Jan. 13, 1857.] OF THE RIVER ORINOCO. 255 



the vast volume of the Orinoco, and divided into islands. Twenty-two years 

 ago Colonel Hamilton navigated the Orinoco up to Angostura. At that time 

 he was engaged with the Columbian Government, and had received near An- 

 gostura the grant of an immense tract of land, enclosed by mountains on one 

 side, and bounded by the river on the other. He cultivated com and a variety 

 of other produce which he exported to Trinidad. But the chief production 

 was cattle, reared from importations obtained from Spain, England, and Scot- 

 land, and so great was their value that horses sold at Trinidad for nearly 400 

 dollars, or SOL sterling. That island was supplied with mules chiefly from 

 the Orinoco, from near Angostura. 



Mk. John Lee, f.r.g.s., suggested that the Government should send some 

 steamers up the river to make a proper survey, and obtain statistical informa- 

 tion as to the productions of the country. An expedition of this nature was 

 not likely to be carried out by private enterprise. 



The President replied that this was the course proposed by Admiral Elliot. 

 The object of his communication was to have the subject properly discussed, 

 and if considered desirable, that the Council of the Geographical Society should 

 recommend the plan to Her Majesty's Government. He should like to hear 

 the opinions of commercial gentlemen on the subject, and he thought it for- 

 tunate that they had present a gentleman of Colonel O'Connor's information 

 to justify the application of Sir Charles Elliot. 



2. Account of the Search for the North- Australian Exploring Expedition 

 under Mr. A. C. Gregory. By Lieut. W. Chimmo, r.n., f.r.g.s. 



Bead, Jan. 12, 1857. 



From accounts received from Sydney, N.S. Wales, in February 1856, 

 tlie Secretary of State for the Colonies had serious apprehensions 

 for the safety of the North Australian Expedition ; and having 

 applied to the Admiralty for an officer to lead a searching party, I 

 was selected for this mission, and with two hours' notice to prepare, 

 embarked in the ' Koyal Charter,* which was on the point of sailing 

 for Melbourne, and made the passage — one of the quickest on record 

 ■ — in 59 days and 6 hours.* 



On arrival at Sydney, a delay of two months occurred. I remained 

 waiting instructions from the 19th of April to the 1 8th of June. After 

 the searching party was collected and organized, I received instruc- 

 tions from his Excellency the Governor General to proceed in the 

 * Torch,' which had been chartered from her new owners, " First, to 

 the Albert Eiver, whence, after making a minute search, and feeling 

 satisfied that they had not yet arrived there, to proceed secmdly, 

 to the Victoria Eiver and render every assistance that their con- 

 dition required." 



On June 24th, 1856, the ' Torch ' left Newcastle, after having been 



* Lieut. Chimmo had just returned from Australia, where he had been em- 

 ployed in the 'Torch' steamer in surveying the coasts. — Ed. 



