The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-05-25
a Milo In Mid-Air.

harrington Brown, during his memorable
survey of Guiana, reached the foot of Rora-
ina and asccndcd its sloping portion to u
height of 8, 100 feet above the level of the
sea. Between the highest point he reached
and the foot of the highest perpendicular
portion Which lowered above is band Of
thick forest. Looking up at the great wall
OF rock 1000 feet in height, he could see
that forest covered its top, and that In
places on Its sides where small trees or
shrubs could gain a hold, there they clung.
The gigantic cliff itself is composed of
beds of white, pink and red sandstone,
lntcrbeddcd with layers of red shale, the
Whole resting Oh great bed of rcd dioritc.
The length of Rorama is about eight or ten
miles; kukcnam is perhaps larger; and the
area of lllcbcapeus is certainly more exten-
sive. 1t Is impossible to view this wonder
ful group of mountains without realizing
that far back in the youth OF the world they
formed part of an archipelago in tropical
scas. That they are we'll wooded and
watercd Is made certain by visible trees and
the enormous waterfall which pours at least
from Roraima. A grand view of this cata-
ract was obtained by Darlington Brown
from the mouth Of cave, inhabited by
guacharo birds, and situated 1882 feet
above the level Of the sea. Through the
clear atmosphere was distinctly visible ut
distance of thirty miles the white thread of
the waterfall. The Indians said it was the
head of branch of the Cotinga river, but
II is more probably the head Of the Caroni,
branch OF of the Orinoko. This tropical
Staabbach is probably the highest fail in
the world, and is ut The same time of con-
siderable bulk. The cliff of Roraima is g.
0Oo feet in height, ''over the upper half OF
which 1t fell like plumb-lino and thon de-
scended with slight slope outward. The
remaining 5000 feet to tie valley below
slopes at all angle of forty five degrees, AID
belng trec-covcrcd, The rest OF tho fall Is
hidden by foliage. The invisible attraction
OF the curious range of Savanna island
mountains to nnturalists arises from the in
accessibility. This should not be under
stood as the mere desire to excel others in
a feat OF climbing, but as tho hopo that
some relics OF the mammillanl life of the So
called "moccne" period may have survived
on these isolated attitudes, cut off from all
communication with the living, moving
world. If any of the ''mloccnc" mammals
lived upon them when the sea washed over
their bases. the descendants of those ami
mails may exist there still, as the lenurs ex-
u
marsupials, such Us the kangaroo, in Austria
lia.. Perhaps balloon may one day solve
the mystery which lends n charm to these
island mountains, and the happy naturalist
who lands-as one will. of course, and In
time-on the summit of Roraima, may find
himself among the descendants of the races
long since blotted from the lower world in
which the evidence of their existence Is re-
corded in the great stone books alone.
Amid the forest depths, Oh which rests a
huge cloud, he may find not the gigantic
saurlans OF the youthful world, grim mon
sters OF the tish-}iZard and blrd-lzard
form, but the great progcnitors of existing
mammalia. Leaving the tapir, one Of the
most ancient OF cXtant creatures, at the bot
TOM or the koraima cascade, he may find at
lts summit Its gigantic cogcners-huge her.
Dlvorous animals fifteen and eighteen feet
III length; the dinothcrium, tapir-like
creature, larger than the elephant antique
analogucs OF the mastOdon; ancestors of
Inc horse, the hog and the greater cats,
which III the known parts OF the continent
are represented by the jaguar, tho puma,
ana the ocelot. A prospect of the dino
thcrlum alone would be sufficient to COM
pcnsate al enthusiastic naturalist for the
labor or years. 1t is the largest of the ter
rcs.rlal mammals which have inhabited our
globe. and dcscrvcdly stands at the head of
inc tllck-silnncd animals, as the nlcgathe-
rum or gigantic sloth ut that of the tardi-
grades. Probably the dinotherium would
Dc found, If found at all, pursuing life
IKE that OF the hppopotamus. Its great
head and tusks are fitted for grubbing up
aquatic plants, and like those Of the walrus,
1or helping the animal out of the water.
But the dinotherum is but one of the start
ling forms which, might be looked for on
Roraima if its clitfs be really as diflicul as
painted. Lizards in the semi -ophadian
stage might be encountered, and other ami
mails which, as the little boy SAID who had
been taken into lecture of Prof. Owens,
had not quite made up their minds what
they were going to be-"