PREFACE. 7 
the reader to an acquaintance with his character and 
motives, as the adventurous traveller, who, cross- 
ing the Atlantic, traversed the ridges and plains of 
Venezuela, ascended the Orinoco to its junction with 
the Amazon, sailed down the former river to the 
capital of Guiana, and after examining the Island 
of Cuba mounted by the valley of the Magdalena 
to the elevated platforms of the Andes, explored the 
majestic solitudes of the great cordilleras of Quito, 
navigated the margin of the Pacific Ocean, and wan- 
dered over the extensive and interesting provinces 
of New Spain, whence he made his way back by 
the United States to Europe. The publication of 
theimportant results of this journey was not com- 
pleted 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 
narrative ; and, when additional particulars were 
wanted, application was made to M. de Humboldt 
himself, who kindly pointed out the sources whence 
the desired information 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 pe- 
rilous journeys. 
It is only necessary further to apprize the reader, 
that the several measurements, the indications of the 
