ARRIVAL AT CUMANA. 251 



Trinidad; for which reason the proprietor thought he chap.x:; 

 had nothing to fear from the British ; but they had ^ ~ — . 

 scarcely reached the narrow channel between tlie con- privateer/ " 

 tinent and the islands of Boracha and the Chimanas, 

 when they met an armed boat which, hailing them at 

 a great distance, fired some musket-shot at them. It 

 belonged to a privateer of Halifax, and the travellers 

 wtre forthwith carried on board ; but while Humboldt 

 was negotiating in the cabin, a noise was heard upon 

 deck, and something was whispered to the master, who 

 instantly left him in consternation. An English sloop Recapture 

 of war, the Hawk, had come up, and made signals to and deliver 

 the latter to bring to ; which he not having promptly 

 obeyed, a gun was fired, and a midshipman sent to 

 demand the reason. Humboldt accompanied this officer 

 to the sloop, where Captain Garnier received him with 

 the greatest kindness. Next day they continued their 

 voyage, and at nine in the morning reached the Gulf of 

 Cariaco. The castle of San Antonio, the forest of 

 cactuses, the scattered huts of the Guayquerias, and all 

 the features of a landscape well known to them, roso 

 upon the view ; and on their landing at Cuniana they Landing ut 

 were greeted by their numerous friends, who were Cumana. 

 overjoyed to find untrue a report of their death on the 

 Orinoco, which had been current for several months. 

 The port was every day more strictly blockaded, and 

 thp vain expectation of Spanish packets detained them 

 two months and a half longer ; during which time they 

 occupied themselves in completing their investigation of 

 the plants of the country ; in examining the geology 

 of the eastern part of the peninsula of Araya ; and in 

 making astronomical observations, together with experi- 

 ments on refraction, evaporation, and atmosphoric elec- 

 tricity. They also sent off some of their more valuable 

 collections to France. 



Having been informed that the Indians brought to Natiwoium. 

 the town considerable quantities of native alum found 

 in the mountains, they made an excursion for the pur- 

 pose of ascertaining its position. Disembarking near 



