9 
out among the Indians, which carried off about fifty persons; 
and the poor ignorant beings attribute the malady to his pre¬ 
sumption in exploring that range, and consider him to be in 
concert with some evil spirit, and give him the name of 'M 
Diablo . The governor assures me that this delusion is deeply 
rooted; he has vainly endeavoured to combat it, and even appre¬ 
hends it may interfere with my movements and hinder my success. 
Rio de la Hacha, Dec. 14th, 1844. 
Possibly you are surprised that my collections have not 
arrived before winter, and my own calculations are equally put 
out by it; but the nature of the country through which I have 
travelled, the wet season and the great distance, have conspired 
to cause this delay. As far as the performance of my duty 
allowed (in executing which I have ascended the mountains, 
wherever it was practicable,) my movements have been made 
with expedition; for my health was admirable, till the second 
ascent of the Nivada, from whence I am just returned; I was 
there sharply attacked with fever and ague, and was laid up for 
a fortnight in San Miguel, an Indian village, the highest on this 
side of the Nivada, its elevation being about 5,000 feet. I believe 
that frequent wettings induced this illness; but I am now happily 
recovered. It was my intention to reach Santa Martha, on 
the coast side, fifty miles from the road by which I have come; 
and only ninety remained from a village called Dibulla, but I 
find it utterly impracticable to piu'sue that route, for I should 
be compelled, by keeping along the coast, to cross all the 
rivers at their mouths; and some of them are tridy so many arms 
of the sea. The whole flat country, lying between the sea and 
the mountains, several leagues wide, is inundated completely, 
which prevented bringing my mules from Dibulla. We have 
just had a few dry days; and the general opinion is, that the wet 
season is over. I have therefore sent for the beasts, and shall 
travel by land, through the Valle Dupar, now the only practicable 
course; for if I shipped my mules, the expense of it would be 
greater than that of going % land. It is also somewhat uncer¬ 
tain how long I might be detained here. 
Rio Hacha is prettily situated on the dry sandy beach, without 
any harbour: it is a cool and pleasant spot. 
If possible, I shall set off on the 17th. I have two objects in 
view, one is to sell my mules at Santa Martha; for I should dis¬ 
pose of them here at a great loss, because the Indians breed 
these creatures in great numbers at Guagira; and the other, 
E 
