The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-07-04


of the most interesting the
traveller can find, says the London
Times. The time of the voyage varies
from nine to fourteen days, according
TO whether it Is made in the wet or
dry season.
During the trip one ascends from
sea level to 5000 feet above it; there
are three separate train, and two
steamer Journeys; the scenery varies
from sweltering forest to wide, airy
pastures, wheatfields and ragged blue
mountain peaks; the dwellings of the
people change from insouciant, palm
thatched huts to the imposing Spanish
style stone mansions of the ancient
city Of Bogota.
Puerto Colombia, with the turquoise
Caribbean washing its feet, is port
by courtesy. Steamers call there for
the convenience of Barranquilla. Wide
spread, sunny, flower-bedecked Bar
ranquilla sits upon the bank of the
Magdalena, and continually and pas.
sionately discusses the question of wa
ter transport, for it can have no direct
access to the sea until the Magdalena
bar is conquered.
From Barranquilla one takes river
steamer to- La Dorado. On the fat
bottomed river boat, drawing only a
foot or two of water, travellers must
provide themselves with bedding; the
steamship company lends canvas cot,
but nothing else, and the Barranquilia
hotels specialize In providing the Wis
itor for Bogota with the outfit--a pill
low of tree-cotton, couple of tiny
sheets, a mosquito netting "bar," "a,
couple Of little towels. No other bed
ding Is needed, for the heat is sitting
but the judicious also take table deli
lcacies and everything needed In the
way of beverages, with the exception
of coffee, of which there Is constant
and most excellent flow.
Soon the forest closes down to the
edge of the water, as unconquered, as
dominant, as in Quesada's day, 400
years ago. Quesada took two years to
ascend the river to Bogota, the sur
,vivors of his party arriving ragged and
starving; the marvel is that a single
lone of those adventurers reached the
plains.
Scene Of Great Beauty.
The jade Of banana leaves, whipped
into rags by the wind, the glaucous
green of lilies, the emerald of the
palms, the jasper Of the great forest
giants, Is only broken here and there
by trail of Towering vine or the rare
sight of a high-perched mauve or gold
lorchid; where open spaces occur there
Iare low-growing bushes covered with
flowers, and one sees host of butter
flies and birds, but usually there is
nothing but the river and the green
wall of forest. When rain falls in
straight sheet even the forest Is blotted
Iout and the alligatorS and turtles of
the margins are invisible until the sun
reappears.
When stop is made for wood or to
deliver merchandise to some little trad
ing point the outlet for some rich
region producing sugar, hides, coffee or
tobacco, all the village comes to the
little wharf, guns are fired and the
Church bell is rung in the steamers
honor; there are number of such
places below Puerto Berrio. Puerto
Berrio Is important as the starting
point for the wonderful Cauca Valley,
worth some trouble to reach and pos
sessing a perpetual June climate, a
wealth of fruit and flowers, fertile
soil and mountains sown with precious
minerals.
AT La Dorado, where the blue noun
tains have suddenly come nearer and
turn green and purple, there is little
but row of modest cottages, and the
railway sheds; but here is the train
for Beltran, the line leaving the river.