The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-12-25
- oF TRAVELLING IN THE
rlss STATES OF COLOMBIA.
rianced On The Road To
t MAY TIA Fe De BOgOta.

oondence of The Journal
Wv COLOMBIA, Nov. ~, 1902.
Bos"1 mentioned, the distance from
i S'IV ~ tbe head of Magdalena river
6Opa', :" to Colombia's Capital, is
p's' seventy and eighty miles, as
kiSF'D dies: but the journey leads
af ' ns main eordillera of the Andes
NsI Wv ,,IV much farther, up and down
in1s trails. A narrow guage rail
FPs'''l mart of the way, and an old
49, : snringless coach the whole
b'liVa our party decided, (Yhether
iS''D a. not remains to be seem, to
sHr' as entire journey in the saddle,
n'A, ,, sake Of being comparatively in
% ,Jsnt as well as to better enjoy
5'''D .rni6csnt mountain scenery.
Nv Ios nave learned from long ex-
w ir Atse wild ATTITUDES to 60
fl' nro,del with riding habits of
a| .sr4d alpaca. buck-skin gloves
,- aAry 10 the elbow, bicycle
F'' ..ng BALI way to the knee, and
o. ,loasd 1ats of Panama grass,
.,..l rU=l the chin, a la poke"
r.... BID, tmng gauze wells cross
s".r4a..s and made ''becoming'
s-.W u front. Right here let
t.p secret. ''to ladies only"
~. a,auz saddle journeys in these
.,tti.sa1 fountain regions. it is
49,. 1tgsleDl in the matter of dress
I'll, r1sams Of the natives, who,
.....- a.tlys in this fashion, may
s4a 1U o have learned the best
~rlr- american equestrienne
,,rr ma.ms herself with too much
Zinc sb,.- oJJ makes it of light ma
.rai sranr s possible, and only about
a,- inches ouger than an ordinary
,,,t,ag Dies nderneath the skirt
pgr vt very wide, full Turkish
...,s+r. t the same material as the
..a Gathered close around the shoe
ans Th-n however winds may blow
,oer horse md rider are in full sail
,r-- breezy heights, trousers and all
o,s: te- UpL skirts and no one can
.s1 qntrs one begins and the other
mil. and DO catastrophe, even to the
trDps ,..5 uder up side down, reveals
an inch ot hose OF glimpse of those
,,sarraruents uncomfortable to ears
pls
Catering out Of still sleeping Honda
s.or ttlee cock one balmy morning
Il. tuo Gr cd canine real, (king's
gllRal which winds for miles under
s4Haete arch of pawpaws, mangoes
llltg trees,
Thepler.Acing branches obscured the
sg and rendered darker that silent
.mr between night and dawn-that
uUat lQu u which all the forces of
l5 ard N3tFe are at their lowest ebb,
Z 'Ae' j. said more souls 60 out of
Ne J0dy p. the great unknown than
tam t'l.1 rme Not even a dog was
tGrag l;N us out of town and our
0B llrI closer together with an
EyI,"- iced of companionship. In
ls ..r,a O. lG.lt we could not discern
ae8u-.-- faces and our figures look
-'Nr l unreal, as might a pro-
gssoH embodied spooks on some
GW- EpeilQou. But presently the
tar "r lbs, IN the sea of crimson
ld lyg r} gTeSages the rising of the
DQ ll4 Dame Nature shook off
If ouius- conditions; the flowers
lirl .l- ieWy heads, birds began to
"i.'a spoke IN burn from house tops
Nd -.s t4 If human activity was
rl4 suddenly the road became alive
trUdging to market under
f3'F "a@ Jare-footed women, in
A' '.io" hats and short calico skirts,
NIls '.tle of mules, each beast gen
-'4. Carrying two persons; and DON
vtS ami LACK and white bullocks,
vaa} aosn with piles of chinoona
AIR. bundles of dye-wood, sacks of
V4 d.. solver ore from the mines, or
-Teatni0e of various sorts. The
~'ci" towns Of Colombia, scattered
94E i'r fertile valleys lying between
T spurs 81. TAe andes, are from sixty
'AH llh4ATed miles distant from the
'"+i'ei.d liver, and to them all goods
-'S. ye forwarded over the rugged
lo"n'd'A trails. Merchandise is dis
a'p'ed Into bales Of 1875 pounds each,
''"l lug 1--WE tales, or $50 pounds, to a
'o'0 Parcels exceeding this
, ''sD' must be opened and repack-
IT, Vi lhey viii not be carried at all.
* majority OF cargadores, or carriers,
II "'IaeA and their charge for each
'~' Whether distance of ten miles
hundred, is from twenty-four to
'''' IealS-a Colombian real being
'Y'' 'eh cents American money. Their
,'''ul 0l transit applies only to articles
comparatively light weight, making
1''e'iy impossible to forward across
., '4'' y 10 those places where they are
U.s.. s' needed, such heavy objects as
," 1's machinery, agricultural nipple
.''' 'ife engines, wagons, or any
1s Else weighing over half ton.
off. "e are told that in Bogota every
,'-'0-ao family has its piano. which