CARGUEROS, OR MEN-CARRIERS. 281 



and are not strong enough to travel on foot, must relin- CHAP.X5:iii 

 quish all thoughts of leaving the country. The number jiofl~7 

 of persons who follow this laborious occupation, at Choco, traveiung. 

 Hague, and Medellin, is so great that our travellers 

 sometimes met a file of fifty or sixty. Near the mines 

 of Mexico there are also individuals who have no other 

 employment than that of carrying men on their backs. 



The cargueros, in crossing the forests of Quindiu, take cargueros. 

 with them bundles of the large oval leaves of the vijao, 

 a plant of the banana family, the peculiar varnish of 

 which enables them to resist rain. A hundredweight of 

 these leaves is sufficient to cover a hut large enough to 

 hold six or eight persons. When they come to a con- 

 venient spot where they intend to pass the night, the 

 carriers lop a few branches from the trees, with which 

 tliey construct a frame ; it is then divided into squares 

 by the stalks of some climbing plant, or threads of agave, 

 on which are hung the vijao leaves, by means of a cut- 

 made in their midrib. In one of these tents, which are 

 cool, commodious, and perfectly dry, our travellers 

 passed several days in the valley of Boquia, amidst vio- 

 lent and incessant rains. 



From these mountains, where the truncated cone of vailey of 

 Tolima, covered with perennial snow, rises amidst forests Cauca. 

 of styrax, arborescent passiflora;, bamboos, and wax- 

 palms, they descended into the valley of Cauca towards 

 the west. After resting some time at Carthago and 

 Buga, they coasted the province of Choco, whei'e platina 

 is found among rolled fragments of basalt, greenstone 

 and fossil wood. 



They then went up by Caloto and the mines of Qui- Caioto. 

 lichao to Popayan, which is situated at the base of the 

 snowy mountains of Purace and Sotara. This city, the 

 capital of New Grenada, stands in the beautiful valley 

 of the Rio Cauca, at an elevation of 6906 feet above the 

 sea, and enjoys a delicious climate. On the ascent from 

 Popayan towards the summit of the volcano of Purace, 

 at a height of 8694 feet, is a small plain inhabited by 

 Indians, and cultivated with the greatest care. It is 



