INTRODUCTION. 



As this book is to be a work of narrative and adventure, and 

 not one of argument and discussion, I shall touch but very lightly 

 upon those subjects which might lead to the latter, while I en- 

 deavor to give as much variety and as much fullness of detail as 

 possible to the former. 



That argument and discussion may arise from portions of what 

 I advance is very probable ; but, if so, it will be better to enter 

 upon such in another form than this. Eeaders very naturally ex- 

 pect to be entertained, as well as, perchance, instructed in what a 

 voyager or traveler puts before them. Long, prosy dissertations 

 are seldom wanted. All that most people require is a truthful 

 report of personal doings in strange lands, and a faithful record 

 of incidents, discoveries, and interesting events connected with 

 them. 



Such, then, is the task I have taken in hand, with the hope that 

 a ready excuse will be granted for all those imperfections neces- 

 sarily consequent upon the mode and manner of my carrying on 

 the work in which I was engaged. I pledge myself as to the lit- 

 eral accuracy of what I state, and my readers will be able to see, 

 as they move onward with me through my narrative, how diffi- 

 cult it was — alone, and with no other pair of hands, no other mind, 

 no other thought, sense, or perception but my own — to record, day 

 by day, the occurrences that came under my eye. 



In addition to this, I had to make all the observations — scien- 

 tific, geographical, and otherwise — by myself, and this, too, with a 

 knowledge self-acquired, and with instruments so few, and most of 

 them so imperfect, till rectified by myself, that my labors were in- 

 creased many fold. Thus, in the following pages, let truth, varie- 

 ty of incident, and a faithful report of discovery and adventure 

 be alone expected. Elegance of style and diction must not be 

 sought for. 



As it will be well to avoid, as much as possible, breaking in 

 upon the thread of my narrative elsewhere, I here give some par- 



B 



