The earth and its inhabitants .. . uence of the copious Telembi, from the Ecuador frontier, themajestic stream rolls seawards in long meanderings through the alluvial plainsstudded with marshes and now abandoned fluvial beds. Its delta, like that of the IGO SOUTH AMEBICA—THE ANDES REGIONS. San Juan, projects far beyond the normal shore-line, but is too shallow to admitany but light craft. The lower reaches, however, between the delta and theCordilleras, mip:ht be utilised for navigation if this almost uiiinhubited regionstood in need of any such facilities. The discharge of all the Colombian r
The earth and its inhabitants .. . uence of the copious Telembi, from the Ecuador frontier, themajestic stream rolls seawards in long meanderings through the alluvial plainsstudded with marshes and now abandoned fluvial beds. Its delta, like that of the IGO SOUTH AMEBICA—THE ANDES REGIONS. San Juan, projects far beyond the normal shore-line, but is too shallow to admitany but light craft. The lower reaches, however, between the delta and theCordilleras, mip:ht be utilised for navigation if this almost uiiinhubited regionstood in need of any such facilities. The discharge of all the Colombian rivers flowing to the Pacific and to theCaribbean Sea is estimated by Vergara at ^320,000 and 400,000 cubic feet persecond respectively, while the enormous quantity of 010,000 cubic feet is sent tothe Atlantic, partly through the Orinoco, partly flirough the Amazons. Theannual rainfall being estimated at 73 inches, or 2,500,000 cubic feet for the whole Fig. 61.—TnauKERES Piatkau ».ni) Vaixey oj- tue 1 : VVest ch Greenwich 77 MO , 12 Miles. territory, it would appear that about one-third is lost by evaporation, or absorbedby the roots of the plants. Thk Lakes. At present there are scarcely any lakes in Colombia, unless such shallowriverine depressions as the Zapatosa lagoon are to be regarded as such. Butalthough the lacustrine basins were emptied at an unknown geological epoch, thetraces that they have left on the plateaux show that some of them were of vastextent. There can be no doubt that the elevated plain of Bogota was formerhcovered by the glacial waters descending from the Suma Paz highlands, but wasgradually drained by the erosions of the Funza (Bogota) emissary. The Chibcha(Muyscaj Indians appear to have had traditions of this geological fact, for they THE COLOMBIAN LAiCES. 161 relate how the god Bochica had cleft the mountain in twain with his golden wandto let the waters escajie over the Tequendama Falls, The most recent outflo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectgeography, bookyear18
