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PERMIT me to lay before you, the humble narrative of a journey, chiefly undertaken for the investigation of the natural history of a region hitherto unexplored. Excuse the imperfect performance of the gratifying task which your liberality had imposed, but which was rendered almost abortive by the visitations of affliction.

If, in so tiresome a volume of desultory remarks, you should meet with some momentary gratification, some transient amusement, or ray of information, the author will receive the satisfaction of not having laboured entirely m vain.

r r*  PREFACE.

TO those who vaguely peruse the narratives of travellers for pastime or transitory amusement, the present volume is by no means addressed* It is no part of the aiithor’s ambition to study the gratification of so fastidious a taste as that, which but too generally governs the readers of the present day ; a taste, which has no criterion but passing fashion, which spurns at every thing that possesses not the charm of novelty, and the luxury of embellishment. We live no longer in an age that tolerates the plain “ unvarnished tale.” Our language must now be crowded with the spoils of those which are ...