Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-01-23
s,;llsboDlspt, his stop slow but firm, and

/ four, reads and rcplleS 10 hls Whiy 'oi" y,
letters, and suffers no single occurrence OF
the least interest in any pait OF the
world TO escape his attention could not
prcceiye that bis memory, the first mental
faculty TO show decay, is at all impaired
He talks rapidly with the greatest apparent
ease, never hesitatiug for n word, whether
in English or German, and in fact, seemed
to be unconscious which language he was
using, rs he changed fiyc or six times in the
course of the conversation. He did not re-
main in his chair more than ten minutes at
a time, frequently getting up and walking
about the room, now and then pointing TO q
picture or opening book to illustrate some
remark. Hc began by referring to my win
tor Journey into Lapland. "Why do you
choose the winter?" he asked: "Your expe-
riences will be very interesting, it Is true,
but will Won not suffer from the severe cold q
That remains to be secn," / answered. VI
have tried all climates except the Arctic,
without the least injury. The last two years
of nv travels were spent in the tropical
Icountries, and now wish to have the strong
est possible contrast "That is quite nat
ural." he remarked, "and l can understand
bow your object in travel must lead you to
seek such contrasts; but you must possess q
remarkably healthy organization" Iou
doubtless know from your own experience"
said, "that nothing preserves a mans VI
tality like travel" avery true" he answered
"if it docs not kill at the outset. For my
part / keep my health everywhere, like
Yourself. During five years in South Amer
ica and the West Indies, l passed through
the midst Of black vomit and yellow fever
untouched. FT grir er
spoke of my projected visit to Russia,
and my desire to traverse the Russian Tar
tar provinces of Central Asia. Tho Kirg-
: hiz steppes, he said, were very monotonous;
fifty miles gave you the picture Of thous-
q and; but the people were exceedingly inter
: esting. If / desire to 90 there, would
. have no difficulty in passing through them
n to the Chinese frontier; but the southern
provinces of Siberia, he thought, would
: best repay me. The scenery among tho Al
4 tai Mountains was very grand. From his
) window in one of the Siberian towns, he
! had counted eleven peaks covered with eter-
: nal snow. The Kirghizes, he added, were
a among the few races whose habits had re-
mained unchanged for years, and they had
q the remarkable popularity of combining a
: monastic with nomadic life. They were
e partly Buddhist and partly Musselman, and
!. their monkish sects following the different
4 clans in their wanderings, carrying on their
4 devotions in the encampments, inside of a
If sacred circle marked out by spears. lie
4 had seen their ceremonies, and was struck
h with their resemblance TO those of the
: Catholic church. Humboldts recollections
! of the Altai Mountains naturally led him
7 to speak of the Andes. "You have travel
: ed in Mexico" he said "do you not agree
# with me in the opinion that the finest noun
~ tains in the world are those single cones OF
: perpetual snow rising out of the splendid
Vegetation Of the tropics The Himalayas
h although loftier, can scarcely make an equal
/ impression; they lie further to the north
n without the belt of tropical growths, and
n, their sides arc dreary and sterile in compar
v ison. You remember the Orizaba," contin
y ued he; q" here is an engraving from rough
q. sketch of mine. l hope you will find i
,, correct" He rose and took down the illus
in trated folio which accompanied the last edi
+ ton of his "Minor Writings" turned ovel
II the leaves and recalled, at each plate, some
,. reminescence of his American travel. q
!. still think" he remarked MS he closed the
.. book, "that Chimborazo is the grandest
l. mountain in the world.
le Among the objects in his study was Z
er living chameleon, in box with glass lid
n The animal was about six inches long, was
lazily doing on a bed of sand with big
', bue-fy (the unconscious provision for hi:
n dinner) perched upon his back. ale ha'
v lust been sent to me from SMYRNA" sale
" Humboldt; "he is very listless and unconcern
te cd in his manner" Just then the chameleon
ID opened one Of his long tubular eyes, anC
IL looked up at us. "a popularity of this an
Ii inal," he continued, "is its power of looking
IS, in different directions at the same time
e. He can turn one eye toward heaven, Will
p the other inspects the earth. There ar
II, many clergymen who have the same power.
no After showing me some of Hildebrand'
oh water-color drawings, he returned to hi
w seat and began to converse about Amrica
Ie, affairs, with which he seemed to be entirel
ID familiar. He spoke with great admiratio
he of COL Fremont. whose defeat he profount
ed " regretted 'But it is at least mos
q cheering sign he said, "an omen of goo
C for your country, that morc'thanhalf mil
ion of men supported by their votes n man
ed Frcmont'S character and achievements" y
y With regard TO Buchanan, he said: 81 ha
IL occasion to speak of his Ostend Manifest
at not long since, IN letter which has bee
ne published, and could not characterize i
lid spirit by any mildor term than sagage.''-
ur He also spoke Of our authors, and inquire
IN, particularly after Washington Irving, whol
gc he had. once seen. told him I had IL
of fortune to know Mr.. Irving, and had sec
Ia him not long before leaving New York.
ng ''He must be at least fifty years old" sa
en- Humboldt. ''EIe is seventy" | apswcrc
ed "but as young,as ever" ''Ah Y said he,
tie have lived 50 long that | have almost 10
SO the consciousness of time. belong to Il
age of Jefferson and Gallatin, and hea
of of Washington's death while travelling
nto Sonth America" ..,..-.-,-..,
all I have repeated hut The smallest p,ortic
by of his conversation, which flowed on in {
ge- uninterrupted streain Of the richest know
IVY edge On recalling tohny mind, after lea
en- ing, was surprised to find how great nun
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