XV 



remain consigned to oblivion. Some of 

 our geological collections taken in the 

 Southern Ocean had, however, a happier 

 fate. We were indebted for their preser- 

 vation to the generous activity of Sir Jo- 

 seph Banks, President of the Royal Society 

 of London, who, amidst the political agi- 

 tations of Europe, has unceasingly labored 

 to strengthen the ties by which are united 

 the scientific of all nations. 



The same causes which checked our com- 

 munications, have contributed also to form 

 numerous obstacles, since our return, to the 

 publication of a work, which from it's na- 

 ture must be accompanied by a consider- 

 able number of engravings and maps. If 

 such difficulties are sometimes encountered 

 in undertakings made at the expense, and 

 by the munificence of governments, how 

 much more must they be felt by private 

 individuals ! It would have been impossi- 

 ble for us to have surmounted them, if the 

 liberal zeal of the editors had not been 

 seconded by the extreme favor of the pub- 

 lic. More than two thirds of our work are 

 already published. The maps of: the 

 Oroonoko, of the Cassiquiare, and of the 



