IN SOUTH AMERICA A History of British Activities in Explo- BY W. H. KOEBEL Author of "Argentina, Past and Present," "Modern Chile," "Romance "Modern Argentina," Editor-in-Chief of the ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND OLD PRINTS NEW YORK C. K. JOHNSTON PREFACE Among such merits as I may claim for this work is a total lack of haste in its preparation. Written under the stress of no other pre-occupation save that caused by the deep shadow of the war, there has been no question here of a rapid gathering together of material; but rather that of a lengthy process of selection. To pick out the most salient features from the vast field of British enterprise in South America is not an easy task. This book having been written in the comparative solitude of the country, and its sources of information largely derived from my own library, I have taxed the good nature of a smaller number than usual of the various experts. It is, nevertheless, impossible for me to pass by the names of three gentlemen without a special note of thanks. The first of these is his Excellency Señor Don Agustin Edwards, that most notable Chilean Minister Plenipotentiary in London, whose kindness in obtaining information concerning the early British in Chile must be gratefully acknowledged. To Mr. Herbert Gibson I am deeply indebted for similar good offices in regard to Argentina and to the British writers on that country. I have, moreover, to express my obligation to Mr. Francis Edwards, who has not only placed at my disposal his wide knowledge of South American bibliography but has most courteously taken the trouble to send me down for purposes of reference those particular books which I lacked for this work. The subjoined letter, which I found myself under the necessity of sending to the editor of a minor London pub |