104 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
table formed a great attraction for the populace. At two 
o’clock in the morning the four of us yelled across and threat- 
ened to shoot the place up if they didn’t stop the noise. This 
had its effect and the player piano ceased, but the clicking 
of the billiard balls could still be plainly heard at daybreak. 
We had very little rest that night. 
‘“‘We again set forth in the morning. Inasmuch as my 
horse was lame, I mounted a mule for the day. Our objective 
for that night was La Maria. The scenery throughout the 
day was extremely interesting and I saw many orchids, both 
epiphytic and terrestrial. At noon we were approaching the 
River Vieja when our guides informed us that we would have 
to ferry across. The ferry turned out to be two hand-made 
canoes, about seventy-five feet long by three feet wide, tied 
abreast. These were attached by a ring to a cable stretched 
across the stream. As the canoes were poled along the ring 
slipped along the cable, thus keeping the ferry in a straight 
course. The river was about 150 feet wide and some thirty 
feet deep. It took about an hour and a half for the entire pack- 
train to cross, since all freight had to be unloaded from the 
mules and taken across separately, with the exception of the 
mule carrying mail, whose pack was left on his back. Most 
of the time was taken up in trying to force the mules to 
enter the canoes. 
‘‘After all were across and the mules repacked, we imme- 
diately started an ascent of several hundred feet, almost at a 
perpendicular. We passed some very interesting vegetation, 
especially Lantana camara, a variety of which is used exten- 
sively in our summer bedding. I also saw various species 
of begonias and araceous plants, such as anthuriums, ete. Of 
particular interest was an entire hillside of tree ferns which 
were very tempting. However, the cost of transportation 
was prohibitive. We finally arrived at La Maria at dusk. La 
Maria consisted of one house with no comfortable rooms such 
as we had had the previous night at Armenia. However, it 
was quiet and we spent the night sleeping on the bare ground, 
well supplied with mosquitoes and ants. The Spaniard and 
myself shared the same straw mat and during the night were 
both awakened by the approach of an animal which we con- 
cluded was a puma or wild cat. As I held the flashlight the 
Spaniard prepared to shoot, when we suddenly discovered 
