Charles Frederick Hartt. 
13 
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 Eathbun. 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 1874 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 Eio de 
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 1875 with Prof. Hartt as chief, and 
the following assistants E. F. de Jordao, Engineer, O. A. 
Derby and Eichard Eathbun, Assistant Geologists and F. 
G. de Freitas, “ Particante.” Mr. John Branner, now in 
charge ^ of the geological survey of Arkansas, was soon 
