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ticular spot, but a tribe of Indians, neighbours 

 of the Tecs, the Taramaynas, and the Chaga- 

 ragates. As we came very near this group 

 of mountainous islands, they becalmed us ; and 

 at sunrise, small currents drifted us toward 

 Boracha, the largest of them. The rocks 

 rising almost perpendicularly, the shore is 

 abrupt ; and in a subsequent voyage I saw 

 frigates at anchor almost touching the land. 

 The temperature of the atmosphere sensibly 

 augmented since we were sailing among the is- 

 lands of this little archipelago. The rocks, 

 heated during the day, give out at night by 

 radiation a part of the heat absorbed. As the 

 sun arose on the horizon, the rugged moun- 

 tains projected their vast shadows on the sur- 

 face of the ocean. The flamingoes began to 

 fish wherever they found in a creek calcare- 

 ous rocks bordered by a narrow beach. All 

 these islands are now entirely uninhabited; 

 but upon one of the Caraccas are found wild 

 goats of a large size, brown, and extremely 

 swift. Our Indian pilot assured us, that their 

 flesh has an excellent flavour. Thirty years 

 ago a family of whites settled on this island, 

 and cultivated maize and cassava. The father 

 alone survived his children. As his wealth 

 had increased, he purchased two black slaves, 

 and this was the cause of his misfortunes. By 

 his slaves he was murdered. The goats be- 



