ney of about thirty miles into the interior from the coast, in 

 ground of a hard quartzose character, and were generally grow- 

 ing near the little ruts worn in the plain by running water during 

 the rainy season." Several Portuguese of Cape Negro assured 

 him that they had seen specimens measuring (as Dr. Welwitsch 

 had informed him) six feet across the apex of the trunk, and even 

 larger, with the ribbon-like leaves two and even three " bracas" 

 (fathoms) long ! 



I have now, in reference to the few intelligent persons who 

 have seen the plant in its native plains, only to make a brief ex- 

 tract from the letter of the eminent African traveller, C. J. An- 

 dersson, Esq , while resident in Damara Land, at Otjim Cingue, 

 Feb. 12th, 1862 ; this was written in the absence of Mr. Baines, 

 in reply to some queries I had addressed to him : " The plant 

 you inquire about, and which has so much awakened your cu- 

 riosity, is well known to me. Indeed, it is so peculiar as scarcely 

 to be mistaken, even from the rudest description. It is only 

 found in one single locality, that is as regards Damara Land, 

 which locality is exceedingly circumscribed. It grows moreover 

 in sandy places, and luxuriates when it can find a few stones 

 where to fix its extraordinary tap-root, penetrating often several 

 feet deep, so that it is indeed a work of labour and patience to 

 extract one single plant. I have been thus occupied more than 

 an hour, and even then I have come away with only a portion 

 of the root. The leaves attain a length of several feet, a small 

 portion at the point only being withered ; in other respects they 

 are evergreen ; they are straight-grained, and you can tear them 

 from top to bottom without deviating a single line from a straight 

 course. Rain rarely or never falls where this plant exists. I 

 have crossed and re-crossed Damara Land throughout its entire 

 length and breadth, but only found the plant growing on that 

 desperately arid flat, stretching far and wide, about Waalvisch 

 Bay, or between the 22nd and 23rd degrees of south latitude. 

 It is most common about the lower course of the river Swakop. 

 But I feel my description is very inadequate to the subject, and 

 shall endeavour therefore to procure the plant itself, and forward 

 it at an early date to England.* Indeed, I would have sent 

 plants years ago, had I not been under the impression that you 

 had already specimens of it, for I assisted Mr. Wollaston once 

 to excavate a couple, which I thought he purposed presenting to 

 the Kew Gardens. I know that the specimens were received at 

 the Botanical Garden at Cape Town, for I saw them there only 

 the other day, pitched away among some rubbish. No one 

 seemed to take the slightest notice of them, which rather sur- 

 prised me, since the plant cannot well escape even the dullest 

 * This promise has beeii promptly perfonmd. 



