176 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



all of whom were anxious to submit to the Congress 

 complete and accurate plans. So that as soon as the 

 proposed congress was announced, two companies 

 were formed for making fresh expeditions, one of 

 which visited Nicaragua, following the original route of 

 Thome de Gamond and Blanchet, while the other, 

 under the conduct of General Tiirr, explored the 

 more southern regions of Darien and Panama, march- 

 ing in the steps of Garella, Lacharine, and Selfridge. 

 The three years between 1875 and 1879 were fruitful 

 in active researches and energetically conducted ex- 

 ploration. At the same date the expeditions set on 

 foot by the United States were brought to a conclu- 

 sion, and the able officers in command, Collins, Hull, 

 Shufeldt, and especially Selfridge and Menocal, had 

 left no part of the isthmus unexplored, while the 

 documents which they brought back with them were 

 calculated to facilitate the labours of the Congress 

 very materially. 



"When the time arrived, and all the details relating 

 to the recent expeditions were in my possession, I 

 summoned the Congress, applying to all the savants, 

 engineers, and sailors of the Old and New World, as 

 well as to the chambers of commerce and the geo- 

 graphical societies, whom I asked to appoint dele- 

 gates. 



Few assemblies have included so many illustrious 

 names as this great tribunal, which consisted of the 

 leading representatives of science, politics, and indus- 



