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somewhat unhealthy in the rainy season. Mr. 

 Bonpland had supported well the difficult jour- 

 ney across the llanos; and had regained his 

 strength, and his great activity. With respect 

 to myself, I suffered more at Barcelona than 

 I had done at Angostura, immediately after 

 having terminated the navigation of the rivers. 

 One of those extraordinary tropical rains, during 

 which at sunset drops of an enormous size fall 

 at great distances from one another, had given 

 me such uneasy sensations, as seemed to menace 

 an attack of the typhus, which then prevailed 

 on that coast, We remained near a month 

 at Barcelona, under the care of the most watch- 

 ful friendship. We there found also that ex- 

 cellent ecclesiastic, fray Juan Gonzales, of whom 

 I have often spoken, and who had traversed 

 the Upper Oroonoko before us. He regretted 

 the little time we had been able to employ 

 in visiting that unknown country ; and examin- 

 ed our plants and animals with that interest, 

 which we feel for the productions of a distant 

 region, that we have once inhabited. Fray 

 Juan had resolved to go to Europe, and to ac- 

 company us as far as the island of Cuba. From 

 this time we were together for seven months ; 

 he was gay, intelligent, and obliging. Who 

 could foresee the evils, that awaited him ? He 

 took charge of a part of our collections ; a com- 

 mon friend confided to him a child, that he 



