viii PREFACE. 



terest in what respects America by presenting them 

 with this essay, in which I have dweh more fully 

 and precisely upon the natural productions of Chili^ 

 as well as upon the most conspicuous events that 

 have occurred in that country. 



At an early period of life I began to turn my at- 

 tention both to the natural and political history of 

 Chili, with the view of publishing, at some future 

 time, the result of my inquiries. Some unto- 

 ward circumstances, however, interrupted my pro- 

 gress, and I had even relinquished the hope of hav- 

 ing it in my power to carry my plan into effect, 

 when a fortunate accident put me into possession of 

 the requisite materials, and enabled me to oiFer the 

 present work to the public ; to which, in a short time, 

 I propose adding another essay or compendium of 

 the civil and political history of the same country. 



The method that I have adopted in arranging 

 this work has been to divide it into four chapters: 

 The first, after a succinct geographical account of 

 Chili, which may serve as an introduction, treats of 

 the seasons, winds, meteors, volcanoes, earthquakes 

 and state of the climate. The other three I have de- 

 voted to a description of natural objects, proceeding 

 from the simplest to the most complex, that is, from 

 the mineral to the vegetable and animal kingdoms; 

 and in the last have added some conjectures of my 

 own respecting the inhabitants of Chili and the Pa- 

 tagonians, or pretended giants, whom I consider as 

 the mountaineers of that country. 



I have referred, as far as was in my power, the vari- 

 ous objects noticed to the genera of Linucsus, but in 



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