290 ALEXANDER VON HUMEOLDT. 



CHAPTER IV. 

 VISIT TO CUBA. 



Departure from Barcelona Landing at Havana New Plans for tlie 

 Journey News of Baudin Voyage from Batabano to Certagena 

 Double Danger Turbaco Fidalgo's Commission. 



ON November 24, 1800, Humboldt set sail for Cuba from the 

 Bay of New Barcelona in a small vessel laden with meat. The 

 voyage was by no means a favourable one, the ship being alter- 

 nately distressed by stormy weather and hindered by calms. On 

 November 30, a sudden squall from the north-east brought the 

 little craft into considerable danger, which was still further in- 

 creased by the breaking out of a fire on board the same evening 

 an alarming accident, for had not the flames speedily been 

 got under, they would, amidst such a cargo of meat and fat, 

 have soon wrought the destruction of the vessel. 



Although the Caribbean Sea was even at that time almost as 

 familiar to navigators as the Mediterranean, yet the travellers 

 were able to do good service in ascertaining with greater 

 accuracy the position of certain cliffs, islands, and promontories. 

 After a protracted voyage of twenty-five days in constant bad 

 weather, they at length reached the harbour of Havana on 

 December 19. 



The dangers and discomforts experienced on the sea made the 

 sojourn at Havana seem all the more delightful : in the town they 

 were the guests of Count Orelly, while in the country they were 

 entertained at the houses of Count Jaruca and the Marques del 

 Eeal Socorro. Humboldt's first efforts were directed to making 

 a more accurate survey of the harbour, in which he was zealously 

 assisted by the astronomer Robredo, Commodore Montes, and 



