342 TO THE KHASIA MOUNTAINS 



find myself placed, at least, in independence, before I can 

 even begin. I already feel something of the Burchell ^ spirit, 

 and nobody need be surprised if (the necessary and just 

 stimulus being withheld) I should lapse into such a condition 

 as his — so far as my collections and materials for publication 

 are concerned. 



1 William John Burchell (1782-1863), the great ejcplorer in S. Africa 

 (1810-15) and Brazil (1826-9), published only a part of his S. African results. 

 On his return with yet richer material from Brazil, the Prussian Government, 

 it is said, offered him a handsome pension if he would settle with his collections 

 in Berlin. This he refused, but bis hopes of getting them published in England 

 were bitterly disappointed. 



