160 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
curable, and is even prohibited, in this country. It would 
have been an easy matter enough to smuggle it into Malaga; 
and I might have been warned to do so, by all the plague 
this paper had already caused me at Valence. But I was so 
foolishly honest as to exhibit it at the custom-house, feeling 
sure that the letters I was carrying to all the chief authorities 
in the city must needs remove every difficulty. I however 
found that I was in the hands of a host of officials, who had 
no greater delight than to annoy a stranger, headed by an old 
rogue of an Administrador, who, anticipating but little profit 
on the occasion, was pleased to entrench himself in high for-. 
mality and unimpeachable character! Applications, backed 
by the Gefe Politico, attestations and representations, were 
alike ineffectual. After scrawling and signing sheet after 
sheet of stamped paper, I had no resource but to leave the 
unlucky subject of litigation in their hands, and finally re- 
ceived it five months after, exactly when I was leaving 
Spain; thanks to my petition having been transmitted to 
Madrid. Very fortunately, I found that the common Span- 
ish paper might be made to serve my purpose, though it is 
so small that every sheet required to be opened out before I 
could lay my specimen upon it. 
Being very eager to obtain every information, and to see 
all such individuals as might assist me in my researches, 1 was 
particularly fortunate in making the acquaintance of Don 
Felix Hoenselaer. This worthy man, a native of Germany, 
had early settled in Spain, and in spite of numerous ob- 
stacles, and the absence of any assistance, his ardent turn. 
scientific subjects had enabled him to obtain much knowle¢ 
of Icthyology and Botany, in addition to an intimate al 
quaintance with Pharmacy, which is his profession. He 
long corresponded with La Gasca at Madrid, Cabrera * 
Cadiz, Schousboe at Tangier, Mertens and Agardh 
Germany. To him we are indebted for a knowledge of 
plants, published in various pamphlets, and for an Essay 
the Mineral Waters of Calatrava. M. Hoenselear h 
aside for some years his favourite study; but the p 
