Showing 21–39 of 39 items
Asking how she should act to claim from him, as their Grandfather's executor, money due to her children, given his financial difficulties; particularly payment due for William's board and apothecary's bill, and Fanny's legacy.
Mr Wilson's financial difficulties, consequent loss of legacies owed to the Wallace children, and opinion that Miss Draper's father, as the co-executor of John Greenell's will, may be liable to pay them; stoppage of interest payments, pressing debts; asking Miss Draper to intercede, her father being ill.
Henry W. Bates conveys to ARW’s mother news of the death of her son Edward (Herbert Edward), ARW’s younger brother, who reached camp while ARW was away upriver. He had contracted yellow fever; Bates was with him, obtained physician’s care, but after a few days Herbert perished from the “black vomit,” the most lethal form of the disease. Bates reports that Herbert was well looked after to the end.
Bates informs ARW’s mother of the death of youngest son Edward Herbert Wallace from yellow fever; his insect collections will be sent home by next vessel. Herbert didn’t realize “that his case was serious until a few hours before his death,” and then he remarked that it was “sad to die so young.” About a third of population here wiped out by smallpox.
Arrival in Singapore; town and population; Bukit Tima (Timah) Mission; butterflies; boxes due on ship Eliza Thornton; broken watch; instructions to Samuel Stevens.
Tells mother preparing for voyage to Rio Negro. We are first English to climb Monte Alegre. Explored remote cave, copied “curious writings on the rocks” inside. Indians dug up “water tortoise eggs” on river bank, which, with milk and farinha “made a very excellent meal.” Fired on “several immense alligators” in river. Have eaten alligator tail, parrot, and turtle. Met English botanist Richard Spruce here. Includes “enigma” riddle and a poem about “naked little children/with skins of every dye/Some black, some brown, some lighter/some white as you or I...a dozen such in family...Tis common in Brazil.
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.
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.
Attack of fever in Malacca, quinine treatment; insects and birds collected in Malacca; ascent of Mount Ophir; arrival of post including and letters from Adelaide, Australia; arrival of newspapers, instruments, repaired watch and food from England; basket of food spoiled by insects, better to use soldered tin box; visit to Sir James Brooke; plans to visit Sarawak; friends and family; continued carelessness of assistant Charles.
Christmas day with the Rajah (Sir James Brooke); admirable character of Brooke; expedition into interior with Dyaks; character and customs of Dyak people; the Malays; fears plants sent to England dead, plans to collect in Celebes; Miss Woodford recommended as wife for ARW by G S (George Silk); possible trip to California.
The BM (Natural History); ARW's relationship with Gray; photography; proposed expedition to Batchian Island near Gilolo; encouraging letters from Hooker and Darwin, his essay read at the Linnean Society; sale by Stevens of collections from Aru; plans to return to England.
Plans to collect specimens in Java en route to Singapore and return from there to England; stores and baggage carried on previous expeditions; plans for work and accommodation on return to England.
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In response to family requests for his picture as a rough, full-bearded miner, has had a Deguerreotype [sic] of himself made “in a medium state...passing from the rough barbarian state of early Californian life to the more peaceful and mild state of civilization.” Emphasizes that he is not a miner, but chief Engineer to the Toulumne County Water Company which supplies great quantities of necessary water in to hundreds of mines. Happy to report that his Company is a success. Requests picture of them in turn. Brother helped him (by letter) calculate the amount of water discharged to be 11 ½ million gallons every 24 hours. Describes system of reservoir and delivery system, which frequently is disrupted, sometimes flooding the town. Expresses interest in fad for mind over matter experiment, later known as telekinsesis.
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