138 Travels and Adventures 



ning out of the mountain has given rise to many 

 legends, imputing miraculous power to its limpid 

 waters. All that I saw about the water was that it 

 appeared to me the purest and most sparkling I have 

 ever seen. Another, and perhaps the most important 

 of all the natural beauties of the surroundings of 

 Bogota, is the celebrated waterfall, called El Tequen- 

 dama, which is situated at a distance of about twelve 

 miles from the city, in a south-westerly direction. 

 The journey to the falls on horseback is very pleasant. 

 The bridle-path runs through the fertile plantations 

 and richly stocked pastures of the Colombian farmers. 

 At a considerable distance the low, rumbling roar of 

 the cataract may be heard, resembling distant thunder, 

 and the nearer one approaches the falls the more 

 beautiful the scenery. The river Funza, first coming 

 from the higher Andes, at this altitude winds peace- 

 fully over a comparatively level plain, until it comes 

 to a fearful abyss, over which the waters dash, to fall 

 a distance of four hundred and fifty feet. Tne mighty 

 precipices which wall in this wild rush of water rise to 

 a height of about five hundred feet ; they are beauti- 

 ful with flowering shrubs, mosses, selaginellas, and 

 orchids, which, in many instances, are suspended over 

 the boiling waters, while large crowds of tropical birds 

 move about amongst the suspended vegetation, lend- 

 ing a tint of colour and life to the grim boulders. 



