NORTH PRESCOTT COTTAGE
LAWRENCE PARK
BRONXVILLE, NEW YORK
Jan[uar]y 18— 13
My dear Sir;
I hope you will overlook the liberty I am taking. Yet without taking in. I have no way to encompass my desire for your autograph to put in my copy of your book—Travels on the Amazon Rio Negro— of which I have one of the final—edition copies.
There done a great deal of traveling & among others thoroughly covered South America or the East [2] Studies.
Your Rio Negro book prompted me to make a pilgrimage over your trail that of von Homboldts I started from Manaos1[sic]— went up the Rio Negro to Cassiquaire2[sic]— to the Orinoco— which I ascended some days beyond the point mentioned by the great German— then down the Orinoco to the Ocean.—
I found that [1 word crossed out and illeg.] substantially are the scientific world knows to day of the Rio Negro & of the Orinoco— is what you & Humboldt— told them so long [3] ago.—Your work still stands to-day after sixty years. The authoritative one on the sections you covered.—
I made five trips all told to South America— & recently brought out my book—The Flowing Road— which is not at all scientific— merely the story of a sportsman who has the wonderful— largely developed. I also brought out a book— Jungle Tales Trails & Jungle Periles[sic]— as the [1 word illeg.] of my hunting & exploration in the Far East— [4] Malaya— Siam &c—
I tell you this— my dear sir, not under the impression of it being of interest— to you.— but to show that my desire for your autograph is through [to word illegible crossed out] field experience prompted by admiration of your great work.
I shall be grateful if you feel inclined to grant my request & in any event— I beg you will accept my salutations & earnest hope. That your life will be extended— many years yet—
Sincerely | Caspar Whitney [signature]
To/ Dr Alfred Wallace
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP599.599)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP599,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP599