CARSTEN NIEBUHR.

CARSTEN NIEBUHR, the Oriental traveler, was a native of a Friesland province called Hadeln, where he was born a free peasant, among a free people, on the 17th of March, 1733. In those days all the peasants owned their own farms, and were, consequently, in good circumstances, without belonging to the wealthy. The little Carsten lost his mother before he was six weeks old, and was brought up by a stepmother in the house of his father, where his mode of living and occupations, as well as his education, were distinguished by nothing from those of other peasantboys. Probably it was his own longing for information that occasioned his father to send him to the Latin school in Otterndorf, and, somewhat later, to that of Altenbruch; merely, however, that he might acquire a little more knowledge than an ordinary farmer. But the dismissal of the schoolmaster at Altenbruch, and the prejudices of his guardian (for his father had died meantime), put an early end to his studies, before he was far enough advanced to experience any profit from this first beginning.

The paternal property was divided among the children, producing but a small sum to each. Carsten had now to look out for himself in the cold world. Having a natural taste for music, he studied various instruments, hoping that he might eventually succeed in obtaining a situation as organist. His guardians, however, were averse to this hazardous experiment, and his uncle took him into his house, where he followed for four years the business of farming. It was distasteful to him, and he longed for a more intellectual life. The trifling circumstances which often determine the vital issues of life were very curious in the case of Carsten Niebuhr. A lawsuit in regard to the superficial contents of a farm could only be decided by a geometrical survey. A surveyor was consequently needed, but the country of Hadeln could not produce one. Niebuhr was a patriotic man, and felt a kind of humiliation at this circumstance. It became a duty to supply this want. He determined to study practical geometry, and suit himself for the office. With this object, he proceeded to

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Bremen to take lessons from a professor there. This plan, however, did not succeed. The professor on whom he had depended was dead. He would not have declined the instruction of an inferior practical surveyor; but this man wished to take him as a boarder in his house; and the young countryman, diffident, bashful, and of the severest principles, found the obliging manners of the two sisters of his intended teacher so questionable that he left Bremen on the spot. It was this circumstance which made him a traveler. He now set his face toward Hamburg, where he arrived in the summer of the year 1755. In this city it was his intention to take lessons of the celebrated Succow, and, indeed, to begin his school studies anew. Eight months were entirely devoted to preparatory studies before he could become a student in the gymnasium; and twelve months more were wholly insufficient, notwithstanding all his exertions, and his perfect health of body and mind, to acquire what every youth more favored by circumstances carries with him to the University without difficulty. Succow being absent, he commenced his mathematical studies under Büsch, whose friendship and esteem he secured for the remainder of his life. In 1757 he went to Göttingen, still in pursuit of his mathematical studies, and with the hope, too, of finding some kind of employment which would enable him to eke out his scanty means. For more than a year he continued his studies with the greatest possible assiduity and devotion, but without securing any appointment to contribute to his means.

In 1756, Michaelis's celebrated philological expedition to Arabia was proposed to the government of Denmark, and accepted by the minister, Baron Bernstorf, who lent to it all his influence and aid. Michaelis was commissioned to name a philologian, a mathematician, and a natural philosopher. To obtain the mathematician he addressed himself to Kästner, of the Academy of Sciences at Göttingen. Carsten was a pupil of this gentleman, and, when the moment arrived, he proposed him as the mathematician of the expedition. Niebuhr was, of course, delighted, but he had misgivings of his own ability. Kästner, however, set his mind at rest about it by promising him a long term for preparation, especially for the study of astronomy under Mayer.

For eighteen months-the term allowed by the king for the necessary preparations of the expedition-Niebuhr devoted himself to the closest study. He continued the study of pure mathe

matics, perfected himself in drawing, and endeavored to acquire as much historical knowledge as he could with his imperfect preliminary studies, without leaving his main purpose too much out of view. He also exercised himself in practical mechanics, that he might learn to handle his instruments; and also in all those points of mechanical skill, the acquirement and practice of which would be a waste of time for every one in Europe who does not make them his business. But he was principally occupied with two courses of private lessons, viz., in the Arabic language with Michaelis, and in astronomy with Mayer. Of these he preserved a very different remembrance. The slow, methodical method of Michaelis discouraged him, and he acquired the conviction that the professor by no means possessed any special treasure of Arabic knowledge and philology. He therefore gave up this study, and Michaelis never forgave him. With Mayer he got on excellently. The teacher's zeal was only exceeded by the pupil's enthusiasm. A mutual friendship sprang up between them, which lasted, under the most happy and gratifying circumstances, to the day of Mayer's death. It was Niebuhr's delight in later days to acknowledge that he owed every thing to this eminent astronomer and excellent man.

In the autumn of 1760, every thing being in readiness, Niebuhr left Göttingen. His companions were Von Haven and Forskaal -the latter a man of undoubted ability, the former a supercilious and querulous person; Dr. Cramer, a physician of mean capacity, and Bauernfeind, a painter, "not unskilled in drawing." The voyage commenced under the most unfavorable auspices, the vessel being three times driven back into port before she was able to make her way to the Mediterranean. A stay of a few weeks at Marseilles, and a shorter one at Malta, afforded a very pleasing recreation to the travelers. Their scientific enterprise being known, they were every where treated with great consideration and courtesy. From Malta the travelers proceeded to the Dardanelles. In the Archipelago Niebuhr was seized with the dysentery, which brought him near the grave. At Constantinople his health returned, though very slowly; so that at the end of two months from the commencement of the attack, he was only so far recovered as to be able, with evident hazard of relapse, to embark for Alexandria. On this voyage they encountered a fresh danger. The plague broke out among the crowded mass of Oriental passengers. The Europeans, however, escaped.

From September, 1761, until October, 1762, the travelers remained in Egypt, without going higher up than Cairo. During their sojourn Niebuhr determined the longitude of Alexandria, Cairo, Rosetta, and Damietta, by numerous lunar observations, and with an exactness which was subsequently justified by the astronomers in Bonaparte's expedition. He also executed a chart of the two arms of the Nile, and a plan of Cairo. He likewise took the altitude of the pyramids, and copied many hieroglyphic inscriptions on obelisks and sarcophagi.

In October the travelers embarked at Suez on board of a Turkish ship; they landed at Djidda, and reached Loheia, the first point of their proper destination-the land of Yemen-in the last days of the year 1762. After some stay in this friendly city, the company, and more especially Forskaal and Niebuhr, traveled over the western part of Yemen in various directions; the former for botanical purposes, and the latter in order to determine the geographical positions of the various places. They afterward proceeded to Mocha, where Von Haven died toward the end of. May, 1763. About the same time, Niebuhr was again attacked by dysentery, but was saved by prudent foresight and extreme temperance. Ilis health was not fully restored when the party moved on to Saná, the capital of Yemen. On the way Forskaal was seized with a bilious disorder, of which he died at Yerim, July 11th, 1763. With but two remaining companions Niebuhr pursued the journey. His own health was feeble, and for the only time in his life he gave way to despondency. His anxiety was not so much for the safety of his own life as for the preservation of the papers of the expedition. The surviving members of the expedition were thoroughly disheartened, and, in consequence, declined a friendly invitation to remain a full year in Saná and Upper Yemen. They hastily descended once more to the coast in the hope that the ships might not yet have taken their departure, and made so much haste that they had more than a month to remain at Mocha before the ship in which they were to return to Malta was ready. It was in the height of summer, and the surviving travelers, with their servant, were all attacked by the fever of the climate. Bauernfeind and the servant died at sea. Cramer reached Bombay, remained ill several months, and died. Of the entire expedition, Niebuhr was now the sole survivor.

Niebuhr remained in Bombay until his health was completely

re-established. He used his time advantageously in studying the English language. He collected also all the information which was to be obtained respecting the Parsees and Hindoos; visited the pagodas hewn in the rocks of Elephanta, and made drawings of their sculptures. He occupied himself further in reducing all his journals into proper order, and forwarded a copy to Denmark.

After a sojourn of fourteen months he left Bombay; visited Muscat; proceeded to Shiraz and Persepolis, and spent nearly four weeks in drawing and measuring the ruins in the latter place, of which he always preserved the most vivid recollection. From Shiraz he crossed the Persian Gulf to Bassora, and thence through Bagdad and Mosul to Haleb. An opportunity of going to Jaffa tempted him to visit Palestine. After that he explored Asia Minor, and reached Constantinople on the 20th of February, 1767. After having spent five months in that city, he passed over Turkey in Europe to Poland, and in November reached Copenhagen. He was received with great distinction by the court, the ministers, and all the learned men. When the expenses of the expedition were calculated, they were found not to exceed $17,000 -a remarkably small sum, considering the magnitude of the original arrangements, and the unusual outlays to which they were necessarily exposed. It was a point of conscience with Niebuhr to settle up his accounts with the greatest expedition, having been appointed treasurer from the commencement. His next solicitude was to arrange his voluminous notes, and arrange for the speedy publication of his travels. The materials contained in his journals were in the highest degree rich and profuse, and that he wrought them up with a degree of perfection, to which the entire artlessness and simplicity of his manner contributed not a little, every one will now acknowledge. His first design was to publish two separate works before his Travels; first, answers to the questions which had been directed to the travelers, out of his own and Forskaal's papers; and, secondly, the whole of his astronomical observations. The difficulties and hostilities he had to encounter from a variety of causes and persons interfered with this arrangement. Some years elapsed before even the Travels made their appearance, and then they were published slowly, and mainly at his own expense. The engravings, however, were made at the expense of the Danish government, the plates being presented to him. The Description of Arabia appeared in 1772.