28 STARTS FOR AFRICA. 



work on subterranean gases, the fruit of his experience 

 in the mines of Bayreuth and Anspach. 



In the autumn there was a prospect of another expe- 

 dition. The Swedish consul, Skioldebrand, was at Paris 

 on his way to embark at Marseilles, on a special mission 

 from his government with presents to the Dey of 

 Algiers. He had resided a long time on the coast of 

 Africa, and being highly respected by the government 

 of Algiers, he could, he thought, easily procure permis- 

 sion for Humboldt to visit the chain of the Atlas moun- 

 tains. A portion of these mountains had been visited 

 by M. Desfontaines ; but no mineralogist had yet ex- 

 amined them. Besides this inducement the consul 

 despatched every year a vessel for Tunis, where the 

 pilgrims embarked for Mecca, and he promised Hum- 

 boldt to convey him by this means to Egypt. The 

 opportunity was too good to be lost. Humboldt com- 

 pleted his collection of instruments, and purchased works 

 relating to the countries he intended to visit, and bidding 

 adieu to his brother, and Frau Caroline, not forgetting 

 the delicate Caroline, junior, the handsome but naughty 

 William, and the amiable Theodore with his blue eyes 

 and light hair, he repaired to Marseilles with his friend 

 Bonpland. They impatiently awaited the Swedish 

 frigate, which was expected at the end of October; 

 several times a day they climbed the mountain of Notre 

 Dame de la Garde, which commands an extensive out- 

 look on the Mediterranean, eagerly watching every sail 

 on the horizon. Two months passed, and no frigate 

 came. The papers at length informed them that she had 

 suffered severely in a storm on the coast of Portugal, 

 and had been obliged to enter the port of Cadiz to refit 



