The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-26


wells of the celebrated Baron Humboldt and his
companion Bonpland, has been drawn up from
notes which the former has kindly furninled, and
will fupercede the many very incorrect accounts
hitherto pubiihed relative to this intereaing OBJ
| je6t.
| Baron Humboldt, having travelled from the
year 1880, rs naturaliit, through Germany,
Poland, France, Switzerland, and through parts
OF England, Italy, Hungary, and Spain, came
| to Paris in 1898, when he received an invitation,
from the directors of the national muieum, to
accompany captain Baudin in his voyage round
| the world.-Citizen Alexander Anne Gouion
Bonpland, native OF Rochelle, and brought up
In the Paris muieum, was alto to have accompa-
| MED them when on the point of departing the
whole plan was fufpended until more favora-
bic opportunity, owing to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of the war with Auftria, and to the confeGuent
want of funds.
Mr.. Humboldt, who, from 1899, had concei-
we'd the plan of travelling through India at his
own expence, with view OF adding to the
knowledge of the licences connected with natu-
raj hiftory, then refolved to follow the learned
men, who had gone on the expedition to Egypt
His plan was to &C TO Algiers in the Swediih
frgate which carried the Coniu Skoldebrandt,
to follow the caravan which goes from Algiers
to Mecca, going through Egypt to Arabia, and
thence by the Periian gulph to the Engifh Eat-
India eftablifhments. The war which unex-
pectedly broke out in October 1898, between
France and the Barbary powers, and the trou-
bles in the Eaft, prevented MIR. Humboldt from
embarking at Marfelles, where he had been
frultlefsly two months waiting to proceed. I'M
patient at this delay, and continuing firm in his
determination to go to Egypt, he went to Spain,
hoping to pats more readily under the Spaniih
flag from Carthagena to Algiers and Tunis. He
took with him the large collection of philofophi-
cal, chemical, and Astronomical inftruments,
which he had purchafed in England and
France.
From happy concurrence of circumstances,
he obtained, in February, l799, from the court
OF Madrid, pernifiion TO Wifi the Spanilh CO.
| lonIes OF the two Americas, a permiifion which
was granted with lberality and franknefs,
which was honorable to the government and to
philofophic age. After reiidence of fome
| months at the Spanifh court, during which time
! the king ihowed itrong Perfonal intereft in the
plan, Mr. Humboldt, in June, 1899, left Eu-
rope, accompanied by MIR. Bonpland, who, to
a profound knowledge in botany and zoology,
| added an indefatigable zeal. 1t is with this
| friend that MIR. Humboldt has accomplished, at
| his own expence, his travels in the two hemiE-
pheres, by land and fea, probably the mott ex-
teniive which any individual has ever underta-
ken.
Thefe two travellers left Corunna in the Spa
NTH fhp Pizarro, for the Canary Hands, where
they attended 10 the crater of the Peak of
Ieyde, and made experiments on the analysts
or the air. In July they arrived at the port of
Cumana, in South America. In 1899, 1900,
they viiited the coat of Paria, the millions of
the ChaymaS Indians, the province of New An
daluiia Ia country which had been rent by the
mott dreadful earthquakes, the hotteG, and yet
| the mott healthy in the world) of New Barcelo-
ma, of Venezuela, and of Spaniih Guyana
In January, 1900, they left Caracas to vilit the
beautiful vallies of Aragua, where the great lake
of Valencia recalls TO tie mind the views of the
lake of Geneva, elnbelliihed by the maieny of
the vegetation of the tropics. From Porto Ca
bello they crohed to the fouth, the immenfc
plains of Callaboza, of Apure, and of the Oro-
noce, alto los Llanos, defert fmilar to thofe of
Africa, where in the fhade (by the reverberation
OF heaD the thermometer of Reaumur roie to
| IS and 81 On tolls F. degrees. The level
| OF the country for 5000 fquare leagues does not
| differ inches. The fand every where repre-
tents the horizon of the fea, without vegetation ;
and its dry bofom hides the crocodiles, and the
| torpid boa "a fpecies of ferpent.) The travelling
| here, as in all Spanfh America, except Mexico,
| is performed on horfeback They pafed whole
| days without feeling a paln-tree, or the veftge
| OF human dwelling. At st. Fernando dc E.
pure, in the provinces of Varinas, Mef1fs. Hum-
Goldt and Bonpland began that fatiguing navi-
Sat!oE ot nearly 1900 marine ieasus5 executed
in canoes, making chart of the country by the
| aihftance of chronometers, the facilities of Ju-
piter, and the lunar dilances. They defended
the river Apure, which empties itfelf into the o.
ronoco, in degrees Of latitude. They afcend-
ed the Iat river (pafing the celebrated cataracts
of Maypurc and Atures) to the mouth of the
Guavlare. From hence they Attended the FINAL
rivers of Tabapa, Juamini, and Teni. From
the milton of Sarita they croHed by land to the
iources of the famous Rio Negro, which Conda-
mine faw, where it Joins the Amazon, and which
he calls a iea of frelh water. About so Indians
carried the canoes through the woods of Mani,
| Lecythis, and Taurus Cinamomodes, to the ca
no Tor creek Of Pimichin. 1t was by this fmall
| itrcam that the travellers entered the Rio Me-
gro, or Black River, which they defended TO
st. Carlos, which has been crroneouny fuppofed
20 be placed under the equator, or iuf at the
frontiers of Great Para, in the government of
/ Brazil. a canal from Temi to Pimichin, which
from the level nature of the ground is very prac-
ticable, would preient fine internal commune
cation between the Para and the province of
Caracas, a communication infinitely fhorter than
that of qu1ire.-From the forfrefs of St.
Carlos ON the Rio Negro, Mr.. III. went north Up
that river and the Caliiquaire TO the Oronoco,
and on this river to the volcano Dada, or the
milton of the Efneralda, near the fources of
]