Wild Bees, Wasps and Ants and Other Stinging Insects

In the final volume of the captivating Personal Narrative, we follow the extraordinary journeys of Alexander von Humboldt and botanist Aimé Bonpland as they explore the rich landscapes of South and Central America and the Caribbean. Starting in Angostura, the capital of Spanish Guiana at the time, both men recover from a serious illness contracted during their travels along the Orinoco River. Once restored, they set off again, traversing Spanish Guiana and Venezuela before reaching the coastal settlement of Nueva Barcelona, from where their adventures lead them to Cuba and beyond. As in previous volumes, von Humboldt paints a vivid picture of their travels, detailing the diverse peoples, flora, fauna, and geology they encounter. Volume 3 also delves into the complex issue of slavery in Cuba and offers a geological overview of South America north of the Amazon and east of the northern Andes. (summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan)