Review: A Journey in Southern Colombia Author(s): G. E. Church Reviewed work(s): Miguel Triana.

Por el sur de Colombia: excursin pintoresca y cientifica al Putumayo by S. Perez Triana Source: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 34, No. 2 (Aug., 1909), pp. 201-202 Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1777830 Accessed: 05/03/2009 11:01
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IN A JOURNEY SOUTHERN COLOMIBIA. Mliguel Triana. Por el sur de Colombia:excursionpintoresca cientificaal y Hermanos. [1908.] Putuma}o.' Prologode S. Perez Triana. Paris: Garnier the past few years the Governmentsof Bolivia, Peri, Ecuador, and WVithin Colombia have recognized the importanceof opening transitableroads betweenthe Andean tablelandsand the navigableaffluentsof the Amazon. In all cases, however, the limited resourcesof these countries have impeded the realizationof the projects,although the reportsupon them have invariablypictured the vast wealth of the districts penetrated. The lowest pass between the Pacific ocean and the Amazon valley is at 7? 45' S. lat., and only about 71'70 feet above sea-level. Thence the cordillera gradually rises, some of the passes in Ecuador reaching 10,000 feet, at which elevation, moreor less, one may also cross SouthernColombia to the upper waters of the Putumayo and Caquetarivers by way of the sleepy town of Pastro. It is this route which was traversed by the Colombiancivil engineer, the author of the book under review, his object being a somewhat informal examination of the country, and to report to the Governmenton the advantageswhich might accrue by connecting Pastro by a good road with the riversmentioned. His report,which is confined to only the last dozen pages of his book, gives data of much geographical value. It should not be forgotten that, in 1874, the present progressivePresident of Colombiadescended the Putumayo 1000 miles to its mouth by canoe, and soon afterwards established steam navigation upon it. Codazzi spent a long periodof time among its headwaters. Dr. Crevaux mappedthe river as far up as Cuemby, it ascendirng 800 miles by steamer,finding no obstructionfor craft drawing 6 feet of water. It is probablythe most navigablebranchof the Amazon,and if southern Colombia could utilize it, it would become a great boon to a vast area of the republic. Doubtless Senor Triana'smission had this partly in view, but he made his explorationswith the tcantiest resources; in fact, one may marvel at what he with the meagremeansat his disposal. accomplished Senor Triana commenced his voyage at Tumaco, which, when I visited it many years ago, seemed to be a dreamy tropical island which had drifted up against the mainlandof Colombia. Thence he found his way by a little steamer to the ancient port of Barbacoasby way of the riverTelembi, which cuts through the great swampy district borderingthe outlying foothills of the coast cordillera. Then by the wretched mule-trackwhich has for centuries served as the outlet of the interior,SenorTriana arrived at Pasto. It must be the centreof a thriving district, for "According to the census, there cannot be a city in the world where there are more priests." At Pasto the real work of our author began. South of the city about 20 miles is La Cocha,or the Laguna,as it is locally called. This lake is the sourceof the Guaimeds branch of the Patumayo river, and is about 9000 feet above sea-level. Senor Triana skirted the lake, reachedthe Guaimes, embarked in a canoe,and descended this torrentialand much obstructed stream to its junction with the Putumayo. Thence, turning northward,he ascended the Guineo branch of the latter river and crossedthe very short, almost level water-divide to Mocoa, on the Mocoa affluentof the Caqueta,which, by track, he ascended to the valley of Sibundoy,separatedfrom Pasto by the narrowcordillera Patascoy. Ee found of the elevationof the pass to be 11,000 feet, and the junction of the Guramies and Pilcomayo820 feetabove the sea, the latterbeing anotherconfirmation the level of characterwhich the Amazon valley preservesfrom the sea to the base of the Andes. No. II-AUGUST, 1909.] P '

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and descriptionof his route, observations Judging from the author's barometric the country between Pasto and the Caqueta and Putumayo presents formidable difficultiesto the constructionand maintenanceof a cart road. Senor Triana has the rare gift of making the reader of his book travel with him. From every rock, stream, shrub, tree, hill, and mountain he evolves an atmosphereto which he gives eloquent expression, and although in general his pages s:em to lack hard facts, the readerfeels that he has been taken through the and countryand has learnedeverything regardingits salient features,its resources, its varied types of inhabitants,and that he has been the companionof a keen observer,a philosopher,and a many-sidedman. G. E. CHURCH. THE PANAMA CANAL. ' The PanamaCanalandits Makers.' By VaughanCornish. London:Fisher Unwin. 1909. Pp. 192. Map and llustrations. 5s. This volume is an outcomeof Dr. Cornish's independenttour of inspectionover the Panama canal works, and is no less interestinga study than would be expected from him. He deals with the history of the enterprise,with the present works, at importantsection theCulebra cut, with the conditions of special length with that isthmus, with labour and health on the the effect of theopening of the canal onmaritime communications and trade, andwith that somewhat problematical question, cost of the work. The finds a place the mappreparedfor this Journal in the book, ahd there are numerous photographs, notalways quitesuccessful; but works progressare a difficultsubject for the engineering camera. in GENERAL. ' LL.D. London: Murray. 1908. Conder, of Man.'By ColonelC. R. viii. + 368 pp. 12s. net. main object of this work is indicated, not bythe title, but by thefamiliar The lines quoted on from In Memoriam the title-pageabout the "one far offdivine to as event which the whole creationmoves." Colonel Conder favourably known is a distinguishedarchaeologist, many years conductorof the Survey of Palestine. for although there are some commendable featuresin thepresentwork, the hand But, the in of amateur is toofrequently betrayed its general treatment, not only of the early, even of thelater but (historic)periods. What, for instance,will anthropo" logists to the are statementsthat skulls of prehistoric man as yet only known say west of Europe,and; these belongto the Neolithic in the all age," and that of his since nota single skull "we palaeolithic predecessors have noinformationat all, " or bone has been found. (italicsmine). Then relations arerevived, and we aretold the long-exploded Finno-Basque that the Basque tongue is "nearest akin to the Finnish," with which it has no really connection. The suggestion that "blubber lips among negroes and Mongolsmay havedeveloped from exclusive (sic) eating of flesh" as may pass anatomicalcuriosity; but strong protestmust be entered a an againstthe assumption that the New World was discoveredby the Chinese"a thousandyears before the adventof Columbus." the referenceobviously is to the early Buddhist Here to which was wrongly supposedto be some migration the shadowy landof Fusang, part America, and on which were based many wild theories regardingAsiatic of influences American civilized peoples. Thus our author first states that the on " through Hindus in times inboth Mexico Japan and the south lefttheir mark later Incas " introducedMongol civilization and the and Peru," then says that the and The Rise
OF EVOLUTION CIVILIZATION.