Ch. i. south AMERICA. 5 



there is little danger of their receiving anj damage 

 before they are carried to Tumbez. 



HerEj as along the sides of all the creeks, the man- 

 grove-trees stand very thick, with their roots and 

 branches so interwoven as to be absolutely impene- 

 trable ; tho' the swarms of muschetos are alone suf- 

 ficient to discourage any one from going among them. 

 The only defence against these insects is, to pitch a 

 tent, till the beasts are loaded, and you again move for- 

 -Nvard. The more inland parts, where the tides do not 

 reach, are covered with forests of smaller trees, and 

 contain great quantities of deer ; but at the same time 

 are infested with tigers ; so that if the continual sting- 

 ing of the moschetos deprives travellers of their rent, 

 it also prevents their being surprised by the tigers, 

 of the fury of which there are many melancholy ex- 

 amples. 



On the 9th in the morning I arrived at the town of 

 Tumbez, situated seven leagues from the Salto ; the 

 whole country through which the road lies is entirely 

 waste, part of it being overflowed bj the tides, and 

 the other part dead sands, which reflect the rays of the 

 sun so intensely, as to render it necessary in general 

 to perform this journey in the night; for i ravelling 

 seven leagues thither, and as many back, without either 

 water or fodder, is much too laborious f r the mules 

 to undergo in the day-time. A drove of mules there- 

 fore never sets out from Tumbez for the Salto, till an 

 account arrives, generally by one of the sailors belong- 

 ing to tlie vessel, of the goods being landed, and every 

 thing in readiness ; as it would otherwise be lost labour, 

 it being impossible that the mules should make any 

 stay there. -^ 



Don George Juan had reached Tumbez on the 

 8th, and though he did every thing in his power to 

 provide mules for continuing our journey, we were 

 obliged to wait there some time longer. Nor could 

 we make any advantage of cur stay here, except to 



obser\c 



