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37

Clara and I took a taxi to the Samper Ortega home at Carrera 11, N[[underlined]] o [[/underlined]] 76-40. The maid showed us to the living room and Dr Samper Ortega came in soon, followed at intervals by his wife, his daughter Beatriz, his sister (or sister-in-law) and "Teresita", Teresa Cuerva Borda, who is in charge of the art exhibits at the Biblioteca Nacional. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served in the salon. A Mr Walpole, from England by way of Canada, and who had been in Colombia only a few months but seemed to be planning a long stay, had arrived a few minutes before us. A little later Germán Arciniegas and his wife and the Brickells appeared. At the luncheon I was seated between Mrs Brickell and Doña Beatriz, who is studying and practicing English. Clara was the other side of Doña Beatriz and at Dr Samper's left, with Señora de Arciniegas and Mr Walpole across the table. The Samper son is at Cornell in the School of Agriculture. Señora de Samper spoke good English but very sparingly; the sister and daughter fluently. The menu consisted of curuba, soup, fish loaf with sauce and potato balls, filet mignon, peas, beans, lettuce, cream pie and coffee. After leaving the table, liqueurs were offered in the salon but were refused by all and we all took our prompt departures.
   The Brickells took us in their car with Mr Walpole to the Gymnasio Moderno where Walpole teaches English; in the main building we saw the dining room and lounge. The other English teacher was out but at his door we met his young wife. In a low brick building nearby we saw the first grade room, with a teacher and one little boy.
   From the Gymnasio we drove to the Embassy and left Mr Brickell, then out the road beyond the turn to Techo Airport to Fontibón and around its square plaza, all laid out in flower beds. On one side of the square in a low flat block were the town offices, the tesorero, juzgado, etc.; dismal looking buildings. On another side of the square was the large church with a clock in one of its towers.
   On the way back we saw a "tomineja" (a small blue bird) in the dusty bushes by the side of the road; the bushes were some species of Solanum and looked eaten so I got out of the car and looked for Epilachna but found none. As we entered Bogotá we passed between the huge statues of Columbus and Isabella, high at the sides of the road.
   After dinner we had a Spanish lesson at Casa Gómez and learned that the lower class women wear pañoñones, not mantillas and that the señoritas do not approve my buying one to take to Lucy. We went to bed soon after nine.

Feb. 24. I went to the Institute alone in the morning and commenced the typing of my list of generic identifi