230 



HOUSED IN MOJOS. 



square in the centre of the town is perfectly open — it is the plaza. A 

 large wooden cross stands in the centre, directly in front of the cathedral. 

 At each corner of the plaza there stands also small wooden crosses, 

 roughly hewn. Next the cathedral stands the government house, the 

 only one of two stories in the place. Here we met the prefect of the 

 department of the Beni. As we knew him before he was appointed, 

 in Cochabamba, he received us as old acquaintances. 



One of the government houses was put in order for us, that is to say, 

 a small table, three chairs, and bedsteads, with hide bottoms, were put 

 in, with a jar of water, and the floor well swept. Our baggage was 

 brought up by those of the crew not sent to the hospital, some distance 

 from town, where numbers went every day wit,h the small pox. Our 

 hamacs slung up, Mamore lay down at the door, and we were housed 

 in Mojos. The crew came to take leave after every thing had been 

 brought from the boat; they were going home to San Pedro, to their 

 wives and families, after being absent on a voyage of over a month. We 

 have been seven days descending from Vinchuta ; they were twenty 

 days on the river fro*m this place up. 



The old captain made a short speech of thanks for the crew, who 

 seemed perfectly satisfied with what they received in addition to the 

 cotton cloth. "Nig" was more pleased than any when presented with 

 the hide rope he used to lasso the alligator. "Padre" was sent to the 

 hospital ; the remainder left immediately. 



The doctor of the town is down with the small pox a few doors from 

 us, and one hundred cases at the hospital. We have come into the 

 midst of it, and are obliged to remain to make arrangements to get 

 out of the Madeira Plate, which is considered difficult. There are three 

 ways to reach the Atlantic ocean; one by the Paraguay river; the other 

 across the empire of Brazil, from the town of Matto Grosso to Rio 

 Janeiro, and the third by the Madeira to the Amazon. These roads all 

 pass through tribes of savage Indians. We must try all three before we 

 turn back towards the Pacific. 



We dined with the prefect and all the officers of the prefectura, 

 besides some of the correjidores of the neighboring towns in the province. 

 The correjidor or governor of Trinidad, under the immediate eye of the 

 prefect, is an Indian; but those of the smaller towns are Creoles, appointed 

 by the prefect, and approved by the government. 



The beef was tough and insipid ; yucas watery. The correjidores 

 particularly fancied boiled cabbage, baked plantains and yucas served as 

 bread, except on particular occasions, when corn-cake, made of grain 

 mashed into paste between two stones, was presented. The corn is 



