1739.1 T0 JOHN BARTRAM. 129 



England, or Newfoundland. I should not be against going thither 

 for them at a proper time; but first let's get the seeds that are 

 nearer home, for by thy several expeditions thee art now fully 

 informed where there is the greatest quantity of the kinds we want 

 growing ; and if thee should go to New England and bring home 

 but little, I think it hardly quits cost. In that country I know 

 nobody. After all that I have said, it must be left to thee ; but I 

 think it had better be deferred, and only ransack the Jerseys, and 

 the country about, if it will afford the seeds we want. And to 

 encourage thee to proceed with spirit, I have got another person 

 who desires the value of ten pounds sterling of cones of all the 

 sorts of Pines thee can get. It is left to thee. Of the Jersey Pine 

 I take it there is no great difficulty to get sufficient, and what thou 

 can of the other sorts. Thee has not to do with unreasonable 

 people. The ten pound cargo put in a case by itself, for I will 

 have no more trouble of dividing ; and it would save me a great 

 deal of trouble as Lord Petre has half if his was put in a case 

 by itself. As to the other half, I may make a shift to divide that. 



In my last I acquainted thee with the fate of the Turtle eggs. 

 Some of the roots are alive that came with them, in particular, the 

 Dwarf Double Mountain Ranunculus ; and there is another with 

 Narcissus leaves, which seems to me what I have had by the name 

 of Atamasco Lilio-Narcissus, a pretty flower. None of the yellow 

 flowering Dens Cants flowered this year; perhaps the roots are not 

 of sufficient maturity. But the box of insects came safe and are 

 very fine, in particular that noble moth. The jar with the Papaws 

 came safe, and my friend Catesby thanks thee very much. 



Now, dear friend John, I come to thank thee for thy curious 

 collection of living plants for myself. But oh ! sad story for to 

 tell, not the least glimpse of one was to be seen. If the unworthy 

 captain had set that case only in his cabin, all had been safe ; but 

 it was stowed on the deck above the hold, and covered all over 

 with pipe-staves. But all this might have been tolerable, if that 

 mischievous and unruly vermin, the rats, had not fell on board it ; 

 for so it was, when I came to get it out of the ship, lo, behold, two 

 nests of young callow rats were kindled there ; and I take it, what 

 with their trampling, &c, everything above ground was totally 

 destroyed ; and I am afraid their excretions have affected the roots, 

 for only one appeared to have life. It grieved me to the heart to 

 see so many curious things, and so much labour and pains like to 



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