190 CATARACTS OP THE ORINOCO. 



Schomburgk arrived with his instruments on the 22d of February, 

 1839, at Esmeralda. His determinations of the latitude and longi- 

 tude of the place agreed more closely with mine than I had expected 

 would be the case (s. xviii. and 471). Here let us allow the ob- 

 server to speak for himself; " I want words to describe the feelings 

 which overpowered me as I sprang to shore. My aim was attained ; 

 my observations, began on the coast of Guiana, were brought into 

 connection with those of Humboldt at Esmeralda : I frankly own, 

 that in the course of this enterprise, at a time when almost all my 

 physical powers had well-nigh deserted me, and when I was sur- 

 rounded by dangers and difficulties of no common nature, it was 

 only by the recognition which I hoped for from him, that I had 

 been encouraged to press onward with unalterable determination 

 towards the goal which I had now reached. The emaciated figures 

 of my Indians and faithful guides told more plainly than any words 

 could do, what difficulties we had had to surmount, and had sur- 

 mounted." After expressions so kind towards myself, I must be 

 permitted to subjoin the following passage, extracted from my Pre- 

 face to the German Edition of Robert Schomburgk' s Account of his 

 Travels, published in 1841. 



" Immediately after my return from Mexico, I notified the direc- 

 tion and the routes which should be followed to explore the unknown 

 portion of the South American Continent between the sources of the 

 Orinoco, the mountain chain of Pacaraima, and the sea-shore near 

 Essequibo. These wishes, which I expressed so strongly in my 

 Relation Historique, have at last, after the lapse of almost half a 

 century, been for the greater part fulfilled. Besides the joy of hav- 

 ing lived to see so important an extension of our geographical know- 

 ledge, I have had that of seeing it attained by means of a courageous 

 and well-conducted" enterprise, requiring the most devoted persever- 

 ance, executed by a young man with whom I feel united by the 

 double bond of similarity of pursuits and efforts, and of our com- 

 mon country. Motives such as these have alone^ been sufficient to 

 overcome the distaste which I entertain, perhaps without reason, to 

 introductory prefaces by another hand than that of the author of the 

 work. But in this case I could not consent to forego the opportunity 

 of expressing, thus publicly, my heartfelt esteem for the accom- 



