Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent
During the Years 1799–1804

A seven-volume English translation, published 1814–1829, of a major work describing Humboldt's 1799–1805 scientific expedition to South America.

Alexander von Humboldt (Author), Aimé Bonpland (Author), Helen Maria Williams (Translated by)

9781108027960, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 June 2011

582 pages
21.6 x 3.3 x 14 cm, 0.73 kg

The Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was one of the most famous explorers of his generation. Charles Darwin called him 'the greatest scientific traveller who ever lived'. In 1799, Humboldt and the botanist Aimé Bonpland secured permission from the Spanish crown for a voyage to South America. They left from Madrid and spent five years exploring the continent. Humboldt reported his findings in a total of thirty volumes, published in French over a period of more than twenty years beginning in 1805. This English translation by Helen Maria Williams of one important component of Humboldt's account, the Relation historique du voyage (1814–1825), consists of seven volumes and was published in London between 1814 and 1829. Volume 4 (1819) describes an earthquake in Caracas (which Humboldt links to the volcanoes of the West Indies), and mountains, plains, hot springs and river systems observed as the expedition travelled onwards.

Book V: 14. Earthquakes at Caraccas. Connection of this phenomenon with the volcanic eruptions of the West India islands
15. Departure from Caraccas. Mountains of San Pedro and of Los Teques. La Victoria. Valleys of Aragua
16. Lake of Tacarigua. Hot springs of Mariara. Town of Nueva Valencia de el Rey. Descent towards the coasts of Porto Cabello
Notes to Book V
Book VI: 17. Mountains that separate the valleys of Aragua from the Llanos of Caraccas. Villa de Cura. Parapara. Llanos, or steppes. Calabozo
18. San Fernando de Apure. Intertwinings and bifurcations of the rivers Apure and Araunca. Navigation on the Rio Apure
Book VII: 19. Junction of the Apure and the Oroonoko. Mountains of Encaramada. Uruana. Baraguan. Carichana. Mouth of the Meta. Island of Panumana.

Subject Areas: Historical geography [HBTP]