The birds of British Guiana - based on the collection of Frederick Vavasour McConnell (1916) (14563393970)

Identifier: birdsofbritishgu01chub (find matches)
Title: The birds of British Guiana : based on the collection of Frederick Vavasour McConnell ...
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Chubb, Charles McConnell, Frederick Vavasour, d. 1914 Grönvold, Henrik, 1858-1940, ill Milne, H. F., engraver Slud, Paul, former owner. DSI Bale & Danielsson, lithographer
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London : Bernard Quaritch ...
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



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foam from the falls. Our tarpaulinsstretched between the trees, and the figures of the Indians, in theirhammocks or moving round the fires as the darkness came on, madea picture interesting and almost weiid to one unaccustomed to bush-life. The morning following, the 18tli day after leaving Bartiea Grove,we started for the fall. The path, after crossing a swiftly runningstream, ascended the mountain, getting steeper and steeper as weadvanced until the angle could not have been less than 60°—verytrying to our legs after our boat-journey. At last we reached the topand found ourselves clear of the forest on a large plateau of conglo-merate, hard as concrete, with large patches of Brocchinea cordylinoidesgrowing everywhere—this plant, the leaves of which are 8 to 10 feetin length, being the most noticeable growth of any size on this partof the plateau. After a short walk down a slight incline and cutting our way throughthe Brocchinea we ai-rived at the edge of the amphitheatre, which
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ITINERARY. ix had been formed during the coiirse of years by the water, and foundourselves ahnost opposite the middle of the Kaietei;r, on a level withits highest part. The sight is one never to be forgotten, and is oneto which no desciiption can ever do justice. At iiist it is difficult tograsp the real magnificence or to realize the proportions of the hugebody of dark brown water 350 feet in width, turning amber-colourand then white as it rolls over a precipice with a sheer drop of741 feet. Looking down from an overhanging rock one can see thewater broken into spray before it Ieadies the bottom, Avhich is hiddenby a mist, and appearing where the sunlight touches like .a shower ofdiamonds glistening with every colour of the rainbow ; raising theeyes and looking beyond the fall the level plateau reaches for miles,and one can see the mountains which bound it rising in the bluedistance. The total height of the Kaieteur including the cataract is 840 feet,and the height of the top is 1130