IS Mxcursion from Angostura to the 



to find, on coming up, that the party consisted of the mayor- 

 domo with his followers catching wild cattle to be mixed with 

 the tame herd. He proceeded with much skill, as follows : — 

 First, driving about twenty tame cattle into a fine pasture, and 

 there leaving them in charge of two or three of his party, who 

 concealed themselves, with the rest he made a circuit, endeavour- 

 ing to drive in the wild animals by twos and threes, stationing 

 his horsemen so as to intercept their flight; they naturally 

 joined the tame herd, and by being kept constantly together, 

 and driven into the pen at night, soon became domesticated. 

 Twelve had already been thus secured. We met him driving 

 in three, to whom we were glad to give a wide birth. This 

 business requires good horses and experienced riders, both of 

 which are scarce since the late levies. Each man is furnished 

 with a spear, a knife, and a lazo, (running noose,) but fire-arms 

 they never carry ; so that a traveller provided with them is 

 pretty safe, A league on this side Euri, my horse was com- 

 pletely knocked up. Feared I must have left him in the savan- 

 nah. He had carried me the whole way from Angostura and 

 well earned his price, twenty dollars. But as I could not afford 

 to lose the saddle, contrived to get him on in a walk, but did 

 not arrive till five P.M. The baggage came in two hours after- 

 wards. Our host treated us to the customary mess of beef and 

 rice, and a little bad rum enabled to enjoy the extraordinary 

 luxury of cold punch. It was absolutely necessary to recruit our 

 beasts, and purchase another baggage-mule, my poor animal 

 being in too shocking a state to hold out longer, 



4th. Halted at Euri, or Guri, and enjoyed the luxury of 

 bathing twice in the Caroni, This river runs from the south, 

 but, encountering a large mass of mountains a little below Euri, 

 makes a considerable sweep westward in order to avoid and pass 

 round them ; it is navigable hence up to Barceloneta, but below 

 is full of rocks and rapids the whole way to its embouchure ; 

 one of them was distinctly audible from the town. About a 

 mile above the town is a ferry, by which there is one way of 

 communication with Angostura. Should have returned by this 

 route, but wished to visit the missions on the Orinoco. Guri 



