INDIANS. 



435 



in breadth, and became deeper, with fewer 

 trees in ^ our way. At five in the evening we 

 reached an empty tambo, called El Platan6ro, 

 our resting-place for the night. I only landed 

 my hammock, not wishing to disturb any 

 thing else in the canoe, that I might have no 

 delay in starting at daybreak in the morning. 

 Shortly after I entered the tambo, an Indian 

 arrived with his family, consisting of his wife 

 and two children, who came to take up their 

 abode in the tambo for the night. The woman 

 soon made a most excellent fire, which cooked 

 us a tolerable supper. I supplied the Indians 

 with some meat, for which they were much 

 obliged. On enquiring into their method of 

 living, they told me they cultivated Indian 

 corn and plantains, near Citera, and carried 

 the produce to ditferent parts to sell. They 

 were just returning from selling some of their 

 corn, &c. The woman and children were 

 decked with a great many silver ornaments, 



I asked my steersman why this tambo was 

 deserted. He said that it had formerly be- 

 longed to the Indians, who had cultivated 

 plantains there. All the Indians had died, 

 and none others of the natives would live 



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