PREFACE. Vll 



their proper light, the merits of his own countrymen, and 

 the pretensions of his own government, he is not conscious 

 that his desire to do so, has in any case led him to the 

 commission of injustice towards other individuals, or na- 

 tions, either by misstatements, or by suppressions of the 

 truth. In order to unite the various parts into a regular 

 narrative, and to preserve the remembrances of events 

 which may be interesting, if not important at future peri- 

 ods, he has introduced circumstances not immediately tend- 

 ing to the attainment of the principal objects proposed ; but 

 he has omitted nothing voluntarily, which if made known 

 might have led to conclusions different from those here 

 presented. Dates and references to authorities are gener- 

 ally given, and always in cases where the circumstances 

 related are new or material, or in which his accounts differ 

 from those usually received ; and he has appended a num- 

 ber of documents, extracts and original notices as Proofs 

 and Illustrations of the history. Among the latter, are 

 some valuable papers never before published, others not 

 commonly known, and others again which the reader will 

 probably desire frequently to consult, including all the trea- 

 ties and conventions hitherto concluded between civilized 

 nations, with respect to the countries forming the subjects 

 of the history. 



In the geographical view he has collected, compared, 

 and endeavored to arrange in order, what appeared to be 

 the most exact and striking details, presented by the nu- 

 merous travellers who have visited the countries in ques- 

 tion. The map has been composed, as far as possible, 

 from original authorities ; being intended for the illustration 

 of the history, it necessarily embraces a very large portion 

 of the surface of the globe, and will be found, perhaps, on 

 the whole, more nearly correct than any other yet offered 

 to the public. 



Washington, February, 1844. 



