New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-17
First Impressions or Bogeta.


The very first impression that Bogota makes
i. on the soes of the feet and that Is by no
agreeable one You feel that il 10 making beast Of
you by making you contend with packmules for pas
sage along the cobblestone pavement There are no
brick sidewalks and few of fla, stone. These but
two feet wide, and are highly priced by the mules
string Of them fail take possession when they
come in their way.
Look at the houses None more than two
stories; most are but one. They are whirewsshed,
bu, not white. They have plenty Of front, large,
ugly portal snd few small grated windows, from
which the female inhabitants to be constantly
looking like prisoners.
The poor live on the ground floors Of the twostory
houses in tenements Of one room, with no access 70
court or yard. II msy incredible, but they have
none of the outbuidinss domestic conveniencies
thought necessary elsewhere. men and women openly
resortng to the streets in broad day for purposes
which civilized people keep private There are
no sewer no drainage and the ground floors are gen.
orally damp; hence the second floors are occu-
pied by the rich, and 60 extremes meet. noticed
that poor family quartered in this way in the corner
of the palace. But here we come 10 horse with his
head in door and his heels out in the middle Of the
street We mu,t make the circuit Of them-ever
passer has done so for half hour past never knew
horse mule or ess to kick In this country.
Here we come 10 the square. In the center Is q
handsome statue of Bolivar in bronze erected at the
expense Of his wealthy friend, Pope Paris. Bolivar
gave him his house in the suburbs Pope es;ng there
one day with Bolivar and other friends, one Of them
had the audaciiy drink TO Bolivar, that ne might be-
come King of Columbia. Pope gave the next toast 1t
was "Bolvar-if he ever becomes king msy his blood
flow like this wine"-dashing il with the word TO the
foor All was silent Bolivar sprang up, caught Paris
in his arms and embraced him. When they ask me
what sxtues besides Washngtons we have in our
squares what must ! mskei On the lower
(west) side Of the square is the only handsome build
ing in the city II is house OF three stories, the lower
elevated foot above the level Of the street.
with decent sized Windows piazza running tire whole
length Of two stories II Is painted yellow and In all
these particulars II resembles other building in Bo
gotta. This civilized building which would be an
nsment to any country town, is partly public property,
and contains the Post Office and the city Offices
On the east side occupying, of course, the most
spicuous site in the city the Cathedral ahuge build
ing lie useless for TO condemn the church fronts
here for forewan you that consider Gothic architec
ure only fit for dungeons and my plus ultra Of ug
lines iE at the corner of sxhavenue and aOh street.
But do say that the Cathedral is low thar nothing
il but huge buildings within IT, which prevent
getting any complete view of the interior, while
being on eide hill the front is necessarily elevated SIX
or eight feet from the ground, and approached by
steps running the whole length Of the square the
squstness Of the building ia concealed within and with
out.
The platform In front Of the Cathedral chapel and
Custom House which form the upper side tae square
s the Change Of Bogsts The north side OF the square
Is occupied by private buildings the south by the
foundations OF Capitol laid many years since. The
legislative bodies meet, think in some Convent Go
up from the soutesst Of the square and on your
right Is first old Convent containing Church, the
principal concert room, in which half the audience
face the other half the National College Museum and
Library. Next above Is the Palace, which would be
psssed without discovery but fora sentinel and soldiers
lounsng about the door. Above on the right Is the
Theater. a phenomenon of ugliness more like
slaughter house than anything else 1t is open only
Sunday evenings the all having other occups
tlons for the rest Of the week
would like TO praise Bogots but cannot say that
ia the Joy Of the whole earth" for beauty The in
terror Of the houses il better Let US enter one of
them. We pass TO the inner door over pavement Of
small black stones and white verte+re Of beef dis
posed in fancy figures marking the date Of the build
ing Here you give the door one hard blow with the
palm Of your hand The answer Is "who 7" 10 which
you innoeeptly reply Az The door is held to by the
rude contrivAnee Of hanging Ahesvy stone by thong
OF hide TO nail over il. opens and you pass into
court ornGmepted with aowers The psrlor adjoining
is spacious airy and pleasant Ii has several chnz.
covered sof4s some chairs seated and backed with
leather, on which perhaps the Granadian arms are
painted and q center table A saint two and some
religious engrayngs, lthograph, from Paris adorn the
waIls
The floor Is matted and has cleany aspect although
has already been spit upon by thousand men lover
nine hundred Of them smokers) and a. many women
of whom no. than 250 are seen 10 smoke u pub
&c. All spit; The women spit on the church aoor on
any spot unOccuped by knees. The priest kneeis at
within six inches OF where his saliva lies not vet
dry. was sick once and hal paper lying on chair
to spi on. servsn; brought me a mat for the pur.
pOse ard then turned round and spit on the floor Par
don this DEPRESSION bot Il consolation to me 10 find
my eOuntrymen far oa,done in what Is charged
upon rs a nsiionsl charact ristic
To return TO the psrlor The Windows are hizh. but
we can step mp by place left in the thickness Of the
Wsl for the purpose open the sab doors snl look ou
on the psssers. IRE walls you see sre enorlnously
thick They are maze OF large uaburut bricks They
are more secure IN earthquakes than brek or stone
EogoiA has never been hurt but its inhabitants we're
terribly frightened many years since Much praying
was DONE mary marriages too, place and many child
In that hour Of terror learned for the frs time. the
nsrae Of his father
But lock again ii the parlor You see uo books ly-
ing about 10 pamphlets, no papers. These Las: YOU
mise. BosOia has nine weekly papers aud no sailes
The papers contain no news and very few advertise
raenis. Nuoh Of the tslen; Of the papers q spent n
acrimonious discussion. a. 70 books eecsvely there
IS hut one book in BoSotA large share Of the
books there are devotional The schooi-Sooks sre
very Poor sEd q hies Tor schools they appear
entirely destitute. except srrs one that does not
even contain map Of the world. Their arishmstscs
contain few examples for Practice.
sPeaksg Of books Il you want 4 Spanish Bible here
you had beseT enns with you. soon after ne 10.
dependence Of the country Bible Society wAs formed