1766.] TO JOHN BARTRAM. 281 



siccus of fish ! When I see Solander, he will tell me the species, 

 and if it is new will inform thee. * * * 



JOHN BARTRAM TO P. COLLINSON. 



Schuylkill, at my own house, June, 176G. 



Dear Peter : 



I am now returned to my family ; all of whom I found in good 

 health. God almighty be praised for his favours. I am at present 

 tolerable well, but can hardly get over the dreadful sea-sickness 

 and the southward fever. 



I have left my son Billy in Florida. Nothing will do with him 

 now, but he will be a planter upon St. John's River, about twenty- 

 four miles from Augustine, and six from the Fort of Picolata. 

 This frolic of his, and our maintenance, hath drove me to great 

 straits ; so that I was forced to draw upon thee, at Augustine, and 

 twice at Charleston. * * * 



I have brought home with me, a fine collection of strange 

 Florida Plants ; which, perhaps, I may send sometime this sum- 

 mer, some for the King and some for thyself. But I want to 

 know how those I sent from Charleston and Georgia are accepted, 

 or those I sent last spring to the King, from home. I hope what 

 specimens I sent for thyself will give thee great pleasure, as many 

 of them are entirely new ; the collecting of which hath cost thy 

 friend many score pounds, pains, and sickness, which held me con- 

 stantly near or quite two months; in Florida, the fever and jaun- 

 dice ; and a looseness through North and South Carolina, and 

 Georgia ; yet, some how or other, I lost not an hour's time of tra- 

 velling through those provinces ; and when at Augustine, with the 

 fever and jaundice, I travelled both by water and land all round 

 the town for many miles, and to Picolata, to the Congress, although 

 so weak as hard set to get up to bed ; and during the meeting of 

 the Governor and Indians, in the Pavilion, I was forced to sit or 

 lie down upon the ground, close by its side, that I might observe 

 what passed. 



