The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-11-21

this road through virtual tunnels Oh
yerdure, one gains the impression thal
II is only because trains continue 10
pass and to mash too venturesome
roots and branches and tendrils that
the Jungle does not wholly overrun the
right Of way. Palms, bamboos, ferns.
and an endless variety OF vines and
parasitic plants form almost impen-
etrable walls that line the track for
miles There is no dust, for the soil
Is never far below saturation, and the
foliage always looks as though IL had
been freshly scrubbed
AS the traveller ascends the western
Andes the effect Of altitude and local
barriers on his surroundings becomes
fascinating. Topping an auxiliary
ridge he leaves the dense tropical for
est behind, for the ridge Is barrier to
the heavy misunderstanding clouds. Be-
yond It is grass land. only reasonably
well watered. But once across the
valley and on the climb again up the
main mountain range beyond, he passes
out Of the rain shadow" and finds that
moisture has taken up its forest build.
ing again. This new forest zone, how
ever, Is no longer tropical. The re-
duced temperature due TO altitude has
made 1t into semi-tropical land with
plants and animals and birds as dis
tinct as II II were a thousand miles
instead of dozen from the steamy
forest that was first traversed. Then
one tops the main ridge Of the western
Andes, and again the scene is shifted
as suddenly as in theater. To the |
east Of the crest one is again in a |
rain shadow" and the downward |
slopes are bare Of trees, but covered |
with grass.
cauca Valley Almost Ideal.
This is the beginning Of one OF
ColombIa's principal geographic d.
visions. the Cauca valley, approximate
ly 40 miles wide, which extends for
more than 500 miles between the tall
walls of the western and central Andes.
Granted that one wishes to live In
mildly tropical climate, the upper
Cauca valley would seem to be one of
the half-dozen best locations in all the
world. Its floor near Cali, metropolis
of the vale, has an altitude Of $500
feet and moderate rainfall which
gives 1t an agreeable reasonably warm
and almost at arms length
On either side Is whatever cooler tenn
perature he may wish, at which to
spend his vacations and holidays and
even week-ends.
The soils fertility seems beyond the
Of exhaustion. On some
plantations sugar cane has grown lux i
lriantly for century and quarter {
Without fertilization; and grass, once ,
on the cattle ranges, goes
IN furnishing the raw material for
,oOd beef year In and year out. Since
nan does not live on sugar and beef q
lone, one other valuable factor In the
'auca valleys favor is worth noting: :
he beautiful scenery that meets the
We at every turn. whether in the D
risp rays of the morning sun, the :
'arm monday, or the mellow after
low Of the mountain sunsets.
Down the valley flows the Cauca 8
lver whose steamers furnish de-
ghtful means of transportation
)ward the outside world. AS one F
teams down the stream the country 4
lkes on more and more tropical as d
ect. Savannas give way to groves "
bamboo and plantain and these to CT
eep primeval forests with birds of ~
-illiant plumage and interesting fam ss
les of monkeys. y
Over the central Andes and into the
llley through which flows the coun-
VS. greatest river, the Magdalena.
lie iipds In way repetition Of con- OIL
lions In the Cauca valley. The Mag. "a
LENA valley is deeper, however and ~
1t one finds real tropical heat. But 4,
e region between the central Andes =
I'd their eastern brothers is not nil
'pical valley. The distance between
csc two ranges of mountains is 100
les or more, and much of It Is occu.
ed by the supremely important table.
nd OF Bogota. This lies at an eleya- F.
N OF more than 5000 feet, so high ali
ut the unpleasantness Of the tropics de
all extracted, leaving the North pu
herican to enjoy the sort of climate tri
II his own country can show al its Ba
ST.. There Is little wonder that the tn
y quilt here hundreds of years ago. ko
IN II 1t is remote from the seacoast. L
become the center of the national
!.
Mi
AT