The botanist and mining engineer John Miers (1789–1879) published Travels in Chile and La Plata in 2 volumes in 1826. The work is an account of his travels and residence in Chile between 1818 and 1825 and his investigations into the cultural, political, geographical and botanical aspects of the country. Richly illustrated with maps and his own drawings, the work is most valuable for the data it contains from Miers' research into the plants and birds he found there, including drawings and descriptions of many species previously unknown to the West. Volume 1 also contains the main travel account of his journey from England to Chile, geographical descriptions of the places he explored there, and an account of his plans and negotiations to build a copper-refining plant. The work is a rich source of botanical information and offers an insight into Victorian perceptions of Chile.
