10 



Among the many friends of science, both of high and low degree, no one 

 had shown more interest in the progress of the Museum than Dom Pedro 

 the Second, the present Emperor of Brazil. His Majesty had caused 

 to be made for the Museum a large collection of the fresh-water fishes 

 of the vicinity of Rio Janeiro, most interesting in themselves, and 

 especially so to Professor Agassiz, as part of them were among the first 

 objects which attracted his attention in the earliest years of his scien- 

 tific pursuits, when, as a young man, he had been selected by the 

 naturalist Martius to describe the fishes brought back by Spix and 

 Martius from their celebrated journey to Brazil, undertaken in 1817-20, 

 on the occasion of the marriage of Dom Pedro the First. 



For a long time Professor Agassiz had wished to visit Brazil on a 

 scientific expedition ; but to do this effectually he would require a corps 

 of trained assistants, and large means both for the expenses of travel- 

 ling and for preserving the collections made on the way, and he saw no 

 possibility of providing for such an undertaking. The excursion would 

 be a delightful one, but, single-handed and without sufficient means, he 

 could make but little use of the opportunities which were before him. 



While he was pondering over his difficulties he met Mr. Nathaniel 

 Thayer, of Boston, who had always been a most generous friend of the 

 Museum, and he immediately introduced the subject, asking Professor 

 Agassiz what he should require to make the proposed journey accord- 

 ing to his wishes. On learning the Professor's views on the subject 

 he said : " Take six assistants with you, and I will be responsible for 

 all their expenses." It may be added that 



THE THAYER EXPEDITION TO BRAZIL 



proved longer and much more costly than was at first anticipated, and 

 Mr. Thayer not only provided for all the expenses, both personal and 

 scientific, of these six assistants, but until the last specimen was stored 

 in the Museum he continued to advance whatever sums were needed 

 for the expedition. 



Mr. Allen McLane, President of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com- 

 pany, on hearing of Professor Agassiz's wish to visit Brazil, had invited 

 Mrs. Agassiz and himself to make the voyage on board the steamship 

 Colorado. On learning that the plan had taken the form of a scientific 

 expedition, he at once enlarged his hospitality to suit the case, and 

 offered to the whole party, now consisting of sixteen persons, free pas- 

 sage on board the magnificent steamer just then starting for the Pacific 

 Coast. The invitation was most gratefully accepted. They arrived in 



