A Geography of Hard Times: Narratives about Travel to South America, 1780-1849

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A Geography of Hard Times SUNY SERIES IN LATIN AMERICAN AND IBERIAN THOUGHT AND CULTURE Jorge J. E. Gracia Rosemary Geisdorfer Feal Editors A GEOGRAPHY OF HARD TIMES Narratives about Travel to South America, 1780–1849 Ángela Pérez-Mejía Translated by Dick Cluster S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K P R E S S Original title: La Geografía de los tiempos difíciles: escritura de viajes a Sur América durante los procesos de independencia 1780–1849. Published in 2002 by Editorial Universidad de Antioquia.© Ángela Pérez-Mejía© Editorial Universidad de Antioquia Published by STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS, ALBANY© 2004 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Anne M. Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pérez-Mejía, Ángela. [Geografía de los tiempos difíciles. English] A geography of hard times : narratives about travel to South America, 1780–1849 Angela Pérez-Mejía / translated by Dick Cluster. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Latin American and Iberian thought and culture) Inclues bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-6013-4 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-6014-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Andes Region—Description and travel. 2. Andes Region—Social life and customs. 3. Travelers’ writings, European—History and criticism. 4. Visitors, Foreign—Latin America—History—18th century. 5. Visitors, Foreign—Latin America—History—19th century. 6. Visitors, Foreign—Latin America—Attitudes. 7. Mutis, José Celestino, 1732–1808—Diaries. 8. Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769–1859—Diaries. 9. Callcott, Maria, Lady, 1785–1842—Diaries. 10. Tristan, Flora, 1803–1844—Diaries. I. Title. II. Series. F2212.P4713 2004 918.04'2—dc22 2003060760 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ...