vi 



in South America, as well as from some governors and ex-governors 

 of provinces, has furnished a portion of the authentic materials of 

 the Work. 



My first intention in undertaking it was to have adhered to a geo- 

 graphical and commercial account of the country, but as the recent 

 publication of Padre Manoel Ayres de Cazal, (in producing which he 

 had been many years engaged,) furnishing me, not only with copious 

 information upon the first subject, but also upon its history, civil and 

 natural, I conceived that it would not be unacceptable to the British 

 reader to give an abridged account of each province, from their first 

 colonization, combined with their geography, productions, com- 

 merce, &c. 



Upon the history of this country, however, the work of Mr. Southey 

 is complete, and does as much honour to the talent of that gentleman 

 as to his unwearied research. The labour, even with all his facilities, 

 which such an undertaking must have required, cannot but have been 

 very considerable. 



Padre Cazal, who is a man of some talent, enjoyed decided advan- 

 tages, it will be allowed, from his ecclesiastical situation, in arriving 

 at full and authentic intelligence, as to the present condition of the 

 towns, productions, &c. derived from Government documents, his 

 own personal research, the diaries of Certanistas, (persons traversing 

 the interior,) and from numerous individuals, who might not have been 

 disposed to grant the same privileges to any one diflPerently circum- 

 stanced. In the many instances wherein I have had opportunities of 

 putting the veracity of his statements to the test I have found them 

 correct and impartial. No doubt can fairly exist as to the perfect 

 authenticity of the whole, additionally confirmed as it is, by Mr. 



