1 8 LOUIS AGASSIZ. [CHAP. i. 



of natural history which they collected ; and when, in 

 the spring of 1827, Agassiz was brought back to Carls- 

 ruhe a convalescent, after a very severe and dangerous 

 illness of typhoid fever, the care bestowed on him by 

 the whole Braun family, and more especially by Miss 

 Cecilia, resulted in an engagement of marriage. Dur- 

 ing his sickness at Heidelberg, Alexander Braun did 

 not leave him until he took him to his father's house 

 at Carlsruhe, as soon as his convalescence allowed his 

 removal. Later he accompanied him to Orbe, in Switzer- 

 land, where Agassiz's parents were then living, and left 

 him only when he saw him rapidly gaining health in 

 the life-giving air of the " Jura Vaudois," the native 

 country of the Agassiz family. 



As soon as he had recovered sufficiently to walk 

 about, Agassiz, who always was an excellent pedes- 

 trian, began to explore the environs of Orbe, as a nat- 

 uralist, collecting plants, insects, and his dear fishes ; 

 for he never lost sight of fishes for any length of time. 

 The Jura Vaudois, during the summer months, is one 

 of the most beautiful countries to visit, and, received as 

 he was with great pleasure, as a guest at the houses of 

 the pastors of Ballaigues, Vallorbe, Beaulmes, Ste. 

 Croix, and other places, he was enabled to make a 

 thorough exploration of Mount Suchet, 1591 metres in 

 height, of the Dent de Vaulion, 1486 metres, of the Ai- 

 guilles de Beaulmes, 1563 metres, and of the valley of 

 the Orbe River. At this time he first felt that love for 

 the Jura Mountains which lasted until the end of his life. 

 It was during this stay at Orbe that he wrote his first 

 essay in natural history, a catalogue of all the plants 



