JOURNEY TO MEXICO. 



291 



In January, 1803, the travellers embarked for 

 Guayaquil, in the vicinity of which they found a 

 splendid forest of palms, plumeriaB, tabernae-montanae, 

 and scitaminae. Here also they heard the incessant 

 noises of the volcano of Cotopaxi, which had expe- 

 rienced a tremendous agitation on the 6th January. 

 From Guayaquil they proceeded by sea to Acapulco 

 in New-Spain. At first, Humboldt's intention was 

 to remain only a few months in Mexico, and return 

 as speedily as possible to Europe, more especially 

 as his instruments, and in particular the chronome- 

 ters, were getting out of order, while he found it 

 impossible to procure others. But the attractions 

 of so beautiful and diversified a country, the great 

 hospitality of its inhabitants, and the dread of the 

 yellow fever of Vera Cruz, which usually attacks 

 those who descend from the mountains between 

 June and October, induced him to remain until the 

 middle of winter. 



After making numerous observations and experi- 

 ments on the atmospherical phenomena, the horary 

 variations of the barometer, magnetism, and the 

 natural productions of the country, our travellers 

 set out in the direction of Mexico ; gradually ascend- 

 ing by the burning valleys of Mescala and Papagayo, 

 where the thermometer rose to 89*6° in the shade, 

 and where the river is crossed on fruits of Crescentia 

 pinnata, attached to each other by ropes of agave. 

 Reaching the elevated- plains of Chilpantzuigo, Te- 

 huilotepec, and Tasco, which are situated at a height 

 varying from 3837 to 4476 feet above the sea, they 

 entered a region blessed with a temperate climate, 

 and producing oaks, cypresses, pines, tree-ferns, and 

 the cultivated cereal plants of Europe. After visit- 

 ing the silver-mines of Tasco, the oldest and formerly 

 the richest of Mexico, they went up by Cuernaraca 

 and Guachilaco to the capital. Here they spent 

 some time in the agreeable occupation of examining 

 numerous curiosities, antiquities, and institutions, in 



