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abode, lest their enemies should obtain knowledge of it, and invade them therein: for they dread the approach of the Spaniards from the interior parts of the country and are much more terrified by the invasions of the musquito men, from the sea coast; for though the forest lies to the southward of the river of Nicaragua, yet the Musquito men, notwithstanding their great distance northward, frequently land from fleets of large canoes, and proceed up it, in quest of its wandering inhabitants: and these adventurers go so well armed, and in such great numbers, that the Indian archers dare by no means face them. During my captivity I never saw any of these invaders; yet the poor savages lived in such continual fear, that if the wind or any wandering beast, made the smallest disturbance amongst the trees of the forest in the night season, the whole tribe instantly arose, and probably travelled all night, to avoid the supposed enemy; unless they luckily discovered the real cause of their fear.
The extent of the forest is to me entirely unknown. Several large rivers have their course through it. It also abounds with a variety of animals, and sundry kinds of fruits: but animal food is almost the sole diet of the Indians, It is nearly one continued cluster of towering trees: amongst which are mahogany, walnut ebony, cedar, lignum-vitae, cotton aud many other val-
