porter's journal. 



1^3 



prove very troublesome to the planters, as well as parrots, 

 vultures, hawks, herons, pelicans, white curlews, and a 

 great variety of small birds, with beautiful plumage. The 

 river was hlied with hsh, some of them of a large size, 

 among which the saw-fish abounded. The stream ran in a 

 serpentine manner through the low grounds, and had seve- 

 ral outlets, where the surplus waters escaped to the ocean. 

 Several sunken trees render the ascent as well as descent 

 dangerous. The musquetoes were numerous and torment- 

 ing, and in almost every respect, this stream bore the strong- 

 est resemblance to the Mississippi, except in size and depth, 

 it being not more than seventy-five yards across in its 

 widest parts, and in many places very shallow. 



I arrived at Tumbez at eleven o'clock, but took the pre- 

 caution to have my boat's crew well armed, and every ar- 

 rangement made to secure a retreat if necessary; for, not- 

 withstanding their professions of friendship, I had reason to 

 doubt their sincerity, from the innumerable instances of 

 their treachery on this coast. I had cause to rejoice in 

 my precautions, as the repeated interrogations of the go- 

 %^ernor respecting the state of affairs between the United 

 States and Spain, convinced me he had his doubts whether 

 he should attempt to detain me or not, as he was uncertain 

 whether the war between Great Britain and the United 

 States did not extend to their allies, the Spaniards. The 

 hope, however, of further presents from me, as well, per- 

 haps, as the dread of punishment from us, overcame every 

 other consideration ; and although there was a degree of 

 restlessness and uneasiness in the governor, that he could 

 not well conceal, he did all that lay in his power to give me 

 the best reception his means would afford. While his wife 

 (who was a handsome young native, of Indian and Spanish 

 parents) was cooking the dinner, I strolled about this 

 wretched place, which consisted of about fifty houses, 

 formed in no way different from those on the banks of the 

 river, except that the reeds were placed closer, in the man- 

 ner of basket-work ; and some of those of the higher class, 

 such as that of the governor and curate, were filled in with 

 mud. The inhabitants gave me the most friendly recep- 

 tion, every where invited me into their huts, where hogs, 

 dogs, fowls, jackasses, men, v/omen, and children, were 

 grouped together, and from whence, in a few minutes, I 



7Qh I. 2.> 



