32 



THE OOLOGIST 



BIRD COLLECTING IN EASTERN 



COLOMBIA 



Paul G. Howes 



PART IX 



March 19th. Bogota. As we are 

 back here for a weeks rest, and diver- 

 sion, I think it fitting to give a few 

 notes on this great old city, so far 

 from the coast and regular lines of 

 communication, before going on with 

 the course of the expedition. 



Bogota is indeed "Manana Land" — 

 The land of tomorrow. No one seems 

 ever to be in a hurry or to have any- 

 thing to do which might need imme- 

 diate attention. The men walk about 

 arm in arm, swinging their silver- 

 tipped canes, or stand in little groups, 

 in the main streets chatting and laugh- 

 ing leisurely as though it were a holi- 

 day. Here they pass hours, gazing at 

 the fair ones who throng the balconies 

 above the street. Horse-car drivers 

 may be heard yelling "Permisso 

 Senor," Permit me sir," before they 

 can drive through these gentlemen of 

 Colombia. Imagine a New York 

 motorman requesting you to please 

 get off the track! It is ridiculous, to 

 say the least, such politeness! 



The stores are sadly lacking in up 

 to date wares. Occasionally one runs 

 across one containing a stock of im- 

 ported hardware, clothing, jewelry or 

 junk but these are few and far be- 

 tween. There are plenty of smaller 

 shops, but poor places indeed for a 

 city of 100,000 souls. We found a rol- 

 ler skating rink, went to the grand 

 opera house, visited the parks, and 

 every out of the way place in the city 

 and spent many an evening at Bogo- 

 ta's 'Maxims,' a wild cafe on the out- 

 skirts of the city. After a few days, 

 we found several men who were 

 skilled wood carvers and artists in 

 feather pictures and designs and se- 

 cured many interesting and beautiful 

 specimens from them. There is not 



much to do. However, after the first 

 few days and by the end of our week 

 in "Town" all were glad to don hunt- 

 ing clothes once more and make for 

 the mountains in the direction of 

 Fusugasuga. 



March 22nd. We left Bogota this 

 morning at seven, taking the railway 

 to Sibate, on the edge of the savanna, 

 where we arrived an hour later. Here 

 we found our Indian man, Manuel, 

 with mules as previously arranged in 

 Bogota. There were only three riding 

 animals, however, and five men so 

 Ring and I decided to make the jour- 

 ney on foot. Chapman was taken with 

 the fever,so we left him in Bogota, to 

 join us later on. 



At first we set out at a great pace, 

 but in an hour's time we began to 

 realize that we were not at home alti- 

 tudes and had to slow down consider- 

 ably. The scenery along this trail to 

 Fusugasuga is very beautiful, easy on 

 horseback but tiring on foot. At 

 twelve o'clock we reached the pass at 

 10,600 feet and here we found a forest 

 every bit as fine as that at Buena 

 Vista. 



The hills were all covered by clouds 

 today, above 8500 feet and consequent- 

 ly it was very damp until the pass was 

 left behind. At one place, of which 

 more anon, we passed a fine roaring 

 mountain river which comes down out 

 of the mountains, pouring over huge 

 boulders, which form foamy water- 

 falls of great beauty. We also came 

 across . many small streams of icy 

 water at which we could quench our 

 thirst unafraid of amoebas and all the 

 troubles that they produce, once 

 lodged in the human body. We did 

 not stop much, being anxious to get 

 on to our destination. Nevertheless I 

 could not help noticing the fine oak 

 forests drifted with pure white clouds, 

 and the voices of countless birds en- 

 tirely new to me. 



