
          here that they like me.

When I was last in New York you had just published
descriptions of some California plants and if I am not
much mistaken you promised me a copy when it was fairly
out. Isn't it complete yet? Or have I lost my chance 
by being thousands of miles distant and thus out of sight
out of mind. I fear when I get back I will find the
same difficulty in procuring such papers as offered when
I wrote to you from the Rio Grande asking if certain other papers
published years ago were obtainable; yes by purchasing
the volume of which they constitute but a small part.

Talking with [Stimpson?] this evening, he says I hit upon
the true reason of my transfer. His tail wasn't long enough
without me. I hope he'll not find me a very limber joint
of [it?]. I gave [crossed out: you?] Dr Gray some specimens of autocracy.
I'll give you one. The 24 [illegible] was the anniversary of the Queen's
birthday and the governor celebrated it with a ball to which
our officers were invited. Two of the lieutenants intended going
and had made all necessary preparations but they were not going
with him or as a part of his tail. They had understood him to
be willing that the forward officers (Gunner Carpenter &c [etc.]) should keep
their watch during their absence. When he discovered that they
were going in a "gang by themselves" he sent for them and enquired
"How's this? All the lieutenants going to leave the ship? I can't allow
it." "Why, we understood you to be willing that the forward
officers should keep watch temporarily when there was no duty
to perform." "I meant no such thing and can not [cannot] allow it." So
they had their toggery ordered on board again and stayed
on board. A day or two after the first lieutenant fell sick
and then there was no difficulty about the gunner keeping
watch and he does it now regularly. We beleive [believe] that if
they had fallen into line just at the spot where he wanted
them or had lengthened the [caudal?] extremity by two vertebrae
the gunner would have kept at least one watch earlier.

31st. The rainy season is fairly set in, nevertheless yesterday I
went on shore & climbed to the top of the mountain where I found
an orchid not seen before, a habenaria perhaps, but the weather
        