Letters: March 24, 1903

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Mr. C. V. Hartman,

Curator of Ethnology in the Carnegie Museum

Dear Sir; -

In confirmation of the instructions orally given you I desire hereby to say to you, that it is my wish as Director of the Museum that you proceed to Costa Rica for the purpose of prosecuting, on behalf of this Museum, researches in natural history, and more especially in relation to the ethnology and archaeology of that country.

Having understood from you that Mons[ieur]. Pittier de Fabrego [sic], the Director of the National Museum of Costa Rica, at San Jose, has has [sic] expressed his willingness to make an arrangement with you to undertake the arrangement of the archaeological collections of the institution to some extent at least, and has proposed to you that in return for such services and in return for exchanges of North America material to be given to the Costa Rica Museum[,] he will cause a set of the duplicate materials in that institution to be transferred and set over to this institution, I hereby request you to make arrangements with the Director of the National Museum in Costa Rica having in view the consummation of such a plan, and you are authorized for a period of at least three months to tender your services to the Director of the National Museum in Costa Rica. Should a longer period be required than this[,] arrangements may be made on conference with me by letter.

You are also requested if possible to make arrangements to secure for this Museum at the lowest price at which you can secure the same –not to exceed the sum of three thousand dollars unless otherwise authorized by letter –the collection of Costa Rican antiquities belonging to Don Jose Maria Velasco of Santa Cruz, Costa Rica, now in the temporary custody of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

I shall be pleased if you are able to carry out some independent investigations leading to the acquisition of desirable ethnological and archaeological material for this Museum, on the lines suggested to me in your communication of March the 23d, which is before me, and incidentally[,] if you are able[,] to make collections of botanical, entomological and other specimens.

I expect you to keep me thoroughly informed by letter of your movements and your plans.

An outfit consisting of photographic material, tent, etc., has been provided, and you will be expected to return the same to the institution after you are through with it.

I entrust to you the sum of five hundred dollars, for which, together with any other sum that may hereafter be entrusted to you, I shall expect you to render to me a fully itemized account, as required by the rules of the institution.

I am, with assurance of highest esteem and regard,

Very respectfully yours,

Director Carnegie Museum

[Letter of instructions, W. J. Holland to C. V. Hartman, March 24, 1903 , Holland Letter Book, 1903, pages 162-163]