Xlii PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



forest and plain, indeed the whole character of the vegetation, was 

 at once and entirely changed, as though by magic. I fancied myself 

 in a strange world. Every thing about me would recall the delightful 

 outlying mountains of Switzerland, did not-niunerous Melastomacece, 

 Apocynece, Combretacece, &c. remind me of the tropics." 



Over 2000 species were collected in the province of Benguela by 

 Dr. Welwitsch, whose investigations in this attractive country were 

 put an end to by a native war ; and Dr. Welwitsch recrossed the 

 Serra de CheUa, and returned to Mossamedes and Loanda, whence, 

 suifering with fever and dysentery, he embarked for Lisbon with his 

 immense collections, arriving in the Tagus in January 1861. 



His herbarium is undoubtedly the best and most extensive ever 

 collected in Tropical Africa, whether we look to the intrinsic interest 

 of the plants themselves, the care and judgment displayed in their 

 selection and preservation, or the extent of the collection both in 

 number of species and series of specimens. The botanists who have 

 had the opportunity of working with Dr. Welwitsch's materials uni- 

 versally bear witness to their completeness and excellent conservation; 

 added to which he was in the habit of (in most cases) carefully 

 describing their essential characters when gathered, so that his 

 tickets convey an amount of information scarcely ever to be found in 

 such collections. 



After his return to Portugal, he commenced the more critical 

 examination of his African herbarium ; but, in the absence of collec- 

 tions, books, and qualified men in Lisbon, little could be done 

 towards naming and arranging them. It was absolutely necessary 

 to proceed to one of the great scientific centres, and London was 

 selected. After a visit to the International Exhibition of 1862, 

 Dr. "Welwitsch returned to Lisbon, and commenced the removal of 

 the greater part of his collections, with which, in the next year 

 (1863), he arrived in London, the Portuguese Government having 

 arranged that for the superintendence of the work of examining, 

 naming, and publishing the plants, and to defray the attendant ex- 

 penses, Dr. Welwitsch should receive a regular grant which he con- 

 sidered sufficient. 



He at once set to his work, and also entered into various arrange- 

 ments with societies and individuals for engraving plates and pub- 

 lishing descriptions ; but hardly had two years passed when, to use 

 his own words in the instructions to his executors, " a false and 

 calumnious attack was made upon me in the Portuguese House of 

 Parliament. Some one asserted that I was selling the Angolan col- 



