20 Excursion from Angostura to the 



of Montezuma is evidently of Spanish introduction. The mes- 

 sage and defiance are both dehvered in the ancient Caraib lan- 

 guage, and with a spirit, that seemed to exhibit a strong tinc- 

 ture of national animosity even in the breast of these their civi- 

 lized descendants. The exact time observed throughout the 

 whole of the evolutions was astonishing, more particularly in 

 the club attack and defence, which must have taken very long 

 practice. 



Was obliged to procure another baggage-mule. The only one 

 procurable was very wild and wicked. She threw the old petaca 

 (shoe-maker,) and John in a twinkling ; but there was no alter- 

 native, so gave 35 dollars for her, and bespeaking a guide for 

 the morning',' retired to rest. Euri has, perhaps, on the whole, 

 the finest position of all the missions, lying at the extremity of 

 an immense plain abounding in cattle of all kinds. In front and 

 on the south side runs the beautiful Caroni, affording water- 

 carriage upwards to Barceloneta. Behind is a mass of moun- 

 tains running north-eastward, and connected with the range 

 behind Guayana Vieja. The high grounds abound in fertile 

 spots, and the quina grows in profusion. Found a considerable 

 store of it in one of the out-houses. The direct road to Angos- 

 tura is long, but runs over level ground. The soil produces 

 cotton, tobacco, rice, maize, ^c, in plenty ; and the fever might 

 soon be eradicated with very moderate care. 



5th. Could not set out before nine, our guide's horse having 

 run away during the night ; and as the road branched off" in 

 many places, did not venture to proceed alone. Found my horse 

 and the baggage-mule very troublesome and difficult to drive 

 along loose, — the horse turned once and gave me a chase 

 of half-a-mile, consequently made less progress this day than 

 usual, but got over much ground in the ordinary jog trot. Our 

 path in a direction E. by N. over the plain, just skirting the line 

 of hills. Passed the ruins of a farm-house, late the site of the 

 potrero of Euri. At noon, passed a rivulet running towards the 

 Caroni ; its cool and shady banks tempted us to halt for break- 

 fast. Gave the beasts an hour to graze, and resumed our 

 journey. Fortunately, the mule bought of Matamoro had been 



