172 JOHN BARTRAM TO [1744. 



Pray, how does Doctor Witt do ? I have not heard from him 

 this year. * * * * 



* Now, dear John, farewell. 



P. Collinsost. 



JOHN BARTRAM TO P. COLLINSON. 



July 24, 1744. 



Dear Peter: 



I sent, last spring, by Captain Reeves, my Journal to the Five 

 Nations, and the Lake Ontario,* containing a particular account 

 of the soil, productions, mountains, and lakes, which I observed in 

 our journey thither ;, also the daily proceedings of the Indian 

 chiefs, in their assembly, while we were there ; but I have lately 

 heard that Reeves is taken by the French. I conclude, that 

 which I took so much pains about will never come to thy hands ; 

 nor the letter I sent in the same ship, which I have not time to 

 write over again, to send by this vessel. I am glad the specimens 

 of Crabs were new to thee. I never could yet see any more per- 

 fect than those I sent thee. If I find any, I shall endeavour to 

 send them. 



I endeavoured to send the Turtle shells by this ship ; but unfor- 

 tunately have lost several that I had prepared. 



The bird's nest thee mentions, with flax or hempen threads, is 

 mostly peeled off our Apocinums. We call it a yellow bird, 

 though it hath a little greenish cast. 



That substance which I sent thee to guess at, was a kind of scum 

 on the water of a mill pond, which had been drawn off, and the 

 scum settling on the bottom, and being bleached by the rain, dew 

 and sun, appears in that form. * * * 



The names of the specimens were very welcome. I hope my 

 great Magnolia [31. acuminata, L.] may be different from any thee 

 hath yet seen. You are sometimes mistaken in specimens. Our 

 friend Doctor Witt is as well as usual. * * 



It is very kind in thee to recommend me to Linnaeus and 

 Gronovius. * * * * 



* This Journal was afterwards printed in London : a copy of which is in the 

 Philadelphia Library. 



