CARTAGO.— MINES. 



379 



Jan. 9th. A most beautiful morning : the 

 temperature very agreeable. My servant and 

 baggage arrived about ten o'clock. He had 

 been obliged to sleep on the mountains. I 

 now obtained v^^asher women, carpenters, and 

 shoemakers, to pat to rights the things that 

 had suffered in conveyance. Accompanied 

 Don Luis to visit his partner in office, Don Ze- 

 rato, a sensible and agreeable man, who had 

 formerly visited Jamaica. He conducted us to 

 visit Monsieur Le Roche, a Frenchman, resi- 

 dent sixteen years in Colombia, having the 

 office of administrator of tobacco. Here we 

 remained a long time, discoursing on general 

 subjects, connected with the mines, and all 

 the productions of the country. These con- 

 ferences were continued for some days, as I 

 found Monsieur Le Roche excessively well 

 versed in all points on which I desired infor- 

 mation ; and I subjoin at once what I gleaned 

 from him. 



The mines of the Bega de Supia are situ- 

 ated in the valley of the Cauca, three days' 

 journey northward, towards Antioquia. From 

 thence, crossing the Cauca, in the direction of 

 Medellin, the town of Narie on the Magda- 



