-3- 



last spring, suffered from hunger for two weeks and have lived for three weeks 

 off horse meat and pine bark... 



Believe me, I was sorry to have to leave this beautiful field which would 

 have room for 150 botanists in all directions, especially, however in the Black 

 Hills and in the area of the Missouri Springs, North California and New Caledonia. 

 I find that the income or profit of such a trip is insufficient to cover the 

 expenses— therefore, I thought it best to stop. Lüders lost everything at Portage 

 a little bit below the cascades of the Columbia, fortunately, he himself walked 

 along the shore, otherwise he would have been drowned as the five others. He walked 

 from the Columbia River here, the south bluff s gave him a free passage and from 

 here he took passage to Valparaiso where he fortunately met the French research 

 expedition and is probably now traveling in Pafcagonia. Here, he lived the worst 

 eircumstances, I hope he is doing well now and that his health has improved. At 

 Bort Wallawalla I met the botanist the Earl of Danby who collected in the summer 

 at Jasper 1 s House, owned about *+-500 specimens, had bad weather and passed through 

 a waterfall which soaked all his things. From there he went with an officer of 

 the Hudson Company to Fort Hall and from there down on the St. Sacramento. He has 

 a salary of 100 pounds Sterling annually for travel expenses, spent 3 weeks in 

 Southern Africa, with Droege and Eckton. 



Please give greetings to all my acquaintances and friends and teil them I 

 shall fulfill all my obligations. Especially Gerke could soon get a coffer füll 

 of Spanish Thalers if he were here — I wish I was a Gerke at this momentt* — Never 

 before has here been a real artist. Several Germans here, all young men, are well 

 and conduct themselves in such a manner that the Germans are well received here 

 and I have a hard time to follow all invitations and social affairs. 



I hope that since you received my last letter you have not changed your 

 mind concerning myself. I wrote you that letter when I was rather sick, and ask 

 you to protect my name as much as possible. If I can take time off this evening, 

 I shall write a letter to Gerke. Let me know how you are and give my best to your 

 dear wife. 



Embracing you in true friendship, 

 Chas. E. Geyer 



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