Journal of an Expedition 1400 miles up the Orinoco and 300 up the Arauca ... Illustrated with seven plates

Front matter

I Clark sc. Tublt'shtd fy BUck.Yauiuj ScYottng.Tarutork Si Ccvent varcUn. 1J22 C ' ' ///s/r'.sA/yW '■? JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION 1400 MILES UP THE ORINOCO AND 300 UP THE ARAUCA; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRY, THE MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE, MILITARY OPERATIONS, &c. BY J. H. ROBINSON, LATE SURGEON IN THE PATRIOTIC ARMY ILLUSTRATED WITH SEVEN PLATES. LONDON : PRINTED FOR BLACK, YOUNG, AND YOUNG, FOREIGN BOOKSELLERS, TAVISTOCK STKJBET, COVENT GARDEN. MDCCCXXII. LONDON : PRINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, DORSET STREET.

ADVERTISEMENT.

BY THE EDITOR. Almost all the Works respecting South America, which have recently been published by English expeditionary officers, are the productions of men who ventured but a very little way into the country, and who could consequently record little more than the in juries which repelled them from it. The present work is of a very different stamp. The author has traversed the interior of Venezuela by its most interesting route ; has borne a part in the sanguinary war which at this moment devastates it ; has gone through scenes of extraordinary suffering ; and has, a

Preface

. In the following pages the Author has de scribed facts and occurrences as they came under his own ob.servation. He has conse quently omitted hundreds of stories and anecdotes, which he has heard reported, be cause on strict inquiry he found most of them had their origin in falsehood, and not a few in private pique. He has indeed mentioned facts which may displease many South Americans : but what country exists without its faults ? And where can we find a people without many bad as well as good among them ? The liberality of the people of any country, can scarcely be exhibited in a stronger AUTHOR'S

PREFACE.

. X light than in hearing with patience their na tional failings and faults pointed out. In the plays of ' Love a la Mode' and ' The Man of the World', by Macklin, that author exposes all the objectionable and even blameable parts of the Scottish character, yet, to the honour of that country, these Plays are often acted in their capital, to overflowing houses, and amid bursts of the most unbounded applause. The author has avoided all systematic arrangement, having merely stated cir cumstances, and the reflections to which they gave rise, in the order in which they occurred. Angostura, April 1, 1820. CONTENTS. CHAP. I. Departure from England. The Author enters into the Venezuelan service ; — Takes his passage on board the Dowson; — Ship sails, but is delayed in the Downs ; — Anecdote of a bumboatman; — Arrival and detention at Portsmouth ; — Scene there on being ordered to sail ; — Ship sails from Portsmouth, and, after experiencing tempestuous weather at sea, in which the Indian is lost, makes the harbour of Fowey; — Some particulars as to the loss of that Ship; — Several officers, discouraged, leave the Ship, and several soldiers desert ; — Social anecdote at Fowey ; — Mutiny on board the Ship ; — Festivities at Fowey ; — Scene on leaving Fowey and putting to sea. 1 — 16.

CHAP. II. Passage to the West Indies. Tempestuous weather at sea; Change of weather and amusements on board ; — Occurrences at sea ; — Arrival at the Island of Porto Santo ; — Some account of the Island ; — Hospitable reception there ; — Sails from Porto Santo and passes Madeira; — Crossing the Line, and CONTENTS. XII description of the usual ceremony ; — Arrival at St. Bartholomew's. 17 — 36. CHAP. HI. Stay in the West Indies. Patriot vessels which had touched at St. Bartholomew's, and desertion which had taken place from them ; Some account of the Island ; — Unfavourable accounts of the Patriots there; — Sails from St. Bartholomew's and arrives at Grenada ; — Still worse accounts of the Patriots at this Island; — The Supercargoes refuse to proceed, and many men leave the Ships ; — Indolence of the people there ; — Sails from Grenada and arrives at Trinidad ; — Some account of Port of Spain ; — Undergoes a medical examination with a view to settle there ; — Further account of Port of Spain ; — Description of the Negro-dance; — Takes a passage for Angostura against the advice of friends. 37 — 50.

CHAP. IV. Passage up thb Orinoco to Angostura. Sails from Trinidad and encounters a hurricane ; — Enters the Orinoco by a mouth which is little frequented ; — Tedious passage, and warping of the vessel ; — Surrounded by the Guaraunos Indians ; — Description of these people; — Conduct of the Master of the vessel with regard to provisions ; — Attacked by various kinds of Insects : — Fracas with an Old Spaniard ; — Put on short allowance, and bad conduct of the Captain ; — Attacked by musquitoes; — Further display of the Captain's villainy; — A monkey killed and eaten ; — Tarantulas, centipedes, and scorpions ; — Privations on the passage and consequent distress ; — Entrance of the Grand River ; State of exhaustion from want of food; — Arrives at CONTENTS. XIII Barancas on the Orinoco ; — Compels the Captain to take in some provisions ; — Leaves Barancas and arrives at Old Guyana ; — Some account of Guyana ; — Leaves Guyana and arrives at Angostura. 51 — 78.

CHAP. V. Angostura and Occurrences there. Description of Angostura ; Climate of Angostura and country around ; — The Orinoco and its fish ; — Anecdotes of these and the alligators ; — Contest with the Captain, and settlement in the Author's favour ; — Interview with General Bolivar, and application for accommodation, subsistence, &c; — Various houses obtained and taken away again ; — Curious adventure in one of these ; — Golgotha behind it ; — Reflexions on this war of extermination ; — Curious occurrence at Angostura ; — Strange treatment as to his appointment ; — Execution of General Piar. 79—100. CHAP. VI. Manners of the People. Extreme laziness of the people; — State of marriage among them; — Women and children smoking; — Rations at Angostura ; — Anecdote of Lord P and Mr. H ; — Manner of killing bullocks and cutting them up ; — Scarcity of vegetables owing to the laziness of the people ; — Notice of the village of Soledad ; — Manner of living there and at Angostura ; — Mode of grinding corn, &c. ; — Conduct at table; — Coarse feeding and consequent diseases ; — The women lose their front teeth by smoking, &c. ; — Various insects infest the dishes, &c; — Money used at Angostura; — Habit of gaming; — Mode of dressing the hair ; — Mule-equipage and stirrups ; — Mode of driving Mules ; — Trade at Angos- CONTENTS.

XIV tura; — Practice of Law there; — Their religion and treatment of the dying; — An accouchement ; — Es cape from an alligator; — Some account of Colonel C ; — Reflections on the Colonels sent out; — Creole notions of the English and of England ; — Creole Aid de-Camps ; — Diseases at Angostura; — Effect of free dom on the Slaves, &c. ; — Robberies, &c. 101 — 126. CHAP. VII. Expedition up the Orinoco. Joins the Expedition by desire of General Bolivar ; — Proceeds thereon ; Bullets forgot by the expeditionary army ;— Message received by Bolivar ; — Burning of a forest ; — Mode of catching turtle; — Bathing in company with alligators, carabee-fish, &c. ; — Ships 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 surprize 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 LasPiedras ; — Its 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, &c. of the troops; — Some account of Caycara; — The launch drifts up a creek, and is afterwards in danger ; — Route again changed from the Cabullari to the Arauca. 127 — 154.

CONTENTS. XV CHAP. VIII. Expedition up the Arauca. Clothing supplied, and danger of the native troops, running off on such occasions ; A tiger killed ; Immense number of alligators, centipedes, &c. ; — Scene of the Indians and their night-fires ; — Tormented by new kind of musquitoes, and the author's plan to avoid them ; — Arrival at Caugral ; — News of the arrival of a British force and Bolivar's departure to receive them ; — Creole dishonesty and its supposed cause; — Its exercise on the present occasion ; — State of the troops who had not been clothed ; — Ludicrous scene on the first distribution of the clothing from England ; — Creole ignorance, conceit, selfishness, and laziness ; — Their manner of eating; Manufacture of Tassago ; — Some account of the Samuro vulture; — Paez enjoined by Bolivar to shun an engagement till reinforcements arrive ; — Information of the Spaniards, its cause and their advance. 155 — 169.

CHAP. IX. Military and other Operations. Station and state of the expeditionary troops ;— Scene of cooking, &c. in an Indian hut ;— A Spanish spy has his head cut off; — Mode of performing this operation ; — Mode of swimming Mules, &c. ; Utter confusion among the troops ; — Indian Colonel and his troops ; — Jiggars, &c. ; — Camp-scene in the wilderness at night; — Bad provisions; — Sleep and extraordinary mode of awaking from it;— Reflections; — Utterly degraded character of the Creoles, and mode in which they must be treated; — Again, of their ignorance, conceit, selfishness and laziness ; their cunning, deceit, pantomimical religion, and hysterical sensibility, their filthiness ; — Arrival of Morillo at San Fernando, and instant flight of Colonel Figararo;— Being sent to Old Guyana;— CONTENTS.

XVI Retreat talked os; — Venezuelan retail dealers, and an anecdote of them ; — A fight between Indians with knives. 170—192. CHAP. X. Retreat of Paez to Caugral. Description of Paez's dragoons ; — Paez's guard ; — Remarks on dressing in red in Guyana ; — Appearance of the Spaniards and their firing ; — Consequent bustle, confusion, and plundering among the troops ; — Quarrels between the British and Creoles; — The passes by whicli the Spaniards could cross ; — The activity of Paez ; — The author and another Englishman look for a residence in the bush ; — Its great inconvenience, &c. ; — Its injury to health ; — Anzoategui, the commander of the infantry, prepares to retreat, but assures the British officers that he will not. 193—203. CHAP. XI. Unparalleled, disastrous, and frightful retreat to the mouth of the Arauca.

The Arauca crossed by the Spaniards ; — Mules refused by Anzoategui, and others purchased ; — The enemy's fire approaching, and miserable condition of the mules which fall in the rear ; — Immense Savannahs burnt by Paez's order ; — Distressed by the heat which issued from them, and blackened by the clouds of soot ; — Numerous aged and helpless beings escaping with the retreating army ; — The mules completely exhausted and others refused ; — Drops behind from the darkness of the night, ignorance of the way, falling of luggage, &c. ; — A dreadful night of lightning, thunder, burning Savannahs, and howling of animals ; — Route obstructed by plains of bamboos, brush-wood, &c. ; — Overtaken by other fugitives; — Reaches the army asleep inawetsavan- CONTENTS.

XVII nah; — Roused, ordered to proceed, and cattle stolen; — Covered with galipatas from sleeping among wet grass ; — Hands hard and swollen, and nails separating from fingers ; — Finds other mules, and rides ofF galipatas and all ; — Passes an immense savannah ; — Party of Indians going to hunt; — Desert of burning sand; — Mil lions of sand-flies there ; — Experiences the horrid sensation of extreme thirst ; — Drinks from a pond, water thick with mud and insects ; — Renovated by a small quantity of coarse ardent spirit ; — Numerous parties of fugitives winding along the mountains ; — Mules lay down and will proceed no farther ; — Others procured of which some also give in, and some luggage thrown away ; — Ill-treatment ornhe British in the distribution of beef; — Tormented by insects, exhausted, emaciated, and affected with a disease of the feet and legs; — Throw ing the wild bull in these plains ; — Catching, and stupid and cruel mode of breaking the wild horse; — Thou sands of animals driven before the army ; — Dress and mode of riding of the drivers, &c. ; — Cattle now regu larly stolen ; — Ill-treatment of the British ; — The want of all vegetable food being extremely distressing, a running plant used on which the monkeys fed ; — Even that not to be found ; — Arrival at the mouth of the Arauca, and some tobacco procured. 204 — 228.

CHAP. XII. State of extreme distress at the mouth of the Arauca. Island at the mouth of the Arauca to which they were to retire; — The British ordered to pass last; — Scene on crossing to it ; — Skirmishes with Spanish infantry ; — Vegetable food still wanting, and carnivorous voracity of the Creoles ; — Purchases at last two biscuits which CONTENTS. XVIII should have been served as rations; — Alarm of tigers raised by Creoles, to plunder the fugitives ; — Ordered to return to Caugral, in consequence of a report that the Spaniards had re-crossed: — Re-cross the Arauca, ordered to halt, and suffocated with sand ; — Anecdote of an Irishman : — Dreadful bowel-complaints prevalent ; — Ordered to return to the island, on hearing that the Spaniards had not re-crossed at Caugral, but fast approaching ; and consequent scene of confusion ;—Re flections on such proceedings ; — Starvation and debility ; — Extreme thirst, inability to crawl to the river, and fraud of a Creole who is paid to bring a little water ; — Relieved by an Irishman wMi coarse spirit ; — Prepare to cross to the island, and mode of conducting mules ; — Anecdote of the Creoles and the yoking of horses or mules ; — Crossing to the island now unnecessary, the report of the Spaniards advancing being untrue ; — Takes up residence in the bush, and advised to return to Angostura, but leave refused ; — Reflections on the seduction of British troops into such a country ;—Va rious and harassing reports ; — Incapability of the Creoles to liberate themselves ; — Passport to return at last granted; — Difficulty of finding a vessel; — A flechero at last found ; — -Sinks "on the sand, unable to reach it, and is carried on board ; — State when on board ; — Sad reflections ; — Recovered by nourishment. 229 — 246.

CHAP. XIII. Descent of the Orinoco to Angostura. Arrival at Urbana, and its poverty ; — The flechero returning, the author proceeds in a gun-boat ; — Procures some bad bread and sweet potatoes ; — Trick of a priest to procure the latter; — Difficult navigation of the river; — Indian fires seen among the woods ; — Attempted attacks of CONTENTS. XIX Indians; — Recruited by vegetable food; — Search on shore for turtles'- eggs; — Neglect to use shoes; — De scription of the priest and his female companion ; Thefts of the former; — Anecdote of these; — Reverie and dan ger; — Scene from the river at night, and reflections;— Women round a fire by the river side ; — Indian village on the bank of the river ; — Ferocity of the fish in the Orinoco ; — Description of the chief of these Indians ; — Meets a friend ascending the Orinoco ; — Receives pro visions from him, which the priest steals ; — Arrival at Caycara ; — This wretched place infested with sand-flies ; — Rocky mountain scene on the Orinoco ; — Arrival at Las Piedras ; — Meets a patriot gun-vessel, and good treatment by the masters — Arrival at Muitaco, &c. ; — Goes on shore in search of eggs, and finds the grave of an English officer, whose body had been dug up and devoured by animals ; — Reflections, 6_c. ; — Arrival at Angostura ; — Conclusion. 247 — 271 .

Concluding Observations by the Editor. 273 — 376. Appendix. Minute Account of the Navigation of the Orinoco, in a Journal of a passage of that River to Angostura. 377—397. LIST OF PLATES. Pl-tC 1 Angostura (Frontispiece) .... 80 2 Old Guyana .N .... 76 3 Native Soldier 139 4 Bocas del Inferno (of the Orinoco) . . 141 5 Caycara ....... 154 6 Attack by a Tiger 157 7 Banks of the Orinoco ..... JOURNAL, &c. &c.