Preface to the Enc/lish Edition. vii 



they may not, it is true, understand, far less appreciate, but 

 whose imposing power inspires them with awe, while they 

 are more closely attached by the tie of material advantage. 



The following narrative describes the most important 

 occurrences and most lasting impressions of a voyage during 

 which we traversed 51,686 miles, visited twenty-five different 

 places, and spent 551 days at sea, and 298 at anchor or on 

 shore. 



As the purely scientific results of the Expedition will be 

 published separately under the supervision of Commodore 

 Wullerstorf and the other members of the scientific corps, 

 I shall, in this place, only attempt to place before the reader 

 a general outline of the countries and races visited during 

 our cruise in different regions of the world. 



In relating simply and concisely what was seen and 

 experienced, I have endeavoured to avoid incurring the 

 reproach, so frequently launched by English critics against 

 German works of travel, of dryness and minute detail, such 

 as render them distasteful to the English reader, and make 

 it almost impossible to enlist his attention or evoke liis 

 sympathy. 



If, as is specially the case with respect to natural science, 

 many a doubtful point still remains undecided — if the in- 

 genious "Suggestions" of the immortal Alexander von 

 Humboldt (for the translation of which I feel particularly 

 indebted to that profound scholar, my learned and esteemed 

 friend Mr. Hardinger, whose name will be familiar to the 



