re aware that
the passage by the Amazons is forbidden by the Spanish court; but these
difficulties were soon overcome. On my return from Carthagena, whither I
had been despatched on matters relative to our company in 1740, I
brought back with me a passport from the viceroy of Santa Fe, Don
Sebastian de Eslava, authorizing our taking whatever road we pleased;
and in consequence of the production of this, the Spanish governor of
the province of Maynas and Omaguas, informed of the approach of Madame
Godin, politely sent to meet her a canoe stored with refreshments, such
as fruit, milk, &c. which reached her at a little distance from the
town of Omaguas; but to what misfortunes, what a horrible situation was
she not exposed before that happy moment! She left her residence of
Riobamba with her escort on the 1st of October 1769; and with these she
reached Canelos, the spot at which they were to embark, situate on the
little river Bobonasa, which empties itself into the Pastaca, as this
last does into the Amazons. M. de Grandmaison, who preceded them a month
on the way, found the village of Canelos well inhabited, and immediately
embarked, continuing his journey, to prepare every thing necessary for
the transport of his daughter at each stage of her way. As he knew that
she was accompanied by her brothers, a physician, her negro, and three
female mulattoes or Americans, he proceeded on to the Portuguese
missions. In the interval, however, between his journey and the arrival
of my wife, the small-pox, an European importation, more fatal to the
Americans in this part than the plague, which is fortunately here
unknown, is to the people of Levant, had caused the village of Canelos
to be utterly abandoned by its population. They had seen those first
attacked by this distemper irremediably carried off, and had in
consequence dispersed among the woods, where each had his own hut,
serving as a country retreat. On her departure, my wife was escorted by
thirty-one American natives to carry herself and baggage. You know, Sir,
that this road, the same pursued by M. de Maldonada, is impracticable
even for mules; that those who are able effect the passage on foot, but
that others are carried. The Americans who escorted Madame Godin, who
were paid in advance, according to the bad custom in this country, a
custom founded on mistrust, at times but too well founded, scarcely
reached Canelos before they retraced their steps, either from dread of