I f ■!
a number of isolated facts soon become uninteresting, the
habit of comparison leads to generalization. On the other
hand, as the traveller stays but a short space of time in each
place, his descriptions must generally consist of mere sketches,
instead of detailed observation. Hence arises, as I have
found to my cost, a constant tendency to fill up the wide
gaps of knowledge, by inaccurate and superficial hypotheses.
But I have too deeply enjoyed the voyage, not to recommend
any naturalist, although he must not expect to he so
fortunate in his companions as I have been, to take all
chances, and to start, on travels by land if possible, if otherwise
on a long voyage. He may feel assured, he will meet
with no difficulties or dangers (excepting in rare cases)
nearly so bad as he beforehand anticipated. In a moral
point of view, the effect ought to be, to teach him good-
humoured patience, freedom from selfishness, the habit of
acting for himself, and of making the best of every thing,
or in other words contentment. In short he should partake
of the characteristic qualities of the greater number of
sailors. Travelling ought also to teach him distrust ; but at
the same time he will discover, how many truly goodnatured
people there are, with whom he never before had, or ever
again will have any further communication, who yet are ready
to offer him the most disinterested assistance.
A D D E N D A .
P a g e 76.
I HAVE s a id t l i a t c ry s ta ls o f s u lp h a t e o f m ag n e s ia , c a lle d b y th e S p a n ish
in lia b ita n ts , madre del sal, a r e s c a tte r e d o n th e b o rd e r s o f th e S a lin a s in
P a ta g o n ia . B y a m is ta k e a w ro n g b o t tl e was e x am in e d ; a n d th e c ry s ta ls ,
I n ow find, a r e th e s u lp h a t e o f s o d a ; b u t i t a p p e a r s t h a t som e s u lp h a t e o f
m a g n e s ia is d isso lv e d in th e u n d e rly in g f e tid m u d .
P a g e 90.
I n e n um e r a tin g th e fossils, w h ic h I c o lle c te d a t B a h ia B la n c a , I m e n tio n
a tu s k lik e t h a t o f a b o a r, a n d som e v e ry fla t g r in d e r s . T h e s e a r e n ow
fo u n d to b e lo n g to th e low e r j aw o f Toxodon Platensis. F o r a n a dm ir a b le
d e s c rip tio n o f th is w o n d e r fu l a n im a l, a n d lik ew is e o f tlie g r e a t fossil
f Uacrauchenia Patachonica), m e n tio n e d a t p . 2 0 8 , w h ich in som e r e sp e c ts
is a llie d to th e C am elid re, I m u s t re f e r to th e firs t p a r t o f th e Z o o lo g y o f
th e V o y ag e o f th e B e a g le b y M r. O w e n .
P a g e 97.
T h e r em a in s j u s t r e f e r re d to , a r e s a id to b e em b e d d e d w ith e x is tin g
sp e c ie s o f sh e lls . T h is e x p re s s io n r e q u ir e s som e q u a lif ic a tio n ; th e d e ta ils
a r e g iv en in m y g eo lo g ic a l in tro d u c tio n to M r. O w e n ’s a c c o u n t o f th e F o s -
s il M am m a lia , abo-ve m e n tio n e d .
150.
W ith re fe ren c e to w h a t I h a v e sa id , a b o u t th e b o n e s o f iio rse s h a v in »
b e e n se v era l tim e s b ro u g lit to th is c o u n try from N o r th A m e ric a , w ith
th o s e o f th e M a s to d o n , I s e e M r. R o g e rs , in h is R e p o r t to th e B r itis h
A sso c ia tio n f v o l. iii., p . 2 4 ) says, “ I t is p o s s ib le t h a t th e h o r s e o u g h t to
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