1886-87.] The Indigenous Flora of Madeira. 83 



complete and systematic flora was made till that year, when 

 the first nnmber of A Flora of Madeira and the Adjacent 

 Islands of Foi'to Santo and the Desertas, by the Eev. Eichard 

 Thomas Lowe, M.A., was brought out by Van Voorst of 

 London. 



But before proceeding more directly to the subject matter 

 of my paper, I beg leave briefly to interpolate a notice of 

 the late Mr Lowe, and the circumstances which led to my 

 acquaintance with him. 



Mr Lowe was born in 1802, graduated at Christ's College, 

 Cambridge, in 1825, as senior optime, became a deacon in 

 the Church of England in the same year, and priest in 1830. 

 From 1832 to 1852 he held the appointment of English 

 chaplain in Madeira, after which he became rector of Lea, 

 Lincolnshire, in the gift of the late Sir Charles Anderson, 

 and where, for a few months, the present Bishop Wilberforce 

 of Newcastle was his curate. Though Mr Lowe's English 

 preferment took him away from the island, and severed his 

 official connection with it, it did not sever his botanical, for 

 he continued to visit it nearly every spring, partly to escape 

 the east winds of Lincolnshire, and partly to work out on 

 the spot the materials for his Flora, for which a continuous 

 residence of twenty-six years,* together with numerous sub- 

 sequent visits, had amply furnished him; in the compilation 

 of which, too, he carefully availed himself of previous or con- 

 temporary labours of others in the same field. 



Madeira, then, was the one spot to which he always 

 returned when he could get away from his parish ; and in 

 April 1874, accompanied by his wife, he left Liverpool in 

 the s.s. " Liberia," hoping in a few days to be once again in 

 the favoured clime where his chief scientific interests were. 

 From the day that the " Liberia " left port until the present 

 time, nor ship, nor soul on board her, has ever been heard of 

 again ! 



It is satisfactory to know that his collection of dried 

 plants was secured for Kew. 



My own friendship with Mr Lowe thus came about: — 



In 1863 I was recruiting in Madeira, and unable to take 

 up a fresh appointment in my profession. 



Soon getting comparatively well, I wanted employment, 



* Mr Lowe lived in the island before he became chaplain. 



