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 its 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 



