144 -  ‘DHREE DISTINCT ZONES. 
hunter in the woody district—the pastoral life in 
the savannahs—and the agricultural in the valleys 
and plains which descend to various parts of the 
coast. Missionaries and a few soldiers occupy ad- 
vanced posts on the southern frontiers. In this 
section are felt the preponderance of force and the 
abuse of power. The native tribes are engaged in 
perpetual hostilities ; the monks endeavour to aug- 
ment the little villages of their missions by availing 
themselves of the dissensions of the Indians; and 
the soldiers live in a state of war with the clergy. 
In the second division, that of the plains and prairies, 
where food is extremely abundant, little advance has 
been made in civilisation, and the inhabitants live in 
huts partly covered with skins. It is in the third 
district alone, where agriculture and commerce are 
pursued, that society has made any progress. 
In following our travellers through these interest- 
ing countries, it is necessary that we lose sight in 
some measure of the present constitution of the South 
American states, and view them simply as Spanish 
provinces. When we seek, says Humboldt, to 
form a precise idea of those vast regions, which for — 
ages have been governed by viceroys and captains- — 
general, we must fix our attention on several points. 
We must distinguish the parts of Spanish Ame- 
rica that are opposite to Asia, and those that are 
washed by the Atlantic.—we must observe where 
the greatest part of the population is placed, whether 
near the coast or in the interior, or on the table- 
lands of the Cordilleras,—we must determine the 
numerical proportions between the natives and other 
inhabitants, and examine to what race, in each part 
of the colonies, the greater number of whites be- 
. = 
