44 Travels a aw Adventures 



which serves for reception, ball, and drawing-room, 

 gay with gilded lamps and mirrors, and rich with 

 luxurious carpets and lounges, besides rare paintings 

 and bric-a-bi r ac that would grace the drawing-room of 

 a Rothschild. Enterprising traders have stocked the 

 town with immense shops and stores ; but instead 

 of the visitor being entertained with the pleasing 

 pastime of looking into shop-windows, he is met 

 at every turn by dismal-looking iron gratings which 

 serve in their place, the immense variety of merchan- 

 dise being only visible on entering the store. _ Bar- 

 ranquilla seems to be progressing socially and com- 

 mercially as much as any other town in the Republic. 

 Amongst the oldest of the foreign pioneers, everyone 

 visiting the coast is familiar with the names of Mr. Joy 

 and Mr. Stacey, Englishmen who are respected and 

 beloved alike by foreigner and Colombian, while Mr. 

 Cisnero, a rich Cuban, seems untiring in forming 

 schemes for improving the commerce and adding to 

 the convenience of the town. A tramway has lately 

 been constructed through the principal streets. This 

 is not only very useful, but is well patronised ; and 

 while I write, machinery for the electric light is in 

 course of construction. The telephone is already 

 fitted in the offices of all the principal merchants, 

 and the great advantages which Barranquilla pos- 

 sesses of communication with Europe will, I have 



