PORTER’S JOURNAL* 
205 
ball) 15 feet in length, and of the most hideous appearance. The 
ball entered below the joint of his fore-leg, near the shoulder, and 
penetrated his heart, every other part being so well guarded by 
the thick scales as to render it invulnerable. We saw here vast 
numbers of wild turkeys, which 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 filled with fish, 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 several out¬ 
lets, where the surplus waters escaped to the ocean. Several 
sunken trees render the ascent as well as descent dangerous. The 
musquetoes were numerous and tormenting, and in almost every 
respect this stream bore the strongest resemblance to the Missis¬ 
sippi, except in size and depth, it being not more than 75 yards 
across in its widest parts, and in many places very shallow. 
I arrived at Tumbez at 11 o’clock, but took the precaution to 
have my boat’s crew well armed, and every arrangement made to 
secure a retreat if necessary ; for, notwithstanding their profes¬ 
sions of friendship, I had reason to doubt their sincerity, from the 
innumerable instances of their treachery on this coast; and I had 
cause to rejoice in my precautions, as the repeated interrogations 
of the governor 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 ex¬ 
tend to their allies, the Spaniards. The hopes, however, of fur¬ 
ther presents from me, as well, perhaps, as the dread of punish¬ 
ment 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 ; and 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 50 houses, formed rn no way dif¬ 
ferent from those on the banks of the river, except that the reeds 
vere placed closer, in the manner of basket-work ; and some of 
