78 MEMOIR OF 



attention has been devoted to the state of the native 

 tribes ; and as we may gather from various passages 

 in the foregoing extract, a deep interest was felt in 

 whatever would tend to improve their moral condi- 

 tion. Mr. Schomburgk has the satisfastion of think- 

 ing that he again returns to Guiana, after having 

 successfully directed the attention of the British 

 public to the state of the aborigines in one of her 

 most fertile colonies. The destruction of the mis- 

 sionary settlement by the Brazilians, and the desti- 

 tute condition in which most of the native tribes 

 have been seen to be at present existing, together 

 with their apparent willingness and ability to re- 

 ceive and comprehend the instructions of the mis- 

 sionaries, have induced our government to investigate 

 the subject, and it was brought under the notice of 

 parliament in March last, when a survey of the 

 boundaries was determined upon, and under the 

 sanction of a royal commission, Mr. Schomburgk 

 has been selected again to superintend and command 

 an expedition to Guiana. A liberal salary has been 

 granted, draftsmen and an assistant surveyor have 

 been added to the party, chronometers and other 

 instruments have been furnished from the best 

 makers in England, and ere these pages shall have 

 been printed, the party will have crossed the ocean 

 and entered upon their arduous but most interesting 

 pursuits. May success attend their exertions, and 

 may the Indian as well as European reap the 

 advantages accruing from the patronage of our 



