WCP5547

[1]

Dominica

Point Michael

January 1^st 1889

Dear Sir

I received by last mail two letters from you. I have just spent a fortnight here by Dr. Nicholl's¹ advise to recruit thoroughly before going once again into the bush. I have got but little work done during the time as this is not a good [2] place but I am now perfectly well again and intend to start for La Plaine at the south east corner of the island on the first opportunity, which, I hope, will be in a day or two. It seems the landing is very bad there from the heavy surf so that one must depend of the weather.

I have arranged to take a boy with me to assist me in changing my botanical presses &c that I may have time for bird skinning[?]. Up till now I have [3] done all the preserving work myself. Of course I must now speak rather more but will at the same time get on faster, and be able to attend to the birds properly. By the way my funds are again getting rather low & I have only a little over £30 [.]

I am glad you are sending another man to St. Vincent for as that relieves me of some of the work which I did not look forward to with any pleasure. I hear[?] I have less courage[?] than [4] such men as Wallace and Bates who went on for six ^eight and twelve years at a time. I can't think how they did it.

I received the spirit and tubes from Dr. Nicholl's thanks for them. I hope the serpents have by this time arrived and are alive.

I shall be able to send two more boxes soon but have not yet enough to fill them. One will be botanical and one zoological.

I propose to make inquiries about quarters somewhere halfway up the windward side while at La Plaine. That would be quite out of the regions requested[?] by Dr. Nicholls.

Yours very truly | George A. Ramage [signature]