xlvi 



fill precision. The means which the new 

 world affords for the study of geology and 

 natural philosophy in general are long since 

 acknowledged. Happy the traveller who 

 is conscious, that he has availed himself of 

 the advantages of his position, and that he 

 has added some new facts to the mass of 

 those which were already acquired ! 



It is almost useless to recapitulate what I 

 have already observed in the preface to 

 the equinoctial plants, that, connected by 

 the most intimate ties of friendship with 

 Mr. Bonpland, during the course of our 

 travels and the years that have followed, 

 we publish in common the whole of the 

 works, which are the fruit of our labours. 

 I have endeavoured to explain the facts, 

 such as we observed them together ; but 

 this narrative having been composed by 

 myself, from notes written by me on the 

 spot, whatever errors may be found in 

 my recital must be attributed to myself 

 alone. 



The observations we made during the 

 course of our journey have been distributed 

 into six sections : the first comprehends 



