The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-29
ABSTRACT OF THE AMERICAN IRA
Wells OF BARON HUMBOLDT.
CONCLUDED FROM OUR LAST.

From the village of Carthage, in the valley of
Cauca, they followed the courfe of the Choco,
the country of Platina, which was there found
IN round pieces of batalte and green rock (grein
ftein of Werner) and foliil wood. They pats
by Buga to Popayani biihop's fee, and iituated
near the volcanoes of SotGra and PUyaee, mott
piGturefque iituation, and enjoying the mott de-
licous climate in the world, the thermometer
of Reamur keeping conftantly at 10 to Is (6s
10 72 Fahr.) They attended to the crater of the
volcano of Purace, whole mouth, in the middle
of fnow, throws out vapours of fulpherouS hy-
drogene, with continued and frightful rumbling.
From Popayan they pai1ed by the dangerous
defes of Amager, avoiding the infected & con-
tagious valley of Patia, to Porto, and from this
town, even now iituated at the foot of a bum
ing volcano, by Tuqueras and the provinces of
PaRos flat portion of country, fertile in Euro
pean grain, but elevated more than 1900 to
600 totes above the towns of Ibarra & Quito.
They arrived, in January, 1909, at this beau
tiful capital celebrated by the labours of the il
NITROUS Condamine, of Bouger, Goblin, Don
George Juan, aud Ulloa, and fill more celebra-
ted by the great amiabiIity of its inhabitants, &
their happy turn for the arts.
They remained nearly year in the kingdom
of Quito the height of its fnow capt noun
tans, its terrible earthquakes Chat OF February
I, 1897, iwallowed up $4,000 inhabitants, in
few leconds) its fertility, and the manner of its
inhabitants, combined to render it the mott inte-
relling fpot in the univerfe. After three vain
attempts, they twice fucceeded in Attending to
the crater of the volcano of Pichinca, taking with
them eleGtromctors, barometers, and hydrome-
tiers. Condamine could only flop here a few
minutes, and tint zUitbom i1Rynments. In his
time, this immenfc crater was cold and filed
with fnow. Our travellers found it inhamed I;
diRreliing information for the town of Quito,
which is dlltant from it only 5000 to 6ooo totes.
They made feparate Wits to the fnowy and
porphyritic mountains of Antifana, COtopaxi,
Tungaraque, aud Chimborazo, the laft the high
elt point of our globe. They ftudied the geo
logical part Of the Cordillera of the Andes, on
which fubjett nothing has been publifhed in
Europe, mcneralogy IF the exprehion may be
ufed) having been created, as it were, fi1ce the
time of Condamine. The geodeiic1l mealure-
ments proved that fome mountains, particularly
the volcano of Tungaroque, has conhderaby
lowered ljnCe $50, which refult agrees with the
obtervations made to them by the inhabitants.
During the whole of this part Of the journey,
they were accompanied by Mr.. Charles Month";
tar, fon Of the Marquis of Selva-aegre, Of Quito,
perion jealous for the progrefs of Science, and
who is, al his own expcnce, rebuilding the py-
ramids OF Saraqui, the extremity Of the celebra-
ted BATS of the triaHgies ofthc Spanfh s. French
academicians. This in;ere1ing young man hav-
ing followed Mr.. Hmboldt in the remainder Of
his journey through Peru and the kingdom Of
New Spain, now on his palagc with him to
Europe.