5 
from the cold was extreme, although the village where they reside 
is at an elevation of 6,000 feet; on the second day, one of these 
poor creatures was unable to proceed, from lightness in the head*, 
and he lay down among the rocks, till I returned; his companion 
was also very unwell, but I experienced no farther inconvenience, 
than a slight throbbing in the temples. 
This journey has not been quite so productive as I had hoped; 
for although I have some good plants of Orchidea, all new to 
me, the number of species does not exceed ten. One is very 
remarkable; it is a climber, with pseudo-bulbs upwards of a foot 
long. It grows fifteen to twenty feet high and bears a 
long twining spike of handsome Oncidium-Y^Q blossoms, but 
denoting a different genus; it is a showy and remarkable plant. 
The best thing I procured is a terrestrial Cymbidium, alhed to 
C. utriculatum, but without the conspicuous sheath; it is the 
handsomest terrestrial Orchidea I have ever seen. As I collected 
abundance of strong tubers, I hope it will succeed in England; 
the plant is very rare, I have seen it only twice. 
Herewith I forward a box of one hundred kinds of seeds 
from the Nivada, some are of handsome Ericoid shrubs. The 
vegetation, near the snow line, consists mainly of types of 
European genera; I noticed three Gerania and four Carices (one 
of which resembles C. pendida), two Ranunculi, a showy Alyssum 
&c. The seeds include a Botrychium and an Osmunda, an 
Umhellifera and a Senecio, two Vaccinia, one Cerastium, two 
species of several of Gnaplialium, and many fine shrubs, 
allied to Erica; also a Lupine and Gentian and three singular 
tetrandi'ous plants; I have plenty of seeds of the latter. Near 
the snow line grew two pretty species, quite unknown to me, 
and on the margin of the snow, a Primula (?) of which I regretted 
not to obtain plants or seed. 
I think of proceeding to Santa Martha in about six weeks, 
whence I shall make two excursions to the mountains in different 
directions, to an elevation of 3,000 feet, the greatest elevation 
that can be attained in that direction. The weather is now 
pretty good, but rain falls daily on the mountains, towards 
evening. The lowest temperature I have yet seen is 38°. Eahr., 
when the cold was extremely piercing. 
* One of the symptoms of the malady, called “ La Puna ”, which affects 
persons who ascend lofty mountains. See Mr. Cruikshank’s description of it, on 
an ascent of the Andes.. Botanical Miscellany, vol. ii. p. 191-3- 
