

JOURNEY TO QUITO. 299 



monte) in 4 35' North latitude, we found ourselves suddenly 

 upon an extensive plain embracing more than thirty-two square 

 leagues, which, though entirely devoid of trees, was covered with 

 crops of various kinds of European grain, and thickly dotted 

 with Indian villages. This plain (Llanura de Bogota) has been 

 formed by the drying up of the Lake of Funzhe, which plays 

 so important a part in the mythology of the Muyscas Indians. 

 The evil spirit, or the Moon a woman cast forth a deluge 

 which formed the lake. But the good spirit, Bochika, or the 

 Sun, shattered the rocks of Tequendama, where there is now the 

 celebrated waterfall, and the waters of the Lake of Funzhe 

 flowed away. The inhabitants, who had during the flood fled 

 to the neighbouring mountains, now returned to the plain, and 

 Bochika, after having given to the Indians a political constitu- 

 tion and laws similar to those of the Incas, retired to the Temple 

 of Sagamun, where he resided for 25.000 years, and thence 

 finally returned to his home in the Sun. 



4 Our arrival at Santa Fe resembled a triumphal procession. 

 The archbishop sent his carriage to meet us, and with it came 

 the persons of greatest distinction in the capital. A dinner 

 was provided for us at some distance from the city, and we 

 proceeded with a retinue of more than sixty persons on horse- 

 back. As the object of our coming was known to be a visit to 

 Mutis, who, on account of his great age, high position at court, 

 and personal character, is held in the greatest estimation by 

 all classes here, a certain degree of ceremony was accorded to 

 our reception, that through us the inhabitants might do him 

 honour. As the viceroy is forbidden by etiquette to entertain 

 any guest at his own table in the capital, he invited us to dine 

 with him at his country house at Fucha. Mutis had prepared 

 a house for us in his own neighbourhood, and received us with 

 the utmost cordiality and friendship. He is an excellent old 

 man, nearly seventy-two years of age ; he has been in holy 



Republican party were employed in widening and improving the road from 

 Honda to Bogota an undertaking rendered necessary by the requirements 

 of military communication, and to which the Government was urged by a 

 powerful political reaction. The road speedily assumed a new aspect ; and 

 thus was easily and rapidly accomplished, during a time of bloody civil war, 

 a work which had never even been attempted by the Spaniards during their 

 peaceful occupation of the country for nearly 300 years. 



