PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 277 



possessed a similarity of taste and disposition; 

 looked forward to the future with hope ; were on the 

 eve of a journey which was to lead us to the high- 

 est summits of the Andes, and bring us to volcanoes 

 in action in a country continually agitated by earth- 

 quakes ; and we felt ourselves more happy than at 

 any other period of our distant expedition. The 

 years which have since passed, not all exempt from 

 griefs and pains, have added to the charms of these 

 impressions ; and I love to think that, in the midst 

 of his exile in the southern hemisphere, in the soli- 

 tudes of Paraguay, my unfortunate friend M. Bon- 

 pland, sometimes remembers with delight our bo- 

 tanical excursions at Turbaco, the little spring of 

 Torecillo, the first sight of a gustavia in flower, or 

 of the cavanillesia loaded with fruits having mem- 

 branous and transparent edges." 



M. Bonpland's health having suffered severely 

 during the navigation of the Orinoco and Casiquiare, 

 they resolved to provide themselves with all the 

 conveniences necessary to secure their comfort dur- 

 ing the ascent of the Rio Magdalena. They were 

 accompanied on this voyage by an old French phy- 

 sician, M. de Rieux, and two Spaniards. Leaving 

 Turbaco after a stay of ten days, in a cool and very 

 dark night, they passed through a wood of bamboos 

 rising from 40 to 50 feet. At daybreak they reached 

 Arjona on the borders of the forest, crossed an arm 

 of the Rio Magdalena in a canoe, and arrived at 

 Mahates, where they had to wait nearly all day for 

 the mules which were to convey their baggage to 

 the place of embarkation. It was excessively hot, 

 without a breath of wind, and to add to their vexa- 

 tion, their only remaining barometer had been broken 

 in passing the canal ; but they consoled themselves 

 by examining some beautiful- species of parrots 

 which they obtained from the natives. 



On the 20th April, at three in the morning, the 

 air feeling deliciously cool, although the thermome- 

 Aa 



