BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 203 



ried epistle. On the morning of the 6th instant, I left Rio 

 de Janeiro in the ship ' Gipsey,' bound to this port, where 

 she loads cotton, and thence to Liverpool. We had a very 

 pleasant and expeditious voyage, being only fifteen days at 

 sea. Upon the whole my living plants are standing very 

 well; but some of the finest ones from the top of the Organ 

 Mountains are dead. The Liixemburgia, however, and the 

 two Prepusas, a Vellozia, two Fuschias, &c,, &c., are still 

 alive and likely to do well. As we only arrived yesterday 

 morning, I can give you but little information respecting this 

 place, further than that it is very flat, and covered with low 

 wooded vegetation, among which I observe a great quantity of 

 a species of -^/fa/ea. I find myself very well known here — 

 they having heard of me when I was up at Oeiras. I brought 

 letters to some of the first merchants, and I have taken up 

 my quarters by special request, at the house of the Doctor 

 here, who is a Scotchman, and pupil of your friend Dr Gra- 

 ham of Edinburgh. This is the season of the rains here, but 

 notwithstanding, I intend to go a little into the countiy, and 

 I have no doubt that I may be enabled to add a few things 

 new to my previous collections. It is said, that we shall re- 

 main here a fortnight, but certainly not more than three 

 weeks. To-day, I saw a large party of my old friends, the 

 rebels, brought down prisoners from the interior, and a pre- 

 cious-looking set of scoundrels they are. All is now quiet 

 about Oeiras and Caxias, and the cotton trade is resuming 

 its wonted activity. As the ship by which this goes is a bad 

 sailer, and ours a very good one, perhaps I may be in Liver- 

 pool immediately on the heels of it. 



*' George Gardner." 



" Ship ' Gipsey,* on the passage from 

 " Maranham to Liverpool, GiA July, 1841. 



" My Dear Sir, 



'* Ere this can fall into your hands, I have no doubt of 

 your having heard of my departure from Rio de Janeiro. 



