The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-10-22

in the valleys Of the large rivers But owing
30 the altitude Of much OF the country il being
very mountainous aud broken, any temperature
found IN the habitable world can be obtained
by few hours or DAYS travel I say DAYS be-
cause the means Of getting from place TO place
are such that q distance which in the United
States would be covered in a few hours Will
here
OCCUPY DAYS
The face OF the country, excepting in the
valleys Of the larger rivers and upon some few
olevated plateans, IL very much broken, there
being three distinct ranges 81 OOrdiera from
north 10 south. intersPersed with shorter
ranges, the intervening spaces filed with cross
lines and those re-crOssed by others Rt lower
altitude, until the whole seems one series Of
mountain peaks Of varying hight, interpreted
with rivers, brooks aud fertile valleys. where
can be grown all the tropical productions Of the
world, while upon the hilsides, mountain.
slopes and elevated plains can he raised al
those OF the temperate ard colder c0untries
To people who have never seen such q country
IL seems incredible that one may be IN a hot
Climate where the temperature is never below
7Oo aud seldom below 10 Fahrenheit the
natural bone OF the orange lemon, lime bread.
fruit, alligator pear Aqua Call, plantain, ba-
naua' yuca etc, to-day, aud tomorrow be
where the temperature viii not exceed that Of
the average temperature OF the New England
States during the months Of May aud June aud
where may be grown All The grains vegetables
aud fruits OF the temperate zone. This state
Of things continues all the year. aud from year
20 year the Ouly change Of scas0us being from
Dry 10 rainy, aud vice versa; but these changes
are not nearly so marked aE one might expect
them 10 be.
Ia q general way we get from our Biographies
the idea that in the tOrrd zone b Is all torrid .
]. e.. that therein il grown only things pertaiD-
Ing 10 the climate OF the t0rrid zone. Such
however Is not the fact, aud here ! may re-
mark that latitude does not by any means de-
termlno The climate, or rather The temperature,
Tor there arc places la the United States By far
hotter than rs any place 10 be found IN this
country even directly under the equator.
where j am now writing. which is only So
north Of the equator, the average Temperature
Is like that Of New England IN July and
August, save that il is more even. with
no SUDDEN CHARGEs
Yet In eight h0uFs riding on mule-back can
reach Honda, ln the valley Of the MagdalenR
River, where the temperature seldom falls 70
~, and b. usually so % 967 Fahrenheit.
ln the opposite direction, aud with the same
method VI travelling, in more or less than two
Gays roe one may reach the limit Of perpetual
snow, and ~ b. not necessary 20 tell the pcople
OF at least the northern portions OF the United
blatss what would be the temperature al that
point Thus 81 will be- seen that ia less than
three days ride on mule one may 20 from 800
shove 10 AOo below zero, and this IA for the
entire wear aud not by Seasons.
There are within the limits Of this Republic
numerous mountain peaks which are eterngllv
enowbOund-Ruiz, IolIma Santa Isabel. and
LULA, with their connections I'M the DpDarf-
ment VI IOlimR. aud the Sauta Marta RANGE in
the Department Of Bolivar. These moderate
TIE tOFrld heat az al points ia their vicinity
even those at q low elevation, and ReperaIiv
exert an influence over the entire country.
winch u no doubt the reason why there are NO
places in this country whore the heat Il 40 ~.
creme hs q D. lu Jamaica, Hayu Cuba, or even
IA Arizona, Ia the United States, al of which
are many degrees further north.
lhe country ~ rich in mines Of gold silver.
emeralda coal, iron, lead, mercury. prtrslepm
etc. but as yet very few have been proporly
developed although mining has been carried
OF 70 some extent ever since the ad vent Of the
bpanlards, who Overruu The country soop sft.r
the discovery Of America aud who orcupied II
a. Spanish Province until Is2O when lie
people gained their Independence and drove
out Jhe SpanlaTds. Since that time pyogrcss
has been very slow, as every few yean there
bar been an
oVEETURNrNG or THE GOVERNMENT,
the last occurring IN Iss5, and during which I
mao several narrow escapes and some quite
exciting times. N''N
The Republic OF Colombia consists Of pipe
departments formerly statesl-Aptioouia
bolivar boyaca, tunduamarca. Canca. Mazda.
lenai Panama, Santauder. aud Tolima. and ive
1erHtorles- Bolivar. Caaauare. Goaiira. Provi-
dencla, aud San Martin. Tho Capital IA Bogots
10 the Department of Cundinamarea IN ~
very prettily located az the foot Of two very
hlRh hills or mountains &c the eastern end of
large elevated plain. aud a something over
eOOD feet above sea level. ID IL distant about
% miles from the city Of Honda which Is Al
the head OF navigation on the Magdalens
River, 600 miles from the coast The only
means VI communication between the two
places IA horse or mule, over the mountains and