In my judgment, it is not only the duty of the United States to encourage and assist our merchants and manufacturers in the expansion of their foreign trade, by seeking new markets and furnishing facilities for reaching them, but there is a higher achievement in promoting the welfare of our sister republics through the consistent exercise of every friendly office tending to secure their peaceable development and national prosperity. I am sure your “The Capitals of Spanish America” will furnish our own people with trustworthy and late news about our neighbors to the southward, and that your graphic pen will make the book as interesting as it is instructive. I shall await its publication with very deep interest. If my strength permits, it will give me great pleasure to act upon your suggestion,[A] but just now I am hardly equal to the demands of my private correspondence. With cordial regard, I am faithfully yours, ---- _To_ WILLIAM E. CURTIS, Washington, D. C. [A] To write an Introduction to this volume. CONTENTS. PAGE MEXICO. THE CAPITAL OF MEXICO 1 GUATEMALA CITY. THE CAPITAL OF GUATEMALA 60 COMAYAGUA. THE CAPITAL OF HONDURAS 114 MANAGUA. THE CAPITAL OF NICARAGUA 138 SAN SALVADOR. THE CAPITAL OF SAN SALVADOR 171 SAN JOSÉ. THE CAPITAL OF COSTA RICA 196 BOGOTA. THE CAPITAL OF COLOMBIA 225 CARACAS. THE CAPITAL OF VENEZUELA 257 QUITO. THE CAPITAL OF ECUADOR 298 LIMA. THE CAPITAL OF PERU 355 LA PAZ DE AYACUCHO. THE CAPITAL OF BOLIVIA 416 SANTIAGO. THE CAPITAL OF CHILI 454 PATAGONIA 516 BUENOS AYRES. THE CAPITAL OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC 542 MONTEVIDEO. THE CAPITAL OF URUGUAY 591 ASUNCION. THE CAPITAL OF PARAGUAY 623 RIO DE JANEIRO. THE CAPITAL OF BRAZIL 660 INDEX 707 ILLUSTRATIONS. MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA _Frontispiece_. PAGE It was used in the Days of Moses 2