FRANCIS MASSON. -115 
** second j eS. — 11, cme, 29, 1774) was Pant ao in 
h Dr. Thunberg ”’ 
bere, as, although he does not gates this in his account, he 
writes to Linneus that he “* made two stabi journeys with the 
ingenious Dr. Thunberg,’’* and the latter (Fl. Capensis, p. 6) says 
of Masson “Annis 1778 et 1774 me cig interiora Africes versus 
orientem et septentrionem peragravi The last year is that 
usually given by Aiton in the ‘ Hortus tae for the introduc- 
tion of Masson’s plants, and it is also the year in which most 
of his specimens in Herb. Brit. Mus. were collected. Writing to 
Linneeus, he speaks of having “‘ added upwards of 400 new species 
to ae Majesty s collection of living plants, and I believe many new 
gen 
On “the 19th of May, 1776, Masson oe left England. Of his 
work during the next few years, I am fortunate in having found a 
full account in the Banksian omen nce; and, as this has 
never been published, I think it best to sme it entire. As will be 
seen,. ie is in the form of a memorandum (which is not dated), 
sed to the King by Sir Joseph Banks in his capacity as 
Piaidant iv the Reval Society. 
In the year 1772 Sr. John Pringle, late dive ger he the royal. Society, ping 
pplication to his Majesty that Mr. ome then of the under Gardine 
Kew, might be appointed to reside for some time é the Cape a “Good oes, in 
order t to collect there Seeds & living ie for ths Royal Botanical Garden 
His Majesty being graciously pl eased to honor this plan with his royal 
&pprobation, & to signify to Sr. John Pringle that wasagy th pcm e allow’d 
England about 3 years 
In the course of his. absence he drew bills on Messrs. Thos. Coutts & Co. to 
the amount, as appears by their go eg of £583 8s. 6d. for his support & 
expences; & soon after his return Seeeg! was pleased to order the sum of 
£300 to be paid to him, which money Mr. A n, his Majesties Botanical oe 
received from the hands of Mr. Ramus, densa, ae, his Majesties first 
Be Mr. Masson, who gave a receipt for it as having recd. it pn 
In ee course of i Voyage Mr. Masson collected & sent home a profusion 
of Plants, unknown till that time to Sd Bo tanical Gardens in Europe, a full 
account of which vil appear in Mr, Ai Rrra of the Plants in the ye 
came ck Garden at Kew, which is early ready for publication; by means of 
these Kew G 
me c 
48 Trianon, Paris, Upsala, é&c., till lately vyed with each other for pseu ise, 
out admitting even a competition n from any English Garden. 
asson, having by these means ingratiated himself with all those who 
actions, express’d the most ardent desire of bein again employ’d in the like 
researches, Accordingly Sr. John Pringle again ar ag his Majesty in ie 
year 1776, who was graciously inate to consent to Mr. Masson’s again ain under. 
the § an extensive Plan of operations; he was to visit Madeira,* the Canaries 
Azores, bo the ov of the West Indian Islands, to penetrate, if possible, 
* Smith’s ‘ Correspondence of Linngeus,’ ii,, 559, 
