2 TlMEHRI. 



been born on the 5th of June 1804, at Freiburg, in 

 Saxonv. Having been unsuccessful as a tobacco planter 

 in Virginia he proceeded to the West Indies in 1830 and 

 surveyed the island of Anegada, his report of whic" 

 brought him to the notice of the Geographical Society. 

 Writing in 1834, Dr. \Y. J. HOOKER spoke of him as a 

 very accomplished naturalist, favourably known to 

 science by an interesting history of Anegada, and to the 

 Botanist still more favourably, by his excellent obser- 

 vations on the cultivated plants of the West Indies, 

 lately published in " Linnea". 



Considerable interest was felt in SCHOMBL'RGK'S ex- 

 pedition by naturalists generally. HOOKER trusted 

 •' that the Atlantic side of South America would soon 

 be better known to Botanists by the researches of Mr* 

 SCHOMBURGK, who had offered his services to explore 

 the banks of the Orinoco, ami it was hoped that he 

 would shortly embark from Tortola for that interesting 

 country. "* 



His instructions from the Secretary of the Society 

 were dated November 19th 1834. The expedition was 

 to have two distinct objects ; first, thoroughly to in- 

 vestigate the physical and astronomical geography of 

 British Guiana, and, secondly, to con net! the positions 

 thus ascertained with those of HUMBOLDT on the Upper 

 Orinoco. The two undertakings were to occupy three 

 years, the second objeclto be commenced after the com- 

 pletion of the first. Towards the expenses the Society 

 contributed £900. He was directed to proceed to 

 Demerara, where he would receive further instruc- 

 t ions from the Go vernor, Sir James CaRMICHAEL SMYTH 



* Hooker's |our. Hor. I. 179, 



