Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-05-05
ErlleraI SairlIiarnte.
FALLS OF "GUACHINANG0."
. crs,t natural Curiosity In Mexico.

A Great Natural Curiosity In Mexico
Among the most stupendous and maRnifi
cent objects with which nature has en-, chec
MEXICAN territory, may be classed the falls
of Guachinango, which are scarcely known
to the inhabitants Of those regions, much
less by the foreigners who reside there
and AS vet none have ever made study OF
the same, and investigated them scientific
ally,
While we read daily lengthy and grand.
iloouent descriptions of the cataract oil
Niagara of the falls of Tequendama, OF
those of Montmorency, Of Switzerland and
others, the above falls, at distance ofonly
AZ leagues from the City of Mexico, are
entirely ignored, and that surely not be-
cause they are void of interest, as well for
the luxutiouce of vegetation as the sur
roundings OF their location.
These certainly are pot only the highest
among those which sr' = s' mo- with in
the Republic, but perhaps of the whole OF
North America
The cataract OF Niagara, is celebrated not
so much for its height as for the volume OF
water which falls in one single sheet over
the rock, being nearly 1900 feet in breadth
and causing fall of 6G2, 600 barrels of wa
Ter per minute; but this great mass fails
only from height of one hundred and flf-
ty feet, which is three times less than the
falls of Guachinango, and bears no com
parison in regard to the beauty OF its seem
cry. q,
The Falls of Guachinango arc situated
four leagues from the village of the same
name, and three miles from Necaxa. The
river of which they are formed IS the To-
tolapa. which receives in its course many
others ere il forms the first fall, which IL
situated one mile distant from Necaxa, and
is called La Venta, having there a fall OF
i65 feet
Two miles and half farther on the river
makes an infection or turn from ). Il, to
N H.. and is the real fall or cataract, called
the Yxtianaca, whose mass of water divides
itself here in three courses, forming three
falls in a space of Is feet breadth, including
the space that separates them.
The quantity of water which falls over
these rocks is, according to the approx
mate calculation, 70 cubic feet, with a We
locity Of 10 feet each second, or ~, 900 feet
per minute, falling into an abyss and form
ing a fall of 495 feet from the height
The noise caused by the falling OF this
mass of water is like constantly prolonged
thunder in the atmosphere and the per-
petual cloud or mist, which is as thick as a
veil, and white, prevents the surrounding
objects from being seen al u long distance.
The three cataracts fall separately over
three rocks, whose tops or crowns are coy
cred with luxurious vegetation, and form,
as il were, three distinct and independent
falls. from the top to its centre o! nearly
$50 feet, but the velocity which these
masses of water attain when they reach
that point, causes them to mingle their
waters so thet .hnv form one sheet as IL OF
boiling foam, falling with heavy weight
into the natural caldron below, causing,
through their proper weight and force, the
waters below to rise in spray to height OF
15O feet, which gives to the whole an APP
pearance which must be seen to be appre-
dated and which seen the most graphic
pep is scarcely able to do justice.
The most admirable and extraordinary
oart of these falls is, the variety of yegeta'
ton in their vicinity the variation OF eli
mate, and fruits that grow all around them
according to the situation and the level Ji
each of them.
In the highest part is the pine tree, the
ash. locust and cedar, and all such trees as
flourish in cool cline, while chiefly to the
southeast Mt the foot OF the fall, grow IN
the most luxurious extravaganza all the var
ieties of the banana, the "musa parddiS-
iaca," the "musa sapient,,n,," the "muSa
Regia" (of Rumph), the sugar cane, the
"pasSiAora.tdronjd, and all other varieties
of fruits belonging to the tropics.
AT the base are blue mounds of lava,
while at the extreme bottom the earth is
most fruitful (humus), intermingled here
and there with crystalized rock.
The river, from the starting point of La
Veniana runs in q decliyity of seven de-
grees horizontally, until it reaches the three
falls, which are 5,5ll feet above the level
of the sea.