414 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



at Caracol before the i ith. The tortures we received on the river from the mofchitos 

 were beyond imagination. We had provided ourfelves with guetres, and mofchito 

 cloths ; but to very little purpofe. The whole day we were in continual motion to 

 keep them off; but at night our torments were exceflive. Our gloves were indeed 

 fome defence to our hands, but our faces were entirely expofed, nor were our clothes 

 a fufficient defence for the reft of our bodies ; for their ftings, penetrating through the 

 cloth, caufed a very painful and fiery itching. The moft difmal night we fpent in this 

 paffage was when we came to an anchor near a large and handfome houfe, but unin- 

 habited ; for we had no fooner feated ourfelves in it, than we were attacked on all fides 

 with innumerable fwarms of mofchitos ; fo that we were fo far from having any reft, 

 there, that it was impoffible for a perfon, fufceptible of feeling, to be one moment 

 quiet. Thofe who had covered themfelves with their mofchito cloths, after taking the 

 greateft care that none of thefe malignant infeds were contained in themj, found them- 

 felves in a moment fo attacked on all fides, that they were obliged foon to return to the 

 place they had quitted. Thofe who were in the houfe, hoping that they fliould find 

 fome relief in the open fields, ventured out, though in danger of fuffering in a more 

 terrible manner from the ferpents ; but were foon convinced of their miftake ; it being 

 impoffible to determine which was the moft fupportable place, within the mofchito 

 cloth, without it, or in the open fields. In fhort, no expedient was of any ufe againft 

 their numbers. The fmoke of the trees we burnt, to difperfe thefe infernal infeds, 

 befides almoft choking us, feemed rather to augment than diminifh their multitudes. 

 At day-break, we could not without concern look upon each other. Our faces were 

 fwelled, and our hands covered with painful tumours, which fufficiently indicated the 

 condition of the other parts of our bodies expofed to the attacks of thofe infeds. The 

 following night we took up our quarters in a houfe inhabited, but not free from mof- 

 chitos ; though in much lefs numbers than before. On uiforming our hoft of the de- 

 plorable manner in which we had fpent the preceding night, he gravely told us, that the 

 houfe we fo greatly complained of had been forfaken on account of its being the pur- 

 gatory of a foul. To which, one of our company wittily anfwered, that it was much 

 more natural to think that it was forfaken on account of its being a purgatory for the 

 body. 



The mules being arrived at Caracol, we fet out on the 14th of May, and, after tra- 

 veiling four leagues, through favannahs, woods of plantain, and cacao-trees, we arrived 

 at the river Ojibar ; and continued our journey, during the whole day, along its banks, 

 fording it no lefs than nine times, though with no fmall danger, from its rapidity, 

 breadth, depth, and rocky bottom ; and, about three or four in the afternoon, we 

 halted at a place called Puerto de Mufchitos, 



All the road from Caracol to the Ojibar is fo deep and boggy that the beafts at every 

 ftep funk almoft up to their bellies ; but along the banks of that river we found it much 

 more firm and commodious. The name of the place where we were to take up our 

 lodging that night fufficiently indicates its nature. The houfe had been for fome time 

 forfaken, like that already mentioned on Guayaquil river, and become a neft of mofchi- 

 tos of all kinds ; fo that it was impoffible to determine which was the worft. Some, to 

 avoid the tortures of thefe infeds, ftripped themfelves, and went into the river, keeping 

 only their heads above water ; but the face being the only part expofed, was immedi- 

 ately covered vdth them ; fo that thofe who had recourfe to this expedient, were foon 

 forced to defiver up their whole bodies to thefe tormenting creatures. 



On the 1 5th we continued our journey through a very thick foreft, the end of which 

 brought us once more to the banks of the fame river, which we again forded four times, 



and 



