with the sight of a most beautiful rainbow of a
perfectly circular form, produced by the meridian rays of the sun
refracted in the vapour of the cascade.

The scenery on the left consists of steep brown rocks fringed on
the summits with overhanging shrubs and trees; the enchanting
melody of various birds resounded on all sides, and completed the
beauty of this wild and romantic spot.

He described: 'A waterspout, a phenomenon which carried so much
terrific majesty in it, and connected, as it were, the sea with the
clouds, made our oldest mariners uneasy and at a loss how to behave.'

He begins his diary of August 1773 with O'Taheite:

It was one of those beautiful mornings which the poets of all
nations have attempted to describe, when we saw the isle of
O'Taheite within two miles before us. The east wind, which had
carried us so far, was entirely vanished, and a faint breeze only
wafted a delicious perfume from the land, and curled the surface
of the sea. The mountains, clothed with forests, rose majestic in
various spiry forms, on which we already perceived the light of
the rising sun ... everything seemed as yet asleep; the morning
scarce dawned, and a peaceful shade still rested on the
landscape....

This spot was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen, and
could not fail of bringing to remembrance the most fanciful
descriptions of poets, which it eclipsed in beauty; we had a
prospect of the plain below us, and of the sea beyond it. In the
shade of trees, whose branches hung over the water, we enjoyed a
pleasant gale, which softened the heat of the day; and, amidst
the solemn uniform noise of the waterfall, which was but seldom
interrupted by the whistling of birds, we sat down....

We could have been well pleased to have passed the whole day in
this retirement ... however, feasting our eyes once more with the
romantic scenery, we returned to the plain.

It was such descriptions as these which stimulated Humboldt. There is
a breath of poetry in his writings; his _Views of Nature_ and
_Cosmos_ give ample proof that love of Nature and knowledge of Nature
can condition and deepen each other.

It is not surprising that in the flood of scientific 'Travels' which
followed, especially in imitation of Forster, there were some that
laid claim to a wonderful grade of feeling. For example, the
description o