OF BABOX HUMBOLDT. 95 



trees. The valley of Caracas, Humboldt calls 

 a paradise an abode of perpetual spring 

 where even in the night the temperature is not 

 below 18 Celsius. 



The more immediate object of Humboldt' s 

 scientific investigation was the Silla,* an im- 

 portant mountain, whose summit nobody living 

 near its foot had yet been able to reach ; and 

 hence he experienced some difficulty in ob- 

 taining the necessary guides. The Governor, 

 however, procured the assistance of a few 

 negroes. On the day appointed for the expe- 

 dition January 22nd, 1800 sixteen persons 

 assembled in order to accompany Humboldt 

 and Bonpland. The exploit, which the guides 

 hoped to accomplish in six hours, proved 

 difficult, but rewarded abundantly the adven- 

 turers, by unfolding to them magnificent scenes 

 of nature's beauty; but demanded also a 

 considerable amount of courage and perse- 

 verance unfortunately not possessed by all the 

 attendants of Baron Humboldt ; for they had 

 scarcely proceeded half-way, when most of them 

 were disheartened, amongst them a Capuchin 

 monk, who was a professor of mathematics, 

 and had shown a considerable amount of 



* Silla de Caracas, or Cerra de Avila height 8,100 feet. 



