From Andrew Smith   18 July 1871

My Dear Darwin.

I left London without your address therefore have had to write to Town before I could get it   I have been wishing for some time past to tell you how much I have felt obliged to you for your great kindness in sending me the letter for M^r Galton, it was quite a god send and by the aid of it I have been able to get information on some points I greatly wanted.¹ He was exceedingly kind and called at the Athenæum where I first saw him and laterally at my house   He travelled in a district of South Africa which I never visited and up to the time I saw him I could not satisfy myself as to the inhabitants²   in fact, though, I am not so ignorant as I was, I am sill doubting and I fear it will be no easy matter to satisfy myself that we have come to a correct conclusion. I am trying to work up the Ethnology of South Africa and all that I fear is I shall get disheartened when I gaze on the amount of material I possess³

I think if my health will permit I ought to do it as the time is passing when when civilisation and its consequences will be taking the command of nature. I hope sincerely you are keeping well and I shall try to see you on some occasion when you are in town after my return to Brompton which I expect will be in the course of September or beginning of October

I am | My Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Andrew Smith