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be tamed, Caribbees and other Indians of the 

 Lower Oroonoko. Every tribe was separately 

 encamped, and distinguished by the pigments, 

 with which their skin was painted. Some white 

 men were seen amid this tumultuous assemblage, 

 chiefly pulperos, or little traders of Angostura, 

 who had come up the river to purchase oil of 

 turtles' eggs from the natives. The missionary 

 of Uruana, a native of Alcala de Henarez, came 

 to meet us. He was extremely astonished at 

 seeing us. After having admired our instru- 

 ments, he gaye us an exaggerated picture of the 

 sufferings to which we should be necessarily ex- 

 posed in ascending the Oroonoko beyond the 

 cataracts. The object of our voyage appeared 

 to him very mysterious. " How is it possible to 

 believe," said he, " that you have left your 

 country, to come and be devoured by moschet- 

 toes on this river, and measure lands that are 

 not yours?" We were happily furnished with 

 recommendations from the Father guardian of 

 the missions of Saint Francis ; and the brother- 

 in-law of the governor of Varinas, who accompa- 

 nied us, soon dissipated the doubts, to which our 

 dress, our accent, and our arrival in this sandy 

 island, had given rise among the Whites. The 

 missionary invited us to partake a frugal repast 

 of fish and plantains. He told us, that he was 

 come to encamp with the Indians during the 

 time of the harvest of eggs, " to celebrate mass 



