August 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
329 
in humble life, for when he had attained to affluence, and 
writing to Mr. Forsyth when about to return from 
India, in 17S4, he says, “ One hundred pounds must be 
kept ready to defray my expenses down to Scotland, 
where I must go and see the old people very soon after 
my arrival. Pray write them a comfortable letter, and 
tell them I am well, though, by-the-by, I am not.” 
Of Mr. Paterson’s early career we have been unable 
to obtain any information, and the first letter among 
these MSS. is dated from Saldanah Bay, a little to the 
westward of the Cape of Good Hope, in the June of 
1781. He was then in the fleet commanded by Admiral 
Hughes, and serving as a military volunteer with the 
troops on board. “ From the Cape,” he says, “ our 
destination is to the East Indies, and it is expected it 
will be Madras. I expect a commission by the time we 
arrive, and after we are settled you may expect a part 
of everything that I can collect, and, believe me, I never 
shall forget your past kindness.” One expectation was 
realized, for before the close of the year he became an 
ensign in the 98th Regiment, but getting into the S.E. 
monsoon, the fleet, instead of sailing to Madras, was 
driven up to Bombay, touching previously at the Island 
of Johanna, and Morabat Bay, on the coast of Arabia. 
Writing on the 5th of December, 1781, to Mr. Forsyth, 
he says:— 
On the 2nd of September we arrived at Johanna Island ; 
we were, at that time, at 1£ pint of water per day, and that 
we distilled from the sea. Between St. Jago and that place 
we lost about 54 men, who all died in the scurvy; and most 
of the men were landed sick. You will excuse my not 
giving any particular account of that island, as there is a 
very great uncertainty of your receiving this, as it comes by 
a ship which is obliged to leave the fleet, owing to her bad 
sailing. I shall only tell you that, during our stay, I ex¬ 
amined great part of Johanna, where I found great numbers 
of very curious plants, many of which I am certain are 
new; and you may expect some seeds and specimens by the 
first fleet that sails from Bombay. 
From .Johanna we have had a very tedious passage, and 
on the 24th of November we arrived at Morabat Bay, on 
the coast of Arabia Felix, which is the most barren country 
I ever beheld. I have been several excursions up the 
country, and only found one species of Aloe, and some 
Mimosas, which were growing on the naked rocks. 
We met with very little supply at this place—only a few 
goats, which they feed with fish. The town of Morabat 
contains about 500 inhabitants, and are much oppressed by 
what they call the Biduc Arabs, or wandering Arabs, who 
come down from the mountains and attack them ; they are 
armed with lances and matchlocks. Of all these places I 
shall give you a full account when we arrive at Bombay. 
I am now gone out of the Royal Charlotte, and am now 
on board the Isis,, man-of-war, where we proceed on to 
Bombay as fast as possible. The rest of the ships remain 
here for some time; the three men-of-war and two trans¬ 
ports go on with the 98th regiment, and the 100th regiment 
and additional companies are left with the remainder of the 
ships. I am in the same ship with the colonel, and am 
ensign in his company. I am sorry to acquaint you that 
we have lost, in the fleet, 18 officers, and about 000 soldiers, 
and at present great numbers sick. As for my own part, 
thank God, I never enjoyed better health than I have done 
ever since I left England. 
A notice by him of an electrical fish, which he disco¬ 
vered at the Island of Johanna, was published in 1780, 
in the 76th volume of the Philosophical Transactions. 
GOSSIP. 
It is with very great regret that we have to announce 
that Mr. J. A. Downing, of New York, whose work on 
Landscape Gardening we have more than once men¬ 
tioned with approbation, was one of the many passengers 
who perished by the burning of the Henry Clay steam 
vessel on the waters of the Hudson River. How varied 
—how eloquent of human short-sightedness—are the 
thoughts now suggested by his praises of that mighty 
stream. Never does he mention it without some ex¬ 
pression of admiration, yet within three short years it 
has become his grave. 
That new and beautiful climber Eaphistemma pul- 
cliella is now finely flowering in the orchid house at 
Messrs. Weeks and Co., King’s Road, Chelsea. The 
flowers are produced in bunches, like the Stephanotis 
floribunda, but is larger, a more profuse bloomer, and 
sweet-scented. At first it is of a whitish rosy hue, after¬ 
wards turning to a rich lemon colour. It is a most 
rapid grower; a small plant shifted into a 6inall pit 
I covered nearly one hundred feet of wire trellis in about 
five months. Altogether the foliage and flowers make 
a splendid appearance. This is a most desirable, useful 
plant, and is invaluable for ladies’ bouquets. 
The same nurserymen have a new Hybrid Pea, which 
can be used in various ways. When young, cut up like 
a French bean; further advanced, the peas can be 
shelled out and boiled as other peas; or the pods and 
peas boiled together. Either way, we are told, they are 
most delicious. This variety grows to the height of 
four feet, lias very slender haulm, is highly ornamental 
both in growth and flower, and a most abundant bearer. 
We hope and expect to see the time when Crystal 
Palaces will be erected near most of our large towns. 
One, the funds to be raised in five pound shares, is 
proposed at Bath; another at Liverpool; and Mr. 
Thomas Woollcombe, the Chairman of the South Devon 
Railway Company, has brought forward a grand scheme 
for public gardens for the combined towns of Plymouth, 
Devonport, and Stoneliouse, with their 120,000 or 
130,000 inhabitants. It embraces gardens to the extent 
of from twenty-five to thirty acres, and the erection of a 
crystal palace covering an acre of ground. The cost of 
laying out, and the crystal palace, is estimated at 
,£25,000, of which Sir Joseph Paxton is of opinion the 
crystal palace would cost about £12,000. The present 
notion is to raise the money by debentures. 
The Gardens of Elvaston Castle can only be seen on 
Fridays, between ten and two o’clock. Parties apply¬ 
ing on other days, and at other hours, will be henceforth 
invariably refused admittance. The house is never 
allowed to be seen, and no eatables are permitted to be 
taken within the park or grounds. This notice is in¬ 
serted to prevent parties from giving themselves the 
trouble of going on other days, as under no pretext 
whatever can they be admitted. After two o’clock on 
Fridays no one is allowed to enter. 
We have long had before us for notice one of the | 
most interesting books of the season, and to-day we will j 
