The South American Tour

riptive guide-book of this kind regarding the regions commonly visited by tourists has become an actual need such a work by Miss Peck is a practical and timely contribution to the literature of the day. There are few persons better qualified to write a book of this charac ter. The remarkable explorations which Miss Peck has un dertaken in the most difficult sections of Latin America, and the traveling she has done in all parts of it, not only have provided her with a vast fund of useful information about the countries of South America but give especial authority to what she writes. Her book contains in compact form an amount of definite information concerning the countries con sidered, which should place it in the forefront of works of this character. While, of course, it is impossible for the Pan American Union, as an official organization, and myself, as its official head, to endorse in any way a particular book or accept re sponsibility for the statements and views it contains, it gives me real pleasure, from a personal standpoint, to express the hope that this work of Miss Peck will have a wide circulation and prove of decided help in promoting travel to and through the Latin American countries. The Pan American Union, which, as readers of this book probably know, is the office of all the American republics the United States and its twenty sister Latin American countries organized and maintained by them for the purpose of developing commerce, friendship, better acquaintance, and peace among them all, is doing everything possible and legiti mate to persuade the traveling public of the United States and Europe to visit the Latin American, countries and become familiar with their progress and development. There is no vi INTRODUCTION influence in the world that helps more to advance friendship, comity, and commerce among countries than travel back and forth of their representative men and women. Nearly every person who visits Latin America under the advice of the Pan American Union, upon his or her return, writes a letter ex pressing appreciation that this opportunity has been afforded of seeing these wonderful countries of the south. In conclusion, I would observe that if those who may be come interested in Latin America through reading Miss Pecks book desire further information about any or all of these re publics, the Pan American Union will always be glad to pro vide them with such data as it may have for distribution. JOHN BARRETT, Director General of the Pan American Union. Washington, D. C., U. S. A., October, 21, 1913. FOR EVERY ONE To ALL Americans both of the Northland and of the South this book with due modesty is inscribed, in the hope that by inciting to travel and acquaintance it may promote commer cial intercourse, with the resulting ties of mutual benefit and respect in the hope, too, that the slender cord now feebly entwining the various Eepublics may soon draw them all into more intimate relations of friendship at last into a harmoni ous Sisterhood, in which neither age nor size shall confer superior rights, but mutual confidence based upon the foun dations of justice shall insure perpetual peace... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.