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CARTAGO. 



the Colonel on the mountains by the peon, as I 

 had been requested to do. He did not appear 

 to give the complaint much attention, merely 

 saying, such things were very common occur- 

 rences ; but that if the peon were taken, he 

 should certainly be punished ; without, how- 

 ever, giving any orders for him to be sent for. 

 Such is the natural indolence of the people ; 

 and, I have no doubt, he never bestowed a 

 second thought on the matter. 



Jan. 11th. Passed the morning in making 

 examinations and enquiries on all subjects 

 connected with the object of my journey ; and 

 in the afternoon accompanied Don Luis in a 

 ramble over the town, which is built in 

 squares, and contains about two thousand in- 

 habitants ; it formerly had double this number, 

 but was four times sacked by the Pastucians, 

 (who were for the royalist cause during the re- 

 volution,) which has necessarily diminished the 

 population. The town is well situated on the 

 left bank of the river Vieja, whose pure and 

 salubrious waters, at a short distance below 

 the town, communicate with the Cauca. The 

 inhabitants have never taken the trouble to dig 

 wells ; in consequence they are obliged to 



