48 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



in the murky water. Swarms of mosquitoes issued from 

 the stagnant borders and invaded the town at nightfall, 

 but this was by no means the only breeding-place of the 

 obnoxious insects. Drinking water, kept in uncovered 

 kegs and pots, teemed with larvae, and glasses full of it set 

 before us in one of the shops were fairly alive with wrigglers. 



One thing impressed me as being really appalling, and 

 that was the number of infirm beggars in the streets. In 

 most Colombian towns beggars are permitted to ply their 

 profession only one day each week and are required to 

 wear a cardboard license tag suspended from a string 

 around the neck; but it seemed as if they were out in full 

 force every day in Cartago. Some of them presented an 

 offensive appearance; they were suffering with leprosy and 

 other terrible diseases, and were in such a pitiful plight 

 that one was literally touched at mere sight of them. They 

 always asked alms in the name of the Virgin and all the 

 saints, and if results were forthcoming heaped a copious 

 blessing on the donor; but in the event that nothing was 

 given the benediction was in some instances replaced by 

 such a tirade of profanity that one quickly realized what a 

 good opportunity to acquire merit had been neglected. 



We left Cartago as soon as possible and after a half- 

 day's ride over gently rolling, brush-covered country 

 reached the Rio Viejo. A good-sized dwelling known as 

 Piedra Moller stands near the river; there one may obtain 

 men and dugout canoes with which to cross the stream. 



Beyond the river the trail passes through a little valley 

 or depression about four leagues across. Tall brush, some 

 first-growth forest, and extensive jungles of bamboo flank 

 the narrow passageway. I counted no less than forty spe- 

 cies of birds during the afternoon and heard the notes of 

 several others that I did not recognize. Small green parra- 

 keets (Psittacula conspicillata) were exceedingly plentiful. 

 They always reminded me of English sparrows not in ap- 

 pearance but by their actions. Flocks of them sat on tele- 

 graph wires or house-tops, chirping and chattering inces- 



