310 MY LIFE 



The Crystal Palace is being pulled down, and is being rebuilt 

 on a larger and improved plan by a company. Loddige's col- 

 lection of plants has been bought entire to stock it, and they 

 think by heating it in the centre to get a gradation of climates, 

 so as to be able to have the plants of different countries, tropi- 

 cal or temperate, in one undivided building. This is Paxton's 

 plan. 



" How I begin to envy you in that glorious country where 

 ' the sun shines for ever unchangeably bright,' where farina 

 abounds, and of bananas and plantains there is no lack ! Fifty 

 times since I left Para have I vowed, if I once reached England, 

 never to trust myself more on the ocean. But good resolu- 

 tions soon fade, and I am already only doubtful whether the 

 Andes or the Philippines are to be the scene of my next wan- 

 derings. However, for six months I am a fixture here in 

 London, as I am determined to make up for lost time by enjoy- 

 ing myself as much as possible for awhile. I am fortunate 

 in having about £200 insured by Mr. Stevens' foresight, so 

 I must be contented, though it is very hard to have nothing to 

 show of what I took so much pains to procure. 



" I trust you are well and successful. Kind remembrances 

 to everybody, everywhere, and particularly to the respectable 

 Senhor Joao de Lima of Sao Joachim. 



" Your very sincere friend, 



"Alfred R. Wallace." 



Some of the most alarming incidents, to a landsman, are 

 not mentioned either in this letter or in my published " Narra- 

 tive." The captain had given the only berths in the cabin to 

 Captain Turner and myself, he sleeping on a sofa in fine 

 weather, and on a mattress on the floor of the cabin when 

 rough. On the worst night of the storm I saw him, to my 

 surprise, bring down an axe and lay it beside him, and on 

 asking what it was for, he replied, " To cut away the masts in 

 case we capsize in the night." In the middle of the night a 

 great sea smashed our skylight and poured in a deluge of 

 water, soaking the poor captain, and then slushing from side 

 to side with every roll of the ship. Now, I thought, our time 



