CHAPTER II 

 POPAYAN AND THE CERRO MUNCHIQUE 



After spending a few weeks in and about the Cauca 

 Valley, Richardson and I started southward, whUe the two 

 other members of the expedition began the homeward 

 journey. I had looked forward very eagerly to my visit 

 to southern Colombia because I knew that the country, 

 towns, and even the people were different from those we 

 had seen heretofore. But, above all, because ahead of us 

 lay a vast region little known zoologically, and we hoped 

 to penetrate into at least the mountain fastnesses west of 

 Popaydn in our insatiable search for the rare and interest- 

 ing wild life that haunted that remote wilderness. 



We left Cali at noon, May 13, well provided with riding 

 and pack animals, and half-breed arrieros, and started on 

 the well-beaten trail that leads toward the south. 



At first there was no appreciable change in the valley, 

 but by degrees the stretches of absolutely level-appearing 

 land increased in size; instead of extensive cultivated areas 

 there were pastures of large size, covered with a luxuriant 

 growth of grass. Thousands of head of cattle were sprin- 

 kled over the velvety turf. We rode an hour through one 

 of these ranches just before reaching the river Jamundi. 

 This estate is the property of one Angel Mario Borreo, who 

 is reported to be one of the most influential men in the De- 

 partment of Cauca, and is only one of his sixteen similar 

 holdings. 



The Jamundi is not over one hundred and fifty feet wide 

 at the point of crossing, and is spaimed by a steel and brick 

 bridge; dense jimgles of bamboo Ime both banks. Just be- 

 yond lies the little town bearing the same name. 



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