Colombia: a cottage built of bamboo. Coloured etching by C. Empson, 1836.

"The dwelling represented in this sketch was built for an Englishman, who selected the situation as combining every advantage of a tropical residence : it was impossible to allege more than two objections against it; there was no society; and it required ten months to traverse the distance which separated this earthly paradise from the native land of its inmate. The house, composed of split and flattened bamboo, and roofed with palm-leaves, was ceiled with smooth reeds; the whole frame-work firmly tied together with bijuco, a climbing plant, singularly tenacious and durable, answering all the purposes of cord. By this construction, the danger resulting from earthquakes was, in a great measure, obviated : the light and flexible nature of these materials rendered such a dwelling a place of safety, when more substantial erections were destroyed: the inmates often felt as if shaken in a basket, but never sustained any injury during these fearful visitations" (Empson. loc. cit.)