497 



little. Squalls alternating* with dead calms ara 

 very common in that part of the Oroonoko, 

 which is bordered by mountains. They become 

 very dangerous for boats deeply laden, and with- 

 out decks. We had escaped as by miracle. 

 To the reproaches that were heaped on our 

 pilot for having kept too near the wind he op- 

 posed his Indian phlegm ; and answered coldly, 

 " that the Whites would not want Sun enough 

 on those banks to dry their papers." We lost 

 only one book ; the first volume of the Genera 

 Plantarum of Schreber, which had fallen into 

 the water. Such losses are felt by those who 

 are reduced to a small number of works of 

 science. 



At the beginning of the night we landed on a 

 barren island in the middle of the river, near the 

 mission of Uruana. We supped by a beautiful 

 moonlight, and were seated on large shells of 

 turtle, that were found scattered on the beach. 

 What delightful satisfaction did we feel at find- 

 ing ourselves thus assembled ! We figured to 

 ourselves the situation of a man, who had been 

 saved alone from shipwreck, wandering on these 

 desert shores, meeting at every step with other 

 rivers, that fall into the Oroonoko, and which it 

 is dangerous to pass by swimming, on account 

 of the multitude of crocodiles, and carihe fishes. 

 We represented to ourselves such a man, awake 

 to the most tender affections of the soul, igno- 

 vot. -iv. 2 K 



