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now forms the territory of the republic of Co- 

 lumbia; sixteen months in Venezuela, and eigh- 

 teen in New Grenada. We crossed the territory 

 in it's whole extent; on one hand from the 

 mountains of Paria as far as Emeralda on the 

 Upper Oroonoko, and San Carlo del Rio Negro, 

 situate near the frontiers of Brazil ; and on the 

 other, from Rio Sinu and Carthagena as far as 

 the snowy summits of Quito, the port of Guay- 

 aquil on the coast of the Pacific ocean, and the 

 banks of the Amazon in the province of Jaen 

 de Bracamoros. So long a stay, and an expe- 

 dition of one thousand three hundred sea leagues 

 in the interior of the country, of which more than 

 six hundred and fifty were made by water, have 

 furnished me with a pretty exact knowledge of 

 local circumstances. I will not, however, flatter 

 myself with having collected as numerous and 

 certain statistical materials on Venezuela and 

 New Grenada, as those which were afforded me 

 by a much shorter stay in New Spain. We are 

 less induced to discuss questions of political 

 economy in countries merely agricultural, and 

 which present several centres of authority, than 

 where the concentrated civilization of a great 

 capital, and the immense product of mines, 

 accustom men to the commercial estimation of 

 natural wealth. I found in official documents 

 at Mexico and Peru a part of the statements, 

 which I wished to procure. It was otherwise at 



