Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-07-21

AASou4d' We DCuOiu opdCiouc ldhCo
and the river meandering below us and
altogether we enjoyed view Of this in.
terestiug plain, and its adjacent noun
tains, perhaps 10 greater advantage
than from any other position we could
have selected, at the same time inhal-
ing an atmosphere as mild and saIubrious
as ever morlals breathed We had no
thermometer with US, but we Judged
the temperature at about 68 or 70 OF
Fahrenheit. The summit from whence
we enjoyed the superb prospect is or
600 feet above the valley. Even the
mountains which surrounded the charm
ing plain, exhibited a scenery entirely
new TO us. They were clothed with
down or heritage of perpetual green
and, though many of them were ecvat-
ed and romantic, yet they conveyed an
idea of The sublime and beautiful, with
out any of the terror of mountain scenes.
From the summit before mentioned,
we gradually descended about $40 feet,
through forests of majestic trees, cloth
led with deep green, and where every
Fnch ofground bore unerring evidences
Iof eSuberant vegetation; where every
plant ofthe temperate zone would -four
fish in kindred soil; but excepting one
Ior two small spots of rude culture, all
the rest Of this beautiful mountain region
was as silent as the sepulchre, save only
pow and then bird of beautiful plu-
image caught our eyes in the thicket, or
bur ears with its melodious notes.
Il We reached level spot, where we
left our horses, and descended about
ne hundred and fifty feet, where the
| Ta(to Of lecuondona burst upon our
flew; a small river about forty yards
Fide, rushed down between two noun
bins, until it approached the edge Of
be precipice, where it precipiately
discharged a column Of water about rs
yhrds in width, and ten in diameter, into
tie great abyss below. This chasm of
the mountain is what is usually called
BGrrdncG-on both sides it was nearly
perpendicular, consisting of layers of
granite its hight was about 1000 to 1900
eet,above this body of stone-the coun-
try On each side was crowned with large
forest trees, gradually rising to an i'm
mense height, and presenting the finest
scene [ ever beheld; at the spot where
the water fell into the Barranca was a.
bout GOO feet according 10 the measure
ment Of Humboldt, but many of the ma
tives of Bogoia give to the falls much
greater descent-but, as Humboldt, in
general, is accurate in his measurement
of the various heights in America, and
had the advantage of the best instru-
menls, his account is much more 10 be
relied on, than the vague opinions of
individuals.
1t is absolutely impossible to describe
the effect produced OH the spectator in
viewing this extraordinary saIto, neilh-
er is it in the power of language to de-
pict, or the pencil ofthe painter 10 con-
vey, any just idea ofthe novelty of the
scene. | felt emotions of pleasure and
surprise mingled with most profound
awe. Some Of the hardest among Us,
veatured to approach the edge Of the
prec;pice,. but after view of a few sec
onds into the great abyss below, invol-
untarily shrunk back. found the SAT-
est and best mode was to crawl on my
belly TO the brink of the precipice,
which adopted, and thus deliberately
enjoyed profitable view of this stu
penduous Salto. | beheld a body of
water of the dimensions before describ-
ed, falling in the air more than six hun
dred feet perpendicuIarly; it resem.
bles dense body of falling snow in a
storm the rays OF the sun striking in
to the foam and vapour, produced an
infinite variety of rainbows and eccen-
trio appearances, excelling in novelty
and grandeur all that the most vivid
! imagination can conceive; at the bot,
tom of the Barranca, where the water
fell, expected rapid torrent would
have been produced, but the contrary
is the fact. 1t being an ordinary stream
gliding placidly over lodges of rocks
Humboldt accounts for this by suppos
ing that the body of water in its grea
descent in the air, is expended in va
pour before it reaches the bottom o
the Barranca
! | consider the fal! of Tecuendana t.
be about 40 feet lower than the plair
of Bogota. This plain, accor&.og f
Humboldt, is $3.50 feet above the lev
ell Of the sea, and, throughout the who'll
year is blessed with "A climate NOR,
pure and salubrions than | think is t.
be found in any other part of the earth
and has this peculiar advantage, thai
at distance ofnot more than one day:
Journey from Bogota, all the produc
tons of the tropics Can be raised; henc
the market of Bogola presents to In
astonished stranger the spectacle of tn
various frnjfs of all Zopna. bara VIZ