61 
PASSAGE OF QUINDIIJ5 
IN THE 
CORDILLERA OF THE ANDES, 
PLATE V. 
In the kingdom of New Grenada^ from 2"^ SO 
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 
