PLATO. 99 



with the mail to Carthagena. Crossed the 

 river to avoid a rapid, which was running 

 four knots an hour. Landed to cut wood 

 under a bank ; no air, the heat almost in- 

 tolerable. At eight in the evening arrived 

 at Plato, a small town, which has not suffer- 

 ed much by the war. It has the privilege 

 of a city, — and a common council. 



We were going up to the judge, to re- 

 quest him to order us a night's lodging, 

 when Manuel Toro, a merchant of the place, 

 came and civilly offered us such accommo- 

 dation as his house could afford. 



8th. Rose at half-past three and continued 

 our way. Went eleven leagues this day, 

 then moored, supped, and slept, but were 

 much annoyed by musquitoes, which got 

 under our toldos in spite of all our precau- 

 tions. About midnight a tremendous noise 

 awoke me, when, jumping up, I seized my 



H 2 



