The central ridge of the Andes begins at the Sierra-nevada in the province of Santa Marta, whose highest peak is 16,000 feet above the level of the sea, and, as the limit of perpetual snow in that latitude is about 15,000 feet, its top is to be seen constantly white, and exhibiting a beautiful contrast to the deep azure of the cloudless sky. In its pro gress it separates the River Cauca from the Magda lena, till, beyond the sources of both these rivers, it unites with the other parallel ridges. It is the high est of the three ; some of its loftiest points enter the regions of eternal frost and snow ; and such are its asperities and precipices, that no one has ever ven tured to pass from the Cauca to the Magdalena over this cordillera. The eastern ridge separates the River Magdalena from the plains on which the River Meta rises. It begins near Cape de la Vela, passes through the province of Merida and Santa Fe, and unites with the other two branches in Popayan. It is less elevated than the central ridge, but consider ably higher than the western. None of its highest peaks ascend to the limits of perpetual snow, nor are estimated at more than 12,000 feet above the level of the sea.
Besides these chains of mountains which run from north to south, others run from west to east, and en ter the province of Venezuela ; one beginning near the River Atrato forms the sierras of Abibe and of Cauca, crosses the River Magdalena, forms a narrow ' chain on the coast to Cape de la Vela, where it se parates into two ridges, and they continue through Caraccas and Cumana, till they terminate near the Gulf of Paria in the Atlantic Ocean.
Another part of the Andes, though but a small portion of them is within the new kingdom of Gra nada, may not be improperly noticed here. It is called the Cordillera of the cataracts of the Orinoco. It runs between the e and 6° of northern latitude, contains the sources of the great River Meta, of the Guaviare, and of the Zama, and occasions the tremendous cataracts of Maypure and Ature. As it bends towards the southward it increases in height, and becomes extended in breadth, stretching to wards the boundaries of the Portuguese territories. It has not yet been traced in many of its directions. It borders the uninhabited country in which the un known sources of the Orinoco are supposed to be situated. It then extends to the eastward, and soon bends to the southward, passing the lake Parime, and the hill of Ucucuamo, which, being formed of shining yellow mica, gave birth to those fables of an El Dorado, or Golden Region, which misled the great Sir Walter Raleigh, and a crowd of inferior adventurers. The Rivers Demerara, Berbice, and others in English, Dutch, and French Guyana, are supposed to derive their waters from some of the branches of this Cordillera.
The stupendous mountains of New Granada, from the quantity of snow which the direct rays of the sun perpetually dissolve on the higher points, and from the vapours which are collected by the whole of them, form reservoirs, from which are supplied those astonishing rivers which water all the valleys and plains of this immense continent.
In treating of the rivers which issue from these mountains, we remark, first, the Purumayo and the Cageta in the south, which rise in the mountains of Pastos, and, passing over an extensive plain, unite with the river of Amazons, and which are capable of being navigated almost to their sources. In the same direction, the Guaviare, a branch of the Orinoco, and the great river Meta, have their origin. They spring from that mass of the Cordilleras which touches the provinces of Neyva or Timone ; they unite their streams at Carichina, and, running through their whole extent, over a country perfectly level, are capable or being used for purposes of internal navi gation ; and will, at some future period, probably, afford an easy access to the cities of Popayan, Santa Fe, and Quito. The rivers Cauca and Magdalena both rise near each other in the province of Popayan, in the vicinity of the capital, from the mountains of Guanacas. These two rivers are separated from each other by the impassable chain of the central Andes, till they have passed the Sierra of Guamosco, a little to the south of Mompox, where the two streams unite, and run to the Carribean Sea. The two rivers collect such vast quantities of water from the drain ing of the mountains which border them, whose streams run with a rapidity correspondent to the height from which they descend, and the 'valleys through which they pass are so confined, that the rapidity of their currents renders the upward naviga tion extremely difficult, while the descent is propor tionally easy. From the city of Honda, the passage to Carthagena, or Santa Marta, may be made in eight or ten days, whilst it occupies more than thirty days, and requires the severe labour of numerous rowers, to return, in the most favourable seasons ; but, when the waters are much swollen, as is the case at some seasons, it requires months to perform the voyage, and is attended with great danger and many incon veniences. The river Atrato, at the foot of the western Cordilleras, passes through one of the rich est countries of the globe, both for its vegetable pro ductions and for its mines of gold and of platina, which last mineral is exclusively found in the pro vince of Choco, in which this river is placed. It is principally remarkable on account of the vicinity of its source to that of the river St Juan, which runs into the Pacific Ocean. The small rivulet St Pablo nearly unites them in the rainy season ; and, to con- . summate the junction, a priest of one of the parishes has dug a small canal, by which the productions of the eastern have been carried to the western shores of America. By the narrow policy of Spain, both these rivers were forbidden to be navigated, because they were supposed favourable for contraband trade ; and, though the restriction has been removed of late, the troubles which have agitated that country have prevented any great use being made of the channel of communication.