tening look; and then half turning from me, she added,
with sudden petulance: "Yet only a minute ago you knew nothing of the
world--because it is so large! Is anything to be gained by speaking to
one who says such contrary things?"

I explained that I had not contradicted myself, that she had not rightly
interpreted my words. I knew, I said, something about the principal
features of the different countries of the world, as, for instance, the
largest mountain ranges, and rivers, and the cities. Also something,
but very little, about the tribes of savage men. She heard me with
impatience, which made me speak rapidly, in very general terms; and to
simplify the matter I made the world stand for the continent we were
in. It seemed idle to go beyond that, and her eagerness would not have
allowed it.

"Tell me all you know," she said the moment I ceased speaking. "What is
there--and there--and there?" pointing in various directions. "Rivers
and forests--they are nothing to me. The villages, the tribes, the
people everywhere; tell me, for I must know it all."

"It would take long to tell, Rima."

"Because you are so slow. Look how high the sun is! Speak, speak! What
is there?" pointing to the north.

"All that country," I said, waving my hands from east to west, "is
Guayana; and so large is it that you could go in this direction, or in
this, travelling for months, without seeing the end of Guayana. Still
it would be Guayana; rivers, rivers, rivers, with forests between,
and other forests and rivers beyond. And savage people, nations
and tribes--Guahibo, Aguaricoto, Ayano, Maco, Piaroa, Quiriquiripo,
Tuparito--shall I name a hundred more? It would be useless, Rima; they
are all savages, and live widely scattered in the forests, hunting with
bow and arrow and the zabatana. Consider, then, how large Guayana is!"

"Guayana--Guayana! Do I not know all this is Guayana? But beyond, and
beyond, and beyond? Is there no end to Guayana?"

"Yes; there northwards it ends at the Orinoco, a mighty river, coming
from mighty mountains, compared with which Ytaioa is like a stone on the
ground on which we have sat down to rest. You must know that guayana is
only a portion, a half, of our country, Venezuela. Look," I continued,
putting my hand round my shoulder to touch the middle of my back, "there
is a groove running down my spine dividing my body into equal parts.
Thus does the great Orinoco divide Venezuela, and on one side of it is
al