19 



present my compliments. Nothing can be more 

 unpleasant than the difficulty of speedy and safe 

 communication between this place and England. I 

 have a tolerable drawing, I may say a good one, of 

 Micropus erectus, but cannot find a conveyance to 

 England. I should have more frequent opportu- 

 nities were I at Jamaica. 



You give me such longings in telling me the 

 New Holland seeds rise at Lee's, that I am melan- 

 choly when I feel the impossibility of beholding 

 them. The peasants here have a proverb, " Ou 

 la chevre est attache'e il faut quelle broute:'' so I 

 must broute my neighbouring Pyrolas, and not 

 think of New Holland fruits, — Proteas, Rons- 

 seas ! Thouinias ! Yet let me not depart this life 

 without being able to show a Smithia in my little 

 herbarium. La Chenal writes to nobody. 



I have been looking out for your Lichen cucul- 

 latus ? and I believe have got it ; yet I sought long, 

 and began to despair before I found the fructifica- 

 tion. 



Francois ought to pass here on his return to 

 England. I shall be very glad to see him ; but it 

 would affect me to see him without his master, and 

 that must, and as Corporal Trim or some one says, 

 by G — shall come. I see my phrase is obscure, 

 but it will not be so to you. 



God bless you ! Write if you can, were it but a 

 few lines, to give me new existence. I must work 

 at my garden while the weather permits. 



Yours, 



E. Davall. 

 c2 



