crossing the plain at full speed, closely pursued by the young lad on horseback, who carried in his hand a wooden speer with a sharp iron point at one end. The chase continued until at length the rider overtook his victim, and darting his spear at him, struck him deep in the side between the ribs and the hip-bone, which, if done at the moment he raises the bind feet from the ground, when running swiftly, brings him instantly down. The ox fell at the stroke, and, rolling headlong over and over, soon expired, while the boy triumphed over his victory. animal (he said) had often trespassed on his father's lands, and he was determined he should trouble him no longer." His father told Philips that one day whilst his son was engaged in the same way, a second ox came bounding across the plain, and attacked him furiously, and, were it not for timely assistance, would inevitably have killed him. This Taking leave of the governor, Philips con tinued his journey until late at night, when they lighted a fire, and lay down to rest in a deep valley, at the foot of a hill; and they might have slept soundly, but for the multitudes of musquitoes, which came about them in swarms, and obliged them to lie down in the smoke of the fire to avoid them; but here they were in such danger of being suffocated, that they did not dare to go to sleep; even this, however, was preferable to the torment of those flies; they abound in America and in the West Indies, and though small, they bite very severely. The evening of the next day, there fell some heavy showers of rain, the first they had seen since they had left Pernambuco; and the country through which they passed the succeeding day looked refreshed; and even the cattle had no longer the pining appearance which the long drought had given them. Our travellers passed through the village of Luzia, and for the next twenty miles had a tedious journey over a heavy sandy plain, and a marsh which lay beyond.They now ascended a steep hill, called Jibou, and what was their joy, when looking round on the prospect beyond, they saw the broad ocean before them. With new spirits they re-commenced their journey, and two days brought them to the town of Areati, where Philips had a letter of introduction to a wealthy merchant, named Barroza, who received him with the greatest kindness, and offered him the use of one of his own houses in the town. Here Philips took up his residence, and was glad of the oppor tunity of letting his horses have a few days rest. Barroza had them sent to an island in the river, where there was abundance of grass, and supplied the travellers with every kind of provision from his own house during their stay at Areati. The very first morning, as soon as Philips was up, three black servants entered his room, carrying in every kind of provision for breakfast that could be thought of-bread, meat, wines, and fruits. Dinner was brought in the same manner; and in this way every meal was served to him from Barroza's house, notwithstanding his repeated request to be excused from accepting such marks of hospitality. The town of Areati, as we have mentioned, is nineteen days journey from Pernambuco, and Philips had suffered too many hardships to think of returning by the same road. The distance also by sea, was, on account of the irregularities of the shore, so great, that he might have been several days reaching it; he therefore resolved to employ an Indian to carry a letter to his friends to say, that being anxious to take advantage of all the time he could spare, he intended going on to Surinam, where the ship would, on its arrival, find him. His next plan was to engage with the master of one of those small vessels, which were at that time in great numbers at the port of Areati, taking in hides and tallow, along with salt provisions, for the use of the ships which sail from the chief places on this coast to Africa. Arrived at the port of Paramaribo, which is situated eighteen miles from the mouth of the Surinam river, and is the capital of the colony, Philips having no other object in view but the gratification of his curiosity, prepared to exa mine the country, and in order to accomplish this, hired a tent-boat, or barge, rowed by ten stout negroes, to carry him up the river, every one in the colony travelling by water. This kind of barge, is always adorned with gilding and flags, and being lightly built, sweeps along with astonishing quickness. The rowers never stop, from the moment they set out till the company is landed at the place of destination, but continue, the tide serving or not, to tug night and day, sometimes for twenty-four hours together, singing a chorus all the time to keep up their spirits. When their labour is over, their naked bodies still covered with perspiration, they plunge into the river to refresh themselves; nor did Philips find that a practice which would be inevitably fatal to a European, is to them at all dangerous. The river Surinam, which Philips was now ascending, is not less than a mile wide at Paramaribo.-It rises in French Guyana, and after a northerly course of about 200 miles, falls into the Atlantic Ocean, in about the 12 degree of north latitude. On his arrival at a place called Sporkesgift, our traveller was attacked with a distemper called the prickly heat, to which all new comers are subject. It begins by the skin taking a colour like scarlet, occasioned by a number of small pimples, and itching inconceivably; by the inhabitants it is considered as a sign of good health, and as far as his case went, Philips found it true; since, from that period, he suffered no material com B ३ plaint whatever, whilst he remained in the country -- A few days after Philips' arrival, he observed that his breast, face, and hands, were spotted over like the skin of a leopard, occasioned by myriads of gnats or musquitoes, which flying in clouds, had kept him company through the night; though the fatigue from the voyage, and the excessive heat of the climate, had sunk him into so profound a sleep, that he was insensible to their stings, till he perceived their effects. These insects, as he afterwards found, are most numerous in the rainy season, and particularly on the banks of creeks or rivers.None are secure from their attacks; but they attack strangers in preference to the natives, and wherever they insert their proboscis and remain unmolested, they suck the blood till they are scarcely able to fly. Every puncture they make, is succeeded by a large blotch, or rather tumour, accompanied by an intolerable itching. They are indeed, inconceivably troublesome ;in an evening, the candles are no sooner lighted, than they are stuck full of them; nay, even the mouth and eyes are not exempt from their disagreeable visits. The best cure, he was told, for these stings, was an application of the juice of lemons or limes, mixed with water, which is also a tolerable defence against their attacks. Immediately before shutting the windows, the inhabitants com |