312 JOURNEY. 



From the river. Purification is seen pret- 

 tily situated on a rising ground, on the 

 left bank. It is an ancient town, and called, 

 by way of distinction, La Villa (the town). 

 Its chief trade is dried beef, great quantities 

 of cattle being fed on the plains. From the 

 landing-place to the town is not ten minutes' 

 ride. On reaching the top of the ascent 

 on which it is placed, I had a commanding 

 and pleasing view of the extensive plain be- 

 low : — savannahs, with cattle grazing ; the 

 river Magdalena winding gracefully along; 

 and the whole bounded by a circle of lofty 

 mountains, clothed to the summit with trees 

 and brushwood. 



I proceeded to the head Alcalde, a very 

 civil man, who immediately found me a 

 house; but learning that the Senor Domingo 

 Caycedo, president of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives, who had a house here, had left 

 it in the morning for his estates at Saldanea, 



