410 APPENDIX. 



betrayed the weakness of infirmity. His thin figure was clad 

 in a shirt and trousers of white flannel, while on his stockingless 

 feet he wore wooden slippers. He held out his hand to me in 

 friendly greeting, and as I grasped it 1 felt the feverish heat that 

 seemed to be consuming him. The whole scene in the midst of this 

 desert region, without one of the attractions of civilized life, im- 

 pressed me with an indescribable feeling of melancholy. 



Some roast meat was set before me upon a pewter plate ; knife 

 and fork there was none I was obliged to help myself with my 

 bowie-knife and my fingers. The old man then became very 

 talkative, but there was no method in his discourse, and he con- 

 founded the date and order of events, and mixed up persons and 

 things in the most extraordinary way. The Seine, the Parana, 

 and the Orinoco, all flowed in close proximity. Paris -and Assuncion 

 were associated together ; the Cordilleras and the Atlantic Ocean 

 were placed side by side ; and the names of Humboldt and Francia 

 were mentioned in the same breath. At last his thoughts became 

 concentrated upon Humbpldt, and the remarks he made upon him 

 were sufficiently surprising. It was evident that Bonpland viewed 

 with envy the immense superiority of his friend. He thought that 

 Humboldt had published many things as his own discoveries that 

 had properly belonged to Bonpland ; he believed that Humboldt 

 had rejoiced to see him start for America the second time, because 

 he had entered into some special engagements with Kunth, and that 

 he continued to work with him in the publication of his books 

 without waiting for Bonpland' s return to Europe, and that moreover 

 he had often advised Bonpland against the return he had projected. 

 He complained also that his second visit to America had not excited 

 in Europe the attention it deserved, nor had the collections he had 

 sent over been estimated at their proper value. 



It is unnecessary to defend Humboldt from such accusations. If 

 Bonpland failed to secure an independent position, if his name will 

 be preserved only to posterity as an appendage to the more brilliant 

 name of Humboldt, the reason lies in his lack of industry and his 

 unconquerable propensity to postpone every kind of labour. A 

 return to France was certainly never seriously contemplated by the 

 cynic of La Plata, for whom Europe had ceased to possess any 

 attraction. 



After our conversation had been carried on for a considerable 

 time, I noticed that the aged invalid showed symptoms of fatigue, 

 and upon my urgent solicitations he retired to take a little repose, 

 while I employed the interval in visiting the garden, which lay at 

 some distance from the house. Oranges and peaches flourished in 

 perfection ; Bonpland's rose garden was in full bloom ; fig trees and 



