WCP3885

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Oct.[obe]^r 3rd. 1898

My dear Mr. Ridley¹

Many thanks for the box of Bulbophyllums you sent me last. I find however that these small-growing orchids from Singapore are very difficult to recover. The pseudo-bulbs arrive much shrivelled, though the leaves are quite green; but though I give them light & moisture very gradually the bulbs will not swell & the leaves will turn yellow & drop off. The Coelogyne cumingii you sent me arrived with young growths started, & are doing well, & I hope will make a good plant. Should you be so good as to send me any more orchids what I should like would be some of the genera Aerides, Saccolabium, Vanilla, or Coelogyne, which seem to be [2] more easily established than the smaller fibrous-rooted species. Should you receive consignments from Borneo of Siam any odd pieces of these would be acceptable — especially of Saccolabium coeleste — and any of the Coelogynes from Borneo or Java except C.[oelogyne] Dayana which I have. Also any Dendrobiums from these Islands.

We are much interested ^now about De Rougemont², & I dare say you have seen his story in the Wide World Mag.[azine], while in the "Daily Chronicle" there have been letters c, interviews, & discussions without end. A few people, who think they know everything, treat th him as an impostor; but unfortunately they themselves contradict each other, and [3] so far are proved to be wrong mo<re> ^often than De Rougemont. I [one word illegible crossed out] firmly believe that his story is substantia<lly> true — making allowance for his being a foreigner who learnt one system of measures, then lived 30 years among savages, & afterwa<rd> had to reproduce all his knowledge in English & Australian idioms.

As an intelligent writer in the "Saturd<ay> Review" says, — putting aside the sensational illustrations there is absolutely nothing in his story but what is quite possible and even probable. He must have reached Singapore the year after I returned home, and I dare say there are people there who remember Jensen the [4] owner of the Schooner "Veilland" with whom he sailed on his disastrous pearl-fishing Expedition. Jensen is said to be now in British New Guinea & has often spoken of his lost cargo of pearls. Mill³ & Keltie⁴ of the R.[oyal] G.[eographical] S.[ociety] state that they are convinced of the substantial truth of the main outlines of his story, and after three interviews and innumerable questions are satisfied of his bona fides — and so am I.

With best wishes | Believe me | Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

H. N. Ridley Esq.