l8?9, September 6th 

 Fort of Spain, Trinidad, 



?HANSLATION 



Port of Spain, Island d>f Trinidad, West 

 Indies, September 6th, l879» 



Dear Doctor, 



I received your kind letter of July 20th on August 1st. It again reminded 

 ffl e that I still have here and there, far away, some friends whose familiar 

 language brings up pictures of the past, long years ago, youthful strength 

 and work. For the last 35 years since we became friends, I never lost track 

 of your successful career. That your usual good health is becoming worse, is 

 probably due to the late sad events and I hope that you will be well again soon. 

 Yes, it was a surprise to hear of your son's marriage, but I am sure that this 

 seemingly hurried step was well thought over and possibly with the intention 

 in mind to robuild your broken-up household and as you say, not to leave it 

 to itself entirely. My best wishes and a long happy future for the young couple. 



As far as I am concerned, I am not too satisfied with my health, but 

 don't want to complain if I think of my previous sufferings <2 1/2 years ago). 

 On one hand I am enjoying my life, on the other, there is much I miss. By the 

 way, you are right when you say I am too sensitive. By nature nervous and easxly 

 upset, I am often annoyed by the most trivial things which would not have 

 affected anybody else at all. I have often thought to myself: Why am I concerned 

 with the rabble which surrounds me constantly and which only reminds me too 

 vividly of the degra«ation of the human race into animals or the opposite, from 

 an animal to a human being, but the disgusting impressions remain the same. 

 Fortunately, the masses have not much to say in this country. 



Should I find during my long trips into the interior of the island which 

 I intend to undertake during the next dry season, a little place planted with 

 fruit trees which could give enough fruit for my brother and me to live on, I 

 shall try to buy it so that I can live out the rest of my years, enyoing nature. 

 After the death of my borther-in-law, which occurred recently, my sister asked 

 us urgently to come back to Gumbinnen since she feels lonely. But since we ar 

 used to the mild tropical climate, such a step would be very bad for our he, 

 and we, therefore, decided to turn down her request. 



Since I wrote you last, that is during the two months in April and 

 have visited for the first time the woody regions of the mountains on 

 northeast shore and found there some interesting ferns, and once had 

 the whole night sitting under a tree waiting anxiously for the day 

 Dp to now, I have collected 150 species of ferns, among them are 



mil 



mm mm ma 



. - — 



m 



1 



2 3. - 4 5 



6 7 8 9 10 



Missouri 



cm 





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