Ch. Vir. SOUTH AMERICA. 53 



ferent qualities and kinds, as wonderfully difplay the 

 diverfity which the Author of nature has ftiewn in the 

 multitude of his works. The quadrupeds and rep- 

 tiles frequent the dry and defert places, and are dif- 

 tinguifhed by an endlefs variety of fpots, whilft the 

 vivid plumage of the feathered race glows with ex- 

 quifite beauty; and the brilliant fcales of another 

 kind conceal the mofl: a6live poifons. 



The only tame eatable animals are the cow and the 

 hog, of which there are great plenty. The beef, 

 though not abfolutely bad, cannot be faid to be pala- 

 table. The conftant heat of the climate preventing 

 the beads from fattening, deprives their flefh of that 

 fucculency it would otherwife have acquired : the pork 

 is delicate, and allowed not only to be the beft in all 

 America, but even to exceed any in Europe. This, 

 which is the ufual food of Europeans and Creoles at 

 Carthagena, befides its palatablenefs, is alfo looked 

 upon to be fo wholfome, that even fick perfons are 

 allowed it preferably to poultry, which is here very 

 good and in great abundance. 



I MUST not omit a fingular ftratagem pradlifed here 

 for taking wild geefe, the extreme cheapnefs of which 

 naturally inclined us to afk how they caught them in 

 fuch quantities ; in anfwer to our queftion, we received 

 the following account. Near Carthagena, to the eaft- 

 ward of Monte de la Popa, is a large lake called la 

 Cienega de Tefcas, abounding with fifti, but reckoned 

 unwholfome. The water of this lake, communicating 

 with the lea, is fait, but without increafe or decreafe, 

 the difference of the tides here being infignificant. 

 Every evening vaft flights of geefe retire hither from 

 all the neighbouring countries, as their natural place of 

 reft during the night. The perfons who catch thefe 

 birds, throw into the lake about 15 or 20 large cala- 

 bafhes, which they call totumos ; and the geefe, being 

 ^ccuftomed to fee thefe calabafhes floating on the 

 water, never avoid them. In three or four days the 



E 3 perfons 



