Early Letters 



To His Mother 



October 6, 1858. 



My dear Mother, — ... I have just returned from a 

 short trip, and am now about to start on a longer one, 

 but to a place where there are some soldiers, a doctor and 

 engineer who speak English, so if it is good for collecting 

 I shall stay there some months. It is Batchian, an island 

 on the south-west side of Gilolo, about three or four days' 

 sail from Ternate. I am now quite recovered from my 

 New Guinea voyage and am in good health. 



I have received letters from Mr. Darwin and Dr. Hooker, 

 two of the most eminent naturalists in England, which has 

 highly gratified me. I sent Mr. Darwin an essay on a sub- 

 ject on which he is now writing a great work. He showed 

 it to Dr. Hooker and Sir C. Lyell, who thought so highly 

 of it that they immediately read it before the Linnean 

 Society. This assures me the acquaintance and assistance 

 of these eminent men on my return home. 



Mr. Stevens also tells me of the great success of the 

 Aru collection, of which £1,000 worth has actually been 

 sold. This makes me hope I may soon realise enough to 

 live upon and carry out my long cherished plans of a 

 country life in old England. 



If I had sent the large and handsome shells from Aru, 

 which are what you expected to see, they would not have 

 paid expenses, whereas the cigar box of small ones has sold 

 for £50. You must not think I shall always do so well as 

 at Aru; perhaps never again, because no other collections 

 will have the novelty, all the neighbouring countries pro- 

 ducing birds and insects very similar, and many even the 

 very same. Still, if I have health I fear not to do very 

 well. I feel little inclined now to go to California; as 

 soon as I have finished my exploration of this region I 



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