ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 35 1 



Minute as this creature is, there are two kinds of it ; one venomous, and the other 

 not. The latter perfectly refembles the flea in colour, and gives a whitenefs to the 

 . membrane where it depofits its eggs. This caufes no pain, but what is common in 

 fuch cafes. The former is yellowilh, its nidus of vji afh colour, and its effedls more 

 extraordinary ; as When lodged at the extremity of the toes, it violently inflames the 

 glands of the groin, and the pain continues without abatement, till the nigua is extrad:- 

 ^d, that being the only remedy : after which the fwelling fubfides, and the pain ceafes, 

 thofe glands correfponding with the foot, where the caufe of the pain refided. The 

 ' true caufe of this apparently flrange effeft I fliall not undertake to invefliigate ; the gene- 

 ral opinion is, that fome fmall mufcles extending from thefe glands to the feet, being 

 affecled by the poifon of the bite, communicate it to the glands, whence proceed the 

 pain and inflammation. All I can affirm is, that I have often experienced it, and at 

 firft with no fmall concern ; till having frequently obferved that thefe effefts ceafed on 

 extradihg the nigua, I thence concluded it to be the true caufe of the diforder. The 

 fame thing happened to all the French academicians who accompanied us on this expe- 

 dition ; and particularly to M. de Juflieu, botanifl: to the King of France, whom 

 frequent experience of thefe kinds of accidents taught to divide thefe infefts into 

 two kinds. 



As the preceding animals and infeds chiefly exercife their malignant qualities on 

 the human fpecies, fo there are others which damage and defl:roy the furniture of 

 houfes, particularly all kinds of hangings, whether of cloth, linen, filk, gold or filver 

 ftuffs, or laces ; and indeed every thing, except thofe of folid metal, where their vo- 

 racity feems to be wearied out by the refiftance. This infed called comegen, is 

 nothing more than a kind of moth or maggot ; but fo expeditious in its depredations, 

 that in a very fliort time it entirely reduces to dull one or more bales of merchandife 

 where it happens to fafl:en ; and without altering the form, perforates it through and 

 through, with a fubtilty which is not perceived till it comes to be handled, and then 

 infl;ead of thick cloth or linen, one finds only fmall flireds and duft. At all times 

 the fl:ri£tefl: attention is requifite to prevent fuch accidents, but chiefly at the arrival of 

 the galleons ; for then it may do immenfe damage among the vafl: quantity of goods 

 landed for warehoufes, and for fale in the fliops. The befl:, and indeed the only 

 method is, to lay the bales on benches, about half a yard from the ground, and to 

 cover the feet of them with alquitran, or naphtha, the only prefervative againfl; this 

 fpecies of vermin ; for with regard to wood, it eats into that as eafily as into the 

 goods, but will not come near it when covered with naphtha as above. 



Neither would this precaution be fufficient for the fafety of the goods, without a 

 method of keeping them from touching the walls ; and then they are fufliciently fe- 

 cured. This infed is fo fmall, as to be fcarcely vifible to the naked eye, but of fuch 

 aftivity as to defl;roy all the goods in a warehoufe, vv^here it has got footing, in one 

 night's time. Accordingly it is ufual that in running the rifles of commerce, in goods 

 configned to Carthagena, the circum fiances are fpecified^ and in thefe are underfliood 

 to be included the loflx^s that may happen in that city by the comegen. This infedt 

 infeflis neither Porto Bello, nor even places nearer Carthagena, tnough they have 

 fo many other things in common with that city ; nor is it fo much as known among 

 them. 



What has been faid, will, I hope, be fufficient to give an adequate idea of this 

 country, without fwelling the work with trivial obfervations, or fuch as have been 

 already pubUftied by others. We ftiall now proceed to treat diftindly of other equally 

 wonderful works of Omnipotence, in this country, 



CHAP. 



