117 



sion, after thanking him for his hospitality, left the house and pro- 

 ceeded to the Castle, where our loyal author was thrown into an 

 ecstacy by the sight of the royal insignia of the ne\ r er-sufficiently-to- 

 be-praised Queen Elizabeth ; and quotes some Latin verses of a 

 highly laudatory character thereto appended. On the topmost height 

 of the castle was gathered Asplenium Ruta-muraria ; but this does 

 not seem to have afforded so much pleasure as the sight of the royal 

 arms below. 



A doleful account is given of the sufferings of the party in Greanc, 

 Isle, where, although their path lay alongside the river, they, Tantalus- 

 like, experienced all the horrors of thirst, the water, though abun- 

 dant, being salt ; by the pangs of hunger they were equally afflicted 

 in the midst of that inhospitable desert, where no house was visible, 

 and where none of the usual indications of the propinquity of 

 human habitations, such as the curling smoke delighting the eyes of 

 the way-worn traveller, and the barking of dogs saluting his ears — 

 none of these welcome sights and sounds were there to raise their 

 drooping spirits. Having at length escaped from their difficulties, 

 they arrived at the village of Stoke, completely tired out. There, 

 having despatched their dinner, and all the party being knocked up ex- 

 cept Johnson and Styles, they were by the latter committed to the care 

 of a wagoner, who gave them a ride in his wagon towards Rochester, 

 and the two more enduring friends walked on from Stoke by Cowling 

 towards Cliffe, collecting many plants by the way. 



From Cliffe the two companions, having been rejoined at Gravesend 

 by Wallis, Buckner, and Weale, proceeded to Erith, where, taking 

 boat, they on their passage homeward saw three East Indiamen re- 

 turning from a voyage; one of these they boarded, and Buckner 

 received a cocoa-nut and other things as presents. On reaching Lon- 

 don they found their missing companions, and made arrangements for 

 visiting Hampstead Heath on the 1st of August following. 



A good number of plants was collected in the trip, but none which 

 would now be looked upon as rare. 



On the morning of the 1st of August, seven of the ten who had 

 agreed to go to Hampstead Heath (Buggs, Weale, and Wallis being 

 absent) met at the appointed place ; the places of the missing three 

 being supplied by John Sotheran, John Marriott, and Thomas Crosse. 

 Not deterred by the threatening aspect of the skies, but considering 

 that it would be disgraceful in those who had borne greater evils to 

 yield to lighter ones, they left the city and held their way to Kentish 

 Town ; which they had scarcely left ere a heavy shower drove them 

 Vol. hi. s 



