WCP3825

[1]

Frith Hill, Godalming

Jan[uar]^y 30^th 1883

My dear Sir Joseph¹

I have been waiting to hear from Mitten²before writing to you. Rev[eren]^d James Hannington³ now in Central Africa is a friend of his. They went together to Switzerland & Hannington has often sent plants to Mitten, though I do not think he is anything of [a] botanist. He has however been an insect collector and is fond of Natural History personally. Eight months ago he went in charge of a party sent out by the Church Missionary Society to Uganda, to King Mtesa's. On arriving there he would I understand be [2] free, and his intention was to remain away 3 years & travel, his ambition being to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. His letter to Mitten (enclosing ferns) was dated 24^th Oct[obe]^r "Urambo" a fortnight distance from Lake Vict[oria] Myanza⁴. He was very ill with fever and dysentery and had to be carried, being quite unable to walk. He is a very active energetic man and a good traveller & mountaineer, and if he recovers I should [3] think he would be very glad of a mission from Kew with the pecuniary assistance & official prestige it would give him, and I have no doubt that with instructions and materials sent out to him he would be able to collect efficiently. Mitten, however, can inform you better on this point, and you could no doubt communicate with him through the Consul at Zanzibar and thus learn from his direct whether he will [4] undertake⁵ the mission, & arrange where to receive the necessary materials & stores. Further information may perhaps be obtained from the Church Missionary Society, & from Zanzibar.

Hoping you may succeed in getting Mr. H. or someone to do Kilimanjaro. -

Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Sir Joseph Hooker, F.R.S.