On Wednesday morning, at about 9 a.m., Dr. Escobar came in and informed me that a messenger had just arrived from Pasto with an order to arrest Pedro and send him back to Cali. Completely amazed by this intelligence, I went to the _Intendente_, who showed me the order and informed me that he had already sent two soldiers to Guineo to arrest the boy and bring him back. As we had taken Pedro from the railway and had stayed several days in Cali and Popayán and several weeks in Pasto, without any attempt having been made to arrest him, I could only think that it was some mistake, so I made a few guarded suggestions to the General, but without the slightest effect. In the afternoon I set about hiring another boy to take Pedro's place, and after some time succeeded in engaging a stupid, torpid-looking youth, to whom I offered a couple of pounds to clinch the bargain. What was my surprise then to see him come back in a couple of hours and, with tears in his eyes and in a voice trembling with fear, beg me to let him off. Upon investigation, I found that some wretch had filled his weak head full of bloodcurdling yarns about the cannibal Indians and the decimating fevers met with there. The poor fool was in such a miserable state of fear and dismay that, upon his paying back the money I had advanced him, I was glad to let him go. On the following afternoon I was agreeably surprised to see the two _cargadores_ from Santiago arrive with the two remaining _bultos_. Finding that they were intact--for the Indians often steal part of the contents of the _bultos_--I paid the two rascals and sent word to the Mocoa _cargadores_ that four of them should come in the morning to take us to Puerto Guineo. Shortly after I had arranged this matter the soldiers arrived with Pedro, who seemed to be quite knocked up with the long march and the gloomy prospects of the tedious journey before him. Shaking hands with the poor boy to encourage him a little, I asked what it was that he had done. He protested his innocence of any wrongdoing so stoutly that, convinced that there must be an error somewhere, I again went to the _Intendente_, but he was determined to carry out his orders, and I could do nothing with him. Returning to Pedro, I endeavoured to cheer him up a little, but without much success. After writing him a good reference, I paid him off, and, with a last _adios_ left the poor boy alone in his dismal cell. I never saw nor heard from him since. In the morning, as soon as the _cargadores_ put in their appearance, I loaded them up with the two _bultos_, the barrel of _aguardiente_, and our food and hammocks, &c., while Materón did the same with his, after which we took our leave of the _Intendente_ and the _simpático_ Dr. Escobar, and began the last stage of our overland journey.