Cruising Up The Magdalena

iho following luttcr hamled us bv a well-known citizcn of our city will be read with interest : Mr. Alfred H. Partridge- Dear Bro: I left Nèw York Kovomber llth, and arrivod at Savanilla, Colombia, the 22d. I left next morning for Barrañquilla, popnlation 12,000, distant fifteon miles over tlie only railroad in Colombia, that of Panama excepted. On the llth of December left Barrañquilla in the steamer Columbia. Passing down a narrow inlet wc entored the main branch of the Magdalena, proceeding up the rivor, site aud clistant about a milo from Barranquilla, between which is a flat more or less overflowed according to the state of the river. On the opposite side is an island. The width of the main branch is here something over a quarter of a mile, but aftel passing the island inoreasoa to nbout a milo. ïhe river divides and empties into the sea about twolve milos below Barraflquilla. Wo had a fine view of the anow summits of tho Sierra Nevada of Santa Martha, height 17,900 to 18,000 feet. Tropical vordure, Indiun huts, small towus and villages add interest to tho beautu'ul Magdalena, dotted with innumerable islanda that possess all the varied tints of the cmerald. Our boat was spacious, clean and well providad, and Gapt. Sumraers a model captain. The steamer was high pressnro, and so hot in all ita parts that I could imagine myself shut up in a moving voleano. The populution is of all shados : Iadian, Negro, Sauibo, Metis or Mestizo, go nearly naked. Most of the whito Christian natious havo loft sorao of thoir progony on the Lanka of the Magdalena. llitli. Width of tho river varying froin half a müo to a, milo, and full of islands; country usually flat and but little diversiíied. So far, forty-iive leagues up the river, I have seen no fruits - not even an orange Alligators abound ; I have couuted twonty-soven on ono small sand island. In tho afternoon we passed j gangue, iitty-threo leagues, populatio 2,000, whoro wo got oranges and somo other fruits. In tho night and early morning passed Rio Loba and tho Cauca. 1-lth. Rose to seo tho glorios of sunriso on tho Andos. It was inuch varied, grand and rnajostically beautiful. The varied chain of mountnins had no visible terminus : tho river and immediate surroundings were swootly beautiful. All night tho monkeys and birds join in gen eral chorus. Birds wore flying across the river. So far fow birus and no monkeys had been seen - one tiger only. This is tho land of vegetable ivory, tho product of a long-leaved and low palm, here callod tagua ; it grows bolow thO leaves and forms a-nucleu3 around tho stalk.betweon the bottom of the loares and the root of the plant. I saw groups of birds nests, callod by the poople muchilera,and tho birds grupendola, likewiso oropundola; they are small and black, with a bright yeliow or golden Uil. Theirncsts aru in groups peudent iïom the branches of trees hke a long pursa, the largo end downward, raaking a township or oommunity. Tho growth of timber so far seen on the Magdalena has been small ; it iuijnoves a liltle, and tho foresta aro more dense and picturesque. Sunset is highly varied and beautií'ul. Thero are tigers, paathera, leopardo, Seo., but they keep back in tho foresta and wo do not seo them. lí)th. Itiver abont half a milo wide. Birds more numerous. ïhe chícala trees are beautiful. I have eeen theia BÍxty or more feot in height, covered with golden blossoms. There aro ílowering vines, treas and shrubs, yith yellow, rose, orango, red, blue, pink, violet, purple and white blossoms ; vines running over the tops of high trees, festooning thom, and clustering with flowers. Passeii theriver and town of Nare. 2Oth. Passed the river Negro. 21st. "Width of tho river onc-eighth to one-fourth of a mile and very picturesque, banks high and country hilly ; the Andes here in part take their riso almost from the river bed, and oocasionally from its erubankments clothcd with tropical verduro to their immediate surnniits, picturesque rocks, superb and beautii'ul views of the Andes, to wbioh cncliantment was lent by tho variod effect of cloud and fog. Palisaded rocks, castollated and turrotod, greeu to their summits, except where midway the rooka erop through, forining a perfect palisade. Multitudes of mountains, hills, hillocks and pyraiuids of verduro, through which passes tho hero rapid and beautiful Magdalena - current six to oight miles the hoúr - tho distant Andes covered with snoir. 22d. .Arrived at Honda, 15ü to 170 leagues, yet furthor by tho running distancc. Eivcr low ; width loss than ono liundreil yards, and tho end of steaia I navigation. The passage up the river in the dry seagon is healthyi on board the steanicr, as tespeota heat, it is a jmrgatory. Along tlie banks ferers provail at all eeaionsi As respocts the traveler's oonvi 'Milico and fooi], the interior to the traveling stranger is simply Ood-foraaken The people aro kind and obliging, witli mucli urbanity of ruanner. Youja trnlv.