Evening star., 1924-09-21
Brave River Rapids Lured by Gold and amonds


Dutchman, Captain Peter Scars
vile. who had spent many years in
| the jungle.
He had taken immediate charge of
| the selection of a suitable negro crew
for the journey, had examined the
boat and added few necessities to
the equipment
The old man was very active and
seemed to enjoy his new task. With
i his skillfEl assistance we were ready
in four days to make the steamer
journey from Georgetown along the
coast for five miles and then up the
Essequibo River to Bartika, which.
at the mouth of the large tributary
Mazaruni, was the last veStige of
civilization before the jungle wall
This was a little, one-street settle
ment of small huts set ten feet above
the ground on strong poles. The
people who lived there were mainly
half-breeds, descended from the
Dutch settlers and the Indians. The
town was one of those little sink
holes of Incidence that. should COM
merce and industry take hold of the
country. would feel all their pulse
beats and might even grow into a
great city. But now it merely dozed,
only to be aroused by the occasional
bands of blacks who came from or
went into the jungle. 1t held, so I
thought, vague premonitions in its
breast of becoming some day another
Capetown, another boom town of for
tune.
The great orb of the tropical moon
streamed its mellow light horizon
tally into. the little jungle tavern at
Dartika, casting glow of content
ment over the interior of the room, a
stronger light to our souls than the
f1ickering lamp wicks. | stretched
my body joyously and leaned over
the glassleSs window sill, looking
down at the scintillating water of
the moon-streaked Mazaruni.
The river of desire.1 mused aloud
And of adventure" Dudley added
dreamily.
THERE came to me that night Wis
ions of diamonds, doubtless
prompted by the mention of precious
stones by the giant negro with the
lump of gold. Capt Peter had also
spoken of the possibility of finding
diamonds. While my first concern
was to find gold, deep back in my
consciousness was the hope of great
er treasure. However, | did not tell
Dudley OF my dreams.
"Daylight"' Capt. Peter, in the
muddy courtway below our window.
had cried a warning. Yes, the sky
in the east was turning faint milk
color. Come on, Dudley" | ex
claimed. It's the dawn of hlg ad-
venture"
The boat was drawn up to the river
bank close to the hotel, and Dudley
and I took. our places beneath the
arched shelter while the paddlers
tremendously raised their paddles,
poising them overhead in the air
ready for the command that would
send them down, biting deep into
the river. There were "a black pad
dlers. Il on each side of the boat.
"All ready there" Captain Peter
trumpeted. Let 'er CO.
The paddlers dropped their arms
and dug their blades deep into the
water with such force that the heavy
boat jolted forward instantly.
Soon after we got under way
Capt. Peter began to sing. The
cadence of the song was accentuated
by the paddle beats. the paddlers be-
gan to chant. at first softly, then
more and more loudly. 1t was the
first day. and all the men were in
good spirits. They bent heartily 10
their blades.
Presently we passed into the
jungle, which came down to the
waters edge in a massive. and ap-
parently impenetrab BILE barricade,
towering over US for hundred feet
or more. We hugged the edge of
the forest, where the water was less
swift We seemed only to creep past
the trees yet we gained boat length
after boat length. measured along
the darkly shadowed green. until we
came to the network of subdivided
channels and entered the narrow.
twisting canals. Sunken deep in
canyons of forest, through which the
heat of the morning sun did not
penetrate. The water became Swifter.
and ahead of us we began to hear
low cultural murmur, like the
distant voice of re-echoing thunder
that rolls towards one through rock
Gifted canyon.
Rapids Capt. Peter cried. Hear
EN- talkin'?'
Yes-we heard them. Foreboding
was the sound, too. as though they
were warning us. like an angry
maStiff. to keep away. Nearer and
nearer came the growing sound, as
we nosed in and out of the narrow
aisle through the network of the
islands. Suddenly we shot into full
view of the first rapids. Out from
behind small forested island
stretched a mass of muddy water.
that jumped over crag-like rocks.