210 



EFFECTS OF THE RED BAG. 



siderable time. The mosquitos were very trouble- 

 some; indeed from this day we were scarcely 

 ever without them at night, and they annoyed 

 us more or less, according to the state of the 

 wind and the quantity of rain which had fallen 

 during the day. The inconvenience occasioned 

 by these insects is inconceivable, until it has 

 been experienced. 



The next day we advanced to the village of 

 St. Luzia, and rested at noon there in an un- 

 finished cottage. Soon after we had unloaded 

 our horses, and I had lain myself down in my 

 hammock intending to sleep, the guide told me 

 that a number of people appeared to be assem- 

 bling near to us, and that I ought to recollect 

 the quarrel which we had had here in going. I 

 got up and asked for my trunk, opened it with 

 as little apparent design as possible, turned over 

 several things in it, and taking out the Red Bag, 

 placed it upon a large log of timber near to me, 

 and then I continued to search in the trunk, as 

 if for something I could not immediately find. 

 When I looked up again, in a few minutes, all 

 the persons who had assembled were gone— - 

 either the important consequences attending this 

 bag were known, — that of having the power of 

 making a requisition of horses, or some other 

 idea of my situation in life was given by the sight 

 of this magical bag. The river near St. Luzia 

 had not yet filled. We proceeded in the after- 



