MR. STEUART'S BOGOTA.

IN November 1835, Mr. STEUART embarked at New York, with an assorted cargo of goods and "humans," for the purpose of esta. Wishing a manufactory at Bogota, the capital of New Granada.- a recently-hatched republic, forming part of the " Columbia" ofthe stockjobbers and the maps. lie reached Santa Martha, on the Carib. bean Sea, without any incident worth mentioning; and after dem& ing the town and denouncing the delays of the customhouse, deter.. mined to precede with his live-stock, and let his goods follow him,— a circumstance he afterwards so repented of, as to lay it down as an axiom, " always travel in the same boat with your merchandise," The way to the capital is to ascend the Magdalena, as high as it is navigable, and thence to traverse on mules the majestic scenery formed by the spurs of the Andes, till one reaches the table-landef Bogota. As the ascent of the river is made against a strong floss ing stream, frequently increased by dangerous rapids, the only, or at least the country mode of stemming it, in the absence of wind, is to propel the boat by means of poles, one end resting on the bottom, the other pressed against the breast of the boatmen, who must at times leap overboard and swim ashore to drag the vessel along certain passages. The men who perform this laborious task arc Blacks, and " Begat" is the name of the class. According to Mr. STEUART, an offended witness, they are a race of " wretches;" indecently exposing their persons ; uttering " the most blasphemous and obscene expressions at every step they take ;" and squander. ing their money in drink and debauchery, until which consumma. tion it is in vain to expect them to work—Nigger navigators in short, with the vices of the African and the Spanish South Arne- rican superadded to the blackguardism of John Bull. The boat they usually navigate is thus described, and is called A BONG A.

"I have said that we embarked in a small bongo for Barranquilla : this name belongs to a boat of some tbrty feet in length and seven in width. It is the most awkward attempt at naval architecture conceivable ; being a keelboat, with square stern, but tottles terribly in the water. It is decked, having a small cabin aft, and carries an awkward sort of sail. It can else be poled along like a champan, and on this account tire sides above the deck are not more than one foot high. As one of these was the very best conveyance to be had, we huddled into it as well as we could ; but I never will forget the looks of horror cast upon it by the four poor women when they first saw this miser- able vessel ; and I had no little trouble in reconciling them to it. The pro- visions and most of the baggage were stowed away in the hold; the cabin looked so dirty that none descended it, but crowded round the hatchway, while the four black wretches termed Bogas, river-labourers, hoisted their strip of black canvas, and we started off, like a Dutch yawl, keel uppermost."

The waters of the Magdalena discharge themselves into the sea by several outlets ; but as the main entrance was at some distance from Santa Martha, involving a longer ocean navigation than might be desirable in such crazy craft, excessive difficulty in stemming the current, and the necessity of traversing two sides of a triangle instead of its base, the Bogas and the, bongs took their way through the Cienaga or Salt Lake,—a succession of lagoons opening into each other by narrow passages, and communicating both with the river and the sea, whose sluggish currents meeting ill opposition, cause a stagnancy in some of the smaller lakes, which is offensive to the smell, productive of the rankest vegetable and animal growths of the Tropics, and deadly (we should think) to the constitution fre- quently exposed to it. Our manufacturing emigrants, however, passed into the Magdalena without other than temporary incon- venience; and at the salubrious town of' Barranquilla they had plenty of' time to get acclimated, for it being near the Christmas season, the Bogas one and all refhsed to stir till the helydays were over.

Beyond the loss of a woman who fell overboard in a rapid, and the usual difficulties of' navigating against the stream in a South American river, the voyage and the subsequent land journey offers no remarkable incident. The banks on the lower part of the river were a rich alluvial soil, and seem to have had a tolerable spank- ling of villages—in a very backward state of civilization, but rarely without a church ; and there were three or four towns of some trade. On the upper part, the spurs of the Andes approached the banks, and gave grandeur and variety to the scenery. The land route to Bogota lay through a succession of mountains and table- lands ; the latter clothed with natural woods and pasture, or pretty well cultivated; the former exhibiting the difficulties of ascent and descent found in all lofty ranges, except where the genius of :Nero- LEON has subdued the character of the Alps. Arrived at Bogota, Mr. STEUART suspends his personal narra- tive for a while, to give an account of the site, architecture, public places, and domestic and business arrangements of the city, as well as of its mortals, manners, customs, prejudices, and govern; mod. He also took several excursions into its vicinity: and these furnish a chapter on the environs of Bogota, bringing our author to the close of his eleven months sojourn, and the resump- tion of his personal narrative,—for he, in common with other foreign residents, was threatened with danger from a popular ebul- lition, in consequence of a squabble between the British Goverre_ ment and the authorities at Carthagena ; and as soon as he reached

the river-banks on his return, he was annoyed by his old friends the Bo„iras. Once fitirly afloat, however, they went rapidly along, descending to Barranca without labour, in one quarter of the time it had taken them to ascend ; and thence Journeying by a way al- most level as a railroad to Carthagena, where he took ship and returned to New York.

Mr. STEUART iS a straightforward writer, rough, ready, and ani- mated; which qualities give a character to his style, that, added to the novelty of his subject and the reality of his matter, render his book readable, and not without interest. He has, however, little of skill in arrangement, or of taste in selection ; and he is often literal and narrow in his descriptions and views. Of the natural features of New Granada lie conveys a truthful if not a very pic- turesque idea ; his particular fitcts, and his accounts of the indivi- duals he met with, as well as of the state and prospects of trade, &c. are doubtless true : his opinions and his views of more general subjects are perhaps to be suspected ; from his sweeping conclusions we are often tempted to dissent, That the country is not a suitable Eastern of residence for a British tinnily, or for an Englishman or Eastern American, bristling with nationalities, we think likely ; but few places are where Spanish or fbreign customs prevail. That the country is in a backward state—the Government weak, its members corrupt or prejudiced, and the people ig- norant, superstitious, and antiquated in their notions—is abstract- edly true enough, we dare say ; that they may continue so for along time, or without foreign admixture for ever, is possible. But, com- pared with the other South American republics, New Granada seems to be in au advanced stage. Mr. STEUART is by birth a Seotehman, by residence and adoption an American, apparently without experience beyond what those countries furnish, or a well- digested reading which might supply its place. Hence, his opi- nions, though true, are scarcely just, being bounded or abstract : but such is not the way to judge correctly of countries in the condi- tion of New Granada. Whilst the three great rivers of the South American continent, and three of the greatest in the world—the Orinoco, the Amazons, and the La Plata—only bear an occasional vessel on their bosom, and their banks are abandoned to the Indian and the wild beast, a regular navigation is carried on upon the Magdalena by a regular class of navigators ; a post punctually, and, even when carrying bullion, safely, traverses it : its banks have three or tutor towns of some consequence ; and are dotted with villages, with one public building in them at least, as well as that mark of civilization a dram-shop. Upon the three mighty rivers already mentioned, not a steam-boat has ever floated, nor been thought of but as the hope of a discoverer : on the Magda- lena, two steamers plied at a good profit, and would have rood- nued to do so till now, but for the extravagant follies of their owner, and the misconduct of their " drunken captains, who sunk them ; and it is probable that steam is again in operation on its waters. Of' the territory of the Orinoco (possessed by the republic of Venezuela) we have too little knowledge to speak with cer- tainty; which is perhaps a sufficient indication of its state. But neither Brazil, nor Buenos Ayres, nor the new republic with Monte Video for its capital, have any city worthy of the name, or any place of traffic except the metropolis on the coast. Besides the smaller port of Santa Martha, New Granada has the once-filmed emporium of Carthagena on the scabord ; several tolerable towns on her line of river navigation ; and it capital far inland, difficult of access front the nature of the country, and 8,000 feet above the

level of the sea, yet with these disadvantages it has many public buildings, it supports a national museum, an observatory, a library, and a theatre ; and though foreign manufacturers have great difficulties to struggle with on account of the listlessness of the natives, there are a pottery, doing well, a paper-mill, a cotton-mill, a comb and a hat manulitetory—some on too extensive a scale, and extravagantly planned, but there they are. There was also a glass-manuffictory, but it tidied altogether ; and for reasons.

"The proprietors imported a company of French workmen, who were the

veriest set of blackguards imaginable, fighting from the moment they set !but on shore all the way up to Bogotd ; and even here they refused to fidlow the instructions of the directors until the assistance of the police was called in.

Its failure may be attributed partly to this, but more to the extravagant schemes and plans of the company themselves, who arranged their Biole of operations as if they were in Paris itself; where, fbr the mere payment, any amount of requisite material was to be had for their manullicturing purposes.

The company is now entirely broken up."

The finer trades too, considering that Bogota is in the heart of a range of the Andes, seem in some request ; not, of course, as they would be in London, Paris, or New York, but such as it would be vain to look for elsewhere in South America, unless in Rio Janeiro or Buenos Ayres. Here is an account of articles and prices, which have the value of odd facts, and give besides a notion of Bogota, and of Mr. STEUART'S manner.

"There is but one celebrated bootmaker, a Mr. Michael, an American : his charges are ten dollars for best Wellington boots. There are a number of native workmen, who sell, Jew-like, for just such prices as they can get ; and so it is with every other trade here. 1 have seen a very good pair of boots bought on Saturday night, when the poor fellow was hard pushed for cash fir the coming holyday, at two dollars a pair. They have a singular way of fitting them- selves with ready-made boots or shoes; they never try them on at the time of purchasing, lint have a mode of determining the right size with the hand ; and I believe the measure is uniformly correct, although the same mode !night not so well suit those in the latitudes of the North ; but here, if the length is ascertained correctly, the fine model of the Spanish foot will be sure o answer in every other particular • whereas, with us, the high instep and the low instep, the wide foot and the ;narrow, the straight and the crooked, and twenty other differences, tend to put all such calculations quite out of joint. They make excellent sole-leather here, but inferior upper.

"Carpenters and joiners do their work wretchedly bad and arc sadly lackin

in the quantity and quality of their tools. A Mr. Mulford, an American cabi- net and pianoforte maker, is doing well : a well-finished and excellent-toned upright piano, made by him, only brings five hundred dollars ; such a one would formerly have sold for at least twelve hundred. There are many beau- tiful woods of native growth here, admirably adapted for cabinet work ; but the fine white pine of the North is sadly missed in the manufacture of almost every thing else, where a sound, light, and well-seasoned wood is absolutely necessary to make a perfect job : most of the common woods are cross-grained and heavy, and might lie in the 81.111 for ages without being seasoned so as not tower') afterwards.

" Sadlers are also numerous; but a good English saddle will still bring sixty dollars, when the very best-made home-manufactured one will rarely bring over thirty. " Gunsmith.—There is one in Bogotd, who also acts as captain of militia and Government armourer. His charges are enormous. Au active and good work- men at this trade from the North might du well.

"Time French baker and confectioner is bail enough ; and yet he is rapidly making a fortune, as two others have dune before him in the same business. No ordinary business pays so well as this; and were it properly conducted, it might be pushed on as large a scale as one could desire. It is a shame that the thing has not been thought of long before. " A good watchmaker is also needed ; and one that could unite with that business the setting ofjewellery would do well. " As for a bookbinder, the one who is now in Bogoth, and who does all the business in his line, though a wretched botch, is good enough for the place at present, until a desire fur reading becomes more manifest."

Mr. STEUART'S opinions vary about the government—sometimes praising, sometimes blaming. It is clear, however, that the autho- rities are in advance of the people; and that they arc anxious to adopt " progressive reform," though from ignorance or prejudice they may not always choose the best means. They hare freed education from the open and avowed control of the priesthood; the schools that are now formed are established beyond the con- vent-walls ; and the desire for education seems advancing,—though Mr. STEemer " found that a much larger proportion of the children of both sexes attended the schools in Barranquilla and Mempoz (commercial towns on the river) than in the capital." The Govern- ment have also suppressed many religious houses, and are cau- tiously, and not without a crafty policy, proceeding to suppress more. The old hatred of the vulgar at Bogota against heretics and foreigners, whom they call Jews, time alone can alter ; but the authorities take care to prevent it proceeding to open violence ; and the firm but prudent manner in which an apprehended insur- rection was quelled, or rather dissipated, does great credit to SAN- TANDER and his colleagues. That persons in office prefer their ease or their interest to inconvenient or unpopular exertions, we can readily believe ; it is so in countries more advanced than New Granada. We make no doubt that the inhabitants of the inland districts are opposed to free trade and connexion with foreigners ; and that this creates a rankling feeling in the minds of the com- mercial classes on the coast and the rivers, which may breed troubles : it is not necessary to cross the Atlantic, however, to wit- ness an analogous state of things, without the plea of ignorance, isolation 11.01)1 the world, and the inveterate prejudices instilled into the people by priests and Spaniards for three hundred years. Upon one subject New Granada may set an example to other coun- tries—in her enlightened application and management of

TILE POST-0FrICE.

The rates of postage are all settled by weight : a single letter from the sea- bord to Bogota costs twenty-five cents. ; pamphlets and newspapers are free. A set of boxes are provided for the merchants at the rate of four dollars per annum. Letters are generally delivered through a window from the street; but the place for the delivery of parcels, called encomiendas, which pay a mail- freight of one dollar per pound, is in a different part of the building. No country can possibly possess a better-regulated post than that of New Gra- nada, nor is there any place where fewer accidents occur. If a person wishes to send a hundred doubloons to the seabord, he must place them in one of the little bags of the counity, called mochilas; and after the teller in the office counts the money, the bog is tied up and numbered; the teller then hands him a llama receipt to' the amount, in which is also stated the kind of coin received, and to whose order to be delivered at its place of des- tination. This receipt he sends to his correspondent, who presents it at the office there, and receives his money, the Government being responsible for its delivery. This mode of the "encomiendas " is often a great advantage to the man of business, as no goods can possibly reach him in so short a time as by mail. This being the case, I have often seen small parcels, containing a few pounds weight of sonic new style of shawls, laces, gloves, Scc. of much de- mand iii market, iiiirwarded in this way very convenicotly. I rather think that the mail is limited as to the number of pounds weight in the gross it can carry, but to what extent I tun ignorant.

Two other points of comparison between New Granada and other countries of the same standing, and we have done. The tra- veller may gallop over the plains of South America, or try to pene- trate her forests; and pass days or weeks without seeing the trace of population, or of settlement beyond a solitary hut. Wherever Mr. STEUART went in New Granada, he seems to have found peo- ple assembled in villages, however backward, and cultivation of some kind or other carried on. A result partly attributable, per- haps, to the mountainous nature of the interior, which has induced them to collect in the vallies and table-lands instead of dispersing ; but we are speaking not of causes, but of facts. Against the mo- rals of the Bogotans Mr. STEUART is sometimes almost furious ; when a hospitable friend is concerned he descends to be facetious. He admits, however, that they are improving : marriage, which was " a very rare occurrence tburtcen years ago," is now common; " many respectable people at present living at Bogota and heads of families, were not then bound together by the sacred ties of matri- mony, but have since been united by mother church." Mr. HA- MILTON about the same time stated, that morals "are not worse in New Granada than in other places,"—at which Mr. STEUART is wroth : but HainniroN did not mean, we conceive, the morals of the middle classes of England and the United States but of South

America, the Peninsula, the Tropical Colonies, and of high life everywhere,—in which case we suspect he is right.

Let it not be supposed that we are crying up New Granada; that we expect it to make a rapid advance in wealth or importance ; or that we recommend it as a field of emigration or of speculation to Englishmen of settled habits,—though it is probable that young adventurers with agricultural views and a small capital, or rough and ready chaps with a knowledge of some mechanical trade to fall back upon, might do well there. But as "Bogota in 1836-7 " is an, original narrative, well worth reading by those who would acquire a knowledge of the existing state of strange countries, it is proper to point out that there are more places in the world than Great Bri- tain, the United States, and New Granada ; a fact which Mr. &Tema has not sufficiently borne in mind in his judgments.

We will now turn to the book, and take from its varied pages a few extracts.

TIM CIENAGA-.--TIIE LAKES OF TILE TROPICS.

Again under weigh at an early hour, poling along. , Certainly nothing can much surpass the novel beauties of the scenery of this lake. The water trans- parent as the most polished mirror, and its surface undisturbed by a single ripple. Numerous mimic islands, or large clumps of dark green bushes, whose branches (lip into the lake, are scattered in all directions. Large birds of the most spotless white plumage had settled on the boughs, at sight of which, joined to the perfect transparency of the sky above and the sweet blandness of the morning air, filled as it was with delicious perfume, transported us back to the nursery-tales of fairy-land. All that was wanting to complete the illusion, was to be shut out from the presence of those foul-mouthed beasts the Bogus, who were the only mar to the enjoyment of so lovely a scene. Even the very dullest of my companions could not but share the admiration, and feel with me the effect produced by the surrounding view, which was thus so enchantinglypresented. Far away in the background toweringly rose, in amphitheatrical form, the snow-capped mountains of the Santa Marta range. To witness a sunrise on the Cienaga is certainly worth all the harassing fatigue one is obliged to endure in order to reach it. We entered to-day a second lake smaller than the last. The entrance was through a long narrow passage, along whtch the boat was forced with the greatest dilheulty over a species of water- lily, whose close-twisted and enduring roots formed such a dense resistance, that at one time we had some fears of not being able to effect a passage ; and it was only by stimulating the Bogus with whisky to fresh exertions, that they persevered and worked their way through. The toil was most excessive, and could only have been endured by such a race of mortals as these. On the shores of this lake are large beautiful trees, actually alive with red monkies and igua- nas, a most disgusting-looking animal of the lizard tribe. These red monkies make a dreadful roaring, especially at daybreak ; a multitude of them together send forth sounds bearing so strong a resemblance to the roar of a lion, that we took them for such until better informed. At night we anchored some dis- tance from shore, and were perfectly free from moschetoes. At daylight we entered just such another tangled passage as that we passed yesterday. This fully merits the appellation which it bears, namely, that of "the Infernal Passage." The "patron" or skipper of the boat, however, did very wrong to attempt going through at this hour of the day. Had he but waited until the sun's power had been sufficiently felt, his prudence would have saved us from an hour and a half as severe purgatory as may well be con- ceived. For at the very moment the prow of the boat struck the thick bed of lilies, the air was perfectly tilled with a species of small gnat, whose sting was instantaneous and excessively painful. There was no way of keeping them at bay. They attacked our very eyelids, lips, nostrils, and the interior of the ears. All the flapping of glands and handkerchiefs was entirely without avail against the countless legions of such bloodthirsty and tormenting animals. As a last resource, we were obliged to roll ourselves completely up in sheets yet within these folds, friendly as they were, we well nigh endured all the horrors of suffo- cation, not daring to leave even space sufficient for respiration; for the very moment the smallest aperture was made in our wrapper, in poured a stream of these malignant little wretches. Never should I speak disparagingly of moschetoes again after this acquaintance with the gnats that infiait the Cienagas of Santa Marta.

nOGAS' WORK AND FEEDING.

Off at half-past five A.M. Had bad poling to-day, owing to obstructions in the river, caused by trees, logs, and bushes. Over some of these large bodies of wood the water runs like a mill-sluice, and the boat being necessarily kept out from shore in order to get around them, the water becomes too deep for the poles to reach the bottom ; and then their only plan is to propel the boat by applying the poles to the obstructions themselves, while the bowman keeps it close in by means of a wooden hook. The exertions made to pass these places are often terrible to witness : not unfrequently the wood-hook breaks, the poles slip from off the smooth surface of the wood, and away goes the boat, like a bolt from the bow, a tulle or so down the current, until she is swept into shore again by the boat-sweeps, which arc nothing more than flat pieces of board, about two feet long and six or eight inches wide, lashed to long round sticks. Occurrences like these try all one's patience, causing as they do the loss of ground,; which, step by step, had been gained by so much toil and ex- pense of time.

A crew of Bogus at their daily meal presents a scene worth describing. An immense red earthen pot is brought reeking hot into the midst of the savage group, as they are all seated, or rather squatted down on their hams on the fore-deck, each man having a calabash-shell and wooden spoon, with which he scoops up the messes of thick boiled rice, plantains, and bits of black jerked beef, all mixed together : they cat enormous quantities, and very fast, washing it all down with the water of the river, fresh and muddy as it runs past the boat. The patron cats of the same food ; but his mess is handed him alt, and I generally added something from my own table, with a glass of claret. The dinner-hour of the Bogus regulated our own, as it would have been very foolish to stop the boat again. Yet their behaviour on such occasions subjected us to witness the most revolting scenes of filth, and conduct much below that of the brute creation.

DRAWBACK TO PROSPF.CTS.

We had this day fine views of the Ocana mountains. These mountain-views were doubly appreciated after so many days' travel through low marshy lands ; yet there are ninny things to prevent one's enjoying fully the beautiful and novel scenery of the surrounding country, such as the unremitting atten- tion one must constantly pay to his own person in order to pass along with but the endurance of life, comfort being entirely out of the question. There is the broiling sun when away from the boat ; the heat and mosehetoes when in it ; fourteen Bogas shouting and stamping with all their might ; then the boat brushes past a tree, and a hundred or two of enraged wasps render it necessary to fall on the face and shout for assistance from the Negroes, who dread them even more than the traveller himself. When they observe a nest before coming directly upon it, there is not a whisper from them until it be passed.

A DEGENERATE BULL•FIGIIT---SCENE, BOGOTA.

After waiting at least an hour and a halt; a veritable " torro " was actually espied cautiously advancing towards the lists, stoutly secured by two strong lassos. At this time the number of caballeros in the ring had suddenlysteby. died down to about ten or twelve, with three or four pedestrians. As yet, all the notions I had gathered from books relative to this sport were completely at variance with every thing I now saw. Nor could I in any ssiy

make out why so many people remained within the enclosure. Well, there the poor " torro " perambulated up and down the arena, without looking either to the right or left, his whole appearance betokening the most abject servility ; and it is even yet a puzzle to me to conjecture where so tame en animal of the kind could have been procured, as I never saw one like Wins on these plains unless he had been accustomed to the harness.

Two or three caballeros now attempted to vex him, but it was "no go;,I " he wouldn't be vexed no how," for a long time. Fire-crackers, however, did the business, and cracked him off at last ; and away he bounded in most gel. lint style, head down and heels up. It was now a glorious spectacle to see the scampering of another sort among the caballeros and footmen in the ring, The latter in an instant were on the safe side of the enclosure, while the horsemen huddled hastily together in the centre of the place, and called lustily to those oil the outside to draw off the bull's attention from them by the dis- play of a red roams. This had the effect of keeping the animal in play until a fresh impetus was given him ; and then was repeated the same sort of mock heroism, the military hand playing, and the crowd cheering all the while.

When one animal becomes so tired out as not to be squibbed into action any longer, a fresh one of the same sort is admitted ; the whole matter appearing like a game at hide and seek, and a mode of ascertaining who could mu the fastest and keep himself' the most secure. Occasionally the monotony of the accuse was partially relieved by the bull's snaking a sudden rush at one of his

cowardly tormentors. Then the fright of the poor wretch, added to his vein. most cries for help, were ludicrous enough ; although it might have been ap parent to any one dust, by simply wheeling his horse upon the tame beast, the animal would have been much more alarmed than the chivalrous picadore himself.

A handkerchief at this moment was accidentally dropped into the arena by s lady front one of the booths ; and an Indian servant, who had clambered down by one of the posts to restore it to her, had already secured the article, and was just in possession of a footing on one of the cross-rails of the booth, is order to reascend, when " senor torro" espied him, and was instantly upon The crowd cried out, some to ascend, others to stay where he was; but little time was given for either ; for in a moment, whack came the ball's

horns, aimed directly behind him, and actually indenting the railing on each side of the Indian's leg. The animal being new called off, the poor &H ow lost no time in effecting his escape. I must observe, that the wise precaution of cutting of the tips of the bull's horns is always token before commencing th game. Sometimes the "fight" assumes another feature. A broad band is tightly strapped around the body of the bull, close to his fore-shoulder, and then he is

held fast until mounted by some daring fellow, who holds on stoutly by this bend. I saw a Negro perform the feat while at the " fiesta " at Fusugasuga, on my route to Pandi ; and there was more sport in this than in all the laboured fuss exhibite(l in the capital. The strange, unequal motions of time animal,

which tried, by every means in his power, to throw its tormentor, as the latter tossed and tumbled about on his back like a ship in a high sea, was feu enough.

The bull succeeded in throwing him twice ; but somehow, with the help era mane or two, the Negro escaped unhurt, and iu a moment was up and rt- mounted.

THE CACCUA PLANT.

Some parts of these ruins present a most picturesque and unique appear- ance, which is occasioned by the twistings and twinings of the concha trees about them, often forming around a broken pillar or arched entrance, a perfect casing of the most complicated network, the great force of which, as the roots gain thickness and shoot upward, is sufficient to rend asunder the strongest masonry. I saw here a huge mass of such masonry, from, probably, eight to ten tons weight, completely separated from the main body, and raised a full foot front the foundation.

The neighbourhood of this tree is much dreaded, for should the smallest tendon once gain hisertion into sonic slight rent or crevice in the wall of house, it will be sure to destroy it, unless prevented in time. They also climb up to the tops of other trees, and often crush the largest of them, and in sometimes along the surface of the ground to all almost incredible distance,, destroying every other plant in their course.

NATIONAL MUSEUM AT BOGOTA.

The native specimens are very tine; and among them is a rich vein of the emerald, with its rocky bed, from the Memo mines; jet from the Rio Villa% as fine, I think, as any from Europe; gold, silver, copper, lead, and iron ores of the richest kinds, and contained in various coloured rock ; sulphur, salt, antimony, &e. ; amethyst, topaz, corneliaii, pearl, pebble, and a stone like the Scottish cairogoram, called here gallinasa, &c. &e. all found in the provinces Of New Grenada, and unsurpassed by any thing of the kind I ever saw. They are all very neatly arranged in glass cases, but the want of a catalogue 1911

great desideratum for the study and enjoyment of the collection. * i

Here also is the identical banner et the great conqueror of Peru ; it s worked with silver thread, and is now in a very decayed condition : also a por- trait of Christopher Columbus, from Spain, said to be an excellent one; and an original letter of his, in his own handwriting : likewise a mantle worn by the last unfortunate Queen of Peru; heavy keys of gold and silver, which be- longed to the castles and gates of Carthagents in the time of the Spaniards ; a Flemish painting of "dead game, and a servant bearing a basket of fruit"—au excellent thing ; a very pretty model in brass of a steam-boat, which seemed to engross almost exclusively the attention of native visitors. It was in full ope- ration, mid closely attended to by the Colonel ; who, I am certain, nuist love been completely wearied omit with answering the endless string of interrogato- ries put to hint by his gaping auditors.