ig6 A VOYAGE TO Book V. 



it, than we were attacked on all fides with innumerar 

 bie fwarms of mofchitos ; fo that we were fo far frorr) 

 having any reft there^ that it was impoffible for a per- 

 ion, fufceptible of feelings to be one moment quieu 

 Thofe who had covered themfcives with their mof- 

 chito clc/' hs, after taking the greateft care that none of 

 thefe inahgnant infects were contained in them, found 

 themfelves in a moment fo attarked on all fides, that 

 they were obliged foon to return to the place they 

 had quitted. ThMe v\^ho were in the houfe, hoping 

 that they fnouki find fome rehef in the open fields, 

 yentiired out, though in danger of fuuering in a more 

 terrible manner from the ferpents but Vv'ere foon con- 

 vinced of their miftake; it being impoffible to deter^ 

 mine which was the moil lupporrable place, within 

 the morchiio cloth, without it, or in the open fields. 

 In ihort, no expedient was of any ufe againft their 

 numbers. The fmoak of the trees we burnt, to difr 

 peric thelc infernal infedis^ befides alraoft choaking 

 us, feemed rather to augment, than dimdnifh their 

 multitudes. At dav-break, we could not without 

 concern look upon each other. Our faces were 

 fwclled, and our hands covered with painful tumours, 

 which fuiiiciently indicated the condition of the odier 

 parts of our bodies, expoied to the attacks of thofe 

 infefts. The following night we took up our quar- 

 ters in a houfe inhabited, but not free from mof- 

 chitos : thoupch in much lefs numbers than before. 

 On informing our hoft of the deplorable manner iri 

 which we had fpent the preceding night, he gravely 

 told us, that the houfe v/e fo greatly complained of 

 had been forfaken, on account of its -being the 

 purgatory of a foul. To which one of our company 

 wittily anfvvered, that it Vv'as much more natural to 

 think that it was forfaken on acccynt of its being a 

 purgatory for the body. • ' 



The mules being arrived at Caracol, we fet out on 

 the 14th of May^ and after travelling four leagues, 



through 



