I MOLL11.11.:SIZ'S JUIRtnY TO TUE PACIFIC.*

Post the fifth ,time in his long career, .Alexander Humboldt has written an introductory preface out of friendship to his young friend MialLausen. As the hook scarcely supports the exTeeta- Lions raised by so, rare a compliment, the fact has giventise to remark, and been attributed to good-nature. A kindly personal feeling undoubtedly predominates in the introduction; bat-per- haps stifficient allowance has not been made for the position of the great German. He is doubtless not so well acquainted as the British public with the numerous unscientific, or shall we say the " sketchy " kind of travels in the prairies and the mountainous re- gions that divide the great basin of the Mississippi from the Pacific. Humboldt may have a national sympathy with the German de- tail of minute trivialities that seem to English readers too slight for record, especially with his protégé's elongation. Yet it is in these two features that the mistake of the book consists.

Mdl- hausen does not seem to have known that if there ia any novelty in the mere line of route his expedition took between the frontier settlements of Arkansas and the Rocky Mountains, there was very little in the physical features; none at all in the daily journeyings and mode of life of the travellers. In fact, the incideuts seem to us fewer than usual in prairie excursions ; perhaps because the scientific objects of the expedition did not permit deviation in search of adventures, and its numbers, more than seventy strong, removed all idea of danger from Indians and animals. Yet not satisfied with describing what has substantially been described before, Baldwin Molllutu- sen gives an account of his steam journey on the Mississippi, and the occurrences at the settlements; and as he is by no means a literary artist, though he was draughtsman to the expedition, he rather flattens the affair at the very beginning. Some physical features and some atmospheric phenomena asso- ciated with landscape effects, and the feelings of the traveller, here and there occur—but these are few in number ; the author also introduces sketches of his former experience among the In- dians, (for he had been a dweller in the wilds before joining the expedition,) but as this is done artificially, and the matter thrown into the form of tales, there is an idea of fiction con- nected with it that lessens the sense of reality. In short, till the expedition takes its second departure from Albuquerque, a small town on the Rio Grande and the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, there is little of interest in the way of in- formation, novelty, or incident, and unluckily the narrative of this journey occupies one-half of the work.

With the second volume an interest begins. There is a record of persevering struggle against natural obstacles amid a chaos of mountain fastnesses' through portions of which no white man had ever penetrated. AScotehman poetically described the scenery of Loch Katrine, as "Crags, knolls, and mounds, confus'dly hurled,

The fragments of an earlier world."

But such is a true characteristic of the Western slope of the Rooky Mountains. Sometimes one of those remarkable chasms which distinguish this part of the Northern continent of America would intervene, and compel the expedition te turn aside and coast along

its edge till a possible means of descent offered for the waggons— possible that is to drivers accustomed to the country. The tracks tried even the mule's footing; pines were growing where the axe had to make a way—though thanks to their Indian guides they were well led in this respect ; sometimes route there seemed really • Diary of a Journey front the kissiatippi to the (basis of the Pacific with a United States Government Expedition. By Baldwin Idiillhausen, Topographical Draughtsman and Naturalist to the Expedition. With an Introduction by Alex- ander Von Humboldt and IUustratlon in Chrome-Lithography. Translated by Mrs. Percy Stumm In two volumes. Published by Unmans and Co.

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RPFD0Pof the .par y,surveying a; Anne of railway from the

1,ststrinfsontier to the, acific,• 44t4 parallel OtAortili must. be judged, of, as akexpedithm ; and in thwpoint tlosg e.xt. rtion,s Nere undetibtedly.remarkable. i)e)w4w,e,the.Te4s,onal ,44-ye Ore, which gives its life' to citi.RWFX,Na14. tnAg.,,:%pi9,,kicif, atIreuturcs indeed. there are; fis tApattthor, s Ineli4,expen1en osipl.readv alluded to. Other 0.cfr: .so et e , gtst.ories,to .t and one Leroux, with ,assstance of our an, LSAT clat.es, and specific facts, narrates It .. ,, ring life of Frenient,;;414 s Daldwila libllhan.sen, like PlIct4.4., e Twelfth in 1-4,4fppc,2_ lasieeP .43' the waik..11 tire over

Op,offthe yarns, of the wo4hy g with every stimulus of life

and .eireunistanye,: that...was si4g iikltipt to have spared the reader. One of the best of -the' arteedcetes•is a story of wit in ac- tion, told of "Imo of the three oldest .tralipers now living " ;

thou,ol we fear it is a "Joe"

' "-Many yelfra'ago; When ith White men Who bad seen the -Reeky Moun- tains might still haveheen ecainted, and mill- very few of thepraitie. Indians knew the use of fire-arms,' Fitzpatrick had one day got separated from his eompaiiioni, and was ptirsaing-his -game . alone in the wilderness. AS111:- luck would have it, he was iethiby a war party of Indian's, Who immediately prepared to give chase: There Wasnot the sinallest chante of estapdfor him, but the young hunter made a feint Of running away, in order, if possible to gain thee. "Ife happened to know that these savam, who as yet werelittle acquainted-with the use of firearius, had Several times, when theyhad taken White bunters'prisoners, put the muzzle Of 'their rides close to their' breasts, and fired them by way of experiment, to see what would come of it. He therefore thought it prudent to extract the bullet from his, and then con- tinued his flight. The Indiarie followed, and very soon overtook him, and then they disarmed him, and tied him to a 'tree. One of the Warriors, who, it appeared, understood how to pull a trigger, then. seized the rifle, placed himself a few paces in front Of the owner of it, took mini at his breast and fired; but when the Indians looked eagerly through the smoke towards Fitzpatrick, they saw that he was standing safe and sound in his place, and be quietly took out of his pocket the bullet he had previously placed there, and tossed it to his enemies, who were all amazement. They declared be had arrested the bullet in its flight, was invulnerable, and a wonderful con- juror, and what was more' that some great Misfortune would most likely be- fall the tribe, if they did not set hini fret immediately, and they therefore cut his bonds, and made off as fast as possible, leaving Fitzpatrick free to go where he pleased."

The direct notices of the Indians of the prairies and the moun- tains are scant. As we have said, the party was too powerful to be assailed openly or by surprise. On the banks of the Colorado, on the approach to the Pacific, the expedition fell in with Indians of whose tine presence manly, open, and obliging character, and, What is still rarer, of whose honesty, Baldwin 31511hausen speaks highly. They were first encountered on the spot where it was resolved to abandon the waggons..

"To get them across the river, however, would have been a mere waste of time, especially as before us, to the north, there lay a group of steep craggy mountains, that appeared quite impassable for waggons. It was considered necessary, therefore, to leave them behind, and distribute their loads upon pack-saddles and the backs of mules ; and it was while our people were engaged in this labour in the afternoon that the first of the na- tives made their appearance and approached our camp confidingly.

"They were four very tall finely-grown young men, whose powerful forms and perfect proportions we had a full opportunity of admiring, as, ex- cept a narrow white apron, they had not a particle of covering, and even their feet were bare.

"They were entirely unarmed, and as this manifested their peaceful in- tentions, they were of course received with the utmost friendliness. The colour of their skins was a dark copper, but the faces of all four were painted, in a really terrific manner, coal-black, with a red streak passing from the forehead over nose, mouth, and chin; a style of decoration that must be very fashionable among these Indians, as I afterwards saw it fre- quently. Their thick black hair hung far down their backs, but was then cut off blunt, and by means of softened clay twisted into stiff rods,-a cus- tom prevalent among the male natives of the valley of the Colorado. A thin cord of bast was passed round the hips, and the above-mentioned narrow strip of stuff drawn through it, so as to hang down to the knee in front, ,ind at the back almost to the ground. "This must form some kind of distinction among the tribes there, for I afterwards noticed that the wearers were always anxious to have it seen ; and when one of these young men had been presented by some of our people with a pair of trousers, and with their assistance put them on, be manifested great embarrassment because this train or tail was no longer visible. After some meditation, he tore a hole in the middle of the garment aforesaid, and with an expression of great triumph in his own sagacity, pulled the favourite appendage through it, contriving thus to combine the Incaan and European costume, in an indescribably comic manner.

"Our visitors had rats, squirrels and frogs dangling to their girdles, and wished to roast them at our fires, but as they were new specimens we ex- changed them for mutton, and added them to our collection. * * * " We had now before us, in great numbers, three different tribes of the natives, Chimehwhnebes, Cutehanas, and Pah-Iftahs, who however, did not differ at all in appearance, and we were never tired of admiring the vigorous powerful race, amongst whom a man of less than six feet high ap- peared to be quite a rity. We were especially struck by the difference of such as we had seen of the Yampays and Tenths, who lead the lives of

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treatit °It 'Was teat ilee/ -ideVdlo f , astbsty ■SartnehOuudixig!tcwards us in itanienewleho tones 'add Wishes', withl Ibbelk-tiilled deer, an* theft *mufti calmest: open -looki,

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in 'and`romplue eat.Ti other,. and o s of Iankliter that fol. Itheiireeiprocal s'iTent*iiii' livening they alivitysilisaPpeurtmlf 'proltabiyitOneure'fer'their nalfectbdclieg Some shelter freq,14, cold, that.thrtiset.tinee, 1;

``..0■1vPm14.41,91.1th9:i \ndi,ke tbemen IiiTowtb, being short, an M , ratr4et °et; folide'of Aril* of Mot, as ened at oneendto flii/eicIrml so At es . hoeler on pie , lipun hies they.yere. the id kind doWif ikeee-like'n' - p-figke.' At ti 'distance theseavomen looked, very tinials liith krillellletlii WM; even to theieWla-

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thesP,11(4f4TI //1344.15R.PINY '04-0114re.P4/4 4 qfic evolfrom• bet the wotncnrfeli'vrihave ey,f)a,v,e .fiee eyTs, and their slitficlivhia tread fie a.,K a diet ul Lnf-far from unpleasing prelatfieti 'ThOugh they. Ciiinnt. iallikt w,Th Mere carefully to (mark with their ,Ixittrfizirthatiltlisimenff tdit ,theintelves more: thcirlpeaoinostLyy csillOuradiquite!hlnarauci.theisoliimIlimiiione-comer ci itPlinrutiA *1/41Rtkvai,, :a490)-(4. 44%4W &DPW rglejtSarry t eir )1rii-es. about with them, up, to a. eertam age, wraeped jig pieces- el "..'landscape after all is the feature of the ,worli, .1-canetimes itrikihg, magnificent, dreary, or wild, but more frequently Cenneefed with physical phenomena m the circumstances of the

. .

travellers. Hero is the last day$-:,jeurney before Christmas When they were leaving 1)pti.Aid. thie volcanic region.The cold'thist morning. VMS 'Sinn more.11 01'^' thaii 'the evening ''e- fdre;'end the 'Slit hunglikeidnifieinfleatliorkfibliihife!SinninitS o'f tlio hifdi nthuntains.• ! A few flakes.al Snow began) to us as wombinited, aadindaeod. us to draw-our avrappaged closes,rouild!us, u4 we hastened On • artf,r•Pitt.ANfkggnr,igkwsr.41mYtis-Pumieqmly..:1 . • .• _r • After. a few rn es we .eanieltpda graup $11141':,pgi4ict .rolcp*oes, ornament Of whielils, cold steCiauS ,which,pould be cleeky discerned on the i4y,[tilifface arid Wards,,the north- tvest.rose nitmo and mein! -11e, seenibig to hide addther: The 404:110,413 now fifty fait* thmsaike, laid-the snow- was faillughoithitdi that

we,poahl,neAouger,eee rental tat, and had,tp iteptery careftllinek toiniss the

toplc, fora Nery ficw,peute fo,fovegrit,gotiplemAy, am% We Met liercfs of forked heti:146 who' appearealejaihastentag away-ifrom the Snowy regions tiiiviiraff ilie itifils,(ldinl-Witli some change •took place in the scenery. Single cedars began to emerge from the white -clever', mg, an . becoming thicker aid!ithicker, • at last kilned. woods, •• which: in- creased in .height as we advanced-into them.. We. ad lb MAC rearif round to avoid impenetrable thickets ,anddeep ravince,--tbnt would :have been impassable for our waggons. Our guides, amongst whom Might be reckoned those who -Lad made the journey-. but -a few days before, were isearcely'able to make out the way we were going, through- the falling Mow; but,. fortu- nately, the. wind that raged': above in the mountains did not reach Us, sheltered as we were by both mountain and forest. "Although we suffered a good deal from cold in the feet, we could not but

rejoice in-the fine spectacle Of nature that surrounded us, and I believe that to all who shared in the expedition. this first day's march in the depth of winter-this sudden transition from the dreary volcanic waste to vast forests and sky-piercing mountains-will not readily be forgotten. "Most picturesque was the effect of the wild ravines and beds of torrents, with their huge blocks of stone covered with snow, and the black eaves and chasms beneath, in which many firs and cedars had struck root. The slen- der trees hung perfectly still from the declivities, and allowed the snow to rest on the dark green needles that thickly clothed thou:houghs, only bow- ing their heads gently when a gnat of wind rushed down the mountain to die away among their trunks. A solemn stillness reigned through all na- ture, for the deep snow hushedthe sound of the waggon-wheels and:mules' hoofs, and the wolves, lurking here and there in the woods, indulged us only now and then with a broken howl."

The report of the now Captain Whipple, the commander of the

expedition, does not appear, but we have the officiabreport on that report touching the line of railway. It is cautiously sanguine, speaking hopefully on the whole. The hopes of "Jefferson Davis Secretary at War for the United. States," will scarcely be partaken by those who read the second volume of the work, and inspect the section from "Fort Smith to the Pacific Ocean " which accompanies the work. The rise from the fort to the watershed between the Pecos and the Rio Grande is 7000 feet ; but as this rise is gradual and spread over a distance of some nine hundred miles, the engineering ob- stacle-is not much. It is from this height the difficulties begin. There are half a dozen ascents and descents before the lowlands of the Pacific are reached, one topping the 7000 feet of watersbed by an additional 750 feet ; another sinking as low as 2fii' feet and then quickly rising to 5262 feet. "The sum total of the ascents from San Pedro to Fort Smith, amounts to 24,641 feet; that of the falls 21,171 feet," with a couple of long tunnels on the moun- tain tops. These figures, however, give but an indifferent idea of the obstacles amid the mountains, with their natural difficulties, continual ups and downs, and chasms that must be passed by bridges, or Viaducts as yet unexampled. If this railway is exe- cuted it will, beyond all question, be the wonder of the world, and entitle the Americans to brag.