DRAINING THE LAKE. 257 



Oct. 25th. Having completed the canal, 

 so that eight feet of water might be drawn 

 from the lake in two or three days, I de- 

 termined on opening an embouchure, suf- 

 ficient to let two square feet of water keep 

 running out during the night. This I did, 

 and retired to rest with the pleasing noise 

 of the roar of the water dashing through 

 the canal, and winding its way to the plains 

 below. 



Oct. 26th. Repaired, by daylight, to the 

 entrance of the lake, which I found had 

 decreased about six inches; but, as 1 anti- 

 cipated, considerable damage was done to 

 the canal, the force of the water gradu- 

 ally wearing away the slate and sand-stone 

 rock. I therefore stopped the running of the 

 water; determined on making a saw-pit; and 

 cutting some hundreds of planks from the 

 neighbouring wood, by means of requisite 

 tools obtained from Bogota by a peon des- 



VOL. II. s 



