WCP5553

[1]¹

H[er]. M[ajesty’s]. S[hip]. "Nassau"

Monte Video.

Feb. 11^th 1869.

My dear Sir.

I write a few lines to let you know that we are here having come up from the Strait² with a cargo of about 200 hundred ship-wrecked people, the Pacific Steam Navigation Company’s³ steamer "Santiago" having been lost off the Island of Desolation⁴ in the Strait. We went to Sandy Point [Punta Arenas] in the beginning of the year as a letter I despatched to you a short time ago will have informed you and there we awaited the ^{arrival of the} "Santiago" which was due on the 19^th of last month. We remained stationary until the 24^th and then having given up hopes of meeting her we proceeded westwards to resume our work. On the 26^th, however, we met a small schooner coming to look for us with all the Santiago’s passengers on board and we then learned the disaster that it had occurred. It was therefore decided that we should take the unfortunates on to this port⁵ and we arrived here about a week ago. The weather is extremely hot and we feel the change of climate from the Strait very much though it is not an unpleasant variety. I spent a few hours walking about on the Mount⁶ [2] the other day and picked up a number of plants but nothing particularly note-worthy. The scarlet and purple Verbenas are in fine flower. I obtained specimens of a handsome lizard, a toad and a beautiful little green frog which though it belongs to the Hyla family cannot be called a tree-frog as it basks on bare rocks in the sunshine where there ^are no trees of any description. I forget whether I mentioned in my last letter that I feel almost convinced that Calceolaria nana and Darwinii are only different forms of one species resulting from a variety of soil and situation. I mention ^this because I see you appear to think that not improbable.

In a few days we return to our work in the South and we expect to be at Rio de Janeiro about the beginning of July and thither all our letters from home are to be addressed. In consequence of the death of his father, Captain ^Mayne7 is going home on leave when we return to Rio and I believe all things considered that I had better return home then also should no strong reason arise for my remaining out longer. I feel satisfied that I ^have virtually [3] accomplished all the work in my power with my present facilities and if I stayed out longer I would be merely going over old ground. Of course much as I should like to return home I should be ready to remain out longer did I think that any good end could be served by my doing so[,] but after careful consideration I do not think this is the case and from what Captain Mayne has said to me I believe this is his opinion also. As I have uniformly received the greatest kindness and consideration from him I need hardly say that any wish of his would have great weight with me and I trust I do not need to inform you that any opinion expressed by you in the matter would also be entitled to my most careful consideration. I may however mention[,] and you will understand what I mean[,] that I should not consider it advisable to remain were Captain Mayne not at the head of affairs here. It seems most likely then that I shall be in England in the autumn of the present year. I hope to get some seeds of Fagus betuloides before we leave the Strait. I think it was after I finished my last letter to you that a large party of Patagonians arrived at Sandy Point. Captain Mayne and I were out on a walk at the time and met the cavalcade riding in. It was one of the most picturesque sights I have ever seen. The tallest man of the party [4] measured six feet ten inches in height.

It is a curious fact that of all the mail bags carried by the Santiago ours was the only one that was saved. In it I got a kind letter from Dr Gray⁸ in reply to a note⁹ I wrote him on the habits of Volutes. I see that Mr Wallace’s new book of travels¹⁰ is advertised. It will be marvellously interesting I have no doubt. Have you seen Dr Collingwood’s¹¹ book¹²? I saw a favourable critique on it in the Saturday Review¹³.

Believe me | most truly yours, | Robert O. Cunningham [signature]

P. S. I am sorry to see that Sir John Lubbock¹⁴ is not in the new Parliament.

Dr J. D. Hooker. F[ellow]. [of the] R[oyal]. S[ociety].