THE CONGO EXPEDITION 



OF 



THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 

 By Hexry Fairfield Osborn 



This expedition was planned with the cordial cooperation of the 

 Belgian Government, and it seems appropriate to introduce the 

 series of American Museum publications with a resume of previous 

 exploration and with a brief account of the large and important scientific 

 work which has been accomplished under the auspices of the Belgian 

 Government, as well as with a reference to the expeditions by explorers 

 under other flags. 



RESUME OF PREVIOUS EXPLORATION AND PUBLICATION 1 

 Earlier Period (1816-1890) 



The scientific exploration of the Congo Basin dates from Captain 

 J. K. Tuckey's ill-fated expedition to the mouth of the River Congo in 

 1816; most of the members of his party, including the botanist, Christian 

 Smith, died of disease shortly after their arrival in Africa. The meagre 

 results of this first attempt were chiefly botanical. 



During the next sixty years progress was very slow, although it 

 was a period of active geographical exploration, with which the following 

 names are identified: R. F. Burton (1862-1863); G. Schweinfurth 

 (1870); J. Monteiro (1873); the German Loango Expedition (P. 

 Gussfeldt, H. Soyaux, E. Pechuel-Loesche, Bastian, 1873-1876); Fr. 

 Naumann (1874); V. Lovett Cameron (1874); Pogge (1875-1884); 

 W. Junker (1876-1883); H. M. Stanley (1876-1888); M. Buchner 

 (1878-1880); A. von Mechow and E. Teusz (1880); H. von Wissmann 

 (1880-1884); R. Bohm and P. Reichard (1880-1884); Casati (1880- 

 1889); H. Johnston (1882-1883); Emin Pasha (1883); H. Capello and 

 R. Ivens (1884); R. Buttner (1884-1886); and Emin Pasha and Fr. 

 Stuhlmann (1890-1891). Owing to the material difficulties encountered 

 at that time, data of scientific value could be gathered only incidentally, 

 so that in 1890 our knowledge of the Congo Basin, its inhabitants and 

 natural productions was still slight. 



This resumt' was prepared at the request of President, Osborn by Dr. Joseph Bequaert, January 2. 

 1919. 



