INTRODUCTION. 
In the month of October, 1829, I sailed from the city of New- 
York in the brig Annawan, N. B. Palmer captain, to the South 
Seas and Pacific Ocean. The particulars of this voyage, and the 
circumstances which led to it, as well as those of my subsequent 
travels by land through the Republic of Chili, and the Araucanian 
and Indian Territories to the south, will be given to the public in 
another volume. Suffice it here, that I was at Valparaiso in 
October, 1832, just three years from the commencement of my 
voyage, when Commodore Downes arrived at that place, from the 
coast of Sumatra and some of the principal ports in the East Indies. 
He had been for some time expected on that station ; and 
early in the afternoon on the day of his arrival, it had been 
announced by telegraph, from the high hill which overlooks the 
town, that a large ship was in the offing. An hour passed away, 
and the signal announced a man-of-war, southwest from Playa 
Ancha, with all sail set, standing directly for the port. The 
wind was fresh, and she approached rapidly. The slripes and 
stars were seen waving from the mizzen peak of a stately frigate, 
which was now pronounced by all to be the Potomac. She 
entered the harbour late in the afternoon, making several seaman- 
like tacks against a strong southerly breeze. Crowds gathered 
upon the beach, and the Americans in port evinced emotions of 
pleasure, as each one felt that the strong and protecting arm of 
his government was near him. 
On the following day I went on board, with the view of 
visiting several of the ofiicers with whom I had been pre- 
viously acquainted. Here I received an invitation from the 
commodore to join the Potomac as his private secretary, the 
