The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-10-19

chg which, shoot up from the vnicaceous schist
OF the neighboring mountains, at height from
eleven to fifteen thousand feet above the sea,
where the medium temperature ranges bstweep
J 90 and 20 degrees. Continuing their route thro'
/ a succession of native villages, amidst groves of
Croaa ehifimoya and wild ctrons, and in sight of
the scattered vestiges of Peruvian palaces, they
descended to the bed of the Cutaco, liz a narrow
vale, at the vast depth of a 200 feet; and, pres
sing forward through plantations of sug ar canes,
they mounted again to the forest OF Chuluca
! mas, near immense ruinsof the baths Of the In
cas-, and, crossing the chain Of mountains not
tar from the great causeway which those princes
had constructed AT the height oftwo miles, along
the ridge OF the Andes. from Cusco to Assuay
and Caxamarca, they advanced to San Felipe,
having, with infinite difficulty, saved their in.
struments and collections. as they were obliged,
IN the space OF three days, to ford, nearly thirty
times, the Guancabamba. After rapid descent
OF more than mile in perpendicular, they came
| to AN Indian hamlet and, iOurncyng sometimes
through orange groves, they took canoes on the
/ Chayma, and at length arrived, in the province
of Jaen, at the falls Of Rsntema, the left bank
OF the river Amazons, only 1910 feet above the
| level ofthe sea- !,
| Embarz;ng on that noble stream, Humboldt
and his companions sailed as Ear the cataracts
| of Fcmeperda and then shaping their course to
the southeast, over the Cordiliere, by The famous
silver mines of Chcta, they reached the town OF
| Caxamarca, in She midst of PLAN which yielis
prod gious crops Of barley though at ,n elevate
ON OF $3.50 feet After some descent the
western slope of the Andes, they deserted with
delight the great Pacific Ocean; and skirtiEg
along its naked and sterile shores, the tempers.
ture OF the air, in the month OF October, being
only 70.fand that of the water ei degrees, they
reached Lima. the capital Of the giceroysliy Of
| Peru. 80.
In that city, Humboldt rested some months.
highly pleased with tine spirit and intelligence OF
| ITS inhabitants At the port of Csl;ao, tie had
the fortune to observe the EMERSON of The transit
OF Mercury over The disk of the sun.--From
Lima, our travellers went by sea to Guyaquil,
ana thence they were carried in a frigate, alter
OF New Spain. They found the inIla5itants
sckty & wretched, under climate remarkably
suttry and noxious; but different reasons irdu-
ced them to spend twelvemonth in that go
vernment In April 1905, they made an cxcur.
sion from Acapulco to rasco, the seat ofthe no
ted mines, in region clothed with oaks and
pines, and tree. ferns, and yielding at the height
OF 5000 feet, abundant crops of wheat & barley
n snort Journey now brought them to the veal
uy and famous city OF Mexico, built on the site
OF the ancient Tenochttlan, between the lakes of
leXcuco and Xochimilco, which have conside
| rabiy decreased since the Spanards drained the
adjo'ning country, and opened the canal of Hue
huetoca 1t 10 encircIed with alleys of trees, &
with Indian villages and, at no great distance,
| are seen two volcanick mountains crowned with
eternal snow; Mexico, standing 7,475 feet a.
Dove the level OF the sea, enjoys mild climate
its mean temperature being only 625 degrees of
| Fahrenheits scale.
Our travellers visited the mines of Moran and
Oyamel, where the ancient Mexicans ouar,ied
,ne oosidian, for the manufacture OF stone
Knives and hatchets Pursuing their Journey
they saw the. Puente de la Madye de Dios, or the
wen OF the Virgin, cavern in the limestone
rock from which issues the river Capula They
next proceeded by Q,iiretaro and Sslamanes, o.
yer fertile plains to the city of Guanaxuato ce.e
brated for the richest silver mines in the jyorld
The single mine. of VaIenciana Yields an annual
prod:ce OF half amillion sterling, and affords its
proprietor revenue of $780, 60i The mouth of
the pit is elevated only $50 feet above the plain
Oh Mexico: but IFS shaft has the enormous depth
| degrees.
AT Los Toares, fat stretch ofground on the
neighborlng mountains at the height of 700
feet above ie level of the sea- the Indian dealers
IN snow dig ponds for collecting ice, from the
month OF December to that of April On their
return from Guanaxuato, the travellers passed
through the valley of St Jago TO vaIladolia the
capital OF the province of Meclroacan, the most
fertile and delightful of New Mexico. They
oent downwards from Pescuaro to the plain of
Malpays, near the coast of the Pacifick Ocean.
and had the courage to descend almost 10 thu
bottom Of the crater of the great volcano of To-
rullo, and to collect its gaseous products at the
depth OF $50 feet Returning to Mexico by the
plain of Toluca, they saw the trunk of the E.,
nous hand leaved Uee, cheiroste,non 6iata
nodes, the only individual found in New Spain
ana winch Is OF immense antiquity and nine wards
IN circumference. They climbed to the highest
peak OF the adjacent mountain, and found il to be
$3.50 feet above the level OF the sea Its era
ter was formed into lake, at an elevation of a
bout 1900 feet, from which there flowed
river having only the temperature Of 40 de-
grees
The tolls of HunboIdt and b;s co,,,,.,
were now drawing 10 close. In the months of
January and February, 1904, they made excur.
SONS to the Nevado, snowy height, of Jztacci.
hnatl, whose summit is 1910 feet above the
sea- to the Puebla de los Angeles, the capital
OF an lntendancy; TO ChoIula, city at the font
OF the famous ancient pyramid and thence, to
the Llano de Ietfmpa; from which plain. the
entire elevation of the crater of Popo .atepet,.
or the SMOKY Mountain, was sscertained 90 be
1885 feet; and, lastly, to the square ton oil
the mountain behind Perote, at The he;oht ofI
1925 feet. They halted at the CITY of Xalan.
pa, IN charming climate, and situation roman.
tcaily beautiful near which rises, al the heirbt
OF 1880 feet above the level of the sea, the
snowy peak OF Orizaba, called, in the Mexican
language, the Star Mountain, from the distant
appearance of its fame Thence thew proceed
ed to Vera Cruz, and embarked Tor Hayannah |
Having made their arrangements, they sailed.
IN the month of July, to Philsdephia and after
stay of some months in the United States, tbev
finally recrossed the Atlanticl, and arrived safs
IN France after IN absence Of six years animated
by glowing prospects, but full of anxiety, fatigue