48 



WANDERINGS IN 



First torial suii had burnt and shrivelled up his face, still there 



Journey. 



was something in it so inexpressibly affable and kind, 



that it set you immediately at your ease. He came close 

 up to the hammock, and taking hold of my wrist to feel 

 the pulse, " I am sorry, sir," said he, " to see that the 

 fever has taken such hold of you. You shall go directly 

 with me," continued he, " to the fort ; and though we 

 have no doctor there, I trust," added' he, " we shall 

 soon bring you about again. The orders I have received 

 forbidding the admission of strangers, were never intended 

 to be put in force against a sick English gentleman." 



As the canoe was proceeding slowly down the river 

 towards the fort, the commander asked, with much more 

 interest than a question in ordinary conversation is asked, 

 where was I on the night of the first of May ? On telling 

 him that I was at an Indian settlement a little below the 

 great fall in the Demerara, and that a strange and sudden 

 noise had alarmed all the Indians, he said the same 

 astonishing noise had roused every man in Fort St. 

 Joachim, and that they remained under arms till morning. 

 He observed, that he had been quite at a loss to form 

 any idea what could have caused the noise ; but now 

 learning that the same noise had been heard at the same 

 time far away from, the Rio Branco, it struck him there 

 must have been an earthquake somewhere or other. 



Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied atten- 

 tion and kindness of the Portuguese commander, stopped 



