VENEZUELA'.
228 state of things the
but
all
the
men
combat took
women
much
labourers were of not
use,
they could muster assembled, and a regular
On
place.
being wounded at the
first
dis-
charge of the gun the serpent uncoiled himself and charged
who fled like the wind. They were in hopes he would make off after his victory, but he returned to
his assailants,
that
the verandah, and
it
was only
after a furious battle with
ster
was
He
killed.
Among
after firing repeatedly
and
machetes and clubs that the mon-
measured over eighteen
other things mine host told
me
feet.
that he had been
music mad, and that, while his father was Kving on the he ran away and joined a company of strolUng musi-
estate,
cians,
who were en
They
route for Maracaibo.
issued bills
at Valencia for a concert, but, as very few tickets were sold,
one of their number, a Pole, proposed that they should give it
and in the open
gratis,
did,
and
air at the
Gran
Plaza.
thousands of people assembled.
success in
all respects,
It
They
save as to money.
receive one real, and after a few
more
This they
was a complete did not
similar performances
with similar results, the runaway retnrned to his father, half starved,
At
and with his musical ardour considerably abated.
3'30 P.M. we
host and his
left
fair wife,
the hospitable mansion of our
and a
little
German
after four o'clock passed
a long row of huts, tlu'ee miles to the east of Palmar, which are called a town, and are dignified with the
Mateo.
From
in fact, a
mere succession of holes and deep
this point the road
which we gradually dissipated been accumulating at Pahnar. with wood-crowned
hills
all
name
of
San
became infamously bad
the good
;
ruts, in passing
humour we had
In vain nature presented us
and a perpetual
plantations in the valley below, the road
series of the richest
was
really too
bad