142 Travels and Adventures 



done much to improve the social condition of Pacho. 

 The plant collector who arrives here very naturally 

 thinks he will find the coveted Odonto^lossum in the 

 streets of the town ; but, as a rule, the ardour of most 

 of them is somewhat damped when they learn that a 

 journey of three clays must be made to the mountains 

 before they can find a plant, if they would see it in 

 its natural state. It took me very much longer. 

 Within a circuit of fifty miles some plants are to 

 be found, but especially in the direction of what is 

 called San Cayetano, and to arrive here it is necessary 

 to hire mules and provide provisions for three days' 

 journey. 



I left Pacho in the month of March, in the very 

 height of the drv season. I was delighted to oet 

 away, as the facilities for living in Pacho are very bad, 

 although always better than in the mountains. On the 

 way from the town we passed the ironworks ; these 

 are very important for Colombia, there being only 

 two mines worked in the whole country. Pi ere the 

 labour is done by natives, superintended by a few 

 Englishmen ; they informed me that the neighbour- 

 ing hills contain immense deposits of iron and coal, 

 which are brought down on the backs of mules or 

 in bullock-wagons. Before we reached the foot of 

 the chain of mountains we had to cross the ma^nifi- 

 cent cattle estate, some miles in extent, which takes in 



