﻿NEW ORANADA. 



NEW ORANADA. 



Bis CUiMk Mow If ompox ; it than igaio tnna to tb* north And runs 

 tbraogih • wida (aikin, put Banmou, to the Oaribbeui Sml About 

 M mil«a from ita mouth it diricUa into two faranobea, of which that 

 whi^ ooDtiDoaa dua north ii tba prinoipal, and forms at ita outlet 

 tha aaudl harbour of SayaniUa ; bat (hia braneh ia Uttla navigatad. 

 The other bnaoh, whioh toma to the north-eaat and ia much more 

 naed, forma in ita eoona aareral anukU lakn and terminataa in the 

 Cieoiga da Santa Maria, an extcoaiTe lagoon, or aalt-watar lake^ with 

 a mean depth of 6 or 7 feet, whioh oommnnicates with the sea b; a 

 narrow canal aome milea aouth-weat of Santa Marta, but haa a bar 

 at ita entimttoe. The whole oourae of tba Magdalma Kiver ia about 

 1000 milea. 



The Tallegr of the Magdalena abore Honda extenda in a generally 

 lerel plain, whiidi haa an eleration little ahert of 2000 feet above the 

 aea. The river and ila tributariea run in smaller vallejra 3 ur 4 miles 

 wide and a few hnndnd feet depreaaed below the surface of the plain. 

 At Rmbo de Qnayacana, nttirly due weet of Bogotji, the mirfaoe of the 

 Ilagdalaaa u still ISOO feet above the aea-leveL The valley a along the 

 livm produce abundaotly sugar, tobacco, cacao, and the common 

 agiiavltaral eropa of the tropics, yama, mandioc, maize, batatas, and 

 hananaa The upper plain ia in some parts fertile ; in others rather 

 atoriK and covered with bushy trees. The seasons an regular. In 

 Jnaa, July, and Auguat not a drop of rain falls ; between September 

 and February showara are rather fV«quent. Heavy raina follow in 

 Fefaraary, Hamh, and April, and the weather in May is variable. 

 Every day a strong wind begins towarda noon to blow from the 

 acuth. and continues till aun-set ; it causes great heat, but is regarde<l 

 aa healthy. The narrow part of the vdley between Honda and 

 Badillo and the wider one north of Badillo are very little elevated 

 above the river, and therefore subject to (Sequent inundations. 

 Thon^ fertile and producing large crops, especially of rice, it is very 

 little mhabited, on account of ita unhealthineea, being subject to daily 

 raina, and never enjoying the slightest breese except when thunder- 

 storms occur, whioh are common during the night. The vapours 

 arising Irom the numerona awampa and pools render it extremely 

 nnheafthy. 



The Xio Ccntea rises in the Paramo de Ouanacas, east of the volcano 

 of Poraoe, and not for from the sources of the Magdalena. It runs 

 nearly due weat for about 60 miles in a narrow valley between high 

 noontaina, paaaing within a mile of Popayan. It then turns north, 

 and, at the village of (juilachou, enters a •nUej about 30 miles wide, 

 and extending to the north of Cartage nearly 180 milea. The course 

 of the river is gentle. About 30 miles norUi of Cartago it enters a 

 narrow glen, formed by the high mountains on both sides ; whioh 

 does not contain level ground enough for a road. In this glen the 

 river flows with astonishing ra|>idity, forming a succession of rapids 

 and catancta, from Salto de S. Antonio to Boca de Espiritu Santo 

 about 120 milea, and within this distance &lls probably not less than 

 S600 feet, its elevation at Cartago being about 3000 feet above the sea. 

 laaoing from this glen it enters a wider valley, which grows still wider 

 north of the town of Antioquia, where the river declines to the north- 

 aaat and meets the Magdalena below Mompox. The whole oourae of 

 the river ia above 700 milea. 



The wida valley of the Upper Cauea ia from 3000 to 4000 feet above 

 da aaa level, and baa a heUthy and not very hot dimato and regular 

 aaaaooa. The two rainy aeaaona occur about Uie time of the equinoxes, 

 with an interval of dry seasons between them. Along the river the 

 plain ia low and marshy, subject to periodical inundations and mostly 

 ovetgrown with rushes and reeds, but at no great distance fh>m ita 

 banka the country rises higher and extends partly in savannahs and 

 partly in wooded plains. In many diatrieta it ia cultivated, and pro- 

 doeea rioa and maue in abundance, aa well aa sugar, cacao, coSise, and 

 tofaaceo ; but by far the grsateat part aervea aa pasture-ground for 

 muiMraaa herds of cattle and horaea. About Cartago the surface of 

 thaphdn is undulating and leas fertile. In the bills which skirt the 

 <^ntnd Andes are thick layers of a reddish sand, which contains 

 naaMroBS paitidaa of gold. In the lower part the valley of the Cauoa 

 f sa mll sa naarally that of the Magdalena below Honda. 



Tbs t*oSao ol New Oranada ia noticed generally under Avoxs. 

 Ma minaiBl riahaa are eonaidsrable, and mostly occur on the western 

 daeUvity of the three chains of the Andt a They oonsist of gold, silver, 

 platinum, merciuy, copper, lead, iron, and rook-salt Oold seems to 

 oocnr along the whole westom decUvity of the Central and Western 

 Andaa, and is obtained by wosliiug the sand of the livers, or that on 

 tba foot and sides of some bills. In the Eastern Andes it is found on 

 the toble-landa of Qirona and Cttouta. Silver oooun on the table-lands 

 gf Oirona and Cncuta. There are also some rich mines in the moun- 

 toia lagiao north of 6' SO', between the Magdalena and Cauoa. 

 FUrtklua oeoon on the western declivity of the Western Andes. 

 Mercury is foiiod in the vaUey of SanU Rosa, near Antioquia, and In 

 the Central Aodas near the mountain paas of Quindiu. Copper ooouia 

 in the Kaatem Andes, north of Tn^ja and near Pamplona. Load baa 

 basa disoovsnd in varioua paito of tba Eastern Andes. Iron and 

 ooal are found in ths mountaiDS bordering on the toble-land of fiogoth. 

 Boek-aalt in laige ma a i as occurs in some mountains north-east of 

 Bogotk, and is worked by the government Borne salt-springs in these 

 ■oaataiaa also fnmisb a large quantity of salt 



r n d m Mu m i, O tm m tr u, <fe.— From tba great divsnity of aorfaoe. 



soil, and dimato in New Oranada, the natural productions are 

 extremely varied, including not only those of the W'lut Indirs, but 

 also those of the tompersto Bono. These products are apeoiAad oaors 

 particuhffly in noticing ths aeveral districU of the oounlty. Here it 

 will be sufficient to observe generally, that over the table-land, of 

 Bogotk, and the country north of it along the wsatom declivities of 

 the Eastern Cordillera, wheat and other European grains, potatoes, 

 and the aracaduMvot, are the principal objeoU of culture ; while in 

 the valleys of the great rivers, and on the plains along the coast, maiae 

 is the chief grain raised for food, with rice, plaotaina, and swset 

 potatoes ; and that cacao, cotton, tobacco, coffee, and some sugar and 

 indigo are cultivated as artides of oommorce. Many useful Icimls of 

 trees are found in the forests; but almost the only oaes whidi are 

 converted into artidee of export are the Brazil, fustic, Nicaragua, and 

 logwood, trees which grow moat abundantly in the forests of the 

 Sierra de Santa Marta. Cinchona is obtained in huge quantitiea in 

 the same region, and in various other places. Ipecacuanha i« hugely 

 collected on the banks of the Uio Magdalena, and balaam of TolA on 

 the banks of the Itio Sinu. The Uanoa and plains support vast hards 

 of cattle, which furnish tossjo, ur jerked beef, and hides ai artielaa of 

 commerce. Horses, mules, and horned cattle are exported to the 

 West lodiea. 



The manufacturing industry of New Oranada is of little importance. 

 It is limited to woollen and cotton stuffs of a coarse texture only 

 adapted for the U8e of the lowar classes, and mostly made by the 

 consumers ; and the commoner artidee of every-day use. 



The commerce of New Oranada waa muob greater before ito inde- 

 pendence than it is now, a drciunstenoe which is chiefly to be attri- 

 buted to the effects of almost incessant internal war, and the unsettled 

 steto of ite government ; but the Witut of means of comuuuication 

 with the interior is a great hindrance to the commerce of the country. 

 The greater part of the interior is in fact unable to export its pro- 

 duce for want of roads and other means of communication. The 

 tracts which border on the sea being mostly covered with swamps and 

 morasses, and consequently very unhealthy, endanger the life of thoae 

 who venture to traverse them. Neither of the more healthy provinces 

 of the republic con send ite produce without great expense to any 

 of its harbours except the valley of the Upper Magdalena. The most 

 fertile tract is the valley of the Upper Cauca, but this is overywharo 

 surrounded by high mouutaius ; and as thd river becomes unfit for 

 navigation on issuing from tho valley, this district is obliged to 

 convey its produce over one of the two great ranges whioh incloao it. 

 Both however are so exceedingly steep as not to admit the use of 

 beasU of burden, and all merchandise is carrie<l over on the bocks of 

 men. The entiro imports of New Oranada average in value less than 

 900,000/. ; the exporta, 600,000/. The importe from Oreat Britaiu, 

 which usually amount to nearly three-liftbs of the whole, were returned 

 at 450,604/. in 1853. 



Inhabitantt. — The population of New Onnada consiste of the 

 descendants of the Spaniards who have settled there during the three 

 lost centuries, of some native tribe^ and a few negroes. The Africans 

 and their descendants were much more numerous before the war of 

 iudepeudeuoe ; but as they were ths best soldiera that tho couutry 

 could furnish, the war has nearly annihilated that hardy race. The 

 native tribes have attained very different degrees of dvilisatiuu. Those 

 inhabiting the table-lauds along the EUsteru Andes had before tllb 

 arrival of the Spaniards formed a political society, and mode some 

 progress in the oris of civilisation ; they cultivated Indian corn and 

 the aracaoha-root They are still the best husbandmen of the republic; 

 and the Indian families liviug in the valley of the Upper Mogduleua 

 resemble them, lu the valley of the Cauoa there are no ludiaus. In 

 the country between the Western Andes and the Padfic the native 

 tribes constitute neai-ly tho whole of its scanty populatiou. They 

 have made only small progress in civilisation, au<l this little they owe 

 to the bpouish clergy established amuug tliem. That portiou of the 

 llanos which is destitute of trees is inhabited only by the descendante 

 of Europeans, who toke care of the herds of cattle, mules, and horses. 

 The southern wooded portion of tho llanos is inhabited by differaut 

 tribes of wandering Indians, still in the lowest stage of civilisation. 

 Uubner estimates the numbers of tho various races in New Oranada 

 as follows : — White Caucoaiaus, 450,000 ; dviliaed native Americans, 

 301,000; Negroes, 80,000; Metis (or descendants of Spiuiiurds and 

 natives), nearly 1,000,000; MuUttuea^ 283,000; Quadroues, 30,000; 

 Samoyea, 120,000; Zambas (chiefly iu Magdalena), 100,000. 



Pfditical IHeinon*, Tuwiu, Jsc — The republic of New Oranada is 

 divided into four departmento — Cauoa, Cundinamarca, Boyaca, and 

 Magdalena. The population of ths towns in the following notice must 

 be taken as a rough estimate : — 



1. Cauca extends over the Isthmus of Panama, with the contiguous 

 province of Veragtui [Panama], whioh formerly constituted the depart- 

 ment of Istmu; tho whole of the western coast from the Bay of Panama 

 to Barbacoaa, on the boundary of Kcuodor; and tho valleys of the 

 rivers Atrato, San Juan, and the Upper Cauca. Its principul produc- 

 tions are gold and platinum, the produce of ite herds in the volley of 

 the Upper Cauca, and cacao along the coast of the Pacific. In this 

 department is the canal of Raspadura, which unites the Son Juan and 

 Atrato rivers. [Atratu.J The principal town is Popayan, popiilatiuii 

 20,000, situated not for from the sources of the Cauoa Itiver, 54>24 



I 



