72 
FALL OF THE TEQUENDAMA* 
PLATE VI. 
The elevated plain, on which stands the city of 
Santa Fe de Bogota, resembles in a variety of 
circumstances that which is surrounded by the 
Mexican lakes. Each of these plains is higher 
than the summit of St. Bernard, the first being 
two thousand six hundred and sixty, and the 
second two thousand two hundred and seventy- 
seven metres above the level of the ocean. The 
valley of Mexico is bounded by a circular wall 
of mountains of porphyry, and its centre is co- 
vered with water : for the numerous torrents, 
which rush into the valley, found no outlet, 
until the Europeans had dug the canal of Hue- 
huetoca. The plain of Bogota is also encircled 
by lofty mountains ; and the perfect level of the 
soil, its geologial structure, the form of the 
rocks of Suba and Facatativa, which rise like 
small islands in the midst of the savannahs, seem 
all to indicate the existence of an ancient lake. 
The river of Funzha, usually called Rio de 
