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arrived at nightfall, without any accident, in the 

 port of Maypures. 



Storms within the tropics are as short as vio- 

 lent. The lightning had fallen twice near our 

 boat, and had no doubt struck the surface of the 

 water. I mention this phenomenon, because 

 it is pretty generally believed in those coun- 

 tries, that the clouds, the surface of which is 

 charged with electricity, are at so great a 

 height, that the lightning reaches the ground 

 more rarely than in Europe. The night was 

 extremely dark, and a journey of two hours re- 

 mained, before we could reach the village of 

 Maypures. We were wet to the skin. In pro- 

 portion as the rain ceased, the zancudoes reap- 

 peared, with that voracity which the tipulary 

 insects always display immediately after a storm, 

 My fellow-travellers were uncertain, whether 

 we ought to take our station in the port, or 

 proceed on our way on foot, in spite of the dark- 

 ness of the night. Father Zea, who is the mis- 

 sionary of the two raudals, was determined to 

 reach his home. He had caused the construc- 

 tion of a large house of two stories, to be begun 

 by the Indians of the mission. " You will there 

 find," said be with simplicity, " the same con- 

 veniences as in the open air ; I have not a 

 bench, not a table, but you will not suffer so 

 much from the flies, which are less troublesome 

 in' the mission, than on the banks of the river." 



k 2 



