mile or two before we arrived at Rosa Gomez, we
passed the Fish River.

_Tuesday, August 5_.--We endured a very cold and comfortless night in
bad quarters, where, had it not been for the exertions of our own people
who were obliged to knock down a few wretched straggling fowls for our
use, we should not have been able to procure any thing either for
supper, or breakfast, except a disagreeable mess of flour and water.

The thermometer at daylight this morning was so low as 45 deg. F., which
temperature we all felt keenly, especially as we had nothing but our
cloaks for our night covering, on cold and comfortless cane couches.
However, we did not set off till near eight o'clock, and after the sun
rises, the warmth rapidly increases. We made but a short journey to-day,
of two leagues and a half, for the roads were rugged and precipitous,
and intersected by several abrupt and broken streams, so that we were
obliged to be extremely cautious in our progress, and chary of the
services of our mules. We passed some very large ant-hills to-day, from
eight to twelve feet in height; the summits of which form excellent
arches for the tops of ovens, while slabs cut out of the more solid
parts, serve for the ends and sides.

_Wednesday, 6_.--We set out at daylight, leaving the woody country
behind us, and entering on the Campos, or Downs, where our annoyances
from the insect tribe commenced. The brushwood here being infested by
Tick and other tormentors, who mercilessly attacked our whole party,
mules included, insinuating themselves imperceptibly into our sleeves
and pantaloons, when burying their heads in our flesh, and feasting on
our blood, they made us acutely sensible of their presence, by the
intolerable irritation they produced: and from which we had no means of
escaping until the hour of disrobing for the night. After travelling
three leagues we stopped at a village called Souza, where we took
breakfast, the comfort of which meal was, however, destroyed, by the
importunate absurdities of an old man, half lunatic, half simpleton.

After breakfast we proceeded to Bertioga (three leagues and a half),
where we put up for the night. Soon after our arrival, several people
came hastily to Captain Lyon to complain of an Englishman, who was very
drunk, and had been making a great disturbance in their house. On
inquiry, the offender proved to be a blacksmith on his way to Gongo
Soco, he had been engaged by the agent for the Company,