The Republican journal., 1903-01-22
conNrRY LIFE IN COLOMBIA.
ing The Most wonderful Salt
Orcbi" Mines in the World.

'T ,., COLOMBIA, Dec. Is, 1902.
h' 70 give you an idea of rural
ID colombia, permit me to tell you
p 4.., We have been making to the
e' c,o5us salt mines in the world,
p IN. Oh the opposite edge of the
@D .a,n.ot Bogota, just beyond the
s,spsot Zpaquira'
N''7 .ne iolly party on horseback.
.ur GENIAL American minister,
r ..aatd by two mozos, (men ser
'"' fn,mg a donkey laden with
'' ...- and luucheon, cantering gaily
,aombias capital on a bright
.1et morning. In these regions
..rl,. summer one finds it hard
- hat there is dismal winter
...-.- ud the tales that come to us
..u... i c0al-famine and conse-
.dsrng in the United States
,..- l.ss real than the myths of
... ..aI cluster around this his
.4. At this great elevation,
... ..lp thousand feet though
....,. tae equatorial line, the air is
.s..t rar cold, but warm and pure,
f.. .ug.-orating that simply to be
.,..s is good green earth is joy
.Y l road wound most of the
....... -.s oase of the hills that en-
.. s..,l. rising one above another
l...r lights of eternal snow, un-
-.... u} living creature except at
-a5i~ a solitary condor We
..#... stretches of reedy swamps,
n.. hlackened by myriads of
...... .4d other waterfowl, show
..... rri there along the edges tall
.......,s. or blue heronS, or pink
...... mingoes, standing medlta-
-. s r.ue reg as if posed for scenic
o. lltAer the ColombianS are
.,.ctr auters," and so have never
..-.- u0r beasts and birds the fear
.-..s. .I Else the southern sun has
i,...-I the latter with the same consti- |
--.H.. I..iuess and indifference to dan
,s. that taaracterizes the people; GER
-.l.., .- tu1t one need not waste shot
.. ..,.- cs The so-called wild game
.. Mrnay deliberately walk up and
.,,.. y-1 with a club-if one can
-.. q . Nls heart to be so cruel. OF
instinct of the sportsman
s o. ed at the sight of so much
- -s and every male Anglo Sax
. .ul sought his pistol pocket.
.aa mar the perfect day with the
-7-.-- ST aarmless creatures not need
.r um The pleadings of the
5a-- PREVAILED and it is pleasant to re-
l4t the birds were left un-
-.. euJoy their little day in the
.... .pyond the marshes lie a
r. rInras, small farms which
&c.. 9 devoted to the raising of
.Cts European trade. What
...- HU p'easant employment, and
table, remembering the
ce- that are paid for the
. t.e~' We stopped at one of
anthes, whose English pro-
.- "Iuunger son." who came
r. .4ay penniless-is recouping
fortunes in England and en-
6tcd brother to keep up an
4 !s ancestors loaded with
His methods seem very
with true British uncom-
-rs- lie did not tell us much
.u He showed us his
here were several thousand
.u boxes, in each of which
stick, the latter wrapped
4Dm moss, among which an
... .It was tied. The lovely
.r-. SNOWY wild all over Colombia,
.. 'a1iety of form and coloring.
send natives out into the
.-f .ils TO collect them, paying
aut to thirty cents for each
e -eliing the same in Europe at
3'@ LIng between fifty and five
@- collars per plant-sometimes
r.' sands of pounds sterling for
4t@ay scarce and long-sought
i+'ts Ike opals, these curious
.-'6s the floral kingdom seem to
e- w SIT prices, but are valued ac-
~4.-s to the passing craze of wealthy
7'e..'s>. There are other quintas in
@e Nnity of Bogota, where fruits
i 0yetables are raised for the mar
"a n HE capital; and small farms,
'--' VITA wheat, corn, alfalfa and
ar Nlthing tells more truly of the
"-A 'rlperature of the locality than
-5 'auous stages of the corn-fields,
het'hg that seed time and harvest are
N-j-f n the hands of the cultivator
'47 ied is being plowed and planted;
'Lo,ael by its side, has a fine crop of
- gown corn, on stalks higher than
Va bead Of man on horseback; while
F'"I' i,e next field shows the green
"dIrs gust shooting out of the ground.
Is t0e same way with wheat. Here
"s AeTF sprouted fields, like emerald
''1' close by are others in full head.
"'-e ave being cut, by women, with
''ls.etles In many places the prim-
."7 ..i'shing floor is in operation.
C --L-- is odd ennuuh to deserve a