one being about forty feet, and its length upwards of fifty, composed of solid rock, in the form of an arch, seven or eight feet thick at its centre. Below this, and rather advanced on one side of it, at the depth of sixty feet, is another bridge, formed still more singularly; for as the mountain appears to have been rent away, or drawn from the upper, the inferior one seems to have fallen from the mountain, and three enormous masses of rock have descended from the opposite sides of the chasm, in such a manner that the upper mass forms the key of the other two. This lower bridge cannot be visited without much risk, as a narrow path alone leads to it along the brink of the precipice. In the centre is a hole, through which the abyss below can be seen, and numberless flights of nocturnal birds are observed hovering over the water, which flows through so dark a cavern that the sides cannot be distinguished.

The province is noted at present for the production of a small quantity of gold, silver, gems, salt, and coal, and for the fertility of the plain near the capital. The woods abound with game, wild beasts, and birds; the rivers with fish and alligators; and the plains breed numbers of horses and mules, which are exported to Peru.

SECTION XVI.

CITY OF BOGOTA, &c.

THE metropolis of Cundinamarca is the city of Santa Fé de Bogota, in north latitude 4° 6', and west longitude 78° 30', near the river Funza, or Pati. It is situate in a spacious and luxuriant plain, to the east of the great chain of the Andes, and between it and its first parallel branch. It is also to the west of the Paramo of Chingasa, on an elevation; on the western declivity of which is the celebrated fall of the Tequendama.

Though this city is only four degrees from the equator, the elevation of 8694 feet above the level of the sea renders the temperature of the air so equable, that the Bogotians enjoy a perpetual spring.

The appearance of the plain of Bogota justifies the tradition of its having been formerly a lake low summits appear here and there like · islets; and the whole plain is at certain periods rendered marshy by the numerous streams which cross it in every direction.

The city is large, and handsomely built, containing four great squares; with wide, regular, and well laid out streets. Two small rivers, the San Francisco, and San Augustin, run through the town, and join the main stream of

the Funza at a short distance. Over these rivulets, five handsome bridges are erected. The cathedral is a magnificent structure, and forms the chief ornament of the place, which also contains three other churches, eight convents, four nunneries, and an hospital. The university was founded in the year 1610, since which time two colleges have been endowed for public education; and a library was established in 1772. There is also a mint, several courts of justice, and state offices.

The inhabitants amount to 30,000. They are represented as possessing agreeable manners, and much good sense, combined with a considerable degree of industry. The latter quality is manifested by the appearance of the plain surrounding the city, which they take so much pains with, as to cause it to produce two harvests in the year.

In the environs are some mines of gold, as well as of Peruvian emeralds. Salt and coal are found also in considerable quantities; but the difficulty of carriage renders the latter very expensive.

In Cundinamarca there are two mints, one in Popayan, and the other in Santa Fé. The coinage of the capital is greater than that of Popayan. The total coined produce of the gold mines, in 1801, was L.455,000; whilst wrought gold and ingots were exported to the amount of L.52,000; making the value of the

gold found during that year, L.507,000. This gold is not found by digging, although many mines with auriferous veins exist, but.by washing the alluvious grounds, and is chiefly collected by Negroes.

The inhabitants are in general not very wealthy; and most of them are occupied in the internal trade of the country.

1. TOCAIMA is fifty-six miles west of the capital, at a little distance from the river Pati or Bogota, in 4° 16' north latitude, 74° 59' west longitude, and near the confluence of the Pati with the Magdalena. It was founded in 1544. in a bad situation, destitute of springs, exposed to violent heats, and infested with venomous creatures.

The inhabitants are poor, and amount only to about 700.

In its vicinity are some mines of copper, but these are at present unworked.

It has, however, fertile plantations of cacao, tobacco, sugar, maize, yucas, plantains, and potatoes.

There are abundance of fish in the rivers Pati and Fusagasura, which are, however, infested with alligators.

2. LA VILLA DE LA PURIFICACION is on the southern bounds of this province, on the west bank of the Magdalena.

3. HONDA is the first port on the upper part of the great river. It is represented by Mr.

Bouguer as a pleasant little town, "une petite ville très riante," lying in north latitude 5o 16', and 72° 36′ 15′′ west longitude.

The river is navigable for barks a great distance from Honda towards its sources, so that this town is the mart of the commerce between the northern and southern provinces of New Grenada.

4. MARIQUITA is situate four leagues westsouth-west of Honda, on the little river Guali, which passes through the latter place into the Magdalena. It is eighty miles south from Santa Fé, in 5° 16' north latitude, and 74° 6' west longitude.

The town was formerly exceedingly rich and populous; but, owing to the want of exertion in the working of the mines, is now reduced to three hundred inhabitants, and to comparative insignificance.

This town was formerly much celebrated for its gold mines. Its district contains at present, on the west, the gold mines of Bocaneme and San Juan de Cordova, with those of Hervi, Malpasso, Guarino, and Puano; and, on the east, the silver mines of Santa Anna, Lojas, and Frias; the silver in these being mingled with the purest gold, which is extremely difficult to separate from it.

Mariquita is remarkable for having been the place where Ximenes de Quesada, the conqueror of New Grenada, died in the year 1597.