12 Excursion from Angostura to the 



settlement here. He was anxious to display the advantages, 

 and assured me in the four missions I should find 500 service- 

 able hands. Learnt from him that the Uruguare runs past Cura, 

 into the Cayuni; that he had himself descended the former in a 

 small canoe, but found the latter so rocky and rapid, that he 

 was afraid to proceed, .The most practicable communication 

 with the Essequibo must be by striking off to the Coyuni below 

 the rapids ; but the distance is considerable, and the Indian 

 tribes hostile. Most of the runaways from the missions were 

 supposed to have established themselves in that direction. At 

 mid-day, were joined by Irvine the N. American commissioner, 

 who had been making the tour in an opposite direction. He 

 would not halt, but, after inspecting the cotton-grounds, pro- 

 ceeded to Miamo. His escort consisted of an officer and three 

 soldiers, with a baggage-mule ; he seemed somewhat disap- 

 pointed in his expectations. Procured a fresh horse for our 

 soldier, and borrowed one for John ; and thus remounted re- 

 solved to set forwards next morning. 



28th. Accordingly started early for Uasipati, two leagues dis- 

 tant across the savannah. Road good, broken only by one rocky 

 rivulet. Arrived, after an hour's gallop. Proceeded immediately 

 with the Teniente to the tobacco-ground. It was new ground just 

 cleared and crop good. Was much pleased with the cultivation ; 

 leaves very large ; plants looking well ; soil hereabouts very pro- 

 ductive. Cotton thrives well : the Indian conucos well stocked, 

 and distant from the pueblo (village) scarcely a mile. Uasipati is 

 the best situated and best built of all the missions. The church 

 and conventual buildings large and substantial. It looks as 

 intended for the residence of the general of the order. Indian 

 houses oblong and rounded off at each end ; much neater than 

 any we had yet seen. The fever has penetrated hither, but 

 dysentery seems the prevaiUng malady, and is probably a con- 

 sequence of the fever. Over the church, found a sort of school- 

 room, where a chorister was instructing five boys in the church 

 service. Three of them could read already. The teacher was 

 practising on the violin. Was assured there were three musi- 

 cians ; the principal one, who could read and write Latin, was 



