VISIT TO CUBA. 293 



you more than I can offer in return indeed I can well ima- 

 gine that you may be so situated as not to be able to re- 

 ceive us on board. . . . Should this be the case, this letter 

 may cause you embarrassment, in proportion to the feeling of 

 friendship that you entertain towards us. I venture to plead 

 that you will deal frankly with me. I shall in any case be glad 

 to have had the opportunity of seeing you again, and I shall 

 never murmur at events which lie beyond our control. Such 

 frankness will be to me the most valuable proof of your good- 

 will. I shall then continue my present journey from Lima 

 to Acapulco and Mexico, thence to the Philippines, Surat, Bus- 

 sorah, Palestine, and Marseilles. I prefer, however, to con- 

 template the possibility of forming one of your party. Citizen 

 Bonpland desires me to convey to you his respects. 



' With much esteem, believe me faithfully yours, 



' ALEXANDER HUMBOLDT.' 1 



Of the events of this journey and the visits he paid to the Rio- 

 Zenu and Cartagena, Humboldt wrote the following account t< 

 his brother : 



1 Cartagena, West Indies: April 1, 1801. 



' If you have received my last letter from Havana, 2 my dear 

 brother, you will be already aware that I have changed my plans, 

 and that instead of travelling through 'North America, we 

 have returned to the southern shore of the Grulf of Mexico, 

 whence we intend to make our way overland to Quito and Lima- 

 It would occupy too much space were I to enumerate the 

 motives which have led me to this decision ; the considerations 

 by which I have been mainly influenced have been the tedious 

 and somewhat hazardous nature of the voyage between Aca- 

 pulco and Guayaquil, together with the necessity of returning 

 to Acapulco to meet with an opportunity of sailing to the 

 Philippines. 



1 The following remark has been appended by Humboldt : ' This letter, 

 written to Captain Baudin on my arrival at Cartagena from Ha.vana, waa> 

 returned to me, as Captain Baudin did not call at Lima. 



1 Berlin : November, 1846. A. HTJMBOLDT/ 



2 This letter never reached its destination. 



