Rev A Brandram
Greenwich 3rd July 1826
Dear Sir,
Agreeably to your request I marked out what appears to me the most suitable route for Mr. Matthews it to take in pursuing the objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society throughout South America and Mexico.
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It appears I think every way best that Mr. Matthews should go first to Buenos Aires, where he can have an opportunity of consulting with Mr. Armstrong respecting the circulation of the Scriptures in that city and neighbourhood. At Buenos Aires he should supply himself with a considerable number of copies of the Scriptures for distribution on his way across the country to Chile. In this journey across the country should visit the towns of Santa Fe, Córdoba, San Juan, and Mendoza, stopping a few days in each place, and making the sale of the Scriptures as publicly known as possible. I would recommend the printing of an advertisement for the purpose similar to the one I used from Guayaquil to Bogota, and which produced such favourable results. This advertisement might be printed here, having blanks in it for inserting the places and times of sale in the different towns that may be visited. After leaving Mendoza Mr. Matthews will cross the Andes to Santiago the capital of Chile, stopping a few days in the town of Aconcagua, to drop a few seeds there as he passes. Perhaps also it might be proper to leave some copies there for the supply of those travelers who pass this way in crossing the mountains.
A public sale for a week or two should be held in Santiago, during which time it is likely many copies may be sold to the inhabitants of that city, and to various individuals from the interior parts of the country, who would resell them on their return to their respective provinces. The next place to be visited is of is Valparaiso, and there also a public sale for some days should take place. The port of Valparaiso is a very important station as a depot for Bibles and Testaments, from which all parts on the Pacific could be supplied with convenience. Arrangements should in consequence been made there for such a depot. The store of some English merchant friendly to the object would be the best place for it.
From Valparaiso Mr. Matthews should go to Arequipa touching at as many of the little ports between as the vessel in which he sails will permit. Two or three weeks perhaps will not be too much to pass in Arequipa. From that city who should go to Potosí, Chuquisaca, and La Paz, and from thence onward to Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas of Peru. In the four places just mentioned it may be it expected that much may be done to put into circulation a considerable number of copies of the Scriptures. The time to be spent in these places will be regulated by the circumstances which may occur when on the spot. It is in these quarters that the Quichua and Aimará languages are spoken, and every means should be taken in traveling there to ascertain the correctness of the versions of the Scriptures which have been made into these languages. Mr. Matthews should of course be furnished with these versions. Two or three weeks should be spent in Cuzco, and after that Mr. Matthews should direct his course to Lima passing through Huamanga and Huancavelica, where also the Peruvian language is spoken. A month will not be too much to spend in Lima, as it is a large place, and an important station for the general depot for the towns on the coast, and in the interior. From Lima he should go to Truxillo, touching at as many of the intermediate towns on the coast, as he can. He should next go to Caxamarca and Lambayeque, and from the latter place he might sail to Guayaquil.
Guayaquil is one of the most important stations on the western coast of South America, and much might be done there for the Bible cause by means of a well arranged depot. From this depot supplies might be sent to Cuenca, Loxa, Riobamba, Quito, Pasto, and Popayan, including many populous towns adjacent. From Guayaquil also supplies might be sent to Chocó, Panama, Realexo, Sonsonate, Acapulco, and San Blas, and to all the lesser ports along the whole of that coast.
After making arrangements in Guayaquil for the proper supplies to be sent to the places above mentioned, Mr. Matthews should proceed through Riobamba, Quito, Pasto, and Popayan, to Bogota. Three or four weeks might be profitably spent in the latter place, being the capital of Colombia, after which he might sail down the River Magdalena to Carthagena, where a fortnight or so might well be employed in the public sale of the Scriptures.
The next quarter that should be visited is Guatemala. A vessel may be found at Carthagena for the mouth of the river Sun Juan and conveyance might be got up the River into the great lake of Nicaragua. The town of Leon, not far from the lake should be visited, and arrangements made there for regular supplies in future, as it is not likely from its interior situation, to be soon visited again. The city of Guatemala, the capital of the country of the same name, and now called Central America, comes next in order in journey onwards. From Guatemala Mr. Matthews should bend his course to Oaxaca, which is a very populous quarter, and from that to La Puebla de los Angeles, and thence to the city of Mexico.
Some three or four months might be spent in that capital, and in visiting the several large and populous cities of that republic. In passing through Guatemala and Mexico, Mr. Matthews should have particular instructions to inquire about the native languages of these parts, and to use all his endeavours to procure a translation of the whole New Testament into those extensively spoken, and one of the Gospels perhaps into the rest. Leaving the city of Mexico Mr. Matthews will go to Veracruz, where he should make arrangements for the safe reception of the cases of Bibles and Testaments to be sent to Mexico, and for their being expeditiously forwarded to that city. The last place to be visited is the Havana, and from thence Mr. Matthews will sail for England.
Hoping the above sketch will be serviceable to you in drawing up your instructions for Mr. Matthews.
I remain,
Dear Sir,
Sincerely Yours,
James Thomson.