The collection consists of seven handwritten letters, a notebook, nine small sheets of handwritten notes and sketches, and eleven large sheets of drawings, all by Stephens; two typewritten reports (carbon copies); a black-and-white photograph of the eclipse and an honorary diploma from La Sociedad Geogrf̀ica de Lima. Stephens describes shipboard life, the city of Lima, and the difference in the constellations so close to the equator, and expresses his frustrations with nine straight days of cloudy weather, especially the fact that as the party reaches higher elevations they still cannot get above the clouds obscuring their view. Most of the material consists of notes on Peruvian history and a travel diary, the text interspersed with drawings. The large sheets of sketches show Peruvian Indians and scenery, mostly mountains, with some topographical and elevation notations. The two reports are: a description of the expedition written for Popular astronomy magazine by Dorothy Bennett of the Hayden Planetarium; and an account of Stephens' last illness and death, written and autographed by [George] Clyde Fisher, also of Hayden Planetarium. The photograph of the eclipse was taken by William H. Barton, Hayden Planetarium.