• Heinrich Barth and his work with the Central African Mission (1849-1855)
• John Hanning Speke and the search for the source of the Nile (1857-1863)
• Robert O'Hara Burke and his crossing of Australia (1860-1861)
• Francis Garnier and the Mekong River Expedition (1866-1868), the travels of Commander Doudart de Lagrée and the expeditions of Henri Mouhot (1826-1861) one of the first Westerners to visit Angkor
• Nikolai Przhevalsky, remembered for the wild horses named after him, whose expeditions led to a far greater understanding of Central Asia (1871-1888)
• Charles Doughty and his memorable travels in "Arabia Deserta" (1876-1878)
• The Swedish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and the North East Passage (1878-1879)
• Francis Younghusband (1863-1942) and his work in Tibet
• Mary Kingsley and her explorations in West Africa (1893-1895)

Scientific Expeditions    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

Scientific Expeditions    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

... We had with us a Daguerreotype apparatus, the best that could be procured in New-York, with which, immediately on our arrival at Uxmal, Mr. Catherwood began taking views; but the results were not sufficiently perfect to suit his ideas. At times the projecting cornices and ornaments threw parts of the subject in shade, while others were in broad sunshine; so that, while parts were brought out well, other parts required pencil drawings to supply their defects. They gave a general idea of the character of the buildings, but would not do to put into the hands of the engraver without copying the views on paper, and introducing the defective parts, which would require more labour than that of making at once complete original drawings. He therefore completed everything with his pencil and camera lucida, while Doctor Cabot and myself took up the Daguerreotype; and, in order to ensure the utmost accuracy, the Daguerreotype views were placed with the drawings in the hands of the engravers for their guidance.

Incidents of Travel In Yucatan. By John L. Stephens, author of "Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petra, and the Holy Land," "Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan," etc. Illustrated by 120 Engravings. Two vols., 8vo. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1843. We are indebted to the publishers at New York for a copy of this work. Its form is much like that of the ''Incidents of Travel in Central America." The author, with Mr. Catherwood, proceeded to his second examination of the ruina of Yucatan well prepared lo explore, examine, and prepare full and accurate reports of American antiquities. In accordance with this preparation, Mr. Stephens visited forty-four ruined cities; some of them were almost unknown to the citizens of the capital, and had probably never been visited by the white inhabitants. The engravings in these volumes are the finest of their kind. They are from Daguerreotype views, and of course are accurate, and must render all the aid that could possibly be derived from pictorial representations of the objects described. They add inconceivably to the interest, as well as to the value of the work. Probably no traveler of modern times excels Mr. Stephens in accuracy of observation, or in the felicity of his descriptions. His journals have all the interest of the most exciting novels. He can clothe the most common incidents of a journey in a garb which renders them romantically, humorously, or instructively entertaining. Those who have read his former ''Incidents of Travel," in the east and in the west, will need no recommendation of this new work.
 
On sale at the Cincinnati Book Concern.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 14, 1860 - Order to be printed
Mr. Hale made the following
REPORT.
[To accompany Bill S. 286.]
 
The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the petition of Eliphalet Brown, jr., asking for compensation for services rendered as an artist in the Japan expedition, have had the same under consideration, and ask leave to submit the following report:
 
The authority to employ artists for the Japan expedition was not directly conferred by Congress on the department having charge of it. As the employment of artists was so very essential to the success of an expedition like that in charge of Commodore Perry, the failure on the part of Congress to confer the authority may be safely charged to inadvertence rather than design. Commodore Perry foresaw what he supposed must be the evil results of this inadvertency, and engaged artists to join the expedition. They were enlisted as master's mates, with the understanding and expectation that they would seek a suitable compensation from Congress after the return of the expedition.
 
It appears from the rolls on file in the Treasury Department, that Mr. Brown served as master's mate on board the several vessels of the Japan expedition from the 24th of March, 1852, to the 15th of December, 1854, two years, eight months, and twenty-two days, for the insufficient sum of $300 per annum. He was the daguerreotypist of the expedition, as well as draughtsman, &c., and to him the country is undoubtedly largely indebted for much of the accurate delineations of the inhabitants, costumes, buildings, landscapes, &c., of that remarkable and heretofore almost unknown people and country.
 
Besides being employed in various ways on shipboard and on shore, in different artistic employment, he provided himself with all the apparatus necessary to the daguerreotypist, and took over four hundred pictures, all of which became the property of the government, and many of which were used in illustrating Commodore Perry's work on the expedition.
 
Commodore Perry, in a letter dated February 19, 1857, says: "I take pleasure in stating that Mr. E. Brown was employed as one of the artists of the naval expedition to Japan, and executed his work with talent and skill, and to my entire satisfaction."
 
As Mr. Brown left a profitable business, and joined the expedition on invitation of those having charge thereof, trusting to the equity of his country for only a just remuneration, your committee report a bill granting him a compensation at the rate of $1,500 per annum, for his entire services as artist and master's mate while attached to and engaged in the expedition.

"I beg to present a report on the geology and general resources of the region explored in 1893 and 1894, embraced in an area of about 200,000 square miles, lying north of the 59th parallel of latitude, and west of Hudson Bay. The explorations include the examination and survey of Telzoa or Doobaunt, Kazan, Ferguson, Chipman and Cochrane Rivers, Chesterfield Inlet, and the east coast of Hudson Bay from Chesterfield Inlet to Churchill, and two overland routes, traveled in winter with dog-teams and sledges, between Churchill and Nelson Rivers" (J.B. Tyrrell 1897:11/2).

M. Auguste Bisson, the well-known Alpine photographer, has recently put into execution a project which has occupied his thoughts for some years past. This is no less than the ascent of Mont Blanc with all the paraphernalia necessary to the obtaining large photographic views from the summit; but, in spite of the well-known energy and talent of this operator, and the experience he has gained during his many photographic excursions at lower elevations, so formidable an enterprise occasioned many of M. Bisson's friends to have serious misgivings as to the success of the attempt. He started from Chamonix with the guide, Auguste Balmat, and twenty-five porters; for in order to carry the large amount of apparatus to such an altitude it was necessary that it should be well distributed. When they reached the Petits Mulets they encountered a terrible storm of wind, accompanied with avalanches falling on every side, whioh compelled the party to beat a retreat to the Grands Mulets. Arriving there, some of the bearers were too ill to proceed, and had to be sent back, while the party waited until seven hardier porters could be sent up to them from below. Upon these arriving the ascent was recommenced, and at length the summit was reached. There, almost all the party were so overcome by sleep or exhausted by fatigue and suffering as to be unable to move, leaving Balmat and Bisson, whose photographic ardour sustained his strength, the only ones capable of thinking of the reproduction of that magnificent panorama which lay stretched out beneath them. The photographer and his brave companion set up the tent and arranged the materials, but when they attempted to melt the snow in order to supply themselves with water, the fuel which they had brought with them for this purpose refused to light on account of the rarity of the atmosphere. In spite of all these difficulties three pictures were obtained, of which two are said to be very satisfactory. The time occupied on the summit of the mountain did not exceed two hours and a half.

Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel - Clarence King (1867-1869)
Photographer: Timothy H. O’Sullivan
 
U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey - Ferdinand V. Hayden (1867-1869)
Photographer: William Henry Jackson
 
Survey west of the 100th Parallel - George Montague Wheeler (1869-1879)
Photographers: William H. Bell, Timothy H. O’Sullivan
 
River explorations - John Wesley Powell (1869-1872)
Photographers: Elias Olcott Beaman, James Fennemore, John K. Hillers

Timothy H  Osullivan    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

Lastly we must mention the valuable services rendered to science by the society of the 'Palestine Exploration Fund', whose labours have extended over nearly ten years, but which unfortunately has not received pecuniary support commensurate with the importance of its objects. (Subscriptions are received by the Secretary, Walter Besant, Esq., 9 Pall Mall East, London.) The object of the society is the 'accurate and systematic exploration of the topography, geology, natural history, and ethnology of the Holy Land, particularly with a view to the interpretation of the Bible'. The society publishes ' Quarterly Statements', sent gratis to every subscriber, the substance of which down to the end of 1872 is comprised in two very interesting works. The larger of these is the 'Recovery of Jerusalem' by Major Wilson and Capt. Warren, edited by W. Morrison (London, 1871), and the smaller, which is to a great extent abridged from the other, 'Our Work in Palestine' (London, 1873). The Society first sent out Major Wilson, R.E., and Captain Anderson, R.E., to report on the best method of proceeding. These officers made a reconnaissance in Galilee and along the watershed to Nabulus; they took a great number of photographs and discovered several of the Galilean synagogues. The Fund next turned its attention to the archaeology of Jerusalem. In 1867 Capt. Warren, R.E., was sent out. His work was continued till 1870, and consisted mainly in making excavations. He, however, also made reconnaissances in Philistia, the Jordan Valley, and Moab. The results of the Jerusalem work are extremely valuable to scholars, especially in fixing the character and dimensions of the great Temple platform and the original rock surface of the Temple hill.
 
In 1871 the Society sent out Professor Palmer, accompanied by Mi. Tyrwhitt Drake. These gentlemen made an adventurous journey through the Negeb and an expedition into Moab.
 
In 1872 the most important undertaking of the Fund was started, being the topographical survey of Western Palestine to the scale of 1-inch to the mile. The party was commanded by Captain Stewart, R.E., and included Mr. Tyrwhitt Drake. Captain Stewart fell ill at the commencement of the work and was succeeded by Lieut. Conder, R.E., who is still in command. At the present date the survey of the whole country from Beersheba to Safed in Galilee, 4600 sq. miles in area, is complete, while 1400 sq. miles remain to be surveyed in upper Galilee. Mr. Tyrwhitt Drake died at his work from fever in June 1874. On 11th July, 1875, the survey party was attacked by a fanatical armed mob at Safed. Lieut. Conder was wounded, as well as Lieut. Kitchener, R.E., the second in command, and nearly every other member of the party. In consequence of this attack, and of the spread of cholera, the party was withdrawn for the winter. It is hoped that the survey will be completed in 1876, and published about a year later.
 
This work will probably prove the most important yet done in Palestine. The Biblical discoveries have been numerous and important; the number of sites explored and names collected is six or seven times greater than that on any published map; careful observations of natural history, geology, architecture, etc., have been made, and large scale plans of important towns, ruins, or buildings, have been drawn. Between 30 and 40 new churches have been found in various parts of Palestine, and some 200 of the rock-cut tombs have been planned.
 
The map will be published in ten large sheets, each accompanied by a memoir with plans and lists of names in English and Arabic. An endeavour will be made to give a description of every ruined site in the whole country from Dan to Beersheba. Numerous photographs have also been taken by the party, which are now being published.
 
In 1874 the Fund also sent out M. Clermont-Ganneau to Jerusalem. His work was principally epigraphic, and his most valuable discovery was that of a fine Hebrew inscription defining the limits of the city of Gezer, which he had already identified from independent considerations.

The Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund have opened the Dudley Gallery, Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, for an exhibition of great interest, which may form the nucleus of the desired Biblical Museum.
…
The centre piece of the Gallery is a large Ordnance Survey Plan of Jerusalem and its environs, telling very forcibly to the eye the nature of the country, with its well-known historic liills and sacred sites. The walls of the Gallery are hung with nearly 350 admirable photographic views of scenes in Palestine and Syria, taken by Sergeant Phillips under the orders of Captain Wilson and Lieutenant Warren. These pictures are a study in themselves. After looking at them we seem to be familiar with landscapes, now desolate and ruin bestrewn, once so rich and fertile, "with milk and honey blest," that land, "Over whose acres trod those blessed feet."

We then proceeded on the dromedaries (not at all an unpleasant mode of conveyance) to the celebrated Pyramids of Ghizeh - They quite exceeded my expectations, & are certainly wonderful mementoes of our forefathers. We visited the Sphinx just before sunset, which is also very curious and interesting. We had a charming little encampment just below the Pyramids where we slept for the night'

"....The ruins of Philae are beautiful and most interesting and Mr. Bedford the photographer, who came from England with me and our party took some very good views...."

"....Mr. Bedford (the photographer who accompanied us from England) took some very successful views of the temple (at Edfoo)".

".... We lunched under a figtree at 12 o'clock on the site of where once the city of Capernaum is said to have stood, + Mr. Bedford photographed us 'en groupe'."

"At about 10 we left our camp to lionize thoroughly the fine temple (at Baalbec) + we were much pleased with what we saw. We remained about two hours going over it; Mr. Bedford took some excellent views of it, which will be a great addition to his collection of photographs...."

Francis  Bedford Tour    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

Monday, February 12, 1906

"With some interruptions it took about two weeks to facsimile the big marriage stela. Meantime Persons had been drawing off his plan of the Halfa temple, and Koch was making negatives in the great hall of the temple. Persons was constantly called on to leave his plans and build scaffolds for Koch. We have twelve ladders with us, which we had made in Cairo. These with a supply of timbers, planks and boxes, furnish us with all necessary material for such scaffold-building. As soon as I was free from the big marriage stela, I took Koch's prints and collated all inscriptions from ladders. This work I finished on the two long walls yesterday. We have now secured facsimile records of all the historical documents in the temple, the first ever made ... .
 
The work of securing our negatives has continually involved a host of problems, many of them difficult. The great hall was only conquered after many experiments. As it is hewn into the mountain we were obliged to use artificial illumination. The placing of the both camera and light was interfered with by the huge pillars, and it was constantly necessary to place the light directly in range of the objective so that it was sometimes necessary to veil the light when 25 feet from the floor. All focusing had to be done by means of lighted candles placed one at each corner and one in the middle of the section of wall to be photographed. All this on lofty scaffolds or on ladders many feet from the floor was slow and often experimental. These and other difficulties by way of proper exposure, once overcome, the dark room also proved a fruitful source of obstacles. The Nile carries so much sand that the water must be filtered before it can be used for washing plates, and the frequent sand-storms often leave our dried plates with a gelatin surface like sand-paper. Nevertheless the negatives of the great hall are clear, beautiful, and in spite of enforced positions in focusing, are not distorted. We shall be able to make a superb volume of this matchless temple."

Monday, February 9, 1907 - Sedeinga

"We had a hard ten days at Soleb. The wind rose again and made work so difficult as to be well nigh impossible. But the place amply repaid our labor. I found two important new monuments the. First the entire pylon front of which only the north tower is partially preserved, bears reliefs of Ikhnaton, made before he changed his name and overthrew Amon worship... . The second monument is two series of reliefs representing elaborate ceremonies in the celebration of the king's (Amunhotep III's) Thirty Years' Jubilee. These walls are high and I had been unable to bring our large ladders on this long journey. It seemed impossible to reach them. I finally secured four palm trunks from the natives, and, with our two gangplanks, and sole poles and oars from the boats we contrived a tall scaffolding from which, by erecting our ladders upon it, we reached the top of the lofty wall, and photographed all the way down, section by section to the base - over 30 large negatives. The difficulty was much increased by the high wind which at one time almost blew down our scaffold. In such a wind it is impossible to use artificial illumination, as the draft quite dissipates the flame and hence also the light of the magnesium. The highest wall never received any sunlight at all, and as artificial light was impossible, I built a large mirror of new sheet tin, and by standing at one projecting end of the scaffold I could illuminate a small section of the wall with sunlight from the tin mirror while Schliephack worked at the camera. This was trying work, as the mirror exposed a large surface to the wind, and it often in the midst of an exposure threatened to carry off the scaffold. But I could not entrust it to any one else, as the mirror required constant movement within a given surface in order to illuminate all parts uniformly and to secure a uniform impression on the plate. The other wall fortunately received the sunlight at a good angle for an hour each day, and we slowly accumulated all the negatives by rapid work during that hour each day."

Scientific Ethnographic Lapps    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

And this recalls to my mind an incident of the trip that must not be overlooked. Soon after leaving the forks of the stream, we reached a point where it became necessary to cross it in order to avoid a long detour around a bend. We therefore selected the most favorable point we could find a place where the banks were low and the water not more than two feet deep and started in with Huffman in the lead. I followed him with Blinkie, my white pony, and the pack mules followed me, Jack remaining for the time in the rear to drive them across. Chicken, one of the pack mules, crossed and climbed the bank all right, when Nig, a large black mule, who was always disposed to be willful and contrary, and who was never willing to follow his file leader when he. saw an opportunity of making an annoying "break," walked down the first bank into the water, then turned and waded slowly and deliberately down the stream toward a deep hole that lay a few yards below the crossing. His load consisted principally of Huffman's photographic outfit, camera, dry plates, dark tent, etc.; and when Huffman saw that they were placed in jeopardy that the dry plates were in imminent danger of being transformed into wet plates by a process that would render them utterly worthless to him that the camera was liable to be soaked with water and ruined he became frantic.
 
He dismounted and rushed madly down the bank of the stream, yelling, throwing clubs, trying in every possible way to head Nig off; but the ugly brute would not head worth a cent. He looked mildly at the woe-begone artist out of his left eye, stopped and drank a few swallows of water, took a step or two, and looked again, first at Huffman and then at Jack, who was on the opposite side of the river, shouting, and throwing clubs, rocks and other dibris at the long-eared vandal.
 
"Jack!" shouted the artist, "drive that cantankerous brute out of that deep water, quick, or he'll drown my photograph gallery! Jump in and catch him quick! Blank blank that blanked long-eared son-of-a-gun to blankety blank!"
 
"Jump in yourself," said Jack, "I don't want to get my feet wet."
 
And still the mule moved slowly down the stream, every step taking him into deeper water, bringing his precious load, valued at three hundred dollars, nearer and nearer to the destroying element, while an artist to the mountains bound cries, " Conley, do not tarry and I'll give thee a silver dollar to drive that doggoned mule o'er the ferry."
 
"Now, who be ye would cross Big Horn, this deep and muddy water?"
 
"Oh, I'm the artist from Miles City, and this my precious plunder. And fast upon these saddle mules three days we've rode together, and should he wet them in the creek they wouldn't be worth a feather."
 
Outspoke the hardy Emerald wight, "I'll go, my chief, I'm ready. It is not for your dollar bright, but for some pretty pictures; and by my word, that cussed mule in the water shall not tarry, so though the waves are raging white, I'll drive him over the ferry or break his blanked neck! G'lang, Nig, git out of there, you son-of-a-gun!" But still, as wilder blew the wind, and as the artist grew madder, adown the stream walked that pesky mule where the water still was deeper.
 
"Oh, haste thee, haste!" the artist cries. "Though tempests round us gather, I'll meet the raging of the water, but if I lose that outfit I'll walk home to-night."
 
The mule has left a sultry land, a cool bath is before him, when' oh! too strong for human hands, he don't care how many clubs come o'er him. And still they howled amidst the roar of waters fast prevailing, the artist reached that fatal shore, his wrath was changed to wailing. For sore dismayed through storm and shade his mule he did discover, one lovely hand he stretched for the bridle but, oh, he couldn't reach it.
 
'' Come back, come back,'' he cried in grief across this muddy river, "and I'll forgive the wayward cuss, my donkey, oh, my donkey." 'Twas vain; the loud waves lashed his sides, return or aid suggesting, the waters wild kind o' frightened him, and he turned and came out on the bank o. k.
 
We took his load off, opened it, and found that though the lower corners of both boxes were wet, the moisture had not reached their contents. We congratulated Huffman on the fact that his dry goods were still dry that his stock had not been watered, so to speak and went'on our way rejoicing.

• D.L. Mundy
   
  My usual plan of proceeding was to erect an ordinary digger's tent, supported upon a couple of forked poles and well fastened down with guy-ropes; then, from the ridge of the structure, suspending a square photographic tent made of mackintosh material, with black calico skirts resting on the ground and kept securely fixed with stones. In fine weather this supplementary operating-tent was erected outside the ordinary dwelling; but at other times better protection was afforded by suspending it within the larger tent. A square window of yellow oiled silk, measuring about 18 inches in both dimensions, admitted enough light to work by, and was of course proof against fracture during my journeys. A packhorse carried a couple of strong leather trunks slung from the saddle, in one of which the chemicals were packed, while the apparatus was placed in the other.
   
  D.L. Mundy, "Photographic Experiences in New Zealand.", The Photographic Journal, No.254, Dec 11, 1874, p.87.
   
  
• Samuel Bourne
   
  Or, if we wish to make sure of our pictures on the spot, and lug about a huge tent and a score or two of bottles, in addition to what is required for a dry process, the thing absolutely becomes the work of a slave. Great as is my liking for photography, I confess that were I always compelled to adopt the latter expedient when I wanted to take a picture far away from home, my journeys abroad for that purpose would be something like angels' visits—" few and far between." How many photographers could relate pleasing narratives of certain not over-pleasing incidents connected with their pictorial wanderings!—how, being mistaken for a pedlar, they have been told, when about to plant their camera to take a view of some curious old farm-house or uninhabited ruin, that they need not unpack their traps, as there was "nothing wanted;"—how many limes they have had to mourn over an upset bath of nitrate of silver, or a collodion bottle from which an ejected stopper has allowed all the precious fluid to escape;— how the perspiration has streamed from them as with lightning rapidity they popped in and out of the suffocating tent;—how some curious bull, anxious to know the contents of the suspicious-looking camera, has playfully employed his horns to lift it up for that purpose; and how they have stood looking on in silent and pensive amazement, while a gust of wind has sent tent, bottles, and camera on a rolling expedition down the mountain's side. Such are a specimen of what every photographer may expect to meet with and undergo, in the ardent pursuit of his favourite study.
   
  Samuel Bourne, "On Some of the Requisites Necessary for the Production of a Good Photograph" read before the Nottingham Photographic Society, Jan 31, 1860 and published in The Photographic News, Feb 24, 1860, p.297. This article has been reprinted in Hugh Raynor (ed.) Photographic Journeys in the Himalayas - Samuel Bourne (Bath: Pagoda Tree Press, 2001).
   
  
• Color Sargeant D.G. Crotty
   
  In the afternoon, while busy cleaning our guns, a thundering noise is heard. Looking in the direction of the sound, a monster shell is observed approaching. We all drop a courtesy, a la Japanese, by getting on our knees. It passes over and thuds into the ground behind the photographic tent of Fred H___, who runs out, white as a sheet, to learn the cause of the noise, and observes behind his tent, a hole large enough to bury a mule in, caused by the shell. He immediately packed up his pictures, vamoosed the camp, and it is said, never stopped until he was safe in his own valley city, in Michigan, nor did he take any more pictures on the sacred soil.
   
  Color Sargeant D.G. Crotty, Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Four Years Campaigning in the Army of the Potomac (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Dygert Bros. & Co., 1874), p.41.
   
  
• Paul D. Du Chaillu
   
  My photographic apparatus, or at least what remained of it, was much admired by friend Mayolo. He was the most inquisitive man of his tribe, none of whom were wanting in curiosity, and he was never weary of asking me questions and inspecting my wonderful stores. When I first took out the photographic tent from its box, he was amazed, after seeing it fixed, to discover what a bulky affair could come out of so small a box. After fixing the tent I withdrew the slide and exposed the orange-coloured glass, and invited the mystified chief to look through it at the prairie. At first he was afraid and declined to come into the tent; but on my telling him that he knew I should never do anything to harm him, he consented. He could not comprehend it. He looked at me, at my hands, then at the glass, and believed there was witchcraft at the bottom of it. After Mayolo had come out of the tent unharmed, the rest of the negroes took courage, and my tent was made a peep-show for the remainder of the day.
   
  Paul D. Du Chaillu, A Journey to Ashango-Land, and Further Penetration into Equatorial Africa, (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1871), Chapter IX, p.194. There is a very similar account of this event in his later book The Country of the Dwarfs (New York: Harper & Brothers), p.176. The illustrations in his books were questioned by his contemporaries - see for example "Art. VI Equatorial Africa, and its Inhabitants" in The Westminster Review, No.CXLIX, July 1861, p.75 onwards where one of his illustrations looks very similar to a photograph of a gorilla taken by Roger Fenton in the collections of the British Museum.

1. The spigot for his water supply. It is not possible to see what the container was made of, but most likely it would have been copper or brass for weight considerations.
    
   
2. Three of the four visible bottles appear to be leather wrapped. This is to prevent the glass from breaking from a rough wagon ride between shoots.
    
   
3. There is an open wooden box and it is uncertain what it would have been used for. It was most likely to have been used for transporting chemicals and photographic paraphernalia.

1. As can be seen here Carleton Watkins used a vertical bath to process his mammoth plates. It has been suggested that he used a tray as his bath to sensitize his plates but this is conclusive. There is a further point about this bath tank. He is said to have NOT used a glass liner to contain his bath. Instead it was believed he asphalt painted the inside, or something along this line. In this image, it appears that there is not a glass liner. To seal this bath for traveling, usually the glass tank will extend above the wooden rim.
    
   
2. A mammoth plate storage box.
    
   
3. These boxes appear to be the 5x8 inch plate storage boxes for making stereo images. They are about the right size for two rows of plates, with a divider in the middle. They are on top the large mammoth plate boxes not being used at this moment of exposure, thus, these 5x8 plate boxes are sequentially in order.
    
   
4. A glass plate cleaning vise.
    
   
5. The lid clamp to a silver bath tank. The metal clamp with thumb screws was used for the sealing off this bath tank when traveling. The wooden lid for this huge mammoth plate silver bath tank appears to be with this clamp.

Carleton Eugene  Watkins Spring Valley Water Works    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

Mr. Jackson, our persevering photographic artist, took a great number of views of the scenery in this vicinity including many of the cascades in the Cafion, and the Tetons from all points of the compass. He is an indefatigable worker, and as often camps alone in some of the wild glens as with the company. Give him fine scenery, and he forgets danger and difficulty in the effort to "get a negative."

'Mr. J. Burke the photographic artist attached to our Indian Army to illustrate the advance of the troops and the grand scenery of Afghanistan, was permitted by the Ameer of Cabul (sic) to take a series of pictures of himself and his suite at the camp at Gandamak. One of my sketches illustrates the process of 'posing' the Ameer, who indulged in a quiet smoke during the preparation of the photographic plates. After Mr. Burke had taken him in his gorgeous uniform of white and gold, the Ameer showed great anxiety to see the results, and Major Cavagnari explained to him the process of photography.'

Great Britain Egypt India Hong Kong

Japan America Ireland Great Britain

Around The World in Eighty Days    Title | Lightbox | Checklist

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