Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer
Kulturbesitz)
Edition
Alexander von Humboldt
American Travel Journal, Vol. VII a and b
After returning from Cuba, Journal VII a et b first describes the journey on the
Río Magdalena (April 21 to June 15, 1801). A stop along the route is the town of
Mompós. Here Humboldt dissects crocodiles and studies their anatomy, and the
sketches become part of his later anatomical work. On his journey through the
viceroyalty of New Granada, Humboldt meets a population on the move:
“Everywhere one hears talk of the nueva Philosophia; this is the epitome
of the newer physics, mechanics, astronomy. The American youth is in a state of
inner emotion that is unknown in Spain. Everyone complains about the yoke and
nonsense of the Peripatetics and wants to shake off the shackles on reason that
the monks have put on the people. Even among the clerics, there are innovators
...”.
Besides the description of the journey through Turbaco, Cartagena, Honda, Bogotá,
the Quindíu Mountains, the Andean Cordillera, and Quito, there are short portraits
of travel companions and famous personalities such as Carlos Montúfar, José
Celestino Mutis, and Francisco José de Caldas.
In planning