Downs. The admiral replied, "He send too much
strong breeze and broke all the plantain walk."

The country is infested with numerous insects, &c. such as mosquittoes,
sand-flies, fire-ants, chigoes, centipedes, scorpions, cock-roaches, and
an immense number of alligators. The ground in many places is overrun
with large ants, called the travelling army, which destroy whole fields
of vegetation. It is also infested by insects called dog-fleas, which
are a great annoyance at night; and the sea-coast abounds with sharks of
a very large size.

To give the reader a short description of the country and inhabitants I
shall quote from a late writer. "The Musquittoes are a small nation of
Indians, never conquered by the Spaniards, the country being so situated
as to render any attempts against them impracticable; for they are
surrounded on all sides by land, by morasses or impassable mountains,
and by sea with shoals and rocks; besides, they have such an implacable
hatred to the Spaniards, for inhumanity and cruelty in destroying many
millions of their neighbors, that they would never have any
correspondence with them; for whenever they sent any missionaries or
other agents amongst them, they _hid them_, that is, put them to death.
The king has little more than the title, unless the nation is at war;
having no revenues, and few prerogatives; being obliged in time of peace
to fish and fowl for the support of himself and family. He hath indeed
some distinction shown him, and now and then presents made him by the
governor of Jamaica, and the English traders, who frequently touch and
trade there."

I occupied my time in selling goods and purchasing shell, skins, gums,
&c. and during my leisure hours partook of the sports of the Indians,
that I might pass away the time as agreeably as my situation would admit
of, not knowing how I could get away from the country, as the English
traders [the only people who visited the Musquittoes] had agreed never
to carry me to Jamaica, or take any letters that would assist me to get
to my family, fearing I should become a rival in the trade, and be the
means of introducing others into it.

About the first of November a Captain Humphreys, one of the Jamaica
traders, arrived in the harbor, and came on shore and took supper with
me. The Indian ladies got up a ball on the occasion. After dancing was
over, Captain H. and myself took a walk together. During which he said
to me, "Dunham, your case is a