THE DAILY EVENING TELEGRAPHPHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 18G9. ALEXANDER VON HUMHOLDT. Iliimboltll'a C'lillthol und ( ll'e I.H. Alexander von Humboldt wit born at Berlin, Kfi'teinbpr4.t7tSl. JIIh t.itherwiw.NLvtor Alexan der George von Humboldt; Ms mother wan of trench extraction. Ho Imil but one brother, William, who wm his elder y two years. The childhood ol the two brother was pushed t the Cattle of Ti?el, about three lenijiies from Berlin. It was in the midst of pleasant scenery; dark pine-elad hill rose at the back, in front emended the lake, and beyond it lay the town nd famous fortress of Smnitaii. No traditions r precocious intelligence are recollected of Alexander the man who outlives f-iiiilly and fellow-workers, and iraiiiR twenty years beyond the common lot. leaves no coiileinporaries of his boyhood to recount to a new u;oiionitioii the Miadows of eniincnec forecast upon hi youth. From such reminiscences, however, as can bo collected, we perceive that in his early training lay the erins of hW ultimate ureatness. His education began with his brother's in 1T75, ndcr Joachim Hcinrich C'ampe, a teacher who went by Rousseau's theory; coiiibinintrtlic physi cal with the mental development of his pupils, and treating the study of the natural sciences as vf equal importance with that of the classics and metaphysics. Next to Klopstock, Campe was accounted the greatest of German critics and philologist: but tho work of his In which his your it scholars probably found most edification, was a translation of the famous adventures of "liohiiison Crusoe." Alexander's tto for the natural sciences was already awakened, and the hero of that history filled Vim with a longing desire to visit strange lands upon his own account. Campe remained but a year at Te?cl, and was succeeded in his office by Christian Knuttc, a young man, poor in purse, but rich in learning, who pursued the same system as his predeces sor. Throughout the childhood of his pupils, and up to the period of their father's death, which happened in 177!, many distinguished visitors appeared at Tegel princes, statesmen, old companions in arms, and famous scholars; amongst the last come Gallic and Dr. Krnst Ludwig Heine, the physician of the family, and a learned botanist, who instructed tho boys in his favorite science on the system of I.lnn'cus. When they were sent to Berlin to pursue their education! Christian Knutte accompanied them; he also went with them when they were trans ferred to the University of (lOttiugcu. At this famous seat of learning, the most distinguished teaxhers during the young Humboldt's residence were Johatin Friedricli Ulunieubaeh, Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy; Chris tian (iottleiu Heyne, a great classic: and Eich horn, Professor of Arabic, and a profound Bibli cal scholar. But the man who exercised tho most perma nent influence over the mind of Alexander was ieorge Foster, son-in-law to Professor lleyne. He had seen what the University sages had but learnt from books. Jle had outdone the adveu turous Kobinson Crusoe. At eighteen he had sailed round the world with Captain Cook, and had since written an tiecouut of his voyage. In his company Alexander spent most of his leisure, and his example ami con vendition mainly determined tho bent of the young student's fu ture life. Ju 11.S1I the university course of the two bro thers ended. Williain'pi'oceeJed to Paris with his old tutor Campe, and Alexander remained in (iermany, prosecuting his studies. He applied himself to geology, the J a new science, directed thereto by the works of Abraham Werner. Hum boldt's first journey was a miucrulogieal tour with Foster up the Khine. and through Holland to England, lie afterwards cm bo lied his ob servations in a work which supported Werner's theory that all rocks are of iKpieous formation. It was his earliest published production. He next went to a commercial academy at Hamburg, and thcuee to Freyburg, where he remained a year studyiug mining under Werner. In It'.ti he gained his first appoiutment as in spector of mines in Franeonla. Here his duties were very heavy; he had to rem ulel the mining system throughout, and to travel continually inspecting the working of the new operations; at the same time he lot no opportunity of pur suing his scientific researches: he botani.ed, he descended iuto the mines to examine the fuugl that grew in the shafts, and, it the district were mountainous, he studied the rock formations, and speculated on Werner's theory. His powers of continuous labor were marvellous; busy as he must have been at this period, he wrote largely for the scientific journals, and published a work on the local botany of the neighborhood of I'reyburg. In 1795 he resigned his olllcc of inspector of mines, and proceeded to Vienna, wherd the mag nificent collection of exotics gave him great facilities for the study of botany. During the following year his mother died, and was buried at Tegel, aud in the subscpient Kpring his brother, who was now married, met him at Berlin to divide their inheritance. Wil liam's share was Tegel. Alexander's an estate in Ncumark, which he sold to the poet Franz von Klaist, to raise funds for the journey which was the object of his dreams. Until it should come to pass, he diverted his energies with numerous plans and many short excursions. He made a geological tour with Leopold von Buch through Salzburg, Styrla, and the Tyrolesc Alps, and in 17U8 he went to Paris, where his brother William resided, whose houso was a rallying poiut for all the French savans and distinguished men who visited that gay capital. Of this period were two abortive plans for journeys to South America, the Archipelago of the Pacific, New Holland, Madagascar, and the Cape of (iood Hope- they were set on foot by tho National Museum of France, but fell to the ground for lack of funds to carry them out: and the only good Humboldt reaped from his disappointment was the friend ship of Alme Boupland, one of the naturalists who had been appointed to accompany the vovuge of exploration to .South America. In 1708 he and Aime Boupland spent the win ter in 8pain, and while in .Madrid he was pre sented to the King, who promised him the sup port of his ministers if he undertook a Voyage lo the New World. Thus encouraged, he resolved not to risk further disappointment by delay. Furnished with passports and with extensive permission for researches throughout all Spanish America, Humboldt and Bonpland despatched farewell letters to their friends and relatives, embarked on board the Pizarro, and got safe out to sea on June 5, 1?.K). So the great journey was begun. Humboldt was then in his thirtieth vcar. .Many portions of the story of llutnboldt's great transatlantic joumcv with Aimo Bon pland read like the wildest traveller's tales, but they are told on the authority of his own narra tives. Their first stay was at the great Canaries, the Pizarro anchoring In the liuv of Santa Cruz. Their chief point of interest was TencrilTe; aud, as the captain could not promise them a delay of more than four or live days, they immediately act out for Orotava, ou tho western declivity of the volcano. They started before sunrise; the French vlce cousul volunteered himself as guide, and un English gardener joined their party. Proceed ing along a lofty aqueduct, draped with ferns, thev arrived at tho famous dragon-tree which is mentioned lu many ancient documents, and said to have been as gigantic in the fifteenth century as when Humboldt and Bonpland saw it. its circumference near the root was forty-five feet, and its hehrbt between fifty aud sixty; it grew in branches candelabrum-wise, and each branch terminated in a cluster of leaves. Continuing to ascend through a forest of chestuut trees, they gained the rock of La Guyta and Portillo, aud afterwards traversing a narrow pass between two basaltic hills, they entered ou the great plain of Kpurtlum. Here the landscape changed:. Thus far they had seen only beautiful vegetation everywhere covering the ground, but this plain stretched before them like a sea of sand. T,nv missed tho first night in a cavern, called ih EnL'lish Halt, aud at three o'clock on tho fol lowing morning started on again on their way. t. fcntirH' walkimr brought them to Alta V ista, .i.-eilArs' station, bevoud which point tho rronnd became utterly destitute of vegetable Tbia tract in all volcanic regions 1 ailed Malpays. During the ascent many curl ouerbcuwiiea were eUerved; the travellers be held tho clouds spreading below them like a vast plain of snow, 'i he ascent was very' fatiguing-, und tho watcr-carrit-rs lightened their loads by throwing awav the geological specimens that Humboldt and Bonpland had picked up. After a march of three hours across the Malpays they reached the foot of the Sugar-loaf, which was so steep that they were compelled to climb It by an old current of lava, and, on gaining the summit, they could hardly stand for the violence of the west wind. The crater was surrounded by a parapet of lava, and through a breach in its wall the travellers uere enabled to approach the funnel, which whs about three hundred feet across in its widest part. The heat was percep tible onlv at. a leu ciovlccs, which gavo vent to nfineoim'vai'ors am! a buzzing sound. The view from this height was very fine, an l the atmo sphere had now grown so transparent that they could even distinguish the different shades of vegetation, and the cssels at anchor in tho port of Orotava. )n the. r return they saw Hocks of canaries of a hrilliantgrccn color. On June " the I'izarro left Santa Cruz and sailed for South America. North of the Cape do Verde Islands thev saw masses of the tropic grape, which grow s on submarine rocks forty degrees north and south of the equator. From the twenty-second degree they found the sea alive with f!ying-!ih,' which threw themselves eighteen feet out of the water, and sometimes fell upon the deck. When the ship entered on tho torrid zone. Die voyagers began to study the strange beauties ol a new firmament. On the night of July 4 they llrstsaw the Southern Cross. 'J lie latter part of the passage was less fortunate than the coiiiinci. cement; a malignant fever broke out on boaid, nnd a young Austrian, whose mother wa a widow, died of it, and w.is buried in the sea at sunrise. Humboldt aud Bonpland determined to leave the infected ship, and on Die morning of July 15 the' perceived a low island with saiidy hills, which appeared like an agitated sea Iroin the effects of tho mirage. On the following day the mountains ol New Andalusia lose belore them, and iiiiiauit And its castles were seen amidst groups of cocoa trees. The splendor of the sky. the vivid color ing of tho vegetation, all proclaimed the grand character of tropic regions. The travellers presented their credentials, and were cordially received by the Governor, who assigned them a house we'll situated for astro nomical and meteorological observations. Their first excursion was to the peninsula of Araya, their object being to see the salt mines and to make geological observations ou the mountains that composed it. They started at two o'clock on a lowly cool morning, aud sailed up the little river Ma nzauares, which was bordered with trees of gigantic growth mimosas, eel has, and crythrimiH whilst swarms of phosphores cent insects glistened in the air. At the salt-mines they saw a barefooted shoe maker, of Castilian descent, who had collected the traditions of the country, and who told them some curious particulars of tho pearls of Cabagua. specimens of which he gave to Hum boldt. He was a vrave and dignified person, who despised riches, and the limit of whose ambition was the possession of an ass strong enough to carry a L ad of plantains. I hey then pi cc i .led to the Castle of Arnya, which stood on an less like the labor rocks of the prine il'id mountain, and looked of man than like gigantic al world. Thev passed a night in an Indian h it. and m the moruing thev visited Die ruins ol ."-t. Iago; the walls had been blown dow n, but I I' cks of freestone, seven and eight hundred feel square, still remained to at test their eiionuoii- strength. Expedition to San Fernando. Their next expedition was to the mountains of Die Indian missions. The first thev reached was that of San Fernaido. where an'agcd but fat and jovial missionary received them kindly, and lodged them for the night. The village, aud the extreme neatness of the Indian huts, reminded them of the establishments of the Moravian Brethren in Genim-iy; the dwellings were built singly, but in long, wide streets, crossing each other at right angles. The square iu Die centre of the village contained the church, the mission house, and a caiavnnscrui for travellers. In these regions, every (Jerman was considered a miner, aud every Frenchman a physician; and both travellers had numerous calls" upon their skill; wherever HuuiboKU went, specimens of ore were brought to him, and the inhabitants wished him to explore a wonderful crevice iu their mountains, nine hundred feet wide, and filled with trees interwoven to gether, because they believed that it con tained a gold mine. Humboldt consented, and, assisted by Indians and accompanied by dogs as a protection against the jaguars, lie and Bonpland set forth on their expedition. Two caverns opened into this mountain, which emitted fiery exhalations, aud the putli by which they journeyed was a sort of narrow cornice above a precipice between two and three hun dred feet deep. The farther they advanced, the more dense the vegetation became; they col lected plants at every step, and the Indians made incisions iu Die trees, that they might ob serve the beautiful red and yellow woods that composed thorn. The supposed gold mine proved to be nothing but an excavation in a black stratum of marl, which contaiued abund ance of pyrites. Humboldt, however, could not succeed iu convincing tho Indians of tho fact; they were persuaded that the metallic grains washed down in the water must, from their bril liancy, b gold. The travellers next proceeded onwards to the Convent of Cnribe. the principal station of th missions. They were received by the monks with great hospitality, and found" a numerous society in the convent. Humboldt was lodged in the cell of the Superior, which contained a good selection of bookf. The Great Cavern of ;nnclielo was three league;- troin the convent, and the travellers set out to see it, accompanied by a party of monks and the Indian magistrate, i'heir way lay U'a i'y through the bed of a tor rent, and thev can c'suddenly upon the cavern, pierced in Die veruciil face of the rock, and lornnng an arch ighty feet wiae ana upwarus of seventy feel lii-jib.' A river issued from It, Die rock was" covered with gigantic trees, and wild vines waved in te-i-.ons neiore mo niouiii oi me caveru. It was ii. habited by nocturnal birds, whose fat was a l.'.if article of food and com merce amongst the Indians. The explorers en tered the arch, aim following the courso of tho river within it. thev saw heiicouias. palm trees. and arums growing on its banks; vegetation did not disappear until fortv paces lrom tho mouth of the cavern. 'I liey advaueed four hundred and fifty feet w ithout torches, and where the light began to fail thev heard the hideous. hoarse erics of the nocturnal birds, repeated again and again by the subterranean echoes. Their nests were tunnel-bhaped, and the roof of the cavern was riddled with them iiko a sieve, i lie inqians nxcd torches upon long jioicb io snow mem to me travellers, aud, searea ny me light, inc. inrus redoubled their cries, and answered each other from the re molest parts ol the cavern. Tho river was from iweniy-eigm. io Tinny ieci wide, uni it was shallow, and In many places tho stalactites com polled tho explorers to descend Into its -bed to continue their route; at one point It formed a subterranean c ascade, and here vegetation re commenced. The torrent deposited layers of uiaciv inouiu, aim iiiu uiius uioppeuseeus, which germinated ami grew up into blanched stalks. two and three led high; but they were so much changed ny the aii. enee or tight that It was im possible for travellers to determine their species. Farther than this poiut the Indians refused to go: they connected mystical ideas with the cavern, and neither the authority of tho monks nor me expostulations oi Jiumboidt nnd Bon pland could prevail on them to pass the cascade Ihe whole patty were, therelore, obliged to trace their steps. re When the travellers took their leave of the hospitable missionaries, they crossed a ridgo of mountains and a ast suvauuah, to a steep aud slippery slope, to which the monks had given the name oi "The Descent to Purgatory." It was a descent which it took them seven hours to accomplish. Tho road was a series of rocky steps, over which, in tno rainy season, the tor rents dashed with impetuous uusie. i he mules. however, knew by iu.sUu.ct tlic way to go; the guide, rode, but Humboldt and Bonpland pre ferred to walk, to gather plants. It was oppres sively hot. and they heard thunder In the dis tance. Their object was to have gone farther eastward, but as they proceeded they found tho routes becoming quite impracticable on account of the heavy ruins that had recently fallen; they therefore went to Curiaco, and, embarking in a canoe with tho botanical and geological speci mens which they had collected on their journey, they returned toCumana by sea. Acronn the Country. They remained atCumana some timo making preparations for a iournev to the Oronoco and Rio Negro. They had lieloro them a ten months' route across a country without any communica tion with the coast; and, having furnished them selves with intelligent guides, on November 10 they left C.umana once more, and sailed down the Manzaiiarcs to Caracas. It was tho dry sea son, and while there thev saw the savannahs on fire, kindled to improve the vegetation. In February they set out for the Oronoco; and the first marked object they saw on their journey was a famous tree, known throughout the pro vince by the name of the Zamang del Guayre. It was a species of mimosa, its trunk sixty feet high and nine inches thick. Its beauty and Iieculiarity were In its hemispheric head, live mndred and seventy-six feet in circumference, with Die branches bent downward in the form of an umbrella. The early conquerors of tho province saw this tree in the same state as Hum boldt did: he considered it at least as old as the dragon-tree of Orotavo. The travellers journeyed by night, on account of the excessive heat. They visited the hot spring of Trinehcra, which they found of a tem perature sullicicntly high to boil eggs; and whilo passing through the valleys of Aragna they saw trees, the trunks of which yielded from incisions abundance of glutinous niflk, devoid of acridity, and of balmy smell. They both drank of it. and were told that it formed a very nourishing part of the native diet. These valleys were luxuriantly fertile, producing everyw here plan tains, watermelons and calabashes. Here also they saw numerous bands of howling monkeys going slowly in procession from tree to tree, through the forests. The uniformity of their movements was very remarkable. When the trees did not touch each other the male who led the party suspended himself by his tail, and, dropping from the branches, swung himself to nnd fro initil his oscillations brought him within reach of a neighboring bough. The whole file, performed the same movement on the same spot. When the travellers entered upon the llanos, they found the plains level for thirty square miles. In these vast and profound solitudes vegetation was scant nnd rare, and no dwellings were to be seen upon the dreary wastes. It was not until they had journeved two days and two night that tliey reached a lonely farm, where they rested, and the following morning resumed their way on horseback, at two o'clock, to avoid the heat of the day. Arrived nt Calabozo they found a Spaniard, who had constructed an elec trical machine. But what Humboldt had the greatest curiosity to see here were the (vvmnoli, or Klecirleal lls. lie and Bonpland went, therefore, in company with several Indians, to make ' 'm- experiments in the open air; for so grea dread the natives had of the shock- caused that. though Jiumboidt oitereu i.o piastres tor a strong and vigorous fish, if brought to his house. io failed in obtaining what he desired. They were conducted by their guides to a stream which had shrunk into a muddv basin during the drought, and which was surrounded bv line rees. To catch the gvinnoti in nets was ex tremely difficult, and the Indians ti lled lor them with horses in tho following manner: They scoured the plain until thev had cullected about thirtv wild horses nnd mules, which they drove nto the pool. The tumult brought, the eels out if the mud and excited them to battle. Those aquatic serpents of a yellowish, livid hue swam on the surface of the water, and crowded inder the animals, which the Indians pre vented from escaping with their long har- loons. Stunned by the noise, tho eels defended themselves by repeated discharges if their electric batteries, aud several horses saDk beneath the violence of the invisible strokes which assailed them on every side, while others, w ith eyes expressing the utmost anguish, aud manes erect, eudeavorea to ny irom the contest. Two horses were soon drowned; stunned by the shock, they sank, and were una- le to rise ngain m the long struggle between the gymnoti and tho other horses. The travel lers anticipated that all the animals would be thus destroyed; but, after a time, the eels were wearied out and dispersed; they would require, long rest and much nouruishment to repair the galvanic force they had lost. Some of them now approached me edge oi tnc poi, aim tno Indians took them with their harpoons, expe riencing no shock as they raised them into tho iir, when the cords to which the harpoons were lastened became dry. The Rio Apure. The travellers left Calabozo well satisfied w ith their stay, and towards tho end of March ar rived at" the mission of San Fernando, from which place, two days later, they set sail up tho Rio A pure in a large canoe, mana ged by a pilot and four Indians, for the Oronoco. They soon eutered a region Inhabited only by jaguars, ta pirs, nnd crocodiles. In some parts the river was nine hunarea ieci wide, and straight, us a canal, with magnificent forest trees on its banks. In others, w here the shore was open, they saw as many as eight or ten crocodiles lying ou tho sand. Boupland went ashore to measure a dead one, and found it twenty-two feet three inches in length. The travellers heard of a girl who saved her life, when seized by one of these ter rible creatures, by thrusting her lingers into its eyes; it quitted Its hold, but bit oft her left arm. The crocodile is an excellent swimmer, even against the strongest currents, but it turns slowly, and so occasionally loses its prey. While going up the river the w hole party com monly slept ashore In hammocks, slung between the trees, nnd were terribly disturbed by the cries nnd howling of the beasts by uight. At Joval they saw a jaguar as large as a Bengal tiger; nnd one day when Humboldt had landed, he suddenly found himself within eighty paces of a jaguar lying under a ceiba tree: but he made a swiit. silent detour, and escaped safe to tho boat. Thus far they had been sailing on the Kio Apure, but now they came to The Oronoco, with lovclv hills and majestic grauitc mountains in the distance. A vast plain of water spread around them like a lake, and the shores, parched by the heat, were bare as the sea-beach. At low w'atcr the river was six thousand feet wide; iu the rainy season it increased to thirty-two thousand, rrocecding souumaius iuu moun tains of Encaramada appeared to rise lrom the water, as if seen on the horizon of the sea. i he natives of tho district have a tradition of great Moods that once prevailed there where the waves of Ihe sea beat against the lofty granite roi ks which the travellers saw sculptured at an Im mense height with hieroglyphic figures. -At the time ol tho great waters,' said the Indians, -our fathers went to that height in boats. At the port of Encaramada they met with some Curibs going up the river for the famous fishing for turtles' eggs, and they lauded at an Island eelebruted for Its abundant supply, w here they found a swarm of three hundred Indians encamped to make their Ilnrvrst ( V-uu Humboldt and Boupland made a tour of the island, accompanied by a missiwnary and a trader. Tho beach was a plain of smooth sand, and they were shown by the missionary, with his long pole, where tho eggs lay. By tlirustlug It straight iuto the ground, the sudden want of resistance betrayed the layer of soft earth where they were deposited. Jt was like a mining country, divided Into lota and worked with the utmost regularity. The eggs were broken into long wooden troughs, filled with water, where they remained exposed to the sun until tho oily part collected on the surface, when it was skimmed off nnd boiled, to make turtle butter. It was used for burning in lamps, and also In cookery. They had an accident when they left the island. The boat was nearly upset by a sudden squall, and Humboldt with difficulty saved his journal, w Lilfe looks, papers, upd dried plants wore instantly afloat. Ont book they lost, but the other things were recovered; and their In dian pilot, who was to blnmc for tho accident, told thorn, with the utmost coolness, that they would have sun enough soon to dry their papers. On arriving at Pnramura, this man could take them no farther; but Bernardo Zoo, a missionary near tho great cataracts, volun teered to accompany them iu his stead. Here Humboldt saw an Inillnn l.mly I'nrirrKnln ft Ntnte Toilet. She was being painted by her .wo daughters in black lattice-work on ii red ground, with a dot In tho centre of each diamond. It wns a tedious ceremonial, for Humboldt spent some hours out herborizing, and on his return found it Mill unfinished. Tonr of Five Hundred I.rnaurn. As they nscended the river they found it crossed from north to south by a chain of gigantic mountains, and the waters, confined in their courso for five miles by Innumerable dikes of rocks which form natural dams, broken Iuto a thousand foaming torrents. In this region the travellers were terribly tormented by the mosquitoes. In the missions on the (Oronoco they furnish endless talk, and one old monk told Humboldt that he had enjoyed twenty years of their intimate acquaintance. From tho mission of San Fernando to that of tTavita, tho travellers sailed through tho Hooded forests In their canoe, nnd after a tedious and dangerous journey they gained the Kio Negro. They had already travelled one hundred and eighty leagues in their boat, and to reach the Oronoco by the C'assiquiarethcy would have to sail three hundred and twenty leagues more. Some of the travellers would have preferred a shorter route, but Humboldt and Bonpland per sisted in the route they had originally laid uown ior tncniseives, ami accomplished it. ihey then sailed down the Orinoco to Ataruipe, where there existed a cavern which was tho sepulchre of an extinct Indian tribe. In this place they counted more than six hundred skeletons, all regularly arranged. Amougst Diein were funeral urns "of oval form, the han dles turned like serpents or crocodiles, and the edges adorned with designs similar to those of ancient Oreece. The travellers carried away some skulls and bones, and the Indians, who approached their mules, instautly detected their presence amongst the baggage by the smell of tho rosin that had preserved them. At the mis sion of Aturee, Father Bernardo Zea left them, alter having shared all their difficulties anil dangeis during two mouths. The travellers reached Angostura in June, having made a journey of five hundred leagues in seventy-five days. After their privations aud hardships, cvcrjthinif appeared to them luxu rious, and for a short time Humboldt and Bon pland, iu perfect health, applied themselves to drying such plants as they had been ablo to preserve in the damp regions through which they had come; but on the same day thej- were attacked with a disorder, which, in Boupland, took the character of a low fever. Humboldt soon recovered by taking bark and honey, but Bonpland remained for several weeks iu au alarming condition. In July, however, he was sutiicicMiy strong to continue his travels, and proceeding to Nueva Barcelona, they were em barked In an open boat, with all their collections, and Kclnrnrd to ('iitiinmi by sea. Their Iriends came out to meet them with joyful congratulations, for a report that they had perished on Die Oronoco had been cur rent lor several months. t'libii ii nd Hottoln. At Cumaua they were detained some time, but iu December they made a voyage to Cuba, aud returning lo South America iu March, lauded at Carthagena. Here they divided their collections into three portions, tending one lo Germany, one to France, nnd the third to Havana, taking every precaution to have them remitted to the Museums of Natural History at Paris, or to Sir Joseph Banks iu Loudon, in case the vessels by which they were despatched were captured by French or English ships. This anxious business accomplished, they ascended Die Kio Magdaleua, Bonpland botanizing ns usual, nnd Humboldt making a chart of tho river district. Iu five-and-thirty 'days they reached Honda, and thence travelled ou mules to Bogota, which place they reached in June, pursuing their researches. Thence they went lo the Lake of Guatavitc, a solitary spot lu the mountains of Zipaguira, SttX) feet above the level of tho sea. The old Indians held It in great veneration, and there was a chan nel by which tho Spauish conquerors had at tempted to drain it, to recover possession of the treasures said to have been hidden in its depths nt their nppronch. Towards the end of September they left Bo gota nnd set out for Quito, taking the least fre quented road. Early in their journey they crossed two natural bridges of rock, one of them 3l!i feet above tho torrent which it spanned. Alter passing these bridges they reached tho mountain j of Quindrio, the most difficult Pims of the Cordillera. It lay through a dense forest, which it took them twelve davs to traverse. There was no hut by the way, and no means of subsistence, so that travellers always carried a month's pro visions, lest they should be delayed by the tor rents which, on the melting of the snow lu tho higher regions, frequently became impassable. Tho road was 1450 feet above the sea-level, and in niany places the pathway was barely a foot wide; in others, tho rock, being covered with a stratum of clay, was channelled into doepgulleys of mud, which made tho journey excessively arduous, both to the explorers and their oxen of burden. Humbcldt and Bonpland went on foot, and twelve oxen carried their collections, instru ments, and provisions, through an incessant deluge of rain. When the travellers' shoes were worn out, they went barefoot; for Die road, though wearisome and difficult, was not dangerous. In January, ISO-', the travellers reached Quito, which place was their headquarters for nine months. AVhile here they attempted the as cent of olopaxi nnd l liiniliorazo, Die two grandest parks of the Cordilleras: but they were deleated by the difficulties of the en terprise, lu the eruption of 17IW, Cotopaxl vomited red-hot stones :i(KJ4 feet above tho crater, and its roaring was heard at a distance of two hundred miles. It is the most terrible volcano in the w hole range; its form is a perfect cone, crowned with snow, and its appearance is emi nently gland and beautiful. Iu the attempted ascent of Chiinborazo, the explorers were ac companied by a young Spaniard. They started from the southwest side, traversing great plains, which rose one above the other, like terraces, until they reached that of Sisgun, 13, 400 feet above the level of the sea. They continued to ascend until they reached Yava-Cocha, a circu lar lake, the highest spot yet reached by other travellers. Hero they left their mules, aud crossing a plain of tawny grass, they came to a region where the rocks rose in columns, liko an enchanted lorest of stone. Passing over this district, they arrived at a place where the path became too steep aud the snow too danger ous to venture on. All the guides except oue refused to proceed any further, and he leu them by a route which he called a "knife-blade," sometimes on baud and kuees, aud always with their poles testiug the way before them. For an other hour, through increasing mist, they per severed: the barometer showed them an altitude of 18,!580 feet; and here they began to snffcr from the rarefaction of the air. They breathed with difficulty, their heads swam, and their eyes became suffused with blood. Condors camo sweeping down tho terrible pass. Once the mist parted, and they beheld the vast dome so near to them that they believed they should cer tainly reach the summit. They hurried ou, but all at once their farther progress was stopped by a vast chasm 400 feet deep and U) wide. They had nttalned a height of l'.,2(Hi feet. They de scended the mountain iu a storm of hail and snow. In another excursion they crossed a bridge oho hundred aud twenty feet long, formed of ropes, manufactured from the fibrons roots of the Aguava Americana, three or four inches iu diameter. It was by a bridge of this kind that a permanent communication was kept open be tween Lima and Quito. On their way to Coto paxl they saw the house of Die Iuea Huayna Capac. Jt loracd a Ecjuure of one hundred feet every way, with walls of burut porphyry, three feet thick, and the stones as regularly wrought ns In Konmn bnlldings. Tho doors were similar to those of the ancient Egyptian temples. I hey saw, also, the remains ot the i IJrrnt Roali of thp lnrn which were as fine ns any of tho old Roman roads. They all met iu Cuzco, tne cent, oi vw Ooveramcnt, and extended to the limits of tho kingdom, but the Spanish conquerors permitted them to fall Into disrepair, even where they did not wilfully destroy them. Approaching tho basin of tho Amazon the travellers were refreshed by the sight of a luxu riance such ns they had nowhere seen surpassed. They nfterwards visited the Baths of Pulta niarcn, and the palace nnd prison of the Inca Atahuallpa. The treasures collected by the Spanish conquerors, from the temples nnd pnhices ot this prince, were estimated at imeen millions of dollars. Humboldt was shown the slab on which tradition said he was beheaded, still marked with stains of blood. While travelling through these districts the explorers felt a keen longing once more to be hold the sea, nnd on reaching the Alto do Uuan znmnrcn, tho great Pacific Ocean, for the first time, lay beneath their eyes. At the end of the year they nllel for .Mexico. Touching nt Acnpulco, on the voyage, they heard Cotopaxl. one hundred and fifty miles away, discharging Its terribls artillery. Arriving iu Mexico during the following March, they proceeded to the capital, where they found a school of mines, a botanic garden, nnd an academy of painting and sculpture. The city of Mexico is founded on the ruins of an an cient capital, and Humboldt saw certain Aztec idols which had been unburicd there some years before; besides these, the stone of sacrifice was exhibited to him, and lie examined some Aztec manuscripts, w ritten on stag skin, some of them seventy lect in length. But uncouth idols, and manuscripts of hieroglyphics which he could not rend, were much less attractive to him than the book of nature; and in the beginning of May he set out for the mines of Moran, where he re mained for months, inspecting tho operations; thence he proceeded to the mines of Guadnxuato. thi! richest in the kingdom. The quantity of silver nt this period extracted from tho Mexican mines was greater than that furnished by nil the miucs in Europe, and there was scarcely a silver mine that did not contain also gold: in some were lonnd, ns well, opals of the rarest beauty, nnd muriated silver abounded iu Die veins ot Catoree nnd Cerro San Pedro. But the wonder of Mexico was the Volrnno of .lorullo. which rose from the earth by one of the most remarkable physical convulsions on record. In June, 1750. frequent earthquakes and horrible subterraneous noises commenced aud continued for fifty days; they then subsided, to break forth towards the end of September more terribly than before. The Indians lied to the mountains, w hile a level tract, which they had abandoned, for more than three miles square, swelled up in the shape of a bladder, which in tho centre rose to an elevation of five hundred nnd twenty feet. Those who witnessed this convulsion from tha mountains, asserted that flames burst from the ground, nnd that through the cloud of a-hes and volcanic fire, the surface of the earth rose and fell like a stormy sea. Thousands of small cones, called by the Indians theovensof Jorullo, issued from the Malpays. aud six large masses, from loOO to 1700 feet each, sprang from a great chasm; the most elevated is the volcano of Jorullo, which was constantly burning ami throwing outiaimense masses ot lava, containing fragments of rock. The plains in its neighbor hood had been abandoned on account of tho excessive heat. Two rivers, whose course was interrupted by tho great convulsion in which the volcano was formed, reappeared (1000 feet farther west, bursting through the vaults of tho ovens. The Indians attributed these great .natural phe nomena to the monks. After this excursion the travellers returned to the capital, where they remained until January, 1MI4, arranging their botanical and geological collections. They nfterwards visited Vera Crux, where there are remarkable ruins of the ancient Mexican pyramids, and in March they sailed to Havana. I'hey nfterwards went to Washington and Philadelphia, and on Juno V they quitted the New World to return to Europe. The great journey of five years, so long planned and so often delayed, was accomplished. The Evening of Iiiu 1 Jle. There is at Tegel a portrait of Alexander von Humboldt at this date. It represents him as of less than middle stature, firmly and symmetri cally built, with an ardent countenance, firm lips, keen blue eyes, square brow, nnd thick chesnut hnir. When he returned to Paris he was w armly wel comed by all the French sanans. His collections wero the natural history of incontinent, more ex tensive than any in Europe. With his great journey, his active life ceased for almost twenty years; he did, indeed, make a tour through Central Asia, in 18J0, but after his return from America he migrated chiefly be tween Paris and Berlin, and the history of his books is tho history of his life. During these twenty ycar9 he wrote all his great works, except his "Kosinos,"' and amongst his friends he counted Olivier, Laplace, Arago, and Berthollet. His companion in his translantic explorations, Aime Bonpland, returned to America in 1815, and, after suffering many vicissitudes, died there at the age of eighty. Iu 1827 Humboldt settled permanently at Ber lin. Here ho designed his "Kosmos," which was only begun In 184:1, though tho conception of it had been In his mind for fifty years. The last volume was finished in 1858, and he worked at I mo prooi someiiines sixteen nours u oay; ue completed tho work on his eighty-ninth birth day, and during the following spring he closed a life eminently successful, yet of which, writing to Froebel, he says: "1 live joyless, because of all 1 have striven for from my youth 1 have ac complished so little." Nevertheless it was a life of great and famous labor; and in these times of hungry striving for material wealth and power, it is a" lesson worth studying. He was born to rank and fortune, and "he sacrificed all to tho pursuit of knowledge for its own sake; seeking neither place uor re ward, until, In his latter years, the greatest honors wero heaped upou him unsolicited. Probably no man ever lived who gave more help to worthy aud aspiring youth; ho rejected no rational appeal, and his influence was always exerted in behalf of science and its votaries. He expended his fortune in his travels and the pub lication of his works, and during the closing ycurs of his life depended upon his pension and on tho money derived from tho sale of his books. He was buried at Tegel, w here hi father, mother and brother rest, after a public cero mouial in the Uom Church of Berlin, which was attended by the court and nil persons of distinction In the capital. EDUCATIONAL.. MISS CLEVELAND DESIRES TO ANT nouncn II at she will opn on MONDAY, Soptemlior 31th, HI No 1V:I l)K I.AM KV i'luce, m (School fur tuo oil il eal ion o! u lilt itod number of Young- IjuIioh. ( 'in-iilnts mi y lie bad on upiilimtion at No. 2411 K. FIC. HI tl St rail, between tue hour ol ! and 1 Uili U F U S ADA M S, KLOCUTIOXIST, No. 11 G1RARD Street, between Klerentb and Twelfth and Cheanut and Market. S7 MISS ELI 2 A W. SMITH. HAVING RE movedfrom No, 1.124 to No. 1:113 hPRUtJR Street, will reopen her Hoanlin aud Oay eiubool lor Young La di on WKKNKMJAY, Huut. 16. . ( irciilniiniHf be vklaiued from M 4 Walker, Jama Vf. Uueen A Co.. ! alter AuKiwt 2j, W AT THE BOHOOL. ?.?L8m "lAEM ALE COLLEGE, BORDEN'TOWN, N. X1 J. Thia institution, ao Ion and ao favorably known, continue to lurniab the boot educational advantage., in connection with a pleaaunt .Christian borne. Cata lotruea, with termB. etc., farniaheU ou application. Uol. 'TOm" JOaNJi.RAiLKY,Prud.nt. HAMILTON INSTITUTE, DAY AND Boardinc School for youn ladiea. No. 3810 C1IK8. NUT Btreet, will reopen MONDAY, September H For circular, containing tenna. alo .appb; at the school, which It accuaibla to all puf of the city by the bora care, is acccsaiu e w CKKUAH4A. M., Principal. EDUCATIONAL.. ItllUIIY A('AlF,nV lor llOYH. It No.l4irLCKJUKT Street, - EDWARD OI.ARKNOK SMITH. A. M., Prinopal. j Young men prepared for buMnm or Mpe iuitinti im rui- -lea. Circular at No. Vt OH KKNUT Street. ', Not soiwion begins September ltb. 717 lira 1 QiiKf i A YEAR. BOARD' AND TUITION V 3T I Vat Academy, 11 K RUN, N. .1. ' ;, Pi8t Re. T. M. RKII.LT. I rpilE MISSES ROGERS, NO. 1914 ptNpj rt i n r r i , nave reopenea tneir bcdooi for Vonng I THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL OF drJ 1 hh;n von wdmkn. northwkkt dl-k'o "vniiu,, win uerpen on mi irn a , rnptMnir ii. "IIS8 BUKNIIAM'8 SCHOOL FOR YfMTNf: .1 i i'l Lariimopen Sep tcmbor 3(1. Personal Interview can be hail, attnr Spptpmtmr , at No. lfilK Filbert "rent Vi A iLNIJT Street. B j-Uin 1 T 1). GREGORY. A. M..VILL REOPEN 1H8 ifJJiAJ!8I'AI' ArD KNOURII BOH-OL, No. lt( M ARKKT Stroel.onMONDAY.heot. 8, almn MR. G. F. BISHOP, TEACHER OF SLN Ing and Piano, No. Ha a. NINHTKKNTH Ht. iH Jllol TUB MISSES GREGORY WILL REOPEN S T....irQS,;MO,,r' K)R YOPNU LADtFS, No. .tl7 $ LOULbl Street, on MONDAY, Soptenibor IX M lm f MISS BONNEY AND MISS DILLAYE WTLL I rcopn their ROAKDINU and DAY SCHOOL 3 I twentieth yn,r,. hep,. 16, at No. Itilfi CJHKSNUT Street! Parlicnlara from Circular. a la 7. J A N D A L U S I A C O L L K Dt-l ini. Vu Llfitvn.iiii... .... G E ....... . . ,-v" ' ' ' ' r u.r.K 1:1. isa PRIMARY AMI AIMDKMIn PKI'MIT IPNT1 A lllllllf till ( t) III Ml .Ui lllt! .1 ... . '. . .... . . . m ii.n 1 .1 iUU(j ruit I.OYS. knrgra- tiW to ?:!iX' por onr. Address Rev. Dr. WF.LLS. Aniln'nMa, Pa. 8 1J m C T E V E N S I) A L E INSTITUTE. SOUTH) ' A M HOY. N. J.- A l umily Hoarding School tor n.l win ci'inmem-p on s-eMi inlii-r tl, !;. Ion-Minn unvrr TiNK.ri it, 1.;.... ,!. 1.1.. - .1 , .... . "'""r- M tu n will ho thorough nnd practical, embracing a careful I ttll'tltll-tlllnn ....I r i ..I . . VUID1UI .... ...u, .vu y. . ..." , .11 1 11 1:11 .1 ouiii tin rrmimv J. II. WITHIMHIN, A. M.. Principal, ? ,s.'" SOU ! 1! AMHOY. N. J. X 11 E E I) G E H I L L 8 C H 0 O L, a Hoarding and Day School for Boys, will begin Its next esEiou in t ne new Aomiomy Handing at MKRCltANTVll.LK, NKW JKRSKY, MONDAY, Sptniber 6, I8t8. Pot circulars apply to Key. T. W. OATTKLL, Principal AI18 JENNIE T. BECK, TEACHER OF L Piann, will rem mo he r duties September rt, at No 74ii FLORIDA Street, between Eleventh a .d Twelfth " ?. K 1 3m PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY, NINTH 1 Street, -jouth of locust. Medical Department hepsion 1W.9-.II uniiiiencra October ri, at 7 o'clock, with at.cneral introductory by JOHN O'BYRNK, Kso- Free ii . ii1 i. !,;",!'"H .umurons ot attending College vcieily. f torn VJoi. 3 (lnw 5t"' W7 EST PENN SOUAKE SEMINARY FOR ..".I'W ,1V"'' " 8 MKRRICK Street (late Mr, M. 8 Mitchell a). The rail Term of this School will VL'l.v" WKDIshSDAY, September 23. Miw AtiNKS 1KW1.N, Principal. HSfuiwHt T ASELL FEMALE SEMINARY (AT AU-J- RURNDAI.K, Mnns , ten miles from Boston, on I .not on and A ibmy Railroad). For soventeen years a lead liiglSi'W Knglund Seininiiry. Not excelled in thorough hnglmh or artiiicinl training, nor in highest, accomplish ments in Modem language. Painting, and .Music. Loca tion for health beauly, and rutining imiuenuet, unsur psed. Next year begins Sept. :i. Address 7S ow CHARLKS W. HUSHING. 1 EOT O R Y 8 C II O O L, At HAMDF.N, CONN. ' Rev. C. W. T'.VKRKhT, Rector, aided by five resident assistants. Ihe school is closing its twenty sixth year, and refers to its old pupils, tonnd iu all the professions, and every departmeut of business. Thorough physical education, including militury drill, boating, and swim ming in their aeiifon. Ago of admission, troin nine to fourteen. Terms, $7iiu per annum. The IhII session begins September 7. Reference Rt. Rev. J. Williams, D. D. Hamdon.jJuly 16, lit. 7 27 n T y.NIVERSI T Y OF PENNSYLVANIA FACULTY OF ARTS. I he Hrjt term of tlioCollego yerwill begin on WF.D N F.bDAY, September 15, at 10 o'clock. Applicants for admission will apply for examination at IOV. o'clock. Stu dent may nurmio either the course of studies for the DK tiRF.K OF HACHF.LOR OF ARTS or the DKI.KKR OF BAOHKLOR OF 80IKNOK, in which the Ancient Languages are not studied, but additional timo ia given to the Mut hematics and tho Modern Language), or they may pursue such separate studies as they dusire. and wnich the l ucully may approve. Fees for either of the full courses, THIRTY-FINE DOL LARS a term, payable in advance. HM FRANCIS A. JACKSON, Secretary. ACADEMY OF THE PROTESTANT EPIS iV COPAL CHURCH, (FOUNDED A. D. 17WS.) 8. W.Cnr. LOCUST and JUNIPER Street. TtaeRev. JAMES W. ROBINS. A. M., Head Master, With Ton Assistant Teachers. YS?m September 1 lHrtS. the prioe of Tuition will be N1N1VIY DOLLARS per annum, for all Classes: payabhj half yearly in advance. French, German, Drawing, and Natural Philosophy ara taught without extra charge. By order of the Trustees, OKORUR W. HUNTER, Treasurer. The Session will open on MONDAY, September 6. Ap. plication for admisinn may bo made during the pre ceding week, between IU and Vi o'clock in the morning. JAMES W. ROBINS. ?J jnwfrtw Head Master. T AFATETTE COLLEGE. Owing to the work of remodelling the main building, the opening of the Fall Term ia deferred to THURSDAY, September 16, 1HU9. Examination for admission on the preceding day at 8 o'clock A. M. Classical Course, Technical Course in Civil Engineer ing, Chemistry, and Mining and Metallurgy, and a Post Graduate Course. Requirement for admission may be known by addressing President CATTELL. 38 3w W EST PENN SQUARE ACADEMY," " S. W. corner of MARKET Street and WEST PENN SQUARE. T. BRANTLY LANGTON having leased the upper part the Third National Bank Bnilding, will reopen n School on MONDAY , teuiber 13. The facilities of this building for school purposes will bs apparent upon inspection. The Gymnasium will ba nnder the immediat erviai of Dr. Jamton, and is boing abundantly supplied with apparatus for the practice of either light or boavy gymnastics. The course of instruction embraoes all that Is needed to tit boys for College, Polyteuhnio Schools, or Commercial Life. Circulars containing full information respecting Primary Department, Colleuo Claw-en, the study ot Vocal Music, Art, etc., may be obtained by addrenaing the Principal as above. '1 he room will be open lor inspection alter August 31. tiJltf ri T HE HILL" -1 SELECT FAMILY BOARDING SCHOOL, An English, Cluuyicai, Mathematical, Scientiliu and Artistic Institution, FOR YOUNG MEN AND BOYS! At Pottotown, Montgomery County, Pa. The First Term of ihe Nineteenth Aunuul Seasion will commence on WEDNESDAY, the 8th day of September neat. Pupila received at Hny time. For Circulars address REV. GEORUK F. MILLER, A. M. - Principal. REFERENCKS- REV. URS. Mftics. Hclnelter. Mann. Krnth 8eiss, Muhlenberg, Ntmver, llutter, Stork, Conrad, Bom- HONS. Judge il.udlow, Leonard Myers, M. Russell ',,h!y1 iK"Dj- Sl- "MJfer, Jacob 8. Yost, Uiester Oivmer. John Killinirer. etc. ESijS. Jame E. Caldwell, Jamrn L. Claghorn. n n 1, rove, i.,. oou. narvey nancrort.-ino,l(irAfl Grove, I . o. vooa, Harvey Bancroft. The ft. h. Norton, L. L. iloupt.S. Uros. Fry, Miller A Dorr' Charles W annemacher, James, Kent, Santee A Oo Boffgs, 7 art mwfJm ' II, LAUDER B A J II ' S COMMERCIAL CLASSICAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND ACADEMY. FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN ASSEMBLY BUILDINGS, " ' Entrance No. 108 8. TENTH Street. This school presents the following advantage inely-ventilated claaa -rooms, with ceiling. 1 thirty feat in bS?BA!Mh pup'1 mo'9 thn iV'lLVus'uil A corp of teachera every one of whom ha had vtur. f experience in the art of imparling knowbXi making etudy Interesting, andoonsequeutly. prohtabb, A mode of teaching aud diac pline calculates J?i 1. ' school attractive, instead of burcfen. to the Dutil a indispensable requisite for complete euooeea pupu Application received at the Academy froin 10 A M t b P. M., daily, on and after August S3 n' 10 Catalogue containing full particulars and the nam., of many of our leading citiren. patrons of the institi, ; , 8 17 lui EMPIRE 8 LATE MANTe1TVORk:s TR KlMEBJaiaiCUlWffi DR-.iINKEL.IN CAN E CONSULTED ON
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