Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-15
COLOM5lA'S CAPITAL.
LIFE IN THE CURIOUS CITY OF BoGoTA
DE SANTA FE.
q Splendid Description of One of the
Most Remarkable Cities of
South America.

Special Correspondence of the RECORD UNION
BoGoTA DE SANTA FE, Colombia, 1890
Colombia's capital, yclept the city "of
Holy Faith" occupies little detached
plateau of the Andes, $3.50 feet above the
level of the sea. Away up here, half a
mile higher that the very top of Mount
Washington, one can almost imagine ones
self in the north temperate zone, so
thin, pure and cool is the atmosphere
Though only few degrees from the egua-
tor, the temperature averages 500 Fahr,
and most of the northern products are
found, aourishing amid surprising pro-
fusion OF tropical fruits and flowers.
This mountain valley is doubly interest
ing as having been the traditional Heaven
of the Chibchas, the ancient people who
inhabited this region in the morning twi-
light Of history. Queseda tells us that al
the time of the conquest lin 1887 they
numbered about three-quarters of mill
ion. Here stood their sacred city, called
Bo-cat-a; and the present Capital, which
occupies nearly the same site, evidently
took its name from the old enc, though
the corrupted modern word has quite a
different sound, the accent being given ON
the final syllable.
They were q curious race, those long
dead Chibchans, and around no spot on the
two Americas are clustered more wild
stories and improbable traditions concern
ing a vanished civilization OF their re-
moter history the world knows absolutely
nothing, except that they were very an
cient and powerful people when the Span
iards found them three centuries and a
half ago, given to agriculture and the
peaceful arts and with a form of govern
ment essentially patriarchal. Their most
ancient imperial capital, the residence Of
the Emperor, was not Bocata, where the
temples stood and the priests dwelt, but
Manguita on the opposite side of the
plain, near the present village Of Fauna.
THE STUDY OF CHIBcHAN RELIGION,
From the shattered remnants of tradition
that remain, is a fascinating one; but
newspaper space will not permit more than
the briefest mention of it, for this rushing
generation has little time to devote to
myths of the shadowy past. Their faith
seems to have been strange mixture of
ancient Buddhism, modern theosophy and
Bible Christianity, but included no san
culinary sacrifices like those that marked
the rituals of many of the neighboring
tribes Of Central and South America.
In Bohiea, their elysium supposed to
be literally located on this high plateau,
they had a divine Mediata, or Diety of
Mercy, corresponding somewhat to Christ,
the Nazarene. Like all other races, they,
too, had a tradition of the flood, and a
character closely resembling the Hebrew
Noah, the Greek Ducalaine aud the Mex
lean Cojcoj and, to complete the scheme
of fsalvation, they believed also IN a spirit
of evil, akin to the scriptural Satan, who
was forever striving to get the better of
the higher powers, with more or less sue
cess. Their god Of science, as typiied by
earthen images, was almost identical with
the Buddhist god of wisdom, represented
in the idols that are to-day found in many
Chinese temples; while their Chibchacum
was a fac-simile of the Buddhist god of
Agriculture.
The most splendid temple of old Bocata,
cousecrated to the god of Agriculture,
stood near the site of the present grand
cathedral in the center of the modern cap
ital. Thither, twice every year, went the
emperor, his chief caciques and all the
royal retinue, to offer oblations to the
deity who was believed to preside over the
harvests, a ceremony not unlike the moon
feasts' that are yet celebrated in many of
the interior districts of China
And so goes on the march of changing
religions, as since this weary world was
young Each forgotten faith has had its
followers, as devoutly sincere, no doubt,
and perhaps as deserving Of eternal peace
(if living up to ones convictions may win
Hea ems clemency) as those who to-day
rear temples to other forms of religion; as
the caborn races OF coming centuries each
IN It's little day, will worship new gods
yet to be evolved from mans imagination.
THE PRESENT INHABITANTS
OF the Bogota plain seem a totally differ
ent people from any we have previously
met in Colombia; possessing deal more
energy and disposition to keep up within
hailing distance of the times. Here agri-
culture and the useful arts are 1T least a
century ahead OF theii practice ia the tor
rid valleys and along the burning coast
The wooden shovel and clumsy forked
stick have given place to the iron spade
and patent plow; and the q,tiatas, (farms)
inclosed within substantial walls of stoJ e
or adobe, have spacious houses that wear
an air of palatial elegance compared with
the mud and bamboo huts along the great
rivers.
Sentimentalists may attribute this state
Of things to the influence of the early
owners Of the soil-to the pastoral Chib-
ehds whose spirits yet linger in the land
they loved; bat the truth IS that the nat
ural conditions of the soil have more to
do with the condition of the people than
the people have in changing the condition
of the soil. While the LATEST race might
work to some advantage so near the stars
as Bogota, the most energetic Yankee
would soon lose his vaunted "vimn and be-
come utterly shiftless under the influence
Of the trspic sun in the humid lowlands
near the equator.
Mr.. Scruggs, late Consul from the United
States to Colombia, from whom much of
he data I am using has been derived
saws that, though pure and exhilaTating,
this climate is not conducive TO longevity,
or to mental activity. He adds: "A man,
for instance, wno has been accustomed to
eight hours daily labor in New York or
Washington, viii here find it impossible to
apply himself closely more than five hours
each day. If he exceeds that limit. ON
inous symptoms Of nervous prostration will
be almost sure 10 follow" / have, myself,
observed the same thing in other higher
attitudes of the far South, that people Of
ordinarily calm temperament when in the
North, speedily find themselves mere
bundles of nerves, strung to such tension
as TO induce excessive irritahility, insomnia
and mental exhaustion, even without any
especial strain, mental or physical.
THIS OLD BoGoTA
Somehow presents an appearance Of TN
- ,,;ctr,-a-,,7,erasc tbo11ob =, land