4 LIFE OF SIR HANS SLOANE. 



having asked a short time to consider the matter, offered himself, and 

 was accepted. In a letter to Ray, Sloane thus mentions the subject : 

 " I have talked a long while of going to Jamaica with the Duke of 

 Albemarle as his physician, which, if I do, next to the serving his 

 grace and family in my profession, my business is to see what I can 

 meet withal that's extraordinary in nature in these places. I hope to 

 be able to send you some observations from thence, God Almighty 

 granting life and strength to do what I design ;" to which Ray replies : 

 " If you go to Jamaica, I pray you a safe and prosperous voyage. We 

 expect great things from you ; no less than the resolving all our doubts 

 about the names we meet with of plants in that part of America, as 

 the Dlldoe, Mammea, Mangrove, Manchinello, Avellanae purgatrices, 

 and Custard Apple — of most of which, though I am pretty well in- 

 formed by so knowing and curious an observer as yourself, I should be 

 glad to know what kind of fruit the Mandioca bears ; for whatever 

 some have written, that it is not without, I am confident. You may 

 also please to observe, whether there will be any species of plants com- 

 mon to America and Europe, and whether Ambergrise be the juice 

 of any metal or aloe dropped into the sea."* 



With these instructions he prepared for his voyage ; and at length 

 on Monday, September 12th, 1G87, he went on board His Majesty's 

 ship Assistance, commanded by Captain Lawrence Wright, then lying 

 at Spithead. They weighed anchor the same afternoon, and reached 

 Madeira on Friday, 21st October, where his medical skill was in great 

 demand during the ten days he remained there. 



On the 25th November they reached Barbadoes, where they were 

 hospitably entertained by Sir Edwin Steed, the governor. They 

 remained here ten days, when they again put to sea, and passed St. 

 Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Montserrat, and once more 

 landed at Nevis, and then reached St. Christopher, and finally, on the 

 19th December, they came into Port Royal Harbour. 



Dr. Sloane had during the voyage availed himself of every oppor- 

 tunity of examining the natural productions of the different islands at 

 which he touched. In Botany, more particularly, he made grea! col- 



* It is almo-i needless tu remark, thai it i- now ascertained, thai this substance 

 js a concretion formed in tin- Btomach or intestines of tbe Phyaeter Macrocephalua, ox 

 Spermaceti Whale 



