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Text Online
From:
Richard Spruce
To:
John Smith
Date:
24 September 1851
Source of text:
Wallace, A. R. (Ed.). (1908). In: Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes . Vol. 1. London: Macmillan & Co. [pp. 225-226]
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Henry Walter Bates
To:
Mary Ann Wallace (née Greenell)
Date:
18 October 1851
Source of text:
Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/23
Summary:

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.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Mary Ann Wallace (née Greenell)
Date:
23 November 1851
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/99
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/2
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

One of a set of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Richard Spruce
To:
John Smith
Date:
28 December 1851
Source of text:
Wallace, A. R. (Ed.). (1908). In: Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes . Vol. 1. London: Macmillan & Co. [pp. 264-268]
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Frances ("Fanny") Sims (née Wallace)
Date:
28 December 1851
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/3
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/100
Summary:

Not being able to work mines in rainy season “exploded as a fallacy.” Most miners depend on working during rainy season to make up for losses during dry months. Ditches are cut in mountain streams when rain is scarce to supply running water; we’ve been doing that for six months. Our water will supply well over 20 miles of mines. Now chief surveyor for the Company, working on alterations with new steam-driven saw mill, and has supervised design and building of 15-mile road, using ox teams and wagons. All 150 workers toil without pay for future shares of company, expecting big payoff at completion. None of us were aware of the great magnitude of project at beginning; it “will be one of the greatest works yet attempted in this country.”

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Mary Ann Wallace (née Greenell)
Date:
7 March 1852
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/4
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/101
Summary:

Have been surveying mountains in this region of northern California to find better route for completion of our Canal or flume, ten miles from the Stanislaus river. We hiked where “no white man had been... only “Indian trail & the footprints of Grizly [sic] bear and Deer. Found better route for our water, 1500 feet higher up mountain; “a framework of timber will have to be constructed”; we installed a water saw mill at the river, which cuts 10,000 feet of lumber a day. “Our Company...is thought much of in these parts [as] a Great work.” Much water necessary to extract gold, as very little found on surface. Accident with lumber coming down chute unexpectedly and killing a worker; only man that “we had killed on the works.” I had “just time to jump out” of the way.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Frances ("Fanny") Sims (née Wallace)
Date:
25 May 1852
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/102
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/5
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
  • California Historical Society
Summary:

In answer to questions, there are a few animals here not found in England: Grizley [sic] bear, Elk, polecat, wildcat, racoons, coyotes, and the “Cougar or Lion of California.” They mostly prowl about at night; not dangerous if left alone. With their arrows, local Indians kill birds, squirrels, and deer, which they chase to exhaustion on foot. After wounding one, they drive it toward their camp, so as to finish off the animal as near home as possible, eliminating need to carry it there. Great variety of wild fowl; insects in abundance, also scorpions and tarantulas. Also lizards, rattlesnakes (only dangerous one), and bizarre lizard, the “horned toad”, which can harmlessly spray blood out of its eyes. Could help ARW succeed here as either an insect hunter or gold miner/surveyor. “Times [have] changed surprisingly and rapidly; necessities and luxuries all now obtained at moderate charge.” Water works now returns 500 dollars a day to the Company; will soon be finished; has revealed new gold deposits; “no place in the world for a hard working man equal to California.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Mary Ann Wallace (née Greenell)
Date:
September 1852
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/103
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/6
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Alfred Russel Wallace
To:
Richard Spruce
Date:
[19 Sept. 1852 - 5 Oct. 1852]
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/24
  • University of Dundee: UR-SF 2/17/2
  • Wallace, A. R. (1908). In: My Life: a Record of Events and Opinions (2nd edition). London: Chapman & Hall. [pp. 151-160]
Summary:

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.”

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Richard Spruce
To:
Alfred Russel Wallace
Date:
10 October 1852
Source of text:
Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/25
Summary:

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.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Alfred Russel Wallace
To:
[unknown person]
Date:
19 October 1852
Source of text:
Wallace, A. R. (1852). [LTTE from Alfred R. Wallace concerning the ship fire, dated 19 Oct. 1852]. Zoologist : 10 (119): 3641-3643
Summary:

Account for publication of “unfortunate accident that took place on my voyage home from South America.” On 2 July retrieved collection of birds, insects, reptiles, and fishes that had been left at Para while I traveled upriver. On 12th of July embarked in the “Helen” for London, still suffering from fever, with my collections and some live monkeys and birds. On 6th of August “smoke was discovered...and soon filled the cabin;” ship burst into flames and we had to abandon it for life boats. Natural history collections and live animals were completely lost; we steered for Bermuda, 700 miles away. After ten days at sea, almost starved, we were rescued by passing ship 200 miles off Bermuda. . Only things I saved were “my watch, drawings of fishes,” and some notes and journals. Had packed 50-foot leaf of Jupate palm (Oredoxia regia). Mr. Spruce and Mr. Bates were fine when last seen.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Mary Ann Wallace (née Greenell)
Date:
24 December 1852
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/104
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/7
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

John Wallace describes for his mother the progress of the large engineering venture: building water supply flume to provide vitally needed water to the gold mining vicinity around Columbia, California. Complains he has received no letters from home in ten months. Rainy season came early, and they now have 18 miles of fluming done, plus 30 miles of ditching; has cost our company about $350,000, but we’re “all in good spirits...it will pay amply in the end.” Losses from flooding and smallpox among crew. Notices news that the Duke of Wellington has died.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Woodbine Parish
To:
[Henry Norton] [Shaw]
Date:
[1853]
Source of text:
Royal Geographical Society: JMS 6/53
Summary:

This Paper by ARW “appears to be the original — and I recommend it being printed in the Journal with a sketch of the Course of the River Negro [sic] which it describes.”

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Wallace (née Greenell), Mary Ann & Alfred & Fanny & Thomas
Date:
10 January 1853
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/105
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/8
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

“Grieved to hear of the great loss my brother has suffered.” Unfortunately, fires at sea and shipwreck have become common. He will survive “and the name of Sir Alfred Wallace may [yet] shine forth.” Columbia is a gold mining community of fifteen thousand inhabitants, and is growing rapidly based on the achievements of our Company in providing water for the mines. Miners mostly get their own way. Foreigners are supposed to have a right to employment if they pay a state tax, but “Chinese and Mexicans are not allowed by the miners to work at all...and they carry out their ideas of liberty and equality by driving them out.” But our Company would not be pushed around when some miners protested that our rates are too high. I told them we must maintain current prices, and cut off the most prominent activists from buying water at any price, which deterred other “insolent” complainers.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Alfred Russel Wallace
Date:
March 1853
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/9
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

Will answer some of your questions. ‘I’ve quite given up on making a fortune in California;” but am financially comfortable, will not return to live in England. Was just elected Superintendent and Chief Engineer of our water company, can have the job as long as I want it. Company has provided a horse, “frequently have to ride 25 or 50 miles per day on rough mountain roads” to maintain water system. Doing good business, will soon be out of debt and into profits. Gives specifications of five mile long water flume, and asks family to check his estimates of daily flow. . Will be able to pay back loans soon.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
James Brooke
To:
Alfred Russel Wallace
Date:
1 April [1853]
Source of text:
British Library, The: BL Add. 46441 f. 1
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
August Heinrich Petermann
To:
[Henry Norton] [Shaw]
Date:
6 April 1853
Source of text:
Royal Geographical Society: JMS 6/53
Summary:

Submission to the Royal Geographical Society of an original paper, “On the Rio Negro” by ARW. “The River Vaupes, considered to be the headstream of the Rio Negro, is now for the first time delineated in the accompanying map.”

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
John Wallace
To:
Alfred Russel Wallace
Date:
8 May 1853
Source of text:
  • Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP1/3/96/10
  • Wallace Family Collection (private collection)
Summary:

Discusses promising new technology of the Erickkson [sic] (Ericsson) Caloric Engine, an innovative heat transfer machine, fueled by wood or coal. His job as head of the Water project includes “laying out branch ditches, building dams and bridges, fluming across valleys, etc.” Must be on call at any hour “when anything happens to the ditch”; must immediately assemble a crew of laborers to repair damage. He supervises every detail of the whole system, 40 miles long “over roughest country and steepest hillsides.”

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
William Henry Harvey
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
23 May 1853
Source of text:
Natural History Museum, London: NHM WP15/1/1
Summary:

No summary available.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Alfred Russel Wallace
To:
Roderick Impey Murchison
Date:
June 1853
Source of text:
Royal Geographical Society: RGS Corr. Block CB4 1851-60 ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE
Summary:

Application made to the Royal Geographical Society detailing ARW’s proposed trip to the Malay Archipelago and requesting free passage for the journey.

Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project