124 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



the National Institute, on the nature of nitrous 

 gas, and the possibility of a more exact analysis of 

 the atmosphere ; and had spent some time in Spain, 

 with the'well known botanist Bonpland, in collect- 

 ing plants, and making observations in connection 

 with meteorology, geology, and magnetism. While 

 at Madrid, through Herr von Forell, a distin- 

 guished patron of science, Humboldt was received 

 at court and obtained permission of the king to 

 visit the Spanish colonies in America. 



At his own expense,the best scientific instruments 

 were procured, and June 5, 1799, at two o'clock in 

 the afternoon, he and Bonpland, with their crew 

 and a few others, sailed away, in the corvette Pi- 

 zarro, for a five years' journey. He sent tender 

 farewell messages back to " his family," as he 

 called William's children, and then stifled any feel- 

 ings of loneliness or homesickness which he had in 

 his heart, by his favorite motto, " Man must ever 

 strive after all that is good and great." 



June 20, they were at the foot of the Peak of Ten- 

 eriffe. He wrote to his brother : " I am. quite in a 

 state of ecstasy at finding myself at length on 

 African soil, surrounded by cocoa-nut palms and 

 bananas. ... I ^returned last night from an excur- 

 sion up the peak. What an amazing scene ! Whu\: 

 a gratification ! We descended some way into the 

 crater, perhaps farther than any previous scientific 

 traveller. . . . What a remarkable spectacle was 

 presented to us at this height of eleven thousand five 

 hundred feet. ... At two in the morning we were 



