of an Orchid Hunter, 141 



flowers are found amongst the Pacho plants, and less 

 of the highly blotched or spotted varieties so much 

 sought after by connoisseurs ; while, on the other 

 hand, the starry varieties are, as a rule, mixed with 

 thickly spotted flowers. Even while in Bogota I was 

 on my way to these happy hunting-grounds, and after 

 a few days of looking around I started for Pacho. 

 The distance is about fifty miles from Bogota, and the 

 road by way of Cipaquira is very good. The traveller 

 will pass on the way the house of a rich Colombian, 

 Don Dematrio Parades. This is really a palace, 

 where there is collected together one of the most 

 beautiful displays of costly furniture and bric-a-brac 

 to be found in Colombia. 



From the town of Cipaquira the track runs directly 

 over the salt-mine, and continues up to a height of 

 about 8,^00 feet to what is called the Paramo, 

 then descends gradually to the town of Pacho. This 

 occupies about two days, as most people find the 

 journey sufficient to ride from Bogota to Cipaquira 

 in one clay. The appearance of the village of Pacho 

 from the heights above is very picturesque : it is 

 built in a valley, and just on the edge of some 

 magnificent cattle estates ; besides this, the houses 

 are of fairly good construction. An Englishman of 

 the name of Mr. Bunch was at one time owner of 

 the extensive coal and iron mines here, and he has 



