154 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



microscopes, thermometers, barometer, and hydrometer. 

 And the only thing to do was to sit down and wait until 

 the arrival of a Company's ship, for the absolute neces- 

 saries of life. 



This man was a veritable Mark Tapley. With all this 

 trouble upon him, he was immediately at work repairing 

 his losses in Natural History. It was several months 

 before relief came for the settlement generally. But there 

 is never a grumble with him. He only wants to repair 

 his lost collections. When the Company sent out, in 

 course of time, plenty of necessaries of every kind, but 

 no instruments nor material for the prosecution of his 

 work, he would have still been at a loss. But Banks's 

 foresight had provided these things. And he writes to 

 Afzelius, in his usual open-handed way, to the effect that 

 he could draw upon him for any funds he wanted. By 

 this letter (February 17, 1795) he advises him further that, 

 seeing a Privateer may at any time come and renew the 

 pillage, it will be better to finish his restorations and re- 

 coveries speedily, and return home by the first oppor- 

 tunity. 



Sir Joseph had a slight misunderstanding with Mr. 

 Wilber force on his own account. The Sierra Leone Com- 

 pany found that Afzelius was sending bulbs and plants 

 for Kew Gardens, and they claimed that his entire time 

 should be devoted to their interests. Banks pointed out 

 that he had supplied the Botanist with every article in 

 his power likely to aid his researches, including a valuable 

 collection of drawings. He had not put forward any 

 claim on his own account, but such under the circum- 

 stances would not have been unreasonable. He added a 

 suggestion that the Directors should send out plants them- 

 selves, according to the hint Afzelius had given ; the King 

 would certainly spare some from Kew if it was necessary. 



In 1796, Afzelius came home to London, with all his 



