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with Captain Leones, who entertained us very hospitably, and would 

 have persuaded us to prolong our visit, but we determined to return 

 that evening over the mountains. We travelled for a league through 

 a level well-cultivated countrj^ clothed with orange-groves and coffee- 

 plantations, and tolerably populous. At sunset we arrived at the 

 foot of the mountains, and began to ascend a steep and dangerous 

 road, in the intricacies of which we were soon bewildered, and had 

 great difficulty to regain the most beaten path, which led home- 

 wards. Night suddenly overtook us, and we had still three hours 

 journey over the mountains, without guide or attendant, along a 

 perfectly alpine road, winding on the edge of horrible precipices. 

 In this part of the journey two of us, having advanced a little, the 

 rest of the party were suddenly alarmed by a dreadful shriek which 

 excited great apprehension lest some one should have been precipi- 

 tated down the gulph, but we were agreeably undeceived soon after 

 by the whole of the party joining us. We now heard a noise like 

 hammers, which proceeded from persons beating cotton, and in a 

 little time arrived at a house where, on enquiry, we were informed 

 that the town was ten miles distant. We were proceeding, when a 

 voice cried out in English, " but will not you stop and have some 

 grog ?" It may easily be imagined that to be thus suddenly hailed 

 with one of the most familiar phrases of our native English, while 

 benighted in a strange land, operated like an electric shock upon us ; 

 we immediately alighted at the house whence the voice seemed to 

 proceed, and found a Mr.Nunney, the Enghsh interpreter, who fur- 

 nished us with a guide ; we now continued our way with greater con- 

 fidence, and reached the town about midnight. This Mr. Nunney, 

 as we afterwards learnt, receives a dollar per diem during the stay 

 of every English or American ship that touches at this port, whether 

 his services are wanted or not, and by these means, with the profits 

 of the sales of provisions which he makes to such ships, he has ac- 

 quired a little fortune and a pretty estate. His profits, indeed, are 

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