374 Biography of Baron Leopold von Buck. 



same year lie quitted the north of Germany, different portions 

 of which he had already examined, of course under the influ- 

 ence of those neptunistic views which he had imbibed from 

 Werner, and directed his footsteps to the Alps, of which he 

 may, in a scientific point of view, be regarded as the Columbus. 



In examining the district of Salzburg, so rich in natural 

 beauties and in striking geognostic phenomena, he enjoyed 

 the congenial companionship of Humboldt. Of this profitable 

 intercourse there remains an imperishable monument in the 

 description of Salzburg, which may be regarded as a model 

 of description of great mountain regions. 



In the spring of 1798 he instituted the first careful inquiry 

 into the central alpine chain through the Tyrol ; and from 

 thence, after long impediments, arising from the continuous 

 wars of the French Republic, he succeeded in February 1799 

 in reaching Naples. Here he directed his attention to the 

 study of Mount Vesuvius, and it was the phenomena of this 

 volcano that first awakened doubts in his mind with regard 

 to the soundness of Werner's doctrines. An old Neapolitan 

 still boasts with delight of having been the guide of Buch 

 and Humboldt through the lava ruins. 



But it was not until the year 1805 that Buch had an oppor- 

 tunity, in company of Humboldt and Gay-Lussac, of witness- 

 ing a great eruption. He then found himself enabled to cor- 

 rect a number of erroneous views, hitherto generally enter- 

 tained, with regard to the activity and products of volcanoes. 

 His mind had been prepared for the subject by a previous 

 journey through the south of France. In the year 1802 he 

 had examined the extinct volcanoes in the district of Auvergne, 

 and discovered that the volcanoes break out from the granite ; 

 but, cautious inquirer as he was, he did not consider this as 

 sufficient to overthrow the Wernerian theory. Recognizing 

 the extraordinary scientific importance of a remarkable phe- 

 nomenon, he was too cautious to make it the basis of a 

 universal law ; and it was not until after more extended in- 

 quiry, and the accumulation of new facts, that he allowed 

 himself to assign a similar mode of origin to the German 

 basalts. The fruit of his inquiries appeared in his " Geognos- 

 tical observations during travels through Germany and 



