r own hands, and it was seldom, indeed, that a ship sailed from the
Thames for La Guayra or any other port on the Main. I was, however, lucky
enough to find a vessel in the river taking in cargo for the island of
Curacoa, which had just been ceded by England to the Dutch, from whom it
was captured in 1807, and for a reasonable consideration the master agreed
to fit me up a cabin and give me a passage.

The voyage was rather long--something like fifty days--yet not altogether
uneventful; for in the course of it we were chased by an American
privateer, overhauled by a Spanish cruiser, nearly caught by a pirate, and
almost swamped in a hurricane; but we fortunately escaped these and all
other dangers, and eventually reached our haven in safety.

I had brought with me letters of credit on a Dutch merchant at Curacoa, of
the name of Van Voorst, from whom I obtained as much coin as I thought
would cover my expenses for a few months, and left the balance in his
hands on deposit. With the help of this gentleman, moreover, I chartered a
_falucha_ for the voyage to La Guayra. Also at his suggestion, moreover, I
stitched several gold pieces in the lining of my vest and the waistband of
my trousers, as a reserve in case of accident.

We made the run in twenty-four hours, and as the _falucha_ let go in the
roadstead I tore up my memorandum of instructions (which I had carefully
committed to memory) and threw the fragments into the sea.

A little later we were boarded by two revenue officers, who seemed more
surprised than pleased to see me; as, however, my papers were in perfect
order, and nothing either compromising or contraband was found in my
possession, they allowed me to land, and I thought that my troubles (for
the present) were over. But I had not been ashore many minutes when I was
met by a sergeant and a file of soldiers, who asked me politely, yet
firmly, to accompany them to the commandant of the garrison.

I complied, of course, and was conducted to the barracks, where I found
the gentleman in question lolling in a _chinchura_ (hammock) and smoking a
cigar. He eyed me with great suspicion, and after examining my passport,
demanded my business, and wanted to know why I had taken it into my head
to visit Colombia at a time when the country was being convulsed with
civil war.

Thinking it best to answer frankly (with one or two reservations), I said
that, having heard much of South America while campaigning in Spain, I