140 BOGOTA'. 



The usual sitting of the congress is three 

 months ; but this year, in consequence of the , 

 great press of business, by a vote of both 

 Houses, the sessions was prolonged thirty 

 days. It terminated its arduous labours (in 

 which it is but justice to say the members 

 were indefatigable in their exertions) on the 

 7th of August. In the last sitting there 

 was a law passed, granting the exclusive 

 right of the Pearl Fishery of Colombia, for 

 ten years, to Messrs. Rundell, Bridge, and 

 Rundell, of London, being the most valu- 

 able grant which the Government has yet 

 bestowed, and which I considered inferior 

 to none, except the cutting the Isthmus of 

 Panama, so as to form a communication, by 

 steam vessels, between the Atlantic and 

 Pacific Oceans; which I have ascertained, 

 from accurate survey, to be perfectly practi- 

 cable, and have in consequence formed a 

 company in Bogota, who are to lay before 

 ^he ensuing congress proposals to that effect. 



