2 Baron Von Humboldt, 



resigned his lucrative post in 1795, and travelled for three years in 

 Italy, Switzerland, and France. In Paris he became acquainted with 

 Aime Bonpland. Humboldt went to Madrid in 1798, carrying- with 

 him a considerable collection of the best astronomical and physical 

 instruments; and he succeeded in March 1799 in obtaining from the 

 Spanish government the permission of visiting their colonies in 

 America. The first step he took was to procure the assistance of 

 Bonpland, as an able botanist, and they embarked at Coruna for 

 America. 



The principal object of this expedition was to make numerous 

 observations on the physical geography and geology, and to examine 

 the natural history of those countries more extensively than had been 

 done before. As he and his companion were well prepared for the 

 execution of that object, the result of their labour has been greater 

 than could reasonably have been expected. They first went to the 

 island of Teneriffe, where, in the crater of the Peak de Teyde, they 

 made some experiments respecting the composition of the atmos- 

 pheric air, and examined the geological constitution of the Canary 

 Islands. Hence they sailed to America, where they landed in the 

 harbour of Cuman&, in the month of July. The remainder of that 

 year, and part of the following, was employed in examining the 

 coast and the mountainous portion of the present republic of Vene- 

 zuela; and then they directed their steps southward, traversing the 

 great plains which are drained by the Orinoco, and known by the 

 name of Llanos. They advanced as far as San Carlos del Rio 

 Negro, (1^ 54' N. Lat.) and decided in that route the long contested 

 point of a natural union between the rivers Orinoco and Amazonas, 

 by navigating the natural canal of Cassiquiare, which forms this 

 union. They returned then by another road to Barcelona and 

 Cumana; where they embarked again, and went to the Havannah, 

 touching at San Domingo and Jamaica. For three months they 

 occupied themselves with the examination of a great part of the 

 island of Cuba, and in March 1801 they passed from the harbour of 

 Batabano to the town of Cartagena. Hence they ascended the Ril 

 de la Magdalena in a barge to Honda, from which place they went 

 to Santa Fe de Bogota on the eastern range of the Andes. During 

 three months in 1801 they examined the plain on which the capital 

 of the republic of Nueva Granada, is built, and the mountains which 

 enclose it, visiting the Salto de Tequendama and the natural 



