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It appeared to me proper to state these ge- 

 neral considerations on the future connection of 

 the two continents, before I traced the political 

 sketch of the provinces of Venezuela, of which 

 I have made known the different races of men, 

 the spontaneous and cultivated productions, the 

 inequalities of the soil, and the interior com- 

 munications. These provinces, governed till 

 1810 by a captain general residing at Caraccas, 

 are now united to the ancient viceroyalty of 

 New Grenada, or Santa Fe, by the name of the 

 Republic of Columbia. I shall not anticipate 

 the description, which I must give hereafter of 

 New Grenada ; but, in order to render my ob- 

 servations on the statistics of Venezuela more 

 useful to those, who would judge of the political 

 importance of the country, and the advantages 

 it may offer to the trade of Europe, even in it's 

 present little advanced state of cultivation, I 

 shall describe the United Provinces of V mezuela 

 in their intimate relations with Cundinamarca, 

 or New Grenada, and as forming part of the 

 new state of Columbia. This sketch will ne- 

 cessarily comprehend five divisions ; the extent, 

 population, productions, trade, and public re- 

 venue. A part of the statements, which will 

 serve to form this view, having been indicated 

 in the preceding chapters, I shall be concise in 

 noting the general results. Mr. Bonpland and 

 I passed nearly three years in the country, which 



