SOUTH AMERICA. 



73 



And now, kind reader, it is time to bid tliee farewell. Fikst 



Journey. 



The two ends proposed have been obtained. The Portu- 



guese inland frontier fort has been reached, and the 

 Macoushi wourali poison acquired. The account of this 

 excursion through the interior of Guiana has been sub- 

 mitted to thy perusal, in order to induce thy abler 

 genius to undertake a more extensive one- If any dif- 

 ficulties have arisen, or fevers come on, they have been 

 caused by the periodical rains, which fall in torrents as 

 the sun approaches the tropic of Cancer. In dry weather 

 there would be no difficulties or sickness. 



Amongst the many satisfactory conclusions which thou 

 wouldest be able to draw during the journey, there is one, 

 which, perhaps, would please thee not a little ; and that 

 is with regard to dogs. Many a time, no doubt, thou 

 hast heard it hotly disputed, that dogs existed in Guiana 

 previously to the arrival of the Spaniards in those parts. 

 Whatever the Spaniards introduced, and which bore no 

 resemblance to any thing the Indians had been accustomed 

 to see, retains its Spanish name to this day. 



Thus, the Warow, the Arowack, the Acoway, the Ma- 

 coushi, and Carib tribes, call a hat, sombrero ; a shirt, 

 or any kind of cloth, camisa ; a shoe, zapato ; a letter, 

 carta ; a fowl, gallina ; gunpowder, colvora, (Spanish, 

 polvora ;) ammunition, bala ; a cow, vaca ; and a dog, 

 perro. 



This argues strongly against the existence of dogs in 



