BOOK tivated fields, producing wheat and barley, he now finds LXXXVII. himself surrounded by oaks, alder-trees, and plants which Natural bridges of Icononzo. remind him of the vegetation of Europe, intermingled with the azalia, Alstonia theiformis, begonia, and yellow cinchona, when, all at once, he discovers from a terrace, as it were, and at his very feet, a luxuriant country, waving with the palm-tree, the banana, and the sugar-cane. As the fissure down which the Rio de Bogota rushes, communicates with the plains of the hot region, (tierra caliente,) some of the palms are seen growing up to the foot of the cataract. This peculiar circumstance has led the inhabitants of Santa Fe to say, that the cataract of Tequendama is so high, that the water falls, at one leap, from the cold, (Tierra fria.) into the hot country. It is quite manifest, that the difference of height of eighty-seven toises, or 522 feet, is not sufficiently considerable to influence, in a sensible manner, the temperature of the air. It is the perpendicular section of the rock that separates the two vegetations in so definite a manner. There is still another natural phenomenon which deserves to be noticed. The valley of Icononzo or Pandi, is bordered with rocks of so extraordinary a figure, that they appear to owe their peculiar shape to human labour. Their bare and arid summits form the most picturesque contrast with the tufts of trees and herbaceous plants that cover the sides of the crevice. The little torrent that has cleared itself a passage across the valley of Icononzo, bears the name of the Rio de la Summa Paz. This torrent, flowing in an almost inaccessible bed, could not have been crossed without great difficulty, if nature herself had not formed two bridges of rock, an object well worthy of fixing our attention. The fissure through which the torrent of la Suma Paz precipitates itself, occupies the centre of the valley. Near the bridge, it preserves, for a distance of more than 12,000 feet, a direction from east to west. The river forms two beautiful cascades at the point whero it enters the crevice, and at the point where it issues from LXXXVII. it. It is very probable that this rent has been formed by BOOK an earthquake. The surrounding mountains are composed of sandstone, with a cement of clay. This formation, which reposes on the primitive clay-slate of Villeta, extends from the rock salt mountain of Zipaquira to the basin of the river Magdalena. In the valley of Icononzo the sandstone is composed of two distinct rocks; one a very compact and quartzose sandstone, containing little cement, and presenting little or no fissure of stratification, reposes on a very fine grained schistose sandstone, which is divided into an infinite number of small, very thin, and almost horizontal layers. M. de Humboldt* imagines that the compact and quartzose mass resisted the force which rent these mountains, at the period when this crevice was formed; and that it is an uninterrupted continuation of this stratum, which serves as a bridge for crossing from one part of the valley to the other. This natural arch is forty-seven English feet in length, and forty-one feet three inches broad. In the centre it is six feet six inches thick. According to the experiments of M. de Humboldt, the upper bridge is 317 feet above the level of the torrent below. Ten fathoms under this first natural bridge, there is another, to which one is conducted by a narrow foot-path, that descends to the brink of the crevice. Three enormous masses of rock have fallen in such a manner as mutually to support each other. That of the middle forms the key of the vault, an accident which might have suggested to the native Indians the first idea of the arch in masonry, a contrivance alike unknown to the nations of the New World, and to the ancient inhabitants of Egypt. In the middle of the second bridge of Icononzo, there is a hole of 300 square feet in size, through which one can see the bottom of the abyss; and it was here that our traveller made experiments, on the fall of bodies, in order to ascertain its depth. The torrent appears to flow with * See Researches. I. 57. English Translation. + Thidem BOOK in a gloomy cavern. The melancholy noise that floats on LXXXVII. the ear, is owing to immense flocks of nocturnal birds that inhabit the crevice. The Indians affirm that these birds are as large as a chicken, have eyes like the owl, and a curved beak. It is impossible, however, to procure any of them, on account of the depth of the valley. The elevation of the natural bridge of Icononzo is 2748 feet above the level of the sea. Towns of the isthmus. Towns on or Atlantic The kingdom of Terra Firma is now become a rural solitude. The town of Porto Bello on the north sea, and that of Panama on the Pacific Ocean, were once in a flourishing condition, from their trade in the precious metals, which passed from Peru by the isthmus of Panama, to be transported to Europe. At present, Buenos Ayres is the entrepot. The isthmus of Panama, as well as the province of Darien, produces cocoa, tobacco, and cotton; but the air, at once humid and hot, renders these places almost uninhabitable. The country is hilly; but there are also fertile plains. Vegetation every where displays a surprising degree of luxuriance there. The rivers are numerous, and the waters of some of them bring down gold. At its narrowest part, the isthmus of Panama is only eight leagues in breadth. The rocky nature of the soil, however, opposes obstacles, probably of an insurmountable nature, to the opening of a navigable canal for large vessels. During these last few years Carthagena des Indes has the North become enlarged and embellished; and it now boasts of an Sea. episcopal see, a university, and a safe and deep harbour, defended by several forts;* but the unhealthiness of its environs is its best defence against a hostile army. Its population amounts to about 25,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of a province of the same name, a hot and humid country, covered with mountains and woods, but very fertile in every species of production. In order to avoid the excessive heat and the diseases that prevail during summer at Carthagena, those Europe Viajero Universal, XXII. p. 301, et seq. aus who are not habituated to the climate take refuge in BOOK the interior of the country, at the village of Turbaco, built LXXXVII. on a little eminence, at the entrance of a majestic forest, which extends as far as the river Magdalena. The houses are chiefly constructed of bamboo, and covered with palm leaves. Limpid springs issue from a calcareous rock which contains numerous remains of coral petrifactions; and a refreshing shade is afforded by the shining foliage of the Anacardium Caracolia, a tree of colossal size, to which the natives attribute the property of attracting, from a great distance, the vapours that float in the atmosphere. The land at Turbaco being elevated more than 900 feet above the level of the sea, enjoys a delicious coolness, especially during the night. A very curious phenomenon is observed in this heighbourhood. The volcancitos are Air volca situated at the distance of 18,000 feet to the east of the noes. village of Turbaco, in a thick forest, which abounds with the Toluifera balsamum, the gustavia with flowers of the Nymphea; and with the Cavanillesia mocundo, the numerous and transparent fruits of which resemble lanterns suspended from the extremity of the branches. The land gradually rises to a height of 120 or 150 feet above the village of Turbaco; but the soil being every where covered with vegetation, prevents us from distinguishing the nature of the rocks that rest upon the above-mentioned calcareous mass, impregnated with sea shells. In the middle of an extensive plain, enclosed on all sides by the Bromelia Karatas, eighteen or twenty small cones are observed, the height of which is not more than from twenty to twenty-five fect. These cones are formed of a blackish-grey clay, and in the top of each is found an opening filled with water. On approaching these little craters, is heard, at intervals, a hollow and pretty loud noise, which precedes, by fifteen or eighteen seconds, the disengagement of a great quantity of air. The force with which this air rises above the surface of the water induces us to suppose, that, in the interior. of the earth, it experiences a high degree of pressure. M. de Humboldt generally counted five explosions in two BOOK minutes. Very frequently this phenomenon is accompaniLXXXVII. ed with an ejection of mud. It is affirmed that the Towns of cones do not undergo any perceptible change of form during the space of a great number of years; but the force with which the gas ascends, and the frequency of the explosions, appear to vary according to the seasons. The analyses of M. de Humboldt have proved that the air thus disengaged, does not contain a thousandth part of oxygen.* It is azotic gas, of a purer quality than what we commonly prepare in our laboratories. Santa Martha, besides the advantage of a healthy situation, also boasts of a secure, spacious, and well-defended harbour. The province of Santa Martha is extremely fertile, contains mines of gold and silver, abundant salt springs, and manufactories of cotton and earthern ware. Rio de la Hacha, situated on the sea shore, and in a fertile district, was formerly enriched by a pearl fishery. To the south east of Santa Fe de Bogota, and in the inthe Interior terior of the country, we find the province of San Juan de los Llanos, the burning and sterile plains of which we have already described. But towards the south there are provinces more happily situated, and some considerable towns. Popayan, containing 20,000 individuals, the greater part of whom are Mulattoes, once flourished by means of its commerce, as an entrepot for Quito and Carthagena. It is built in a picturesque situation on the river Cauca, at the foot of the volcanoes Suroce and Sotara, which are covered with snow. Pasto is a small town, situated at the base of a terrible volcano, and surrounded by thick forests, among marshes, in which mules sink up to the breast. There is no method of reaching this place except through deep and narrow ravines, that resemble the galleries of a mine. The whole province of Pasto is an elevated plain, and chilled by an atmospheric temperature, almost below the point at which vegetation can exist; and surrounded by sulphur pits, which continually disengage volumes of See Researches, II. 98. Engl. Tr. |