LIVES OF TRAVELLERS 



that "Wilson should consult Dr. Henry and benefit by his 

 unrivalled knowledge of the Chinese flora. 



Dr. Henry was at that time in the Chinese Customs Service, 

 stationed at Szemao in the south-west corner of the province of 

 Yunnan, and Wilson, who left Hong Kong on June 14th to find 

 him, travelled via the French colonial settlement of Tonkin. 



At Laokai he was detained owing to a native rising at 

 Mengtsze, which made it dangerous or impossible for 

 Europeans to travel in the interior. 



After several weeks' delay, during which Messrs. Veitch 

 had lost hope of his being able to proceed, the disturbance 

 quieted down, and Wilson was allowed to continue his 

 journey unmolested. 



Szemao was reached on September 24th, and a cordial 

 welcome from Dr. Henry awaited the young traveller. 



That gentleman freely imparted important information 

 regarding the plants Wilson was in search of, and the ways 

 and means of reaching them. The information was valuable, 

 as the district Wilson was instructed to explore was practically 

 a closed book to all but a few, amongst whom was Dr. Henry. 



On his return from Szemao Wilson collected plants of the 

 beautiful Jasminum primulinum, afterwards successfully intro- 

 duced, and which flowered for the first time in this country 

 at Coombe Wood in October 1901. 



Returning to Hong Kong again in December, he left 

 immediately for Shanghai, made at once preparations for a 

 journey to Ichang in the Yangtsze valley, and left fully 

 equipped in February 1900. 



In the usual type of house-boat of the Yangtsze, a 

 dwelling-house and a conveyance at the same time, many 

 months were spent. On arrival he commenced exploring the 

 mountain-ranges south and south-west of Ichang, and in 



93 



