26 MEMOIR OF 



the vexatious obstacles and delays which were from 

 time to time thrown in his way, yet in the long run 

 he so completely succeeded in establishing his cha- 

 racter as a faithful and efficient public officer, that 

 on his return to his native land, he was honoured 

 with new and still more marked proofs of the high 

 estimation in which he was held by the supreme 

 government of his country. 



Azara's zeal in improving the geography of the 

 provinces must not be passed over in so cursory a 

 manner. From the extreme jealousy of both the 

 Spanish and Portuguese governments, this impor- 

 tant department was in an exceedingly imperfect 

 state; and such investigations as had been made, 

 were concealed with as much care as if the safety of 

 the state depended upon such concealment. Thus the 

 great map of South America, which vras prepared 

 in IMadrid in the year 1 775, remained long unpub- 

 lished, and was scarcely ever allowed to be seen ; 

 and certain maps wdiich the celebrated d'Anville 

 prepared at Paris, were wrested from his hands 

 before they were finished. Hence the best maps 

 of the time abounded with errors, and were A"ery 

 far indeed from offi?ring any thing like an exact 

 representation of these countries. 



Perfectly acquainted with these circumstances, 

 Azara writes, " The principal object of my long 

 and repeated journies was to prepare an exact map 

 of the provinces. This lay in my department, and 

 I possessed the necessary instruments. Accordingl}', 

 I never travelled without two excellent reflecting 



