1858-64.] LECTURES IN THE WEST. 139 



scarcity of funds, increased by the depreciation of gov- 

 ernment money, was of prime importance almost for 

 the very existence of the new institution. With his 

 ordinary pluck and courage Agassiz did not hesitate for 

 a moment, and plunged into the scheme without a 

 doubt of his success, and at the same time trusting to 

 the herculean strength of his constitution to bear the 

 strain. However, he presumed too much on his endur- 

 ance, and those near him realized his danger. Although 

 everything which love could imagine was done to help 

 him and spare unnecessary fatigue, Agassiz returned 

 from his tour, on which his admirable wife had been 

 always at his side, much exhausted and broken down. 

 At the age of fifty-six the strain was too great. Going 

 from town to town, from Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, 

 Chicago, to St. Louis, lecturing always before crowded 

 audiences, from December, 1863, until March, 1864, 

 was a veritable tour dc force, which it would have been 

 absolutely impossible for him to repeat. Happily, 

 although money was always wanted in larger quantities 

 than it came, Agassiz was not again embarrassed by 

 lack of pecuniary aid. To be sure, he was always in 

 pursuit of money, pressing the Massachusetts Legislat- 

 ure not to forget his museum, but aid came more read- 

 ily from private individuals, and the periodical crisis 

 concerning money, to which he had been subjected all 

 his life, at last passed away, never to return. 



When in Chicago he planned an excursion to Bur- 

 lington, Iowa, on his way to St. Louis. In my visit to 

 Burlington in September, 1863, I had been absolutely 

 astounded by the extraordinary wealth of fossil crinoids 



