The New York Herald Newspaper, May 28, 1856, Page 11

INTERESTING FROM NEW GRANADA. Oar Begata Corre spundences Bogota, New Granapa, March 4, 1866. Falla of Tequanduma—One of the Naturat Wonders of New Granada~ Visit thereto by Our Correspondent Preparations for the Journey— Whathe Saw on his Way to the Fuils— A Re- past of New Potatoes ant Eggs—The Indian Guide—Aascent of « Mountain Ridge—Distant Veow of the Falls—Difficulties of Approach—A | Whirlpoul— Rocks and Frecipices—An Inhospi- table Nutive—<Arrival ut the F Us, &c., &e. Fhave just returned from a visit tothe celebrated He of Tequanduma, which have becn go jastly ised by Haron tiumboldt and every subsequent uvelier in these regions, aud a short sk of my ip woy notbe vapleasant w your readers. Eiorts were mude to get up a large party; but as ual on such oecesicna, when one could go anovher not, until 2t last Judge B. and myself deter ined to wait no forger, and accordingly made our parations for ihe enterprise. These vere neces- arity somewhas complex, and we determined to fendertake the d@ ‘icul task of reaching the foot of ithe full ty ascending the bed of the torrent, a feat which bad been accomplished, although e usual way of getting iuto the chasm that forma the bed of the river ia to be lowered by means of ropes keveral hundred teet down the precipice. Our trip would o:cupy three days at wast, in an almost uninhabited country, and the fiest Nhought was the eatablea,; tonrues were to be boiled, sandwiches to be made, cheese purciased, ehocolate Inid in, and any other littie condiments that could be pat into a pair ot old-fashioned saddle bags were to be hinted up and stowed away. All these preparatious fur the comfortand support of the inner man being completed over night, we mounted early the uext murning, accompanied by a winglerervant. The riding diess in universal use here is well adapted to the climate, but when first Wora one feels sowetbing as he imagines the old armorcased knights to have felt when aegoutred for the field. A pair of large and stiff ox hide over- hauls encase the legs and protect them from the usual accompaniments of a journey among the Andes, ten thousand feet above the level of the £ea, such as jutting poiuts of reck along the craggy yoads, sudden showers of hail and rain, and cold laste of rarified air that seem to penetrate one to the bone. The fect are sheltered by a large brasa stirrup, made in the form of a shoe, whizh goes Sngling along the rocky sides ofthe path, and over the shoulders ia thrown a large impermeable ruana, iw shape like a blanket, with a slit in the centre, through which to thrust the head, falling down over the arme and body, protecting them completely from wind, hail end rain. When 3 once inside of all this, ond faily mounted, you feel 2 confidence that it would take a pretty strong blow from lance or halberd to drive you out of the deep and high rimmed saddle in which you sit. Our road lead us to the small lage of Soacha, in the plain of Bogota, about three leagues from the city, From the very moment, almost, of our leaving the town we could ree before us the misty crown of Tequandima riting above the hills and then leaning gently away over their summits to the north. Crossing the river Bogota, we rede on, leaving the road to the falls on eur left, and soon wero enveloped in a cloud of mist that came rolling down the 1wountain side, till- ing the valley-with darkness. A short league brought us to the Boca del Monte, (month of the mountain,) where the descent from the high plain of Boyota Legan. The road is what is here call‘‘a horseshoe road,”” being impracticable for anything of the wheel kind, and runs down a most steep declivity, in constant short turrs, like the letter 8, in a ceriea of what should Le properly called stone stairs, for a distance of twoortwo,snd a-half miles. The descent in this short distance caanct be less then five thousand feet, for we came almost at once upon the vegetation of the tropics, where the plantain and the palm vied with each other in luxuriance. A lt tle more than a league from the foot of the moun- twin brought us to the top of a sharp crested hill, at the foot of which ran the river, having made its fearful leap, and now running, roaring and boiling, over a torrent bed of immense bolders, now smooth and winded by the foansing water. A wicker like bridge, supported by poles, spsnned the steam, and we were ubliged to dismount and cross it on foot, as iis swaying motion would not permit us to ride over. The hills on the other side presented a gentle s! down to the river bunk, and on the margin of aclvar mountein stream was a picturesque sawmill, that bad been built by an American many years sinc and now belonged to Mr. McAllister. a native of Scotland. The crystal torrent and the turning wheel, with easy motion, formed a pleasing contrast with the raging river into which it ran. We stayed all night at the mill, a d our weary ride made hard beds welcome. Mr. McAllister was not at home, but we received a “Highland welcome” from his steward, who spread before us an abundant repast of eggs and new potatves, that excelled any- thing of their kind I have ever eaten in Europe or America. Inthe morning he furnished us a guide to the Indian village of Cushios, and we retraced our steps over the rickety bridge. Our Indian boy travelled on foot; but s0 casily did he ascend the steep paths, and glide along over rocks and fern, | that he seemed to me a winged Mercury, and often j Was he obliged to wait while our horscs straggled ap ithe toilsome paths that he had mounted with the Sreatest case. After a wearying ascent of nearly half an honr,I auddenly found myeelf on the sharp and narrow crest of a mountain looking down hundreds of feet into the valley below. My horse followed the road, turn “ing sharply to the right, along one of those sharp and nariow ridges peculiar to the Andes, My brain swam with the dizzy sceue, and I turned my eyes to the other side to seek relicf. But the path up which « we had wound our snake like way curled along a * mountain side so steep that a single false step upon the narrow path would have sent myself and horse rolling down what was little less than a precipice, into the valley below. A few yards brought us toa little wider spot on the top of the ridge, and I was 80 giddy with the precipitous descent on either hand, that I had to dismount and lie down to recover my- self. Judge B. rode unmoved along, calling out to me continually to look upon the magnificent scene below and all around us; but this only added to my perturbation. I ooald Yook upon nothing; so closing my eyes, I lay in silencea few minutes, when we pursued our way. I did not mount again for some time, but walked for a quarter of a mile unsteadily along the path, which often was not uver three feet wide, with ter rible precipices on each hand. Presently it opencd upon a beautiful rolling coun try at the baee of the hills we had descended the day before, over which were a few scattered houses and cultivated fields. ‘This was the village of Cashios, Bere we had exnected to obtain some men ta cut a path for us through the forest, and hiclp as to climb along the precipiions banks and be? of the river. In this we were disappointed, for rly all were away from their hooses, and we could obtain only one man to aecompany us. 8 would not return without making a1 ‘ Ty the foot of the falls, and engaging the only «1a wo could get to go with us, we proceeded on ls A delighttul ride of a mile + us a beautiful view of the piling movntsins beyond coming to the verge of p rosd coiled it rpentine way pelied to di and fod ow own Was Out of question. known as the Colebra, (tue sna e emda make ened cont had proceeded oAly b when the guide direeted our Torough a gorge in the np torrent, as it pov Tndian vil- adlealy ended by yen whieh the We wore con art ann ty seer Gi ACUI Te INEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1856. We all sat down to gaze upon and enjoy the scene. The steep and me path before us—the roaring | of the ungeen river torrents below— the silent forest | around—the mighty cliffs and peaks that reared their heads thousands of feet above u3, and the ic motion of the fleecy fall iu front, wded gome two or thiee hundred feet, in full view, flupg a charm over every one of the party, and chained every tongue in silence. How long we sat there, in breathless admiration. I know not, and all were loth to leave the delightful scene. But the sun was already high io the heavens, aud we had still a hard day’s work nefore us. Pursuing our Sy down the steep path, we soon came to a grassy dell beyond, through which our horses could not proceed, Tuey were unsaddied and tethered, so that they might (eed, aud two little indian urchina, who had followed us, were left in charge, to see that they did not get through in the woods, The Frise we had brought from Cienaga took our saddle bags upon his shoulders, whie the last one we had engaged proceeded to cnt a patnway for us through the tangied aud matted undsrgrowth. A few minutes of rapid descent brought us to the bank of the river, which was rolling dwn over immense boulders in noisy glee. Spreading our mantles (ra- anas) upon a broad flat rock, we brought forth the contents of the sadile bags. Boston crackers and Goshen cheere, washed down with | ng draughts of the sparkling water, formd, with a few sandwiches, our breaktast, which was crowned a cop of chocolate we made with the help of a spirit lanp Thus fortified, we commenced to as ‘end the bed o the river. We were able to proceed « few hundred yarés, leaping and climbing from rock to rock, when suddenly we came upon a small’ whirl Real, where a bend brought the stream ashing against the foot of a recite which i had worn away notil it formed a cavern, beyond which we could not go. The guide said our only way was to climb along the face of the precipice to the other side of the whirlpoo!, about a quarter of 4 ‘ile; und we proceeded at once to ascend. He led y, cutting a path through the tangled grasses and moss covering the face of the rock, and we ful- lowed, SOPROE IDE ourselyes more by our hands and arms than by our feet. Climbing and clinging, we kept on, stopping every few minutes to rest, for the labor and fatigue were very great, and had gained some fifty or sixty yards in ascent, and perhaps an eighth of a mile in advance, when the guide told us he couid go no farther. The path could only be cut by relays of fresh men, and the distance yet to be accomplished was far more difficuls than what we had alrerdy gained. ‘ Lying upoa the face of the preci, and cling- ing to the grass and mosses whose scauty roots in the crevices of the'rock afforded us au icamense si Ns port above the mad and whisking river, Judge B. and myrelf consulicd fora few minutes upon the best conrse to be pursued. If we could possibly gain the other bank of the raoids, which were here only about tweuty yards broad, we might get beyond the whirlpool, and there was some chance that we might get on, though the guide assured us we should have to recross at once, as the opposite bauk was much more dificult thassthe one we wereon. As there was no probability of our getting more than a few yards further on the course we were parsuing, we decided to try our chance in the river. Desvend- ing again to the bottom, we examined carefully the river for a long distance, and ly stripping to ovr drawers, took to the wate The rash of water over the rounded and slippery rocks that formed its bed made our footing very insecure, and at times we wouid stand upon’a roundhead with the stream running just over our ankles, when suddenly we would be” precipitated up to our armpits, kaock- ing our ribs and legs agains’ the ro-ksin a most disagreeable way; then a broad, deep fall, in which we could neither wade nor swim, would stop end tuin us to some other side; and often large rocks, which we could neither climb over nor roynd, would stop all progress. After neirly an hour's toil and souie pretty revere brnires, we were forced to give up onr attempt. This was annoying; but there was 10 help tor it We had not beeu able to get re Tren to assist us, and without them we could not go on. Every limb and muscle in our bodies ached with our climbing and straining as thongh we bad been beaten with clubs. We determined, there- jore, to retarn by the road we had come, and view we falls the next day from the usual visiting place ubove, It was late at night when we reached the village of Soacha, the caly place where we id sleep, and we were tired and sore with our labors and long mountain ride. Soacha is some four or five miles from the falls, but is the caly, pase where the visi‘er can stop, as the owner of the hacienda in which they lie is very churlish and m: opposed to pes ple's visiting them. He refuses to tet any one ro main at his estate, or to allow any building to be put up for their accommodation near them, and ed are thus driven to this miserable Indian village. This gentleman is a son of Geueral Urdaneta, of Togets, and claims to belong to the bes: society here. Iam glad to say that his own countrya:en condemn hig illiberal and unwor:hy couduct as much as do strangers It is to be hoped that his Jands may pass into the possession of some one who po e3 & more just appre ya than he does o thie sublime and beantiful obj j We started eurly in the morning on our gallop to the in order to see them before the day mists thet rise before n3on should have shrouded them in clouds and rainbows. Crossing the river at a place where its singular windings can only be compared to a botv knot, we rode over a rounded hill that se- parates the little valley from the great pl of Bo- gota. Towards the plain this hill is singularly bare of trees and vegetation, but immediately beyond the eummit its sides are clothed with a beautiful forest fed by the mists of Tequendamar. arter descend- ing for nearly half an hour, by a picasant winding road, we came to a small oval grass plat, about twenty yards long, beyond w! vur horses could not go. Here we ld hear the rushing of the waters over the rapids before the full, but there was no roaring to tell us that we were cluse to the wonder iteelf. A verpentine footpath, descending abont fifty yards through thick brushwood, that shat vut the view, brought us to the very verge of the fall. When we rst looked upon it ‘the rush of waters” was not six yardsfromus, There was no mighty mass to surprise the beholder with a sense of wondrous power, but a gentle beauty pervaded the s:ene, and seemed to wrap the gazerin its charms. The river, now scanty in its wonted wealth of water, from the long continuance of the dry season, came tumbling noisily aiong over large masses of rock that formed its Led, and taking a short prep RracOry, leap of a few feet to a flat jutting ledge of rock, glided over its edge and ‘sank in silence to a suuless sea.’ The great depth of the chasm into which it falls (560 feet) and the well like sides of the precipice, so shut in the sound that the dashing velow is searcely perceptible. We went on to the ledge that forms the bed of the river when itis full, and which is completely worn into holes three or four fe*t deep, and about two feet in diameter, and placing ourselves in one of these, that was formed at the very side of the present stream, we could look over the fall with perfect safety into the depths below. The mist was slready gathering about its foot, but had not yet riven high enough to catch the sunlight, and so we saw no rainbows, but the scene below compensated for their abseuce. From the small cloud of mist a litle stream of water seemed to run, meandering with a dreemy motion ever small pe»bles, and on its einen diminutive shrubs shot ap from the moss, bank, while multitndes of bedthen ef parrots whirl up aud down the abyxs, now catching a green and golden gleam as nearer to us they met the suplight, and now whirling away into a gray and leaden hue below. Yet that little stream was the foaming torren’ that had so ill treated us yesterday seeming pebbles were mighty boulders, and the mosses and shiubs were the forests and towering New of the tropical climate beneath. So great is the differeuce of temperatare between the top and the bottom of the fall that the tropical pe growing with such luxuriance below cannot jive at the top, and those warm-colored parrots ee 60 high as the cold verge of the cataract. Leaving this scene we walked about a huodred and fifty yards along a stambling path beneath the biushwood, feom the fall toa spot called “ the bal- cony,” from which Yaron Hatboldt dre his sketch many years since. Itisa Fb Aad of the pre- ice, which, on either side of the chasm, takes an aimost semi-circular form, and stands nearly in front ot the fall. The view from this point is maguifi- cent. From a mass of emerald green below, throngh which runs a stream of livng silver, the perpen- dicular walls of reddish yellow sandstone rise al- most in o perfect circle to the summit of the fall whichreemsa constant changing mass of Dearly le foam set in a righty ring of deadened gold, whi ebove and allaround the backward leaning peake of tke Andes are clothed with verdure. Be on the scene till my head swam, ond I ed to lie dowa upon the grasa and cover my my hands. The water seems tv lose its 'd form immediately cn leaving the ro: comes 08 it were a wuss of pearls, each of w! Fj v its downward coar-e, spreads out, fanlike, its omet tail, lenginenng and widening till it reaches the bottom, So great is the distance pes cd over, and 80 deceptive is it to thet the mction of the fall scems slow, soldzan and nivjirstic fi and several se they in the out. sot (he sreaming id, amt the ot delight ew flowers ronshama, 1ours were ig, the deep, % meod and for 4 U8 to the epot 2 erve in men tho Falls of Te and in ota. Here every on sgara; but it sees incompurabie an «if 'y of motion to ita Booora, March 20, 1856. Trip to the Salt Works of Zipaquira and the Emerald Mines of Muso—Model Farming in the Tropics—The Emerald Mountains of Simi- Saca—Novel Method of Working the Mines— Curicus Hanging Bridge over the River Minero — Shrine of the Virgin at Chiquinquira— Modern Miraclese— Return to Bogota. Having visited the Falls of Taquenahama, a3 I wrote you some days since, Jndge B.and myself determined to make another sight-seeing trip before | the rainy season, or as they call it here, the winter, } set in, and made travelling both disagreeable aud dangerous. “Allhough Bogota is situated between the fourth and fifth degrees of latitude north of the equator, Yhose months which with us constitute the summer seagon are here the most disagreeable ot the year- Hail storms often accompany the daily showers, and cold winds from the high and desert mountains are most prevalent. The hilly roads become slippery, and all travelling for pleasure is at an end. The present trip combined a visit to several note worthy obje:ts, including the salt works of Zipaquira, the emerald minea of Muso, and the shrine of the Virgin of Chiquinquira, the Mecca of New Granada. Having made our preparations on a more extended scale than {or our former trip,as we were to be twelve or fifteen days absent, we started at carly morn on.horseback. A pleasant ride of about thirty-five miles due north, through the plain of Bogota, brought us to the city of Zipaquira, where the principal salt works of the government are established. The town Kies at the foot of the hills that form the northern limit of the great plain of Bogota, and is in the great line of travel and trade with the northern provinces of the republic. It was a city at the time of the conquest, and was the residence of a powerful Indian chief, from which fact it derives its name— Zipo meaning in the Indian tongue chief or prince; and quira, city. The works are placed at the foot of the salt hills as it ia called, and are supplied with salt water from one of the mines by an aqueduct about one third of a mile long. it is not from a salt spring, but is a stream of fresh water carried into the mine, where it runs through channels continually supplied with mineral salt. The water takes up between twen- ty-two and twenty-three per cent of salt, which is afterwards crystalized by evaporation in open pans. The operation thus far is very sim- ple and cheap; but the roads of the country require avother operation, called here compacting, in order to render it capable of transportation on the backs of mules, without packages of any kind to protect it from logs by rains or abrasions. In order to attain this, the salt is formed into immense loaves, some- thing like a sugar loaf in shape, about four fect high, and nearly two feet ia diameter at the base. This is still done by the system found in use by the Indians here at the time of the conquest. Large conical pots ere made of clay, and fire-baked or burned in ovens built for the purpose. These pots are then arranged in an open fireplace, made of the black salt clay that is everywhere found with mine- ral salt—ninety or one hundred of them being put in each fireplace, and so set that there i3 a drait un- der and around each pot. The fire is built, and work- men with long ladies throw small quantities of salt water alternately into the heated pots. The water evaporates rapidly, and the salt deposits itself in crystals on the bottom and sides of the pots. When these are about one-third fall, and with a coating of salt covering their sides, they are filled up with salt from the open boiling pans, the salt water is continued to be thrown iu, and the fire being kept up night and day, the process of evaporation forms the whole into a solid mass of salt almost as hard as arock. When the pots are fall the fires are put out, and after cooling they are broken in pieces from the loaf of salt. Thisis then broken up into smaller pieces for convenience in handling. It takes eight days of constant labor, day and night, to compact an oven of sait, each of which yields about seventy- five thousand pounds. The process is continually going on in all its stages, and fifteen ovens a month, or about a million of pounds of salt; are made. The mine and works are carried on by a private company, under contract with the government, which pays for the working half a vent a pound on the salt produced. The manufic- ture of salt ie a government monopoly, a gold at a fixed price of three cents a pound, at the workr. The revenue from this source is alittle over $400,000 a year. These are not the only salt mines in the republic, for the salt bed is known ‘to extend over a belt of country three hundred miles long; but none others are worked, and only three or four natural salt springs are improve! on a emall scale, under similar contracts. We were very kindly received at Zipaquira by Mr. Ritchie, an English gentleman, who has the management of the works, which are carried on by an English company, and who entertained us most hospitably. He accompanied us over them, and explained all the operations and the reasons that exist for their not being car- ried on on more scientific and cheaper principles, The system of short contracts which the govern- ment persists in adhering to, and the frequent poli- tical changes in the country, prevent the expendi- ture of a large capital in improved works, ‘Thus we are obliged to work in the old Indian manner,” said he, “the only difference being that they used wood and we coal, and that we have made the clay pots for compacting much larger, {n order to meet the greater demand for consumption.” The coal uged 18 very similar to the Newcastle coal of England, and is mined about three miles from the saltworks. Congress here is engaged in an earnest discussion of the best manner to arrange and re- establish the public credit; bat it would seem to me that if it would properly arrange the saltworks, and improve the means of transit in the country, these alone would suffice to pay the interest on its debt, and an honest compliance with that duty is all that is wanting to re-establish the public credit. It is to be hoped that such an event is not far distant. From Zipaquira we continued our journey north- wardly, through Ubate, where we slept, to the plain of Simijaca. This is ancther singular geo- logical formation, aimilar to the plain of Bogota, but with a level a-few feet lower. The country along the road is exteusively cultivated in wheat, bat in a most rude manner. - The ploughs are simple branches of trees, shod with iron at the point, like those of all Spanish countrie:, and the grain {a trod out by cattle, each farm haviug its motive thresh- ing floor in the midst of the field, where the cattle aie driven round in a circle over the sheaves, which are constantly spread and turned beneath their feet, Here we were hospitably entertained by Don En rique Paris, @ gentleman who has travelled mach, and is now laboring to introduce an improved 6; tem of agriculture to his countrymen. He resides mostly on a fine cstate of about ten thonsand acres, which he possesses here, aud on which he has introduced many of the improved ivwplements of English farming, and several kinds of improved stock. We saw here a blooded Arabian stallion, a large Spanish jack, two fine Durham bulls, and several merino “gl all of which he has imported at a great expense. me of these had lately arrived, but from others, particu- ly the sheep, hi8 efforta at breeding have been very svecessful. The estate of Mr. Paris presonts a strong contrast with those around it, and it ia very justly atyled the model estate of New Granada. This gen- tleman told me that vearly all of his experiments in | egriculture had been both saccessfal and profitable, svdthat he entertained hopes that mary of them would be adopted by his countrymen, although the cultivation of the jard iv now sddiy neglected hore. The want of cepital, but more pai y the want, ot good roads, has a very deprossiny effect upon the whole country. _ Ab Simijaca we exclinged our horses for raules, for we had pow to encounter mountain puths where the former were unsafe travellers aud dangerous conveyances, From here our road ran ve ter travelling about two Je ro ginning of the descent to the jower altitudes, in which Muso lies. For six hours we continued de- y | peending what ras Nitle hotter thana craeey, mre | to | cipitous put Guing tie whole way, and baving | chaineu vy a remnant of the delayed somewhat on the road, it was night when we arrived at th: village of Coper. The cu- rate, to whom we had letters, was attending vespers in the little church when we arrived at hia house, but he soon came to greet us, and his hearty wel- come at once made as feel at home in hia humble cottage. We paseed the night with him, and in the | morning he accompanied us part of our way with his dogs, gun, and several of the villagers,in purauit of deer among the mountains. A journey of six hours brought us to the village of “Muso, a dilapidated town ot three or four hundred inhabitants, situate about two leagues from the emerald mines, In the time of the Spaniards this place was of considerable im ce, tor besides having the miues, it was one of the princi a1 places on the line of travel and trade between Bogota and the river Magdalena. Trade has taken another course, and the emerald mines having been mouopolized vy the government, Muso has rapidly declined. Three hours more of mountain travel brought us to the west of emerald bearing mountains. We here found Mr. Fallon, an English gentleman, who is the di- recting ep; —for these mines also are worked by an Enel company—who received us very kind- ly. He was at dinner when we arrived, und insisted upon our sitting down with his family. His . With several outhouses, ond a lege barrack for the workmen, is placed alnuost immedi- ately upon the top of the sugar joaf shaped Emerald mountain; and after dessert we visited at once the mine, which is only a few yards in the rear of his dwelling. Only one ing is worked now, although during the last century seven in the immediate vicinity were worked by the Spanish government. it is said that so many ¢i ds were taken out at that time that the government, fearing that their abundance would cause them to depreciate in value nntil they ceased to be precious stones, ordered the m'nes to be closed and tbe veins to be hidden. This urder, it was said, was given in 1730, and the labors of filling up the mines were continued for @ year and a half, until everything was hidden and lost. Aa the workings were open workings, this pperstion was easily per- formed, large masees of earth and :ock being rolled in from the surrounding vicinity, which labor was subsequently continued by the torrent rains of this region, and ultimately the loxuriaut vegetation of the tropics spread an almsst impenetrable mantle of forest ever the once rich mines. They continued in this state, the knowledge of their true ition and character gradually fading away into the obscurity of tradition, until after the consummation of Colombian iudependence, when the Liberator, Bolivar, as President, granted to his fiend Senor Paris the extensfve privilege of working them, he paying five per cent of the yield to the porcramant, The labors were carried on principally yy his son, the nt gentlemanly ewner of Simi- jaca, of whom I have already spoken, who told me that for nine years he labored, clearing away the forest, earth and rubbish that had collected in the mine he undertook to open, the products being ab- solutely nething. - After that time he began to find a few emeralds, which for three years barely covered the expenses of working, During all this time he made the formation his constant study night and day, in which he was greatly assisted by the liberal education his father had given him in England. He studied the old manner of working xo far as he could from the tradition and memory of some of the old miners still living in the vicinity, and such few writ- ings as the Spaniards had left in the New Granadain archives, and applying to his lavors the new powers of engineering skill, he was enabled to surike deeper than the former workers were able to go. Being firally at the bottom of their workings, instead of working laterally he struck at once deep: er than they could work, and suddenly he came upon so gieat a masa of emerald bearing-rock that in a space of not more than twenty feet square he told me he took out a hundred pounds of emeralds. Long years of toil and atudy were aud ‘enly rewarded with abundant wealth, and shortly afterward this family surrendered the mines to the government Since that time they have been rented to a company formed mostly of English and German gentlemen, at the rate of sixteen thousand dollars a year. It ix said that the company have not made any. profit from their labors as yet, but at the present time the workings seem to promise better results. The veins gre most capricious in their course and yield, and Mr. Paris said he could only compare them to the branches of a tree, some of which bore good fruit, others poor, and many none at all. The system of working these mines is, I believe, feculiar to Muso. Water from the neighboring mountains is brought by artificial means to the top of the emerald be: hill, and the whole face of the rock on each side is worked down by the bar into the ravine below, from whence it is carried oT hy iperiogionl discharges of water from the dam above. ‘the rush of a large body of water down the steep declivity carries es these discharges are conveyed to different points of the precipice, as the wor! may require, the whole power is under perfect control. The mass of the hiil is a soft smutty clay slate, through which white veins of calcareous spar run in all directions in the most tangled confusion. The face of the presi pice locks like au immense rovgh black Soard. covered with tremulous and confused chalk lines The manner of working scems very dangerous to the unaccustomed eye, but Iam told that accidents rarely occur. The workmen stand upon the face o the chff, and with the points of the bar loosen the rock beneath their feet, which falis at once, or with a light touch, into the ravine. As they work upward they form narrow steps or ledges, a!l keep: ing in linc, and each taking care that there is nu loge stone behind him or beneath his feet, as the slightest impulse or slip would precipitate the miner himeelf down the crag. As soon a3 a greenish tinge in the snow white vein gives token of the presence of an emerald, tne labors are prosecuted with the greatest delicacy, iu order that the delicate crystal may not be fractured, and the director, Mr. Fallon, repairs at once to the spot to receive it from the vein. Noone is allowed in the mine except at working hours, aud then only when attended by one of the overse The hours of working are trem sunrise to sunset, the men go- ivg to their meals in gangs, so that the works are never entirely suspended during the day. The call to labor and to rest is most singular. No bell or whistle is used, but at sunrise and at sunset a small beetle in the neighboring forest emits a load, shrill whistle for four or five minutes, which is the 2dopt- ed signal for the workmen. At no other hour of the day than during those few moments at noon and eveniag does this beetle utter any sound. In the dry season from one hundred to one hundred and thirty menare employed; but in the wer season, when the supply of water fs abundant, more than two bur- ated are usually kept at work. Gradually the whole mountain is being washed down and caried off by the hen torrent; and day after day the direc- torsitsin an open office on the edge of the vast pite, silently watching the workmen until the tokens of a verde, as the emeralds are here called, demand his presence at the vein. We remained nearly two days at the mines, en- joying the hospitality and entertuining conversation of Mr. Fallon, who often remains months without seeing the face of any one except the mincrs, ac- companied in hia solitude by his lady, who is the only women within leagues of the place. We the vod fortune to see some emeralds taken out, a8 the workmen stiuck a bearing vein on the morning after our arrival. We went down with Mr. F. into the pit,to be present at their unearthing, and the brilliant gems seemed to us seni plan beauti- ful, and in their mi ty setting ot black slate, from impure contact with which they seemed to be (ia eerved by a delicate fringe of snow white nh Mr. Falion told us that they were comparatively ne in color, and full ved retopied as the flaws are called. The emerald crystal is always six sided in its for- mation, and is rarely found free from flaws. In value it is next but one tothe diamond, the sapphire surpassing it in commercial estimation. ‘hese mines are the only ones of true emeralds known in the world, a pale and inferior stone beiag found in Siberia. Here only one mine has been opened, the difftculty and expense that Senor Paris excountered in opening this giving little encouragement to the ‘uncertain task of opening the others in the imme- diate vicinity. ‘The Indians knew the beanty and appre siated the value of the emerald long before the discovery of America, and there is no doust that these mines were worked for centuries before the coming of the Spanierds. Mr. Fallon informed us that the evi- dences of ancient Indian workings are still visible over a vast extent of the emer bearing region, far surpassing all that has been done since the con- quest. In the graves of the aborigines, which are oiten turned up by the plough, oftener by the torrent rains, on tie margin and islands of the lake of Iinquene, in the plain of Simijaca, rough emeralds are often found, even in the present day, and these constitute the greater portion of thore that are found for cale here; as thoee from the mineg fiad their best market among the jewellers to the courts of Europe. Some of the gems are found roughly worked, as though they had been rubbed one against another, Lvt none present any evidence that the Indians poseessed any knowledge of the art of cut- ing them.” It is said that many were round in the conquest of Mexico, which were sup- osed to Love been carried from here by the inter- conrse Of yt traders with each other. It this is true, it would argue the existence of mutual ox- changes among the primitive inkabitaats of ameri- co ever & large extent of country. ‘ Woe left the mines with the uioet pleasing, recol- lections of Mr. Falion’s attention and vrbanity, and efore night wero aafely housed from an impending shower, with the kind hearted curate of Coper. On the route we xepassed a preity hanging bridge made entirely of vines and spli¢bumboo, over the river i Tt was an cnrious and seemingly treacher- ous etracture, but a closer examination convinced us cf its strength. Wewere told that the bridge has stood from time immemorial, it being necessar, to relmild it every few years: but this right is ‘ything before it; and reside amorg the mountains, and who pertina- feed refuse to receive any compensation, therefor, although they have long since ceased to inhabit that portion of the country. They assert that the of the river has been theirs and their fathers upcounted generations, and that they will not give up their ancestral rights. They rebuild the ige a8 often as necessary, in token of their { right of sovereignty; but seldom, very se.dom do any of their tribe require to use it. It is a foot- bridge only, our mules being obliged to swim th» river, aud its weight is suspended from the sturdy branches of an immense tree on either bank. At Coper we examined a similar bridge, which the worthy curate bad taught his parishioners to on. stract across the river Cantino. He had improved | upon the Indian hanging bridge, and had conatcuct- ed one through the strong branches of trees growing | upon the precipitous banks, so that horses and mules can be led across. Another day of tortuous mountain climbing, the road working its serpentine way, in one place, up the bald tuce of a crag for several huudred feet, where 2 road seemed to us a pure impossibility, brought us to the | stately mansion of Mr. Paris. Although our rid had been a fatiguing one we sat up late into th night, in pleasing converse with this geutleman. He is animated solely by a spirit of enterprisiug ita- proven ent for his country, and has undertaken th gigantic task of draining the mountain lake of Fn- quena, and subjecting to the plough the ferti!e lands its waters now cover. Itis an immmense work, ani his neighbors shake their heads in wise donbt when- ever the subject is spoken of; bus his practical skili ard Clear comprehension will most probably demon. strate the feasibility of the work, by doing it. Its accomplishment will be a great benefit to the conn- try, as it will open a road through the plain, avoid- ing several long leagues of now difticult aud tedious mountain road, to the travel between Bogota and the northern provinces of the republic. From Simijaca we proceeded to the town of Chi- quinguira, the site of the celebrated shrine of tne irgin, where is @ miraculous picture of * Our Lady of Remedios,” that has been for nearly three hun- cred years the object of deep veneration by the In- dian and mixed population of New Gravada. The time of our visit was Palm Sunday, when the church was about two-thirds filled with devotees,a thou sand or twelve hundred being present, mostly In dians, Tbe church is a very ry be and massive building, belonging to the Order of St. Dominic, aud its income is said to be about seventy thousand dol- Jarsayear. This arises almost entirely from native offerings, as the lower classes through a very large poten of the re: ublic make vows to the Virgin of hiquingnira under all circumstances of difficulty or distress. The walks of the porch of the chu a are covered with relations of miracles pertormed, each relation being accompanied by its pictorial rep- resentation, for the benefit of the large non-reading class. The name of the person, place »nd date, a5 well as character of the miracle, are siven with seru- pulous minateness, and from the tact that nearly all those cited were of recent occurreuce—the oldest muracle not being more than eight or ten years back —linferred that the older ones are irom time to tine removed to wake room for the rapidly accumulating instances of miraculous intervention on the part of the vite ’ ‘The character of the miracles was of the most or- dinary kind, recoveries trom sickness being by far the most numerous—others were salvation from im- pen ane danger, as being chased by a mad bull,a all from a horse, and one man in an open field waa miraculously saved from a flash of lightning whieb got into the crown of his hat, butupsn his calling upon the Virgin she conducted it out through the side and rim, he receiving no other damage than being knocked down in the process, In every in- stance the pictorial representation gives the full par- ticulara, the sick son stretched upon a bed, the pray- ing mother, and the picture of the payin in the air ; or the praerate man, the flashing lightning, the oring bull, and the vicious horse suddenly tamed. A crowd of gazers was continually gazing upon them snd listening to our reading of the facts. We sought the miracle working picture, and found it in a lerge shrive which formed the reverse of the great altar. It is a miserable and appa. ently freshly painted daub, representing the Virgin, with a suint on either sike, the figures heing nearly as_ large as life The legend is, that in fifteen hundred and eighty-something, a certain person in one of the northern ces ordered a picture of “Our Virgin of Kemedios” to be painted, which was done uc- cordingly,in a very superior style. This picture was made the altar piece of a small church; but the church got out of repair, and the picture be- come dilapidated, and almost invisibie. It was finally thrown aside, untila poor woman, seeking tor a representation of the Virgin, fuund it, but eadly torn and coiled. She however erected a smal! aitar of bamboo, in a cattle pen, and eet it np, and daily paid ber orisons to it. One day the picture suddenly blazed forth, to the astonishment ot all beholderr—the head of the Virgin burned with a heavenly radiance, and the saints’ fea- tures became lighted up to such a degree thay the viliagers rushed to the spot, thinking the houses were on fire. Since then it has preserved its miracle workivg powers. The legend dves no tell us when, if ever, this radiance existed, but th pictie certainly nas none of it now. Buch is the sbject of almost universal adoration among th ignorant portion of the population of New Granada and their great reliance in time of need. It is not improbable that the Roman Catholi church, with its ready adaptability to the super stitions of all nations, has in this instance adopted, in a medified form, the ancient religion of the lu- dians, or at least .some reuewned shrine that was the obiect of their veneration. The ancient and still existing name of the town—Cbiquinquira, which means “the City of the Moon "—seems to confirm this supposition. It may be that here her altars burned, and her priests offered prayers and received offerings, as do the present ones, in the nome of “ Qur Lady of Remedios,” and that the Virgin has merely displaced an Indian Diana in her shrine and in the hearts of her votaries. I believe & would not be the first instance of the kind recorded in the page of history. & rival mi- racle working Virgin has been gotten up some few leagues trom Chiquinquira, at the village of Logoa; but although she is said to doa good business, she cannot equal her clder sister who stands upon the ancient alter of the moon, Athree days’ ride brought us back to Bogota, pleased with our journey, and, I truet, somewhat wirer, but certainly with a stronger faith ia the in- stitutions of our own free land than when we left it. Bogora, April 3, 1956. Political Condition and Prospects of New Grana- da--Carthagena Declared « Free Port---Am-ri- can Enterprise--Prosperity of the Industrial {n- terests—Enormous Increase in the Value of Land in the Tobacco Growing Districts—The Gold Fields of Anticquia—History of the Politioal Parties in the Republic—General Mosquera-- Proposed Confederation of the South American States. . I wrote you, some days since, an account of my visit to the venerable reines of Muso and some other note-worthy objects in this vicinity, and as I have now been here two months, during which time I have endeavored to study the political condition and constitution of the country, a few remarks upon ita precent state and future prospects may be of some interest to your readers. « I will first mention in passing, a law which has just been passed by Congress, as it has a very murk- ed influence up on some extensive American interests in New Granada, and may tend to a large increase of intercourse with the Unised States. The city of Carthagena, with its beautiful harbor, which was once the most important city in Spanish America, having been at the same time the headquarters of its naval forces in these waters, and the ccutve of its richest commerce, has been declared a free port,and all goods imported there are to be, froin the 1st of September next, free of dutics, As a company of New York capitalists bave already opened the old Spanish dique or canal between that city and the Magdalena river, which is the sole commercialartery for nearly two millions of people, and have placed several fine steamers on the river, this measure ha a directand unavoidable tendency to throw the whol» trade of the country into their hands, and besides giving tiem the profitable carrying of tt, they will receive a toll upon i's transit through the line of ca- nal which their enterprise has opened. . The industrial intereste of this country have re- ceived p remarkable impulse within the last few years. The extinction of the tobacco monopoly, which was abolished by General Moeyuera, 14 President of the republic in 1847, opened the flelds of the rovthern part of the valley of the Magdalena to this branch of labor, and so well adapted have these lands proved to the tobacco culture that their product now stands second in the estimatiun of the commercial world, and the yield has increased and is increasing with great rapidity. Lands in all that try have risen from fifty to 9 hundred i labor has advanced from ten ovate to cighty cer yoimon field hand: Another 9 that has increased great- ly is the getting out the bark of the cinchona tree— the old Pernvian bark. There ore vast foresta of this tree in the public ands of the repnblic, ond 86 | Tahiti, sete tov ladians, why pull | profitable bas tho trade been ware lecliug nome | ll thing skin to our own Western wildland speculation exists bere. It has cau-ed a great demand for labor, and,in conjunction wrth the tebacco culture, has had the eftect of causing a general advance ia the valve of labor throughout the republic to nearly thrice its former ievel The northern provinces of the public, lying east of the ‘dulena river, ave extensively engaged 0: th eund manufacture of cotton; the gethering of coffee, which grows with great luxusianee 1! the @ne coffee now exported from Naracaibo, coming from these districts, puking wineh is a most profitable unization of the navigation re by tle American Company, the »vof Veles ood Sozorro have passed laws vera ox to contract for the open- trves Sy these measures the two very industrious provinces + market of Carthagena. dulena river lies the rich lose gold flelds are here mnia and Australia in ininistration of Gen. Mos- hive really given the in- ntry, the export daty up- 1 the exports of the coun - ing of On the we provir try bad alrer fetween five and aix mil- lions yearly ‘oos through Carthegens, The rine/o.i sources of the present welfare of Now Granads, ut all the minor branch- e# of indurt 2 parti inated m the general in- crease. (9 a ed in value, provisions of all Kinds have odvance!, wad # general prosperity begin. i inved ch overy side. Oa every hand the pe a vith hope, andthe general excl: want peace to conso.idate © people are cndoubtedly f the probable future re- Before touching it, how- he form of government, and essury to a better understanding of jmoiation of Colombian indepen- Wis i: u state of complete exhang- ticn, the ce of the sanguinary struggle tha’ bie rica ci. for fourteen years within its bora were divided as to the best form of gover denied, and not a few, in con- templaticn of tter social and industrial prostra- tion, belived thet it was toe weuk to adopt repub- licun fe scecessially, and that the wisest and mort course weaid be to establish 2 consti- tution: wre They hoped that the energy and etre pobtieas ‘orms would compensate for the i -oolal peing. Others, with equal petrotiom, looked ior a material resuscitation only is the adoption of the most radical princigles; thaueelves in & position antagonistic to nse Votve Wen, 28 the others styled them- they advocated imany of the wildest theories bis tl newly cons..cuted countries, bsuip wok most violent and #s each purty ruse ty power in the ed Cut rts views with an intolerance that on ral orcasious forced their opponents ine « vsistance wbd rebellion. It is a remarka- ble tact, however, ia the history of the country, that though euch party has at times been in arns wgeirst the covetiiuted authorities, no uttempt at revolution his ever succeeded in overthrowing the gore nner jor the time being. Tired of these destructive conflicts, a middle sraduaily crown up, euanating in a great om the principles developed during Ge- era's dnugisteation, and has lately 1 ‘htt gentleman at its bead as nud cundidate tor the Presidency for Lresideutiai term. Avoiding the ex- © other parties, it seeks to establigh the iilecal republican principles, or- er those of our own country, ng « federal compuct like thas of the ws. The present government is that of ed repobuc, the different Provincial t untcipal pavers only, and the xi elected by the peopie, are «ith of the central! execative. y i@ardes 10 the ral Con- cong UOUS a OF va ship here. 1 Obeeivatious here, {um inclined to the coming political contest this 8 , 88 the dissatisfaction ‘y gene- sult, 1 am inclined to be- ‘ perienes great advance- wulerial prosperity, which in Tibuts jrestly to its sti todo people are naturally averse to HOns. 4.0 character and ante edents ere Wid eoutnbute largely to these re- tame favorite oflicer aud com- rittey, Solivar, he has tor several isis iuer ot the repnblie, and Lis es oid has saved it from the and i Poe aby * ever American aud European 4, abe I, his entire want of that ot polidieal persecution that has nn- dtoo many of the public men of It poiut his career with hope fo repose for his native land. To cisieut aud firm democratis dn ston of the institutions and the Crited Siates. Sunguice in the hopes { enter- © the Btabtity and progross of we evident, | think, from «. se of the labors she has wer short career as @ nation, ved by political convul- she nas trecu the press from every trammel Which the poiivy political paru ultie form, an Stare, ihe Bovern KOveIDMeT ferucios piinayles sd poboy e ‘Lieti em nor tan mi tLe past hag put upon it; she bas eeparaied the ehorek inva the State, aad declar- ed ubiversat freedom of relivious worship: she has throwh @own ali ibe old burners that a protective §ysfeni bad erected us the paths of commerce; she has in ted schools at the charge of the Strte; phe bas ed the law of priaiogeniture; the hus ubrog orbemnent for debt, and the it cal offences; aud she has in- grants or lands to actual get- 4 them citizenship imme- it. If the uaquiet past init, iuay we not hope for much ture ¢ the people now is, that the may be soon re-estab- as though events tended 4 inige majority or the people of Por it, and the recent message o® President Monagas, et republic, strongly ad- vecates it. Weuader ie ready aad desirous to enter Into Degotaticns to oiect taet object; and the states- mer fre rerivusly medtiting the manner of bringing it sucut, now Uiat tiie cioud that lately hung. over the relations renweca New Granada and Vene- zrela bes divappeaied. J! they succeed in estab- lishing the 1 ipic of State rights here, 23 is now contemplated, the wok will be more than half dove, tor they will tuus lay hold im Southern Ame- rica ot the true secret ot tie rapid extension of the North American cortederation. The neighboring communities will be ready and auxious to come into a Colombien con/ederation, that respects. the sove- reignty of its constituent States, and only bands together free peoples tor the parpoxes of de- fence uid unrestricted intercourse. this event take place we may beileve that the evils of the past have taught wisdom to the nations of Spanith America, ond that ite regeneration has be- gun. A Svnth smerican confederation. Principles of our own prosperous Union, 6} vers aud ci diately on ay pli Nae Lorne such gocd in the qui ‘the general i former repablie lished; vad it woule in that dive ie & new era in the p of republicanism, tube 1 reas re; hailed with joy teroneh all the civilized world. Oaz Panauw» Correspondence. Unirsp Sarr Sr. Marys, Panama, May 1, Tse. Cruise of the St. Marys in the South Pacific—The Tuhiti Society Group—Apia-The Feejee Islands —Morst, Physical arui Iitellectual Traits of the Oceanic Tribes—Their Gradual Extinction by Contact wih the Wihites—Chile—The Chincha Isiands.~Calico— Guiyngul — Panama -- The Late Riots— Measures of Capt. Bailey. Wo sailed from San Francisco on the 17th April, 1855, for San Juan dei sur de Nicarocua, where, after settling a little difienity whish had arisen be- tween the authoritics of that place and our Consul, Mr. Viiest, we sailed for the Sandwich Istands, where we arrived on the Lith Juiy, and remained till the 36th of the rame mouth; from thence to the Mar queras lrlands, in consequence of having re ed utelligence that come men belonging to a baling vessel had been taken prisoners by the nae tives, aud one or two of them murdered. Upon our arrival, we fuund the Frenca authorities, who have estebtished a pr torate over this group, bad ree cvived every 6 ‘tion for the outrages coms mitted, and w’ appeared to tify Capt. Bailey, ot thia ship. Prom these islaads we proceeded (a 1 Growp, over which the Prench ala prowot mic, With Wht pistes or toundatiog