1786.] TO SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 501 



cure for thee more than about one hundred weight of the fresh root, 

 and that at a considerable expense; having to employ a young 

 man, a nephew of mine, that lives with me, to travel about two 

 hundred miles to the westward, through a dismal mountainous part 

 of our country, as the Ginseng is either dug up for sale, or rooted 

 up by the hogs so much, that it begins to grow scarce in the inha- 

 bited parts, especially where the people are any ways thick settled; 

 and seems likely to be entirely demolished, amongst the inhabitants 

 in a few years. 



He was likewise obliged to hire a person, at a dollar a day, to 

 assist him in digging said Ginseng, both of them being obliged to 

 encamp in the mountains, strike up a fire and lie by it all night, in 

 the morning take their hoes and knapsacks on their backs, and 

 climb up the sides of the mountains, and dig till towards evening, 

 and then bring what they had dug to their camp, and cook their 

 morsel and eat it. It took him about twenty days, in going and 

 coming home again, digging the roots, and packing up, &c, the 

 expense of carriage being considerable. Therefore, it being pro- 

 cured and carefully put up according to thy direction, I hope that 

 it may arrive safe ; and if so, I expect thou'll be willing to pay a 

 reasonable compensation, which would be, at least, an English crown 

 a pound, I should apprehend. But, if thou thinks that too much, 

 be pleased to pay what thou thinks would be a compensation, ade- 

 quate to the trouble and cost the young doctor hath been at ; and 

 I hope, if thou, or any of the members of the Royal Society, should 

 see cause to employ him, or me, in future, that we would endeavour 

 to serve you as reasonable as any other persons ; and as my nephew 

 is well versed in the knowledge of Botany, and would gladly be 

 employed in researches in that line, or to explore our western re- 

 gions in search of minerals, fossils, or inflammables, and objects of 

 Natural History, &c, provided he could meet with proper encou- 

 ragement, I, therefore, make free to mention something of the kind 

 to thee, that if the Royal Society should have a mind to employ 

 any person, on this side the water, for sueh purposes, he would be 



willing to serve them. 



I have sent thee one of my pamphlets, entitled the American 

 drove, and expect thou'll present it to the Royal Society, in my 

 name, if thou thinks it worth their notice and acceptance ; as also 

 one for thyself, which I hope will be accepted. 



From thy real friend and well-wisher, 



Humphry Marshall. 



