From December 1961 to December 1964 I was Assistant Conservator of Forests in British Guiana (now Guyana). My job was to map some of the virgin rain forests by leading expeditions into areas that no man has ventured to previously. We obtained aerial photographs over the target area (1:15,000 scale) then viewed them in stereo for the purpose of demarcating strata that looked homogenous, assuming that these areas represented different types of forest stands. The next phase involved visual aerial reconnaissance by flying over the area in a single engine Cessna with a dare-devil bush pilot who enjoyed scaring his passengers. The air pockets we used to hit would create “drops” where we ended up just a few meters above the tree tops. During the reconnaissance I would plan the approach to the target area (on land and river) and the location of base camp and other temporary camp sites. Then during the dry season, I would lead a team of 45 men into the jungle for at least 3 months to carry out the ground surveys. The first of these expeditions took place in the Cuyuni Triangle. We travelled from Bartica by boats up the Esequibo river into the mouth of the treacherous Mazaruni river, then up the Cuyuni river (pulling the boats up over the rapids) until we reached the camp site I located during the visual reconnaissance. From the camp site we proceed by foot for another 30 miles, carrying all supplies and equipment. My camp was set up besides a creek with clean fresh water and consisted of a tarpaulin top, ground sheet, folding camp cot with mosquito net and a folding table with 2 chairs. The tents where the crew slept were about 300 yards down river and they slept in hammocks. The scenery was incredible, virgin rain forest that never been disturbed by man. During the survey we set up sample plots where trees were identified (we recognized over 200 different species), measured in terms of diameter at breast height and total height. In addition, I used the ground survey lines, which were measured for distance, as ground control for making the maps from aerial photographs.
Another of my expeditions was to the famous Kaieteur Falls by land Rover Survival in the jungle was highly challenging. I carried a loaded gun all the times (it was even with me in the camp cot). When I was attacked by a Bushmaster snake (Lachesis muta muta) which was about 12 feet long and was coming for my throat, I managed to shoot it just in time. A jaguar jumped me in the camp cot but I managed to roll over so instead of my back, the camp cot took the hit and allowing me to discharge the gun (didn’t hit the cat, he run away as the gun was fired).
