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THE

FOREIGN

QUARTERLY REVIEW.

ART. I.-Reise in Chile, Peru, und auf dem Amazonenstrome, während der Jahre, 1827-1832. Von Edward Poeppig. (Travels in Chili and Peru, and on the River Amazons, in the years 1827-1832.) 2 Vol. 4to. with Atlas of 16 plates. AFTER the numerous volumes which have been published within these few years relative to the several countries of South America, the appearance of two quartos, containing between 900 and 1000 closely printed pages, might justly excite some doubts of the propriety of drawing so largely on the time and patience of the reader, perhaps we should say of the reviewer, as the reader may, but the reviewer must, peruse the books set before him. It is certainly true that, since those vast regions threw off their allegiance to the mother country, numerous European visiters have resorted to them, a few attracted by curiosity and love of science, and more by hope of gain; and that many of them have published reports of their observations and discoveries. But, without discussing the greater or less degree of merit of these works, it may be observed that none of the authors made a long residence in the countries visited by Dr. Poeppig, in a purely scientific view, and that some, having passed only a few weeks there, could neither penetrate into the interior and the less frequented parts, nor even acquire a sufficient insight into what came more immediately under their notice. But longer experience, as our author justly remarks, often causes us to see things in a different point of view, and at the end of the year we might, perhaps, gladly disavow the opinion which we suffered to escape us at its commencement. Dr. Poeppig, therefore, having spent five successive years in those interesting countries, we felt that we could depend at least on his having given us the result of mature consideration, and accordingly opened his volumes with a tolerable degree of confidence that we should find them deserving of attention. Nor have we been disappointed. We have found the work replete with new and interesting information

VOL. XVII. NO. XXXIII.

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communicated in an agreeable manner, and calculated to give a very favourable idea of the acquirements, perseverance, and impartiality of the author. Dr. Poeppig was besides not a novice in such enterprises. He had previously visited the fine island of Cuba, and was in the United States, where he had been long waiting for letters from Europe, which enabled him to set out on his intended voyage to South America.

This plan originated with a few zealous friends of natural history in Germany, who confided the execution of it to our author, and supplied him with funds for the purpose. The immediate object was to collect specimens of natural history in as great a number as possible; and the result, as stated by Dr. Poeppig, is highly creditable to his industry. Seventeen thousand specimens of dried plants, many hundred stuffed animals, and a great number of other natural productions, which were distributed among the patrons of the expedition; the introduction into our gardens of many very interesting plants before unknown; three thousand descriptions of plants made on the spot, especially with regard to such parts of the flowers as it would be more difficult to examine subsequently; thirty finished drawings of landscape scenery; forty drawings of Aroideæ, on the largest scale; thirty drawings of Orchidea; numerous sketches; and a private botanical collection of extraordinary extent, are a portion of the fruits of that journey. Yet it may be affirmed that the sum allotted for it was the smallest with which such an undertaking ever was commenced and happily completed. But this narrowness of his means necessarily subjected the traveller to great hardships and privations; it did not allow him to take with him an attendant into the inmost recesses of the forest. Even this was less painful to him than the want of instruments for observation, after his own were lost at the commencement of his journey, and his pecuniary means would not allow him to purchase others. But, says he, "what personal industry and goodwill could contribute to success was done, when, in some remote Indian village of the primæval forests, month after month passed over the head of the lonely wanderer, who had not even a native servant with him, and often depended for his precarious subsistence on his own skill or good fortune in fishing or with his gun: who sometimes had to pass the night alone on the summits of the Andes, sometimes to steer his little bark on the gigantic streams of the New World, through the silent and solitary wilderness: and, at length, as a récompense for many dangers, happily returned to his native land, richly laden with the natural treasures of remote regions."

Dr. Poeppig was at Philadelphia in August 1826, when he received the letters from Europe, which determined him to set

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