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name implies, but rather a settlement, with houses spread here and there over the sabana. Puebloviejo was the site of an old Spanish settlement, and the nu- merous walls still standing seem to indicate that the sa- bana was at one time divided up in the form of small allotments between many settlers. The chief occupations are now coffee growing, and cane cultivation for the production of panela.
Coffee.
On December 18th, while awaiting oxen to proceed up the mountain, I visited several of the cafetales and cañaverales in this locality in the company of the local agriculturists. The coffee is cultivated without system, and the industry is conducted on similar lines to that I have described regarding that industry on the Sierra Montaña. The coffee is gathered in one picking, ripe and unripe berries alike, and it is placed in the cherry on flats to dry. It is subsequently prepared for the market by manual labor with a pestle and mortar, or by a contrivance consisting of two large wooden wheels drawn by oxen or horses around a circular wooden trough. There are about twenty growers in this locality whose production averages from 15 to 250 quintales per annum, but there are others who produce in even lesser quantity. The total estimated production of coffee in the Puebloviejo region is 2,000 quintales per annum. The growers could augment their production very con- siderably, if they cooperated and adopted mechanical means of cleaning their coffee, and devoted the time now wasted by the existing methods to the improvement and extension of their plantations. The time occupied in spreading the coffee out on the flats, the recollection, storing, hulling, winnowing, hand picking, etc., involves these poor people in continual labor almost throughout the year before they can dispose of their crop. I have placed these growers in touch with the makers of suit- able coffee machinery, and am hopeful that they will adopt more modern methods of dealing with their crops. to their personal advantage and that of the industry generally. The cultivation of coffee is a matter that sadly needs more attention; trees should be methodically planted from plants raised in nurseries from selected seed. Suitable shade should be furnished and excessive shade reduced. and trees pruned when necessary. I noted the mancha or coffee-leaf disease (Sphaerostilbe flavida, M) very rife in some parts; badly attacked trees should be rooted up and burnt, and trees less affected sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture or Copper Carbonate. Coffee is grown by the Arhuacos much higher than San Sebastian, where it is at this time of the year attacked by frost. The trees in these higher altitudes are of compact habit and robust growth, and I observed that they were bear- ing heavy crops of coffee of doubtless exquisite aroma.
Panela.
The lands of Puebloviejo are very suitable for sugar- cane, and an excellent quality of panela is here produced. The production of this product here, as in other parts of the Provinces of Valle Dupar and Padilla is limited to the small consumption and to the high cost of animal transport,
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Ginger.
Planters would do well to consider the question of devoting attention to the cultivation of ginger in these parts, a product of higher value than coffee or panela, It is further a cultivation which requires very little out- lay, and consequently appropriate for the man of smal! means. The value of good quality Jamaica ginger or- dinarily runs in the vicinity of one shilling per pound, a more remunerative price than coffee affords.
Road to Fundacion,
The great drawback to agriculture in this region is the absence of a road by which produce could be exported to a market centre. It is said that in the days of the Spanish occupation there existed a road connecting Puebloviejo with the port of Santa Marta. The natural route for such a road is along the valley to Fundacion, and proposals have been made, and, I understand, ap- proved by the Government, to open up such a road. There is no doubt that such a communication with the Santa Marta Railway is necessary and essential to the development of this region. I am informed by respon- sible persons that richer lands are to be found down the valley from Puebloviejo. lands suitable for cacao, cot- ton, sugar-cane and also coffee, and that such a road would result in the opening up of a new and rich agri- cultural region. Time prevented me from making a journey down this valley, so I am not able to confirm the information furnished me.
PUEBLOVIEJO TO SAN SEBASTIAN.
Cinchona.
On leaving Puebloviejo on December 19th, we crossed the sabana, and at once commenced a pretty steep ascent up the grass-covered mountain slopes. On reaching an altitude of some 1,590 metres above sea level I noted the first Cinchona trees in the forest lands. Here there are two species represented and bark of both species has been collected for analysis and investigation, one is known as the white and the other as the yellow variety. The latter, in the opinion of the Indians, affords the best quality bark.
Curará.
In these same forest lands, in the locality known as Chinchiqua, is also found a tree known locally as Curará, which is employed locally as a febrifuge and a stomachic, and has a considerable reputation. A sample of the bark of this tree has been collected and for- warded to Europe for investigation in order to ascertain if it really possesses the medicinal properties attributed to it, and whether it may prove of any value in medicine.
San Sebastian.
Continuing our journey we reached a stream midway between Puebloviejo and San Sebastian. From here we continued the ascent, and crossing the paramos we reached San Sebastian late at night, owing to delays with the oxen. The vegetation of the páramos reminded me very much of that of the páramos of Bogotá of
similar altitude. The Pega-pego or Pego-mosta (Be- faria ledifolia), one of the most striking plants of the páramos of Bogotá, is here represented by a much more handsome species which has large handsome flowers resembling an Azalea. San Sebastian is a collection of small white-washed houses with narrow streets, a church and a square, all enclosed within stone walls. At either end there is an entrance with large wooden doors that are kept locked day and night, admittance
only being gained by calling the Arhuaco comisario charged with the keys. The principal occupants are the Arhuaco Indians, but a Government representative is also stationed here, and there are also a few civilized residents engaged in trading. San Sebastian may be termed the city residence of the Arhuacos of this region, for apart from their town quarters, most of them possess a country house and rose in the valleys or hills adjacent.
THE ASCENT TO THE SNOWS.
On the morning following our arrival at San Sebas- tian we lost no time in requesting transport to continue the ascent. We were fortunate in enlisting the sym- pathy of Juan Bautista Villafaña, an intelligent Arhuaco Indian who had recently returned from a first visit to the Capital of Bogotá whither he went on a representa- tive mission to His Excellency the President of the Republic. Despite his assistance, however, we were not able to leave till the afternoon of the 22nd. During this delay I got an insight into the character of these inter- esting people, their most pronounced characteristic is that of exceeding tardiness, Nothing whatever will induce them to hurry, having no appreciation whatever of the value of time.
Señor R. Garcia T., of San Sebastian, kindly accom- panied me in the journey to the snows, the guide from Valde Dupar and four Indians including Juan Bautista and his uncle. We took two transport oxen which two Indians on foot looked after. The first day we did not get beyond Circayuca, as we did not reach there before p. m., and here Juan Bautista and his uncle left us to secure horses for themselves.
Ceroxylon Palms.
Circayuca lies at about 1380 metres above sea level, and from here we obtained first glimpse of the beautiful Ceroxylon palms, which find their lowest limit at about this altitude. These palms are apparently distinct from the Ceroxylon andicola of the Quindio, as they are much more slender, having a bole only 20 to 30 centimetres in diameter, though they grow up to a height of about 30 metres. Like the Ceroxylon andicola the trunk is cov- ered with a wax, but evidently a much thinner layer, and it is doubtful if in quantity sufficient to be of any com- mercial importance. These palms are abundant in the valleys and ravines within the bamboo zone, and form the most striking feature in the vegetation of this part. The Indians employ the trunk of these palms for fenc- ing their rosas when stone is not used. Another inter- esting tree found within the bamboo zone is a species of Podocarpus, known locally as Santocana; various species of Podocarpus yield valuable timber of the pine class.
Duriamenya Camp.
Leaving Circayuca we continued to ascend until we reached the ridge of the mountains which lie on the
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San Sebastian side of the Duriamenya valley, and here in an exposed position, commanding a beautiful pano- rama of the tower hills and of the Cordillera in the distance we camped for the night. Juan Bautista here possesses a small hut with rosa and cord!. The hut we found unoccupied, and this shelter helped to protect us from the bleak cutting wind which we experienced here. From the roza we obtained vegetables te augment our rations for the evening meal, which we cooked in the hut in a suffocating smoke produced by the only available fuel-stalks of the frailijón. The site of this camp was 2,0 metres above sea level, and the tempera- ture at in the morning registered 5 degrees centigrade. Sharp frost occurred during the night, and we were obliged to break the ice which had formed over a small stream in order to obtain water for domestic purposes in the early morning. This was our coldest camp of the ascent, and my calontano guide of Valle Dupar, who had been converted to cook, found his duties particularly objectionable, as with benumbed fingers he tried to wash the cooking utensils and plates. It is said that this ridge in the winter time is covered in snow, but at this time of the year the snow limit is much higher.
Duriamenya Valley.
On the 24th we descended the valley of Duriamenya, through which flows the river by that name. The ridge of hills which divides the Duriamenya from the Maman- acanaca valley appear to be very barren and rocky in the upper parts, but the valley of Duriamenya affords fair grazing lands, and supports a good number of cattle belonging to the Indians. Leaving this valley on the left we rounded the hill range which separates the valley from that of Mamanacanaca to gain access to the latter. About half way between these two valleys we obtained the first view of the snow capped mountains, a pano- rama of remarkable beauty. In the foreground we saw a number of wild horses or caballos simarrones as they are called locally; we had just passed a herd of wild pigs and a flock of wild sheep, once domesticated but grown wild and now unapproachable. Before entering the Mamancanaca valley we had to round precipitous hills on foot leading our animals. This was the most trying part of the whole journey, or it seemed so to me as 1 performed this day's journey with a sharp attack of fever. I wondered how it was possible for the oxen with their loads to pass over these precipitous cliffs, and
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