254 JOHN BARTRAM TO [1763. 



I have a respect for Mr. Pitt ; and lie has his merits, hut every- 

 thing he did was not glorious, though my friend John thinks so. 



We had a long, dry spring, which is succeeded by a long, wet 

 summer. I am in pain for our harvest, a great plenty, if the 

 weather favours to get it in. 



JOHN BARTRAM TO P. COLLINSON. 



September 30th, 1763. 



Dear Peter : 



* * I have now travelled near thirty years through our pro- 

 vinces, and in some, twenty times in the same provinces, and yet 

 never, as I remember, once found one single species in all after 

 times, that I did not observe in my first journey through the same 

 province. But many times I found that plant the first, which 

 neither I nor any person could find after, which plants, I suppose, 

 were destroyed by the cattle. * * The first time I crossed the 

 Shenandoah, I saw one or two plants, or rather stalk and seed, of 

 the Meadia, on its bank. I jumped off, got the seed and brought 

 it home, sent part to thee, and part I sowed myself ; both which 

 succeeded, and if I had not gone to that spot, perhaps it had been 

 wholly lost to the world. John Clayton asked me where I found 

 it. I described the very spot to him, but neither he nor any per- 

 son from him could find it after. ! what a noble discovery I 

 could have made on the banks of the Ohio and Mississippi, if I had 

 gone down, and the Indians had been peaceably inclined, as I 

 knew many plants that grew on its northeast branches. But we 

 are at present all disappointed. My son William wanted to go as 

 draughtsman. 



I read lately, in our newspaper, of a noble and absolutely neces- 

 sary scheme that was proposed in England, if it was practicable ; 

 that was, to search all the country of Canada and Louisiana for 

 all natural productions, convenient situations for manufactories, 

 and different soils, minerals, and vegetables. The last of which, I 

 dare take upon myself, as I know more of the North American 

 plants than any others. But this would alarm the Indians to the 

 highest degree. All the discoverers would be exposed to the 

 greatest savage cruelty, the gun, tomahawk, torture, or revengeful 

 devouring jaws. Before this scheme can be executed, the Indians 



