443 



Zumbador, and Porqueras, towards the Sierra 

 Nevada de Merida. These Paramos indicate 

 ten partial risings of the back of the Cordille- 

 ras. The declivity of the eastern chain is ex- 

 tremely rapid on the eastern side, where it- 

 bounds the basin of the Meta and the Oroono- 

 ko ; it is widened on the west by the counter- 

 forts, on which are situated the towns of Santa 

 Fe de Bogota, Tunja, Sogamoso, and Leiva. 

 They are like table-lands fixed to the western 

 declivity, and which are from 1300 to 1400 

 toises high ; that of Bogota, (the bottom of an 

 ancient lake), contains bones of Mastodontes, 

 in the Campo de Gigantes, near Suacha. 



The intermediary, or central chain, runs on 

 the east of Popayan, by the high plains of Ma- 

 basa, the Paramos of Guanacas, Huila, Savelil- 

 lo, Iraca, Baraguan^ Tolima # , Ruiz, and Her- 

 veo, towards the province of Antioquia. In the 

 5° 15' of latitude, this chain, the only one that 

 displays recent traces of volcanic fire, in the 



The Paramos of the Almosadero and Toquillo are the most 

 lofty summits which, on the road from Merida to Santa Fe 

 de Bogota, do not enter the region of perpetual snows. MM. 

 Rivero and Boussingault found that the Paramo of Almor- 

 sadero is passed at the elevation of 2010 toises, and the 

 Paramo of Cacota at 1700 toises. 



* The passage of the Montana de Quindiu, on the road 

 from Tbaque to Carthago, is between the Nevados of Tolima, 

 and Baraguan. 



