SUFFERINGS OF THE BRITISH. 481 



senses, tear out their hair, and bereft of 

 every sense of feeling by degrees, ultimately 

 die. The natives recommend eating sugar 

 and drinking water in preference to spirits, 

 on passing these places ; and flagellation to 

 those who shew symptoms of being affected, 

 not letting them stop for an instant. Igno- 

 rant at the time of these remedies, and all, 

 except the flagellation, being out of their 

 power, fifty Englishmen, and two officers 

 and upwards of a hundred of the native 

 troops, fell sacrifices, without the possibility 

 of assistance being given to them. Out of 

 five thousand horses and mules, there did 

 not remain enough to transport the ammuni- 

 tion ; which was obliged to be carried on 

 the backs of Indians, natives of villages on 

 either side the Paramo, who through cus- 

 tom were able to carry on their backs or 

 heads, one hundred and fifty pounds weight, 

 over these bad roads. The roads, (if the 

 beds of small mountain streams or deep mo- 



VOL. I. 2 I 



