From John Evans   21 August 1860

Dear Prof. ^r Henslow

I was glad to receive your letter this morning on my return from Aldborough—as it reminded me of my intention to write to you this week to try if I could not arrange a meeting with you down in Suffolk. I was however going to have asked you whether you could not manage to come to us there for a few days early in September when we shall have moved into a larger house than that we now occupy, but I see from your letter you are engaged elsewhere— Perhaps we may induce you to come over after your return from Abbeville— I wish much I could have gone with you thither, but I have rather set my heart on taking a walk along the Norfolk coast that week & seeing some of the Pleiocene & Pleistocene deposits of that district— I suppose you could hardly put off your visit to France for a week and give me the benefit of your company for a three or four days walk— Prestwich seems quite unable to get away for more than a day or two at a time as his partner is away— He is however coming down with me on Saturday staying a few hours at Manningtree on the way and if he can possibly manage it we propose visiting Hoxne on the Monday— driving over from Framlingham— It is so doubtful whether he will be able to accomplish this that I don’t like asking you to meet us, but if your French journey would keep for a few days, I would meet you at Norwich or anywhere else on the Tuesday and devote the rest of the week to seeing whatever is to be seen— As to the Harkes— If I were you I would go to Amesius first and visit the pits at St Acheuil which will give you a better idea of the axebearing Drift than any of those at Abbeville— I would then go to Abbeville and see M. de Perthes collection and the pits at the Moulin Quignon Porte St Gilles and Menchecourt— and afterwards return to Amiens and revisit St Acheuil and see the sand pits at St Boch[.] You will find M. de Perthes ready to give you every information at Abbesville & he can recommend you to a guide who would show you the various pits—[JSH divides the letter with a pencil line at this point] At Amiens you will find M. Garnier at the Bibliothèque most obliging in furnishing information— If he is absent you had better call on M. Prisard architect there who has paid considerable attention to the subject— M. Ferguson fils. an Englishman at Amiens would be most particularly flatté if you called on him & you would find him probably the most ready of the three to act as your cicerone— I wish I were going with you myself to act in that capacity, but I cannot manage it— I don’t know of anyone else who is likely to be going over at present— I have applied for some more of the leaves from the Irish bog but have not yet received any— I shall send this to be posted in London on the morning so as to save a post— If there is any hope of my meeting you next week or if I can give you any further information, pray write at once— I shall be here this Saturday morning but go up to town in time to leave Bishopsg ^e S ^t at 11.27. In haste believe me

Yours very sincerely | John Evans.

[on reverse in JSH’S hand in pencil:

Garnier – Biblioteque

Prisard – Architect

Ferguson fils –

Dauphiny – avocat

Petel –

Clemence –

Guigon – Ingeneur