73 
Bogota^ into which flow the waters of the valley, 
forced its way through the mountains to the 
south-west of Santa F6. Near the farm of 
Tequendama, this river rushes from the plain by 
a narrow outlet into a crevice, which descends 
towards the basin of the river Magdalena. 
Were an attempt made to close this^ passage, 
which is the sole opening out of the valley of 
Bogota, these fertile plains would gradually be 
converted into a sheet of water like the Mexican 
lake. 
It is easy to perceive the influence of these 
geological facts on the traditions of the ancient 
inhabitants of these countries. We shall not 
• I 
decide, whether merely from the aspect of the 
country a people not far removed from civiliza- 
tion were led to form hypotheses on the first re- 
volutions of the Globe ; or whether the great 
inundations of the valley of Bogota were suffi- 
ciently recent, to have left traces on the memory 
of men. Historical traditions are every where 
blended with religious opinions ; and it may not 
be uninteresting in this place to mention those, 
which the conqueror of this country, Gonzalo 
Ximenes de Quesada, found disseminated among 
the Muyscas, Panchas, and Natagaymas, when 
he first penetrated into the mountains of Cundi- 
namarca *. 
^ See Lucas Fernandez Piedrahita, Obispo de Panama, 
