American Bee Journal 04

Journey back to 1867 with Across the Continent of South America, a captivating account of a groundbreaking scientific expedition that traversed the breathtaking equatorial Andes and the lush Amazon rainforest. This remarkable adventure took the explorers from Guayaquil to Quito, across rugged mountain ranges, through dense forests to Napo, and finally along the Rio Napo to Pebas on the Maranon. Under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute, the team not only documented their travels but also collected a wealth of rock and plant samples, numerous animal specimens, and compiled local vocabulary while creating a new map of equatorial America. James Orton (1830 - 1877), a Professor of Natural History at Vassar College and a corresponding member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, led this extraordinary expedition. (Summary by Availle, from the Preface)