Amphibians and Reptiles of Santa Marta 13; 



for that purpose. We arrived at San Miguel late in the evening, spending" 

 the night in the "guest house"' of the village, and crossing the river the next 

 morning to the plateau opposite where a camp site had been prepared in 

 advance. The whole of the Macotama Valley, from where the road enters 

 it below Santa Cruz up to the paramos^ is largely deforested, the mountain 

 slopes being largely unbroken savanna, except in the ravines, the only forest 

 left being along the crest of the ridges and on the upper slopes. As a rule, 

 what woodland was left was invariably on steep north exposure, land unsuit- 

 able for cultivation by the Indians. 



We spent five weeks in camp at San Miguel, using that as a base for 

 all work from there (5.500 feet) up to the snow line. An unfortunate, 

 though unavoidable misunderstanding with the old chief, brought about 

 by our failure to present him with a large jug of rum, was the cause of our 

 not being able to secure oxen for moving our camp to higher altitudes. He 

 even forbade us to shoot on the paramos, but we paid no attention to him, 

 promptly going up the valley the next day to 10,000 feet, without hindrance. 

 Virgin forest was found at San Miguel only at long distances from 

 camp, which made it necessary to spend many nights in the field in order 

 to get the morning shooting, sleeping sometimes in the forest on the ground 

 and other times in deserted Indian huts. No guides could be secured from 

 the Indians, so that we were reduced to "following our noses" until we 

 found what we wanted. The first time I went up to Lake Macotama I 

 started at 5 A. M. on muleback, riding up to 9,000 feet, where the mule 

 was left and the journey continued on foot. At noon the lake was reached 

 (15,000 feet), where lunch was eaten, after which I returned to camp, 

 reaching it at 7 P. M. with a good bag of birds, but well tired out. Lake 

 Macotama certainly rivals many of the Alpine lakes in beauty and grandeur 

 of scenery. In shape like a half horseshoe, it is about three-quarters of a 

 mile long and from 300 to 400 yards in width, and is almost surrounded 

 by beetling crags and clififs of nearly naked rock rising to a height of about 

 1,400 feet above the surface of the lake. Down on one side, less precipi- 

 tous than the rest, dashes a little stream of water from the melting snows 

 above. The colors of the lake are exceedingly beautiful. Along the grassy 

 shores the water is pale green, gradUlally becoming darker green, then 

 merging into blue-green, light blue, and finally into the deepest ultramarine,, 

 showing that the lake must be of profound depth. 



Later, when we all went up to the snow, we left camp very early,, 

 taking the two mules, Mrs. Carriker mounted on one and a pack on the 

 other. We again left the animals at 9,000 feet, dividing the pack between 

 the hunter and myself. We reached the lake at 4 P. M., ready to drop' 

 from fatigue, for the packs contained food for three days, blankets, guns, 

 ammunition for three days' shooting, camera and aneroid. Camp was 

 made on the lake shore under the lee of a gigantic boulder. We secured a 

 good supply of fire-wood, ate supper, and turned in. to pass a wretchedly 

 cold and miserable night, with the temperature down to 26° F. Next morn- 

 ing, after a hasty breakfast, we started by moonlight at 4 A. M. to climb" 



