1088 Transactions of the American Institute. 



call the attention of tlie men, theoretical as well as practical, that he 

 saw around him. He came to them as the representative, in an 

 humble way, of a class who needed their instruction and aid in the 

 common, grand purpose of increasing and diffusing knowledge. The 

 traveler and explorer understands that he cannot adequately do his 

 work, in this second decade of the last half of the nineteenth century, 

 without the assistance of the photograph. Travelers' tales become 

 travelers' truths, when the camera and lens are brought to their 

 illustration and indication. Every drawing is liable to impeachment. 

 A description may be more or less clear, or more or less exaggerated. 

 But photography paints its own picture through the subtle pencil of 

 the most glorious object of creation, which has ever been the accepted 

 symbol of that Divinity whose essence is Truth. 



He had gladly accepted a mission to the government of Peru some 

 years ago, not alone in the hope of being able to adjust the differ- 

 ences long existing and much aggravated, between the United States 

 and that Republic, but with the hope, also, of illustrating the monu- 

 ments of the most interesting, and, in many respects, the most 

 advanced of all the aboriginal empires of this continent. He had 

 been educated as an engineer, and could make plans " as well as the 

 next man ;" had edited newspapers, and written books with moderate 

 success ; felt, no doubt, he raiglit tell his story in an intelligible 

 manner ; could draw a horse so well, that he had never (but once), 

 had his picture mistaken for that of a rabbit ; but felt that the 

 requirements of modern science and modern research could not be 

 met without the aid of the unerring photograph. 



So, when he was prepared to leave Lima for the Andes and the 

 Amazon, his lirst care was to engage a photographer, as much as 

 possible for the glory of the enterprize, and as little as possible for 

 the sordid consideration of money. And he might here mention the 

 novel fact that travelers are never overburdened with money. There 

 never was a traveler, that he knew of, by the name of Astor, or 

 Girard, or Stewart. Well, he found photographers in plenty ; but 

 why 'it should happen that gentlemen of that persuasion (he was 

 speaking of those outside of the United States) should necessarily be 

 spiritualists and corn-doctors, and inordinately addicted to strong 

 drinks, he could not understand. That they were generally so, a 

 decent regard for truth compelled him to confess. 



He would say nothing of tlie two months spent in preparation. 

 How he bought out all the apothecaries in Lima and Callao ; exhausted 



