadful as they are commonly +thought to be. + +The youth who incautiously reels into the lobby of Drury Lane after leaving +the table sacred to the god of wine is exposed to more certain ruin, +sickness and decay than he who wanders a whole year in the wilds of +Demerara. But this will never be believed because the disasters arising +from dissipation are so common and frequent in civilised life that man +becomes quite habituated to them, and sees daily victims sink into the tomb +long before their time without ever once taking alarm at the causes which +precipitated them headlong into it. + +But the dangers which a traveller exposes himself to in foreign parts are +novel, out-of-the-way things to a man at home. The remotest apprehension of +meeting a tremendous tiger, of being carried off by a flying dragon, or +having his bones picked by a famished cannibal: oh, that makes him shudder. +It sounds in his ears like the bursting of a bombshell. Thank Heaven he is +safe by his own fireside. + +Prudence and resolution ought to be the traveller's constant companions. +The first will cause him to avoid a number of snares which he will find in +the path as he journeys on; and the second will always lend a hand to +assist him if he has unavoidably got entangled in them. The little +distinctions which have been shown him at his own home ought to be +forgotten when he travels over the world at large, for strangers know +nothing of his former merits, and it is necessary that they should witness +them before they pay him the tribute which he was wont to receive within +his own doors. Thus to be kind and affable to those we meet, to mix in +their amusements, to pay a compliment or two to their manners and customs, +to respect their elders, to give a little to their distressed and needy, +and to feel, as it were, at home amongst them, is the sure way to enable +you to pass merrily on, and to find other comforts as sweet and palatable +as those which you were accustomed to partake of amongst your friends and +acquaintance in your own native land. + +We will now ascend in fancy on Icarian wing and take a view of Guiana in +general. See an immense plain! betwixt two of the largest rivers in the +world, level as a bowling-green, save at Cayenne, and covered with trees +along the coast quite to the Atlantic wave, except where the plantations +make a little vacancy amongst the foliage. + +Though nearly in the centre of the Torrid Zone, the sun's rays are not so +intolerable as might be imagined, on account of the perpetual verdure and +refreshing north-east breeze. See what numbers of broad and rapid rivers +intersect it in their journey to the ocean, and that not a stone or a +pebble is to be found on their banks, or in any part of the country, till +your eye catches the hills in the interior. How beautiful and magnificent +are the lakes in the heart of the forests, and how charming the forests +themselves, for miles after miles on each side of the rivers! How extensive +appear the savannas or natural meadows, teeming with innumerable herds of +cattle, where the Portuguese and Spaniards are settled, but desert as Saara +where the English and Dutch claim dominion! How gradually the face of the +country rises! See the sandhills all clothed in wood first emerging from +the level, then hills a little higher, rugged with bold and craggy rocks, +peeping out from amongst the most luxuriant timber. Then come plains and +dells and far-extending valleys, arrayed in richest foliage; and beyond +them mountains piled on mountains, some bearing prodigious forests, others +of bleak and barren aspect. Thus your eye wanders on over scenes of varied +loveliness and grandeur, till it rests on the stupendous pinnacles of the +long-continued Cordilleras de los Andes, which rise in towering majesty and +command all America. + +How fertile must the low-lands be from the accumulation of fallen leaves +and trees for centuries! How propitious the swamps and slimy beds of the +rivers, heated by a downward sun, to the amazing growth of alligators, +serpents and innumerable insects! How inviting the forests to the feathered +tribes, where you see buds, blossoms, green and ripe fruit, full grown and +fading leaves all on the same tree! How secure the wild beasts may rove in +endless mazes! Perhaps those mountains, too, which appear so bleak and +naked, as if quite neglected, are, like Potosi, full of precious metals. + +Let us now return the pinions we borrowed from Icarus, and prepare to bid +farewell to the wilds. The time allotted to these wanderings is drawing +fast to a close. Every day for the last six months has been employed in +paying close attention to natural history in the forests of Demerara. Above +two hundred specimens of the finest birds have been collected and a pretty +just knowledge formed of their haunts and economy. From the time of leaving +England, in March 1816, to the present day, nothing has intervened to +arrest a fine flow of health, saving a quartan ague which did not tarry, +but fled as suddenly as it appeared. + +And now I take leave of thee, kind and gentle reader. The new mode of +preserving birds heretofore promised thee shall not be forgotten. The plan +is already formed in imagination, and can be penned down during the passage +across the Atlantic. If the few remarks in these wanderings shall have any +weight in inciting thee to sally forth and explore the vast and well-stored +regions of Demerara, I have gained my end. Adieu. + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +_April 6, 1817._ + + + * * * * * + + + + +THIRD JOURNEY + + Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum. + +Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I strayed across the +Alps and the Apennines, and returned home, but could not tarry. Guiana +still whispered in my ear, and seemed to invite me once more to wander +through her distant forests. + +Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, I pray thee pardon +the frequent use of that unwelcome monosyllable _I_. It could not well +be avoided, as will be seen in the sequel. In February 1820 I sailed from +the Clyde, on board the _Glenbervie_, a fine West-Indiaman. She was +driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to contend with a foul and +wintry wind for above a fortnight. At last it changed, and we had a +pleasant passage across the Atlantic. + +Sad and mournful was the story we heard on entering the River Demerara. The +yellow fever had swept off numbers of the old inhabitants, and the mortal +remains of many a new-comer were daily passing down the streets in slow and +mute procession to their last resting-place. + +After staying a few days in the town, I went up the Demerara to the former +habitation of my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, in Mibiri Creek. + +The house had been abandoned for some years. On arriving at the hill, the +remembrance of scenes long past and gone naturally broke in upon the mind. +All was changed: the house was in ruins and gradually sinking under the +influence of the sun and rain; the roof had nearly fallen in; and the room, +where once governors and generals had caroused, was now dismantled and +tenanted by the vampire. You would have said: + + 'Tis now the vampire's bleak abode, + 'Tis now the apartment of the toad: + 'Tis here the painful chegoe feeds, + 'Tis here the dire labarri breeds + Conceal'd in ruins, moss, and weeds. + +On the outside of the house Nature had nearly reassumed her ancient right: +a few straggling fruit-trees were still discernible amid the varied hue of +the near-approaching forest; they seemed like strangers lost and bewildered +and unpitied in a foreign land, destined to linger a little longer, and +then sink down for ever. + +I hired some negroes from a woodcutter in another creek to repair the roof; +and then the house, or at least what remained of it, became headquarters +for natural history. The frogs, and here and there a snake, received that +attention which the weak in this world generally experience from the +strong, and which the law commonly denominates an ejectment. But here +neither the frogs nor serpents were ill-treated: they sallied forth, +without buffet or rebuke, to choose their place of residence--the world was +all before them. The owls went away of their own accord, preferring to +retire to a hollow tree rather than to associate with their new landlord. +The bats and vampires stayed with me, and went in and out as usual. + +It was upon this hill in former days that I first tried to teach John, the +black slave of my friend Mr. Edmonstone, the proper way to do birds. But +John had poor abilities, and it required much time and patience to drive +anything into him. Some years after this his master took him to Scotland, +where, becoming free, John left him, and got employed in the Glasgow, and +then the Edinburgh, Museum. Mr. Robert Edmonstone, nephew to the above +gentleman, had a fine mulatto capable of learning anything. He requested me +to teach him the art. I did so. He was docile and active, and was with me +all the time in the forest. I left him there to keep up this new art of +preserving birds and to communicate it to others. Here, then, I fixed my +headquarters, in the ruins of this once gay and hospitable house. Close by, +in a little hut which, in times long past, had served for a store to keep +provisions in, there lived a coloured man and his wife, by name Backer. +Many a kind turn they did to me; and I was more than once a service to them +and their children, by bringing to their relief in time of sickness what +little knowledge I had acquired of medicine. + +I would here, gentle reader, wish to draw thy attention, for a few minutes, +to physic, raiment and diet. Shouldst thou ever wander through these remote +and dreary wilds, forget not to carry with thee bark, laudanum, calomel and +jalap, and the lancet. There are no druggist-shops here, nor sons of Galen +to apply to in time of need. I never go encumbered with many clothes. A +thin flannel waistcoat under a check shirt, a pair of trousers and a hat +were all my wardrobe: shoes and stockings I seldom had on. In dry weather +they would have irritated the feet and retarded me in the chase of wild +beasts; and in the rainy season they would have kept me in a perpetual +state of damp and moisture. I eat moderately, and never drink wine, spirits +or fermented liquors in any climate. This abstemiousness has ever proved a +faithful friend; it carried me triumphant through the epidemia at Malaga, +where death made such havoc about the beginning of the present century; and +it has since befriended me in many a fit of sickness brought on by exposure +to the noon-day sun, to the dews of night, to the pelting shower and +unwholesome food. + +Perhaps it will be as well here to mention a fever which came on, and the +treatment of it: it may possibly be of use to thee, shouldst thou turn +wanderer in the tropics; a word or two also of a wound I got in the forest, +and then we will say no more of the little accidents which sometimes occur, +and attend solely to natural history. We shall have an opportunity of +seeing the wild animals in their native haunts, undisturbed and unbroken in +upon by man. We shall have time and leisure to look more closely at them, +and probably rectify some errors which, for want of proper information or a +near observance, have crept into their several histories. + +It was in the month of June, when the sun was within a few days of Cancer, +that I had a severe attack of fever. There had been a deluge of rain, +accompanied with tremendous thunder and lightning, and very little sun. +Nothing could exceed the dampness of the atmosphere. For two or three days +I had been in a kind of twilight state of health, neither ill nor what you +may call well: I yawned and felt weary without exercise, and my sleep was +merely slumber. This was the time to have taken medicine, but I neglected +to do so, though I had just been reading: "O navis, referent in mare te +novi fluctus, O quid agis? fortiter occupa portum." I awoke at midnight: a +cruel headache, thirst and pain in the small of the back informed me what +the case was. Had Chiron himself been present he could not have told me +more distinctly that I was going to have a tight brush of it, and that I +ought to meet it with becoming fortitude. I dozed and woke and startled, +and then dozed again, and suddenly awoke thinking I was falling down a +precipice. + +The return of the bats to their diurnal retreat, which was in the thatch +above my hammock, informed me that the sun was now fast approaching to the +eastern horizon. I arose in languor and in pain, the pulse at one hundred +and twenty. I took ten grains of calomel and a scruple of jalap, and drank +during the day large draughts of tea, weak and warm. The physic did its +duty, but there was no remission of fever or headache, though the pain of +the back was less acute. I was saved the trouble of keeping the room cool, +as the wind beat in at every quarter. + +At five in the evening the pulse had risen to one hundred and thirty, and +the headache almost insupportable, especially on looking to the right or +left. I now opened a vein, and made a large orifice, to allow the blood to +rush out rapidly; I closed it after losing sixteen ounces. I then steeped +my feet in warm water and got into the hammock. After bleeding the pulse +fell to ninety, and the head was much relieved, but during the night, which +was very restless, the pulse rose again to one hundred and twenty, and at +times the headache was distressing. I relieved the headache from time to +time by applying cold water to the temples and holding a wet handkerchief +there. The next morning the fever ran very high, and I took five more +grains of calomel and ten of jalap, determined, whatever might be the case, +this should be the last dose of calomel. About two o'clock in the afternoon +the fever remitted, and a copious perspiration came on: there was no more +headache nor thirst nor pain in the back, and the following night was +comparatively a good one. The next morning I swallowed a large dose of +castor-oil: it was genuine, for Louisa Backer had made it from the seeds of +the trees which grew near the door. I was now entirely free from all +symptoms of fever, or apprehensions of a return; and the morning after I +began to take bark, and continued it for a fortnight. This put all to +rights. + +The story of the wound I got in the forest and the mode of cure are very +short. I had pursued a redheaded woodpecker for above a mile in the forest +without being able to get a shot at it. Thinking more of the woodpecker, as +I ran along, than of the way before me, I trod upon a little hardwood stump +which was just about an inch or so above the ground; it entered the hollow +part of my foot, making a deep and lacerated wound there. It had brought me +to the ground, and there I lay till a transitory fit of sickness went off. +I allowed it to bleed freely, and on reaching headquarters washed it well +and probed it, to feel if any foreign body was left within it. Being +satisfied that there was none, I brought the edges of the wound together +and then put a piece of lint on it, and over that a very large poultice, +which was changed morning, noon and night. Luckily Backer had a cow or two +upon the hill; now as heat and moisture are the two principal virtues of a +poultice, nothing could produce those two qualities better than fresh cow- +dung boiled: had there been no cows there I could have made out with boiled +grass and leaves. I now took entirely to the hammock, placing the foot +higher than the knee: this prevented it from throbbing, and was, indeed, +the only position in which I could be at ease. When the inflammation was +completely subdued I applied a wet cloth to the wound, and every now and +then steeped the foot in cold water during the day, and at night again +applied a poultice. The wound was now healing fast, and in three weeks from +the time of the accident nothing but a scar remained: so that I again +sallied forth sound and joyful, and said to myself: + + I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae + Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo + Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim, + Rumpe ferarum. + +Now this contus was a tough, light pole eight feet long, on the end of +which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it: it +was of great use in starting the beasts and snakes out of the hollow trees, +and in case of need was an excellent defence. + +In 1819 I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph Banks. I saw with +sorrow that death was going to rob us of him. We talked much of the present +mode adopted by all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and condemned it as +being very imperfect: still we could not find out a better way, and at last +concluded that the lips and nose ought to be cut off and replaced with wax, +it being impossible to make those parts appear like life, as they shrink to +nothing and render the stuffed specimens in the different museums horrible +to look at. The defects in the legs and feet would not be quite so glaring, +being covered with hair. + +I had paid great attention to this subject for above fourteen years; still +it would not do. However, one night, while I was lying in the hammock and +harping on the string on which hung all my solicitude, I hit upon the +proper mode by inference: it appeared clear to me that it was the only true +way of going to work, and ere I closed my eyes in sleep I was able to prove +to myself that there could not be any other way that would answer. I tried +it the next day, and succeeded according to expectation. + +By means of this process, which is very simple, we can now give every +feature back again to the animal's face after it has been skinned; and when +necessary stamp grief or pain, or pleasure, or rage, or mildness upon it. +But more of this hereafter. + +Let us now turn our attention to the sloth, whose native haunts have +hitherto been so little known and probably little looked into. Those who +have written on this singular animal have remarked that he is in a +perpetual state of pain, that he is proverbially slow in his movements, +that he is a prisoner in space, and that, as soon as he has consumed all +the leaves of the tree upon which he had mounted, he rolls himself up in +the form of a ball and then falls to the ground. This is not the case. + +If the naturalists who have written the history of the sloth had gone into +the wilds in order to examine his haunts and economy, they would not have +drawn the foregoing conclusions. They would have learned that, though all +other quadrupeds may be described while resting upon the ground, the sloth +is an exception to this rule, and that his history must be written while he +is in the tree. + +This singular animal is destined by Nature to be produced, to live and to +die in the trees; and to do justice to him naturalists must examine him in +this his upper element. He is a scarce and solitary animal, and being good +food he is never allowed to escape. He inhabits remote and gloomy forests +where snakes take up their abode, and where cruelly-stinging ants and +scorpions and swamps and innumerable thorny shrubs and bushes obstruct the +steps of civilised man. Were you to draw your own conclusions from the +descriptions which have been given of the sloth, you would probably suspect +that no naturalist has actually gone into the wilds with the fixed +determination to find him out and examine his haunts, and see whether +Nature has committed any blunder in the formation of this extraordinary +creature, which appears to us so forlorn and miserable, so ill put +together, and so totally unfit to enjoy the blessings which have been so +bountifully given to the rest of animated nature; for, as it has formerly +been remarked, he has no soles to his feet, and he is evidently ill at ease +when he tries to move on the ground, and it is then that he looks up in +your face with a countenance that says: "Have pity on me, for I am in pain +and sorrow." + +It mostly happens that Indians and negroes are the people who catch the +sloth and bring it to the white man: hence it may be conjectured that the +erroneous accounts we have hitherto had of the sloth have not been penned +down with the slightest intention to mislead the reader or give him an +exaggerated history, but that these errors have naturally arisen by +examining the sloth in those places where Nature never intended that he +should be exhibited. + +However, we are now in his own domain. Man but little frequents these thick +and noble forests, which extend far and wide on every side of us. This, +then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. We will first take a +near view of him. By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy we shall be +enabled to account for his movements hereafter, when we see him in his +proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, his arms, are +apparently much too long, while his hind-legs are very short, and look as +if they could be bent almost to the shape of a corkscrew. Both the fore- +and hind-legs, by their form and by the manner in which they are joined to +the body, are quite incapacitated from acting in a perpendicular direction, +or in supporting it on the earth, as the bodies of other quadrupeds are +supported by their legs. Hence, when you place him on the floor, his belly +touches the ground. Now, granted that he supported himself on his legs like +other animals, nevertheless he would be in pain, for he has no soles to his +feet, and his claws are very sharp and long and curved; so that were his +body supported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, just as your +body would be were you to throw yourself on all-fours and try to support it +on the ends of your toes and fingers--a trying position. Were the floor of +glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would actually be quite +stationary; but as the ground is generally rough, with little protuberances +upon it, such as stones, or roots of grass, etc., this just suits the +sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all directions, in order to find +something to lay hold of; and when he has succeeded he pulls himself +forward, and is thus enabled to travel onwards, but at the same time in so +tardy and awkward a manner as to acquire him the name of sloth. + +Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently betray his uncomfortable +situation: and as a sigh every now and then escapes him, we may be entitled +to conclude that he is actually in pain. + +Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for several months. I often took +him out of the house and placed him upon the ground, in order to have an +opportunity of observing his motions. If the ground were rough, he would +pull himself forwards by means of his fore-legs at a pretty good pace, and +he invariably immediately shaped his course towards the nearest tree. But +if I put him upon a smooth and well-trodden part of the road, he appeared +to be in trouble and distress. His favourite abode was the back of a chair +and, after getting all his legs in a line upon the topmost part of it, he +would hang there for hours together, and often with a low and inward cry +would seem to invite me to take notice of him. + +The sloth, in its wild state, spends its whole life in trees, and never +leaves them but through force or by accident. An all-ruling Providence has +ordered man to tread on the surface of the earth, the eagle to soar in the +expanse of the skies, and the monkey and squirrel to inhabit the trees: +still these may change their relative situations without feeling much +inconvenience; but the sloth is doomed to spend his whole life in the +trees, and, what is more extraordinary, not _upon_ the branches, like +the squirrel and the monkey, but _under_ them. He moves suspended from +the branch, he rests suspended from it, and he sleeps suspended from it. To +enable him to do this he must have a very different formation from that of +any other known quadruped. + +Hence his seemingly bungled conformation is at once accounted for; and in +lieu of the sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a melancholy and +miserable existence on its progeny, it is but fair to surmise that it just +enjoys life as much as any other animal, and that its extraordinary +formation and singular habits are but further proofs to engage us to admire +the wonderful works of Omnipotence. + +It must be observed that the sloth does not hang head-downwards like the +vampire. When asleep he supports himself from a branch parallel to the +earth. He first seizes the branch with one arm, and then with the other; +and after that brings up both his legs, one by one, to the same branch; so +that all four are in a line: he seems perfectly at rest in this position. +Now had he a tail, he would be at a loss to know what to do with it in this +position: were he to draw it up within his legs it would interfere with +them, and were he to let it hang down it would become the sport of the +winds. Thus his deficiency of tail is a benefit to him; it is merely an +apology for a tail, scarcely exceeding an inch and a half in length. + +I observed, when he was climbing, he never used his arms both together, but +first one and then the other, and so on alternately. There is a singularity +in his hair, different from that of all other animals, and, I believe, +hitherto unnoticed by naturalists. His hair is thick and coarse at the +extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, where it becomes fine as a +spider's web. His fur has so much the hue of the moss which grows on the +branches of the trees that it is very difficult to make him out when he is +at rest. + +The male of the three-toed sloth has a longitudinal bar of very fine black +hair on his back, rather lower than the shoulder-blades; on each side of +this black bar there is a space of yellow hair, equally fine; it has the +appearance of being pressed into the body, and looks exactly as if it had +been singed. If we examine the anatomy of his fore-legs, we shall +immediately perceive by their firm and muscular texture how very capable +they are of supporting the pendent weight of his body, both in climbing and +at rest; and, instead of pronouncing them a bungled composition, as a +celebrated naturalist has done, we shall consider them as remarkably well +calculated to perform their extraordinary functions. + +As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within the tropics, where the +trees touch each other in the greatest profusion, there seems to be no +reason why he should confine himself to one tree alone for food, and +entirely strip it of its leaves. During the many years I have ranged the +forests I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity; indeed, I would +hazard a conjecture that, by the time the animal had finished the last of +the old leaves, there would be a new crop on the part of the tree he had +stripped first, ready for him to begin again, so quick is the process of +vegetation in these countries. + +There is a saying amongst the Indians that, when the wind blows, the sloth +begins to travel. In calm weather he remains tranquil, probably not liking +to cling to the brittle extremity of the branches, lest they should break +with him in passing from one tree to another; but as soon as the wind rises +the branches of the neighbouring trees become interwoven, and then the +sloth seizes hold of them and pursues his journey in safety. There is +seldom an entire day of calm in these forests. The tradewind generally sets +in about ten o'clock in the morning, and thus the sloth may set off after +breakfast, and get a considerable way before dinner. He travels at a good +round pace; and were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, +you would never think of calling him a sloth. + +Thus it would appear that the different histories we have of this quadruped +are erroneous on two accounts: first, that the writers of them, deterred by +difficulties and local annoyances, have not paid sufficient attention to +him in his native haunts; and secondly, they have described him in a +situation in which he was never intended by Nature to cut a figure: I mean +on the ground. The sloth is as much at a loss to proceed on his journey +upon a smooth and level floor as a man would be who had to walk a mile in +stilts upon a line of feather-beds. + +One day, as we were crossing the Essequibo, I saw a large two-toed sloth on +the ground upon the bank. How he had got there nobody could tell: the +Indian said he had never surprised a sloth in such a situation before. He +would hardly have come there to drink, for both above and below the place +the branches of the trees touched the water, and afforded him an easy and +safe access to it. Be this as it may, though the trees were not above +twenty yards from him, he could not make his way through the sand time +enough to escape before we landed. As soon as we got up to him he threw +himself upon his back, and defended himself in gallant style with his fore- +legs. "Come, poor fellow," said I to him, "if thou hast got into a hobble +to-day, thou shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage of thee in +misfortune; the forest is large enough both for thee and me to rove in: go +thy ways up above, and enjoy thyself in these endless wilds; it is more +than probable thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare thee +well." On saying this, I took a long stick which was lying there, held it +for him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately mora. He +ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about a minute he was almost at +the top of the tree. He now went off in a side direction, and caught hold +of the branch of a neighbouring tree; he then proceeded towards the heart +of the forest. I stood looking on, lost in amazement at his singular mode +of progress. I followed him with my eye till the intervening branches +closed in betwixt us; and then I lost sight for ever of the two-toed sloth. +I was going to add that I never saw a sloth take to his heels in such +earnest: but the expression will not do, for the sloth has no heels. + +That which naturalists have advanced of his being so tenacious of life is +perfectly true. I saw the heart of one beat for half an hour after it was +taken out of the body. The wourali poison seems to be the only thing that +will kill it quickly. On reference to a former part of these wanderings, it +will be seen that a poisoned arrow killed the sloth in about ten minutes. + +So much for this harmless, unoffending animal. He holds a conspicuous place +in the catalogue of the animals of the new world. Though naturalists have +made no mention of what follows, still it is not less true on that account. +The sloth is the only quadruped known which spends its whole life from the +branch of a tree, suspended by his feet. I have paid uncommon attention to +him in his native haunts. The monkey and squirrel will seize a branch with +their fore-feet, and pull themselves up, and rest or run upon it; but the +sloth, after seizing it, still remains suspended, and suspended moves along +under the branch, till he can lay hold of another. Whenever I have seen him +in his native woods, whether at rest or asleep or on his travels, I have +always observed that he was suspended from the branch of a tree. When his +form and anatomy are attentively considered, it will appear evident that +the sloth cannot be at ease in any situation where his body is higher, or +above, his feet. We will now take our leave of him. + +In the far-extending wilds of Guiana the traveller will be astonished at +the immense quantity of ants which he perceives on the ground and in the +trees. They have nests in the branches four or five times as large as that +of the rook; and they have a covered way from them to the ground. In this +covered way thousands are perpetually passing and repassing; and if you +destroy part of it, they turn to and immediately repair it. + +Other species of ants again have no covered way, but travel exposed to view +upon the surface of the earth. You will sometimes see a string of these +ants a mile long, each carrying in its mouth, to its nest, a green leaf the +size of a sixpence. It is wonderful to observe the order in which they +move, and with what pains and labour they surmount the obstructions of the +path. + +The ants have their enemies as well as the rest of animated nature. Amongst +the foremost of these stand the three species of ant-bears. The smallest is +not much larger than a rat; the next is nearly the size of a fox; and the +third a stout and powerful animal, measuring about six feet from the snout +to the end of the tail. He is the most inoffensive of all animals, and +never injures the property of man. He is chiefly found in the inmost +recesses of the forest, and seems partial to the low and swampy parts near +creeks, where the troely-tree grows. There he goes up and down in quest of +ants, of which there is never the least scarcity; so that he soon obtains a +sufficient supply of food with very little trouble. He cannot travel fast; +man is superior to him in speed. Without swiftness to enable him to escape +from his enemies, without teeth, the possession of which would assist him +in self-defence, and without the power of burrowing in the ground, by which +he might conceal himself from his pursuers, he still is capable of ranging +through these wilds in perfect safety; nor does he fear the fatal pressure +of the serpent's fold or the teeth of the famished jaguar. Nature has +formed his fore-legs wonderfully thick and strong and muscular, and armed +his feet with three tremendous sharp and crooked claws. Whenever he seizes +an animal with these formidable weapons he hugs it close to his body, and +keeps it there till it dies through pressure or through want of food. Nor +does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from loss of aliment, as it +is a well-known fact that he can go longer without food than, perhaps, any +other animal, except the land-tortoise. His skin is of a texture that +perfectly resists the bite of a dog; his hinder-parts are protected by +thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large enough to cover his +whole body. + +The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact with the ant-bear and, +after disabling him in the chase, never think of approaching him till he be +quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution that naturalists have +never yet given to the world a true and correct drawing of this singular +animal, or described the peculiar position of his fore-feet when he walks +or stands. If, in taking a drawing from a dead ant-bear, you judge of the +position in which he stands from that of all other terrestrial animals, the +sloth excepted, you will be in error. Examine only a figure of this animal +in books of natural history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best +museums, and you will see that the fore-claws are just in the same forward +attitude as those of a dog, or a common bear when he walks or stands. But +this is a distorted and unnatural position, and in life would be a painful +and intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. The length and curve of his +claws cannot admit of such a position. When he walks or stands his feet +have somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes entirely on the outer +side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards, the claws collected +into a point, and going under the foot. In this position he is quite at +ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to render them +harmless to him and are prevented from becoming dull and worn, like those +of the dog, which would inevitably be the case did their points come in +actual contact with the ground; for his claws have not that retractile +power which is given to animals of the feline species, by which they are +enabled to preserve the sharpness of their claws on the most flinty path. A +slight inspection of the fore-feet of the ant-bear will immediately +convince you of the mistake artists and naturalists have fallen into by +putting his fore-feet in the same position as those of other quadrupeds, +for you will perceive that the whole outer side of his foot is not only +deprived of hair, but is hard and callous: proof positive of its being in +perpetual contact with the ground. Now, on the contrary, the inner side of +the bottom of his foot is soft and rather hairy. + +There is another singularity in the anatomy of the ant-bear, I believe as +yet unnoticed in the page of natural history. He has two very large glands +situated below the root of the tongue. From these is emitted a glutinous +liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when he puts it into the +ants' nests. These glands are of the same substance as those found in the +lower jaw of the woodpecker. The secretion from them, when wet, is very +clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it loses these qualities, and you +can pulverise it betwixt your finger and thumb; so that in dissection, if +any of it has got upon the fur of the animal or the feathers of the bird, +allow it to dry there, and then it may be removed without leaving the least +stain behind. + +The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the first to begin the +attack. His motto may be "Noli me tangere." As his habits and his haunts +differ materially from those of every other animal in the forest, their +interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good old age, and die at +last in peace, were it not that his flesh is good food. On this account the +Indian wages perpetual war against him and, as he cannot escape by flight, +he falls an easy prey to the poisoned arrow shot from the Indian's bow at a +distance. If ever he be closely attacked by dogs, he immediately throws +himself on his back, and if he be fortunate enough to catch hold of his +enemy with his tremendous claws, the invader is sure to pay for his +rashness with the loss of life. + +We will now take a view of the vampire. As there was a free entrance and +exit to the vampire in the loft where I slept, I had many a fine +opportunity of paying attention to this nocturnal surgeon. He does not +always live on blood. When the moon shone bright, and the fruit of the +banana-tree was ripe, I could see him approach and eat it. He would also +bring into the loft, from the forest, a green round fruit something like +the wild guava and about the size of a nutmeg. There was something also in +the blossom of the sawarri nut-tree which was grateful to him, for on +coming up Waratilla Creek, in a moonlight night, I saw several vampires +fluttering round the top of the sawarri-tree, and every now and then the +blossoms, which they had broken off, fell into the water. They certainly +did not drop off naturally, for on examining several of them they appeared +quite fresh and blooming. So I concluded the vampires pulled them from the +tree either to get at the incipient fruit or to catch the insects which +often take up their abode in flowers. + +The vampire, in general, measures about twenty-six inches from wing to wing +extended, though I once killed one which measured thirty-two inches. He +frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; and sometimes a cluster of +them may be seen in the forest hanging head downwards from the branch of a +tree. + +Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the vampire hangs in clusters; for +in the _Deserted Village_, speaking of America, he says: + + And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, + But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling. + +The vampire has a curious membrane which rises from the nose, and gives it +a very singular appearance. It has been remarked before that there are two +species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a smaller. The larger sucks men +and other animals; the smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. I +learnt from a gentleman high up in the River Demerara that he was +completely unsuccessful with his fowls on account of the small vampire. He +showed me some that had been sucked the night before, and they were +scarcely able to walk. + +Some years ago I went to the River Paumaron with a Scotch gentleman, by +name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's +house. Next morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, and +now and then letting fall an imprecation or two just about the time he +ought to have been saying his morning prayers. "What is the matter, sir?" +said I softly. "Is anything amiss?" "What's the matter?" answered he +surlily; "why, the vampires have been sucking me to death." As soon as +there was light enough I went to his hammock and saw it much stained with +blood. "There," said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, "see how +these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood." On examining his +foot I found the vampire had tapped his great toe: there was a wound +somewhat less than that made by a leech; the blood was still oozing from +it; I conjectured he might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of blood. +Whilst examining it, I think I put him into a worse humour by remarking +that a European surgeon would not have been so generous as to have blooded +him without making a charge. He looked up in my face, but did not say a +word: I saw he was of opinion that I had better have spared this piece of +ill-timed levity. + +It was not the last punishment of this good gentleman in the River +Paumaron. The next night he was doomed to undergo a kind of ordeal unknown +in Europe. There is a species of large red ant in Guiana sometimes called +ranger, sometimes coushie. These ants march in millions through the country +in compact order, like a regiment of soldiers: they eat up every insect in +their march; and if a house obstruct their route, they do not turn out of +the way, but go quite through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, +the planter is not sorry to see them in his house, for it is but a passing +visit, and they destroy every kind of insect-vermin that has taken shelter +under his roof. + +Now in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in Europe, there is +always a little temple dedicated to the goddess Cloacina. Our dinner had +chiefly consisted of crabs dressed in rich and different ways. Paumaron is +famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider them the greatest +luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a very capital dinner on crabs; but this +change of diet was productive of unpleasant circumstances: he awoke in the +night in that state in which Virgil describes Caeleno to have been, viz. +"faedissima ventris proluvies." Up he got to verify the remark: + + Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam. + +Now, unluckily for himself and the nocturnal tranquillity of the planter's +house, just at that unfortunate hour the coushie-ants were passing across +the seat of Cloacina's temple. He had never dreamed of this; and so, +turning his face to the door, he placed himself in the usual situation +which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a lighted match +dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he afterwards remarked, it could not +have caused a greater recoil. Up he jumped and forced his way out, roaring +for help and for a light, for he was worried alive by ten thousand devils. +The fact is he had sat down upon an intervening body of coushie-ants. Many +of those which escaped being crushed to death turned again, and in revenge +stung the unintentional intruder most severely. The watchman had fallen +asleep, and it was some time before a light could be procured, the fire +having gone out; in the meantime the poor gentleman was suffering an +indescribable martyrdom, and would have found himself more at home in the +Augean stable than in the planter's house. + +I had often wished to have been once sucked by the vampire in order that I +might have it in my power to say it had really happened to me. There can be +no pain in the operation, for the patient is always asleep when the vampire +is sucking him; and as for the loss of a few ounces of blood, that would be +a trifle in the long run. Many a night have I slept with my foot out of the +hammock to tempt this winged surgeon, expecting that he would be there, but +it was all in vain; the vampire never sucked me, and I could never account +for his not doing so, for we were inhabitants of the same loft for months +together. + +The armadillo is very common in these forests; he burrows in the sandhills +like a rabbit. As it often takes a considerable time to dig him out of his +hole, it would be a long and laborious business to attack each hole +indiscriminately without knowing whether the animal were there or not. To +prevent disappointment the Indians carefully examine the mouth of the hole, +and put a short stick down it. Now if, on introducing the stick, a number +of mosquitos come out, the Indians know to a certainty that the armadillo +is in it: whenever there are no mosquitos in the hole there is no +armadillo. The Indian having satisfied himself that the armadillo is there +by the mosquitos which come out, he immediately cuts a long and slender +stick and introduces it into the hole. He carefully observes the line the +stick takes, and then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the end of it: this +done, he puts it farther into the hole, and digs another pit, and so on, +till at last he comes up with the armadillo, which had been making itself a +passage in the sand till it had exhausted all its strength through pure +exertion. I have been sometimes three-quarters of a day in digging out one +armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits seven feet deep before I +got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very fond of the flesh, but I +considered it strong and rank. + +On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious not to come in contact +with his feet: they are armed with sharp claws, and with them he will +inflict a severe wound in self-defence. When not molested he is very +harmless and innocent: he would put you in mind of the hare in Gay's +fables: + + Whose care was never to offend, + And every creature was her friend. + +The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not go into the water by +choice. He is very seldom seen abroad during the day; and when surprised, +he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of the armadillo is +well protected by his shell, except his ears. In life this shell is very +limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full stretch or roll himself +up into a ball, as occasion may require. + +On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you very much in mind +of a coat of armour; indeed, it is a natural coat of armour to the +armadillo, and being composed both of scale and bone it affords ample +security, and has a pleasing effect. + +Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with the land-tortoise; he +too adds another to the list of unoffending animals. He subsists on the +fallen fruits of the forest. When an enemy approaches he never thinks of +moving, but quietly draws himself under his shell and there awaits his doom +in patience. He only seems to have two enemies who can do him any damage: +one of these is the boa-constrictor--this snake swallows the tortoise +alive, shell and all. But a boa large enough to do this is very scarce, and +thus there is not much to apprehend from that quarter. The other enemy is +man, who takes up the tortoise and carries him away. Man also is scarce in +these never-ending wilds, and the little depredations he may commit upon +the tortoise will be nothing, or a mere trifle. The tiger's teeth cannot +penetrate its shell, nor can a stroke of his paws do it any damage. It is +of so compact and strong a nature that there is a common saying, a London +waggon might roll over it and not break it. + +Ere we proceed, let us take a retrospective view of the five animals just +enumerated: they are all quadrupeds, and have some very particular mark or +mode of existence different from all other animals. The sloth has four +feet, but never can use them to support his body on the earth: they want +soles, which are a marked feature in the feet of other animals. The ant- +bear has not a tooth in his head, still he roves fearless on in the same +forests with the jaguar and boa-constrictor. The vampire does not make use +of his feet to walk, but to stretch a membrane which enables him to go up +into an element where no other quadruped is seen. The armadillo has only +here and there a straggling hair, and has neither fur nor wool nor +bristles, but in lieu of them has received a movable shell on which are +scales very much like those of fishes. The tortoise is oviparous, entirely +without any appearance of hair, and is obliged to accommodate itself to a +shell which is quite hard and inflexible, and in no point of view whatever +obedient to the will or pleasure of the bearer. The egg of the tortoise has +a very hard shell, while that of the turtle is quite soft. + +In some parts of these forests I saw the vanilla growing luxuriantly. It +creeps up the trees to the height of thirty or forty feet. I found it +difficult to get a ripe pod, as the monkeys are very fond of it, and +generally took care to get there before me. The pod hangs from the tree in +the shape of a little scabbard. _Vayna_ is the Spanish for a scabbard, +and _vanilla_ for a little scabbard. Hence the name. + +In Mibiri Creek there was a cayman of the small species, measuring about +five feet in length; I saw it in the same place for months, but could never +get a shot at it, for, the moment I thought I was sure of it, it dived +under the water before I could pull the trigger. At last I got an Indian +with his bow and arrow: he stood up in the canoe with his bow ready bent, +and as we drifted past the place he sent his arrow into the cayman's eye, +and killed it dead. The skin of this little species is much harder and +stronger than that of the large kind; it is good food, and tastes like +veal. + +My friend Mr. Edmonstone had very kindly let me have one of his old +negroes, and he constantly attended me: his name was Daddy Quashi. He had a +brave stomach for heterogeneous food; it could digest and relish, too, +caymen, monkeys, hawks and grubs. The Daddy made three or four meals on +this cayman while it was not absolutely putrid, and salted the rest. I +could never get him to face a snake; the horror he betrayed on seeing one +was beyond description. I asked him why he was so terribly alarmed. He said +it was by seeing so many dogs from time to time killed by them. + +Here I had a fine opportunity of examining several species of the +caprimulgus. I am fully persuaded that these innocent little birds never +suck the herds, for when they approach them, and jump up at their udders, +it is to catch the flies and insects there. When the moon shone bright I +would frequently go and stand within three yards of a cow, and distinctly +see the caprimulgus catch the flies on its udder. On looking for them in +the forest during the day, I either found them on the ground, or else +invariably sitting _longitudinally_ on the branch of a tree, not +_crosswise_, like all other birds. + +The wasps, or maribuntas, are great plagues in these forests, and require +the naturalist to be cautious as he wanders up and down. Some make their +nests pendent from the branches; others have them fixed to the underside of +a leaf. Now, in passing on, if you happen to disturb one of these, they +sally forth and punish you severely. The largest kind is blue: it brings +blood where its sting enters, and causes pain and inflammation enough to +create a fever. The Indians make a fire under the nest, and, after killing +or driving away the old ones, they roast the young grubs in the comb and +eat them. I tried them once by way of dessert after dinner, but my stomach +was offended at their intrusion; probably it was more the idea than the +taste that caused the stomach to rebel. + +Time and experience have convinced me that there is not much danger in +roving amongst snakes and wild beasts, provided only that you have self- +command. You must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are sure to pay +for your rashness, because the idea of self-defence is predominant in every +animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from what he considers an +attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the deadly effect of his poisonous +fangs. The jaguar flies at you, and knocks you senseless with a stroke of +his paw; whereas, if you had not come upon him too suddenly, it is ten to +one but that he had retired in lieu of disputing the path with you. The +labarri-snake is very poisonous, and I have often approached within two +yards of him without fear. I took care to move very softly and gently, +without moving my arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him +without showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. He would +appear to keep his eye fixed on me as though suspicious, but that was all. +Sometimes I have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the labarri's +back. He would then glide away without offering resistance. But when I put +the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he immediately opened his mouth, +flew at it, and bit it. + +One day, wishful to see how the poison comes out of the fang of the snake, +I caught a labarri alive. He was about eight feet long. I held him by the +neck, and my hand was so near his jaw that he had not room to move his head +to bite it. This was the only position I could have held him in with safety +and effect. To do so it only required a little resolution and coolness. I +then took a small piece of stick in the other hand and pressed it against +the fang, which is invariably in the upper jaw. Towards the point of the +fang there is a little oblong aperture on the convex side of it. Through +this there is a communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a +little bag containing the poison. Now, when the point of the fang is +pressed, the root of the fang also presses against the bag, and sends up a +portion of the poison therein contained. Thus, when I applied a piece of +stick to the point of the fang, there came out of the hole a liquor thick +and yellow, like strong camomile-tea. This was the poison which is so +dreadful in its effects as to render the labarri-snake one of the most +poisonous in the forests of Guiana. I once caught a fine labarri and made +it bite itself. I forced the poisonous fang into its belly. In a few +minutes I thought it was going to die, for it appeared dull and heavy. +However, in half an hour's time he was as brisk and vigorous as ever, and +in the course of the day showed no symptoms of being affected. Is then the +life of the snake proof against its own poison? This subject is not +unworthy of the consideration of the naturalist. + +In Guiana there is a little insect in the grass and on the shrubs which the +French call bête-rouge. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour, and so minute +that you must bring your eye close to it before you can perceive it. It is +most numerous in the rainy season. Its bite causes an intolerable itching. +The best way to get rid of it is to rub the part affected with oil or rum. +You must be careful not to scratch it. If you do so, and break the skin, +you expose yourself to a sore. The first year I was in Guiana the bête- +rouge and my own want of knowledge, and, I may add, the little attention I +paid to it, created an ulcer above the ankle which annoyed me for six +months, and if I hobbled out into the grass a number of bête-rouge would +settle on the edges of the sore and increase the inflammation. + +Still more inconvenient, painful and annoying is another little pest called +the chegoe. It looks exactly like a very small flea, and a stranger would +take it for one. However, in about four and twenty hours he would have +several broad hints that he had made a mistake in his ideas of the animal. +It attacks different parts of the body, but chiefly the feet, betwixt the +toe-nails and the flesh. There it buries itself, and at first causes an +itching not unpleasant. In a day or so, after examining the part, you +perceive a place about the size of a pea, somewhat discoloured, rather of a +blue appearance. Sometimes it happens that the itching is so trivial, you +are not aware that the miner is at work. Time, they say, makes great +discoveries. The discoloured part turns out to be the nest of the chegoe, +containing hundreds of eggs, which, if allowed to hatch there, the young +ones will soon begin to form other nests, and in time cause a spreading +ulcer. As soon as you perceive that you have got the chegoe in your flesh, +you must take a needle or a sharp-pointed knife and take it out. If the +nest be formed, great care must be taken not to break it, otherwise some of +the eggs remain in the flesh, and then you will soon be annoyed with more +chegoes. After removing the nest it is well to drop spirit of turpentine +into the hole: that will most effectually destroy any chegoe that may be +lurking there. Sometimes I have taken four nests out of my feet in the +course of the day. + +Every evening, before sundown, it was part of my toilette to examine my +feet and see that they were clear of chegoes. Now and then a nest would +escape the scrutiny, and then I had to smart for it a day or two after. A +chegoe once lit upon the back of my hand; wishful to see how he worked, I +allowed him to take possession. He immediately set to work, head foremost, +and in about half an hour he had completely buried himself in the skin. I +then let him feel the point of my knife, and exterminated him. + +More than once, after sitting down upon a rotten stump, I have found myself +covered with ticks. There is a short and easy way to get quit of these +unwelcome adherents. Make a large fire and stand close to it, and if you be +covered with ticks they will all fall off. + +Let us now forget for awhile the quadrupeds, serpents and insects, and take +a transitory view of the native Indians of these forests. + +There are five principal nations or tribes of Indians in _ci-devant_ +Dutch Guiana, commonly known by the name of Warow, Arowack, Acoway, Carib +and Macoushi. They live in small hamlets, which consist of a few huts, +never exceeding twelve in number. These huts are always in the forest, near +a river or some creek. They are open on all sides (except those of the +Macoushi), and covered with a species of palm-leaf. + +Their principal furniture is the hammock. It serves them both for chair and +bed. It is commonly made of cotton; though those of the Warows are formed +from the æta-tree. At night they always make a fire close to it. The heat +keeps them warm, and the smoke drives away the mosquitos and sand-flies. +You sometimes find a table in the hut; but it was not made by the Indians, +but by some negro or mulatto carpenter. + +They cut down about an acre or two of the trees which surround the huts, +and there plant pepper, papaws, sweet and bitter cassava, plantains, sweet +potatoes, yams, pine-apples and silk-grass. Besides these, they generally +have a few acres in some fertile part of the forest for their cassava, +which is as bread to them. They make earthen pots to boil their provisions +in; and they get from the white men flat circular plates of iron on which +they bake their cassava. They have to grate the cassava before it is +pressed preparatory to baking; and those Indians who are too far in the +wilds to procure graters from the white men make use of a flat piece of +wood studded with sharp stones. They have no cows, horses, mules, goats, +sheep or asses. The men hunt and fish, and the women work in the provision- +ground and cook their victuals. + +In each hamlet there is the trunk of a large tree hollowed out like a +trough. In this, from their cassava, they make an abominable ill-tasted and +sour kind of fermented liquor called piwarri. They are very fond of it, and +never fail to get drunk after every brewing. The frequency of the brewing +depends upon the superabundance of cassava. + +Both men and women go without clothes. The men have a cotton wrapper, and +the women a bead-ornamented square piece of cotton about the size of your +hand for the fig-leaf. Those far away in the interior use the bark of a +tree for this purpose. They are a very clean people, and wash in the river +or creek at least twice every day. They paint themselves with the roucou, +sweetly perfumed with hayawa or accaiari. Their hair is black and lank, and +never curled. The women braid it up fancifully, something in the shape of +Diana's head-dress in ancient pictures. They have very few diseases. Old +age and pulmonary complaints seem to be the chief agents for removing them +to another world. The pulmonary complaints are generally brought on by a +severe cold, which they do not know how to arrest in its progress by the +use of the lancet. I never saw an idiot amongst them, nor could I perceive +any that were deformed from their birth. Their women never perish in +childbed, owing, no doubt, to their never wearing stays. + +They have no public religious ceremony. They acknowledge two superior +beings--a good one and a bad one. They pray to the latter not to hurt them, +and they are of opinion that the former is too good to do the man injury. I +suspect, if the truth were known, the individuals of the village never +offer up a single prayer or ejaculation. They have a kind of a priest +called a Pee-ay-man, who is an enchanter. He finds out things lost. He +mutters prayers to the evil spirit over them and their children when they +are sick. If a fever be in the village, the Pee-ay-man goes about all night +long howling and making dreadful noises, and begs the bad spirit to depart. +But he has very seldom to perform this part of his duty, as fevers seldom +visit the Indian hamlets. However, when a fever does come, and his +incantations are of no avail, which I imagine is most commonly the case, +they abandon the place for ever and make a new settlement elsewhere. They +consider the owl and the goat-sucker as familiars of the evil spirit, and +never destroy them. + +I could find no monuments or marks of antiquity amongst these Indians; so +that, after penetrating to the Rio Branco from the shores of the Western +Ocean, had anybody questioned me on this subject I should have answered, I +have seen nothing amongst these Indians which tells me that they have +existed here for a century; though, for aught I know to the contrary, they +may have been here before the Redemption, but their total want of +civilisation has assimilated them to the forests in which they wander. Thus +an aged tree falls and moulders into dust and you cannot tell what was its +appearance, its beauties, or its diseases amongst the neighbouring trees; +another has shot up in its place, and after Nature has had her course it +will make way for a successor in its turn. So it is with the Indian of +Guiana. He is now laid low in the dust; he has left no record behind him, +either on parchment or on a stone or in earthenware to say what he has +done. Perhaps the place where his buried ruins lie was unhealthy, and the +survivors have left it long ago and gone far away into the wilds. All that +you can say is, the trees where I stand appear lower and smaller than the +rest, and from this I conjecture that some Indians may have had a +settlement here formerly. Were I by chance to meet the son of the father +who moulders here, he could tell me that his father was famous for slaying +tigers and serpents and caymen, and noted in the chase of the tapir and +wild boar, but that he remembers little or nothing of his grandfather. + +They are very jealous of their liberty, and much attached to their own mode +of living. Though those in the neighbourhood of the European settlements +have constant communication with the whites, they have no inclination to +become civilised. Some Indians who have accompanied white men to Europe, on +returning to their own land have thrown off their clothes and gone back +into the forests. + +In Georgetown, the capital of Demerara, there is a large shed, open on all +sides, built for them by order of Government. Hither the Indians come with +monkeys, parrots, bows and arrows, and pegalls. They sell these to the +white men for money, and too often purchase rum with it, to which they are +wonderfully addicted. + +Government allows them annual presents in order to have their services when +the colony deems it necessary to scour the forests in quest of runaway +negroes. Formerly these expeditions were headed by Charles Edmonstone, +Esq., now of Cardross Park, near Dumbarton. This brave colonist never +returned from the woods without being victorious. Once, in an attack upon +the rebel-negroes' camp, he led the way and received two balls in his body; +at the same moment that he was wounded two of his Indians fell dead by his +side; he recovered, after his life was despaired of, but the balls could +never be extracted. + +Since the above appeared in print I have had the account of this engagement +with the negroes in the forest from Mr. Edmonstone's own mouth. + +He received four slugs in his body, as will be seen in the sequel. + +The plantations of Demerara and Essequibo are bounded by an almost +interminable extent of forest. Hither the runaway negroes repair, and form +settlements from whence they issue to annoy the colonists, as occasion may +offer. + +In 1801 the runaway slaves had increased to an alarming extent. The +Governor gave orders that an expedition should be immediately organised and +proceed to the woods under the command of Charles Edmonstone, Esq. General +Hislop sent him a corporal, a sergeant and eleven men, and he was joined by +a part of the colonial militia and by sixty Indians. With this force Mr. +Edmonstone entered the forest and proceeded in a direction towards Mahaica. + +He marched for eight days through swamps and over places obstructed by +fallen trees and the bush-rope; tormented by myriads of mosquitos, and ever +in fear of treading on the poisonous snakes which can scarcely be +distinguished from the fallen leaves. + +At last he reached a wooded sandhill, where the Maroons had entrenched +themselves in great force. Not expecting to come so soon upon them, Mr. +Edmonstone, his faithful man Coffee and two Indian chiefs found themselves +considerably ahead of their own party. As yet they were unperceived by the +enemy, but unfortunately one of the Indian chiefs fired a random shot at a +distant Maroon. Immediately the whole negro camp turned out and formed +themselves in a crescent in front of Mr. Edmonstone. Their chief was an +uncommonly fine negro, above six feet in height; and his head-dress was +that of an African warrior, ornamented with a profusion of small shells. He +advanced undauntedly with his gun in his hand, and, in insulting language, +called out to Mr. Edmonstone to come on and fight him. + +Mr. Edmonstone approached him slowly in order to give his own men time to +come up; but they were yet too far off for him to profit by this manoeuvre. +Coffee, who carried his master's gun, now stepped up behind him, and put +the gun into his hand, which Mr. Edmonstone received without advancing it +to his shoulder. + +He was now within a few yards of the Maroon chief, who seemed to betray +some symptoms of uncertainty, for, instead of firing directly at Mr. +Edmonstone, he took a step sideways, and rested his gun against a tree; no +doubt with the intention of taking a surer aim. Mr. Edmonstone, on +perceiving this, immediately cocked his gun and fired it off, still holding +it in the position in which he had received it from Coffee. The whole of +the contents entered the negro's body, and he dropped dead on his face. + +The negroes, who had formed in a crescent, now in their turn fired a +volley, which brought Mr. Edmonstone and his two Indian chiefs to the +ground. The Maroons did not stand to reload, but, on Mr. Edmonstone's party +coming up, they fled precipitately into the surrounding forest. + +Four slugs had entered Mr. Edmonstone's body. After coming to himself, on +looking around he saw one of the fallen Indian chiefs bleeding by his side. +He accosted him by name and said he hoped he was not much hurt. The dying +Indian had just strength enough to answer, "Oh no,"--and then expired. The +other chief was lying quite dead. He must have received his mortal wound +just as he was in the act of cocking his gun to fire on the negroes; for it +appeared that the ball which gave him his death-wound had carried off the +first joint of his thumb and passed through his forehead. By this time his +wife, who had accompanied the expedition, came up. She was a fine young +woman, and had her long black hair fancifully braided in a knot on the top +of her head, fastened with a silver ornament. She unloosed it, and, falling +on her husband's body, covered it with her hair, bewailing his untimely end +with the most heart-rending cries. + +The blood was now running out of Mr. Edmonstone's shoes. On being raised +up, he ordered his men to pursue the flying Maroons, requesting at the same +time that he might be left where he had fallen, as he felt that he was +mortally wounded. They gently placed him on the ground, and, after the +pursuit of the Maroons had ended, the corporal and sergeant returned to +their commander and formed their men. On his asking what this meant, the +sergeant replied, "I had the General's orders, on setting out from town, +not to leave you in the forest, happen what might." By slow and careful +marches, as much as the obstructions in the woods would admit of, the party +reached Plantation Alliance, on the bank of the Demerara, and from thence +it crossed the river to Plantation Vredestein. + +The news of the rencounter had been spread far and wide by the Indians, and +had already reached town. The General, Captains Macrai and Johnstone and +Doctor Dunkin proceeded to Vredestein. On examining Mr. Edmonstone's +wounds, four slugs were found to have entered the body: one was extracted, +the rest remained there till the year 1824, when another was cut out by a +professional gentleman of Port Glasgow. The other two still remain in the +body; and it is supposed that either one or both have touched a nerve, as +they cause almost continual pain. Mr. Edmonstone has commanded fifteen +different expeditions in the forest in quest of the Maroons. The Colonial +Government has requited his services by freeing his property from all taxes +and presenting him a handsome sword and a silver urn, bearing the following +inscription: + + Presented to CHARLES EDMONSTONE, Esq., by the Governor + and Court of Policy of the Colony of Demerara, as a token of + their esteem and the deep sense they entertain of the very great + activity and spirit manifested by him, on various occasions, in + his successful exertions for the internal security of the Colony. + --_January 1st, 1809_. + +I do not believe that there is a single Indian in _ci-devant_ Dutch +Guiana who can read or write, nor am I aware that any white man has reduced +their language to the rules of grammar; some may have made a short +manuscript vocabulary of the few necessary words, but that is all. Here and +there a white man, and some few people of colour, talk the language well. +The temper of the Indian of Guiana is mild and gentle, and he is very fond +of his children. + +Some ignorant travellers and colonists call these Indians a lazy race. Man +in general will not be active without an object. Now when the Indian has +caught plenty of fish, and killed game enough to last him for a week, what +need has he to range the forest? He has no idea of making pleasure-grounds. +Money is of no use to him, for in these wilds there are no markets for him +to frequent, nor milliners' shops for his wife and daughters; he has no +taxes to pay, no highways to keep up, no poor to maintain, nor army nor +navy to supply; he lies in his hammock both night and day (for he has no +chair or bed, neither does he want them), and in it he forms his bow and +makes his arrows and repairs his fishing-tackle. But as soon as he has +consumed his provisions, he then rouses himself and, like the lion, scours +the forest in quest of food. He plunges into the river after the deer and +tapir, and swims across it; passes through swamps and quagmires, and never +fails to obtain a sufficient supply of food. Should the approach of night +stop his career while he is hunting the wild boar, he stops for the night +and continues the chase the next morning. In my way through the wilds to +the Portuguese frontier I had a proof of this: we were eight in number, six +Indians, a negro and myself. About ten o'clock in the morning we observed +the feet-mark of the wild boars; we judged by the freshness of the marks +that they had passed that way early the same morning. As we were not +gifted, like the hound, with scent, and as we had no dog with us, we +followed their track by the eye. The Indian after game is as sure with his +eye as the dog is with his nose. We followed the herd till three in the +afternoon, then gave up the chase for the present, made our fires close to +a creek where there was plenty of fish, and then arranged the hammocks. In +an hour the Indians shot more fish with their arrows than we could consume. +The night was beautifully serene and clear, and the moon shone as bright as +day. Next morn we rose at dawn, got breakfast, packed up, each took his +burden, and then we put ourselves on the track of the wild boars which we +had been following the day before. We supposed that they too would sleep +that night in the forest, as we had done; and thus the delay on our part +would be no disadvantage to us. This was just the case, for about nine +o'clock their feet-marks became fresher and fresher: we now doubled, our +pace, but did not give mouth like hounds. We pushed on in silence, and soon +came up with them: there were above one hundred of them. We killed six and +the rest took off in different directions. But to the point. + +Amongst us the needy man works from light to dark for a maintenance. Should +this man chance to acquire a fortune, he soon changes his habits. No longer +under "strong necessity's supreme command," he contrives to get out of bed +betwixt nine and ten in the morning. His servant helps him to dress, he +walks on a soft carpet to his breakfast-table, his wife pours out his tea, +and his servant hands him his toast. After breakfast the doctor advises a +little gentle exercise in the carriage for an hour or so. At dinner-time he +sits down to a table groaning beneath the weight of heterogeneous luxury: +there he rests upon a chair for three or four hours, eats, drinks and talks +(often unmeaningly) till tea is announced. He proceeds slowly to the +drawing-room, and there spends best part of his time in sitting, till his +wife tempts him with something warm for supper. After supper he still +remains on his chair at rest till he retires to rest for the night. He +mounts leisurely upstairs upon a carpet, and enters his bedroom: there, one +would hope that at least he mutters a prayer or two, though perhaps not on +bended knee. He then lets himself drop in to a soft and downy bed, over +which has just passed the comely Jenny's warming-pan. Now, could the Indian +in his turn see this, he would call the white men a lazy, indolent set. + +Perhaps, then, upon due reflection you would draw this conclusion: that men +will always be indolent where there is no object to rouse them. + +As the Indian of Guiana has no idea whatever of communicating his +intentions by writing, he has fallen upon a plan of communication sure and +simple. When two or three families have determined to come down the river +and pay you a visit, they send an Indian beforehand with a string of beads. +You take one bead off every day, and on the day that the string is beadless +they arrive at your house. + +In finding their way through these pathless wilds the sun is to them what +Ariadne's clue was to Theseus. When he is on the meridian they generally +sit down, and rove onwards again as soon as he has sufficiently declined to +the west; they require no other compass. When in chase, they break a twig +on the bushes as they pass by, every three or four hundred paces, and this +often prevents them from losing their way on their return. + +You will not be long in the forests of Guiana before you perceive how very +thinly they are inhabited. You may wander for a week together without +seeing a hut. The wild beasts, snakes, the swamps, the trees, the uncurbed +luxuriance of everything around you conspire to inform you that man has no +habitation here--man has seldom passed this way. + +Let us now return to natural history. There was a person making shingles +with twenty or thirty negroes not far from Mibiri Hill. I had offered a +reward to any of them who would find a good-sized snake in the forest and +come and let me know where it was. Often had these negroes looked for a +large snake, and as often been disappointed. + +One Sunday morning I met one of them in the forest, and asked him which way +he was going: he said he was going towards Waratilla Creek to hunt an +armadillo; and he had his little dog with him. On coming back, about noon, +the dog began to bark at the root of a large tree which had been upset by +the whirlwind and was lying there in a gradual state of decay. The negro +said he thought his dog was barking at an acouri which had probably taken +refuge under the tree, and he went up with an intention to kill it; he +there saw a snake, and hastened back to inform me of it. + +The sun had just passed the meridian in a cloudless sky; there was scarcely +a bird to be seen, for the winged inhabitants of the forest, as though +overcome by heat, had retired to the thickest shade: all would have been +like midnight silence were it not for the shrill voice of the pi-pi-yo, +every now and then resounded from a distant tree. I was sitting with a +little Horace in my hand, on what had once been the steps which formerly +led up to the now mouldering and dismantled building. The negro and his +little dog came down the hill in haste, and I was soon informed that a +snake had been discovered; but it was a young one, called the bush-master, +a rare and poisonous snake. + +I instantly rose up, and laying hold of the eight-foot lance which was +close by me, "Well, then, Daddy," said I, "we'll go and have a look at the +snake." I was barefoot, with an old hat, and check shirt, and trousers on, +and a pair of braces to keep them up. The negro had his cutlass, and as we +ascended the hill another negro, armed with a cutlass, joined us, judging +from our pace that there was something to do. The little dog came along +with us, and when we had got about half a mile in the forest the negro +stopped and pointed to the fallen tree: all was still and silent. I told +the negroes not to stir from the place where they were, and keep the little +dog in, and that I would go in and reconnoitre. + +I advanced up to the place slow and cautious. The snake was well concealed, +but at last I made him out; it was a coulacanara, not poisonous, but large +enough to have crushed any of us to death. On measuring him afterwards he +was something more than fourteen feet long. This species of snake is very +rare, and much thicker in proportion to his length than any other snake in +the forest. A coulacanara of fourteen feet in length is as thick as a +common boa of twenty-four. After skinning this snake I could easily get my +head into his mouth, as the singular formation of the jaws admits of +wonderful extension. + +A Dutch friend of mine, by name Brouwer, killed a boa twenty-two feet long +with a pair of stag's horns in his mouth. He had swallowed the stag, but +could not get the horns down; so he had to wait in patience with that +uncomfortable mouthful till his stomach digested the body, and then the +horns would drop out. In this plight the Dutchman found him as he was going +in his canoe up the river, and sent a ball through his head. + +On ascertaining the size of the serpent which the negro had just found, I +retired slowly the way I came, and promised four dollars to the negro who +had shown it to me, and one to the other who had joined us. Aware that the +day was on the decline, and that the approach of night would be detrimental +to the dissection, a thought struck me that I could take him alive. I +imagined if I could strike him with the lance behind the head, and pin him +to the ground, I might succeed in capturing him. When I told this to the +negroes they begged and entreated me to let them go for a gun and bring +more force, as they were sure the snake would kill some of us. + +I had been at the siege of Troy for nine years, and it would not do now to +carry back to Greece "nil decimo nisi dedecus anno." I mean I had been in +search of a large serpent for years, and now having come up with one it did +not become me to turn soft. So, taking a cutlass from one of the negroes, +and then ranging both the sable slaves behind me, I told them to follow me, +and that I would cut them down if they offered to fly. I smiled as I said +this, but they shook their heads in silence and seemed to have but a bad +heart of it. + +When we got up to the place the serpent had not stirred, but I could see +nothing of his head, and I judged by the folds of his body that it must be +at the farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had formed a +complete mantle over the branches of the fallen tree, almost impervious to +the rain or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted to this +sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an ancient +settlement. + +I now took my knife, determining to cut away the woodbine and break the +twigs in the gentlest manner possible, till I could get a view of his head. +One negro stood guard close behind me with the lance; and near him the +other with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the first negro +was on the ground close by me in case of need. + +After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, with one knee all +the time on the ground, I had cleared away enough to see his head. It +appeared coming out betwixt the first and second coil of his body, and was +flat on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to be in. + +I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a sign to the negroes +to do the same. The dog was sitting at a distance in mute observance. I +could now read in the face of the negroes that they considered this as a +very unpleasant affair; and they made another attempt to persuade me to let +them go for a gun. I smiled in a good-natured manner, and made a feint to +cut them down with the weapon I had in my hand. This was all the answer I +made to their request, and they looked very uneasy. + +It must be observed we were now about twenty yards from the snake's den. I +now ranged the negroes behind me, and told him who stood next to me to lay +hold of the lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the other must +attend my movements. It now only remained to take their cutlasses from +them, for I was sure if I did not disarm them they would be tempted to +strike the snake in time of danger, and thus for ever spoil his skin. On +taking their cutlasses from them, if I might judge from their physiognomy, +they seemed to consider it as a most intolerable act of tyranny in me. +Probably nothing kept them from bolting but the consolation that I was to +be betwixt them and the snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite of all I +could do, beat quicker than usual; and I felt those sensations which one +has on board a merchant-vessel in war-time, when the captain orders all +hands on deck to prepare for action, while a strange vessel is coming down +upon us under suspicious colours. + +We went slowly on in silence without moving our arms or heads, in order to +prevent all alarm as much as possible, lest the snake should glide off or +attack us in self-defence. I carried the lance perpendicularly before me, +with the point about a foot from the ground. The snake had not moved; and +on getting up to him I struck him with the lance on the near-side, just +behind the neck, and pinned him to the ground. That moment the negro next +to me seized the lance and held it firm in its place, while I dashed head +foremost into the den to grapple with the snake and to get hold of his tail +before he could do any mischief. + +On pinning him to the ground with the lance he gave a tremendous loud hiss, +and the little dog ran away, howling as he went. We had a sharp fray in the +den, the rotten sticks flying on all sides, and each party struggling for +superiority. I called out to the second negro to throw himself upon me, as +I found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and the additional weight was of +great service. I had now got firm hold of his tail; and after a violent +struggle or two he gave in, finding himself overpowered. This was the +moment to secure him. So while the first negro continued to hold the lance +firm to the ground, and the other was helping me, I contrived to unloose my +braces and with them tied up the snake's mouth. + +The snake, now finding himself in an unpleasant situation, tried to better +himself, and set resolutely to work, but we overpowered him. We contrived +to make him twist himself round the shaft of the lance, and then prepared +to convey him out of the forest. I stood at his head and held it firm under +my arm, one negro supported the belly and the other the tail. In this order +we began to move slowly towards home, and reached it after resting ten +times: for the snake was too heavy for us to support him without stopping +to recruit our strength. As we proceeded onwards with him he fought hard +for freedom, but it was all in vain. The day was now too far spent to think +of dissecting him. Had I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have +taken place before morning. I had brought with me up into the forest a +strong bag large enough to contain any animal that I should want to +dissect. I considered this the best mode of keeping live wild animals when +I was pressed for daylight; for the bag yielding in every direction to +their efforts, they would have nothing solid or fixed to work on, and thus +would be prevented from making a hole through it. I say fixed, for after +the mouth of the bag was closed the bag itself was not fastened or tied to +anything, but moved about wherever the animal inside caused it to roll. +After securing afresh the mouth of the coulacanara, so that he could not +open it, he was forced into this bag and left to his fate till morning. + +I cannot say he allowed me to have a quiet night. My hammock was in the +loft just above him, and the floor betwixt us half gone to decay, so that +in parts of it no boards intervened betwixt his lodging-room and mine. He +was very restless and fretful; and had Medusa been my wife, there could not +have been more continued and disagreeable hissing in the bed-chamber that +night. At daybreak I sent to borrow ten of the negroes who were cutting +wood at a distance; I could have done with half that number, but judged it +most prudent to have a good force, in case he should try to escape from the +house when we opened the bag. However, nothing serious occurred. + +We untied the mouth of the bag, kept him down by main force, and then I cut +his throat. He bled like an ox. By six o'clock the same evening he was +completely dissected. On examining his teeth I observed that they were all +bent like tenter-hooks, pointing down his throat, and not so large or +strong as I expected to have found them; but they are exactly suited to +what they are intended by Nature to perform. The snake does not masticate +his food, and thus the only service his teeth have to perform is to seize +his prey and hold it till he swallows it whole. + +In general, the skins of snakes are sent to museums without the head: for +when the Indians and negroes kill a snake they seldom fail to cut off the +head, and then they run no risk from its teeth. When the skin is stuffed in +the museum a wooden head is substituted, armed with teeth which are large +enough to suit a tiger's jaw; and this tends to mislead the spectator and +give him erroneous ideas. + +During this fray with the serpent the old negro, Daddy Quashi, was in +Georgetown procuring provisions, and just returned in time to help to take +the skin off. He had spent best part of his life in the forest with his old +master, Mr. Edmonstone, and amused me much in recounting their many +adventures amongst the wild beasts. The Daddy had a particular horror of +snakes, and frankly declared he could never have faced the one in question. + +The week following his courage was put to the test, and he made good his +words. It was a curious conflict, and took place near the spot where I had +captured the large snake. In the morning I had been following a new species +of paroquet, and, the day being rainy, I had taken an umbrella to keep the +gun dry, and had left it under a tree; in the afternoon I took Daddy Quashi +with me to look for it. Whilst he was searching about, curiosity took me +towards the place of the late scene of action. There was a path where +timber had formerly been dragged along. Here I observed a young +coulacanara, ten feet long, slowly moving onwards. I saw he was not thick +enough to break my arm, in case he got twisted round it. There was not a +moment to be lost. I laid hold of his tail with the left hand, one knee +being on the ground; with the right I took off my hat, and held it as you +would hold a shield for defence. + +The snake instantly turned and came on at me, with his head about a yard +from the ground, as if to ask me what business I had to take liberties with +his tail. I let him come, hissing and open-mouthed, within two feet of my +face, and then with all the force I was master of I drove my fist, shielded +by my hat, full in his jaws. He was stunned and confounded by the blow, and +ere he could recover himself I had seized his throat with both hands in +such a position that he could not bite me. I then allowed him to coil +himself round my body, and marched off with him as my lawful prize. He +pressed me hard, but not alarmingly so. + +In the meantime Daddy Quashi, having found the umbrella and having heard +the noise which the fray occasioned, was coming cautiously up. As soon as +he saw me and in what company I was, he turned about and ran off home, I +after him, and shouting to increase his fear. On scolding him for his +cowardice, the old rogue begged that I would forgive him, for that the +sight of the snake had positively turned him sick at stomach. + +When I had done with the carcass of the large snake it was conveyed into +the forest, as I expected that it would attract the king of the vultures as +soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. In a few days it +sent forth that odour which a carcass should send forth, and about twenty +of the common vultures came and perched on the neighbouring trees. The king +of the vultures came, too; and I observed that none of the common ones +seemed inclined to begin breakfast till his majesty had finished. When he +had consumed as much snake as Nature informed him would do him good, he +retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common vultures +fell to and made a hearty meal. + +The head and neck of the king of the vultures are bare of feathers; but the +beautiful appearance they exhibit fades in death. The throat and the back +of the neck are of a fine lemon colour; both sides of the neck, from the +ears downwards, of a rich scarlet; behind the corrugated part there is a +white spot. The crown of the head is scarlet; betwixt the lower mandible +and the eye and close by the ear there is a part which has a fine silvery- +blue appearance; the corrugated part is of a dirty light brown; behind it +and just above the white spot a portion of the skin is blue, and the rest +scarlet; the skin which juts out behind the neck, and appears like an +oblong caruncle, is blue in part and part orange. + +The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and the +cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white. Below the bare part +of the neck there is a cinereous ruff. The bag of the stomach, which is +only seen when distended with food, is of a most delicate white, +intersected with blue veins, which appear on it just like the blue veins on +the arm of a fair-complexioned person. The tail and long wing-feathers are +black, the belly white, and the rest of the body a fine satin colour. + +I cannot be persuaded that the vultures ever feed upon live animals, not +even upon lizards, rats, mice or frogs. I have watched them for hours +together, but never could see them touch any living animals, though +innumerable lizards, frogs and small birds swarmed all around them. I have +killed lizards and frogs, and put them in a proper place for observation; +as soon as they began to stink the aura vulture invariably came and took +them off. I have frequently observed that the day after the planter had +burnt the trash in a cane-field the aura vulture was sure to be there, +feeding on the snakes, lizards and frogs which had suffered in the +conflagration. I often saw a large bird (very much like the common +gregarious vulture, at a distance) catch and devour lizards; after shooting +one it turned out to be not a vulture but a hawk, with a tail squarer and +shorter than hawks have in general. The vultures, like the goat-sucker and +woodpecker, seem to be in disgrace with man. They are generally termed a +voracious, stinking, cruel and ignoble tribe. Under these impressions the +fowler discharges his gun at them, and probably thinks he has done well in +ridding the earth of such vermin. + +Some Governments impose a fine on him who kills a vulture. This is a +salutary law, and it were to be wished that other Governments would follow +so good an example. I would fain here say a word or two in favour of this +valuable scavenger. + +Kind Providence has conferred a blessing on hot countries in giving them +the vulture; He has ordered it to consume that which, if left to dissolve +in putrefaction, would infect the air and produce a pestilence. When full +of food the vulture certainly appears an indolent bird; he will stand for +hours together on the branch of a tree, or on the top of a house, with his +wings drooping, and, after rain, with them spread and elevated to catch the +rays of the sun. It has been remarked by naturalists that the flight of +this bird is laborious. I have paid attention to the vulture in Andalusia +and to those in Guiana, Brazil, and the West Indies, and conclude that they +are birds of long, even and lofty flight. Indeed, whoever has observed the +aura vulture will be satisfied that his flight is wonderfully majestic and +of long continuance. + +This bird is above five feet from wing to wing extended. You will see it +soaring aloft in the aerial expanse on pinions which never flutter, and +which at the same time carry him through the fields of ether with a +rapidity equal to that of the golden eagle. In Paramaribo the laws protect +the vulture, and the Spaniards of Angustura never think of molesting him. +In 1808 I saw the vultures in that city as tame as domestic fowls; a person +who had never seen a vulture would have taken them for turkeys. They were +very useful to the Spaniards. Had it not been for them, the refuse of the +slaughter-houses in Angustura would have caused an intolerable nuisance. + +The common black, short, square-tailed vulture is gregarious, but the aura +vulture is not so; for though you may see fifteen or twenty of them feeding +on the dead vermin in a cane-field, after the trash has been set fire to, +still, if you have paid attention to their arrival, you will have observed +that they came singly and retired singly; and thus their being altogether +in the same field was merely accidental and caused by each one smelling the +effluvia as he was soaring through the sky to look out for food. I have +watched twenty come into a cane-field; they arrived one by one, and from +different parts of the heavens. Hence we may conclude that, though the +other species of vulture are gregarious, the aura vulture is not. + +If you dissect a vulture that has just been feeding on carrion, you must +expect that your olfactory nerves will be somewhat offended with the rank +effluvia from his craw; just as they would be were you to dissect a citizen +after the Lord Mayor's dinner. If, on the contrary, the vulture be empty at +the time you commence the operation, there will be no offensive smell, but +a strong scent of musk. + +I had long wished to examine the native haunts of the cayman, but as the +River Demerara did not afford a specimen of the large kind, I was obliged +to go to the River Essequibo to look for one. + +I got the canoe ready, and went down in it to Georgetown, where, having put +in the necessary articles for the expedition, not forgetting a couple of +large shark-hooks with chains attached to them, and a coil of strong new +rope, I hoisted a little sail which I had got made on purpose, and at six +o'clock in the morning shaped our course for the River Essequibo. I had put +a pair of shoes on to prevent the tar at the bottom of the canoe from +sticking to my feet. The sun was flaming hot, and from eleven o'clock till +two beat perpendicularly upon the top of my feet, betwixt the shoes and the +trousers. Not feeling it disagreeable, or being in the least aware of +painful consequences, as I had been barefoot for months, I neglected to put +on a pair of short stockings which I had with me. I did not reflect that +sitting still in one place, with your feet exposed to the sun, was very +different from being exposed to the sun while in motion. + +We went ashore in the Essequibo about three o'clock in the afternoon, to +choose a place for the night's residence, to collect firewood, and to set +the fish-hooks. It was then that I first began to find my legs very +painful: they soon became much inflamed and red and blistered; and it +required considerable caution not to burst the blisters, otherwise sores +would have ensued. I immediately got into the hammock, and there passed a +painful and sleepless night, and for two days after I was disabled from +walking. + +About midnight, as I was lying awake and in great pain, I heard the Indian +say, "Massa, massa, you no hear tiger?" I listened attentively, and heard +the softly sounding tread of his feet as he approached us. The moon had +gone down, but every now and then we could get a glance of him by the light +of our fire. He was the jaguar, for I could see the spots on his body. Had +I wished to have fired at him I was not able to take a sure aim, for I was +in such pain that I could not turn myself in my hammock. The Indian would +have fired, but I would not allow him to do so, as I wanted to see a little +more of our new visitor, for it is not every day or night that the +traveller is favoured with an undisturbed sight of the jaguar in his own +forests. + +Whenever the fire got low the jaguar came a little nearer, and when the +Indian renewed it he retired abruptly. Sometimes he would come within +twenty yards, and then we had a view of him sitting on his hind-legs like a +dog; sometimes he moved slowly to and fro, and at other times we could hear +him mend his pace, as if impatient. At last the Indian, not relishing the +idea of having such company in the neighbourhood, could contain himself no +longer, and set up a most tremendous yell. The jaguar bounded off like a +racehorse, and returned no more. It appeared by the print of his feet the +next morning that he was a full-grown jaguar. + +In two days after this we got to the first falls in the Essequibo. There +was a superb barrier of rocks quite across the river. In the rainy season +these rocks are for the most part under water, but it being now dry weather +we had a fine view of them, while the water from the river above them +rushed through the different openings in majestic grandeur. Here, on a +little hill jutting out into the river, stands the house of Mrs. Peterson, +the last house of people of colour up this river. I hired a negro from her +and a coloured man who pretended that they knew the haunts of the cayman +and understood everything about taking him. We were a day in passing these +falls and rapids, celebrated for the pacou, the richest and most delicious +fish in Guiana. The coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the +head of the canoe, and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were +swimming in the stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had +plunged headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling +with it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he +aimed at. + +Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here give +thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that not being +the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and well-intended attempt. + +Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each side +of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all covered +with trees of gigantic height and size. Here their leaves were of a lively +purple, and there of the deepest green. Sometimes the caracara extended its +scarlet blossoms from branch to branch, and gave the tree the appearance as +though it had been hung with garlands. + +This delightful scenery of the Essequibo made the soul overflow with joy, +and caused you to rove in fancy through fairyland; till, on turning an +angle of the river, you were recalled to more sober reflections on seeing +the once grand and towering mora now dead and ragged in its topmost +branches, while its aged trunk, undermined by the rushing torrent, hung as +though in sorrow over the river, which ere long would receive it and sweep +it away for ever. + +During the day the trade-wind blew a gentle and refreshing breeze, which +died away as the night set in, and then the river was as smooth as glass. + +The moon was within three days of being full, so that we did not regret the +loss of the sun, which set in all its splendour. Scarce had he sunk behind +the western hills when the goat-suckers sent forth their soft and plaintive +cries; some often repeating, "Who are you--who, who, who are you?" and +others "Willy, willy, willy come go." + +The Indian and Daddy Quashi often shook their head at this, and said they +were bringing talk from Yabahou, who is the Evil Spirit of the Essequibo. +It was delightful to sit on the branch of a fallen tree near the water's +edge and listen to these harmless birds as they repeated their evening +song; and watch the owls and vampires as they every now and then passed up +and down the river. + +The next day, about noon, as we were proceeding onwards, we heard the +campanero tolling in the depth of the forest. Though I should not then have +stopped to dissect even a rare bird, having a greater object in view, still +I could not resist the opportunity offered of acquiring the campanero. The +place where he was tolling was low and swampy, and my legs not having quite +recovered from the effects of the sun, I sent the Indian to shoot the +campanero. He got up to the tree, which he described as very high, with a +naked top, and situated in a swamp. He fired at the bird, but either missed +it or did not wound it sufficiently to bring it down. This was the only +opportunity I had of getting a campanero during this expedition. We had +never heard one toll before this morning, and never heard one after. + +About an hour before sunset we reached the place which the two men who had +joined us at the falls pointed out as a proper one to find a cayman. There +was a large creek close by and a sandbank gently sloping to the water. Just +within the forest, on this bank, we cleared a place of brushwood, suspended +the hammocks from the trees, and then picked up enough of decayed wood for +fuel. + +The Indian found a large land-tortoise, and this, with plenty of fresh fish +which we had in the canoe, afforded a supper not to be despised. + +The tigers had kept up a continual roaring every night since we had entered +the Essequibo. The sound was awfully fine. Sometimes it was in the +immediate neighbourhood; at other times it was far off, and echoed amongst +the hills like distant thunder. + +It may, perhaps, not be amiss to observe here that when the word tiger is +used it does not mean the Bengal tiger. It means the jaguar, whose skin is +beautifully spotted, and not striped like that of the tiger in the East. It +is, in fact, the tiger of the new world, and receiving the name of tiger +from the discoverers of South America it has kept it ever since. It is a +cruel, strong and dangerous beast, but not so courageous as the Bengal +tiger. + +We now baited a shark-hook with a large fish, and put it upon a board about +a yard long and one foot broad which we had brought on purpose. This board +was carried out in the canoe, about forty yards into the river. By means of +a string long enough to reach the bottom of the river, and at the end of +which string was fastened a stone, the board was kept, as it were, at +anchor. One end of the new rope I had bought in town was reeved through the +chain of the shark-hook and the other end fastened to a tree on the +sandbank. + +It was now an hour after sunset. The sky was cloudless, and the moon shone +beautifully bright. There was not a breath of wind in the heavens, and the +river seemed like a large plain of quicksilver. Every now and then a huge +fish would strike and plunge in the water; then the owls and goat-suckers +would continue their lamentations, and the sound of these was lost in the +prowling tiger's growl. Then all was still again and silent as midnight. + +The caymen were now upon the stir, and at intervals their noise could be +distinguished amid that of the jaguar, the owls, the goat-suckers and +frogs. It was a singular and awful sound. It was like a suppressed sigh +bursting forth all of a sudden, and so loud that you might hear it above a +mile off. First one emitted this horrible noise, and then another answered +him; and on looking at the countenances of the people round me I could +plainly see that they expected to have a cayman that night. + +We were at supper when the Indian, who seemed to have had one eye on the +turtle-pot and the other on the bait in the river, said he saw the cayman +coming. Upon looking towards the place there appeared something on the +water like a black log of wood. It was so unlike anything alive that I +doubted if it were a cayman; but the Indian smiled and said he was sure it +was one, for he remembered seeing a cayman some years ago when he was in +the Essequibo. + +At last it gradually approached the bait, and the board began to move. The +moon shone so bright that we could distinctly see him open his huge jaws +and take in the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop the bait; +and then we saw his black head retreating from the board to the distance of +a few yards; and there it remained quite motionless. + +He did not seem inclined to advance again; and so we finished our supper. +In about an hour's time he again put himself in motion, and took hold of +the bait. But probably suspecting that he had to deal with knaves and +cheats, he held it in his mouth but did not swallow it. We pulled the rope +again, but with no better success than the first time. + +He retreated as usual, and came back again in about an hour. We paid him +every attention till three o'clock in the morning, when, worn out with +disappointment, we went to the hammocks, turned in and fell asleep. + +When day broke we found that he had contrived to get the bait from the +hook, though we had tied it on with string. We had now no more hopes of +taking a cayman till the return of night. The Indian took off into the +woods and brought back a noble supply of game. The rest of us went into the +canoe and proceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more than we +could use. + +As we approached the shallows we could see the large sting-rays moving at +the bottom. The coloured man never failed to hit them with his arrow. The +weather was delightful. There was scarcely a cloud to intercept the sun's +rays. + +I saw several scarlet aras, anhingas and ducks, but could not get a shot at +them. The parrots crossed the river in innumerable quantities, always +flying in pairs. Here, too, I saw the sun-bird, called tirana by the +Spaniards in the Oroonoque, and shot one of them. The black and white +scarlet-headed finch was very common here. I could never see this bird in +the Demerara, nor hear of its being there. + +We at last came to a large sandbank, probably two miles in circumference. +As we approached it we could see two or three hundred fresh-water turtle on +the edge of the bank. Ere we could get near enough to let fly an arrow at +them they had all sunk into the river and appeared no more. + +We went on the sandbank to look for their nests, as this was the breeding- +season. The coloured man showed us how to find them. Wherever a portion of +the sand seemed smoother than the rest there was sure to be a turtle's +nest. On digging down with our hands about nine inches deep we found from +twenty to thirty white eggs; in less than an hour we got above two hundred. +Those which had a little black spot or two on the shell we ate the same +day, as it was a sign that they were not fresh, and of course would not +keep; those which had no speck were put into dry sand, and were good some +weeks after. + +At midnight two of our people went to this sandbank while the rest stayed +to watch the cayman. The turtle had advanced on to the sand to lay their +eggs, and the men got betwixt them and the water; they brought off half a +dozen very fine and well-fed turtle. The eggshell of the fresh-water turtle +is not hard like that of the land-tortoise, but appears like white +parchment, and gives way to the pressure of the fingers; but it is very +tough, and does not break. On this sandbank, close to the forest, we found +several guana's nests; but they had never more than fourteen eggs apiece. +Thus passed the day in exercise and knowledge, till the sun's declining orb +reminded us it was time to return to the place from whence we had set out. + +The second night's attempt upon the cayman was a repetition of the first, +quite unsuccessful. We went a-fishing the day after, had excellent sport, +and returned to experience a third night's disappointment. On the fourth +evening, about four o'clock, we began to erect a stage amongst the trees +close to the water's edge. From this we intended to shoot an arrow into the +cayman: at the end of this arrow was to be attached a string which would be +tied to the rope, and as soon as the cayman was struck we were to have the +canoe ready and pursue him in the river. + +While we were busy in preparing the stage a tiger began to roar. We judged +by the sound that he was not above a quarter of a mile from us, and that he +was close to the side of the river. Unfortunately the Indian said it was +not a jaguar that was roaring, but a couguar. The couguar is of a pale, +brownish-red colour, and not as large as the jaguar. As there was nothing +particular in this animal I thought it better to attend to the apparatus +for catching the cayman than to go in quest of the couguar. The people, +however, went in the canoe to the place where the couguar was roaring. On +arriving near the spot they saw it was not a couguar, but an immense +jaguar, standing on the trunk of an aged mora-tree which bended over the +river; he growled and showed his teeth as they approached; the coloured man +fired at him with a ball, but probably missed him, and the tiger instantly +descended and took off into the woods. I went to the place before dark, and +we searched the forest for about half a mile in the direction he had fled, +but we could see no traces of him or any marks of blood; so I concluded +that fear had prevented the man from taking steady aim. + +We spent best part of the fourth night in trying for the cayman, but all to +no purpose. I was now convinced that something was materially wrong. We +ought to have been successful, considering our vigilance and attention, and +that we had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless to tarry here any +longer; moreover, the coloured man began to take airs, and fancied that I +could not do without him. I never admit of this in any expedition where I +am commander; and so I convinced the man, to his sorrow, that I could do +without him, for I paid him what I had agreed to give him, which amounted +to eight dollars, and ordered him back in his own curial to Mrs. +Peterson's, on the hill at the first falls. I then asked the negro if there +were any Indian settlements in the neighbourhood; he said he knew of one, a +day and a half off. We went in quest of it, and about one o'clock the next +day the negro showed us the creek where it was. + +The entrance was so concealed by thick bushes that a stranger would have +passed it without knowing it to be a creek. In going up it we found it +dark, winding, and intricate beyond any creek that I had ever seen before. +When Orpheus came back with his young wife from Styx his path must have +been similar to this, for Ovid says it was + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca, + +and this creek was exactly so. + +When we had got about two-thirds up it we met the Indians going a-fishing. +I saw by the way their things were packed in the curial that they did not +intend to return for some days. However, on telling them what we wanted, +and by promising handsome presents of powder, shot and hooks, they dropped +their expedition and invited us up to the settlement they had just left, +and where we laid in a provision of cassava. + +They gave us for dinner boiled ant-bear and red monkey: two dishes unknown +even at Beauvilliers in Paris or at a London city feast. The monkey was +very good indeed, but the ant-bear had been kept beyond its time: it stunk +as our venison does in England; and so, after tasting it, I preferred +dining entirely on monkey. After resting here we went back to the river. +The Indians, three in number, accompanied us in their own curial, and, on +entering the river, pointed to a place a little way above well calculated +to harbour a cayman. The water was deep and still, and flanked by an +immense sandbank; there was also a little shallow creek close by. + +On this sandbank, near the forest, the people made a shelter for the night. +My own was already made, for I always take with me a painted sheet about +twelve feet by ten. This thrown over a pole, supported betwixt two trees, +makes you a capital roof with very little trouble. + +We showed one of the Indians the shark-hook. He shook his head and laughed +at it, and said it would not do. When he was a boy he had seen his father +catch the caymen, and on the morrow he would make something that would +answer. + +In the meantime we set the shark-hook, but it availed us naught: a cayman +came and took it, but would not swallow it. + +Seeing it was useless to attend the shark-hook any longer, we left it for +the night and returned to our hammocks. + +Ere I fell asleep a reflection or two broke in upon me. I considered that +as far as the judgment of civilised man went, everything had been procured +and done to ensure success. We had hooks and lines and baits and patience; +we had spent nights in watching, had seen the cayman come and take the +bait, and after our expectations had been wound up to the highest pitch all +ended in disappointment. Probably this poor wild man of the woods would +succeed by means of a very simple process, and thus prove to his more +civilised brother that, notwithstanding books and schools, there is a vast +deal of knowledge to be picked up at every step, whichever way we turn +ourselves. + +In the morning, as usual, we found the bait gone from the shark-hook. The +Indians went into the forest to hunt, and we took the canoe to shoot fish +and get another supply of turtle's eggs, which we found in great abundance +on this large sandbank. + +We went to the little shallow creek, and shot some young caymen about two +feet long. It was astonishing to see what spite and rage these little +things showed when the arrow struck them; they turned round and bit it: and +snapped at us when we went into the water to take them up. Daddy Quashi +boiled one of them for his dinner, and found it very sweet and tender. I do +not see why it should not be as good as frog or veal. + +The day was now declining apace, and the Indian had made his instrument to +take the cayman. It was very simple. There were four pieces of tough, +hardwood a foot long, and about as thick as your little finger, and barbed +at both ends; they were tied round the end of the rope in such a manner +that if you conceive the rope to be an arrow, these four sticks would form +the arrow's head; so that one end of the four united sticks answered to the +point of the arrowhead, while the other end of the sticks expanded at equal +distances round the rope, thus: + +[Illustration] + +Now it is evident that, if the cayman swallowed this (the other end of the +rope, which was thirty yards long, being fastened to a tree), the more he +pulled the faster the barbs would stick into his stomach. This wooden hook, +if you may so call it, was well-baited with the flesh of the acouri, and +the entrails were twisted round the rope for about a foot above it. + +Nearly a mile from where we had our hammocks the sandbank was steep and +abrupt, and the river very still and deep; there the Indian pricked a stick +into the sand. It was two feet long, and on its extremity was fixed the +machine: it hung suspended about a foot from the water, and the end of the +rope was made fast to a stake driven well into the sand. + +The Indian then took the empty shell of a land-tortoise and gave it some +heavy blows with an axe. I asked why he did that. He said it was to let +the cayman hear that something was going on. In fact, the Indian meant +it as the cayman's dinner-bell. + +[Illustration: cayman bait] + +Having done this we went back to the hammocks, not intending to visit it +again till morning. During the night the jaguars roared and grumbled in the +forest as though the world was going wrong with them, and at intervals we +could hear the distant cayman. The roaring of the jaguars was awful, but it +was music to the dismal noise of these hideous and malicious reptiles. + +About half-past five in the morning the Indian stole off silently to take a +look at the bait. On arriving at the place he set up a tremendous shout. We +all jumped out of our hammocks and ran to him. The Indians got there before +me, for they had no clothes to put on, and I lost two minutes in looking +for my trousers and in slipping into them. + +We found a cayman ten feet and a half long fast to the end of the rope. +Nothing now remained to do but to get him out of the water without injuring +his scales: "hoc opus, hic labor." We mustered strong: there were three +Indians from the creek, there was my own Indian Yan, Daddy Quashi, the +negro from Mrs. Peterson's, James, Mr. R. Edmonstone's man, whom I was +instructing to preserve birds, and lastly myself. + +I informed the Indians that it was my intention to draw him quietly out of +the water and then secure him. They looked and stared at each other, and +said I might do it myself, but they would have no hand in it; the cayman +would worry some of us. On saying this, "consedere duces," they squatted on +their hams with the most perfect indifference. + +The Indians of these wilds have never been subject to the least restraint, +and I knew enough of them to be aware that if I tried to force them against +their will they would take off and leave me and my presents unheeded, and +never return. + +Daddy Quashi was for applying to our guns, as usual, considering them our +best and safest friends. I immediately offered to knock him down for his +cowardice, and he shrunk back, begging that I would be cautious, and not +get myself worried, and apologising for his own want of resolution. My +Indian was now in conversation with the others, and they asked if I would +allow them to shoot a dozen arrows into him, and thus disable him. This +would have ruined all. I had come above three hundred miles on purpose to +get a cayman uninjured, and not to carry back a mutilated specimen. I +rejected their proposition with firmness, and darted a disdainful eye upon +the Indians. + +Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remonstrate, and I chased him on the +sandbank for a quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards he thought he +should have dropped down dead with fright, for he was firmly persuaded if I +had caught him I should have bundled him into the cayman's jaws. Here, +then, we stood in silence like a calm before a thunderstorm. "Hoc res summa +loco. Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They wanted to kill him, and I wanted +to take him alive. + +I now walked up and down the sand, revolving a dozen projects in my head. +The canoe was at a considerable distance, and I ordered the people to bring +it round to the place where we were. The mast was eight feet long, and not +much thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the canoe and wrapped the sail +round the end of it. Now it appeared clear to me that, if I went down upon +one knee and held the mast in the same position as the soldier holds his +bayonet when rushing to the charge, I could force it down the cayman's +throat should he come open-mouthed at me. When this was told to the Indians +they brightened up, and said they would help me to pull him out of the +river. + +"Brave squad!" said I to myself. "'Audax omnia perpeti,' now that you have +got me betwixt yourselves and danger." I then mustered all hands for the +last time before the battle. We were four South American savages, two +negroes from Africa, a creole from Trinidad, and myself a white man from +Yorkshire. In fact, a little tower of Babel group, in dress, no dress, +address, and language. + +Daddy Quashi hung in the rear. I showed him a large Spanish knife which I +always carried in the waistband of my trousers: it spoke volumes to him, +and he shrugged up his shoulders in absolute despair. The sun was just +peeping over the high forests on the eastern hills, as if coming to look on +and bid us act with becoming fortitude. I placed all the people at the end +of the rope, and ordered them to pull till the cayman appeared on the +surface of the water, and then, should he plunge, to slacken the rope and +let him go again into the deep. + +I now took the mast of the canoe in my hand (the sail being tied round the +end of the mast) and sunk down upon one knee, about four yards from the +water's edge, determining to thrust it down his throat in case he gave me +an opportunity. I certainly felt somewhat uncomfortable in this situation, +and I thought of Cerberus on the other side of the Styx ferry. The people +pulled the cayman to the surface; he plunged furiously as soon as he +arrived in these upper regions, and immediately went below again on their +slackening the rope. I saw enough not to fall in love at first sight. I now +told them we would run all risks and have him on land immediately. They +pulled again, and out he came--"monstrum horrendum, informe." This was an +interesting moment. I kept my position firmly, with my eye fixed steadfast +on him. + +By the time the cayman was within two yards of me I saw he was in a state +of fear and perturbation. I instantly dropped the mast, sprung up and +jumped on his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I gained my +seat with my face in a right position. I immediately seized his fore-legs, +and by main force twisted them on his back; thus they served me for a +bridle. + +He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and probably fancying +himself in hostile company he began to plunge furiously, and lashed the +sand with his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of the strokes of +it by being near his head. He continued to plunge and strike and made my +seat very uncomfortable. It must have been a fine sight for an unoccupied +spectator. + +The people roared out in triumph, and were so vociferous that it was some +time before they heard me tell them to pull me and my beast of burden +farther inland. I was apprehensive the rope might break, and then there +would have been every chance of going down to the regions under water with +the cayman. That would have been more perilous than Arion's marine morning +ride: + + Delphini insidens vada cærula sulcat Arion. + +The people now dragged us above forty yards on the sand: it was the first +and last time I was ever on a cayman's back. Should it be asked how I +managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with Lord +Darlington's fox-hounds. + +After repeated attempts to regain his liberty the cayman gave in and became +tranquil through exhaustion. I now managed to tie up his jaws and firmly +secured his fore-feet in the position I had held them. We had now another +severe struggle for superiority, but he was soon overcome and again +remained quiet. While some of the people were pressing upon his head and +shoulders I threw myself on his tail, and by keeping it down to the sand +prevented him from kicking up another dust. He was finally conveyed to the +canoe, and then to the place where we had suspended our hammocks. There I +cut his throat; and after breakfast was over commenced the dissection. + +Now that the affray had ceased, Daddy Ouashi played a good finger and thumb +at breakfast: he said he found himself much revived, and became very +talkative and useful, as there was no longer any danger. He was a faithful, +honest negro. His master, my worthy friend Mr. Edmonstone, had been so +obliging as to send out particular orders to the colony that the Daddy +should attend me all the time I was in the forest. He had lived in the +wilds of Demerara with Mr. Edmonstone for many years, and often amused me +with the account of the frays his master had had in the woods with snakes, +wild beasts and runaway negroes. Old age was now coming fast upon him; he +had been an able fellow in his younger days, and a gallant one, too, for he +had a large scar over his eyebrow caused by the stroke of a cutlass from +another negro while the Daddy was engaged in an intrigue. + +The back of the cayman may be said to be almost impenetrable to a musket- +ball, but his sides are not near so strong, and are easily pierced with an +arrow; indeed, were they as strong as the back and the belly, there would +be no part of the cayman's body soft and elastic enough to admit of +expansion after taking in a supply of food. + +The cayman has no grinders; his teeth are entirely made for snatch and +swallow: there are thirty-two in each jaw. Perhaps no animal in existence +bears more decided marks in his countenance of cruelty and malice than the +cayman. He is the scourge and terror of all the large rivers in South +America near the line. + +One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de +Ynciarte, Governor of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, "Stop here a +minute or two, Don Carlos," said he to me, "while I recount a sad accident. +One fine evening last year, as the people of Angustura were sauntering up +and down here in the Alameda, I was within twenty yards of this place when +I saw a large cayman rush out of the river, seize a man, and carry him down +before anybody had it in his power to assist him. The screams of the poor +fellow were terrible as the cayman was running off with him. He plunged +into the river with his prey; we instantly lost sight of him, and never saw +or heard him more." + +I was a day and a half in dissecting our cayman, and then we got all ready +to return to Demerara. + +It was much more perilous to descend than to ascend the falls in the +Essequibo. + +The place we had to pass had proved fatal to four Indians about a month +before. The water foamed and dashed and boiled amongst the steep and craggy +rocks, and seemed to warn us to be careful how we ventured there. + +I was for all hands to get out of the canoe, and then, after lashing a long +rope ahead and astern, we might have climbed from rock to rock and tempered +her in her passage down, and our getting out would have lightened her much. +But the negro who had joined us at Mrs. Peterson's said he was sure it +would be safer to stay in the canoe while she went down the fall. I was +loath to give way to him, but I did so this time against my better +judgment, as he assured me that he was accustomed to pass and repass these +falls. + +Accordingly we determined to push down: I was at the helm, the rest at +their paddles. But before we got half-way through the rushing waters +deprived the canoe of all power of steerage, and she became the sport of +the torrent; in a second she was half-full of water, and I cannot +comprehend to this day why she did not go down; luckily the people exerted +themselves to the utmost, she got headway, and they pulled through the +whirlpool: I being quite in the stern of the canoe, part of a wave struck +me, and nearly knocked me overboard. + +We now paddled to some rocks at a distance, got out, unloaded the canoe and +dried the cargo in the sun, which was very hot and powerful. Had it been +the wet season almost everything would have been spoiled. + +After this the voyage down the Essequibo was quick and pleasant till we +reached the sea-coast: there we had a trying day of it; the wind was dead +against us, and the sun remarkably hot; we got twice aground upon a mud- +flat, and were twice obliged to get out, up to the middle in mud, to shove +the canoe through it. Half-way betwixt the Essequibo and Demerara the tide +of flood caught us, and, after the utmost exertions, it was half-past six +in the evening before we got to Georgetown. + +We had been out from six in the morning in an open canoe on the sea-coast, +without umbrella or awning, exposed all day to the fiery rays of a tropical +sun. My face smarted so that I could get no sleep during the night, and the +next morning my lips were all in blisters. The Indian Yan went down to the +Essequibo a copper-colour, but the reflection of the sun from the sea and +from the sandbanks in the river had turned him nearly black. He laughed at +himself, and said the Indians in the Demerara would not know him again. I +stayed one day in Georgetown, and then set off the next morning for +headquarters in Mibiri Creek, where I finished the cayman. + +Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds and in paying +particular attention to their haunts and economy. The rainy season having +set in, the weather became bad and stormy; the lightning and thunder were +incessant; the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. I had now been +eleven months in the forests, and collected some rare insects, two hundred +and thirty birds, two land-tortoises, five armadillos, two large serpents, +a sloth, an ant-bear and a cayman. + +I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a few days with Mr. R. +Edmonstone previous to embarking for Europe. I must here return my +sincerest thanks to this worthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to me; +his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he never failed to send +me supplies up into the forest by every opportunity. + +I embarked for England on board the _Dee_, West-Indiaman, commanded by +Captain Grey. + +Sir Joseph Banks had often told me he hoped that I would give a lecture in +public on the new mode I had discovered of preparing specimens in natural +history for museums. I always declined to do so, as I despaired of ever +being able to hit upon a proper method of doing quadrupeds; and I was aware +that it would have been an imperfect lecture to treat of birds only. I +imparted what little knowledge I was master of at Sir Joseph's, to the +unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore the Congo; and that was +all that took place in the shape of a lecture. Now that I had hit upon the +way of doing quadrupeds, I drew up a little plan on board the _Dee_, +which I trusted would have been of service to naturalists, and by proving +to them the superiority of the new plan they would probably be induced to +abandon the old and common way, which is a disgrace to the present age, and +renders hideous every specimen in every museum that I have as yet visited. +I intended to have given three lectures: one on insects and serpents; one +on birds; and one on quadrupeds. But, as it will be shortly seen, this +little plan was doomed not to be unfolded to public view. Illiberality +blasted it in the bud. + +We had a pleasant passage across the Atlantic, and arrived in the Mersey in +fine trim and good spirits. Great was the attention I received from the +commander of the _Dee_. He and his mate, Mr. Spence, took every care +of my collection. + +On our landing the gentlemen of the Liverpool Custom House received me as +an old friend and acquaintance, and obligingly offered their services. + +Twice before had I landed in Liverpool, and twice had I reason to admire +their conduct and liberality. They knew I was incapable of trying to +introduce anything contraband, and they were aware that I never dreamed of +turning to profit the specimens I had procured. They considered that I had +left a comfortable home in quest of science; and that I had wandered into +far-distant climes, and gone barefooted, ill-clothed and ill-fed, through +swamps and woods, to procure specimens, some of which had never been seen +in Europe. They considered that it would be difficult to fix a price upon +specimens which had never been bought or sold, and which never were to be, +as they were intended to ornament my own house. It was hard, they said, to +have exposed myself for years to danger, and then be obliged to pay on +returning to my native land. Under these considerations they fixed a +moderate duty which satisfied all parties. + +However, this last expedition ended not so. It taught me how hard it is to +learn the grand lesson, "æquam memento rebus in arduis, servare mentem." + +But my good friends in the Custom House of Liverpool were not to blame. On +the contrary, they did all in their power to procure balm for me instead of +rue. But it would not answer. + +They appointed a very civil officer to attend me to the ship. While we were +looking into some of the boxes to see that the specimens were properly +stowed, previous to their being conveyed to the king's depôt, another +officer entered the cabin. He was an entire stranger to me, and seemed +wonderfully aware of his own consequence. Without preface or apology he +thrust his head over my shoulder and said we had no business to have opened +a single box without his permission. I answered they had been opened almost +every day since they had come on board, and that I considered there was no +harm in doing so. + +He then left the cabin, and I said to myself as he went out, I suspect I +shall see that man again at Philippi. The boxes, ten in number, were +conveyed in safety from the ship to the depôt. I then proceeded to the +Custom House. The necessary forms were gone through, and a proportionate +duty, according to circumstances, was paid. + +This done, we returned from the Custom House to the depôt, accompanied by +several gentlemen who wished to see the collection. They expressed +themselves highly gratified. The boxes were closed, and nothing now +remained but to convey them to the cart, which was in attendance at the +door of the depôt. Just as one of the inferior officers was carrying a box +thither, in stepped the man whom I suspected I should see again at +Philippi. He abruptly declared himself dissatisfied with the valuation +which the gentlemen of the customs had put upon the collection, and said he +must detain it. I remonstrated, but it was all in vain. + +After this pitiful stretch of power and bad compliment to the other +officers of the customs, who had been satisfied with the valuation, this +man had the folly to take me aside, and after assuring me that he had a +great regard for the arts and sciences, he lamented that conscience obliged +him to do what he had done, and he wished he had been fifty miles from +Liverpool at the time that it fell to his lot to detain the collection. Had +he looked in my face as he said this he would have seen no marks of +credulity there. + +I now returned to the Custom House, and after expressing my opinion of the +officer's conduct at the depôt, I pulled a bunch of keys (which belonged to +the detained boxes) out of my pocket, laid them on the table, took my leave +of the gentlemen present, and soon after set off for Yorkshire. + +I saved nothing from the grasp of the stranger officer but a pair of live +Malay fowls, which a gentleman in Georgetown had made me a present of. I +had collected in the forest several eggs of curious birds in hopes of +introducing the breed into England, and had taken great pains in doing them +over with gum arabic, and in packing them in charcoal, according to a +receipt I had seen in the gazette from the _Edinburgh Philosophical +Journal_. But these were detained in the depôt, instead of being placed +under a hen; which utterly ruined all my hopes of rearing a new species of +birds in England. Titled personages in London interested themselves in +behalf of the collection, but all in vain. And vain also were the public +and private representations of the first officer of the Liverpool Custom +House in my favour. + +At last there came an order from the Treasury to say that any specimens Mr. +Waterton intended to present to public institutions might pass duty free; +but those which he intended to keep for himself must pay the duty! A friend +now wrote to me from Liverpool requesting that I would come over and pay +the duty in order to save the collection, which had just been detained +there six weeks. I did so. On paying an additional duty (for the moderate +duty first imposed had already been paid), the man who had detained the +collection delivered it up to me, assuring me that it had been well taken +care of, and that a fire had been frequently made in the room. It is but +justice to add that on opening the boxes there was nothing injured. + +I could never get a clue to these harsh and unexpected measures, except +that there had been some recent smuggling discovered in Liverpool, and that +the man in question had been sent down from London to act the part of +Argus. If so, I landed in an evil hour: "nefasto die," making good the +Spanish proverb, "Pagan a las veces, justos por pecadores": At times the +innocent suffer for the guilty. After all, a little encouragement, in the +shape of exemption from paying the duty on this collection, might have been +expected, but it turned out otherwise; and after expending large sums in +pursuit of natural history, on my return home I was doomed to pay for my +success: + + Hic finis, Caroli fatorum, hic exitus illum, + Sorte tulit! + +Thus my fleece, already ragged and torn with the thorns and briers which +one must naturally expect to find in distant and untrodden wilds, was +shorn, I may say, on its return to England. + +However, this is nothing new. Sancho Panza must have heard of similar +cases, for he says, "Muchos van por lana, y vuelven trasquilados": Many go +for wool and come home shorn. In order to pick up matter for natural +history I have wandered through the wildest parts of South America's +equatorial regions. I have attacked and slain a modern Python, and rode on +the back of a cayman close to the water's edge; a very different situation +from that of a Hyde Park dandy on his Sunday prancer before the ladies. +Alone and barefoot I have pulled poisonous snakes out of their lurking- +places; climbed up trees to peep into holes for bats and vampires, and for +days together hastened through sun and rain to the thickest parts of the +forest to procure specimens I had never got before. In fine, I have pursued +the wild beasts over hill and dale, through swamps and quagmires, now +scorched by the noon-day sun, now drenched by the pelting shower, and +returned to the hammock to satisfy the cravings of hunger, often on a poor +and scanty supper. + +These vicissitudes have turned to chestnut hue a once English complexion, +and changed the colour of my hair before Father Time had meddled with it. +The detention of the collection after it had fairly passed the Customs, and +the subsequent order from the Treasury that I should pay duty for the +specimens unless they were presented to some public institution, have cast +a damp upon my energy, and forced, as it were, the cup of Lethe to my lips, +by drinking which I have forgot my former intention of giving a lecture in +public on preparing specimens to adorn museums. In fine, it is this +ungenerous treatment that has paralysed my plans, and caused me to give up +the idea I once had of inserting here the newly-discovered mode of +preparing quadrupeds and serpents; and without it the account of this last +expedition to the wilds of Guiana is nothing but a--fragment. + +Farewell, gentle reader. + + + * * * * * + + + + +FOURTH JOURNEY + + Nunc huc, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro. + +Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell I thought these wanderings +were brought to a final close; afterwards I often roved in imagination +through distant countries famous for natural history, but felt no strong +inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had terminated in such +unexpected vexation. The departure of the cuckoo and swallow and summer +birds of passage for warmer regions, once so interesting to me, now +scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south; and I continued in this +cold and dreary climate for three years. During this period I seldom or +never mounted my hobby-horse; indeed, it may be said, with the old song, + + The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf, + +and only taken down once, on the night that I was induced to give a lecture +in the Philosophical Hall of Leeds. A little after this Wilson's +_Ornithology of the United States_ fell into my hands. + +The desire I had of seeing that country, together with the animated +description which Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the almost- +expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded to, and set off for +New York in the beautiful packet _John Wells_, commanded by Captain +Harris. The passage was long and cold, but the elegant accommodations on +board and the polite attention of the commander rendered it very agreeable; +and I landed in health and merriment in the stately capital of the New +World. + +We will soon pen down a few remarks on this magnificent city, but not just +now. I want to venture into the north-west country, and get to their great +canal, which the world talks so much about, though I fear it will be hard +work to make one's way through bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes, which we +Europeans imagine are so frequent and ferocious in these never-ending +western wilds. + +I left New York on a fine morning in July, without one letter of +introduction, for the city of Albany, some hundred and eighty miles up the +celebrated Hudson. I seldom care about letters of introduction, for I am +one of those who depend much upon an accidental acquaintance. Full many a +face do I see as I go wandering up and down the world whose mild eye and +sweet and placid features seem to beckon to me and say, as it were, "Speak +but civilly to me, and I will do what I can for you." Such a face as this +is worth more than a dozen letters of introduction; and such a face, gentle +reader, I found on board the steamboat from New York to the city of Albany. + +There was a great number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen in the +vessel, all entire strangers to me. I fancied I could see several whose +countenances invited an unknown wanderer to come and take a seat beside +them; but there was one who encouraged me more than the rest. I saw clearly +that he was an American, and I judged by his manners and appearance that he +had not spent all his time upon his native soil. I was right in this +conjecture, for he afterwards told me that he had been in France and +England. I saluted him as one stranger gentleman ought to salute another +when he wants a little information; and soon after I dropped in a word or +two by which he might conjecture that I was a foreigner, but I did not tell +him so; I wished him to make the discovery himself. + +He entered into conversation with the openness and candour which is so +remarkable in the American, and in a little time observed that he presumed +I was from the old country. I told him that I was, and added that I was an +entire stranger on board. I saw his eye brighten up at the prospect he had +of doing a fellow-creature a kind turn or two, and he completely won my +regard by an affability which I shall never forget. This obliging gentleman +pointed out everything that was grand and interesting as the steamboat +plied her course up the majestic Hudson. Here the Catskill Mountains raised +their lofty summit; and there the hills came sloping down to the water's +edge. Here he pointed to an aged and venerable oak which, having escaped +the levelling axe of man, seemed almost to defy the blasting storm and +desolating hand of Time; and there he bade me observe an extended tract of +wood by which I might form an idea how rich and grand the face of the +country had once been. Here it was that, in the great and momentous +struggle, the colonists lost the day; and there they carried all before +them: + + They closed full fast, on every side + No slackness there was found; + And many a gallant gentleman + Lay gasping on the ground. + +Here, in fine, stood a noted regiment; there moved their great captain; +here the fleets fired their broadsides; and there the whole force rushed on +to battle: + + Hic Dolopum manus, hic magnus tendebat Achilles, + Classibus hic locus, hic acies certare solebat. + +At teatime we took our tea together, and the next morning this worthy +American walked up with me to the inn in Albany, shook me by the hand, and +then went his way. I bade him farewell and again farewell, and hoped that +Fortune might bring us together again once more. Possibly she may yet do +so; and should it be in England, I will take him to my house as an old +friend and acquaintance, and offer him my choicest cheer. It is at Albany +that the great canal opens into the Hudson and joins the waters of this +river to those of Lake Erie. The Hudson, at the city of Albany, is distant +from Lake Erie about 360 miles. The level of the lake is 564 feet higher +than the Hudson, and there are eighty-one locks on the canal. It is to the +genius and perseverance of De Witt Clinton that the United States owe the +almost incalculable advantages of this inland navigation: "Exegit +monumentum ære perennius." You may either go along it all the way to +Buffalo on Lake Erie or by the stage; or sometimes on one and then in the +other, just as you think fit. Grand indeed is the scenery by either route +and capital the accommodations. Cold and phlegmatic must he be who is not +warmed into admiration by the surrounding scenery, and charmed with the +affability of the travellers he meets on the way. + +This is now the season of roving and joy and merriment for the gentry of +this happy country. Thousands are on the move from different parts of the +Union for the springs and lakes and the Falls of Niagara. There is nothing +haughty or forbidding in the Americans; and wherever you meet them they +appear to be quite at home. This is exactly what it ought to be, and very +much in favour of the foreigner who journeys amongst them. The immense +number of highly-polished females who go in the stages to visit the +different places of amusement and see the stupendous natural curiosities of +this extensive country incontestably proves that safety and convenience are +ensured to them, and that the most distant attempt at rudeness would by +common consent be immediately put down. + +By the time I had got to Schenectady I began strongly to suspect that I had +come into the wrong country to look for bugs, bears, brutes and buffaloes. +It is an enchanting journey from Albany to Schenectady, and from thence to +Lake Erie. The situation of the city of Utica is particularly attractive: +the Mohawk running close by it, the fertile fields and woody mountains, and +the Falls of Trenton forcibly press the stranger to stop a day or two here +before he proceeds onward to the lake. + +At some far distant period, when it will not be possible to find the place +where many of the celebrated cities of the East once stood, the world will +have to thank the United States of America for bringing their names into +the western regions. It is, indeed, a pretty thought of these people to +give to their rising towns the names of places so famous and conspicuous in +former times. + +As I was sitting one evening under an oak in the high grounds behind Utica, +I could not look down upon the city without thinking of Cato and his +misfortunes. Had the town been called Crofton, or Warmfield, or Dewsbury, +there would have been nothing remarkable in it; but Utica at once revived +the scenes at school long past and half-forgotten, and carried me with full +speed back again to Italy, and from thence to Africa. I crossed the Rubicon +with Cæsar; fought at Pharsalia; saw poor Pompey into Larissa, and tried to +wrest the fatal sword from Cato's hand in Utica. When I perceived he was no +more, I mourned over the noble-minded man who took that part which he +thought would most benefit his country. There is something magnificent in +the idea of a man taking by choice the conquered side. The Roman gods +themselves did otherwise. + + _Victrix_ causa Diis placuit, sed _victa_ Catoni. + + In this did Cato with the gods divide, + _They_ chose the conquering, _he_ the conquer'd side. + +The whole of the country from Utica to Buffalo is pleasing; and the +intervening of the inland lakes, large and deep and clear, adds +considerably to the effect. The spacious size of the inns, their excellent +provisions, and the attention which the traveller receives in going from +Albany to Buffalo, must at once convince him that this country is very much +visited by strangers; and he will draw the conclusion that there must be +something in it uncommonly interesting to cause so many travellers to pass +to and fro. + +Nature is losing fast her ancient garb and putting on a new dress in these +extensive regions. Most of the stately timber has been carried away; +thousands of trees are lying prostrate on the ground; while meadows, +cornfields, villages and pastures are ever and anon bursting upon the +traveller's view as he journeys on through the remaining tracts of wood. I +wish I could say a word or two for the fine timber which is yet standing. +Spare it, gentle inhabitants, for your country's sake. These noble sons of +the forest beautify your landscapes beyond all description; when they are +gone, a century will not replace their loss; they cannot, they must not +fall; their vernal bloom, their summer richness, and autumnal tints, please +and refresh the eye of man; and even when the days of joy and warmth are +fled, the wintry blast soothes the listening ear with a sublime and +pleasing melancholy as it howls through their naked branches. + + Around me trees unnumber'd rise, + Beautiful in various dyes. + The gloomy pine, the poplar blue, + The yellow beech, the sable yew; + The slender fir, that taper grows, + The sturdy oak, with broad-spread boughs. + +A few miles before you reach Buffalo the road is low and bad, and in +stepping out of the stage I sprained my foot very severely; it swelled to a +great size, and caused me many a day of pain and mortification, as will be +seen in the sequel. + +Buffalo looks down on Lake Erie, and possesses a fine and commodious inn. +At a little distance is the Black Rock, and there you pass over to the +Canada side. A stage is in waiting to convey you some sixteen or twenty +miles down to the falls. Long before you reach the spot you hear the mighty +roar of waters and see the spray of the far-famed Falls of Niagara rising +up like a column to the heavens and mingling with the passing clouds. + +At this stupendous cascade of Nature the waters of the lake fall 176 feet +perpendicular. It has been calculated, I forget by whom, that the quantity +of water discharged down this mighty fall is 670,255 tons per minute. There +are two large inns on the Canada side; but after you have satisfied your +curiosity in viewing the falls, and in seeing the rainbow in the foam far +below where you are standing, do not, I pray you, tarry long at either of +them. Cross over to the American side, and there you will find a spacious +inn which has nearly all the attractions: there you meet with great +attention and every accommodation. + +The day is passed in looking at the falls and in sauntering up and down the +wooded and rocky environs of the Niagara; and the evening is often +enlivened by the merry dance. + +Words can hardly do justice to the unaffected ease and elegance of the +American ladies who visit the Falls of Niagara. The traveller need not rove +in imagination through Circassia in search of fine forms, or through +England, France and Spain to meet with polished females. The numbers who +are continually arriving from all parts of the Union confirm the justness +of this remark. + +I was looking one evening at a dance, being unable to join in it on account +of the accident I had received near Buffalo, when a young American entered +the ballroom with such a becoming air and grace that it was impossible not +to have been struck with her appearance. + + Her bloom was like the springing flower + That sips the silver dew, + The rose was budded in her cheek, + Just opening to the view. + +I could not help feeling a wish to know where she had + + Into such beauty spread, and blown so fair. + +Upon inquiry I found that she was from the city of Albany. The more I +looked at the fair Albanese the more I was convinced that in the United +States of America may be found grace and beauty and symmetry equal to +anything in the Old World. + +I now for good and all (and well I might) gave up the idea of finding bugs, +bears, brutes and buffaloes in this country, and was thoroughly satisfied +that I had laboured under a great mistake in suspecting that I should ever +meet with them. + +I wished to join in the dance where the fair Albanese was "to brisk notes +in cadence beating," but the state of my unlucky foot rendered it +impossible; and as I sat with it reclined upon a sofa, full many a passing +gentleman stopped to inquire the cause of my misfortune, presuming at the +same time that I had got an attack of gout. Now this surmise of theirs +always mortified me; for I never had a fit of gout in my life, and, +moreover, never expect to have one. + +In many of the inns in the United States there is an album on the table in +which travellers insert their arrival and departure, and now and then +indulge in a little flash or two of wit. + +I thought under existing circumstances that there would be no harm in +briefly telling my misadventure; and so taking up the pen I wrote what +follows, and was never after asked a single question about the gout. + +C. Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the county of York, England, +arrived at the Falls of Niagara in July 1824, and begs leave to +pen down the following dreadful accident: + + He sprained his foot, and hurt his toe, + On the rough road near Buffalo. + It quite distresses him to stagger a- + Long the sharp rocks of famed Niagara. + So thus he's doomed to drink the measure + Of pain, in lieu of that of pleasure. + On Hope's delusive pinions borne + He came for wool, and goes back shorn. + _N.B._--Here he alludes to nothing but + Th' adventure of his toe and foot; + Save this,--he sees all that which can + Delight and charm the soul of man, + But feels it not,--because his toe + And foot together plague him so. + +I remember once to have sprained my ankle very violently many years ago, +and that the doctor ordered me to hold it under the pump two or three times +a day. Now in the United States of America all is upon a grand scale, +except taxation; and I am convinced that the traveller's ideas become much +more enlarged as he journeys through the country. This being the case, I +can easily account for the desire I felt to hold my sprained foot under the +Fall of Niagara. I descended the winding-staircase which has been made for +the accommodation of travellers, and then hobbled on to the scene of +action. As I held my leg under the fall I tried to meditate on the immense +difference there was betwixt a house-pump and this tremendous cascade of +Nature, and what effect it might have upon the sprain; but the magnitude of +the subject was too overwhelming, and I was obliged to drop it. + +Perhaps, indeed, there was an unwarrantable tincture of vanity in an +unknown wanderer wishing to have it in his power to tell the world that he +had held his sprained foot under a fall of water which discharges 670,255 +tons per minute. A gentle purling stream would have suited better. Now it +would have become Washington to have quenched his battle-thirst in the Fall +of Niagara; and there was something royal in the idea of Cleopatra drinking +pearl-vinegar made from the grandest pearl in Egypt; and it became Caius +Marius to send word that he was sitting upon the ruins of Carthage. Here we +have the person suited to the thing, and the thing to the person. + +If, gentle reader, thou wouldst allow me to indulge a little longer in this +harmless pen-errantry, I would tell thee that I have had my ups and downs +in life as well as other people: for I have climbed to the point of the +conductor above the cross on the top of St. Peter's in Rome and left my +glove there; I have stood on one foot upon the Guardian Angel's head on the +Castle of St. Angelo; and, as I have just told thee, I have been low down +under the Fall of Niagara. But this is neither here nor there; let us +proceed to something else. + +When the pain of my foot had become less violent, and the swelling somewhat +abated, I could not resist the inclination I felt to go down Ontario, and +so on to Montreal and Quebec, and take Lakes Champlain and George in my way +back to Albany. + +Just as I had made up my mind to it, a family from the Bowling-Green in New +York, who was going the same route, politely invited me to join their +party. Nothing could be more fortunate. They were highly accomplished. The +young ladies sang delightfully; and all contributed their portion to render +the tour pleasant and amusing. + +Travellers have already filled the world with descriptions of the bold and +sublime scenery from Lake Erie to Quebec: + + The fountain's fall, the river's flow, + The woody valleys, warm and low; + The windy summit, wild and high, + Roughly rushing to the sky. + +And there is scarce one of them who has not described the achievements of +former and latter times on the different battle-grounds. Here great Wolfe +expired. Brave Montcalm was carried, mortally wounded, through yonder gate. +Here fell the gallant Brock; and there General Sheaffee captured all the +invaders. And in yonder harbour may be seen the mouldering remnants of +British vessels. Their hour of misfortune has long passed away. The victors +have now no use for them in an inland lake. Some have already sunk, while +others, dismantled and half-dismasted, are just above the water, waiting in +shattered state that destiny which must sooner or later destroy the fairest +works of man. + +The excellence and despatch of the steamboats, together with the company +which the traveller is sure to meet with at this time of the year, render +the trip down to Montreal and Quebec very agreeable. + +The Canadians are a quiet and apparently a happy people. They are very +courteous and affable to strangers. On comparing them with the character +which a certain female traveller, a journalist, has thought fit to give +them, the stranger might have great doubts whether or not he were amongst +the Canadians. + +Montreal, Quebec and the Falls of Montmorency are well worth going to see. +They are making tremendous fortifications at Quebec. It will be the +Gibraltar of the New World. When one considers its distance from Europe, +and takes a view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, Virgil's +remark at once rushes into the mind: + + Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves. + +I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to the +Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and worthy set +of gentlemen, and on my taking leave of them I felt a heaviness at heart in +reflecting that I had not more time to cultivate their acquaintance. + +In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec I only met with one bug; and I cannot +even swear that it belonged to the United States. In going down the St. +Lawrence in the steamboat I felt something crossing over my neck, and on +laying hold of it with my finger and thumb it turned out to be a little +half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now whether it were going from the +American to the Canada side, or from the Canada to the American, and had +taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself across, I could not +tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby and the fly; and so, in +lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then putting my thumb-nail vertically +upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst some baggage that was close by and +recommended it to get ashore by the first opportunity. + +When we had seen all that was worth seeing in Quebec and at the Falls of +Montmorency, and had been on board the enormous ship _Columbus_, we +returned for a day or two to Montreal, and then proceeded to Saratoga by +Lakes Champlain and George. + +The steamboat from Quebec to Montreal had above five hundred Irish +emigrants on board. They were going "they hardly knew whither," far away +from dear Ireland. It made one's heart ache to see them all huddled +together, without any expectation of ever revisiting their native soil. We +feared that the sorrow of leaving home for ever, the miserable +accommodations on board the ship which had brought them away, and the +tossing of the angry ocean in a long and dreary voyage would have rendered +them callous to good behaviour. But it was quite otherwise. They conducted +themselves with great propriety. Every American on board seemed to feel for +them. And then "they were so full of wretchedness. Need and oppression +starved in their eyes. Upon their backs hung ragged misery. The world was +not their friend." Poor dear Ireland, exclaimed an aged female as I was +talking to her, I shall never see it any more! and then her tears began to +flow. Probably the scenery on the banks of the St. Lawrence recalled to her +mind the remembrance of spots once interesting to her: + + The lovely daughter,--lovelier in her tears, + The fond companion of her father's years, + Here silent stood,--neglectful of her charms. + And left her lover's for her father's arms. + With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, + And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; + And pressed her thoughtless babes, with many a tear, + And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear. + While the fond husband strove to lend relief. + In all the silent manliness of grief. + +We went a few miles out of our route to take a look at the once formidable +fortress of Ticonderoga. It has long been in ruins, and seems as if it were +doomed to moulder quite away. + + Ever and anon there falls + Huge heaps of hoary moulder'd walls. + But time has seen, that lifts the low + And level lays the lofty brow, + Has seen this ruin'd pile complete, + Big with the vanity of state, + But transient is the smile of Fate. + +The scenery of Lake George is superb, the inn remarkably spacious and well +attended, and the conveyances from thence to Saratoga very good. He must be +sorely afflicted with spleen and jaundice who, on his arrival at Saratoga, +remarks there is nothing here worth coming to see. It is a gay and +fashionable place; has four uncommonly fine hotels; its waters for +medicinal virtues are surpassed by none in the known world; and it is +resorted to throughout the whole of the summer by foreigners and natives of +the first consideration. Saratoga pleased me much; and afforded a fair +opportunity of forming a pretty correct idea of the gentry of the United +States. + +There is a pleasing frankness and ease and becoming dignity in the American +ladies, and the good humour and absence of all haughtiness and puppyism in +the gentlemen must, no doubt, impress the traveller with elevated notions +of the company who visit this famous spa. + +During my stay here all was joy and affability and mirth. In the mornings +the ladies played and sang for us; and the evenings were generally +enlivened with the merry dance. Here I bade farewell to the charming family +in whose company I had passed so many happy days, and proceeded to Albany. + +The stage stopped a little while in the town of Troy. The name alone was +quite sufficient to recall to the mind scenes long past and gone. Poor King +Priam! Napoleon's sorrows, sad and piercing as they were, did not come up +to those of this ill-fated monarch. The Greeks first set his town on fire +and then began to bully: + + Incensâ Danai dominantur in urbe. + +One of his sons was slain before his face: "ante ora parentum, concidit." +Another was crushed to mummy by boa-constrictors: "immensis orbibus +angues." His city was razed to the ground, "jacet Ilion ingens." And +Pyrrhus ran him through with his sword, "capulo tenus abdidit ensem." This +last may be considered as a fortunate stroke for the poor old king. Had his +life been spared at this juncture he could not have lived long. He must +have died broken-hearted. He would have seen his son-in-law, once master of +a noble stud, now, for want of a horse, obliged to carry off his father up- +hill on his own back, "cessi et sublato, montem genitore petivi." He would +have heard of his grandson being thrown neck and heels from a high tower, +"mittitur Astyanax illis de turribus." He would have been informed of his +wife tearing out the eyes of King Odrysius with her finger-nails, "digitos +in perfida lumina condit." Soon after this, losing all appearance of woman, +she became a bitch, + + Perdidit infelix, hominis post omnia formam, + +and rent the heavens with her howlings, + + Externasque novo latratu terruit auras. + +Then, becoming distracted with the remembrance of her misfortunes, "veterum +memor illa malorum," she took off howling into the fields of Thrace: + + Tum quoque Sithonios, ululavit moesta per agros. + +Juno, Jove's wife and sister, was heard to declare that poor Hecuba did not +deserve so terrible a fate: + + Ipsa Jovis conjuxque sororque, + Eventus Hecubam meruisse negaverit illos. + +Had poor Priam escaped from Troy, one thing, and only one thing, would have +given him a small ray of satisfaction, viz. he would have heard of one of +his daughters nobly preferring to leave this world rather than live to +become servant-maid to old Grecian ladies: + + Non ego Myrmidonum sedes, Dolopumve superbas, + Adspiciam, aut Graiis servitum matribus ibo. + +At some future period, should a foreign armed force, or intestine broils +(all which Heaven avert), raise Troy to the dignity of a fortified city, +Virgil's prophecy may then be fulfilled: + + Atque iterum ad Trojam magnus mittetur Achilles. + +After leaving Troy I passed through a fine country to Albany, and then +proceeded by steam down the Hudson to New York. + +Travellers hesitate whether to give the preference to Philadelphia or to +New York. Philadelphia is certainly a noble city and its environs +beautiful, but there is a degree of quiet and sedateness in it which, +though no doubt very agreeable to the man of calm and domestic habits, is +not so attractive to one of speedy movements. The quantity of white marble +which is used in the buildings gives to Philadelphia a gay and lively +appearance, but the sameness of the streets and their crossing each other +at right angles are somewhat tiresome. The waterworks which supply the city +are a proud monument of the skill and enterprise of its inhabitants, and +the market is well worth the attention of the stranger. + +When you go to Philadelphia be sure not to forget to visit the museum. It +will afford you a great treat. Some of Mr. Peale's family are constantly in +it, and are ever ready to show the curiosities to strangers and to give +them every necessary information. Mr. Peale has now passed his eightieth +year, and appears to possess the vivacity and, I may almost add, the +activity of youth. + +To the indefatigable exertions of this gentleman is the Western world +indebted for the possession of this splendid museum. Mr. Peale is, +moreover, an excellent artist. Look attentively, I pray you, at the +portrait he has taken of himself, by desire of the State of Pennsylvania. +On entering the room he appears in the act of holding up a curtain to show +you his curiosities. The effect of the light upon his head is infinitely +striking. I have never seen anything finer in the way of light and shade. +The skeleton of the mammoth is a national treasure. I could form but a +faint idea of it by description until I had seen it. It is the most +magnificent skeleton in the world. The city ought never to forget the great +expense Mr. Peale was put to, and the skill and energy he showed during the +many months he spent in searching the swamps where these enormous bones had +been concealed from the eyes of the world for centuries. + +The extensive squares of this city are ornamented with well-grown and +luxuriant trees. Its unremitting attention to literature might cause it to +be styled the Athens of the United States. Here learning and science have +taken up their abode. The literary and philosophical associations, the +enthusiasm of individuals, the activity of the press and the cheapness of +the publications ought to raise the name of Philadelphia to an elevated +situation in the temple of knowledge. + +From the press of this city came Wilson's famous _Ornithology_. By +observing the birds in their native haunts he has been enabled to purge +their history of numberless absurdities which inexperienced theorists had +introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant work. We have no +description of birds in any European publication that can come up to this. +By perusing Wilson's _Ornithology_ attentively before I left England I +knew where to look for the birds, and immediately recognised them in their +native land. + +Since his time I fear that the white-headed eagles have been much thinned. +I was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very few. One or two came +now and then and soared in lofty flight over the Falls of Niagara. The +Americans are proud of this bird in effigy, and their hearts rejoice when +its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be persuaded to protect the +white-headed eagle, and allow it to glide in safety over its own native +forests? Were I an American I should think I had committed a kind of +sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. The ibis was held sacred by +the Egyptians; the Hollanders protect the stork; the vulture sits +unmolested on the top of the houses in the city of Angustura; and Robin +Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the English: + + No burial these pretty babes + Of any man receives, + Till Robin-red-breast painfully. + Did cover them with leaves. [Footnote] + +[Footnote: The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea.] + +Poor Wilson was smote by the hand of death before he had finished his work. +Prince Charles Buonaparte, nephew to the late Emperor Napoleon, aided by +some of the most scientific gentlemen of Pennsylvania, is continuing this +valuable and interesting publication. + +New York, with great propriety, may be called the commercial capital of the +new world: + + Urbs augusta potens, nulli cessura. + +Ere long it will be on the coast of North America what Tyre once was on +that of Syria. In her port are the ships of all nations, and in her streets +is displayed merchandise from all parts of the known world. And then the +approach to it is so enchanting! The verdant fields, the woody hills, the +farms and country-houses form a beautiful landscape as you sail up to the +city of New York. + +Broadway is the principal street. It is three miles and a half long. I am +at a loss to know where to look for a street in any part of the world which +has so many attractions as this. There are no steam-engines to annoy you by +filling the atmosphere full of soot and smoke; the houses have a stately +appearance; while the eye is relieved from the perpetual sameness, which is +common in most streets, by lofty and luxuriant trees. + +Nothing can surpass the appearance of the American ladies when they take +their morning walk from twelve to three in Broadway. The stranger will at +once see that they have rejected the extravagant superfluities which appear +in the London and Parisian fashions, and have only retained as much of +those costumes as is becoming to the female form. This, joined to their own +just notions of dress, is what renders the New York ladies so elegant in +their attire. The way they wear the Leghorn hat deserves a remark or two. +With us the formal hand of the milliner binds down the brim to one fixed +shape, and that none of the handsomest. The wearer is obliged to turn her +head full ninety degrees before she can see the person who is standing by +her side. But in New York the ladies have the brim of the hat not fettered +with wire or tape or ribbon, but quite free and undulating; and by applying +the hand to it they can conceal or expose as much of the face as +circumstances require. This hiding and exposing of the face, by the by, is +certainly a dangerous movement, and often fatal to the passing swain. I am +convinced, in my own mind, that many a determined and unsuspecting bachelor +has been shot down by this sudden manoeuvre before he was aware that he was +within reach of the battery. + +The American ladies seem to have an abhorrence (and a very just one, too) +of wearing caps. When one considers for a moment that women wear the hair +long, which Nature has given them both for an ornament and to keep the head +warm, one is apt to wonder by what perversion of good taste they can be +induced to enclose it in a cap. A mob-cap, a lace-cap, a low cap, a high +cap, a flat cap, a cap with ribbons dangling loose, a cap with ribbons tied +under the chin, a peak-cap, an angular cap, a round cap and a pyramid cap! +How would Canova's Venus look in a mob-cap? If there be any ornament to the +head in wearing a cap, it must surely be a false ornament. The American +ladies are persuaded that the head can be ornamented without a cap. A +rosebud or two, a woodbine, or a sprig of eglantine look well in the +braided hair; and if there be raven locks, a lily or a snowdrop may be +interwoven with effect. + +Now that the packets are so safe, and make such quick passages to the +United States, it would be as well if some of our head milliners would go +on board of them in lieu of getting into the diligence for Paris. They +would bring back more taste and less caricature. And if they could persuade +a dozen or two of the farmer's servant-girls to return with them, we should +soon have proof-positive that as good butter and cheese may be made with +the hair braided up, and a daisy or primrose in it, as butter and cheese +made in a cap of barbarous shape, washed, perhaps, in soapsuds last new +moon. + +New York has very good hotels and genteel boarding-houses. All charges +included, you do not pay above two dollars a day. Little enough, when you +consider the capital accommodations and the abundance of food. + +In this city, as well as in others which I visited, everybody seemed to +walk at his ease. I could see no inclination for jostling, no impertinent +staring at you, nor attempts to create a row in order to pick your pocket. +I would stand for an hour together in Broadway to observe the passing +multitude. There is certainly a gentleness in these people both to be +admired and imitated. I could see very few dogs, still fewer cats, and but +a very small proportion of fat women in the streets of New York. The +climate was the only thing that I had really to find fault with; and as the +autumn was now approaching I began to think of preparing for warmer +regions. + +Strangers are apt to get violent colds on account of the sudden change of +the atmosphere. The noon would often be as warm as tropical weather and the +close of day cold and chilly. This must sometimes act with severity upon +the newly-arrived stranger, and it requires more care and circumspection +than I am master of to guard against it. I contracted a bad and obstinate +cough which did not quite leave me till I had got under the regular heat of +the sun near the equator. + +I may be asked, was it all good-fellowship and civility during my stay in +the United States? Did no forward person cause offence? Was there no +exhibition of drunkenness or swearing or rudeness? or display of conduct +which disgraces civilised man in other countries? I answer, very few +indeed: scarce any worth remembering, and none worth noticing. These are a +gentle and a civil people. Should a traveller now and then in the long run +witness a few of the scenes alluded to, he ought not, on his return home, +to adduce a solitary instance or two as the custom of the country. In +roving through the wilds of Guiana I have sometimes seen a tree hollow at +heart, shattered and leafless, but I did not on that account condemn its +vigorous neighbours, and put down a memorandum that the woods were bad; on +the contrary, I made allowances: a thunderstorm, the whirlwind, a blight +from heaven might have robbed it of its bloom and caused its present +forbidding appearance. And in leaving the forest I carried away the +impression that, though some few of the trees were defective, the rest were +an ornament to the wilds, full of uses and virtues, and capable of +benefiting the world in a superior degree. + +A man generally travels into foreign countries for his own ends, and I +suspect there is scarcely an instance to be found of a person leaving his +own home solely with the intention of benefiting those amongst whom he is +about to travel. A commercial speculation, curiosity, a wish for +information, a desire to reap benefit from an acquaintance with our distant +fellow-creatures are the general inducements for a man to leave his own +fireside. This ought never to be forgotten, and then the traveller will +journey on under the persuasion that it rather becomes him to court than +expect to be courted, as his own interest is the chief object of his +travels. With this in view he will always render himself pleasant to the +natives; and they are sure to repay his little acts of courtesy with ample +interest, and with a fund of information which will be of great service to +him. + +While in the United States I found our Western brother a very pleasant +fellow; but his portrait has been drawn in such different shades by +different travellers who have been through his territory, that it requires +a personal interview before a correct idea can be formed of his true +colours. He is very inquisitive; but it is quite wrong on that account to +tax him with being of an impertinent turn. He merely interrogates you for +information, and, when you have satisfied him on that score, only ask him +in your turn for an account of what is going on in his own country and he +will tell you everything about it with great good humour and in excellent +language. He has certainly hit upon the way (but I could not make out by +what means) of speaking a much purer English language than that which is in +general spoken on the parent soil. This astonished me much; but it is +really the case. Amongst his many good qualities he has one unenviable and, +I may add, a bad propensity: he is immoderately fond of smoking. He may say +that he learned it from his nurse, with whom it was once much in vogue. In +Dutch William's time (he was a man of bad taste) the English gentleman +could not do without his pipe. During the short space of time that Corporal +Trim was at the inn inquiring after poor Lefevre's health, my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of three pipes. "It was not till my Uncle Toby +had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe," etc. Now these times have +luckily gone by, and the custom of smoking amongst genteel Englishmen has +nearly died away with them. It is a foul custom; it makes a foul mouth, and +a foul place where the smoker stands. However, every nation has its whims. +John Bull relishes stinking venison; a Frenchman depopulates whole swamps +in quest of frogs; a Dutchman's pipe is never out of his mouth; a Russian +will eat tallow-candles; and the American indulges in the cigar. "De +gustibus non est disputandum." + +Our Western brother is in possession of a country replete with everything +that can contribute to the happiness and comfort of mankind. His code of +laws, purified by experience and common-sense, has fully answered the +expectations of the public. By acting up to the true spirit of this code he +has reaped immense advantages from it. His advancement as a nation has been +rapid beyond all calculation, and, young as he is, it may be remarked +without any impropriety that he is now actually reading a salutary lesson +to the rest of the civilised world. + +It is but some forty years ago that he had the dispute with his nurse about +a dish of tea. She wanted to force the boy to drink it according to her own +receipt. He said he did not like it, and that it absolutely made him ill. +After a good deal of sparring she took up the birch-rod and began to whip +him with an uncommon degree of asperity. When the poor lad found that he +must either drink the nauseous dish of tea or be flogged to death, he +turned upon her in self-defence, showed her to the outside of the nursery- +door, and never more allowed her to meddle with his affairs. + +Since the Independence the population has increased from three to ten +millions. A fine navy has been built, and everything attended to that could +ensure prosperity at home and respect abroad. + +The former wilds of North America bear ample testimony to the achievements +of this enterprising people. Forests have been cleared away, swamps +drained, canals dug and flourishing settlements established. From the +shores of the Atlantic an immense column of knowledge has rolled into the +interior. The Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri and their tributary +streams have been wonderfully benefited by it. It now seems as if it were +advancing towards the stony mountains, and probably will not become +stationary till it reaches the Pacific Ocean. This almost immeasurable +territory affords a shelter and a home to mankind in general: Jew or +Gentile, king's-man or republican, he meets with a friendly reception in +the United States. His opinions, his persecutions, his errors or mistakes, +however they may have injured him in other countries, are dead and of no +avail on his arrival here. Provided he keeps the peace he is sure to be at +rest. + +Politicians of other countries imagine that intestine feuds will cause a +division in this commonwealth; at present there certainly appears to be no +reason for such a conjecture. Heaven forbid that it should happen. The +world at large would suffer by it. For ages yet to come may this great +commonwealth continue to be the United States of North America. + +The sun was now within a week or two of passing into the southern +hemisphere, and the mornings and evenings were too cold to be comfortable. +I embarked for the Island of Antigua with the intention of calling at the +different islands in the Caribbean Sea on my way once more towards the +wilds of Guiana. + +We were thirty days in making Antigua, and thanked Providence for ordering +us so long a passage. A tremendous gale of wind, approaching to a +hurricane, had done much damage in the West Indies. Had our passage been of +ordinary length we should inevitably have been caught in the gale. + +St. John's is the capital of Antigua. In better times it may have had its +gaieties and amusements. At present it appears sad and woebegone. The +houses, which are chiefly of wood, seem as if they have not had a coat of +paint for many years; the streets are uneven and ill-paved; and as the +stranger wanders through them, he might fancy that they would afford a +congenial promenade to the man who is about to take his last leave of +surrounding worldly misery before he hangs himself. There had been no rain +for some time, so that the parched and barren pastures near the town might, +with great truth, be called Rosinante's own. The mules feeding on them put +you in mind of Ovid's description of famine: + + Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent. + +It is somewhat singular that there is not a single river or brook in the +whole Island of Antigua. In this it differs from Tartary in the other +world, which, according to old writers, has five rivers--viz. Acheron, +Phlegeton, Cocytus, Styx and Lethe. + +In this island I found the redstart, described in Wilson's _Ornithology +of the United States_. I wished to learn whether any of these birds +remain the whole year in Antigua and breed there, or whether they all leave +it for the north when the sun comes out of the southern hemisphere; but +upon inquiry I could get no information whatever. + +After passing a dull week here I sailed for Guadaloupe, whose bold and +cloud-capped mountains have a grand appearance as you approach the island. +Basseterre, the capital, is a neat town, with a handsome public walk in the +middle of it, well shaded by a row of fine tamarind trees on each side. +Behind the town La Souffrière raises its high romantic summit, and on a +clear day you may see the volcanic smoke which issues from it. + +Nearly midway betwixt Guadaloupe and Dominica you escry the Saintes. Though +high and bold and rocky, they have still a diminutive appearance when +compared with their two gigantic neighbours. You just see Marigalante to +windward of them, some leagues off, about a yard high in the horizon. + +Dominica is majestic in high and rugged mountains. As you sail along it you +cannot help admiring its beautiful coffee-plantations, in places so abrupt +and steep that you would pronounce them almost inaccessible. Roseau, the +capital, is but a small town, and has nothing attractive except the well- +known hospitality of the present harbour-master, who is particularly +attentive to strangers and furnishes them with a world of information +concerning the West Indies. Roseau has seen better days, and you can trace +good taste and judgment in the way in which the town has originally been +laid out. + +Some years ago it was visited by a succession of misfortunes which smote it +so severely that it has never recovered its former appearance. A strong +French fleet bombarded it; while a raging fire destroyed its finest +buildings. Some time after an overwhelming flood rolled down the gullies +and fissures of the adjacent mountains and carried all before it. Men, +women and children, houses and property, were all swept away by this mighty +torrent. The terrible scene was said to beggar all description, and the +loss was immense. + +Dominica is famous for a large species of frog which the inhabitants keep +in readiness to slaughter for the table. In the woods of this island the +large rhinoceros-beetle is very common: it measures above six inches in +length. In the same woods is found the beautiful humming-bird, the breast +and throat of which are of a brilliant changing purple. I have searched for +this bird in Brazil and through the whole of the wilds from the Rio Branco, +which is a branch of the Amazons, to the River Paumaron, but never could +find it. I was told by a man in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly that this +humming-bird is found in Mexico; but upon questioning him more about it his +information seemed to have been acquired by hearsay; and so I concluded +that it does not appear in Mexico. I suspect that it is never found out of +the Antilles. + +After leaving Dominica you soon reach the grand and magnificent Island of +Martinico. St. Pierre, its capital, is a fine town, and possesses every +comfort. The inhabitants seem to pay considerable attention to the +cultivation of the tropical fruits. A stream of water runs down the streets +with great rapidity, producing a pleasing effect as you pass along. + +Here I had an opportunity of examining a cuckoo which had just been shot. +It was exactly the same as the metallic cuckoo in Wilson's +_Ornithology_. They told me it is a migratory bird in Martinico. It +probably repairs to this island after its departure from the United States. + +At a little distance from Martinico the celebrated Diamond Rock rises in +insulated majesty out of the sea. It was fortified during the last war with +France, and bravely defended by an English captain. + +In a few hours from Martinico you are at St. Lucie, whose rough and +towering mountains fill you with sublime ideas, as you approach its rocky +shore. The town Castries is quite embayed. It was literally blown to pieces +by the fatal hurricane in which the unfortunate governor and his lady lost +their lives. Its present forlorn and gloomy appearance, and the grass which +is grown up in the streets, too plainly show that its hour of joy is passed +away and that it is in mourning, as it were, with the rest of the British +West Indies. + +From St. Lucie I proceeded to Barbadoes in quest of a conveyance to the +Island of Trinidad. + +Near Bridgetown, the capital of Barbadoes, I saw the metallic cuckoo +already alluded to. + +Barbadoes is no longer the merry island it was when I visited it some years +ago: + + Infelix habitum, temporis hujus habet. + +There is an old song, to the tune of "La Belle Catharine," which must +evidently have been composed in brighter times: + + Come let us dance and sing, + While Barbadoes bells do ring; + Quashi scrapes the fiddle-string, + And Venus plays the lute. + +Quashi's fiddle was silent, and mute was the lute of Venus during my stay +in Barbadoes. The difference betwixt the French and British islands was +very striking. The first appeared happy and content; the second were filled +with murmurs and complaints. The late proceedings in England concerning +slavery and the insurrection in Demerara had evidently caused the gloom. +The abolition of slavery is a question full of benevolence and fine +feelings, difficulties and danger: + + Tantum ne noceas, dum vis prodesse videto. + +It requires consummate prudence and a vast fund of true information in +order to draw just conclusions on this important subject. Phaeton, by +awkward driving, set the world on fire: "Sylvæ cum montibus ardent." +Dædalus gave his son a pair of wings without considering the consequence; +the boy flew out of all bounds, lost his wings, and tumbled into the sea: + + Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis. + +When the old man saw what had happened, he damned his own handicraft in +wing-making: "devovitque suas artes." Prudence is a cardinal virtue: + + Omnia consulta mente gerenda tegens. + +Foresight is half the battle. "Hombre apercebido, medio combatido," says +Don Quixote, or Sancho, I do not remember which. Had Queen Bess weighed +well in her own mind the probable consequences of this lamentable traffic, +it is likely she would not have been owner of two vessels in Sir John +Hawkins's squadron, which committed the first robbery in negro flesh on the +coast of Africa. As philanthropy is the very life and soul of this +momentous question on slavery, which is certainly fraught with great +difficulties and danger, perhaps it would be as well at present for the +nation to turn its thoughts to poor ill-fated Ireland, where oppression, +poverty and rags make a heart-rending appeal to the feelings of the +benevolent. + +But to proceed. There was another thing which added to the dullness of +Barbadoes and which seemed to have considerable effect in keeping away +strangers from the island. The Legislature had passed a most extraordinary +Bill, by virtue of which every person who arrives at Barbadoes is obliged +to pay two dollars, and two dollars more on his departure from it. It is +called the Alien Bill; and every Barbadian who leaves or returns to the +island, and every Englishman too, pays the tax! + +Finding no vessel here for Trinidad, I embarked in a schooner for Demerara, +landed there after being nearly stranded on a sandbank, and proceeded +without loss of time to the forests in the interior. It was the dry season, +which renders a residence in the woods very delightful. + +There are three species of jacamar to be found on the different sandhills +and dry savannas of Demerara; but there is another much larger and far more +beautiful to be seen when you arrive in that part of the country where +there are rocks. The jacamar has no affinity to the woodpecker or +kingfisher (notwithstanding what travellers affirm) either in its haunts or +anatomy. The jacamar lives entirely on insects, but never goes in search of +them. It sits patiently for hours together on the branch of a tree, and +when the incautious insect approaches it flies at it with the rapidity of +an arrow, seizes it, and generally returns to eat it on the branch which it +had just quitted. It has not the least attempt at song, is very solitary, +and so tame that you may get within three or four yards of it before it +takes flight. The males of all the different species which I have examined +have white feathers on the throat. I suspect that all the male jacamars +hitherto discovered have this distinctive mark. I could learn nothing of +its incubation. The Indians informed me that one species of jacamar lays +its eggs in the wood-ants' nests, which are so frequent in the trees of +Guiana, and appear like huge black balls. I wish there had been proof +positive of this; but the breeding-time was over, and in the ants' nests +which I examined I could find no marks of birds having ever been in them. +Early in January the jacamar is in fine plumage for the cabinet of the +naturalist. The largest species measures ten inches and a half from the +point of the beak to the end of the tail. Its name amongst the Indians is +una-waya-adoucati, that is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is certainly a +splendid bird, and in the brilliancy and changeableness of its metallic +colours it yields to none of the Asiatic and African feathered tribe. The +colours of the female are nearly as bright as those of the male, but she +wants the white feathers on the throat. The large jacamar is pretty common +about two hundred miles up the River Demerara. + +Here I had a fine opportunity once more of examining the three-toed sloth. +He was in the house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a description of +him as he lay sprawling on the floor I should have misled the world and +injured natural history. On the ground he appeared really a bungled +composition, and faulty at all points; awkwardness and misery were depicted +on his countenance; and when I made him advance he sighed as though in +pain. Perhaps it was that by seeing him thus out of his element, as it +were, that the Count de Buffon, in his history of the sloth, asks the +question: "Why should not some animals be created for misery, since, in the +human species, the greatest number of individuals are devoted to pain from +the moment of their existence?" Were the question put to me I would answer, +I cannot conceive that any of them are created for misery. That thousands +live in misery there can be no doubt; but then misery has overtaken them in +their path through life, and wherever man has come up with them I should +suppose they have seldom escaped from experiencing a certain proportion of +misery. + +After fully satisfying myself that it only leads the world into error to +describe the sloth while he is on the ground or in any place except in a +tree, I carried the one I had in my possession to his native haunts. As +soon as he came in contact with the branch of a tree all went right with +him. I could see as he climbed up into his own country that he was on the +right road to happiness; and felt persuaded more than ever that the world +has hitherto erred in its conjectures concerning the sloth, on account of +naturalists not having given a description of him when he was in the only +position in which he ought to have been described, namely, clinging to the +branch of a tree. + +As the appearance of this part of the country bears great resemblance to +Cayenne, and is so near to it, I was in hopes to have found the grande +gobe-mouche of Buffon and the septi-coloured tangara, both of which are +common in Cayenne; but after many diligent searches I did not succeed, nor +could I learn from the Indians that they had ever seen those two species of +birds in these parts. + +Here I procured the gross-beak with a rich scarlet body and black head and +throat. Buffon mentions it as coming from America. I had been in quest of +it for years, but could never see it, and concluded that it was not to be +found in Demerara. This bird is of a greenish brown before it acquires its +rich plumage. + +Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this part of the river, a +red crab sometimes makes its appearance as you are passing up and down. It +is preyed upon by a large species of owl which I was fortunate enough to +procure. Its head, back, wings and tail are of so dark a brown as almost to +appear black. The breast is of a somewhat lighter brown. The belly and +thighs are of a dirty yellow-white. The feathers round the eyes are of the +same dark brown as the rest of the body; and then comes a circle of white +which has much the appearance of the rim of a large pair of spectacles. I +strongly suspect that the dirty yellow-white of the belly and thighs has +originally been pure white, and that it has come to its present colour by +means of the bird darting down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere +conjecture. + +Here, too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird called sun-bird by +the English colonists and tirana by the Spaniards in the Oroonoque. It is +very elegant, and in its outward appearance approaches near to the heron +tribe; still, it does not live upon fish. Flies and insects are its food, +and it takes them just as the heron takes fish, by approaching near and +then striking with its beak at its prey so quick that it has no chance to +escape. The beautiful mixture of grey, yellow, green, black, white and +chestnut in the plumage of this bird baffles any attempt to give a +description of the distribution of them which would be satisfactory to the +reader. + +There is something remarkable in the great tinamou which I suspect has +hitherto escaped notice. It invariably roosts in trees, but the feet are so +very small in proportion to the body of this bulky bird that they can be of +no use to it in grasping the branch; and, moreover, the hind-toe is so +short that it does not touch the ground when the bird is walking. The back +part of the leg, just below the knee, is quite flat and somewhat concave. +On it are strong pointed scales, which are very rough, and catch your +finger as you move it along from the knee to the toe. Now, by means of +these scales and the particular flatness of that part of the leg, the bird +is enabled to sleep in safety upon the branch of a tree. + +At the close of day the great tinamou gives a loud, monotonous, plaintive +whistle, and then immediately springs into the tree. By the light of the +full-moon the vigilant and cautious naturalist may see him sitting in the +position already described. + +The small tinamou has nothing that can be called a tail. It never lays more +than one egg, which is of a chocolate colour. It makes no nest, but merely +scratches a little hollow in the sand, generally at the foot of a tree. + +Here we have an instance of a bird the size of a partridge, and of the same +tribe, laying only one egg, while the rest of the family, from the peahen +to the quail, are known to lay a considerable number. The foot of this bird +is very small in proportion, but the back part of the leg bears no +resemblance to that of the larger tinamou; hence one might conclude that it +sleeps upon the ground. + +Independent of the hollow trees, the vampires have another hiding-place. +They clear out the inside of the large ants' nests and then take possession +of the shell. I had gone about half a day down the river to a part of the +forest where the wallaba-trees were in great plenty. The seeds had ripened, +and I was in hopes to have got the large scarlet ara, which feeds on them. +But unfortunately the time had passed away, and the seeds had fallen. + +While ranging here in the forest we stopped under an ants' nest, and, by +the dirt below, conjectured that it had got new tenants. Thinking it no +harm to dislodge them, "vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the tree, but +before he reached the nest out flew above a dozen vampires. + +I have formerly remarked that I wished to have it in my power to say that I +had been sucked by the vampire. I gave them many an opportunity, but they +always fought shy; and though they now sucked a young man of the Indian +breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his hammock in the shed next to +mine, they would have nothing to do with me. His great toe seemed to have +all the attractions. I examined it minutely as he was bathing it in the +river at daybreak. The midnight surgeon had made a hole in it almost of a +triangular shape, and the blood was then running from it apace. His hammock +was so defiled and stained with clotted blood that he was obliged to beg an +old black woman to wash it. As she was taking it down to the river-side she +spread it out before me, and shook her head. I remarked that I supposed her +own toe was too old and tough to invite the vampire-doctor to get his +supper out of it, and she answered, with a grin, that doctors generally +preferred young people. + +Nobody has yet been able to inform me how it is that the vampire manages to +draw such a large quantity of blood, generally from the toe, and the +patient all the time remains in a profound sleep. I have never heard of an +instance of a man waking under the operation. On the contrary, he continues +in a sound sleep, and at the time of rising his eyes first inform him that +there has been a thirsty thief on his toe. + +The teeth of the vampire are very sharp and not unlike those of a rat. If +it be that he inflicts the wound with his teeth (and he seems to have no +other instruments), one would suppose that the acuteness of the pain would +cause the person who is sucked to awake. We are in darkness in this matter, +and I know of no means by which one might be enabled to throw light upon +it. It is to be hoped that some future wanderer through the wilds of Guiana +will be more fortunate than I have been and catch this nocturnal depredator +in the fact. I have once before mentioned that I killed a vampire which +measured thirty-two inches from wing to wing extended, but others which I +have since examined have generally been from twenty to twenty-six inches in +dimension. + +The large humming-bird, called by the Indians kara-bimiti, invariably +builds its nest in the slender branches of the trees which hang over the +rivers and creeks. In appearance it is like brown tanned leather, and +without any particle of lining. The rim of the nest is doubled inwards, and +I always conjectured that it had taken this shape on account of the body of +the bird pressing against it while she was laying her eggs. But this was +quite a wrong conjecture. Instinct has taught the bird to give it this +shape in order that the eggs may be prevented from rolling out. + +The trees on the river's bank are particularly exposed to violent gusts of +wind, and while I have been sitting in the canoe and looking on, I have +seen the slender branch of the tree which held the humming-bird's nest so +violently shaken that the bottom of the inside of the nest has appeared, +and had there been nothing at the rim to stop the eggs they must inevitably +have been jerked out into the water. I suspect the humming-bird never lays +more than two eggs. I never found more than two in any of the many nests +which have come in my way. The eggs were always white without any spots on +them. + +Probably travellers have erred in asserting that the monkeys of South +America throw sticks and fruit at their pursuers. I have had fine +opportunities of narrowly watching the different species of monkeys which +are found in the wilds betwixt the Amazons and the Oroonoque. I entirely +acquit them of acting on the offensive. When the monkeys are in the high +trees over your head the dead branches will now and then fall down upon +you, having been broken off as the monkeys pass along them; but they are +never hurled from their hands. + +Monkeys, commonly so called, both in the old and new continent, may be +classed into three grand divisions: namely, the ape, which has no tail +whatever; the baboon, which has only a short tail; and the monkey, which +has a long tail. There are no apes and no baboons as yet discovered in the +new world. Its monkeys may be very well and very briefly ranged under two +heads: namely, those with hairy and bushy tails; and those whose tails are +bare of hair underneath about six inches from the extremity. Those with +hairy and bushy tails climb just like the squirrel, and make no use of the +tail to help them from branch to branch. Those which have the tail bare +underneath towards the end find it of infinite advantage to them in their +ascent and descent. They apply it to the branch of the tree, as though it +were a supple finger, and frequently swing by it from the branch like the +pendulum of a clock. It answers all the purposes of a fifth hand to the +monkey, as naturalists have already observed. + +The large red monkey of Demerara is not a baboon, though it goes by that +name, having a long pensile tail. [Footnote: I believe _pensile_ is a +new-coined word. I have seen it, but do not remember where.] Nothing can +sound more dreadful than its nocturnal howlings. While lying in your +hammock in these gloomy and immeasurable wilds, you hear him howling at +intervals from eleven o'clock at night till daybreak. You would suppose +that half the wild beasts of the forest were collecting for the work of +carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of the jaguar as he springs on his +prey: now it changes to his terrible and deep-toned growlings as he is +pressed on all sides by superior force: and now you hear his last dying +moan beneath a mortal wound. + +Some naturalists have supposed that these awful sounds which you would +fancy are those of enraged and dying wild beasts proceed from a number of +the red monkeys howling in concert. One of them alone is capable of +producing all these sounds; and the anatomists on an inspection of his +trachea will be fully satisfied that this is the case. When you look at +him, as he is sitting on the branch of a tree, you will see a lump in his +throat the size of a large hen's egg. In dark and cloudy weather, and just +before a squall of rain, this monkey will often howl in the daytime; and if +you advance cautiously, and get under the high and tufted tree where he is +sitting, you may have a capital opportunity of witnessing his wonderful +powers of producing these dreadful and discordant sounds. + +His flesh is good food; but when skinned his appearance is so like that of +a young one of our own species that a delicate stomach might possibly +revolt at the idea of putting a knife and fork into it. However, I can +affirm from experience that, after a long and dreary march through these +remote forests, the flesh of this monkey is not to be sneezed at when +boiled in cayenne-pepper or roasted on a stick over a good fire. A young +one tastes not unlike kid, and the old ones have somewhat the flavour of +he-goat. + +I mentioned, in a former adventure, that I had hit upon an entirely new +plan of making the skins of quadrupeds retain their exact form and feature. +Intense application to the subject has since that period enabled me to +shorten the process and hit the character of an animal to a very great +nicety, even to the preservation of the pouting lip, dimples, warts and +wrinkles on the face. I got a fine specimen of the howling monkey, and took +some pains with it in order to show the immense difference that exists +betwixt the features of this monkey and those of man. + +I also procured an animal which has caused not a little speculation and +astonishment. In my opinion, his thick coat of hair and great length of +tail put his species out of all question, but then his face and head cause +the inspector to pause for a moment before he ventures to pronounce his +opinion of the classification. He was a large animal, and as I was pressed +for daylight, and moreover, felt no inclination to have the whole weight of +his body upon my back, I contented myself with his head and shoulders, +which I cut off, and have brought them with me to Europe. [Footnote: My +young friend Mr. J. H. Foljambe, eldest son of Thomas Foljambe, Esq., of +Wakefield, has made a drawing of the head and shoulders of this animal, and +it is certainly a most correct and striking likeness of the original.] I +have since found that I acted quite right in doing so, having had enough to +answer for the head alone, without saying anything of his hands and feet, +and of his tail, which is an appendage, Lord Kames asserts, belongs to us. + +The features of this animal are quite of the Grecian cast, and he has a +placidity of countenance which shows that things went well with him when in +life. Some gentlemen of great skill and talent, on inspecting his head, +were convinced that the whole series of its features has been changed. +Others again have hesitated, and betrayed doubts, not being able to make up +their minds whether it be possible that the brute features of the monkey +can be changed into the noble countenance of man: "Scinditur vulgus." One +might argue at considerable length on this novel subject; and perhaps, +after all, produce little more than prolix pedantry: "Vox et praeterea +nihil." + +Let us suppose for an instant that it is a new species. Well; "Una +golondrina no hace verano": One swallow does not make summer, as Sancho +Panza says. Still, for all that, it would be well worth while going out to +search for it; and these times of Pasco-Peruvian enterprise are favourable +to the undertaking. Perhaps, gentle reader, you would wish me to go in +quest of another. I would beg leave respectfully to answer that the way is +dubious, long and dreary; and though, unfortunately, I cannot allege the +excuse of "me pia conjux detinet," still I would fain crave a little +repose. I have already been a long while errant: + + Longa mihi exilia, et vastum maris æquor aravi, + Ne mandate mihi, nam ego sum defessus agendo. + +Should anybody be induced to go, great and innumerable are the discoveries +yet to be made in those remote wilds; and should he succeed in bringing +home even a head alone, with features as perfect as those of that which I +have brought, far from being envious of him, I should consider him a modern +Alcides, fully entitled to register a thirteenth labour. Now if, on the +other hand, we argue that this head in question has had all its original +features destroyed, and a set of new ones given to it, by what means has +this hitherto unheard-of change been effected? Nobody in any of our museums +has as yet been able to restore the natural features to stuffed animals; +and he who has any doubts of this, let him take a living cat or dog and +compare them with a stuffed cat or dog in any of the first-rate museums. A +momentary glance of the eye would soon settle his doubts on this head. + +If I have succeeded in effacing the features of a brute, and putting those +of a man in their place, we might be entitled to say that the sun of +Proteus has risen to our museums: + + Unius hic faciem, facies transformat in omnes; + Nunc homo, nunc tigris; nunc equa, nunc mulier. + +If I have effected this, we can now give to one side of the skin of a man's +face the appearance of eighty years and to the other side that of blooming +seventeen. We could make the forehead and eyes serene in youthful beauty +and shape the mouth and jaws to the features of a malicious old ape. Here +is a new field opened to the adventurous and experimental naturalist: I +have trodden it up and down till I am almost weary. To get at it myself I +have groped through an alley which may be styled in the words of Ovid: + + Arduus, obliquus, caligine densus opaca. + +I pray thee, gentle reader, let me out awhile. Time passes on apace; and I +want to take thee to have a peep at the spots where mines are supposed to +exist in Guiana. As the story of this singular head has probably not been +made out to thy satisfaction, perhaps (I may say it nearly in Corporal +Trim's words), on some long and dismal winter's evening, but not now, I may +tell thee more about it; together with that of another head which is +equally striking. + +It is commonly reported, and I think there is no reason to doubt the fact, +that when Demerara and Essequibo were under the Dutch flag there were mines +of gold and silver opened near to the River Essequibo. The miners were not +successful in their undertaking, and it is generally conjectured that their +failure proceeded from inexperience. + +Now, when you ascend the Essequibo, some hundred miles above the place +where these mines are said to be found, you get into a high, rocky and +mountainous country. Here many of the mountains have a very barren aspect, +producing only a few stinted shrubs, and here and there a tuft of coarse +grass. I could not learn that they have ever been explored, and at this day +their mineralogy is totally unknown to us. The Indians are so thinly +scattered in this part of the country that there would be no impropriety in +calling it uninhabited: + + Apparent rari errantes in gurgite vasto. + +It remains to be yet learnt whether this portion of Guiana be worth looking +after with respect to its supposed mines. The mining speculations at +present are flowing down another channel. The rage in England for working +the mines of other states has now risen to such a pitch, that it would +require a considerable degree of caution in a mere wanderer of the woods in +stepping forward to say anything that might tend to raise or depress the +spirits of the speculators. + +A question or two, however, might be asked. When the revolted colonies +shall have repaired in some measure the ravages of war, and settled their +own political economy upon a firm foundation, will they quietly submit to +see foreigners carrying away those treasures which are absolutely part of +their own soil, and which necessity (necessity has no law) forced them to +barter away in their hour of need? Now, if it should so happen that the +masters of the country begin to repent of their bargain and become envious +of the riches which foreigners carry off, many a teasing law might be made +and many a vexatious enaction might be put in force that would in all +probability bring the speculators into trouble and disappointment. + +Besides this consideration there is another circumstance which ought not to +be overlooked. I allude to the change of masters nearly throughout the +whole of America. It is a curious subject for the European philosopher to +moralise upon and for the politician to examine. The more they consider it, +the more they will be astonished. If we may judge by what has already taken +place, we are entitled to predict that in a very few years more no European +banner will be seen to float in any part of the new world. Let us take a +cursory view of it. + +England some years ago possessed a large portion of the present United +States. France had Louisiana; Spain held the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, +Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru and California; and +Portugal ruled the whole of Brazil. All these immense regions are now +independent states. England, to be sure, still has Canada, Nova Scotia and +a few creeks on the coast of Labrador; also a small settlement in Honduras, +and the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo; and these are all. France has not +a foot of ground, except the forests of Cayenne. Portugal has lost every +province; Spain is blockaded in nearly her last citadel; and the Dutch flag +is only seen in Surinam. Nothing more now remains to Europe of this immense +continent where but a very few years ago she reigned triumphant. + +With regard to the West India Islands, they may be considered as the mere +outposts of this mammoth domain. St. Domingo has already shaken off her old +masters and become a star of observation to the rest of the sable brethren. +The anti-slavery associations of England, full of benevolence and activity, +have opened a tremendous battery upon the last remaining forts which the +lords of the old continent still hold in the new world; and in all +probability will not cease firing till they shall have caused the last flag +to be struck of Europe's late mighty empire in the transatlantic regions. +It cannot well be doubted but that the sable hordes in the West Indies will +like to follow good example whenever they shall have it in their power to +do so. + +Now with St. Domingo as an example before them, how long will it be before +they try to raise themselves into independent states? And if they should +succeed in crushing us in these our last remaining tenements, I would bet +ten to one that none of the new Governments will put on mourning for our +departure out of the new world. We must well remember that our own +Government was taxed with injustice and oppression by the United States +during their great struggle; and the British press for years past has, and +is still, teeming with every kind of abuse and unbecoming satire against +Spain and Portugal for their conduct towards the now revolted colonies. + +France also comes in for her share of obloquy. Now this being the case, +will not America at large wish most devoutly for the day to come when +Europe shall have no more dominion over her? Will she not say to us: Our +new forms of government are very different from your old ones. We will +trade with you, but we shall always be very suspicious of you as long as +you retain possession of the West Indies, which are, as we may say, close +to our door-steads. You must be very cautious how you interfere with our +politics; for, if we find you meddling with them, and by that means cause +us to come to loggerheads, we shall be obliged to send you back to your own +homes three or four thousand miles across the Atlantic; and then with that +great ditch betwixt us we may hope we shall be good friends. He who casts +his eye on the East Indies will there see quite a different state of +things. The conquered districts have merely changed one European master for +another; and I believe there is no instance of any portion of the East +Indies throwing off the yoke of the Europeans and establishing a Government +of their own. + +Ye who are versed in politics, and study the rise and fall of empires, and +know what is good for civilised man and what is bad for him, or, in other +words, what will make him happy and what will make him miserable--tell us +how comes it that Europe has lost almost her last acre in the boundless +expanse of territory which she so lately possessed in the West, and still +contrives to hold her vast property in the extensive regions of the East? + +But whither am I going? I find myself on a new and dangerous path. Pardon, +gentle reader, this sudden deviation. Methinks I hear thee saying to me: + + Tramite quo tendis, majoraque viribus audes. + +I grant that I have erred, but I will do so no more. In general I avoid +politics; they are too heavy for me, and I am aware that they have caused +the fall of many a strong and able man; they require the shoulders of Atlas +to support their weight. + +When I was in the rocky mountains of Macoushia, in the month of June 1812, +I saw four young cock-of-the-rocks in an Indian's hut; they had been taken +out of the nest that week. They were of a uniform dirty brown colour, and +by the position of the young feathers upon the head you might see that +there would be a crest there when the bird arrived at maturity. By seeing +young ones in the month of June I immediately concluded that the old cock- +of-the-rock would be in fine plumage from the end of November to the +beginning of May; and that the naturalist who was in quest of specimens for +his museum ought to arrange his plans in such a manner as to be able to get +into Macoushia during these months. However, I find now that no exact +period can be fixed; for in December 1824 an Indian in the River Demerara +gave me a young cock-of-the-rock not a month old, and it had just been +brought from the Macoushi country. By having a young specimen at this time +of the year it puts it out of one's power to say at what precise time the +old birds are in full plumage. I took it on board a ship with me for +England, but it was so very susceptible of cold that it shivered and died +three days after we had passed Antigua. + +If ever there should be a great demand for large supplies of gum-elastic, +commonly called india-rubber, it may be procured in abundance far away in +the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. + +Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi country, there was a capital +trick played upon me about india-rubber. It is, almost too good to be left +out of these wanderings, and it shows that the wild and uneducated Indian +is not without abilities. Weary and sick and feeble through loss of blood, +I arrived at some Indian huts which were about two hours distant from the +place where the gum-elastic trees grew. After a day and a night's rest I +went to them, and with my own hands made a fine ball of pure india-rubber; +it hardened immediately as it became exposed to the air, and its elasticity +was almost incredible. + +While procuring it, exposure to the rain, which fell in torrents, brought +on a return of inflammation in the stomach, and I was obliged to have +recourse again to the lancet, and to use it with an unsparing hand. I +wanted another ball, but was not in a state the next morning to proceed to +the trees. A fine interesting young Indian, observing my eagerness to have +it, tendered his services, and asked two handfuls of fish-hooks for his +trouble. + +Off he went, and to my great surprise returned in a very short time. +Bearing in mind the trouble and time it had cost me to make a ball, I could +account for this Indian's expedition in no other way except that, being an +inhabitant of the forest, he knew how to go about his work in a much +shorter way than I did. His ball, to be sure, had very little elasticity in +it. I tried it repeatedly, but it never rebounded a yard high. The young +Indian watched me with great gravity, and when I made him understand that I +expected the ball would dance better, he called another Indian who knew a +little English to assure me that I might be quite easy on that score. The +young rogue, in order to render me a complete dupe, brought the new moon to +his aid. He gave me to understand that the ball was like the little moon +which he pointed to, and by the time it grew big and old the ball would +bounce beautifully. This satisfied me, and I gave him the fish-hooks, which +he received without the least change of countenance. + +I bounced the ball repeatedly for two months after, but I found that it +still remained in its infancy. At last I suspected that the savage (to use +a vulgar phrase) had "come Yorkshire" over me; and so I determined to find +out how he had managed to take me in. I cut the ball in two, and then saw +what a taught trick he had played me. It seems he had chewed some leaves +into a lump the size of a walnut, and then dipped them in the liquid gum- +elastic. It immediately received a coat about as thick as a sixpence. He +then rolled some more leaves round it and gave it another coat. He seems to +have continued this process till he made the ball considerably larger than +the one I had procured; and in order to put his roguery out of all chance +of detection he made the last and outer coat thicker than a dollar. This +Indian would, no doubt, have thriven well in some of our great towns. + +Finding that the rainy season was coming on, I left the wilds of Demerara +and Essequibo with regret towards the close of December 1824, and reached +once more the shores of England after a long and unpleasant passage. + +Ere we part, kind reader, I could wish to draw a little of thy attention to +the instructions which are to be found at the end of this book. Twenty +years have now rolled away since I first began to examine the specimens of +zoology in our museums. As the system of preparation is founded in error, +nothing but deformity, distortion and disproportion will be the result of +the best intentions and utmost exertions of the workman. Canova's +education, taste and genius enabled him to present to the world statues so +correct and beautiful that they are worthy of universal admiration. Had a +common stonecutter tried his hand upon the block out of which these statues +were sculptured, what a lamentable want of symmetry and fine countenance +there would have been. Now when we reflect that the preserved specimens in +our museums and private collections are always done upon a wrong principle, +and generally by low and illiterate people whose daily bread depends upon +the shortness of time in which they can get through their work, and whose +opposition to the true way of preparing specimens can only be surpassed by +their obstinacy in adhering to the old method, can we any longer wonder at +their want of success or hope to see a single specimen produced that will +be worth looking at? With this I conclude, hoping that thou hast received +some information, and occasionally had a smile upon thy countenance, while +perusing these _Wanderings_; and begging at the same time to add that: + + Well I know thy penetration + Many a stain and blot will see, + In the languid long narration, + Of my sylvan errantry. + + For the pen too oft was weary, + In the wandering writer's hand, + As he roved through deep and dreary + Forests, in a distant land. + + Show thy mercy, gentle reader, + Let him not entreat in vain; + It will be his strength's best feeder, + Should he ever go again. + + And who knows, how soon complaining + Of a cold and wifeless home, + He may leave it, and again in + Equatorial regions roam. + +C.W. + + + * * * * * + + + + +ON PRESERVING BIRDS FOR CABINETS +OF NATURAL HISTORY + + +Were you to pay as much attention to birds as the sculptor does to the +human frame, you would immediately see, on entering a museum, that the +specimens are not well done. + +This remark will not be thought severe when you reflect that that which +once was a bird has probably been stretched, stuffed, stiffened and wired +by the hand of a common clown. Consider, likewise, how the plumage must +have been disordered by too much stretching or drying, and perhaps sullied, +or at least deranged, by the pressure of a coarse and heavy hand--plumage +which, ere life had fled from within it, was accustomed to be touched by +nothing rougher than the dew of heaven and the pure and gentle breath of +air. + +In dissecting, three things are necessary to ensure success: viz. a +penknife, a hand not coarse or clumsy, and practice. The first will furnish +you with the means; the second will enable you to dissect; and the third +cause you to dissect well. These may be called the mere mechanical +requisites. + +In stuffing, you require cotton, a needle and thread, a little stick the +size of a common knitting-needle, glass eyes, a solution of corrosive +sublimate, and any kind of a common temporary box to hold the specimen. +These also may go under the same denomination as the former. But if you +wish to excel in the art, if you wish to be in ornithology what Angelo was +in sculpture, you must apply to profound study and your own genius to +assist you. And these may be called the scientific requisites. + +You must have a complete knowledge of ornithological anatomy. You must pay +close attention to the form and attitude of the bird, and know exactly the +proportion each curve, or extension, or contraction, or expansion of any +particular part bears to the rest of the body. In a word, you must possess +Promethean boldness and bring down fire and animation, as it were, into +your preserved specimen. + +Repair to the haunts of birds on plains and mountains, forests, swamps and +lakes, and give up your time to examine the economy of the different orders +of birds. + +Then you will place your eagle in attitude commanding, the same as Nelson +stood in in the day of battle on the _Victory's_ quarter-deck. Your +pie will seem crafty and just ready to take flight, as though fearful of +being surprised in some mischievous plunder. Your sparrow will retain its +wonted pertness by means of placing his tail a little elevated and giving a +moderate arch to the neck. Your vulture will show his sluggish habits by +having his body nearly parallel to the earth, his wings somewhat drooping, +and their extremities under the tail instead of above it--expressive of +ignoble indolence. + +Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence; looking mildly at you +with its neck not too much stretched, as if uneasy in its situation; or +drawn too close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a discovery; +but in moderate, perpendicular length, supporting the head horizontally, +which will set off the breast to the best advantage. And the breast ought +to be conspicuous, and have this attention paid to it--for when a young +lady is sweet and gentle in her manners, kind and affable to those around +her, when her eyes stand in tears of pity for the woes of others, and she +puts a small portion of what Providence has blessed her with into the hand +of imploring poverty and hunger, then we say she has the breast of a +turtle-dove. + +You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged: one +falling over the other in nicest order; and that where this charming +harmony is interrupted, the defect, though not noticed by an ordinary +spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. Thus a bird +not wounded and in perfect feather must be procured if possible, for the +loss of feathers can seldom be made good; and where the deficiency is +great, all the skill of the artist will avail him little in his attempt to +conceal the defect, because in order to hide it he must contract the skin, +bring down the upper feathers, and shove in the lower ones, which would +throw all the surrounding parts into contortion. + +You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce feathers, +and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow. The bare parts +are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and stomach, and they +fit into the different cavities of the body at the wings, shoulders, rump +and thighs with wonderful exactness; so that, in stuffing the bird, if you +make an even, rotund surface of the skin where these cavities existed, in +lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry, order and proportion are lost for +ever. + +You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be entirely +skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true and pleasing +specimen. + +You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the nature of +the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in: first, they require +to be well seasoned with aromatic spices; secondly, they must be put into +the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of the fire, and the natural tendency +all cured flesh has to shrink and become hard, render the specimen +withered, distorted and too small; fourthly, the inside then becomes like a +ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects claim it as their own, +the feathers begin to drop off, and you have the hideous spectacle of death +in ragged plumage. + +Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance; for +where it is introduced a disagreeable stiffness and derangement of symmetry +follow. + +The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the body supported, the +wings closed, extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised or expanded, +the thighs set horizontal or oblique, without any aid from wire. Cotton +will effect all this. + +A very small proportion of the skull-bone, say from the forepart of the +eyes to the bill, is to be left in; though even this is not absolutely +necessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones and half of the thigh- +bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains and tendons +--is all to be taken away. + +While dissecting it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking off the +skin from the body by means of your fingers and a little knife, you must +try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. + +That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now and +then take a view of it to see that the feathers, etc., are all right. + +That when you come to the head you must take care that the body of the skin +rests on your knee; for if you allow it to dangle from your hand its own +weight will stretch it too much. + +That, throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin from +the body you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it; and this +will effectually prevent any fat, blood or moisture from coming in contact +with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on the belly you find an +inner skin, which keeps the bowels in their place. By a nice operation with +the knife you can cut through the outer skin and leave the inner skin +whole. Attention to this will render your work very clean; so that with a +little care in other parts you may skin a bird without even soiling your +finger-ends. + +As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on this +head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard with your +finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon expire. Carry it +by the legs, and then the body being reversed the blood cannot escape down +the plumage through the shot-holes. As blood will often have issued out +before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the shot-holes by dividing +the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on them, and then with your +penknife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully remove the clotted blood and put +a little cotton on the hole. If, after all, the plumage has not escaped the +marks of blood, or if it has imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part +in water, without soap, and keep gently agitating the feathers with your +fingers till they are quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them to +dry by themselves, they would have a very mean and shrivelled appearance. + +In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or upon +your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee; because when you cross one +knee over the other and have the bird upon the uppermost, you can raise it +to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foot on the ground, +and then your knee will always move in unison with your body, by which much +stooping will be avoided and lassitude prevented. + +With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect a +bird. Suppose we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with a song +for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he is just the +thing. His skin is also pretty tough, and the feathers adhere to it. + +We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive +sublimate in alcohol; also a stick like a common knitting-needle and a +handful or two of cotton. Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird with +cotton, and place it upon your knee on its back, with its head pointing to +your left shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two first fingers and +thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point of the knife +perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you to hold it so, you +would cut the inner skin of the belly, and thus let the bowels out. To +avoid this let your knife be parallel to the body, and then, you will +divide the outer skin with great ease. + +Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle, quite to +the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and separate +the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of the thigh. Cut +it through, and do nothing more there at present, except introducing cotton +all the way on that side, from the vent to the breastbone. Do exactly the +same on the opposite side. + +Now place the bird perpendicular, its breast resting on your knee, with its +back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each side at the vent, +and never mind at present the part from the vent to the root of the tail. +Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while your finger and thumb are +keeping down the detached parts of the skin on each side of the vent, cut +quite across and deep, till you see the backbone, near the oil-gland at the +root of the tail. Sever the backbone at the joint, and then you have all +the root of the tail, together with the oil-gland, dissected from the body. +Apply plenty of cotton. + +After this seize the end of the backbone with your finger and thumb: and +now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round and round +as occasion requires. While you are holding it thus, contrive, with the +help of your other hand and knife, by cutting and shoving, to get the skin +pushed up till you come to where the wing joins on to the body. Forget not +to apply cotton; cut this joint through; do the same at the other wing, add +cotton, and gently push the skin over the head; cut out the roots of the +ears, which lie very deep in the head, and continue skinning till you reach +the middle of the eye; cut the nictitating membrane quite through, +otherwise you would tear the orbit of the eye; and after this nothing +difficult intervenes to prevent your arriving at the root of the bill. + +When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of skull, +just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye; clean well the jaw- +bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick, dip it into the +solution, and touch the skull and corresponding part of the skin, as you +cannot well get to these places afterwards. From the time of pushing the +skin over the head you are supposed to have had the bird resting upon your +knee; keep it there still, and with great caution and tenderness return the +head through the inverted skin, and when you see the beak appearing pull it +very gently till the head comes out unruffled and unstained. + +You may now take the cotton out of the mouth; cut away all the remaining +flesh at the palate, and whatever may have remained at the under-jaw. + +Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all the +flesh, fat and uncleaned bones out of it, except the middle joint of the +wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. The extreme +point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, comparatively +speaking, so that it requires no attention except touching it with the +solution from the outside. Take all in the flesh from the remaining joint +of the wing, and tie a thread about four inches long to the end of it; +touch all with the solution, and put the wing-bone back into its place. In +baring this bone you must by no means pull the skin; you would tear it to +pieces beyond all doubt, for the ends of the long feathers are attached to +the bone itself; you must push off the skin with your thumb-nail and +forefinger. Now skin the thigh quite to the knee; cut away all flesh and +tendons, and leave the bone; form an artificial thigh round it with cotton; +apply the solution and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh: the +same to the other thigh. + +Lastly, proceed to the tail: take out the inside of the oil-gland, remove +all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of the tail- +feathers; give it the solution and replace it. Now take out all the cotton +which you have been putting into the body from time to time to preserve the +feathers from grease and stains. Place the bird upon your knee on its back; +tie together the two threads which you had fastened to the end of the wing- +joints, leaving exactly the same space betwixt them as your knowledge in +anatomy informs you existed there when the bird was entire; hold the skin +open with your finger and thumb, and apply the solution to every part of +the inside. Neglect the head and neck at present; they are to receive it +afterwards. + +Fill the body moderately with cotton, lest the feathers on the belly should +be injured whilst you are about the following operation. You must recollect +that half of the thigh, or in other words, one joint of the thigh-bone, has +been cut away. Now, as this bone never moved perpendicular to the body, +but, on the contrary, in an oblique direction, of course, as soon as it is +cut off, the remaining part of the thigh and leg having nothing now to +support them obliquely, must naturally fall to their perpendicular. Hence +the reason why the legs appear considerably too long. To correct this, take +your needle and thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and then push +the needle through the skin just opposite to it. Look on the outside, and +after finding the needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the +wing with several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and render +it quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without the help of +wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton except the artificial thighs, +and adjust the wing-bones (which are connected by the thread) in the most +even manner possible, so that one joint does not appear to lie lower than +the other; for unless they are quite equal, the wings themselves will be +unequal when you come to put them in their proper attitude. Here, then, +rests the shell of the poor hawk, ready to receive from your skill and +judgment the size, the shape, the features and expression it had, ere death +and your dissecting hand brought it to its present still and formless +state. The cold hand of death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate +victim. When the heart ceases to beat, and the blood no longer courses +through the veins, the features collapse, and the whole frame seems to +shrink within itself. If then you have formed your idea of the real +appearance of the bird from a dead specimen, you will be in error. With +this in mind, and at the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger +than life, to make up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a +bird that will please you. + +It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means of +the little stick like a knitting-needle; and without any other aid or +substance than that of this little stick and cotton, your own genius must +produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that elegance +and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature, so little +attended to in preserved specimens. After you have introduced the cotton, +sew up the orifice you originally made in the belly, beginning at the vent. +And from time to time, till you arrive at the last stitch, keep adding a +little cotton in order that there may be no deficiency there. Lastly, dip +your stick into the solution, and put it down the throat three or four +times, in order that every part may receive it. + +When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking, close +the bill as in nature. A little bit of bees' wax at the point of it will +keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be stuck into the +lower mandible perpendicularly. You will shortly see the use of it. Bring +also the feet together by a pin, and then run a thread through the knees, +by which you may draw them to each other as near as you judge proper. +Nothing now remains to be added but the eyes. With your little stick make a +hollow in the cotton within the orbit, and introduce the glass eyes through +the orbit. Adjust the orbit to them as in nature, and that requires no +other fastener. + +Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have informed you +that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body than that part of +the eye which appears within it when in life. So that, were you to +proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable of receiving, it would +be far too large. Inattention to this has caused the eyes of every specimen +in the best cabinets of natural history to be out of all proportion. To +prevent this, contract the orbit by means of a very small delicate needle +and thread at that part of it farthest from the beak. This may be done with +such nicety that the stitch cannot be observed; and thus you have the +artificial eye in true proportion. + +After this touch the bill, orbits, feet and former oil-gland at the root of +the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the hawk everything +necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of elasticity, two qualities +very essential. + +Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about three-fourths up +to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make a moderate hollow in +it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your hands and, after putting +the wings in order, place it in the cotton with its legs in a sitting +posture. The head will fall down. Never mind. Get a cork and run three pins +into the end, just like a three-legged stool. Place it under the bird's +bill, and run the needle which you formerly fixed there into the head of +the cork. This will support the bird's head admirably. If you wish to +lengthen the neck, raise the cork by putting more cotton under it. If the +head is to be brought forward, bring the cork nearer to the end of the box. +If it requires to be set backwards on the shoulders, move back the cork. + +As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore part, +and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be, putting you in mind +of a stargazing horse, prevent this fault by tying a thread to the beak and +fastening it to the end of the box with a pin or needle. If you choose to +elevate the wings, do so, and support them with cotton; and should you wish +to have them particularly high, apply a little stick under each wing, and +fasten the end of them to the side of the box with a little bees' wax. + +If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the feathers, +beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them in their true +order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion you have given it. +Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a contrary direction to that +in which they lie for a day or two, and it will never fall down after. + +Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun, wind +and fire; for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to reproduce +every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive sublimate is +uncommonly serviceable; for at the same time that it totally prevents +putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible for many days. While +the bird is drying, take it out, and replace it in its position once every +day. Then, if you see that any part begins to shrink into disproportion, +you can easily remedy it. + +The small covert-feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little, because +the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in the wing. Pull +gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb for a day or two. +Press the feathers down. The skin will adhere no more to the bone, and they +will cease to rise. + +Every now and then touch and retouch all the different parts of the +features in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at the +same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings, flatness or +rotundity. This is putting the last finishing hand to it. + +In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the knees +begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the legs any +angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position, or curve them +to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch, bore a little hole +under each foot a little way up the leg; and having fixed two proportional +spikes on the branch, you can, in a moment, transfer the bird from your +finger to it, and from it to your finger at pleasure. + +When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take away the +needle, etc., from under the bill, and all is done. In lieu of being stiff +with wires, the cotton will have given a considerable elasticity to every +part of your bird; so that, when perching on your finger, if you press it +down with the other hand, it will rise again. You need not fear that your +hawk will alter, or its colours fade. The alcohol has introduced the +sublimate into every part and pore of the skin, quite to the roots of the +feathers. Its use is twofold: firstly, it has totally prevented all +tendency to putrefaction; and thus a sound skin has attached itself to the +roots of the feathers. You may take hold of a single one, and from it +suspend five times the weight of the bird. You may jerk it; it will still +adhere to the skin, and after repeated trials often break short. Secondly, +as no part of the skin has escaped receiving particles of sublimate +contained in the alcohol, there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of +insects: for they will never venture to attack any substance which has +received corrosive sublimate. + +You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to insects +that is known. It is anti-putrescent; so is alcohol; and they are both +colourless, of course; they cannot leave a stain behind them. The spirit +penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, deposits +invisible particles of the sublimate and flies off. The sublimate will not +injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the parts where the alcohol +has left it. [Footnote: All the feathers require to be touched with the +solution, in order that they may be preserved from the depredation of the +moth. The surest way of proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution +of corrosive sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it.] + +Furs of animals immersed in this solution will retain their pristine +brightness and durability in any climate. + +Take the finest curled feather from a lady's head, dip it in the solution, +and shake it gently till it be dry; you will find that the spirit will fly +off in a few minutes, not a curl in the feather will be injured, and the +sublimate will preserve it from the depredation of the insect. + +Perhaps it may be satisfactory to add here that some years ago I did a bird +upon this plan in Demerara. It remained there two years. It was then +conveyed to England, where it stayed five months, and returned to Demerara. +After being four years more there it was conveyed back again through the +West Indies to England, where it has now been near five years, unfaded and +unchanged. + +On reflecting that this bird has been twice in the Temperate and Torrid +Zone, and remained some years in the hot and humid climate of Demerara, +only six degrees from the line, and where almost everything becomes a prey +to the insect, and that it is still as sound and bright as when it was +first done, it will not be thought extravagant to surmise that this +specimen will retain its pristine form and colours for years after the hand +that stuffed it has mouldered into dust. + +I have shown this art to the naturalists in Brazil, Cayenne, Demerara, +Oroonoque and Rome, and to the royal cabinets of Turin and Florence. A +severe accident prevented me from communicating it to the cabinet of Paris, +according to my promise. A word or two more, and then we will conclude. + +A little time and experience will enable you to produce a finished +specimen: "Mox similis volucri, mox vera volucris." If your early +performance should not correspond with your expectations, do not let that +cast you down. You cannot become an adept all at once. The poor hawk +itself, which you have just been dissecting, waited to be fledged before it +durst rise on expanded pinion, and had parental aid and frequent practice +ere it could soar with safety and ease beyond the sight of man. + +Little more remains to be added, except that what has been penned down with +regard to birds may be applied in some measure to serpents, insects and +four-footed animals. + +Should you find these instructions too tedious, let the wish to give you +every information plead in their defence. They might have been shorter; but +Horace says, by labouring to be brief you become obscure. + +If by their means you should be enabled to procure specimens from foreign +parts in better preservation than usual, so that the naturalist may have it +in his power to give a more perfect description of them than has hitherto +been the case; should they cause any unknown species to be brought into +public view, and thus add a little more to the page of natural history, it +will please me much. But should they unfortunately tend to cause a wanton +expense of life; should they tempt you to shoot the pretty songster +warbling near your door, or destroy the mother as she is sitting on the +nest to warm her little ones, or kill the father as he is bringing a +mouthful of food for their support--Oh, then! deep indeed will be the +regret that I ever wrote them. + +Adieu, + +CHARLES WATERTON. + +FINIS + +GLOSSARY + + +Acaiari, _the resinous gum of + the hiawa-tree_. +Acouri, _one of the agutis_; + a rodent about the size of a rabbit. +Acuero, _a species of palm_. +Æta, _a palm of great size_; + it may reach a hundred feet + before the leaves begin. +Ai, _the three-toed sloth_. +Albicore, _a fish closely related to + the tunny_. +Anhinga, _the darter or snake-bird_; + a cormorant-like bird. +Ant-bear, _now called the ant-eater_. +Ara, _a macaw_. +Ara, Scarlet, _the scarlet macaw_. + +Bisa, _one of the Saki monkeys_. + +Cabbage Mountain, _one of the most + beautiful of the palm-trees_. +Camoudi, _the anaconda._ +Campanero, _the bell-bird._ +Caprimulgus, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Cassique, _a bird of the hang-nest + family._ +Cayman, _an alligator, as here used._ +Cotingas, _chatterers._ +Couguar, _the puma._ +Coulacanara, _the boa-constrictor._ +Courada, _the white mangrove tree._ +Crabier, _the boat-bill--a small heron._ +Crickets, _cicadas._ +Cuia, _one of the Trojans._ +Curlew, Scarlet, _the scarlet ibis._ + +Dolphin, _a coryphene--a true fish--not + a cetacean._ + +Guana, _the iguana lizard._ + +Hannaquoi, _one of the curassows._ +Houtou, _one of the motmots._ +Humming-bird Ara or Karabimiti, + _the crimson topaz._ + +Jacamar, _Jacana_, as anglicized--_the + spur-winged waterhen._ + +Labba, _a rodent allied to the + cavies._ + +Naudapoa, _an ibis._ + +Patasa, _unidentified._ +Phaeton, _the tropic bird._ +Pi-pi-yo, _unidentified._ +Porcupine, _the tree-porcupine._ + +Quake, _a basket of open-work, very + elastic and expansive._ + +Redstart, _quite distinct from the + English redstart._ + +Sacawinki, _one of the squirrel + monkeys._ +Sangre-do-buey, _the scarlet tanager._ + +Tangara, _now called tanager. See + Sangre-do-buey._ + +Waracaba, _the trumpeter._ +Whip-poor-will, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Who-are-you? _one of the goat-suckers._ +Willy-come-go, _one of the goat-suckers._ +Work-away, _one of the goat-suckers._ + +Yawaraciri, _one of the blue + creepers._ + + + + +ACAIARI +Ai, _see_ Sloths +Alligators +American cities, + classical names of +American ladies, + praise of; + their attire +American manners +Ant-bears +Ant-eating birds +Antigua +Ants; + an ingredient of wourali poison; + nests of +Apoura-poura, River +Ara (macaw) +Armadillo +Arrowroot, + wild +Arrows, Indian +Arthur, King +Asses, + effect of wourali poison on +Aura vulture + +Banks, Sir Joseph +Barbadoes +Basseterre +Bête-rouge +Birds, Demeraran; + Brazilian, +Bitterns +Blow-pipe, Indian +Boa-constrictor +Boclora +Bois immortel +Bow, Indian +Broadway +Bucaniers +Buffalo +Bug, + encounter with a +Buonaparte, Prince Charles +Bush-master +Bush-rope + +Camoudi snake +Campanero +Canadians characterised +Caprimulgus, + _see_ Goat-suckers +Caps, + a diatribe against +Cassava +Cassique +Castries +Cayenne +Cayman; + expedition in search of; + fishing for; + ridden by author +Chegoe +Clove-trees +Cock-of-the-rock +Constable rock +Coral snake +Cotingas +Couguar +Coulacanara snake, + capture of a +Counacouchi, + _see_ Bush-master +Coushie-ant +Cuia +Curlew, scarlet +Custom House difficulties + +Demerara, + falls of the River + potentialities of the + colony +_Deserted Village_, Goldsmith's, + quoted +Dog, + effect of wourali poison on a; + probably not native to Guiana +Dolphin +Dominica + +Eagle, + white-headed +Edmonstone, Charles +Edmonstone, Robert +Egret +Erie Canal; + Lake +Essequibo river; + falls of the; + scenery +Europe, + future American independence of + +Fever, + treatment of +Fig-tree, + wild +Fire-fly +Fish, Demeraran +Fishing, Indian method of, +Flying-fish, +Forest-trees, Demeraran; + destruction of North American, +Fort St. Joachim, +Fowl, + effect of wourali poison on a, +Frigate pelican, + +Goat-suckers; + superstitious fear of, +Grand gobe-mouche, +Gross-beak, +Guadalope, +Guiana, + future of; + bird's-eye view of, + +Hannaquoi, +Hermit, + a white, +Hia-hia, +_History of Brazil_, Southey's, +Horned screamer, +Houtou, +Howling monkey, + _see_ Monkeys +Hudson, + journey up the, +Hugues, Victor, +Humming-birds, + +Ibibirou, +Impostor, + an Indian, +Indians; + mode of life; + religion, + _See also_ Macoushi Indians +India-rubber, +Inn-album, + inscription in an, +Insects, Demeraran, +Irish emigrants, + +Jabiru, +Jacamar, +Jaguar, +Jay, Guianan, +Jesuits, + expulsion of the, + +Kearney, Dennis, +Kessi-kessi paroquet, +Kingfishers, +King of the vultures, + +Labarri snake, +La Gabrielle, + national plantation at, +Land-tortoise, +Lizards, + +Maam, + _see_ Tinamou +Macoushi Indians; + their methods of hunting; + trick played by one on the author, +Manikins, +Maroudis, +Martin, M., +Martinico, +Metallic-cuckoo, +Mibiri Creek, +Mines in Guiana, +Monkeys; + red, or howling; + a specimen with Grecian features, +Monteiro, +Montreal, +Mora-tree, +Museum at Philadelphia, + +New Amsterdam, +New York, +Niagara, + Falls of, +Nobrega, Father, + +Olinda; + botanic garden at, +_Ornithology of the United States_, + Wilson's, +Otters, +Owl, + a crab-eating, +Ox, + effect of wourali poison on an, + +Pacou, +Paramaribo, +Parasitic plants, +Parima, Lake, +Park, Mungo, +Parrots, +Partridge, +Peccari, +Pelican, +Percy, Earl, +Pernambuco; + environs, +Petrel, + stormy, +Philadelphia, +Phaeton, +Pi-pi-yo, +Pombal, +Preservation of colours of toucan's bill; + of quadrupeds; + of zoological specimens generally; + of birds, +Purple-heart, + +Quadrupeds, + forest, +Quashi, Daddy, +Quebec, +Quiver, Indian, + +Rattlesnake, +Red-headed finch, +Red monkey, + _see_ Monkeys +Redstart, +Rhinoceros-beetle, +Rice-bird, +Roseau, +Rubber-tree, + +Saba, +St. John's, +St. Lucie, +St. Pierre, +Saintes, the, +Sangre-de-buey, +Saratoga, +Savanna, a Demerara, +Slavery in Demerara; + in West Indies, +Slaves, + encounter with runaway, +Sloths; + three-toed, or ai; + two-toed, +Smoking, +Snakes; + hunting, +Spice plantations, +Spikes, poisoned, +Stabroek, +Southey, Robert, +Sun-bird, +Superstition, + reflections on, +Surinam, + +Tangaras, +Tapir, +Tarbet, misadventures of Mr., +Tauronina, +Taxidermy, + _see_ Preservation +Ticks, +Ticonderoga, +Tiger, + _see_ Jaguar +Tiger-bird, + small, +Tinamou, +Toucans, +Travellers, + advice to, +Travellers' tales, +Troupiales, +Troy, +Trumpeters, +Turtle, + +United States, + progress of the, +Utica, + +Vampires, +Vanilla, +Vultures, + +Wallaba-tree, +Wasps, +Water-hens, +Water-mamma, +Weapons, Indian, +Whip-poor-will, + _see_ Goat-suckers +Whipsnake, +Wild boars, + hunting, +Wild man of the woods, a, +Wilson, Alexander, +Woodpeckers, +Wound, + treatment of a, +Wourali poison; + its effects; + ingredients; + preparation; + method of using: + antidotes; + experiments in England, + +Yabahou, + the evil spirit, +Yawaraciri, + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA *** + +This file should be named 8wnsa10.txt or 8wnsa10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8wnsa11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8wnsa10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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