MILITARY MOVEMENTS. 477 



army of the kingdom, in case it should 

 meditate a descent into those plains, and 

 with the further object of preparing the 

 New Grenadians for the reception of their 

 liberators ; and by making incursions into 

 the kingdom, to gain a practical knowledge 

 of the country, and of the feeling of its 

 inhabitants towards the patriots, — besides 

 making preparations for the passage of the 

 army over those mountains which divide 

 Casanare from the kingdom. General San- 

 tander having reported most favourably on 

 all these points. General Bolivar left General 

 Paez, with the greater part of his cavalry 

 and all the artillery, with orders to watch 

 and occasionally to visit the enemy's 

 lines, and proceeded to join General San- 

 tander's division, of from three to four 

 hundred men, at a small village in the 

 last-mentioned plains. After having col- 

 lected together a large number of cattle, 

 and about five thousand horses and mules. 



