New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-06-30
MEMORANDA
TIE Valley Of the Ma<dsIe"s'

80 .r, o.. ,sh.,, ihs same distance from the
western verge Of the vsyey, ut an ALTITUDE much less
but not warm in propoaon: r - ,o...,., %
vitbin 700 sf 5erSps Of the scalsve and have seen
ths Tod 90 What suerings must have endured
from hesti wat snscondas and boas, Jaguars and
ppmas. I must save killed OF run away from what
nerils from rstesDskes robbers scorpions cenuPedes
"a o,har sx.tures Of that ilk, must have escaped
C. ss..ay am still alive, whatever my friends may
su,nect 70 The contrary notwithstanding! And have
snceuntsfed all these perils on footyes absolutely on
go afrsyv 10 the advice Of every friend could con-
80 An urged me to abandon the idea was to be
sss.d by feyer-kied 10y heatused up by fatigue-and
sYtsrmnsted generally. We shall see.
took an early start from Fusagasuga On Tuesday,
mr. January with two good baggage mules and good
neon Said good peon failed 10 in season, and my
TAT vas early only comparatively speakins-that s
rose At 4 and left little after 10. had provided
myself with bread and chocolate for i've days, and
gcodsized fowl Come meat sent me. but looked
20 green and smelt strong, that sent it back pre-
sning TO take my chance.
Nv first daye journey was on that inclined plane On
the upper eastern end Of which Fusagasuga stands On
my right, had the river Fusagasugs, and beyond,
chain Of mountains almost without spurs. On my left
was stream formed by the union Of all the streams
passed my way to Pandi all Of which then supposed
bowed separately into the Fusagasuga Beyond this,
on the south continual succession OF spurs OF the
eastern branch ofthe Andes.
This plane is broken across in one place by deep do
preston but in other respects very uniform In charac,
ter grassy stony and basky. The whole day appeared
Ike walk for pleasure in park only the steady gradu
al descent seemed toe good to ast-too much IKE the
broad and easy road we taught 10 snun
Ny downward way had an unexpected termination
like many an other The path entered clump of trees
and in single rod found myself almost surrounded BY
an abyss / was point Of land which mad narrowed
inperceptibIy till before me lay the boquerOn ms
roiqe appeared from Fussgasuga like narrow PLAN be-
tween two hills for the spot where nov stood seemeda
part oft. Now ii lay beneath me narrow, crooked
chasm, Just admitting river to pass it.
Idescended crossed the united streams from the
MAINTAIN spars by bridge Of poles, and in few rods
further came to the suma Psz itself aud waited at the
ferry for NY mules suppose this ferry Is Two or three
leagues below the Nobero Bridge The stream ltsei Is
not so mild merit the name Of Perfect Peace when
IL borroys from the awful mountain hight IN which II H.
SEES Here perhaps is the only spot above its junction
with the Fusagasuga where it would admit boat
found ii here quite rapid and over my head Just below,
after receiving the stream crossed, untes with the
Fussgasuga and below the junction bears beth names
1t preserves rather the direction ethe Fusagasuga but
the Suma Paz furnishes much the larger body oil water
A. whole the junction Of these three rivers resembles
Harpers Ferry, perhaps the most beautiful spot in the
United States
Granadan ferry is q serious event In days jour
ney. The mules TO be unlOaded and compelled 10
SWIM and the baggage is to be placed in canoe and
ferred across all is again 10 be adjusted TO the backs
of the beasts The more the beasts course the worse
the detention Now it fortunately just at night,
and the reloadng but partial The fare ia generally
high to be something of al object to the parish to
whose treasury IL falls Here was nall dIne eacn
perkOD and mule-load
We slept better for having the ferry behind There
were two houses the bank and the peon selected the
largest My chicken and chocolate were placed on the
FIRE az soon az the mules put at ease and fin
ished Inv dinner before dark i had cut some candles
into three pieces; one of these lighted and read
ill was sleepy, sung my hammock, and found myself
more comfortable in it than could have been in any
bed In New.York Various oxides were laid down on
The earthen floor for the beds Of the family and my pe0n
This is the bed of the Granadan peasant and he sleeps
on IL in the clothes he in the day and with no other
deyotions than crossing himself find the practice OF
smoking in bed very dsagreeable.
rose at daylight, my chocolate was made at once,
and while the mules leading set out As init
mated had TO rise out of the guph where slept.
This pleasant enough for me- but horrible thing
for the poor mules While they were tOllng on far be-
hind me L set myself to watch ants, with light
bodies and sharp black heads Their path lay across
stone that formed of the stairs OF the road, and
they were pouring along 1t IN vast numbers l
moistened my finger in the oil of chocolate, and
drew il across their path as to destroy the scent
but not otherwise impede their progress For
long time all communication was suspended and large
crowd collected each side OF the obstacle, resembling
(parya cOmponere magnis those at Fulton Ferry when
the pilots struck There they stood their with
In an ants length OF each other evidently not knowing
the way. Once discovered they crossed the oily spot
freely then made an sthmus with two drops OF oil
rather too narrow for ants gauge. They found this
All this while the poor mules were toilng up the
mountain At length l reached point where must
take last look at Fusagasuga. Beneath me lay the june
tons of the three rivers and the channel by which
they made their way the Magdelena Beyond lay the
slipping plain which journeyed yesterday and at the
further end the mountains which formed the buttment TO
the plain Of Bogota Far TO the right could just dis
tingush the walls Of the basin, from which the Suma z
passes by its deep channel beneath the bridge of and
On the left the long, straight mountain, that formed
the right bank of the Fusagasugs had assumed sngu
lar aspect 1t naked OF vegetation and black, aud
almost as regular as the roof Of house bat il d.
yded into large irregular patches by means OF vivid
green of uniform width, and apparen'! consisting OF
grass without bushes The rock of basaltic color,
but believe il is solid red sandstone, judging at dis
lance.
turned Ny view was limited by other mountain
spurs but could see that the mountain opposite here
receded from the river leaving space for plain OF
great hight and width green and apparently as per
ct As auy lawn that ever from the hands OF land
scape gardener Beyond all shut in with hills as was
also ali this side the river except little valley OF palms
and treeferns.
In corner Of this valley was hidden cottage az which
Twas TO breakfast Here found two or three disgusting
women one making cigars with one hand, and h0ldnga
babe the breast with the other On the earth Moor
were two little girls about beginning 10 walk one COW
cred with dirt the OtherHith dirt sud rags Fortunately
NEEDED nothing from the house and after finishing my
fowl with the aid Of the two little monkes went on nay
way.
A few ups and downs, and turns, opened TO nv view
the broad torrid valley OF the Magtaena, varied by
mountsns woods meadows AMI streams. l cannot
.tteIart 20 describe IT, / only say was wondrous
hrH To this lower level were now 70 descend just
as the day was waxing warm. Now came the test. Ny
Rua that bore my trunks acted as II she Vas possessed
AL along she had been IN the practice OF running on
ahead and when she had gained enough she would lie
down putting the peon the trouble OF adjusting her
cargo each time Now she raced on and had enough