Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-17
Life in a South American Forest.

From the st. James Gazette
/ am ut Byatan, on the Demerara. Four
AkawOioise Indians and a hunter Ga hai-bloOd)
have left our punt mOOred at the river bank.
My hammock is sung in the Indian benab a
grass shelter supported by saplings. 1t is but
one OF several that compose the village; yet
from the stream they are almost invisible. And
what is the stream and the landscape? What is
seen from the bank is but q dark quiet pond
like eXpanse OF water completely OvershadOwed
10y giant trees, which tower two or three hun
dred feet into the air. only to their own
leaves mirrOred in the waters below. The river
winds so that here you have only this tiny al
most circular lake. hemmed in on all sides by
| foliage. This is what ii seems: but it is really
forty or fifty feet deep and hurryipg onward to
the distant sea. 1t is twilight, and round the
trees on the bank the hummin@-birds hock--so
very small that they appear only like large flies
and so innocent that they return again and
again to the same branches and the same leaves
after showers OF dust-Shot and the contents OF
blOwpipeS have been aimed at them. At this
time clouds OF ily-catchers swoOp backward and
forward over the tops OF the benabs. with the
flight of swallows. Their small fiat beaks are
scarcely to be discovered amid the thick brown
plumage, and they are not easily hit. AS dark
ness sets rapidly in the forest becomes alive with
cries loud and low which are bewildering to all
but the Indian and the busll-rOyer. Outside the
benab all is darkness. unless it be an evening
when "Dlana sheds her silvery light" but within
| fires are lit-nOt for warmth only, thoug.: heat
is not unwelcOme just before the trOpic dawn,
when the land breeze blows. The fire is a warm
| Ing to snakes jaguars and even vampire-bats.
The human inhabitants of the bush go early
to bed, and so do we. Yet it is possible to lie
a Sybarite even here-and wisely so too: and
then fever may be laughed at: for of truth
| that equatorial terror rarely lays hold on any
but those who in matters OF hygiene are persist
emily careless. First. we stand up in front of
our hammocks, and. having thoroughly and con-
scientiOusly envelOped ourselves III a blanket,
venture in. The hunter then cncases our feet
| in rug as we'll Next he goes to the spirit
chest and pOurs by the dim tire-ght a wine
Gassful OF brandy into pint mug Into this
he s4ueeZeS the contents of ripe lime. plucked
that afternoon from tree that Overhung the
! SERTED ranks of trumpet-lilies that grace mile
after mile, the reaches of the DeInerara. River
water is boiling in the kettle by the fire, and
this he adds judcously to the mixture he Is pre-
! pairing. lie throws in spoonful of vacuum
| pan. and then we gratefully raise an eXpec,ant
head from the hammock and drink Somnus
! woos no man against his will who has been stir
ring since the early dawn. The blanket and the
''night-capa conduce TO plentiful perspration--
| which may be unpleasant but has the advantage
| OF being sure febr;fu 20.
| In the morning. while the dusk OF dawn is
over the waters and the woods the hunt er brings
| coffee and breakfast. AS soon as the sun has
risen we are i'll our punt padding upstream.
! Iiic IitcI Is YET Win SitdtOW, 1Of IL VIII
| be an hour OF two before Apollo shows his head
| over the SUBMITS of the greenheart and walIaba
trees. The air is deHciously cool as we sweep
| over the CLASSY surface, getting stray shots at
| the Ringiishers who haunt at this time the
branches on the banks. on the lookout for prey
Suddenly the cry of the 1lre-bird and of the
katinga Is heard. The boat is brought to the
shore, and. as we'll as we are able, we struggle
into the forest through ferns and creepers and
trailing branches. The light is ever dim and
somber here. High overhead as the roof of the
Hottest cathedral Is thick network Of foliage
through which the heaviest shower finds its way
with difficulty. 1t is not easy for the unac-
custOmed eye to distinguish living objects so far
above, and the brightest plumage takes color
from the eternal all-pervading green. But the
Indians, from long habit, hear and see every
thing and bring with mimic cali the fre-bird
and the pOmpadOr within reach Of your fOwlng-
piece. The spells are brought back to the boat:
and again we paddle along. stopping here for a
swim and there to replenish our stock of lines.
or to pursue monkey who has BETRAYED his
presence by exceeding curiosity But it is i'm
possible for any pen or pencil to give ADEQUATE
expression to the charm Of those river solitudes.
or to convey an idea of the impression they leave
On the Imagination The rivers of the Guianas
are delightful. 1t is strange that they should be
within but a few days of England and yet be so
little known.