262 Trip from Angostura to the 



ness of the circumjacent soil obliges them to have their provision 

 grounds at above two leagues' distance, which not a little ag- 

 gravates their distresses. We here saw a young man, who, ten 

 months before, in crossing the Candelaria on foot, had been at- 

 tacked by a cayman (alligator), that had left 15 wounds on his 

 body. It seems he had by hard struggling and laying hold of 

 the bushes, succeeded in repelling his assailant ; but he himself 

 attributed his escape to the vehemence with which he had in- 

 voked his tutelary saint. 



30th Oct. The beasts were brought in at daylight ; our course 

 had hitherto been due east, never far distant from the river. We 

 now turned to the southward, in order to g^n the higher ground, 

 and continued ascending across savannas, yet more arid and 

 sterile. It was seven before we were fairly off, and the sun was 

 already high by the time we had reached the most elevated 

 part of the plains. The grass had been recently burnt, and the 

 dreadful heat acting upon empty stomachs, made us ready to 

 faint ; but to halt was impossible, where not a drop of water was 

 to be found, and of this we had made no provision. We overtook 

 some naked Indians who had got the start of us ; they were 

 quietly toasting their tassago, (sun-dried beef), at a fire they had 

 kindled, and this they devoured without salt or any tiling but a 

 little cassava. We did not anticipate how soon we should re- 

 lish the same hard fare. At 11 A.M. came to a small 

 stream, on the bank of which we spread our sail, and de- 

 voured a hearty breakfast of cold beef, cheese, and biscuit; but 

 here we discovered a double misfortune ; one of our rum bottles 

 had been broken ; our kind hosts at Panapana had discussed a 

 seconde, and the spring of our powder-flask being out of order, 

 the gunpowder had been plentifully mixed up with our biscuit. 

 But we were much fatigued, the place was tempting, a limpid 

 stream at our feet, some fine palms overhead ; our horses graz- 

 ing in good pasture, with their saddles on, as the custom is. 

 Every thing invited to repose. We lay till three, P.M. ; when, 

 after bathing and repacking, we pushed onwards ; but we suf- 

 fered for the indulgence : sleep had heated instead of refreshing 

 us, and the reflection of the siu> from the parched soil caused 

 un eruption in my face, that I did not get rid of for a week af- 



