66 CLEARANCE PAPERS. 
journey. Nor would it be advisable to fo1- 
sake the main route in order to avoid this ty- 
rannical system of taxation; because, according 
to the laws of the country, every cargamento 
which is found out of the regular track (ex- 
cept in cases of unavoidable necessity), is sub- 
ject to confiscation, although accompanied 
by the necessary custom-house documents. 
There are also other risks and contingen- 
cies very little dreamed of in the philosophy 
of the inexperienced trader. Before setting 
out, the entire bill of merchandise has to be 
translated into Spanish; when, duplicates of 
the translation being presented to the custom- 
house, one is retained, while the other, ac- 
companied by the guia (a sort of clearance 
or mercantile passport), is carried along with 
the cargo by the conductor. The trader can 
have three points of destination named in 
guia, to either o ft pacha. he may direct his 
course, but to no in the draw- 
ing up of the factura, or 6 the greatest 
care is requisite, as the slightest mistake, 
even an accidental slip of the pen, might, ac- 
cording to the terms of the law, subject the 
goods to confiscation. 
The guia is not only required on leaving 
the ports for the interior, but is indispensable 
to the safe conveyance of goods from one de- 
partment of the republic to another: nay, the 
* In confirmation of this, it is only necessary to quote the fol- 
lowing from the Pauta de Comisos, Cap. II., Art. 22: “Ni las 
guias, ni las facturas, ni los pases, en todos los easos de que trata 
este decreto, han de contener enmendatura, raspadura, ni entreren- 
glonadura alyuna”—and this under penalty of confiscation. 
“ar 
