APPENDIX. 401 



session of which was a subject of dispute between the Government 

 of Paraguay and the Argentine Republic. He, indeed, at once 

 wrote to Dr. Francia, the Dictator of Paraguay, acquainting him 

 with his arrival, and craving permission, in the interests of science, 

 to collect some information concerning the Mate plant j 1 but Francia, 

 full of suspicion, caused him to be attacked by a troop of horse, who 

 surprised him during the night of December 3, 1821, and, after 

 slaying his defenceless servants, and wounding him on the head with. 

 a sabre, loaded him with chains, and carried him off into the interior 

 of Paraguay. Here, in the neighbourhood of Santa Maria, was the 

 friend and travelling companion of Humboldt condemned to inac- 

 cessible imprisonment. He was employed by Francia as surgeon to 

 the garrison, and as overseer in matters of trade and agriculture, 

 but his movements were restricted to a limited range. 



No sooner was Humboldt made acquainted with the fate of his 

 friend than he exerted every effort to obtain his release. The in- 

 terest of Cavier, and the influence of the National Institute, were 

 enlisted on his behalf. In the hope of effecting his deliverance, the 

 well-known traveller Grandsire was despatched to Bio Janeiro, and 

 furnished with letters of recommendation to the French Consul- 

 General there, from the Vicomte de Chateaubriand, Minister for 

 Foreign Affairs ; at the same time Humboldt addressed an inter- 

 cessory letter to Francia, and forwarded with it several of the works 

 which had been published by him and Bonpland conjointly. But 

 the Grand Seignor of Paraguay, then sixty-two years of age a 

 tyrant full of distrust and irritability repulsed every advance on 

 the part of Grandsire, whose mission had no further result than to 

 ascertain that Bonpland was well, that he practised the art of medi- 

 cine, was engaged in the distillation of brandy from honey, and 

 daily made additions to his extensive herbarium. Through Canning, 

 then Prime Minister, Humboldt attempted further to obtain the 

 influence of the English Government towards effecting the release 

 of his friend, but all his efforts were in vain. 



By what means the release of Bonpland was ultimately effected 

 whether by the pressing solicitations of Mandeville, the French 

 Consul- General at Buenos Ayres, or by the unconcealed threats of 

 Bolivar, the President of Colombia it is impossible now to say : so 

 much only is known, that on February 2, 1830, he received an inti- 

 mation of his freedom, and was at the same time informed that ' la 

 Excelencia el Supremo ' granted him permission to go wherever he 

 liked. Thus ended Bonpland's unjustifiable captivity of nine years' 

 duration. On receiving his freedom, he still remained in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and settled down in the small town of Santa Borja, on 



1 [The Paraguay tea-plant.] 

 VOL. I. D 



