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Personal Narrative of Travels to America

Personal Narrative of Travels to America

Auteur(s): Aime Bonpland
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 In Volume 2 of “The Personal Narrative”, Alexander von Humboldt and the botanist Aime Bonpland continue their travels, beginning at Lake Valencia in the llanos of Venezuela and then travelling the mighty South American river, the Orinoco, and its tributaries, for 75 days in a dugout canoe, guided by local Indians and accompanied by one of the local missionaries. As in Volume 1, von Humboldt describes the people, plants, animals, geography and geology of the region. These descriptions include his famous experiments on electic eels as well as descriptions of the arrau tortoise, river porpoises, crocodiles, jaguars and caribe (flesh eating) fish. Likewise there are narratives of the sights, sounds and smells of the scenery through which they passed, and accounts of the peoples of the Orinoco basin. Their canoe carried themselves and their provisions, but also their scientific instruments, collections, and a menagerie of caged birds and monkeys. von Humbold summarises the difficulties of the voyage. “The inconveniences endured at sea in small vessels are trivial in comparison with those that are suffered under a burning sky, surrounded by swarms of mosquitos, and lying stretched in a canoe, without the possibility of taking the least bodily exercise. In seventy-five days we had performed a passage of five hundred leagues (twenty to a degree) on the five great rivers, Apure, Orinoco, Atabapo, Rio Negro, and Cassiquiare; and in this vast extent we had found but a very small number of inhabited places.” These travels had the aims of identifying the source(s) of the Orinoco, of ascertaining its connection with the Amazon, and of making astronomical measurements to improve the maps of the rivers, all of which were incorrect at that time. (Incidentally, von Humboldt's longitudes are with reference to the Paris meridian.) Volume 2 describes their travels from the 21st of February to the 14th of June 1800, when they arrived at Angostura, the capital of the province of Guiana at that time. (summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan)Copyright Biographies 2.0 Sciences sociales
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  • 52 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland

    52 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland
    Aug 20 2025
    In Volume II of The Personal Narrative, Alexander von Humboldt and botanist Aimé Bonpland continue their explorations, beginning at Lake Valencia in Venezuela and traveling the mighty Orinoco River and its tributaries. For seventy-five days they journeyed by dugout canoe, guided by local Indigenous people and accompanied by a missionary. As in Volume I, von Humboldt describes the plants, animals, geography, geology, and peoples of the region. This volume includes his famous experiments with electric eels, and his observations of the arrau tortoise, river porpoises, crocodiles, jaguars, and carnivorous fish. He vividly captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the Orinoco basin while recounting the hardships of travel: “The inconveniences endured at sea in small vessels are trivial in comparison with those suffered under a burning sky, surrounded by swarms of mosquitos, and lying stretched in a canoe without the possibility of taking the least bodily exercise.” The expedition’s aims were to identify the Orinoco’s sources, establish its connection with the Amazon, and make astronomical measurements to improve existing maps, which were largely inaccurate at the time. Volume II recounts their travels from February 21 to June 14, 1800, concluding with their arrival at Angostura, capital of the province of Guiana.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    20 min
  • 51 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland

    51 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland
    Aug 20 2025
    In Volume II of The Personal Narrative, Alexander von Humboldt and botanist Aimé Bonpland continue their explorations, beginning at Lake Valencia in Venezuela and traveling the mighty Orinoco River and its tributaries. For seventy-five days they journeyed by dugout canoe, guided by local Indigenous people and accompanied by a missionary. As in Volume I, von Humboldt describes the plants, animals, geography, geology, and peoples of the region. This volume includes his famous experiments with electric eels, and his observations of the arrau tortoise, river porpoises, crocodiles, jaguars, and carnivorous fish. He vividly captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the Orinoco basin while recounting the hardships of travel: “The inconveniences endured at sea in small vessels are trivial in comparison with those suffered under a burning sky, surrounded by swarms of mosquitos, and lying stretched in a canoe without the possibility of taking the least bodily exercise.” The expedition’s aims were to identify the Orinoco’s sources, establish its connection with the Amazon, and make astronomical measurements to improve existing maps, which were largely inaccurate at the time. Volume II recounts their travels from February 21 to June 14, 1800, concluding with their arrival at Angostura, capital of the province of Guiana.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    25 min
  • 50 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland

    50 - Personal Narrative of Travels to America by Aime Bonpland
    Aug 20 2025
    In Volume II of The Personal Narrative, Alexander von Humboldt and botanist Aimé Bonpland continue their explorations, beginning at Lake Valencia in Venezuela and traveling the mighty Orinoco River and its tributaries. For seventy-five days they journeyed by dugout canoe, guided by local Indigenous people and accompanied by a missionary. As in Volume I, von Humboldt describes the plants, animals, geography, geology, and peoples of the region. This volume includes his famous experiments with electric eels, and his observations of the arrau tortoise, river porpoises, crocodiles, jaguars, and carnivorous fish. He vividly captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the Orinoco basin while recounting the hardships of travel: “The inconveniences endured at sea in small vessels are trivial in comparison with those suffered under a burning sky, surrounded by swarms of mosquitos, and lying stretched in a canoe without the possibility of taking the least bodily exercise.” The expedition’s aims were to identify the Orinoco’s sources, establish its connection with the Amazon, and make astronomical measurements to improve existing maps, which were largely inaccurate at the time. Volume II recounts their travels from February 21 to June 14, 1800, concluding with their arrival at Angostura, capital of the province of Guiana.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    38 min
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