
          And [Answered] Nov [?]


 Key West 15th Oct 1845


 My Dear Sir


            I received your letter dated Princeton May
 24th but not mailed until Aug 5th yesterday, having been
 absent on a Botanical Tour to the Maine - otherwise I might
 have obtained it 5 or 6 weeks earlier.  My change of business
 does not seem to change my taste as you express a fear
 on the contrary judging from the time that I have spent
 to the total neglect of buisiness [business]. The expense incurred, The
 hardship endured & the health exposed I think my taste for
 botany is above fever heat. It is very easy for one to think
 of making a complete Botanical exploration of Florida but
 it not easy to put in practice.  To do this you must make
 up your mind to wade swim & crawl, exposed to a heat of from
 120 to 140 degrees excepting a few days in the winter your hands
 well gloved & your face covered with gauze to prevent being
 devoured by Mosketoes [mosquitoes].For it is not generaly [generally] known it
 is certainly a well established fact in Natural History that
 these insects have undisputed sway of a large portion of
 South Florida especially in the neighbourhood of Cape Sable
 & they are not to be endured for a moment even without
 some kind of protection. Add to this the drenching rains want
 of shelter at seasons most favourable to making collections
 loss of your labour [crossed out: by] as is sometimes unavoidable on
 account of the weather being unfavourable to the cureing [curing] 
 of them and you have then some idea of the difficulties to be
        