New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13


great ridge UP most Of which were TO climb
that day and started of single hle; indeed, in
many places the trail is so narrow rs TO make II
impossible for two TO ride abreast The hottest
mart OF shis trip is The first three hours out OF
Honda This is the plain. as the country be-
teen the town and the rst cordilera, or ridge. OF
s.,a ~astern Andes is called. The plain consists
of a number OF sharp hills and although this part
81 the road IS good. as compared with most OF the
rest Al would be Ss impossible to draw wagon. or
even an oxcart over st. as II would be to drive Up
III side Of wall The trail is fun OF great bowl
6ers around and between which the animals have
20 pick their way while at places the descents and
scents are so steep that the mules and horses have
20 dig their sharp little hoofs into crevices in the
rocks 70 keep from falling. II It not for these
little pockets worn in the hills it would be almost
impossible for the clumsy oxen to go mile; indeeo'
how they ever reach the plain OF Bogota In satety
Is altogether mystery In this fashion most nler
ctandise IS carried TO Bogota, and the great rlsA
OF loss and breakage entailed by this Journey even
apart from the dangers of the Magdslena- is quite
sufficient 10 explain the high prices when pfe'aii
at that canitaL
4 few miles outside Of Honda we came upon
locomotive overgrown with moss and weeds some
years ego railroad was started TO the capital
but the funds gave out and this solitary engine
stands another monument more to the rugged
ness OF nature than TO the want OF enterprise ID
the people
About Il o'clock we stopped for luncheon and TO
rest "a the heat OF the day at little inn at the
base OF the ridge. There are many Of these little
inns on the road to Bogota, but only in few can
the traveller find accommodations Tor the night
The meals are generally very bad es the people
seem to have no idea about cooking, or at least
very greasy idea After SOUP. and coffee, and
the dulce, or preserves which accompany every
meal this country, took siesta in the stone
veranda before beginning our afternoon climb. A
train OF a dozen mules with the mail for Bogota
passed by with an escort OF soldiers. Each animal
carried two large bags, one strapped each side.
These mail mules hurried over the mountains
ct e rate which would kill ordinary horse max
ing the Journey in two days party containing
several women also passed its way UP the
mountain These women wore white Moorish
nantes. which were wrapped about their heads in
graceful folds, hiding al OF the face except the
eyes. This IS only one OF 8 number Of picturesque
old Moorish customs which still prevail in this
country. and the Andalusian horse of which have
spoken as descending from the Arab. is another
Tnemento Of the invasion Of Spain by the Moors.
Many women and children are carried over the trail
Crossing the plain it had been sufocatingly hot,
elt es we gradually arose above the valley OF the
Magoalena the ar got cooler ana tresher reviving
men and animals alike, while the further
worked up the mountain the wider was the glorious
view We ootalneo OF me surrounding country uhuI
stretching for miles in great seTniclrcular basin,
grandly imposing. Gradually. however. the clouds
we reached he Inn Of ConsueIo $50 feet Dove the
Magdalena, the view shut of by the heavy
mist ~ which h hung Ike curtain around US
greet US in his shirt sleeves with hearty Wei
come, caballeros' mules unpacked. IN
saddled and put in q little stable which formed
part OF the inn building. poems Immediately
made themselves at home IN the kitchen. and with
al appetite which overlooked any faults in the
Consuelo inn was surprised to find that chickens
are very tain IN THIS climate and that the veg
found in the fact that the climate being springlike
storehouse from which vegetable and animal life
can draw strength against the ravages Of winter.
Sonsuelo was indeed a change. in point Of tenn
perature, from HONDA, and sleeping under heavy
blanket-a thing which might have meant death in
the Fa4ey-Wss very comfortable IN this mountain
inn
was ike clear OCTOBER day in NeTS-Y6rk though
the SKY was that brilliant blue which one never
sargento five thousand feet above The sea1tbere
stretched around US a splendid picture; indeed.
believe Humbolt called il of the three finest
Msgdaiena with the river Itself gisten ii ike s
band OF FURNISHED silver in the distance appeared
ern Andes. surmounted by the ice fields OF Ruiz.
Its wealth Of tropical verdure lay the plains OF
Mariquita. OF to the southwest and dominating
of Tolema, stretching into the clouds nineteen
thousand teet above the sea and wearing in token
OF superiority great crown Of jewels-for such
the snow, glistening in the of the early morn
Wealth With lavish though artstic hand the
rugged EraoeuT OF the mountains being softened by
the more delicate beauty of the mult-colored val
leys II is scene which inspires infdel and Chris
tan alike with that mute wonder which is the
As we rode UP the mountain our experience Of the
day before repeated. though the first cordillera
cut of much OF the view the east. Going up ar
b I Sep sTGe our o ehSIg @tt t mao &c
them, and, when turned back for another looB
The scene The blue Sky Of few minutes ' before
had become gray, and great black clouds descend
storm. We hurried on, hoping reach the Inn Of
oyertaken-when s6ddeniy sword 9fiV Of FIRE ~ ab
peared just over our heads and at almost the same
We're rent asuHder announced that we Were to-
iatei we hastily unS5trapped our ponehos-grea
head and descend like a blanket TO the feet w
had just envelOped ourselves in these handy gar
ments and turned down the bis rims Of our water
PROOF Panama hats. when. with another fash and
have often read Of the violence of tropical tllun
TO ] ous -IAe t5e 9theT wonders OF nature
rain EEL IN binding sheets. Great waves of mis-
thick folds. and lit up al frequent intervals by
Iurid tongues OF fame. Sharp claps of thunder
this spectacle Nature reoured NJ, less e So a tr o
the two valleys through which we had passed W.
pushed UP the road. turned into q stream
almost impossible. Ny mule seemed 10 be bIindef
by the rain and the lightning FOR he almost threw
could have walked around. After nearly an hour
OF thls kind OF travelling, we reached the inn. not
any too soon for US or, I sure. for our pant
ing beasts After change Of clothing and a din
ner. which Al least had the merit Of being hot
8e Went our on the rustic Neranoa 10 see the storm
But the rain had ceased. The great clouds had
had descended and. hanging in white masses oIel
TIE mountains were now lit up by the sun.
when we started of the following morning a tlicb
ms covered eEerythlng and the road was 50
tlon 10 escape q fan As pushed slowly up the
clouds. which advanced as we advanced the heaVy
curtain q mist always keeping few yards around
US IN ms way We worked cautiously over the Alto
oel haizal on the second cordllera OF the Eastern
bsves 1 beyo GeSoehde5 ssr2y into the valley O.
the side OF precipice. The tops of great trees
my discomfort 10y mule had the uncomfortabl bic
taoiI q "asIklng along the extreme edge. As we