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Juan Gonzales was thoroughly acquainted with 

 the forests, which extend from the cataracts 

 toward the sources of the Oroonoko. Another 

 revolution in the republican government of the 

 monks had some years before again brought 

 him back to the coast, where he enjoyed, and 

 with a just claim, the esteem of his superiors. 

 He confirmed us in our desire of examining the 

 much disputed bifurcation of the Oroonoko. He 

 gave us useful advice for the preservation of our 

 health, in climates where he had himself suffered 

 long from intermitting fevers. We had the sa- 

 tisfaction of finding Fray Juan Gonzales at New 

 Barcelona, on our return from Rio Negro. In- 

 tending to go from the Havannah to Cadiz, he 

 obligingly offered r to take charge of part of our 

 herbals, and our insects of the Oroonoko ; but 

 these collections were unfortunately lost with 

 himself in the Ocean. This excellent young 

 man, who was strongly attached to us, and 

 whose courageous zeal might have rendered 

 great services to the Missions of his order, pe- 

 rished in a tempest on the coast of Africa, in 

 1801. 



The boat which conveyed us from Cumana 

 to La Guayra * was one of those, which trade 

 between the coasts and the West India islands. 



* This passage costs one hundred and twenty piastres, if 

 you take the whole boat. 



