IN SOUTH AMERICA. 265 



^rike into the wood ; but, after a moment's refleftion, fatlsfied that nothing worfe 

 could poffibly befal her, than to continue in her prefent ftate, and that alarm was 

 therefore childifh, Ihe proceeded to the bank of the river, and perceived two native 

 Americans launching a boat into the ftream. It is the cuftom of thefe people, on their 

 landing to pafs the night, to draw their canoe either wholly, or partially on Ihore, as a 

 fecurity againfl: accidents, for fhould it be left afloat, and the faflening tackle break, 

 it would be carried away by the current, and leave the fleepers on fhore in a truly 

 helplefs {late. The natives, perceiving Madame Godin, advanced towards her, on 

 which fhe conjured them to tranfport her to Andoas : they had been driven by the con- 

 tagion prevalent at Canelos to withdraw with their wives to a hut they had at a diftance, 

 and were then going to Andoas. They received my wife on board with kindnefs truly 

 affeftionate, fhewed every attention to her wants, and condufted her to that village. 

 Here Ihe might have (lopped fome days to reft herfelf and recruit her ftrength, (and 

 well may it be conceived Ihe had great need of reft, j but, indignant at the conduQ" of 

 the miflionary at whofe mercy fhe was left, and with whom for that reafon {he was 

 obliged to dilTemble, flie refolved on making no ftay at Andoas, nor would even have 

 ftopped a fingle night had it been poflible to be avoided. 



A great revolution in the miflions of Spanifti America dependent upon Lima, Quito, 

 Charcas, and Paraguay, founded and adminiftered to by the Jefuits, for from one to 

 two centuries, had recently taken place. An unexpefted order from the court of 

 Madrid expelled them from all their colleges and miflions ; they had in confequence 

 been every where arrefted, put on board, and tranfported to the pope's dominions. 

 This event, however, had occafioned no more difturbance than would have done the 

 change of a viilage-reQior. In lieu of them, the fecular clergy were fubftituted, of 

 which clafs was the individual who officiated as miflionary at Andoas, an individual 

 whofe name I wifti to banifli from my memory. Madame Godin, ftripped of almoft 

 €very thing, not knowing otherwife how to teftify her gratitude to the two Americans 

 who had faved her life, took from her neck two chains of gold, fuch as are ufually worn 

 in this country, of about four ounces weight, and gave one to each of them, whofe ad- 

 miration at the richnefs of the prefent equalled that they would have experienced had 

 the heavens opened before them; but the miflionary, in her very prefence, took 

 pofleflion of the chains, and gave the poor Americans in lieu about three or four yards 

 of coarfe cotton, fuch as is manufadlured in the country, and called Tucuyo. Condud 

 thus infamous exafperated my wife to fuch a degree that flie inftantly demanded a 

 canoe and men, and the next day fet out for Laguna. A female American at Andaos 

 made a cotton petticoat for her, which flie fent to pay for immediately on reaching La- 

 guna, and which flie preferves with care, with the foles of the flioes of her brothers; 

 converted by her into fandals ; — mournful tokens, rendered dear to me as they are to her 

 herfelf! 



While my wife was yet wandering in the woods, her faithful negro, with a party of 

 Americans from Andoas, afcended the river. M. R. thinking more of his own affairs 

 than forwarding the boat which fliould recall his benefadors to life, fcarcely reached 

 Andoas before he departed with his companion and baggage for Omaguas. The negro, 

 on reaching the hut where he left his miftrefs and her brothers, traced them through 

 the woods, in conripany with his companions, until he came to the fpot where their 

 corpfes laid, already putrid and uncognizable. At fight of thefe, perfuaded that no 

 one had efcaped death, the negro and his companions returned to the hut, collefted 

 what had been left there, and again reached at Andoas before my wife arrived there. The 

 aiegro thence ;i,'ep;iired to M, R. at Omaguas, and delivered to him the property of his 



VOL. XIV. M M miftrefs, 



