The first volume contains descriptions of the cities of Caracas, Mompos, and Honda, the chief agricultural produce (wheat, maize, rice, indigo, cotton, tobacco, sugar, coffee & cocoa) and exotic animals, a historical sketch of the aboriginal Indians and a potted history of Spanish America including the revolutionary period. The second volume is largely devoted to Bogotá and its surroundings, where Cochrane spent most of his time; he describes the city's architecture, the system of government, and the customs and manners of the people. Other topics featured are copper and emerald mines, the authorized looting of ancient Indian burial places, steam-boat concessions for the Magdalena River, and the topography of the port of Cartagena. A supplement contains a statistical report on the siege of Puerto Cabello.