84 



Oroonoko, being almost unknown on the coast. 

 It is curious to observe, that men in different 

 zones, to satisfy the passion of inebriety, em- 

 ploy not only all the families of monocotyledon- 

 ous and dicotyledonous plants, but even a poi- 

 sonous agaric (amanita muscaria), of which, 

 with disgusting economy, the Coriacs have learnt 

 to drink the same juice several times during five 

 successive days # . 



The packet boats (correos) from Corunna 

 bound for the Havannah and Mexico had been 

 due three months ; and it was believed they had 

 been taken by the English cruisers stationed on 

 this coast. Anxious to reach Cumana, in order 

 to avail ourselves of the first opportunity that 

 might offer for Vera Cruz, we hired an open 

 boat (lancha). These craft are employed ha- 

 bitually in the latitudes east of cape Codera, 

 where the sea is scarcely ever rough. The 



* Mr. Langsdor (Wetterauisches Journal^ P. I, p. 254,) 

 first made known this very extraordinary physical phenome- 

 non, which I prefer describing in latin : u Corisecorum gens, 

 in ora Asiae septentrioni opposita, potum sibi excogitarit ex 

 succo inebriante agarici muscarii. Qui succus (aeque ut 

 asparagorum), vel per humanum corpus transfusus, temulen- 

 tiam nihilominus facit. Quare gens raisera et inops, quo 

 rarius mentis sit suae, propriam urinam bibit identidem : 

 continuoque mingens rursusque hauriens eundem succum 

 (dicas, ne ulla in parte mundi desit ebrietas), pauculis 

 agaricis producere in diem quintum temulentiam potest/' 



