of an Orchid Hunter. 63 



railway from this part of the river Magdalena to the 

 town of Biicaramanga, a distance of some one hundred 

 and fifty miles. A pity that through political dis- 

 turbance so admirable a scheme was frustrated. 

 The heat in this part is almost unbearable, and in 

 the rainy season the ground becomes literally a 

 swamp, on account of the constant downpour of 

 rain, which is very violent, often causing yellow 

 fever and other epidemics. The vegetation here 

 is of the richest, and every evening the stately 

 cocoanut and clustering ivory-nut palms are besieged 

 with crowds of brilliant-coloured macaws ; swarms 

 of large and small parrots fill the air with their 

 screams ; large flights of pink and white cranes wheel 

 about above the river in search of stray fish ; while 

 the toucans, with their enormous beaks, quarrel with 

 each other for some favourite fruit, giving the whole 

 situation an appearance at once novel and interesting 

 to a foreigner. On making inquiry about the path 

 through the forest, I was informed that no saddle- 

 horses had passed that way for several years, and 

 that the road was entirely filled up with fallen trees 

 and creepers ; besides, there were some eighteen 

 branch rivers to cross — at this time very much swollen 

 with the recent rains. These rivers — of course 

 without bridges — must be crossed by swimming or 

 on the branches of trees. My first preparation for 



