46 Travels and Adventures 



of native money, is to go to the Bank of Barranquilla, 

 or to the office of Mr. August Struntz, the estimable 

 agent of the Royal Mail, and there buy the paper 

 money of the country according to the rate of ex- 

 change. This fluctuates very much with the demand 

 for gold coin. I have sold English sovereigns at the 

 rate of 125 per cent, premium; or for 100 dollars of 

 English gold I have received 225 dollar-notes. The 

 notes in circulation above one dollar are five, twenty, 

 fifty, and one hundred dollars in value ; while the 

 dollar note may be divided into ten parts, each small 

 note being called one real, worth about twopence-half- 

 penny in English money. The next higher in value is 

 called two reals, worth at the rate of exchange current 

 about fivepence. The dollar is further divided into 

 a five-real or half-dollar note, worth one shilling. 

 These, with several nickel coins of small value, make 

 the whole system very intricate and very confusing. 



I was detained in Barranquilla several days, much 

 against my will ; but at last, learning that a boat was 

 preparing to make the journey up the Magdalena, and 

 this being the best way of getting to the interior of 

 Colombia, at the same time affording- an excellent sight 

 of the scenery on the river, I hastily packed up my 

 little luggage, which, by the way, was not very cum- 

 bersome, consisting only of a saddle and necessary 

 horse harness, a change of linen, and a gun. A Hyde 



