THE

Henry F Smit's Book

HISTORY

Presented by his Father

North and South America,
Pater &mathe
Роб

FROM ITS DISCOVERY

TO THE

DEATH OF GENERAL WASHINGTON.

BY RICHARD SNOWDEN, ESQ.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

PHILADELPHIA:

PUBLISHED BY JOHNSON & WARNER,

AND FOR SALE AT THEIR BOOK STORES,

IN PHILADELPHIA, AND RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

162582

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILDE FOUNDATIONS
1899

"

District of Pennsylvania,

Be it remembered, That on the twelfth day of June, in the twenty
ninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. -
1805, Jacob Johnson, of the said district, hath deposited in this Office,
the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the
words following, to wit:

"The History of North and South America, from its Discovery to the
"Death of General Washington. By Richard Snowden, Esq. In
"two volumes. Vol. I."

6

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the U. States, intituled,
"An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies
of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such
copies during the times therein mentioned:" And also to the Act,
entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for
the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts,
and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the
times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the
Arts of Designing, Engraving, and Etching Historical and other
Prints."

(L. S.)

D. CALDWELL,

Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania.

Printed by Lydia R. Bailey,

No. 10, North Alley.

PREFACE.

TO furnish the Public with a cheap History of America, from its discovery, to its present state of civilization and importance, is an undertaking of such general utility, that the attempt, if it even fall short of complete execution, has a claim to a considerable share of indulgence. This is more especially the case, when the writer has to follow an historian of such great and just celebrity as DR. ROBERTSON, in at least one half of the work.

To compose such an historical epitome as is desirable, from scattered materials, is a difficulty of such magnitude, as wholly to discourage the attempt; and to abridge the pages of so great an original, where there is nothing superfluous, nothing the reader would wish omitted, is a design, which to many will seem to border on temerity. But this abridgment has been preferred, as it is attended with the least chance of disappointment; and to borrow is not dishonourable, when the obligation is candidly acknowledged.

In what relates to South America, DR. ROBERTSON'S history has, therefore, been implicitly followed. His arrangement of the subject, his chronological order, and his very style have been adopted, as the best that can be chosen. To condense his details, to introduce only the most prominent and characteristic events, has been the principal effort, and invariable purpose of the epitomizer: endeavouring as he progressed, to preserve unbroken, the connection and continuity of events; and in the whole, to present the reader with a brief, but interesting view, of one of the most important æras in the annals of the world.

So far the writer travelled with pleasure: but, in tracing the subsequent part, the History of North Ame