682 TRAVEL IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. [1878, 



in " Garden and Forest," December 19, 1888, and 

 tells how in 1886 he followed Michaux's steps up the 

 Keowee River, in the mountains of South Carolina, 

 farther south than the search had been before, and 

 was rewarded by finding the plant in abundance. 

 Professor W. W. Bailey, of Providence, then sent a 

 note to " Garden and Forest," to say that to Mr. J. 

 W. Congdon, then of Providence, belongs the credit of 

 having sent the first news of the discovery of the plant 

 to Dr. Gray, and tells of Dr. Gray's answer : " If 

 you think you have Shortia send it on." It was sent. 

 Then came from Dr. Gray the characteristic postal, 

 " It is so. Now let me sing my mine dimittis ! ' 



TO W. M. CANBY. 



CAMBRIDGE, October 21, 1878. 



DEAR CANBY, Thanks ; glad you can come. You 

 will be notified, if the case comes on. 



If you will come here I can show what will delight 

 your eyes, and cure you effectually of that skeptical 

 spirit you used to have about Shortia galacifolia. It is 

 before me, with corolla and all, from North Carolina ! 



Think of that ! My long faith rewarded at last ! 

 Yours ever, A. GRAY. 



P. S. No other botanist has the news. 



October 28, 1878. 



... I wrote to Hyams how much immortality he 

 lost, or rather postponed, for his son, by not sending 

 me that specimen eighteen months ago, so that it 

 would go into " Flora," but that I should make his 

 name famous in " Silliman's Journal," pro tern. 



I took the latter end of his letter to be a cancel of 



