BERTHOLD SEEMANN. 5 
From this period the force of circumstances took Seemann more and 
more away from botanical and scientific work. In 1864 some French 
and Dutch capitalists availed themselves of his practical experience and 
intimate knowledge of tropical countries, to report on the resources and 
capabilities of a portion of the territory of Venezuela. He left Southamp- 
ton on the 2nd of February, and reached Caracas towards the end of the 
same month; thence proceeded to Porto Cabello, — a 
Toeuyo, and returned to Europe vid Curacao and St. 
this expedition he had the good fortune to discover, on cis banks of the 
Tocuyo, extensive beds of anthracite, closely resembling Welsh steam coal 
in appearance, and valued in London at thirty ilios per ton. 
Dr. Seemann was, however, elected in 1865 Hosen Secretary to the 
International Botanical Congress, which was held next year in London 
under the presidency of A. De Candolle; but after devoting himself for 
some months to the duties of his office, he was reluctantly obliged to 
tender his resignation, and again to leave England to explore with his 
former fellow-traveller, Captain Bedford Pim, New Segovia, and other 
parts of Nicaragua for the Central American Association. He left 
England in March, 1866, and returned in August with several new 
plants, which were considerably increased in number during his second 
visit in the following year. Several interesting letters of Dr. Seemann's 
from Nicaragua appeared at this time in the ‘Athenzeum;’ these were 
republished in 1869 with great additions and new material (some of 
which had, however, appeare ed in the * Panama Star and Herald’), and 
some chapters by Captain Pim, in * Dottings on the Roadside in Panama, 
Nicaragua and Mosquito. One result of these explorations was the 
purchase by some English capitalists of the Javali gold mine, in the dis- 
trict of Chontales, Nicaragua, fe = company were so fortunate as to 
secure Dr. Seemann’s services as naging director. This was most 
beneficial to the mine, but s -- has been stow to science. 
For the last three years of his life, the necessary long and frequent 
absences from England and attention to business teftes isolated Dr. 
Seemann, and, to his often-expressed regret, greatly interfered with bota- 
€ icis Besides the Javali mine, Dr. Seemann had the management of 
estate near Panama. Still his friends, and he himself, hoped 
dat "m this was but temporary, and that when the mine had got into 
thoroughly good order, leisure and opportunity would be found for his 
return to scientific research. 
Dr. Seemann started last summer for Nicaragua with some misgivings, 
having suffered severely from fever on his last previous visit. He, how- 
ever, reached Javali at the end of July, after a rough journey through the 
swamps, in good health, but in the middle of September was siei with 
fever. From this he never rallied; his death, which happened after 
_ three weeks’ illness, on October 10th, was somewhat sudden, and under 
cireumstances which pointed towards some cardiac complication. The 
