OF BARON HUMBOLDT. 97 



niglit compelled the renowned travellers to 

 descend. Having completed their observations, 

 they reached, at ten o'clock in the evening, a 

 ravine, where they had to pass a perilous road, 

 in order to find a resting-place for the night 

 in the rock, aggravated by the fact that their 

 guides had secretly sneaked away, which com- 

 pelled them to carry their instruments, they 

 suffering at the same time from hunger and 

 thirst. 



We have more especially noticed these travels 

 in order to show in Baron Humboldt that coura- 

 geous perseverance which does not hesitate at 

 the prospect of difficulties and dangers, having 

 constantly one great object in view the ad- 

 vancement of science and a more intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the world. No distance could 

 deter him, if the peculiarities of a country and 

 its natural treasures required investigation; 

 and hence he left Caracas, and wandered in the 

 extensive plains, the Llanos, rarely ever trodden 

 by human feet. For the same reason he did 

 not choose the shortest road ; because his finely 

 organized perceptions of nature's beauty would 

 not permit him to forego the sight of the 

 splendid valleys of Apogua ; his scientific zeal 

 urged him to examine the more important 

 parts of the mountain-chains near the coast ; 



H 



