GARAPATAS. 1 39 



animated by an extraordinary number of birds and mammals 

 — chiefly parrots and monkeys. We saw many howling mon- 

 keys, and killed two of them. 



But in doing so, I was invaded by thousands of 

 garapatas, an insect classified among the Arachnidae, or 

 spiders. They were of two sorts, one brownish very large, 

 and another reddish, so minute that it could hardly be seen. 

 I got rid of the large ones easily, but I was not so fortunate 

 with the others, so that with the mosquitoes which were very 

 numerous, I passed one of the most wretched nights possible. 



These garapatas are flat, and introduce themselves in 

 all parts of your body, incrusting their mandibles in your 

 flesh, and remain there until they are fully grown. Then 

 they leave, but meanwhile they literally devour you, causing 

 all the time an insupportable itching. 



I did not get entirely free of them until on board of the 

 steamer on which I embarked for New York. 



The men went on land and made themselves happy, 

 drinking spirits. 



I did not see them until the next day at twelve, and it 

 was half-past two when we really started on our voyage. 

 For a time we sailed amongst the islands. It was a scene of 

 the most magnificent beauty. Animal life was exuberant. 

 Birds, monkeys, crocodiles, fishes, could be seen in plenty 

 on all sides. Showers were frequent but short. Our men 

 were so lazy, that when unfortunately there was no wind, we 

 scarcely advanced at all. We kept close to the shore, and 

 we stopped every day at breakfast and dinner time. After 

 dinner they remained for hours basking in the sun. 



On the fifth day, one of them fell ill, and we were obliged 

 to leave him in a small village. Another, with a bad leg, 

 was also left there. Now the eight remaining, did not want 

 to go on, and refused to move. It was only after having lost 

 one day, and paid them £2 extra, that I induced them to go 

 as far as the Castillo, the fort of San Carlos, which com- 

 mands the entrances of the River San Juan and the Lake. 

 Besides the fort, there were scarcely thirty houses, all of them 

 built on the margin of the lake. It is a very picturesque 

 site. I landed and made a visit to the Commandant of the 

 fort, who was a very nice man. I told him about my men 

 refusing to go forward. He had the kindness to settle that 

 matter, and to supply me with two soldiers. From that 

 moment all went well. We left San Carlos at one p.m., 

 the men had scarcely anything to do, the current was strong 



