PREFACE BY THE PUBLISHER. 



GREAT pains have been taken with the present translation, 

 as well in regard to fidelity and style, as in what may be 

 termed the accessories. In addition to all that is contained 

 in the original work, it comprises an interesting view of 

 Chimborazo, from a sketch by Humboldt himself; a fac-simile 

 of the author's handwriting; head-lines of contents ; transla- 

 tions of the principal Latin, French, and Spanish quotations ;* 

 a very complete index ; and a conversion of all the foreign 

 measurements. It was at first intended to give both the 

 foreign and English measurements, in juxta-position ; but this 

 plan was abandoned on perceiving that the pages would become 

 overloaded with figures, and present a perplexing and some- 

 what appalling aspect, without affording any equivalent advan- 

 tage to the English reader. In some few instances, however, 

 where it seemed desirable, and in all the parallel tables, 

 duplicate measurements have been inserted. The French 

 toises are converted into their relative number of English 

 feet; and German miles, whether simple or square, are re- 

 duced to our own. The longitudes have been calculated from 

 Greenwich, conformably to English maps, in lieu of those 

 given by Humboldt, which are calculated from Paris. The 

 degrees of temperature, instead of Reaumur's, are Fahren- 

 heit's, as now the most generally recognised. 



It here becomes necesssary to say something of the trans- 



* To instance a few, see pp. 241, 245, 255, 259, 304, 320, 325, 326, 

 886, 422, 424. 



