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journey to Muzo,. After half an hour's bargaining, we closed a deal for
two eabellos and one mula, the price was moderate, 10 pesos each for the
trio of four or. perhaps six days. I agreed to ride the mule and my two
friends were laughing at the idea of me being mounted on:a mule, but
the mule proved # real standby before the. journey ended, The town
Squere or Plaza was rather neglected, but another Plaza a few blocks
away was in rather good condition. On one side was the great Church of
which I obtained eae number of pictures. The Church is very old; I could
not obtain the date of its original erection, but it was practically
rebuilt about 100 years ago. Here is a celebrated shrine to which
people from all over Colombia and many other countries of South america
make lengthy pilgrimages. Many miracles are said to have been performed
there, the lame and crippled made whole, their crutches cast aside in
a corner of the Church and the blind are said to have recovered their
sight. I.arose at 5 o'clock and made my way to the Church, whose bells
were ringing out a call to prayer; arriving there I found it filled to
the doors, numbers of the congregation in their bare fect and starting
at 2 point a few yards from the main entrance, devout men and women
prostrated themselves before the altar, once, twice, three times as they
advance slowly and reverently. Many of these people are full blooded
Indians and they appear to "be even more devout than the descendants of |
the White Spanish settlers. You felt, as you knelt emong them and
witnessed their devotion, that you were in-a Holy Place, amongst holy
people. Mass over, groups of the congregation did not hurry off, but
gathered around the numerous beautiful altars and proceeded with their
Novenas, including the lighting of candles, the stations of the Cross and
other devotions.
The afternoon we arrived in the town after we had made
our arrangements about the horses and mule, we made a general tour of
the place and the surrounding hills. I saw for the first time, wooden
bors on o.jail; a few minor prisoners had their heads thrust out between
the bars, and apparently with little effort they could have pushed
their bodies through also. I do not know, nor did I inquire as to the
nature of their crimes. Stores were numerous, but little business seemed
