X PREFACE. 



the difficulties attending it had hitherto, in a great 

 measure, discouraged any such attempt. 



The geographical descriptions we have of the 

 country about Carthagena, the isthmus of üarien, 

 the Terra Firma, the countries of Peru and Chili, 

 those watered by the vast river of the Amazons, and, 

 in a word, of the greatest part of South America, are 

 not only perfectly accurate, very methodical, and, in 

 all respects, fidl, clear, and satisfactory; but also what 

 we greatly wanted, and what wt never had, at least 

 in any comparison with M'hat we now have, before 

 this work appeared. These are countries that, from 

 the time of their discovery, have maintained the re- 

 putation of being as pleasant, as fertile, and as va- 

 luable, as any upon the globe. But though we knew 

 this in general, and, from the Spanish descriptions 

 and histories, were not altogether unacquainted with 

 many particulars relating to them ; yet with respect 

 to any distinct and precise delineation of their several 

 provinces, their divisions and subdivisions, the dis- 

 tribution of mountains, rivers, plains, and other cir- 

 cumstances, M ith their relations to each other, and 

 comparative values in all respects, they were things 

 not barely unknown, but such as mc could never 

 expect to kno\\% from the nature of the Spanish go- 

 vernment, Mith any degree of certainty. But by the 

 accident of these gentlemen going thither, with no 

 other view than the improvement of knowledge, pur- 

 suing that view with the most lively zeal and assi- 

 duous application, and founding their reputation 

 upon a plain and candid communication of all that 

 knowledge, which, with so much pains and labour, 

 they had acquired ; we have now as clear, concise, 

 and*^ correct a representation of these ext'ensive re- 

 gions, as we can possibly desire: such a one, as will 

 answer all the ends of inforjnation and instruction^ 



enable 



