The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-21 00:00:00

BRITISH GUAYANA-,GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY

JAN. 27.—G. B. Greenough, Esq. President, in the chair.
The following paper was read :
"Report of the third expedition into the interior of
Guayana, comprising the journey from Port San Joaquim,
on the Rio Branco, to Esmeralda,. on the Orinco, in the
years 1838-9, by Mr. Schomburgek." Starting from
George Town, Demerara, in September, 1837, Mr. Schom-
burgck explored the river Essequibo, to one of its sources in
in 041 N. lat., and crossed the equator into the parallel of
o I 5 S. ; returning thence to Pirara, he crossed the Brazilian
frontier, and deicended the Rio Branco to examine the range
of the Caruma mountains on its eastern bank ' • on coming
back from which he passed the rainy season of 1838 at Fort
San fJoaquim, where he experienced every 'assistance from
the commandant, Don Pedro Ayres. " tiuitting this fort
20th of September, 1828," says Mr. Schomburgck, "we
ascended the rivers Takutu, and Mahu, in a north-easterly
direction, about eighty miles to Pirara, a Macusi village on
the southern shore of the Lake Amucu, whence, after a stay
of a few days, we set out on the Bth of October on our jour-
ney to the far-famed mountain of Roraima, the wonder of
the country. Traversing the savannah to the northward, we
crossed the Maim and entered a mountainous country,
through which we travelled for about 100 miles in a W.N.W.
direction, crossing numerous streams, and the large river
Cotinga, in 4 41 N. lat., where it was still ninety yards wide,
with a depth of of about seven feet, and flowing to the S.S.E.
Nearly twenty miles more to the westward, I measured the
highest point of the Mairari mountains, which rose 2,820 feet
above the savannah, or about 3,400 feet above the level of the
sea. Our course now turned almost 'north, and travelling
ninety miles in this direction, and gradually ascending through
a very rocky and difficult country, inhabited by the Arecuna
Indians, we reached the foot of the range of sandstone moun-
tains. of which Roraima is the highest, on the 27th of Octo-
ber, and took up our quarters at the Indian settlement of
Arawayam. This remarkable mountain group extends
twenty-five miles in a N.W. and S.E. direction, and rises to

the height of 5,000 feet above the table land, fi•om which I
measured it, or 7,500 feet above the sea—the upper 1,500
feet presenting a mural precipice more striking than I have
ever seen elsewhere : down the face of these mountains rush
numerous cascades,which eventually form tributaries to the
three great rivers of the northern half of South America,
namely, the Amazons, the Orinoco, and the Essequibo.
Owing to its great height, the mountains were usually co-
vered with clouds, but for an hour before and after sunrise,
on the 3rd of November, I had a glorious view of this mag-
nificent and picturesque group, which far surpasses any other
to be met with in the region of Guayana. Near the foot of
those mountains I found among other beautiful plants an
Utricularia, a Sarracenia, a Cypripedium, and a Cleistes,
with a deep scarlet flower and purple stem. Roraima lies in
5 10 N. lat., 60 48 E. long., a-geographical position of much
importance towards clearly understanding the hydrography
of this portion of South America. Retracing our steps to
the southward, we continued in the same direction twenty
miles farther, when we issued from the mountain chain, and
crossing the Xurina, continued over the savannah as far as
the Maruwa, flowing to the S.E., which we also crossed, and
travelled more to the S.W. for about sixty miles. At twelve
miles from the spot where we crossed the Maruwa, on the
river, are some remarkable boulders of granite, piled up in a
heap to the height of two hundred feet, on which are hiero-
glyphic figures similar to those that I had already found, both
on the Essequibo and the Corentin, and which may be traced
in an east and west direction for a distance of 600 miles, in

this portion of South America. On the 4th of December,
we reached the River Parima, flowing from the westward, in
61 45 W. long., and embarking the whole, party in two coo-
rials, we commenced the toilsome ascent of the stream against
a series of rapids, making a progress of only a few miles a
day. The river is here more than 300 yards wide. About
ten miles to the northward of our point of embarkation, a
group of picturesque mountains rise 3,000 feet above the
savannah. Thirty miles beyond we reached Purumami, or
the great cataract of the Parima, which here narrowed to
fifty yards wide, precipitates itself over a ledge of rocks forty-
five feet high, into a basin only ten yards wide ; whence, at
the time we visited it, the stream again escaped over a wall
of rock twenty-five feet high, thus making a cataract of
seventy feet. This, as may be imagined, was an insurmount-
able barrier to boat navigation, and we were obliged to un-
load our coorials, and transport them and our baggage over
hills 350 feet high, and launch the boats again on the stream,
which as we continued to ascend for a distance of many
miles was impeded by rapids. Sixty miles • farther, in a
westerly direction, our course turned to the N.W. and en-
tered a more mountainous tract. Here, in 63 20 W. long.,
all. existing maps place the source of the Parima, which we
found to be a fine stream
,still 290 yards wide ; shortly after
we quitted it, when it takes a S.W. turn, and ascending the
Arkita for about twenty miles, we abandoned our coorials to
cross some mountains which separate this stream from the
Merewari, on which we embarked on the Ist of January,
1839, and continued our journey to the northward. Our
new year's fare consisted of the cabbage palm and water—
our bread was all expended, and little or no game was to be
procured : to add to our ills, I was seized with a bilious fever,
which confined me for several days. As we descended the
river, we met with the Guinau tribe of Indians, who speak
a different language from any others we had hitherto seen.
January 15.—Quitting the Merewari for a western tributary,
we ascended the latter to its source in the Sarisharinima
mountains, a well wooded range of sandstone, extending east
and west, in the parallel of 4 30 N., and rising nearly 4,000
feet above the plain. From this point we turned directly to
the S.S.W., and again crossing the Merewari, (which here
describes almost a circle of fifty miles diameter,) continued
over a mountainous country inhabited by Mayong Kong and
Macu Indians. The fatiguing nature of this tract I can
hardly describe; no sooner had we ascended one mountain
than another rose to• view, and carrying heavy loads, and
short of provisions, for a distance of upwards of 100 miles,
some idea may be formed of it. Jaduary 31.—We this day
entered the basin of the Orinoco; all the streams we cross
flow southward towards that river ; the parallel of 330 N. is
in this part the line of separation of waters. I had now every
hope of realizing one of my great objects in this journey,
namely, to reach the sources of the Orinoco; but we found,
on arriving at an Indian settlement on the following day,
that the Kirishana, which inhabited that part of the coun-
try, were at war with the Mayong Kong, and it was in vain
that I offered every bribe I could think of to induce them to
accompany me : they would listen to nothing, and I was re-
luctantly obliged to turn my steps to the northward to con-
tinue the journey to Esmeralda. Yet I have been enabled
so far, to ascertain the position of the sources without any
material error, as all the Indians agreed in stating them to
be at the foot of some mountains which they particularly
pointed out to me, distant only fifteen miles. It is remark-
able, that the Kirishanas would appear lo be the same tribe,
whose hostility prevented Baron Humboldt from attaining
the sources of this river in 1800. Retracing our steps to the
northward, as far as the parallel of 4 N., we turned direct to
the west and crossing numerous streams and by a moun-
tainous country, reached the banks of the Parumu, a north-
ern tributary of the Orinoco. In the course of these last
fifty miles we crossed the elevated table mountain of Warima,
of syenite veined with quartz, which rises 3,000 feet above
the valley, and abounds in beautiful plants : Orchidere, a
Tillandsia, a splendid Utricularia, and thickets of the Mani.
cola Palm. On descending from this .plateau, we heard at
a short distance from our path the twittering noise peculiar
to the splendid bird •known by the name of the Rock Mana-
kin, or Cock of the Rock, (Rupicola elegans,) and on ap-
proaching cautiously we saw assembled on a bare patch of
ground, about twelve of these birds, strutting about and
displaying their brilliant orange coloured plumage, in the
light of the morning sun. Descending the Parumu, which
we found full of rapids, and obliged us continually to unload
our coorials, we at length, on the 21st of February, entered
the long looked for Orinoco, and glided down its stream,
here more than 500 yards in width ; on the following morn-
ing, we started at daylight, all expectation to reach Esme-
ralda—light fleecy clouds hung over the mountain of Duida,
but they vanished as the sun rose, and for the first time we
had a full view of its magnificent rocky cliffs, brought out in
bright relief from the dark masses of shadow behind them.
As we approached, a fine savannah extending to the foot of
the mountains, a small village, and a few canoes at the land-
ing place, assured me that this was Esmeralda. With what
feelings I hastened ashore I need not describe : my chief ob-
ject was accomplished, and our observations, begun on the
shores of the Atlantic, at Demerara, were connected with.
those of Humboldt, at Esmeralda. The Alcaide came for-
ward to receive us with every attention and offers of assist-
ance, which our emaciated forms and tattered dress expressed
more strongly than words, how much we stood in need of it.
Nine and thirty years had now elapsed since Alexander von
Humboldt visited Esmeralda from the west, and found in the
most solitary and remote Christian settlement on the Upper
Orinoco, a population of eighty persons ; this number had
now dwindled to a single family, a patriarch with his descend-•
ants, and many of the houses were far advanced in decay—
yet nature remained the same : Duida still raises its lofty
summit to the clouds, and flat savannahs interspersed with
tufts of trees, and the majestic Mauritia Palm, stretch from
the banks of the Orinoco to the foot of the mountains, and
give to the landscape that peculiar beauty which so delighted
Humboldt, when first he viewed Esmeralda. A ridge of
heaped up bOulders.of granite, presenting the most singular
forms, occupies the foreground of the picture : some pious
hand has planted a cross on its highest point ; its airy form
stands out in bold relief from the blue sky as a background,
and heightens the picturesque appearance of the surrounding
scenery. It also reminds us, that though nature and man
appear in a savage state, there are still some in this wilder-
ness who adore the. Deity, and acknowledge a crucified Sa-
viour. The highest point of the Cerro. Duida was found to
be 7,155 feet above the savannah, or 8,286 feet above the level
of the sea, which agrees so nearly with the measurements of
Baron Humboldt, as to make it appear accidental. The
lower part of the mountain, to the height of 3,000 feet, is of
granite, but the whole of the upper part is of quartz and
sandstone. The north point is distant about ten miles from
the village, farther to the northward, and in the distance are
the mountains of Wataba Siru, Ekui, and Marawacca, the lat-
ter being the highest among them, and probably reaching an
elevation of 10,000 feet above the level of the sea."
Mr. Schorriburgek's paper was illustrated by a large map;
on the scale of four miles to an inch, showing his route
throughout the whole of his journey, a circuit, including his
return, of upwards of 2,000 miles by various sketches of sce-
nery, and a beautiful painting, the size of life, of his- chief
botanical discovery, the Victoria Regia ; a large collection of
geological specimens of the Wourali poison, the blow-pipe,
and various native implements. Three Indians also were
present, a Macusi, a Warrau, and a Paravilhana, faithful and
intelligent guides, wird had accompanied Mr. Schombergck
throughout his wanderings in South America.

The Duke of Buccleuch has sent £2OO towards the fund
for erecting the Wellington testimonial at Edinburgh.

GREAT WESTERN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—On Satur-
pay last the following members of the select committee of
the House of Commons on railways, inspected, by appoint-
ment, the Electro-Galvanic Telegraph, at the Great Western
Railway station, at Paddington, which extends from thence
to West Drayton :—The -Earl of Lincoln, Viscount San-
don, Sir Harry Verney, Bart., Lord Granville Somerset, Mr.
Hume, Mr. Lock, and Mr. Greene. There were also pre-
sent Sir E. H. Alderson,, Mr. Russell, the chairman of the
company, Sir. J. Clark, and several gentlemen -connected
with mechanical and scientific pursuits. Messrs. Cooke and
Wheatstone (the inventors) were in attendance, and explained
to the committee the principle of the working of the tele-
graph, and its application to the purposes of government
was governmeenngtaagnedd
commerce, as well as railways. The party
upwards of two hours in inspecting its mechanism and work-
ing, and appeared to attach great importance to an invention
which seems-destined to produce great changes in our internal
communications, by its rapid and almost instantaneous
agency.
SINGULAR MEETINGS.—The following singular meetings
took place in a village a few miles west from Perth. On the
new year's night of 1780, 0.5., two young lads, inseparable
and bosom friends to each other, parted, and, as was feared,
for ever. One of them that night left his native country to
push his fortune on the shores of the Pacific, and, on taking
farewell of his friend, exclaimed, " who will shake hands
with you twenty years after this ?" His friend could not re-
ply, and thus they parted. On the same night, twenty years
after, the former again made his appearance in the house of
his old companion. After the usual congratulations of such
a meeting, the " home-keeping youth" repeated his friend's
parting words, and the remembrance did not fail to draw
tears from both their eves. After a short stay in his native
village he went once more abroad, and as formerly, returned
on the new year's night of 1820, O. S. A further residence
of ten years abroad had enabled him to return with a hand-
some fortune to spend the remainder of his days in his native
place, and on the commencement of the present year, 1840,
the new old friends kept a hearty new year together, and did
not fail to repeat, over and over again the memorable parting
words of 1780, " who will shake hands with you twenty years
after this ?" The united ages of the two friends amounted
to 162 yetirs.—Pert4 Courier.