of an Orchid Hunter. iji 



CHAPTER XII. 



EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE SAN LUCAS — INLAND LAKE 



GOLD-MINES — SIMITI LIFE IN THE FOREST 



SCARCITY OF FOOD — A FOREST OF ALOCASIAS — 



RETURN TO SIMITI THE SANTO DOMINGO RIVER 



SAVANNAS OF SAN LUIS — A JAGUAR HUNT. 



The northern part of the chain of mountains between 

 the River Cauca and the Magdalena had generally 

 been considered rich in orchids, but up to the present 

 few or none with a knowledge of plants had entered 

 into the hills from the Magdalena side. The Cauca 

 side of this chain of mountains is the home of the 

 famous Odontoglossum Harrvannm. All the informa- 



■<*> 



ryi 



tion I could rather about the eastern side of the rantre 



o o 



was that the Colombian merchants, Messrs. Lopez and 

 Navarro, had sent an expedition two years before to 

 explore these mountains in search of gold, at great 

 risk and expense, employing many men. They had 

 penetrated to the highest point in the northern part of 

 the range — a high peak called La Tete de San Lucas, 

 which is a barren rock on the top of a mountain some- 



