Paul Preuss, head of the botanical garden in Victoria (Cameroon), undertook a scientific expedition across the South American continent at the behest of the colonial economic committee at the end of the 19th century. In this work, he impressively describes his experiences and discoveries. He recounts encounters with the local inhabitants and their cultures. Preuss takes the reader on an expedition through countries such as Ecuador, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Mexico, transporting them back to the year 1899. This book is a reprint of the long out-of-print original edition from 1901.