iv 



DEDICATION. 



than that of impressing more deeply upon my 

 own mind the recollection of a short visit to a 

 very interesting part of the world. Since that 

 time, as a remedy against too much leisure at 

 home, I resolved, at the persuasion of some 

 friends, to arrange the materials I possessed, 

 not for the purpose of appearing in print, but 

 that the members of my family and a few 

 other persons might be able to read them in a 

 more convenient form. Whilst engaged in this 

 work, I received communications from South 

 America, which induced me to think that if 

 I published the notes I had made there, a por- 

 tion of which I had already thought it my duty 

 to submit to the Foreign Office, the result 

 might be attended with some practical utility. 



In Chile, I had made acquaintance with Mr. 

 Wheelwright, a gentleman from the United 

 States, who was formerly North American 

 consul at Guayaquil, and who had resided 

 many years in South America. He was at that 

 time endeavouring to procure decrees from 



