PREFACE. 7 



United States to Europe. The publication of the im- 

 portant results of this journey was not completed when 

 he undertook another to Asiatic Russia and the confines 

 of China, from which he has but lately returned. 



From the various works which he has given to the 

 world have been derived the chief materials of this nar- 

 rative ; and, when additional particulars were wanted , 

 application was made to M. de Humboldt himself, who 

 kindly pointed out the sources whence the desired in- 

 formation might be obtained. The life of a man of letters, 

 he justly observed, ought to be sought for in his books ; 

 and for this reason little has been said respecting his 

 occupations during the intervals of repose which have 

 succeeded his perilous journeys. 



It is only necessary further to apprize the reader, that 

 the several measurements, the indications of the ther- 

 mometer, and the value of articles of industry or 

 commerce, which in the original volumes are expressed 

 according to French, Spanish, and Russian usage, have 

 been reduced to English equivalents. 



Finally, the Publishers, confident that this abridged 

 account of the travels of Humboldt will prove beneficial 

 in diflFusing a knowledge of the researches of that 

 eminent naturalist, and in leading to the study of those 

 phenomena which present themselves daily to the eye, 

 send it forth with a hope that its reception will be as 

 favourable and extensive as that bestowed upon its 

 predecessors. 



Edinburgh, October 1832. 



This edition of Professor Macgillivray's valuable narrative of 

 the journey and researches of Baron Humboldt, is now ex- 

 tended so as to embrace his more recent labours, including 

 his celebrated journey to the Ural Mountains, and his explora- 



