[hay] THESCIENTIFIC WORKOF prof. HARTT 1S9 



" But the greatest source of our inspiration lay in the fact that our 

 teacher carried on his private work in our presence. His industry, 

 patience and devotion served us as an example ; his enthusiasm aroused 

 us — we seemed to share with him his labour. Research, investigation, 

 tliey had for us a different meaning now — had we not seen the trutli 

 seeker as he unravelled nature's s.ecrets ? Manuscripts, drawings, 

 publications, conversations in the brief intervals of rest, — all kept the 

 youthful mind in a glow of healthful excitement, and soon under his 

 fostering care, some of the advanced and special students began the pre- 

 paration of original papers. . . . That keenness of insight which 

 guided him, that quality of insight so essential to an original investi- 

 gator, he expected to be developed by the very nature of the task under- 

 taken. Were it otherwise, the first requisite of a scientific life was 

 wanting." 



Such were the methods and such were the esteem and confidence 

 inspired by Hartt's personality that to-day widely scattered over the 

 continent there are men in educational and scientific pursuit^ who owe 

 much to his guidance and sympathetic teaching. Among these may be 

 mentioned, Mr. Orville A. Derby, the present director of the Geological 

 Siirvey of Brazil ; Dr. J. C. Branner, president of Leland Stanford 

 University of California ; Mr. Eichard Eathbun, assistant secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, Washington ; Dr. Theo. B. Comstock, 

 lately president of the University of Arizona ; Hon. W. F. E. Gurley, 

 Slate geologist of Illinois ; Dr. F. W. Simonds, of the University of 

 Texas, and others. Many of these were associated with Hartt in his 

 Brazilian work, of which I shall now speak more in detail.^ 



Hartt's interest in Brazil began with the Thayer expedition, which 

 Mas sent to that country in 1865 under the leadership of Prof. Agassiz, 

 to make scientific explorations. Hartt was appointed one of the geolo- 

 gi:-ts. So strongly was he impressed with the conditions which that 

 countr}^ afforded as a field for investigation, that he made a second visit 

 on his own account in 1867, and he finally decided to give up everything 

 else and devote himself to scientific work there. The results of these 

 two journeys to Brazil were incorporated in a large octavo volume of 

 ever 600 pages, entitled, " The Geology and Physical Geography of 

 Brazil."2 



1 For much of this as well as other material made use of in the present sketch, I 

 am indebted to the publications and letters of Dr. Branner, Dr. Simonds, Dr. G. F 

 Matthen-, SirWm. Dawson, Profs. Nilesand Putnam, of Cambridgt\ and Prof. D. S. 

 Martin. I am especially under obligations to Mr. Rathbun, who recently told me 

 many reminiscences of his association with Hartt in Brazil, and to Mr. Orville A. 

 Derbj', who by his letters has given me results of receiit work in that country. 



- Unfortunately this book is extremely rare and likely to remain so, as the plate 

 whic'i ci-nc into possession of Houghton, MifHhi & Co., of Boston, were destroyed 

 two years ago. 



