Todd-Carriker: Birds of Santa Marta Region, Colombia. 47 



in any aboriginal people. Not only are they entirely harmless, but 

 also absolutely honest, never stealing from each other or from out- 

 siders. When we made the first trip up to the snow, Mrs. Carriker 

 was along, and we left our camp for three days alone and unprotected, 

 returning to find everything exactly as we had left it. We had in- 

 tended making another camp at about 10,000 or 11,000 feet in the 

 upper Macotama Valley, but were unable to secure oxen from the 

 Indians to carry our outfit. The old chief had promised this, but after 

 I had refused to give him a jug of rum (which I did not have) he 

 rose up in his chiefly dignity and not only refused us oxen, but abso- 

 lutely prohibited us from going to the paramos or collecting on them, 

 or at any point higher than San Miguel. Naturally this did not co- 

 incide with our plans, so I called the old fellow's , " bluff " by going 

 alone up the valley the next day to 11,000 feet. Needless to say, noth- 

 ing happened then or thereafter, and we continued our excursions un- 

 molested, except that whenever we went to the paramos, we were 

 invariably '' shadowed " by an Indian, whom we never appeared to see. 

 Space does not allow, nor would it be exactly fitting, to here relate 

 all the comic, serious, and near-tragic incidents which occurred during 

 our five weeks' stay at San Miguel. Suffice it to say that in spite of the 

 great difficulties and the tremendous distance to be tramped over every 

 day, we were able by the heroic assistance of Mrs. Carriker and the 

 loyalty of our native assistant to accomplish the object of the expedi- 

 tion, and to secure a most creditable collection of the birds of the 

 region, but very few species which were known to inhabit these parts 

 escaping us. The spring rains were now beginning, and our provisions 

 becoming exhausted, we began packing on April 24 and broke camp 

 the next day, having secured oxen from Pueblo Viejo. We arrived 

 at Dibulla on April 28, after a day lost in Pueblo Viejo, making the 

 journey without special incident. On the evening of April 29 we em- 

 barked in a canoe for Rio Hacha, where we arrived at dawn the next 

 morning. Landing was made at once, and as soon as quarters were 

 secured at the hotel and breakfast was eaten, we were off shooting. 

 Seven days were spent collecting here and great success was had, 

 ■over three hundred specimens being secured. However, the sudden 

 change from the more temperate conditions at San Miguel to the 

 torrid heat of Rio Hacha was almost unbearable. It was not pos- 

 sible to stay out under the broiling sun after 9 or g :30 A. M., and 



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