Ch.IX, south AMERICA. 419 



feveral other gentlemen of the Royal Society, that I 

 might be admitted a member of that learned body, 

 rightly judging that fuch an honour could not fail 

 of adding an ardour to my defire of contributing to 

 the improvement of the fciences. Having thus hap- 

 pily finiihed my affairs, and obtained my liberty at 

 the firft folicitation for it, I embarked at Falmouth 

 in the Liibon packet boatj my predominant incli- 

 nation now being to fee my native country, after 

 fuch a variety of adventures. On my fafe arrival 

 at Lifbon, I hailcned to Madrid, which I reached 

 on the 25th of Ju]y 1746; eleven years and two 

 months after my embarkation at Cadiz on this com- 

 miifion. 



1 found Spain in mourning for the lofs of its 

 late excellent fovereign Philip V. who had paifed to 

 a better ftate, on the 9th of the fame month. My 

 firft care was to wait upon the Marquis de la Enfe- 

 nada, fecretary of ftate, with my papers, that he 

 might lay them before his majeity; whom God long 

 preferve. His majefty was pleafed to order that thefe 

 papers ihould be publilhed under his patronage j a 

 declaration truly becoming a prince, who, to all the 

 eltimable qualities of a king and a man, has added a 

 love for the iciences. 



Thus have we concluded a work, which has been 

 long expected by all nations. Its importance en- 

 titled it to the encouragement of the greateft 

 monarchs; and the length of time employed in it, 

 has kept in an impatient fulpenfe, the learned of 

 Europe. 



INDEX. 



