PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION. 



A MEMBER of the scientific corps attached to the Expedition, 

 which, under the auspices of that enlightened friend of 

 science and liberty, the Archduke Ferdinand Maximihan, 

 was despatched on a voyage round the globe, the high 

 honour has been conferred upon me of having entrusted 

 to my care the publication of the Narrative of our Cruise. 



In this not more difficult than enviable task, I have been 

 most liberally assisted by my eminent fellow-labourers — 

 the whole literary material collected during the voyage 

 having been kindly placed at my disposal. The compre- 

 hensive journals and reports of the venerable Commander- 

 in-Chief of the Expedition, Commodore WullerstorfF-Urbair, 

 as well as the various memoranda of the other members of 

 the Scientific Commission, contributed materially to the 

 elucidation of my own general notes, as well as my observa- 

 tions upon special subjects, which latter chiefly referred 

 to the Geography, Ethnography, and general Statistics of the 

 various countries visited. 



