
          Dr. [Dear] Sir.

Yours of 6 April was duly recd. [received]. It found
me very sick. indeed I have been almost at
death's door the past winter with diarhea
now of long standing.

Darby had before you applied to me through
a friend about the plant to which you refer.
All that I can now say is that it was collected
in the vicinity of Milledgeville before the
year 1823 & 24. And I have no doubt I supposed
it to be a new species of Thesium
of Linneus or closely allied to it. This
much I know specimens were forwarded
to Mr. Elliot which he recd [received]. But they
are not to be found I presume as I have
heard you have had the eye of his entire
herbarium. Between the publication
of his sketches & his death he recd [received]
from me every thing I collected.

Shortly before Mr. E's [Elliot's] death, I had Mr.
Nuttall at my house a few days. I
turned over to him my entire lot of
dried plants. Among which he said
there [added: were] many requiring investigation.
They were all shipwrecked in Boston
Harbour & lost.

In 1824 I went to the north for the benefit
of my health & put up a few as I thought
interesting plants as a means of introducing
me to some one of our northern
Botanists.
        