4 Excursion from Angostura to iJoe 



but our numbers at length revived their courage. Cumamo is 

 well placed, in full view of a lofty range of perpendicular hills, 

 tn which the Imataca is said to take its rise. Thither had the 

 Caraibs retired, and a body of about twenty headed by the cap- 

 tain, when fallen in with by the detachment from Miamo, had 

 killed fifteen of their pursuers ; the women and children were 

 supposed to be in the neighbourhood, deterred from returning 

 by the fear of their more resolute counlrymen. Could learn 

 Tio other reason for this desertion, than dread of the conscrip- 

 tion, and the natural preference of the Caraibs for a savage life. 

 This was said to be the second or third time of their desertion. 

 This mission was settled in 1767, and in 1803, contained 476 

 inhabitants. It is curious to note the slow progress of the 

 monks; in the first year they baptized 12, in the second four, 

 third six, and so forth. Marriages seem to have been less fre- 

 quent here than elsewhere ; in 1803 only 22. Did not hear of 

 much havoc by the fever ; but, on the afternoon of our arrival, 

 a man and his sister came in from the woods, covered with the 

 eruption of the small-pox from head to foot. With great diffi- 

 culty prevailed on the apathetic manager to have them removed 

 from the village to a neighbouring comico. It was impossible to 

 prevent the poor woman from suckling an infant at her breast. 

 From the state in which we saw them, and the total apathy that 

 prevails, have little doubt they were left to perish, though we 

 took no little pains to excite commiseration. The grounds here- 

 abouts appear good. Tobacco and cotton thriving; rice and 

 maize in abundance ; but, under the present system, in all pro- 

 bability the people will never return, and this beautiful mission 

 be wholly abandoned. 



22d. Started this morning for Miamo, after inspecting the 

 tobacco-ground. Traversed a range of woody hills. Soil ap- 

 parently very fertile. Took a direction westerly for about four 

 leagues, and arrived at Miamo to breakfast. Resolved to leave 

 my horse to recruit for a day or two, and picked out the best I 

 could find from twenty belonging to the Commandant. Gave 

 him his price, fifteen dollars. John bought himself a hammock 

 for four dollars. Miamo was planted in 1748, about half a mile 



