Wanderings in South America 



FIRST JOURNEY 



CHAPTER I 



- "nee herba, nee latens in asperis 



Radix fefellit me locis. " 



In the month of April, 1812, I left the town of 

 Stabroek, to travel through the wilds of Demerara 

 and Essequibo, a part of ci-devant Dutch Guiana, 

 in South America. 



The chief objects in view were to collect a 

 quantity of the strongest Wourali-poison ; and to 

 reach the inland frontier fort of Portuguese 

 Guiana. 



It would be a tedious journey for him who 

 wishes to travel through these wilds, to set out 

 from Stabroek on foot. The sun would exhaust 

 him in his attempts to wade through the swamps, 

 and the Mosquitos at night would deprive him of 

 every hour of sleep. 



The road for horses runs parallel to the river, 

 but it extends a very little way, and even ends 

 before the cultivation of the plantation ceases. 



The only mode then that remains is to proceed 



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