
          characteristic plants. For this to be of use it
would be necessary for me to have it in a couple
of months as my Report must be out then.
I do not know if this is exactly proper to ask
this of you but I have [illegible] so many losses in
my collections on which I relied very much,
that I must do all that I can to give some
value to my Report. Please let me
hear on this subject as soon as you have
leisure. Will you let me know how I shall
send our Geological specimens to Prof. Hall? or
may I send the box to you if he is in New York?
There does not now remain much time & I am
anxious they should be in his hands as
soon as possible. The arrangements for our
expedition go on handsomely, I am having
excellent instruments made & myself engaged
in hard study, among other things descriptive
Botany & I am in every possible way forwarding
my arrangements, so as to be able to
take the field early in the spring. You
may depend that I will bring you something
handsome before the winter of '45.
        