CHAP. VII.

EXPEDITION UP THE ORINOCO.

Join the Expedition by desire of General Bolivar ;-Proceed thereon;-Bullets forgot by the expeditionary army;Message received by Bolivar;-Burning of a forest;Mode of catching turtle;-Bathing in company with alligators, carrabee fish, &c.;-Return to Palmar to take up troops;-Night-scene of the Indians and their fires, as seen from the ships;-Arrival of General Monagas's troops;--Dress, address, and character, of the General;-Description of the Indian troops;-Physiognomy of the Indians; -Their surprise at seeing a ship;-Creole and Indian officers:-Mountains on the banks of the river infested with robbers;-Anecdote of a Creole Captain and Major; -Passage of the Bocas del Inferno;-Ruins of Las Piedras;-It's Commandant cruelly treated by robbers;Dinner with General Urdanetta;-Indian wounded by a raya;-Destruction of San Fernando by Paez, changes the destination of the Expedition; -Resolves to proceed by the Cabullari;-An anecdote of Colonel Macdonald ;Landing at Caycara and raggedness of the troops ;-Vermin which infested them ;-Some account of Caycara;The launch drifts up a creek, and is afterwards in danger; -Route again changed from the Cabullari to the Arauca.

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ON the 18th December, Colonel timated to me, that an expedition was about

to proceed to San Fernando, and if I wished I might go with it. At the same time, he stated that the Supreme Chief had expressed a wish to do all in his power to render my journey as comfortable as possible. I made a request of some medicines, which were instantly granted, and in addition to them, some money to purchase such other articles as I might require.

On the 20th, myself and two other English, and about 30 Creole officers, accordingly embarked on board the Bombard, an old Spanish bomb, which the Patriots had captured when they got possession of Angostura. The rest of the expedition consisted of twentyseven launches and flecheros, in one of which the Supreme Chief embarked, while General Urdanetta went in another. There were but few men besides those who were to work the vessels up the River. In the Bombard there were no guns; but, in each of the small craft, there was one and in some two, each from nine to eighteen pounders.

In the course of the day, we learned that we should take in troops, amounting to about 1200, being General Monagas's cavalry and

infantry, and also a few English commanded by Colonel Rooke. In the evening, we anchored off Palmar, a small village about four miles inland, on the north side of the Orinoco. Here, we were taught to believe, that the troops waited for us; but, after being detained several hours, we found that they had proceeded onward to the Bocas del Pao, which enters the Orinoco a few leagues further up.

When we had proceeded about half way, between Palmar and the Bocas del Pao, it was whispered among us that a most mortifying discovery had just been made, that we had left Angostura without bullets! We, of course, came to anchor, close to a small island, on the south bank of the river, and dispatched a launch for these necessary implements in conducting a warlike expedition.

On the 21st, a launch came down the river, and a messenger on board of her delivered letters to Bolivar. He was received, as is customary in this country, by a close embrace, which, to a Briton, does not only seem odd, but disgusting. For myself, I declare I should prefer any affectionate male friend of mine, rather giving me a blow in the face.

K

After perusing the letters, the Supreme Chief, and the bearer of them again hugged; and, from this, we, at some distance, were led to believe that he had brought good news from the army. Some such report was industriously circulated, throughout the fleet, about General Sedeño having gained some advantage; but, like hundreds of other similar reports, it soon sunk into nothing.

One thing I observed, that, after the above arrival, great care was excercised to prevent any kind of canoe or boat from passing either up or down the river. To effect this the more securely, one of our launches was stationed on the opposite side of the river from sunset till sunrise; and orders were given to our watch, which I suppose were given to all, that if any hallooing or firing was heard, in the night, on the opposite side, to give the alarm.

This evening, after sunset, we were gratified by a most splendid spectacle---the burning of an immense tract of growing wood, probably about three miles from where we lay. The view we had of this, was, of course, only one side of the flame, and how far it

extended in the other directions, I cannot

What was visible to

even guess. us I think extended, without intermission, over a space of at least ten or twelve miles. I can imagine nothing so near this tremendous sight as that of the whole of London in one universal blaze, while the spectator had a full view of it from Hampstead or Highgate hills.

We had passed several immense banks of sand, left uncovered by the falling of the river, and on every hand, there were plenty of others becoming larger every day. In these we found thousands of turtle and turtle-eggs, of which we partook in great profusion. The turtles go ashore in the night, and deposit their eggs (sometimes amounting to 40 or 50, or even more) about one or two feet deep in the sand, where they remain to undergo the process of hatching. To catch the turtles they go ashore and remain all night, and when the animals have proceeded far enough from the water, their return must be interrupted, and an attempt made to catch the edge of their shell, and throw them on their back. Extreme care