PLANTATIONS. 169 



yards. A part of a bank gave way along- 

 side of us, and a tree actually fell across our 

 canoe, and enveloped the men in its foliage. 

 Fortunately it was not a large one, and we 

 soon got clear from it. The undermining of 

 the banks makes the river at times very dan- 

 gerous ; and from year to year the river is 

 found to increase its bed. In the vicinity of 

 this place, at some distance from the river, 

 are some very extensive plantations, formerly 

 belonging to rich proprietors of the country, 

 amongst whom, the father of Colonel Rieux 

 possessed lands of considerable value, but 

 which have descended to the son greatly 

 impoverished, like the rest of the country, 

 by a ruinous civil war. To this district I 

 would particularly recommend the attention 

 of such agriculturalists as intend to devote 

 their efforts to the cultivation of land on the 

 banks of the Magdalena; the river itself 

 being, at this distance from its mouth, con- 

 siderably raised above the level of the sea. 



