THE GREAT FALL OF TEQUENDAMA.

393

of Bogota, finds its way through the mountains to the south-west of the town of Santa Fé. Were this single outlet to be stopped, the valley would be again converted into a lake. The river, where it leaves the valley, is about 144 feet wide. It then enters into a narrow rocky channel, not more than 40 feet wide, which appears to have been formed by an earthquake. After running for a little way in this crevice, the river precipitates itself at two bounds to the depth of 574 feet.

"Independent," says M. Humboldt, "of the height and size of the column of water, the figure of the landscape, and the aspect of the rocks, it is the luxuriant form of the trees and herbaceous plants, their disposition into groups, or into scattered thickets, the contrast of the craggy precipices and the freshness of vegetation, which stamp a peculiar character on these great scenes of nature. Another feature in the character of this extraordinary fall is probably quite peculiar to it. The water descends from a cold region to a warm one. The plain of Bogota, especially near the fall, is extremely fertile, and is supposed to owe some of its fruitfulness to the irrigation occasioned by the great quantity of water from the fall, which is dissolved in the air, and afterwards precipitated. The fine crops of wheat, the oak, the elm, and other plants, recall to mind the vegetation of Europe. Looking down from the terrace, one sees, with surprise, at the bottom, a country producing the palm, the banana, and the sugar-cane. This cannot arise from the difference of height; as we know that no very great change of temperature can be produced by a difference of level of 570 feet." M. Humboldt only hints that it is "probably owing to the shelter which the high country affords to the low. Although the river loses a great part of its water in falling, which is reduced into vapour, the rapidity of the lower current forces the observer to keep at the distance of 150 yards from the basin dug out by the fall. A few feeble rays at noon fall on the bottom of the crevice. The solitude of the place, the richness of the vegetation, and the dreadful roar that strikes the ear, contribute to render the foot of the cataract of Tequendama one of the wildest scenes that can be found in the Cordilleras."

66

1. In what part of the world is the great Fall of Tequendama ? 2. What extraordinary feature is there in the character of this Fall? 3. What are the Cordilleras?

LESSON CCLXXXII.

OCTOBER THE NINTH.

The Eddystone Lighthouse.

EDDYSTONE is the name of some rocks in the English Channel, so called from the great variety of currents in their vicinity. They are situated nearly SS.W. from the middle of Plymouth Sound; their distance from the port about fourteen miles, and from Ram-Head, the nearest point of land, twelve and a half.

They are almost in the line which joins the Start and the Lizard points; as they lie nearly in the direction of vessels coasting up and down the Channel, they were very dangerous, and ships were sometimes wrecked on them, before the lighthouse was established. They are so exposed to the swells of the ocean, from all the S. and W. points of the compass, that heavy seas come uncontrolled and break on them with the utmost fury.

Sometimes, after a storm, when the sea in general is, to all appearance, quite smooth and its surface unruffled by the slightest breeze, the growing swell or under-current meeting the slope of the rocks, the sea beats dreadfully upon them and even rises above the lighthouse in a magnificent manner, overtopping it, for the moment, as with a canopy of frothy wave.

Notwithstanding this tremendous swell, Mr. Henry Winstanly, in 1696, undertook to build a lighthouse on the principal rock · for the rest are under water - and he completed it in 1700. This ingenious mechanic was so confident of the stability of his structure, that he declared his wish to be in it during the most tremendous storm that could blow. Unfortunately he obtained his wish, for he perished in it during the dreadful storm which destroyed it, on the 27th of November, 1703.

In 1709 another lighthouse was erected of wood on this rock, but on a different construction, by Mr. John Rudyard. It stood till 1755, when it was burnt. A third one, of stone, was begun by the late celebrated Mr. John Smeaton, on the 2d of April, 1757, and finished on this day (October 9.) in 1759, and has withstood the rage of all weathers ever since.

The rock, which slopes towards the S.W., is cut into horizontal steps; into which are dovetailed and united by a strong cement Portland stone and granite: for Mr. Smeaton discovered that it was impossible to make use of the former entirely, as there is a marine animal that can destroy it; and that he could not use the latter solely, as

the labour of working it would have been too expensive. He therefore used the one for the internal and the other for the external part of the structure. Upon the principal of a broad base and accumulation of matter, the whole, to the height of thirty-five feet from the foundation, is a solid mass of stones engrafted into each other, and united by every kind of additional strength.

The lighthouse has four rooms, one over another, and at the top a gallery and lantern. The stone floors are flat above but concave below, and are kept from pressing against the sides of the building by a chain let into the walls.

The Eddystone lighthouse is nearly eighty feet high, and withstands the most violent storms without sustaining the smallest injury. Since its erection it has been often assaulted by all the fury of the elements. And, in all probability, as Mr. Smeaton said, "nothing but an earthquake can destroy it." The wooden part of it, however, was burnt in 1770, but renewed in 1774.

1. What did Mr. Henry Wynstanly undertake in 1696?

2. When and from what cause did he die ?

3. When did Mr. Smeaton begin, and when did he finish the present building?

4. What is the height of the Eddystone lighthouse ?

LESSON CCLXXXIII.

OCTOBER THE TENTH.

Kosciusko.

On this day, in 1794, a dreadful battle took place between the Russians, under Fersen, and the Poles, under Kosciuskó. The Russians advanced twice, and were twice repulsed; but the Poles, leaving their favourable position on the heights, boldly pressed on, till the Russians forming anew, and turning back on their pursuers, the rout became general, though Kosciusko flew from rank to rank in the hottest of the engagement, and had three horses killed under him. At length he fell, and was wounded by 2 Cossack; he rose, but was again knocked down by another Cossack, who was going to give him a mortal blow, when his arm was held by a Russian general, whose wife Kosciusko had lately allowed to depart from Warsaw: Kosciusko requested death, but the general preferred taking him prisoner. The Polish infantry continued to fight with a degree of valour approaching to fury.

This disaster excited universal regret at Warsaw, yet the Supreme Council published a spirited proclamation, exhorting the Poles to remember their motto, Liberty or Death! to preserve their union, and redouble their efforts. A letter was also sent by the council to Kosciusko, full of praises for his patriotism; in answer to which he informed them of the kind treatment he had received from General Fersen, and the care taken of his wounds.

It was at Soleure, in Switzerland, October 16. 1817, that this brave and virtuous Pole resigned his breath, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, happy to draw his last sigh within sight of the canton that gave birth to William Tell. As a soldier and a patriot, in public life and in retirement, his principles were untainted, and his name unsullied; the monarchs whom he opposed respected him; the factious who failed to seduce, forbore to slander him; and he would have been the Washington, had he not been the Wallace, of Poland.

1. What dreadful battle was fought on this day, in 1794 ? 2. Where did Kosciusko die?

LESSON CCLXXXIV.

OCTOBER THE ELEVENTH.

Duncan's Victory over the Dutch.

On this day, in 1797, Admiral Duncan defeated the Dutch fleet between Camperdown and Egmont, in nine fathoms water, and within five miles of the coast. The admiral's own ship, in pursuance of a plan of naval evolutions which he had long before determined to carry into effect, broke the enemy's line, and closely engaged the Dutch admiral De Winter, who, after a most gallant defence, was obliged to strike. Eight ships were taken, two of which carried flags!

All circumstances considered- the time of the year, the force of the enemy, and the nearness to a dangerous shore, this action was pronounced by competent judges of nautical affairs to be one of the most brilliant that graces our annals. The nation was fully sensible of the merit and consequence of this glorious victory; politicians beheld in it the annihilation of our combined enemies; naval men admired the address and skill which were displayed by the English commander in his approaches to the attack; and the people at large were transported with admiration, joy, and gratitude.

THE AURORA BOREALIS, OR NORTHERN LIGHTS. 397

The honours which were instantly conferred upon the venerable admiral received the approbation of all parties. On the 21st of October, 1797, he was created Lord Viscount Duncan of Camperdown, and Baron Duncan of Lundie, in the shire of Perth. On his being introduced into the House of Peers, on the 8th of November, the Lord Chancellor communicated to him the thanks of the House, and in his speech said, "He congratulated his Lordship upon his accession to the honour of a distinguished seat in that place, to which his meritorious and unparalleled professional conduct had so deservedly raised him: that conduct," the Chancellor added, 66 was such as not only merited the thanks of their Lordships' House, but the gratitude and applause of the country at large: it had been instrumental, under the auspices of Providence, in establishing the security of His Majesty's dominions, and frustrating the ambitious and destructive designs of the enemy." A pension of 2000l. per annum was also granted to his Lordship, for himself and the two next heirs of the peerage.

1. What did Duncan on this day, in 1797 ?

2. How many ships were taken?

3. What honours were conferred upon the admiral ?

LESSON CCLXXXV. - OCTOBER THE TWELFTH.

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.

THIS meteoric phenomenon is occasionally seen in the northern part of the heavens during the winter solstice. We often see in the north, near the horizon, usually a short time after sunset, a dark segment of a circle, surrounded by a brilliant arch of white or fiery light; and this arch is often separated into several concentric arches, leaving the dark segment visible between them. From these arches, and from the dark segment itself, in high latitudes, columns of light, of the most variegated and beautiful colours, shoot up towards the zenith, and, sometimes, masses like sheaves of light are scattered in all directions.

In the Shetland islands, the merry dancers, as they are there called, are the constant attendants of clear evenings, and cheerers of the long winter nights. In still more northern countries, as Norway, Lapland, and Siberia, they greatly enliven the snowy landscapes. They commonly