WCP426

[1]

Boston, Nov^r. 21st. 1886¹

(B. W. Williams,² 258, Washington Street)

Dear Mitten,³

It was six weeks yesterday since I sailed, and I have not yet received one line from Annie⁴ or Violet,⁵ and as no one else has written to tell me what is the matter. I give it up as a mystery I cannot understand. I telegraphed to you the moment I arrived in New York and wrote the next day to Annie, and a fortnight later from Boston to Violet, also to Willie.⁶

Six of my lectures at the Lowell Institute have gone off very well — full & very attentive audiences. I have returned to day from Williamstown 150 mile off in the N.W. corner of Massachusetts. It is a country very like the more open parts of Wales, surrounded with mountains 2000 to 2500 feet high, not very rugged [2] or picturesque but in their combinations, making rather fine scenery. They are mostly covered with a second (or third) growth of oaks birches &c. with a sprinkling of pines, firs, and cypresses, but have generally a rugged aspect from the trees being continually cut as soon as they get big enough for pole fences or fine wood. There is a good college there & I staid with the President⁷ a very pleasant and jolly man. I lectured on Friday and Saturday being a very fine day I went with the Prof. of Nat. History⁸ to see a pretty waterfall in the mountains driving about 4 miles over rough & muddy roads with occasional snow drifts and then walking over boggy fields to the ravine where there was a very nice stream & waterfall like some of the best Welsh falls. The rocks & bushes were draped with a small form of our common Polypody, which they say never grows above 8 in. or a foot long here, and the fine Polystichum [3] Acrostichoides a very handsome fern like a large lax and very little toothed lonchitis. I do not think we have it so I have go some roots and am sending them to Annie. I saw in the Professor’s room a coloured drawing of a handsome fringed Gentian about a foot high, erect & branches with numerous bright blue flowers. I feel sure it is not in cultivation in England, so the Prof. said he would fine [sic] some plants which were in flower a month ago. We found them in an open field on a wet loamy & boggy soil, and I send you the seed some of which please send to Miss Jekyll⁹ if as I suppose it is not in our nurserymens lists of herbaceous plants. I omitted to get the name, but will find it tomorrow before I post this [4] letter. From Nov. 30. to Dec^r. 10. I shall be at Baltimore, Maryland. If anything important has happened a telegram to Peabody Institute, Baltimore U. States, will reach me and they only cost now 6^d. a word. If the house at Godalming¹⁰ is let I sh^d. like to know at once. One of the most conspicuous trees is the American white birch which has the whole main stem quite up to the top as white as if newly whitewashed which all the side shoots and smaller branches are dark brown or reddish. I wonder it is not more grown in England as it is very distinct & striking. With kindest regards to all at home

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

[5] P.S. Nov. 22nd. This morning have received Annie's letter from Hurst.¹¹ I sent the telegram to you making sure she would be at Hurst & that, if not you would send it to her directly. Her letter has been 13 days coming by the Post marks. I suppose my letters to her & Violet had to be forwarded to Hurst.

A.R.W.