WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 145 



been in Guiana will recommend immediate immersion in 

 water, or to take the juice of the sugar-cane, or to fill the 

 mouth full of salt; and they recommend these antidotes 

 because they have got them from the Indians. But were you 

 to ask them if they ever saw these antidotes used with suc- 

 cess, it is ten to one their answer would be in the negative. 

 Wherefore let him reject these antidotes as unprofitable, 

 and of no avail. He has got an active and deadly foe 

 within him, which, like Shakspeare's fell Sergeant Death, 

 is strict in his arrest, and will allow him but little time — 

 very — very little time. In a few minutes he will be 

 numbered with the dead. Life ought, if possible, tQ be 

 preserved, be the expense ever so great. Should the part 

 affected admit of it, let a ligature be tied tight round the 

 wound, and have immediate recourse to the knife : — 



" Continuo, culpam ferro compesce priusquam, 

 Dira per infaustuni serpant contagia corpus." 



And now, kind reader, it is time to bid thee farewell. 

 The two ends proposed have been obtained. The Portu- 

 guese inland frontier fort has been reached, and the 

 Macoushi wourali-poison acquired. The account of this 

 excursion through the interior of Guiana has been sub- 

 mitted to thy perusal, in order to induce thy abler genius 

 to undertake a more extensive one. If any difficulties 

 have arisen, or fevers come on, they have been caused by 

 the periodical rains, which fall in torrents as the sun 

 approaches the tropic of Cancer. In dry weather there 

 would be no difficulties or sickness. 



Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou 

 wouldest be able to draw during the journey, there is one 

 which, perhaps, would please thee not a little ; and that 

 is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no doubt, thou hast 

 heard it hotly disputed, that dogs existed in Guiana 



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