Vi PREFACE. 



my friends, without any view to publication; 

 but, since my arrival in this country, I have 

 been persuaded to present it to the notice 

 of the public, in the humble hope that it may 

 be found to contain some information useful 

 to those, whose business or pleasure may lead 

 them to pursue the paths which I have so re- 

 cently trodden. 



To the character of a literary work, this Jour- 

 nal has no pretensions ; for it was written in 

 haste from day to day, during very rapid jour- 

 nies. Every scene described was written on 

 the spot ; and circumstances have since pre- 

 vented me from arranging these hasty sketches 

 in a form more worthy the public attention. 

 I trust, however, that it will be found to con- 

 tain a faithful account of the various difficul- 

 ties a traveller has to encounter in crossing 



