Charles Frederick Hartt. 123 



where he remained two years and a half, giving all the 

 time he could spare from his college duties to working up 

 the results of his two Amazonian trips, with the aid of his 

 two assistants, Orville A. Derby and Eichard Rathbun. His 

 reports were published as soon as finished, in the journals 

 of several scientific societies. During this time he also 

 gave popular lectures on Brazil in New York, Boston and 

 Syracuse. 



But Professor Hartt was unable to continue long in this 

 state of comparative quietude. In bringing together the 

 result of his several trips to South America, with the object 

 of explaining the geology of all Brazil, he saw how meagre 

 were his data for this purpose, notwithstanding all that he 

 and others had recently done toward elucidating the struc- 

 ture of this vast region. He wished to extend his researches 

 and conceived the idea of organizing a survey of the whole 

 Brazilian Empire, which has an area scarcely less than that 

 of the United States. There was only one way of accom- 

 plishing such an undertaking; it must be supported by the 

 government. Hartt ventured to bring the matter before 

 some of his Brazilian friends, and his ideas met with such 

 favour that in 18*74 he received an unofficial invitation from 

 the Brazilian minister of Agriculture, to submit a proposi- 

 tion for the systematic geological exploration of the Empire. 

 In August of the same year, he accordingly went to Rio do 

 Janeiro for the purpose of formally presenting his plans. 

 Upon arriving at that city he was received with almost as 

 much enthusiasm as was Prof. Agassiz nearly ten years 

 earlier. His thorough acquaintance with the language of 

 the country enabled him to communicate freely with the 

 people, and he soon found himself encircled with friends, 

 who gladly gave their influence in advancing his plans. 



A Geological Commission of the Empire of Brazil was or- 

 ganized on the 1st May 18*75 with Prof. Hartt as chief, and 

 the following assistants E. F. de Jordao, Engineer, O. A. 

 Derby and Richard Rathbun, Assistant Geologists and F. 

 G. de Freitas, " Particante." Mr. John Branner, now in 

 charge of the geological survey of Arkansas, was soon 



