454 



VOYAGE 



DOWN 



THE RIVER. 



was blowing strong from the northward, and 

 the sea breaking all across. 



During the afternoon, the captain of two 

 gun-boats came on board ; his boats were dis- 

 covered by chance by our little canoe ; — they 

 were anchored round a point, not far distant 

 from us. The captain was a mulatto, — a good- 

 humoured man, dressed in a chequered-shirt 

 and duck trowsers. He informed us that he 

 would give us convoy to a certain distance, 

 as a piratical schooner was said to be on the 

 coast. 



Again attacked with intermittent fever, which 

 I hoped I had escaped. 



March 20th. Wind strong from the north* 

 Told the captain that as the procession of the 

 equinox would probably take place the follow- 

 ing day, we might perhaps have a change of 

 weather. At noon, however, not being con- 

 tented with this hope, he began to collect 

 money from all, amounting to nearly four dol- 

 lars. This he placed in a purse, and tied to 

 the mast-head, as a dedication to the Virgin. 

 It was to be given to some clergyman in Car- 

 thagena, in order to say misas, in case we 



