Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 3Humboldt, Alexander von
History
Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 3
Humboldt, Alexander von
Natural history -- South America; Scientific expeditions; South America -- Description and travel
the Paramo de Yanaguanga, and Montan, towards the Rio de Guancabamba.
It comprises (between 9 and 7 1/2 degrees) the three Nevados de
Pelagatos, Moyopata and Huaylillas. This last snowy summit, situated
near Guamachuco (in 7 degrees 55 minutes latitude), is the more
remarkable, since from thence on the north, as far as Chimborazo, on a
length of 140 leagues, there is not one mountain that enters the
region of perpetual snow. This depression, or absence of snow, extends
in the same interval, over all the lateral chains; while, on the south
of the Nevado de Huaylillas, it always happens that when one chain is
very low, the summits of the other exceed the height of 2460 toises.
It was on the south of Micuipampa (latitude 7 degrees 1 minute) that I
found the magnetic equator.
The Amazon, or as it is customary to say in those regions, the Upper
Maranon, flows through the western part of the longitudinal valley
lying between the Cordilleras of Chachapayas and Caxamarca.
Comprehending in one point of view, this valley, and that of the Rio
Jauja, bounded by the Cordilleras of Tarma and Huarocheri, we are
inclined to consider them as one immense basin 180 leagues long, and
crossed in the first third of its length, by a dyke, or ridge 18,000
toises broad. In fact, the two alpine lakes of Lauricocha and
Chinchaycocha, where the river Amazon and the Rio de Jauja take their
rise, are situated south and north of this rocky dyke, which is a
prolongation of the knot of Huanuco and Pasco. The Amazon, on issuing
from the longitudinal valley which bounds the chains of Caxamarca and
Chachacocha, breaks the latter chain; and the point where the great
river penetrates the mountains, is very remarkable. Entering the
Amazon by the Rio Chamaya or Guancabamba, I found opposite the
confluence, the picturesque mountain of Patachuana; but the rocks on
both banks of the Amazon begin only between Tambillo and Tomependa
(latitude 5 degrees 31 minutes, longitude 80 degrees 56 minutes). From
thence to the Pongo de Rentema, a long succession of rocks follow, of
which the last is the Pongo de Tayouchouc, between the strait of
Manseriche and the village of San Borja. The course of the Amazon,
which is first directed north, then east, changes near Puyaya, three
leagues north-east of Tomependa. Throughout the whole distance between
Tambillo and San Borja, the waters force a way, more or less narrow,
across the sandstones of the Cordillera of Chachapoyas. The mountains
are lofty near the Embarcadero, at the confluence of the Imasa, where
large trees of cinchona, which might be easily transplanted to
Cayenne, or the Canaries, approach the Amazon. The rocks in the famous
strait of Manseriche are scarcely 40 toises high; and further eastward
the last hills rise near Xeberos, towards the mouth of the Rio
Huallaga.
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