CUNDINAMA RCA, east from Cauca, and stretching in a direction of nearly north and south between 8° 35' N. and 0° 40' S. comprises the four provinces of Antioquia, Mariquita, Bogota, and Neiva, or Neyva. With a su perficial extent of 76,600 square miles, and length of 650, the mean breadth is about 118 miles. This lengthened department unites the basins of the Magdalena and Ama zon; the southern province of Neyva being in great part drained by the sources of the rivers Negro and Jupura, whilst the provinces of llogot, Mariquita, and Antio quia, are watered by the Cauca and Magdalena. The city of Medellin in Antioquia, 6° 13' N. lat., long. 1° 15' E. from Washington City, stands upon a site elevated above the ocean 4847 feet ; the city of Neiva, capital of the province of that name, at 3° 07' N., long. 1° 31' E. from Washington City, is elevated 1310 ; Le Honda, the capital of Mariquita, at 5° 10' N., long. 2° 04' E. the lowest of the four capitals of the department, is elevated 640 feet above the ocean level, whilst Bogota, the capital of the whole department, at lat. 4° 36' N., long. 2° 44' E. from Washington City, rises to 8413 feet above the Pacific. Neiva and la Honda are both on the banks of the Magdalena, the former lower down the stream, 143 mi nutes of latitude, and by the intermediate fall of 660 feet, showing the very rapid descent of the country. Here,
as in many other parts of tropical America, near the l'a cific coast, the extremes of climate and vegetable pro duction exhibit the most rapid transition : the burning sea coast, covered with a tropical vegetation, is bordered inland by mountain plains covered with wheat and other Cereal gramina; and palms arc succeeded by the apple. These contrasts are peculiarly striking between the sea borders of Buenaventura and Chaco, and the plain of Bo gota. The latter expanse, furrowed by the Magdalena, spreads between the Sierra de Quilidio, and the bleak mountain plateau, Paramo del Chigasa, with a breadth of 100 miles, having a remarkable resemblance to the valley of Mexico, with the exception that the lakes of Bogota have disappeared. This valley is again rendered interesting from containing near the capital, the great cataract of Tequendama, and the natural bridge of Icononza. The population of Cundinamarca amounts to 391,426, of which 108,695 are in the province of Bo gota.