MUCURI, VI9OZA, CARAVELLAS, &C. 



231 



destitute of the requisite medicines, especially Peruvian bark, which 

 is absolutely indispensable for travellers in these hot climates. 



The fever had also attained the highest degree of violence among 

 the company of Captain Lourenzo ; he was himself extremely ill and 

 enfeebled. From lying on the damp ground in the woods, from the 

 want of strong liquors, having no other drink than water, and from 

 the entire want of proper medicines, many of his people were so re- 

 duced that he was likewise obliged to send them to the town. He him- 

 self repaired to Morro d'Arara, where we took care of him for some 

 time, and sent him away in some degree recovered. For my part, 

 when I perceived that the fever would not leave me, I had recourse to 

 the Peruvian bark*, which I had found here growing on the Mucuri. 



* This bark' consists of pieces from four to six inches long, one and a half to two inches 

 broad, and half an inch (more or less) thick. Most of the pieces are much bent lengthwise, 

 so that the inner side stands up and forms a channel from half to one inch broad, and from 

 one sixth to a quarter of an inch deep. The colour of the outside is dark brown red, mixed 

 with bright reddish spots; the inner side is of a much hghter colour, and has a woody ap - 

 pearance. The external side is wrinkled, veined, and furrowed longitudinally, and also has 

 transverse cracks here and there, much like the Angustura bark. On this side too there are 

 parts higher than the rest of the surface, of a grey and light red colour, which seem as if 

 they were remains of an outer skin ; it is probably a lichen growi'ig on the bark. In breaking 

 it is brittle, and rather shining, and shews no sign of wood or fibres. The whole bark ap- 

 pears on the breaking to consist of only one substance, which towards the outside is 

 dark red, shining, and very resinous ; internally, pale red, less shining, and but little resinous. 

 It is heavier than water ; the taste is unpleasantly bitter, more astringent than that of the 

 red bark : the powder resembles that of the rub. tinct. only that of the Peruvian bark in- 

 clines to violet, and that of the t-ub. tinct. is brown; it is not to be compared with that of the 

 red bark. A decoction of this bark is dark red brown; mixed with an infusion of galls, a 

 greyish red brown precipitate is formed, and as strong as that of the other sorts of bark: 

 with muriate of tin, the strongest and thickest precipitate became of a brownish violet red 

 colour; with a decoction of oak bark there was no precipitate, but a combination of both ; 

 with acetate of lead, the precipitate was a dirty light brown, inclining to reddish : tartar 

 emetic gave a slight liver-coloured, sulphate of iron a bluish dark grey, and sulphate 

 of copper a greyish brown red precipitate. No satisfactory statements can be given respect- 

 ing the internal use of this bark, as I had not brought a sufficient quantity for the purpose 



