362 ERECTION OF A RANCHA. 



having any desire to improve his mind by 

 reading and study. 



My peons immediately commenced the erec- 

 tion of my rancha; which was formed by 

 driving two posts into the earth, about four 

 feet high, and six feet apart, for the front 

 of the tent ; and the same, about twelve feet 

 behind these, for the other extremity. Be- 

 tween these two short poles was, at each 

 end, a high one, about sixteen feet in length : 

 a pole was laid horizontally from the short 

 poles in front to those behind, and another 

 of the same length from the two long ones 

 right in the centre; from this to the lower 

 pole, light rafters of wood were lashed toge- 

 ther by the tendrils of the woodbine; on 

 these the leaves of the beau-tree were laid 

 one over the other, like feathers in a bird's 

 wing,— a notch being cut in the stalk to fix 

 them to the woodbine, and they formed a 

 shelter impervious to the rain. In the interim, 

 my servant prepared the dinner, for which 

 the mountain air had given me a good appe- 

 tite. From the flag-staff, at sunset, I had 

 a beautiful view of the town of Ibague, which 

 appeared close at my feet, although I had 



