N A R R A T I V E O F A N 



CHAP, on fhore, and relieve Captain Orzinga, of the Society fer- 



^^'it^^ -l^is men was to proceed to La Rochelle 

 in Patamaca, to ftrengthen the troops already there. Ill 

 as I was, this had fuch a powerful effed: on my fpirits^ 

 that I immediately ordered the Cerberus down to the 

 mouth of the Cormoetibo Creek, where (lie joined me 

 that evening. 



On the 26th3 we bid farewel to this deftrucftive place ; 

 and having weighed anchor, rowed down as far as 

 Barbacoeba, during which time a eircumftance happen- 

 ed, which will probably prove more entertaining than 

 the repeated accounts of ficknefs and deaths. 



As I was refting in my hammock, between the pa- 

 roxyfms of my fever, about half way between Cormoe- 

 tibo and Barbacoeba, while the Charon was floating 

 down, the fentinel called to me that he had feen and 

 challenged fomething black and moving in the brufli- 

 wood on the beach, which gave no anfwer ; but which,^. 

 from its fize, he concluded muft be a man. I immedi- 

 ately dropped anchor ;^ and having manned the canoe, ill 

 as I was, I ftepped into it, and rowed up to the place 

 mentioned by the fentinel. Here we all ftepped afliore 

 to reconnoitre, as I fufpe61:ed it to be no other than a re- 

 bel fpy, or a ftraggling party detached by the enemy ; 

 but one of my flaves, of the name of David, declared it 

 was no negro, but a large amphibious fnake, which could 

 not be far from the beach, and I might have an oppor- 

 tunity of fliooting it if I pleafed. To this, however, I 

 1 had 



