Memoir of William Maclure. 3 



however, as a merchant, but in the capacity of a public function- 

 ary ; for Mr. Machire was at this time appointed a commissioner 

 to settle the claims of American citizens on the government of 

 France, for spoliations committed during the revolution in that 

 country. In this arduous and responsible trust Mr. MacUire was 

 associated with two colleagues, John Fenton Mercer and Cox 

 Barnet, Esqs. ; and by the ability and diligence of this commis- 

 sion, the object of their appointment was accomplished to general 

 satisfaction. 



During the few years which Mr. Maclure passed on the Conti- 

 nent in attention to these concerns, he took occasion to visit many- 

 parts of Europe for the purpose of collecting objects in natural 

 history, and forwarding them to the United States — which from 

 his boyhood had been to him the land of promise, and subse- 

 quently his adopted country. With this design Tie traversed the 

 most interesting portions of the old world, from the Mediterra- 

 nean Sea to the Baltic, and from the British islands to Bohemia, 

 Geology had become the engrossing study of his mind ; and he 

 pursued it with an enthusiasm and success to which time, toil 

 and distance presented but temporary obstacles. 



Instructed by these researches, Mr. Maclure was prepared, on 

 his return to the United States, to commence a most important 

 scientific enterprise, and one which he had long contemplated as 

 the great object of his ambition, viz. a geological survey of the 

 United States. 



In this extraordinary undertaking we have a forcible example 

 of what individual effort can accomplish, unsustained by govern- 

 ment patronage, and unassisted by collateral aids. At a time 

 when scientific pursuits were little known and still less apprecia- 

 ted in this country, he commenced his herculean task. He went 

 forth with his hammer in his hand and his wallet on his shoulder, 

 pursuing his researches in every direction, often amid pathless 

 tracts and dreary solitudes, until he had crossed and recrossed 

 the Alleghany mountains no less than fifty times. He encoun- 

 tered all the privations of hunger, thirst, fatigue and exposure, 

 month after month, year after year, until his indomitable spirit 

 had conquered every difficulty, and crowned his enterprise with 

 success. 



Mr. Maclure's observations were made in almost every state 

 and territory in the Union, from the river St. Lawrence to the 



