Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-12-30

prepared by the National Geographic So
cety, Washington, D. c.
One of the worlds greatest water
falls lies in South America, only few
days steaming from New Orleans and
little more than 200 miles inland. This
natural wonder of the western hemi-y
sphere-Kaieteur falls of British
Guiana-is four and a half times the
height of Niagara yet while 100000
persons journey to Niagara each year,
only handful of white men have seen
Kaieteur.
The traveller bound for the great
falls of Kaieteur does not roll to his
destination by rail as do the tourists
bent on seeing Niagara or even those
visiting the Victoria falls in Africa.
Instead he must travel part of the
way by river steamers and complete
his journey padded in small boats,
with final scramble on foot. For
Kaieteur is in the heart of the jungle.
The start is made from Georgetown,
British Guiana, on small steamer
which ascends the Demerara river.
Though in the tropics, it is comfort.
able place, kept cool by the steady
trade winds well governed. The
streets are wide, and through the
center of many are canals filled with
enormous Victoria Regia water lilies.
The Demerara flows through a low
fiat country of alluvial mud so that
the tide can be felt so miles from the
mouth. At Georgetown it is so shall
low that the steamers entering the
port literally pillow through the mud,
and at full speed barely crawl to their
wharves. Forty years ago a vessel
was wrecked off the coast Of Guiana,
and the mud has built around it until
today it is an inhabited island covered
with tall palms. Just outside or
GEORGETOWN the river steamer passes
the big sugar estate established long
ago by grants from the crown.
At the end of the first day the steam
er arrives at Wismar. The town is
a tiny place, consisting of the landing
stage. a railroad station, a store, gin
shop and few huts. But the fact
that it is in the terminus of the Demer-
ra-Essequibo railroad gives it some
activity.
This railroad connects the two most
important rivers of the province. 1t
is, of course, narrow-gauged and poorly
built, but any sort of railroad is
blessing in Guiana. The line runs over
ground as sandy as a beach-and in
deed that is what it used to be. All
the road below that point has been
built out into the ocean. Rockstone,
terminus of the road on the Essequibo
river, is hardly more imposing than
Wismar. At Rockstone another river
steamer must be boarded for con-
tinuation of the upstream journey. All
day the little steamer fights against a
current between the monotonous
shores. AS a matter of fact, one
hardly sees the shore itself, for the
bush is so thick that it grows out into
the river. leaving only lagoons by
which the interior can be reached.
Up the Essequibo and Potaro.
The Essequibo is surprisingly for
midable stream. 1t drains five times
the area drained by the Hudson and is
twice as long. Some so miles above
Rockstone the steamer leaves the
great river and enters the mouth Of
the Potaro, itself stream of no mean
proportions. A few hours later Tuna
tumari, a tiny habitation built on
hill by the side of a cataract is sight
ed. Tumatumari is the place at which
one usually makes contact with the
Indian guides and bearers, previously
engaged, upon whom dependence must
be placed in negotiating the last %
miles of the journey. The short stretch
between Tumatumari and Potaro land
Ing is covered in small launch, from
the latter point on, man power alone IS
available. A cataract blocks the
straam above the landing, and must be
nassed by portage. The necessary
boxes of provisions are strapped on the
naked backs of Indians and carried
for seven miles through the bush. On
such marches one must use every pre-
caution against poisonous snakes.