452 



VIEJA. 



ed in the Vieja, where we had arrived during 

 the night, and until daylight were terribly an- 

 noyed by the musquitoes. The Vieja is the 

 last point in the river where there is any mili- 

 tary force, which consists of eight men and a 

 Serjeant. This latter came on board, and exa- 

 mined all our passports. I visited the guard- 

 house, which is miserable enough, but well si- 

 tuated on a narrow neck of land, round which 

 the river winds, so that a boat has twice to 

 pass the guard-house. From this spot we 

 procured our masts and sails, which had been 

 left here on the passage up, and having secur- 

 ed them on board, pushed off down the river ; 

 making but little progress, on account of the 

 northerly winds being very strong, which 

 made us sometimes nearly stationary, as our 

 course was directly against the wind. 



March 17th. Stopped at noon to cut wood. 

 The peons set fire to some of the underwood, 

 which spread rapidly, consuming a great part 

 of the forest. This country is very peculiar — 

 appearing to have been gradually left by the 

 subsiding of the waters, and then to have in- 

 creased by the accumulation of vegetable sub- 

 stance. It is now, when the river is at its 



