Peterson,
the last house of people of colour up this river. I hired a negro from her
and a coloured man who pretended that they knew the haunts of the cayman
and understood everything about taking him. We were a day in passing these
falls and rapids, celebrated for the pacou, the richest and most delicious
fish in Guiana. The coloured man was now in his element: he stood in the
head of the canoe, and with his bow and arrow shot the pacou as they were
swimming in the stream. The arrow had scarcely left the bow before he had
plunged headlong into the river and seized the fish as it was struggling
with it. He dived and swam like an otter, and rarely missed the fish he
aimed at.
Did my pen, gentle reader, possess descriptive powers, I would here give
thee an idea of the enchanting scenery of the Essequibo; but that not being
the case, thou must be contented with a moderate and well-intended attempt.
Nothing could be more lovely than the appearance of the forest on each side
of this noble river. Hills rose on hills in fine gradation, all covered
with trees of gigantic height and size.
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