142 THUNDER-STORM, &C. 



when he rushes upon him, seizes the lance 

 firmly with one hand, and despatches him 

 with his machetta in the other. 



May 1st. Obliged to delay our departure 

 a little, on account of a heavy thunder- 

 storm, accompanied with much rain : as 

 soon as this abated, we continued our pro- 

 gress, but the rain did not entirely cease 

 till noon, when the sun made his appear- 

 ance, and brought us a cool and agreeable 

 afternoon, free from musquitoes. We found 

 the continual pastime of lying down in 

 the canoe very tedious, and were much 

 annoyed by the noise of the bogas, who 

 accompany their work with a variety of 

 uncouth sounds, stamping also most vio- 

 lently at intervals on the toldo over our 

 heads, on which four were usually sta- 

 tioned to work, the other two being on 

 the part before us. Every time they 

 stopped to take their meals, one of them 

 uttered a prayer, and invoked not only the 



