61 



PASSAGE OF QUINDIUj 



CORDILLERA OF THE ANDES. 



PLATE V 



In the kingdom of New Grenada, from 2° 30 

 to 5° 15' of northern latitude, the Cordillera of 

 the Andes is divided into three parallel chains, 

 of which the two lateral only are covered at very 

 considerable heights with gritstone, and other 

 secondary formations. The eastern chain di- 

 vides the valley of the river Magdalena from the 

 plains of Rio Meta. The natural bridges of 

 Icononzo, of which we have just given the de- 

 scription, are situate on its western declivity. 

 Its highest summits are the Paramo de la Summa 

 Paz, and that of Chingasa. Neither of these 

 attains the region of perpetual snows. The 

 central chain divides the waters between the 

 basin of the river Magdalena and that of Rio 

 Cauca. It often attains the limits of the per- 

 petual snows, and greatly surpasses it in the 



