Retrospective Criticism. 381 



much pleased with the discovery, as it was said amongst them that the cavern 

 ended in the Gulf of Cariaco. The cavern is one of the finest and largest in 

 the world. The quantity of the famous and rare Guacharo bird (Steatornis) 

 is immense, yet it is very difficult to shoot many of them. The Indians 

 prepare an oil from the young ones. 



Following ray journey, I went by Aragua to Maturin, both very neat villages 

 or towns in the interior of the province of Cumana. I then embarked in a 

 small canoe, went down the river Guarapiche, crossed the Gulf of Paria, and 

 entered one of the many branches (lanos) of the Orinoco. I stopped some 

 days at Pedernales, and went up the Orinoco to Barrancas, where I got the 

 ague, which prevented me from going any further up the river. I grew worse 

 and worse, and was obliged to go to the interior of the province of Guayra 

 to a more healthy place. I left, therefore. Barrancas, and went to Caroni, a 

 small Indian village, but very healthy place, situated on the river Caroni, 

 famous for cataracts. I recovered very slowly, the fever not leaving me ; for 

 which reason I quitted Caroni after a fortnight's stay, taking the road to 

 Upata, the beginning of the Missiones, and thence I went into the interior as 

 far as Tumerenco. Mr. F. Hamilton, the son of the late English consul at 

 Angustura, a young but very rich man, and quite a Creole, invited me to his 

 estates in the Missiones, to make there my collections. After three months' 

 stay at his different places, I left him for various reasons. He got married at 

 the time to a young Creole ; and 1, for my part, could not get well again, and 

 also found myself terribly cheated by my fellow-traveller. I could do nothing 

 better than start with my collections of plants, birds, and insects, which were 

 now pretty good, for Angustura, where I fortunately soon found a German 

 vessel bound for Bremen, in which I took my passage ; and after a very 

 quick voyage of only thirty-three days, arrived at Bremen, and soon after 

 reached Berlin. 



My collection consists of a great number of good and rare things, and a 

 great many have shown flowers. The plants are described by Dr. Klotzsch, 

 who is going to publish them in the Linncea. During my absence great 

 alterations had taken place in my country, and the most of them for its 

 benefit. I found a new king and new ministers. I have had the honour to 

 be received by His Majesty. I intend to publish my travels, and have already 

 begun with them ; but it is a hard work for me, as I have little time on my 

 hands for such an undertaking. If there is any subject connected with my 

 pursuits of which you want to hear particularly, please to let me know, and I 

 shall feel the greatest pleasure in communicating any information 1 may 

 possess. — Edward Otto. 



Art. III. Retrospective Criticism. 



The Derby Arboretum. — Some weeks since I received the Derby paper 

 containing the long and interesting account of the opening of Mr. Strutt's 

 Arboretum. The good people of Derby are the more obliged to Mr. Strutt, 

 from the circumstance of his munificent gift being made during his lifetime ; 

 and he evinces his superior wisdom by so doing, in place of leaving a sum for 

 the purpose in his will, as rich men commonly do. My object in making this 

 remark is, to influence rich men in this country to follow his example. 

 Stephen Girard, a French merchant or rather a Frenchman, but resident here 

 since 1777, left, in 1832, seven millions of dollars to the Corporation of Phila- 

 delphia, for effecting a variety of purposes, and, among others, for building a 

 college for orphans, two millions being specifically appropriated for this object. 

 The trustees are now erecting a marble palace, which had not its equal in 

 Athens, according to Steward and Revett's views (unless I mistake, for it is 

 some time since 1 perused them). Great loss has been sustained by the funds 

 left, in consequence of the failure of the bank of the United States to pay di- 



