A voyage to South America, with an account of a shipwreck in the river La Plata, in the year 1817

The haste in which the former edition of this little journal was written and sent to the press, produced several errors and omissions, which, in this, I have endeavored to correct and supply; adding, also, a short account of the situation, population and customs of those places mentioned in the narrative.

No spectacle on earth, perhaps, which the eye of man can witness, is fraught with so much interest, sublimity and terror, and no situation is so awful and appalling, as a midnight shipwreck at sea.In my youth, I read, with unsatiated avidity, the voyages and disasters of the adventurous seaman, and I believe the desire for such information is planted in every human heart.

The remarkable event of one only surviving, in a total shipwreck, naturally awakens a curiosity to learn the particulars, and by what extra chances he alone fortunately reached the shore. The following is a tale of this complexion,

A few words in its defence are now necessary.Several persons have indirectly expressed their disbelief, totally or in part, of the events I have related, and have probably been so induced, from a few strained expressions which occur in the relation.These should have been overlooked in a tale which should have been penned with

That a ship of the name and description mentioned in these pages, sailed from such port, at such time, with such a company, and freighted with such a cargo, as I have described; that said ship never reached her port of destination; and that some time afterwards, the wreck of a large vessel was discovered on the shores of the La Plata; are facts which no one, I presume, will deny, for they can be easily and readily proved. If thus far is admitted, what remains to doubt?

It is the events, then, related in the interim, in which I was ultimately, and for some days, sole actor, which savors of the marvellous.But is it so incredible, that in a storm where twenty two perished in a short time and in a fearful manner, and but one escaped, that that one should be beset with peril, should win his way, with great difficulty, to the shore, and suffer the disasters he has attempted to describe?I have said thus much to destroy these surmises, which, though indirect and untenable, are grating to the feelings.The nature of this part of the case precluding the possibility of ocular evidence, I can only pledge, in support of its truth, my word of honor.All else relating to the ship may be confirmed by the testimony of several gentlemen now living in neighboring towns, who were merchants resident at Buenos Ayres at the time, and who were well acquainted with the transactions, which were never doubted there. But enough—while others may stagger at the story, and wonder that he alone should survive; with him, that he escaped at all, will be the theme of the greatest wonder, and of the deepest gratitude.

GEORGE FRACKER