xxxix 



myself in the composition, I had vo _ _ 

 motive than the preservation of some of 

 those fugitive ideas, which present them- 

 selves to a naturalist, the whole of whose 

 life is passed in the open air ; to make a 

 temporary collection of such facts, as I 

 had not then leisure to class ; and trace 

 the first impressions, whether agreeable or 

 painful, which I received from nature, or 

 from man. Far from thinking at the time, 

 that these pages, precipitately composed, 

 would form the basis of an extensive work 

 to be offered to the public, it appeared to 

 me, that my journey, though it might fur- 

 nish certain data useful to science, would 

 present very few of those incidents, the 

 recitals of which give the principal charm 

 to an itinerary. 



The difficulties which I have experienced 

 since my return in the composition of a 

 considerable number of treatises, in order 

 to mak$ known certain classes of pheno- 

 mena, insensibly overcame my repugnance 

 to write the .narrative of my journey. In 

 undertaking this task, I have been guided 

 1 by the advice of a number of respectable 



