GEORGE EDWARD POST 199 



graphically described by the latter in his book 

 On the Desert. During the month's journey, 

 about 350 species were collected, mostly unknown 

 in Syria. While on the desert, homeward bound, 

 he was taken very ill with high fever; but he 

 decided to press on. " He rose heavily and 

 wearily," writes Dr. Field, " and bracing him- 

 self with a strong dose of quinine, mounted his 

 camel. As soon as he was in the saddle, his spirits 

 began to rise. The fresh air and the motion gave 

 him new life. But what relieved my fears was 

 to see his old passion for flowers kindle at the 

 sight of some new specimens which he could 

 gather for his collection of the flora of the desert. 

 He could not resist the attraction of a new plant, 

 and I verily believe, if he had been in articulo 

 mortis, that the sight of a new flower brought to 

 his bedside would have caused a smile of satis- 

 faction to spread over his dying features. .... 

 When he first came upon the squill plant, he 

 could not restrain his excitement. ' That plant,' 

 he said, l is never found except near the sea, or 

 at least within the reach of the salt air. We are 

 approaching the Mediterranean. It may be yet 

 fifty or sixty miles off, but we are getting near 

 it.' How delightful is this enthusiasm of the man 

 of science, which can make him forget illness 

 and the fatigues of the desert! ' 



A botanical journey was made with his son 

 Bertram through Eastern Turkey, from Mersine 



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