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Showing 41–60 of 195 items
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Describes the disastrous burning and sinking of the "Helen" off Brazil, loss of his collections, ten days in lifeboat almost starving, rescue and return to London via a passing vessel 200 miles from Bermuda, insurance coverage for lost collections. On 6th of August, the captain said “I am afraid the ship’s on fire.” Crew spent a whole day tearing apart cargo seeking its source, but too late to save the ship. All boarded two leaky life boats, which required constant bailing. Still weak from illness; skinned his hands descending rope into boat. ARW salvaged only a small tin box containing drawings of fish and palm trees, his watch, and a few sovereigns. “The reward of my four years of privation & danger was lost.” Kept near the ship as it burned for days, hoping they would attract a rescue vessel; eventually were picked up near Bermuda. Return to England took seventy days, more than double the original passage to South America. Barely survived on meager rations of biscuits and raw pork. Update note October 1st: Arrived at Deal. “Oh! glorious day!...beef steaks & damson tart, a paradise for hungry sinners.”
Describes chaotic political situation in Barra; “the President went away & left no one in charge of the state.” Officials have sucked all the money in the Treasury. Worst season of year; no collecting; living on very meager food. Will stay 12 or 15 months although it’s very difficult and is unhappy “buried in forest.” Disturbed by unsettling news of problems in England received via London papers; voyage by river from San Gabriel to San Jeronimo; collecting specimens of ferns; plans to travel with Agostinho; problems with lazy, incompetent Indian servants; wants news of whether Sir Robt Humbugck [sic: Schomburgk] has published on vegetation of Rio Negro.
Became worried when hadn’t heard from you (ARW); wondered what “catastrophe” found you, “whether you were shipwrecked, or got married” or overdosed “on plum pudding.” Finally learned of the fire that took your ship and collections; sympathize with your “sufferings and irreparable losses” and admire your stoicism. “I [too] have] looked death in the face.” Local Indians became drunk at a public feast and “threatened to murder all the whites” (all three of us). We were obliged to keep “constant [armed] watch for two days and nights.” Had they attacked, they could have easily killed us “for they were 150 against 3.” Local scoundrel named Chagas, “with a face exactly like the back of a Surinam toad” (ie. hideously pock-marked), has been helpful in arranging river expeditions for plant collecting, but “also took a special delight in cheating me.” Currently we’re preparing for a voyage up the Casiquiare, with the intention of entering the Rio Cunucunuma; next year we’ll explore the sources of the Orinoco.
Journey to Alexandria; life on board ship, fellow travellers, anti-cholera precautions at Gibraltar, Cairo, the desert, Alexandria, donkey drivers.
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Arrival in Singapore; town and population; Bukit Tima (Timah) Mission; butterflies; boxes due on ship Eliza Thornton; broken watch; instructions to Samuel Stevens.
Daily tasks with insect collections; sending a box of beetles to Stevens; plans to go to Borneo; Charles's progress as assistant; friends and family in England.
Sea journey from Singapore; living conditions in Malacca; employment of servants; French missionaries; Chinese farmers; Charles Allen's progress as assistant; birds and monkeys; plans to visit Cambodia.
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ARW declines offer of passage “from Trincomalee to Singapore & [then] to Borneo” as taking too much time and expense, and “should prefer waiting for another opportunity.”
Rebuilding and surveying after fire in the town; presumed loss of the steamer City of Glascau (Glasgow); Wilson's plans to emigrate to Australia; widow McCann; mining speculation; quartz mine; Dr Pownall sharing house; growing tomatoes; interesting Californian spider and fly; ARW's assistant; hot weather.
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