244 



ANGOSTURA — CROCODILES. 



Attack of 

 fever. 



Angostura. 



CHAP. XIX pland assumed the diameter of a typhoid fever. A 

 mulatto servant, who had attended them from Cumana, 

 was simih\rly affected. His deatli was announced on 

 the ninth day ; but he had only fallen into a state of 

 insensibility which lasted several hours, and was fol- 

 lowed l)y a salutary crisis. Humboldt escaped with a 

 very violent attack, during which he was made to take 

 a mixture of honey and the extract of Cortex angosturce. 

 He recovered on the following da3% His fellow-travel- 

 ler remained in a very alarming state for several weeks, 

 but retained sufficient strength of mind to prescribe for 

 himself. His fever was incessant, and complicated with 

 dysentery ; but, in his case too, the issue was favour- 

 able. At this period no epidemic prevailed in the town, 

 and the air was salubrious ; so that the germ of the 

 disease had probably been caught in the damp forests ot 

 the Upper Orinoco. 



Angostura, so named from its being placed on a nar- 

 row part of the river, stands at the foot of a hill of 

 hornblende-slate, destitute of vegetation. The street.s 

 are regular, and generally parallel to the course of the 

 stream. Tlic houses are high, agreeable, and built of 

 stone ; although the town is not exempt from earth- 

 quakes. At the period of this visit the population was 

 only 6000. There is little variety in the surrounding 

 scenery ; but the view of the river is singularly majestic. 

 When tiie waters are high they inundate the quays, and 

 it sometimes hap])ens that even in tlie streets impru- 

 dent persons fall a prey to the crocodiles, which are 

 very numerous. 



Humboldt relates that, at the time of his stay at 

 Angostura, an Indian from the island of IMargarita 

 having gone to anchor his canoe in a cove where there 

 were not three feet of water, a very fierce crocodile that 

 frequented the spot seized him by the leg and carried 

 him off. With astonishing courage he searched for a 

 knife in his pocket, but not finding it, thrust his fingers 

 Into 'he animal's eyes. The monster, however, did not 



Crocodiles. 



