Thayer
Expedition to Brazil, 1865- 1866Thayer
Expedition to Brazil, 1865- 1866
departed
New York, 2 April 1865 (Dick, 1977:2 states the departure as from
Boston)
returned
2 July 1866
Ill health and a general desire for a change of scenery prompted Agassiz to look for some opportunity for a vacation that might afford a scientific opportunity as well. The following excerpt is from the preface to A Journey in Brazil, the popular narrative of the expedition:
In the winter of 1865 it became necessary for me, on account of some disturbace of my health, to seek a change of scene and climate, with rest from work.... Toward Brazil I was drawn by a lifelong desire... as a mere vacation it had little charm for me. I could not forget that, had I only the necessary means, I might make collections on this journey which, whenever our building could be so enlarged as to give room for their exhibition, would place the Museum in Cambridge on a level with the first institutions of the kind. While I was brooding over these thoughts I chanced to meet Mr. Nathaniel Thayer, whom I have ever found a generous friend to science. The idea of appealing to him for a scheme of this magnitude had not, however, occurred to me; but he introduced the subject, and, after expressing his interest in my proposed journey, added, "You wish, of course, to give it a scientific character; take six assistants with you, and I will be responsible for all their expenses, personal and scientific."
Thus, Agassiz found a ready patron who would be called upon time and again for additional financial support for the expedition, and for the expenses of shipping and curating the resulting enormous collections.
See References for specifics. Background and detail on the collecting stations of the Thayer Expedition is provided by Dick (1977), updated and corrected by Higuchi. Notes on the narrative & itinerary are taken from Agassiz (1868). The station and field numbering scheme follows Higuchi and in use by MCZ.
The group left New York on April 1, 1865 on the S.S. Colorado of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, provided with free passage since the ship, bound for San Francisco via Cape Horn, was empty of passengers. Agassiz lectured to the cast en route, arriving Rio de Janeiro 23 April, 1865. The initial weeks were spent in the company of dignitaries and government officials, including Emporer Dom Pedro II who had a keen interest in natural history. Agassiz also gave several lectures on natural history and remarked on the attentive audiences in Rio, who were not accustomed to such public scientific lectures. The team divided into three groups, the first (St. John, Allen, Ward, and Sceva), travelled to the interior, the second (Hartt & Copeland) travelled east to explore the coast between the Rio Paraiba do Sul and Bahia, the third (Agassiz & remainder) left 21 April for Minas Gerais. The latter two groups were to explore the region between Rio de Janeiro and the Amazon via the Rio São Francisco and Rio Tocantins. The Agassizs spent the next several weeks making small excursions in the vicinity of Rio and the Rio Paraiba do Sul.
June 22 Agassiz visted the fazenda of Senhor Lage at Juiz de Flora, where they waited for a steamship to take them to Para. In the interim, they visited several neighboring fazendas. By this time, the group had already collected 50 barrels and cases of specimens, readied for shipment. Left July 25 aboard the "Cruzeiro do Sul" for Para; joined by Major Coutinho (military engineer) and D. Bourget (French naturalist residing in Rio). Arrived Bahia July 28, Pernambuco July 31, Ceara August 4, Para August 11.
August 20 departed Pará (Belém) for Manaus, travelled up the Amazon aboard the "Icamiaba". Joined by Mr. Talisman, an officer of the Amazonian Steamship Company. Visited Breves Aug. 21, wrote of 20 species of "forest fishes", 15 undescribed, that had been collected in the preceeding 2 days. On the Xingu August 23, wrote of obtaining 27 species at Gurupá and 57 at Porto do Moz; 84 in 12 hours, of which 51 were undescribed. Off Santarém August 26, made preparations for Dexter, James & Talisman to explore the Tapajos, while Bourget & Hunnewell remained in Santarém. Agassiz, Burkhardt, Thayer & Coutinho continued for Villa Bella (Obydos), arriving August 27 and collecting in the vicinity until August 30. Agassiz wrote of the time spent in the vicinity of Villa Bella with their indian hosts, observing their method for preparing mandioca, and their cordial friendliness. One host, named Laudigári, was "amused at the value that Mr. Agassiz attaches to the fishes, especially the little ones, which appear to him only fit to throw away."
After resting in Manaus 4-11 September, rejoined by Dexter, James & Talisman, repacking the collections made since Pará. Wrote of 180 species collected during the past week, two-thirds of which were new, with Dexter, James & Talisman adding 50 additional species from the Tapajos. Remarked that after "...having ascended the Amazons for one third of its course, the number of fishes is more than triple that of all the species known thus far, and I begin to perceive that we shall not do more than skim over the surface of the centre of this great basin."
In the Journey, Agassiz describes the daily regimen aboard the steamer as they proceed at a leisurely pace up the Amazon toward Tabatinga:
We turn out of our hammocks at dawn, go down stairs to make our toilets, and have a cup of hot coffee below. By this time the decks are generally washed and dried, the hammocks removed, and we can go above again. Between then and the breakfast hour, at half past ten o'clock, I generally study Portuguese, though my lessons are somewhat interrupted by watching the shore and the trees, a constant temptation when we are coasting along near the banks. At half past ten or eleven o'clock, breakfast is served, and after that the glare of the sun becomes trying, and I usually descend to the cabin, where we make up our journals, and write during the middle of the day. At three o'clock I consider that the working hours are over, and then I take a book and sit in my lounging- chair on deck, and watch the scenery, and the birds and the turtles, and the alligators if there are any, and am lazy in a general way. At five o'clock dinner is served, (the meals being always on deck,) and after that begins the delight of the day. At that hour it grows deliciously cool, the sunsets are always beautiful, and we go to the forward deck and sit there till nine o'clock in the evening. Then comes tea, and then to our hammocks; I sleep in mine profoundly till morning".
Visited Cudajas on the 12th, Coari on the 13th, Teffé on the 14th, Fonte Boa on the 15th, São Paulo de Olivença on the 17th. James & Talisman left to explore the Rio Iça, the remainder continued on to Tabatinga, where Bourget remained for one month. Agassiz & party returned to Teffé and remained until 22 October. On 22 September, in a letter to Milne Edwards, Agassiz writes:
Here I have been for two months in the basin of the Amazons, and it is here that I have heard with sorrow of the death of my old friend Valenciennes. I am the more affected by it, because no one would have appreciated more than he the results of my journey, which I had hoped soon to share with him.
James & Talisman rejoined the party at Teffé on October 17, Bourget on the 22nd,and Agassiz remarked that, with their collections from the Iça, they now had over 600 species. Reached Manaus on 23 October.
The group remained in Manaus for several weeks while waiting for supplies of ethanol, expected by steamer from Belém. This extended stay was also necessitated by the fact that several of the crew of the "Ibicuhy" were taken to Belém to guard unruly conscripts forced to join the war effort against the Paraguayans (the war of the triple alliance between Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay). During this time, Agassiz, Coutinho, Burkhardt, Dexter & James collected Lago Hyanuary (THAYER038-040). Dexter & Talisman left for six weeks to explore the Rio Negro and Rio Branco, Thayer & Bourget went to Lago Cudajas (THAYER024) for 10 days, and James went to Manacapuru (THAYER060) for 10 days, bringing "the number of Amazonian species up to something over thirteen hundred". December 10-21 the Agassizes, Coutinho, and Burkhardt left Manaus for an exploration of Mauhes and environs, a network of rivers, lakes and islands surrounding the Tupinambaranas island.
Left 26 December aboard the "Ibicuhy", arriving 28 December at Pedreira. Agassiz writes of the numerous household pests one must become accustomed to, including an encounter with a foot- long centipede. Returned to Manaus on December 31, after the Ibicuhy pilot refused Agassiz's request to proceed farther up the Negro to the mouth of the Rio Branco because of the many hazards of the river at Pedreiras.
Left Manaus 12 January, writing of the "river rafts" of floating vegetation seen travelling down river, and stories of the many different animals reportedly observed riding them. Arrived at Villa Bella January 17, Obydos January 21, Santarém Jan. 22. Agassiz reflected on the gift of the Christ statue to the church of Santarém by Martius, in gratitude after his narrow escape from death in a shipwreck off Santarém. Explored the Serra d'Ereré with Coutinho. Left Monte Alegre January 30, reaching Porto do Moz on the Xingu February 1, and Belém on February 4. The Agassizes remained and explored in the general vicinity of Belém until March 26, in part because of exhaustion.
On the return trip to Rio, the party stopped at Ceará, Maranhão, Pacatuba and the Serra da Aratanha, and Pernambuco. At Arancho, Agassiz described the modest accomodations one expects in the interior, when sharing supper for his local host and family,
I presently heard a loud gobbling close by my side; and, looking down, saw by the half-light a black pig feeding at a little table with the two children, assisted also by the dog and the cat.
The next challenge was to find a space to sling the hammock and sleep, as there were only two rooms for several adults and children, with Mrs. Agassiz, the Senhora, and the small children occupying one of them.
Supper over, I proposed to go to the common sleeping apartment, preferring to be in advance of my companions. It was a litle room, some ten feet square, behind the one where we had been received, and without any window.... Once ensconced in my hammock I began to watch the arrival of my room-mates with some curiosity. First entered a yound girl and her little sister, who stowed themselves away in one of the beds; then came the servant-maid and hung herself up in her hammock in a corner; and lastly arrived the landlady, who took possession of the other bed, and completed the charms of the scene by lighting her pipe to have a quiet smoke before she went to sleep. I cannot say the situation was favorable to rest... however I changed my position in the hammock, it rained into my face; fleas were abundant; the silence was occasionally broken by the crying of the children, or the grunting of the pig at the door, and for my part I was very glad when five o'clock called us all to get up...
In Rio, the group packed collections for shipment to Cambridge from 25 April to 2 July. Burkhardt, Hartt, Copeland, Dexter, James, Hunnewell and Thayer returned to the U.S. on 2 July.
The remaining members of the party (except the Agassizes) were to reach the Amazon and then the Atlantic by way of the São Francisco and Tocantins, leaving Rio de Janeiro June 9. St. John and Allen travelled by canoe down the Rio das Velhas to the São Francisco, reaching Januária 9 September and remaining until 19 September [by the way, if you're ever in Januária, I recommend the Hotel Januária and their Churrasco do Surubim :-)]. Allen took the material thus far collected back to Bahia, while St. John continued alone to Therezina and Caixas, and Maranhão, before returning to Belém.
Ward left the group at Barbacena to explore the Rios Docé and Jequitinhonha, west to the Rio São Francisco at Januária, the northward to the Rio Tocantins. Ward returned to the U.S. from Belém.
After their early separations from the party in Rio, Hartt and Copeland went to Nova Almeida before returning to Rio after running out of funds. They explore around Rio, then travelled north along the coast to Bahia.
Last modified:
8.xii.97
Scott A. Schaefer schaefer@amnh.org