gether abstained from the trite and somewhat wearisome topic of mines and mining. On that subject I bestowed much attention, and the result of my researches is a firm conviction, confirmed by frequent communication with persons of practical knowledge, that those speculations, if conducted with ordinary prudence, cannot fail of being extremely beneficial; while, under the management of agents of zeal and integrity, possessing activity and decision of character, such as distinguished the chief Commissioner of the Rio de la Plata Company, no loss, certainly none of any importance, can possibly occur to the speculators; because, on the one hand, misappropriation of the funds is not to be apprehended, and, on the other, due vigilance may at all times guard against the consequences of local interruption. To state that my remarks are generally given as they were noted on the spot, may be a matter of no moment; but it is requisite to observe, that, in preparing them for publication, I have in some few instances arranged them, not in the order in which they were successively made, but according to their connection with, or reference to, the subject which I may be discussing. A journal of the occurrences of a traveller's life must necessarily exhibit an ever-varying succession of diverse events and subjects: many of those described in the following pages, I would fain believe, are new, so far as regards publications on South America; some of them, perhaps, the grave, sober, and plodding traveller, might not have condescended to notice; still, I cannot but think that what one party (all its members, too, of different countries and pursuits, as were my brother-travellers and myself,) felt deep interest in witnessing, another party may feel some interest in hearing or reading of. How far this opinion is correct in the present instance, 1 now leave the reader to judge. TRAVELS IN PERU. CHAPTER I. Formation of the Potosi Mining Association-Departure of the first division of its establishment for Buenos Ayres-Shipwreck of the Prince Ernest packet-Providential escape-Turtle versus Dolphin. One of the nine hundred and ninety-nine speculations of the all-speculating year 1825, was the “ Potosi, La Paz and Peruvian Mining Association;" the object of which was to work the far-famed mines of Potosi, and sundry others in Peru. The company commenced its operations for this "grande et belle entreprise” (so Baron Humboldt was pleased to term it) upon the extensive and prodigal scale adopted by its sister associations; and, from among a long list of persons selected to fill numerous official situations, at home and abroad, I was appointed to that of secretary to the establishment at Potosi. Never did secretary of the richest treasury in Europe receive his appointment with greater certainty of acquiring fortune than I did, when named chief of the office for registering the treasures to be drawn from the mines of America. My first act was to employ 2. VOL. I. |