HONDA. 175 



Honda is a small but well-situated town : 

 it was formerly flourishing, but an earth- 

 quake destroyed it fifteen years ago, and 

 the civil war has greatly decreased its 

 commerce. 1 have, however, no doubt but 

 that it will rapidly recover ; particularly 

 as it is so well situated, and near the 

 famous gold and silver mines of Mariquita, 

 few of which have been worked, from 

 the preference given by the old Spanish 

 system to the Mexican mines over those 

 of Colombia ; but which, now that the 

 country is opened, will in all probability 

 be once more worked by some enterprising 

 individual. We had now to transfer our 

 boat to a Colombian merchant, to get a 

 freight down the river, and reimburse us 

 part of our expenses ; but the freight down 

 is only one dollar and a half per carga 

 (or 250 lbs.), which, upward, pays nine dol- 

 lars. Nevertheless, a full freight would 



