270 EXCURSION TO MONTSERRAT. 



Here we were met by our friend Colo- 

 nel Desmenard and his party. We dis- 

 mounted, and turned our animals loose in 

 the court-yard of the pastor's dwelling, and 

 then walked out to observe the beauties 

 of the surrounding scenery. We were now 

 standing four thousand feet above the ca- 

 pital of Colombia, which lay stretched be- 

 neath our feet, and so perfect a coup-d'ceil 

 had we, that we could distinguish the court- 

 yards of the convents, and with a good 

 glass discern all that was going on within 

 them. The city appeared to much advan- 

 tage, seeming regularly built; the striking 

 object which the cathedral formed, together 

 with the churches, and monasteries, adding 

 materially to the effect of the whole : besides 

 these, the bridges, and the silvery streams 

 meandering through them ; the streets by no 

 means deserted; horsemen prancing across 

 the different squares, all combined to ren- 

 der it a view rarely exceeded in extent or 



