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PAYTA* 



and musical, and were dressed in the Guayaquil 

 fashion, with long dark hair, unbraided, and 

 falling down naturally behind. 



9th.— As soon as ever it is light I rise ; for 

 a musquito-haunted bed offers no inducement 

 to lie long ; and, after dragging out a few hours 

 on the sandy shore of Payta, I have recourse to 

 the hammock until the breakfast hour at eleven 

 o^clock, which is unreasonably late, considering 

 that the dinner hour is five. I occasionally 

 bathe, but Mr. Girdon considers it dangerous, 

 except at high tide, on account of a remarkable 

 fish found in the shallow water on the sand, 

 which, if trodden upon, turns up its sharp- 

 pointed and poisonous tail, and pierces the foot, 

 making a wound very difficult to heal. This 

 house is close to a signal-post belonging to the 

 port captain, and in sight of the one on the hill, 

 at the entrance formerly alluded to. Long 



