>'S-U»ftic, 



266 CONDAMINE*S TRAVELS 



miftrefs. This man was not ignorant that M. Grandmaifon, who had reached Loreto, 

 awaited there with impatience the arrival of his children. A letter in my pofleflion even 

 proves that my father-in-law, informed that the negro Joachim was at Omaguas, ad- 

 vifed Triftan to repair thither and bring him forward ; but neither Triftan nor M. R. 

 thought fit to fatisfy him, and fo far from complying with his requeft, M. R., of his 

 own accord, fent the negro back to Quito, keeping the property he had brought back 

 with him. 



You know, Sir, that Laguna is not fituate on the Amazons, but fome leagues up 

 the Guallaga, a tributary of the former river. Joachim difmiffed by M. R. did not in 

 courfe proceed to Laguna in fearch of his miftrefs, whom he imagined dead, but 

 returned to Quito, and thus have we loft his fervices. You will certainly be far from 

 gu effing the excufe of M. R. for fending away a faithful fervant who was fo much 

 wanted by us. " I was afraid," faid he in anfwer to this enquiry, " that he would 

 " murder me." What, replied I, could have given birth to a fufpicion of fuch inten- 

 tion in a man whofe zeal and fidelity were fo well known to you, and with whom you 

 fo long had travelled ? If you apprehended he might diflike you from imputing the 

 death of his miftrefs to your negligence, what prevented your fending him forward to 

 M. Grandmaifon, who exadted this of you, and who was fo nigh at hand ?. At leaft 

 what hindered your putting him in prifon ? You lodged with the governor of Omaguas, 

 who would readily have complied, had you made him fuch a requeft. 



In the meantime Madame Godin, with the canoe and crew from Andoas, had reached 

 Laguna, where they were received with the greateft politenefs by Dr. Romero, the new 

 chief of the miffions, who, by his kind treatment during fix weeks that fhe remained 

 with him, did much towards re-eftablifhing her health, but too much impaired, and 

 making her forget her misfortunes. The firft care of this refpe6lable character was to 

 forward an exprefs to the governor of Omaguas, to inform him of the arrival of Ma- 

 dame Godin, and the languid ftate of her health. Upon this intelligence M. R. could 

 do no lefs, having promifed to render her his fervices, than haften to join her, bringing 

 with him four filver difhes, a filver faucepan, a velvet petticoat, one of Perfiana, and one of 

 taffety, fome linen, and other trifles, belonging to her brothers as well as herfelf ; 

 adding, that all the reft were rotten, forgetting that bracelets, fnufF-boxes,* and rofaries 

 of gold, and ear-rings fet with emeralds, were not fubjedl to rottennefs, any more than 

 various other effefts. " Had you," faid Madame Godin ; " had you brought back my 

 negro, I fhould have learnt from him what he had done with my property found in the 

 hut. But of whom, refpe£iing it, am I now to inquire ? Go your ways. Sir ; it is 

 impoffible that I can ever forget that, to you, I owe all my misfortunes and all my lofles ; 

 manage henceforward as you may, I am determined you ftiali make no part of my 

 company." My wife had but too much reafon on her fide, but the interceffions of 

 M. Romero, to whom ftie could refufe nothing, and who reprefented to her that, if 

 ihe abandoned M. R., his condition would be deplorable, at length overcame her 

 repugnance, and induced her to confent he (hould yet continue with her. 



When Madame Godin was fomewhat recovered, M. Romero wrote to M. Grand- 

 maifon, informing him that ftie was out of danger, and requefting him to difpatch 

 Triftan to accompany her to the Portuguefe veiTel. He likewife wrote to the governor, 

 acquainting him that he had reprefented to Madame Godin, whofe courage and piety 

 he could never fufficiently admire, that (he was yet merely at the beginning of a long 

 and tedious voyage ; and that, though fhe had already travelled upwards of four hun- 

 dred leagues, ftie had yet four or five times that diftance to pafs before ftie reached. 

 Cayenne j that, but juft relieved from the perils of death, ftie was about to incur frefti 



X2 danger; 



