250 condamine's travels 



During my fojoum at Para I made feveral fhort excurlions in a canoe, and availed 

 myfelf on thefe occafions to improve my chart. I was however unable to complete it 

 without feeing the true mouth of the Amazons, and tracing its northen bank to Cape 

 North, where it terminates in the fea. This, and other reafons, made me refolve on 

 proceeding from Para to Cayenne, whence I might fail direct to France, on board a 

 King's Ihip which was there to await me, rather than, as did Mr. Maldinado, profit 

 of the opportunity afforded by the failing of the Portuguefe fleet, which took its depar- 

 ture for Lifbon on the 3d of December 1743. I was in confequence detained at Para 

 till the clofe of the month, lefs owing to the reprefentations made to me of the contrary 

 winds prevalent at this feafon, than to the difficulty I experienced of procuring a com- 

 plement of rowers ; the fmall pox, which at this time made great ravage here, having 

 caufed the country people to abandon the adjacent villages. 



It is noticed at Para that this malady is more fatal to the American inhabitants of the 

 miffions, newly brought from the woods, and who go naked, than to fuch of their 

 fraternity as are clothed, and who received life, or have long dwelt with the Portu- 

 guefe. The former, a fort of amphibious animal, as often in the water as on land, 

 and enured from infancy to the inclemency of the weather, have poffibly in confequence 

 a lefs porous fliin than the reft of mankind, one confequently which vAW oppofe more 

 difficulty to the eruptions. The cuftom, moreover, of thefe people, of rubbing their 

 fldns over with anatto, genipa, and various thick and greafy oils, which in procefs 

 of time muft obftru(Sl; the pores, may like wife tend to increafe this difficulty ; and this 

 conjefture is fupported by an additional obfervation ; the negro flaves from Africa, who 

 follow no fuch pradtice, are lefs affedled by this malady than the natives. However 

 this may be, the favage newly from the woods who chances to be attacked by this com- 

 plaint, may in common be regarded as a dead man ; but again, how comes that this 

 is not the cafe where inoculation is reforted to ? About fifteen years ago a Carmelite 

 miffionary, perceiving all his flock dying about him in fucceffion, and having informa- 

 tion from a news-paper of the efficacy of inoculation, which' at that time made great noife 

 in Europe, judging wifely, that by reforting to this remedy he might at leaft render doubt- 

 ful that death, which without the application was certain ; he confequently, after half 

 his catechumens had periflied, boldly inoculated the whole of the remainder who had 

 not hitherto been attacked, and not one of the number died. He was followed in the 

 example he fet by another miffionary on the Black River, and with equal fuccefs. 

 The fenfible Carmelite reafoned but as others might have done, who, like him, feeing 

 the ravage this diforder occafioned, had heard of the fuccefs of the new difcovery j 

 yet to him is the honour of its firft introduftion into this part of America. 



After thefe experiments, fo well authenticated, it will be reafonably concluded, that, 

 during the contagion of 1743 which occafioned my detention at Para, all thofe who 

 had American flaves would refort to a remedy fo falutary. I fhould myfelf have 

 thought fo, had I not been witnefs to the contrary ; at leaft as long as 1 ftayed at 

 Para it was not yet thought oi. It is indeed true, that hitherto the proprietors had 

 not loft half their flaves. 



On the 29th December I embarked for Cayenne, in a canoe belonging to the cap- 

 tain-general, with twenty-two oars, ftored with every neceffary to render the voyage 

 comfortable, and furnifhed with recommendations for the Francifcan Fathers of Re- 

 form, who have their miffion on the ifland Marajo or Joannes, and who on my reach- 

 ing their abode were inftruded to fupply me with a recruit of rowers ; but the want 

 of communication between Para and Cayenne, and other accidents, prevented my finding 

 a fingle good praQical pilot in four villages, at which I landed in the early part of 



10 January 



