The Raymer enterprise., 1922-01-19


etsty. Wsshington. D. c.
One Of the worlds greatest water
falls lies In South America, only q few
days steaming f.om New Orleans and
little more than 200 miles inland. This
natural wonder of the western hemi-
sphere-KaIeteur falls Of British
Guiana--is four and ha,f times the
height Of Niagara; yet while 100000
persons journey to Niagara each year.
only a handful Of white men have seen
Kaieteur.
The traveller bound for the great
falls Of Kaieteur does hot roll to his
destination by rail as do the tourists
bent on seeing Nlagsia or even those
visiting the Victoria falls In Africa.
Instead he must uavel part Of the
way by river steamers and complete
his journey padded In small boats.
with q fnal scramble on foot. For
Kaieteur is In fhe heart Of the jungle.
The start Is made from Georgetown.
British Guiana. On small steamer
which ascsnds the Demerara river.
Georgetown Itself IL we'll worth visit.
Though In the tropics, 1t u 4 comfort,
able place. kept cool by the steady
,rsie winds well governed. The
streets are vide, and through the
center Of many are canals filed with
enormous Victoria Regia water lilies.
The Demerara flows through low
fiat country Of alluvial mud. 50 that
the tide can be felt 50 miles from the
mouth. At Georgetown II is SO shall
low that the steamers entering the
port literally plow through the mud,
and At full speed barely crawl to their
wharves. Forty years ago vessel
was wrecked Of the coast Of Guiana,
and the mud has built around II until
today II Is an inhabited island covered
with tall palms. Just outside Of
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 Ia
a tiny place. consisting Of the landing
stage, a railroad station, a store, a gin
shop and a few huts. But the fact
that 1t Is In the terminus Of the Demer.
ara EsseQuibo railroad gives II some
activity.
This railroad connscts the two most
important rivers Of the province. 1t
Is, Of course. narrow-gauged and poorly
built, but ay sort Of railroad Is a
blessing In Guiana. The line runs over
ground a. sandy a. a beach--and In
f., that is what II used to be. All
/ I'd below that point has been
lit Into the ocean Rockstone.
l. ..us Of the road on the EssequbO
river. IL hardly more imposing than
Wismar. At Rockstone another river
steamer must be boarded for q con-
tinuation Of the upstream journey. All
day the little steamer fights against n
current between the mon0tonous
shores. As q matter Of fact, one
hardly sees the shore itself, for. the
bush ls 20 thick that II grows out into
the river, leaving only lagoops by
which the Interior can b reached.
Up the Gsssquibe and Potaro.
The Essequibo Is . surprisingly for
mldable stream. 1t drains five times
the area drained by the Hudson and Is
twice as long. Some 90 miles above
Rockstone the steamer leaves the
great river and enters the mouth Of
the Potaro. itself q stream Of no mean
proportions. 4 few hours later Tuna.
tumari. q tiny habitation built on q
hill by the side Of cataract ID sight
ed. Tumatumari is the plnce at which
one usually makes contact with the
Indian guides and bearers. previously
engaged, upon whom dependence must
be placed In negotiating the last 10
miles Of the journey. The short stretch
between Tumatumari and Potaro land.
Ing is covered In q small launch. from
the latter point %, man power alone 10
available. A cataract blocks the
stream above the landing, and must be
passed BY portage. The necessary
boxes Of provisions are strapped en- the
naked backs Of Indians and carried
for seven miles through the bush. On
such marches one must use every pre-
.auuon against poisonous snaksA