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CHAPTER VIII. 



Departure from Caripe. — Mountain and Forest 

 of Santa Maria. — Mission of Catuaro. — Port 

 of Cariaco. 



The days we passed at the convent of the Ca- 

 puchins, in the mountains of Caripe, glided has- 

 tily away, though our manner of living was sim- 

 ple and uniform. From sunrise to nightfall we 

 traversed the forests and neighbouring moun- 

 tains, to collect plants, of which we had never 

 made a more considerable harvest. When the 

 winter rains prevented us from undertaking dis- 

 tant excursions, we visited the huts of the Indi- 

 ans, the conuco of the community, or those as- 

 semblies, in which the alcaides settle every even- 

 ing the labours of the succeeding day. We re- 

 turned to the monastery, only when the sound 

 of the bell called us to partake in the refectory 

 the repast of the missionaries. Sometimes, 

 very early in the morning we followed them to 

 the church, to attend the doctrina, that is to say, 

 the religious instruction of the Indians. It is 

 an undertaking at least very difficult, to speak 



