CROSSING THE 



MAGDALENA. 



311 



room and the necessary cooking utensils. 

 At five, proceeded to Los Losanos de La 

 Honda, to sleep. I was conducted to a 

 sort of shed, surrounded by a wall, about 

 breast-high, from which arose pillars to 

 support the roof, leaving the sides open. 

 The day had been oppressively hot; but , 

 here a breeze so chilling sprung up, that 

 I was obliged to have recourse to two blan- 

 kets for covering, — a strong proof of the 

 extreme variation of temperature in this 

 climate. 



De(3. 17th. Had a most refreshing bath 

 in a neighbouring brook, and afterwards 

 mounting my mule, set forward in advance 

 of the baggage. At eight o'clock arrived at 

 the passage of the Magdalena, where, after 

 shouting loudly for some time, the passage- 

 canoe crossed over to me, in which I em- 

 barked; the mules partly wading, partly 

 swimming, at the side. 



