CHANGE OF QUARTERS. 483 



preparing to receive them with three thou- 

 sand infantry, six hundred cavalry, and tv^o 

 pieces of artillery ; for at last he had been 

 convinced that this miserable force had 

 really come vi^ith the intention of invading 

 his territory ; and it must have been Divine 

 Providence that kept him incredulous so 

 long, for had he placed but a small part of 

 his force at the foot of the Paramo, the pa- 

 triots must have fallen an easy prey, as 

 many, particularly the British, were obliged 

 to leave their musquets to be brought in by 

 the Indians, in order to save their lives. 

 But how is it possible to describe the joy of 

 these poor wretches on leaving the horrible 

 mountains, and on entering the beautiful 

 and fertile valleys of the pro^dnce of Tunja. 

 The very climate was changed, and had be- 

 come an agreeable medium between the in- 

 tense heat of the plains, and the bitter cold 

 of the mountains. It had also ceased to 

 rain. On every side, as they descended the 

 2 I 2 



