44 
received from the Custom House, and the 
vessel that takes my letter sails to-day. 
My last opportunity of writing to you was 
from San Felipe, in October, and it is 
needless to recapitulate what I then said ; 
my Texas collection of plants now amounts 
to-seven hundred species. If practicable, I 
shall proceed immediately to Florida, going 
northward, as the season advances. Perhaps 
I may reach Baltimore, whence I can take - 
shipping for Europe; but I hope to receive 
letters from you in a few days, which will 
decide my movements. I am sorry to say 
that I have had a violent attack of diar- 
rhea, accompanied with such a breaking 
out of ulcers, that I am almost like Job, 
smitten with boils from head to foot, and 
have been unable to lie down for seven 
nights: but, as I am a little better, I hope 
to be well in a short time." 
New Orleans, Christmas Day, 1824. 
* I wrote to you a few days since, men- 
tioning my arrival, and the difficulty I was 
in for want of instructions how to act; but 
the very next day I received your kind let- 
ter, which enables me to arrange my plans 
for next summer. These, following your 
desire, would be that I should spend next 
season in Mec: e tiae ib tench 
Santa Fè, are, to 
townsinthei interior which trade occasionally 
with Santa Fé, either by the way of Red 
River or otherwise. The journey would 
be very long, and among hostile Indians 
all the way; however, it might perhaps be 
accomplished by joining the fur traders at 
St. Louis, who go annually within eighty 
or a hundred miles of it, namely, to Tores. 
This plan would occupy at least two years, 
as the traders never start till May, before 
which time their horses would find no grass. 
I am becoming very anxious to see my fa- 
mily, and must, in consequence, endeavour 
to be in Scotland by this time next year, 
set a where, if I cannot find many new 
plants, I Beate De able to procure better 
Specimens of ‘Such as are already sent. 
The question naturally arises as to what I 
shall do at home, and as I do not think it 
Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas’ tak 
MR. DRUMMOND'S COLLECTIONS. 
would be advisable for me to remain there, 
Ihave determined, if sufficient funds can be 
obtained, to return with my family to Texas, 
where I can buy a lé&gue of land for one 
hundred and fifty dollars, and if I can add 
the purchase of a dozen cows and calves, 
which cost ten dollars each (that is, the 
cow and calf), a few years would soon 
make me more independent than I can ever 
hope to be in Britain. I should then have an 
opportunity of exploring the country from 
Texas to the city of Mexico, and west to 
the Pacific, which would occupy me seven 
years at least. I am perfectly satisfied of 
the novelty which such a plan would afford 
I have been given to understand that the 
Mexican Government wishes particularly 
to have the Natural History of its territo- 
ries examined, and would liberally reward 
the person who did it. Now I am not vain 
enough to expect much remuneration for 
what I could do, still, with your assistance, 
I think I might, in the course of two or 
three years, publish a tolerably complete 
catalogue of the plants of that country, 
and, were proper application made, 
a grant of land would certainly be given 
me. These plans I mention, that you may 
kindly consider them at your leisure. In 
the collection now sent is a box, containing 
several species of Cacti, some very inte- 
resting. Three are allied to Mammillaria, 
one to Melo-cactus, and several to Opun- 
tia. They are all from Gonzales. 
not recollect the tetradynamous plant you 
describe (a new Streptanthus.) The Mac- 
lura, though I have never seen it, grows 
so abundantly about Myadoches, as to ren- 
der several of the ponds and stagnant wa- 
ters unfit for use, on account of its bitter 
fruit and foliage falling into them. By the 
lst of January I expect to leave this place, 
but am not decided on the exact route; if 
a vessel be going to Key West, or St. Au- ` E 
gustine, on the St. John's, I shall probably 
e a passage by it. I find it would be 
absolutely necessary for me to return to 
Britain, in order to purchase a stock of 
necessaries, clothing, instruments for col- 
lecting insects, &c. Upon such articles as 
knives and forceps, a person who could af- 
Ido 
A er enn ieee ES pi 
TE 
