362 



The same causes produce every where the same 

 effects. The barbarous trade, which civilized 

 nations have carried on, and still continue in 

 part, on the coast of Africa, extends it's fatal 

 influence even to regions, where the existence 

 of white men is unknown. 



Having quitted the mouth of the Conorichite, 

 and the mission of Davipe, we reached at sun- 

 set the island of Dapa, lying in the middle of 

 the river, and in a very picturesque situation. 

 We were astonished to find on this spot some 

 cultivated ground, and on the top of a small 

 hill an Indian hut. Four natives were seated 

 round a fire of brush-wood, and eating a sort of 

 white paste with black spots, which much ex- 

 cited our curiosity. These were vachacos, large 

 ants, the hinder parts of which resemble a lump 

 of grease. They had been dried, and blackened 

 by smoke. We saw several bags of them sus- 

 pended above the fire. These good people paid 

 little attention to us ; yet there were more than 

 fourteen persons in this confined hut, lying 

 naked in hammocks placed one above another. 

 When Father Zea arrived, he was received with 

 great demonstrations of joy. The military are 

 in greater numbers on the banks of the Rio 

 Negro, than on those of the Oronooko, on ac- 

 count of guarding the frontiers ; and wherever 

 soldiers and monks dispute for power over the 

 Indians, the latter are most attached to the 



