Alfred Russel Wallace 



the most intelligent and best informed Dutchmen I have 

 met with are trading captains and merchants. 



This country much resembles Australia in its physical 

 features, and is very barren compared with most of the other 

 islands. ... It is very rugged and mountainous, having 

 no true forests, but a scanty vegetation of gum trees with 

 a few thickets in moist places. It is consequently very 

 poor in insects, and in fact will hardly pay my expenses ; 

 but having once come here I may as well give it a fair trial. 

 Birds are tolerably abundant, but with few exceptions very 

 dull coloured. I really believe the whole series of birds of 

 the tropical island of Timor are less beautiful and bright- 

 coloured than those of Great Britain. In the mountains 

 potatoes, cabbages and wheat are grown in abundance, and 

 so we get excellent pure bread made by Chinamen in Delli. 

 Fowls, sheep, pigs and onions are also always to be had, 

 so that it is the easiest country to live in I have yet met 

 with, as in most other places one is always doubtful whether 

 a dinner can be obtained. I have been a trip to the hills and 

 stayed ten days in the clouds, but it was very wet, being the 

 wrong season. ... 



Having now paid you off my literary debts, I trust you 

 will give me credit again for some long letters on things in 

 general. Address now to care of Hamilton, Gray and Co., 

 Singapore, and with love and remembrances to all friends, 

 I remain, my dear Thomas, yours very faithfully, 



Alfred R. Wallace. 



P.S. — . . . Will you, next time you visit my mother, 

 make me a little plan of her cottage, showing the rooms 

 and their dimensions, so that I may see if there will be 

 room enough for me on my return ? I shall want a good- 

 sized room for my collections, and when I can decide exactly 

 on my return it would be as well to get a little larger house 



80 



