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COLOMBIA. 



morning the air is somewhat chill — in the middle 

 of the day it is impossible to stir out of doors — 

 but after the sun has set, the full luxury and en- 

 joyment of the climate are felt. 



About a fortnight before our arrival, a consi- 

 derable detachment of Bolivar's troops had enter- 

 ed the town ; they were a part of the army so long 

 engaged in the dreadful revolutionary wars of the 

 Caraccas and Venezuela, between the Royalists 

 and Patriots. I made acquaintance with several 

 English officers belonging to this force^ who had 

 gone through the whole of the campaigns. Their 

 accounts, though interesting in the highest de- 

 gree, do not belong to the present subject, and are 

 I believe already generally known to the public. 

 Whatever we may think of the prudence of peo- 

 ple voluntarily engaging in such enterprises, it is 

 impossible not to respect the persevering fortitude, 

 with which they have endured privations and hard- 

 ships, of the most overpowering nature ; and far 

 exceeding anything known in regular services. In 

 the streets, nothing was to be seen but Colombian 

 officers and soldiers enjoying a partial respite from 



their hard labours; for I ^observed, that the se- 

 ll 



