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Alexander von Humboldt: „The Isthmus of Darien“, in: ders., Sämtliche Schriften digital, herausgegeben von Oliver Lubrich und Thomas Nehrlich, Universität Bern 2021. URL: <https://humboldt.unibe.ch/text/1853-Junction_of_the-02-neu> [abgerufen am 26.01.2025].
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| Titel | The Isthmus of Darien | ||||
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| Jahr | 1853 | ||||
| Ort | London | ||||
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Nachweis in: Shipping & Mercantile Gazette 4819 (11. August 1853), [o. S.].
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| Sprache | Englisch | ||||
| Typografischer Befund | Antiqua; Spaltensatz; Auszeichnung: Kursivierung. | ||||
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The following is a translation from the French of a letter re- ceived from Baron Humboldt, upon inter-oceanic communica- tions across Central America :—
THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN.
The following is a translation from the French of a letter re- ceived from Baron Humboldt, upon inter-oceanic communica- tions across Central America :—
letter from baron alexander von humboldt to lionel
gisborne, ESQ., M.A., C.E.
(Translated from the French original.)
Sir,—I trust you will excuse the oldest among the travel-
lers in both the tropics of America and the steppes of Siberia,
for having so long delayed to thank you for the information I
derived from your interesting journal, &c., on the junction of
the Atlantic with the Pacific. The position I occupy in this
country, and the ardent desire I feel to finish, before my death,
some scientific works which I had the imprudence to begin,
considerably interrupt the even course of my correspondence.
I, therefore, hope that I shall meet, on your part also, with
that indulgence which your countrymen have shown me dur-
ing so long a period.
“I have not been beyond the Rio Rimo, which lies east of
the mouth of the Atrato, since the time when I left the island
of Cuba on my way to Lima by Bogota, Quito, and the river
Amazon, for the purpose of observing the passage of Mercury
through the solar disc. I was then on friendly terms with a
very intelligent merchant, Don Ignacio Iombo, of Cartagena,
in America, and I recollect that the Casso (Treasury convoy)
of Guayaquil was then on its way to Europe, by the road from
Cupicà to the Atrato, which was first opened by the Biscayian
pilot Poguerache. Knowing, geologically, the interruption of
the mountain chains, and the depression of the range in the
eastern part of the Isthmus, my attention has remained fixed
during this last half century on the bay of San Miguel and the
route from Cupicà to the Rio Napipi. Owing to my friendly
relations with General Bolivar, I obtained through him the
first line of levels across the Isthmus of Panama. Ever
since the subject has not ceased to occupy my mind, as the
various works and maps which I published since 1810 and my
correspondence with various statesmen will testify. But all
my striving and urging only led to imperfect trials and projects
calculated for a line to the west of the meridian of Panama
and Portobello, none of which ever gained my confidence. I
had, however, the gratification of seeing my views honored
by an eminent member of Her Britannic Majesty’s navy,
Captain Fitzroy. (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,
vol. xx., p. 20)
“The increase of human knowledge, and the immense pro-
gress of science, arts, and industry among the western nations,
have given us powers which only call for application. Every-
thing depends upon energy and perseverance. I therefore
congratulate you, Sir, and your courageous friend, Mr. Cullen,
as well as Sir Charles Fox, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Brassey,
for having given your names to so noble an undertaking. I have
always considered, firstly, the opening of an oceanic canal, without
locks; and secondly, the cut at Huchuecoca, in the valley of Mexico
(which is on a comparatively smaller scale, as may be seen by
the map and section I published), as two events calculated
highly to improve the relations between the different families
of the human species. In fact, such a work as the one you
contemplate will bring Eastern Asia nearer to the nations of
Europe and America. It will render the whole globe more
easy to be travelled over—this little globe, of which Chris-
topher Columbus, in one of his letters to the Queen of Spain,
said, ‘El mundo es poco.’ It will facilitate the diffusion of
productions, especially of precious metals, of which the rela-
tive value (1 to 15 5-6ths) would change too suddenly without
this ‘permeability’ of the world.
“As early as the discovery of the new continent, civilisa-
tion had spread, in a direction from north to south, over
those portions of America which lie opposite to Asia, those
on the European side being then occupied by barbarous
hunting tribes. The finest harbours, the most precious pro-
ducts, are likewise found in the west. Even the currents of
the air, by their direction, contribute towards the preponde-
rance of West American power over the rich countries of Asia.
The increasing importance of the west coast of America pro-
mises to balance, at some future time, the surprising pro-
gress of the Atlantic States, provided the western states keep
themselves free from that hideous disease—slavery of coloured
people.
“Indeed, Sir, I feel the most ardent wishes for the happy
success of this oceanic canal. The attention which the public
of the two continents bestow already upon your undertaking
will increase, as soon as you are enabled, assisted by
further exploration and a survey extending over all details, and
carried on by a great number of experienced men, to publish,
on a large scale, maps and sections of the line fixed upon
between Puerto Escoces and the Gulf of San Miguel. The
changes which the success of your undertaking is sure to
effect in the international commerce of the world will
only disturb such people as in the narrowness of their
views oppose themselves to the natural and providential course
of events, and shed tears over the unfortunate discovery of
America. The Rio Huaxacualco with its portage to the Rio
Chimalapa (Tehuantepec), of which I published the first map
after the itineraries discovered by me in the archives of the
vice kingdom of Mexico, will always be of great importance,
owing to its position opposite Louisiana, in the Gulf of Mexico,
which has all the appearance of soon becoming a mare clausum
—a lake of the United States. The nature of the soil, however,
does not allow great works to be carried out in that locality;
besides, you know the difficulties impeding any canalisation or
rectification of rivers of great length, and the great variations
of the volume of water, as in the river San Juan; but a rail-
way would be a great advantage to the southern states.
“The great interest which every one at the present time
takes in the canalisation of the Isthmus recals a similar fact
to my memory, reminding me of the sudden interest created by
the discovery of guano.
“I was the first who brought guano to Europe, of which Klaproth
and Vauquelin published an analysis. During 40 years I preached, but always in
vain, the usefulness of this substance, and in vain did I recommend its employment
in fer- tilising the fields in Europe. But it is only 15 or 18 years since it
has at last become a great article of commerce.
“I beg of you, my dear Sir, to present my kind remembrance
to the excellent and able Mr. Petermann, &c.,
“ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT.
“P.S. I am not surprised at the difference between the level you found at Turbaco and my own statement. To this, however, I had prudently added, ‘doubtful barome- trical observations.’ (See my Recueil d’Observations Astrono- miques et de Mesures Barométriques, vol. i., p. 299). The fact that the gas issuing from the little volcanoes at Turbaco is in- flammable in its natural state has already been communicated by Colonel Acosta (Journal, p. 65). It appears that the gaseous fluid which issues fromm the ‘salses’ is not the same at all times. I find in my journal that, in 1801, the flame of any burning substance was suddenly extinguished on being thrown into a bottle containing air from those little volcanoes. “Parrot, also, in the mud volcanoes in the island of Taman, found only azota, although the gas emitted would burn at other times. (See my Relation Historique, vol. xii., chap. 29, p. 367-371).”