JOURNEY 



TO THE 



EQUINOCTIAL REGIONS 



OP 



THE NEW CONTINENT. 



BOOK I. 

 CHAPTER I. 



Preparations, — Instruments. — Departure from 

 Spain. — Landing at the Canary Islands. 



When a government undertakes one of those 

 maritime expeditions, which contributes to the 

 knowledge of the globe, and the progress of na- 

 tural philosophy, there is no obstacle to the ac- 

 complishment of it's purpose. The time of 

 departure, and the direction of the voyage may be 

 fixed, whenever the vessel is equipped, and astro- 

 nomers and naturalists are appointed to traverse 

 unknown seas. The islands and coasts, the pro- 

 ductions of which these travellers are prepared 

 to examine, are subject to the influence of no Eu- 

 ropean policy. If it happen that the freedom of 

 vol. I. b 



