Capuchin Missions of the Caioni. 285 



driven into the yard every night: the niatton sweet, but noi fat, 

 but, with the vegetables, made a good meal. Our intelligent 

 Llanero, Captain left us this morning, and was suc- 

 ceeded by Moreno, who is, I believe, a native of these parts: 

 passed the evening in hearing the manner in which the poor Pa- 

 dres were surprised after the defeat of the Godos. All agreed, 

 that, had they united and raised their people, they might easily 

 have expelled the invaders. As it was, all the monks were 

 butchered but one, who was sent home with the intelligence of 

 the massacre: made two petitions — both granted: — 1st., to be 

 allowed to cut up the next bullock in our English fashion. 2d., 

 to dissect the corpse of the next person who should die of the 

 fever. 



17 th. A detachment of about 20 cavalry passed through this 

 morning: one, a fine lad, was retained as our guide: they were 

 all armed with spears and guns : six good troopers could have 

 cut up the whole party. The despatches for Angostura were 

 closed, and sent off. In the course of the forenoon, the corpse 

 of a poor woman brought for burial, was stopped for dissection 

 in the church-yard, and the Fiscal ordered to attend the opera- 

 tion, excluding, of course, all other Indians, lest their prejudices 

 should interpose : but the women's curiosity was not to be re- 

 strained, and it was only by employing a boy to pelt them with 

 stones, that we could prevent their looking over the wall. 

 However, they saw enough to set about the most absurd tales, 

 as that the Doctor had purloined the gall, bladder, and liver, in 

 order to compound his pills, and the like. K. proceeded with 

 great skill, and as much apparent pleasure as I should have in 

 carving a round of beef. The two Indians attended the whole 

 operation, though sometimes obliged to retire a little from the 

 smell : the symptoms were as follows : — 



Water of the pericardium of a yellowish tinge, about 1 oz. 



Right lobe of liver much enlarged and diseased. 



Blood vessels of stomach turgescent. 



Omentum, ditto 



In the stomach, no contents, but yellow bilious fluid. 



Spleen, a mass liki- grumous blood. 

 Vol. Vill. U 



