WCP759

[1]¹

Broadstone <Wimbourne>

Sept^r [MS burned]

My dear Fred²

Yours of Sept. 6^th <reached> me yesterday, and I was very [MS burned] to see daylight in you affairs, [MS burned] to the very kind and liberal view [MS burned] situation taken by Mr Thayer. [MS burned] have certainly found in him a [MS burned] friend. It appears then now, [MS burned] the one, & vitally important thing <to> decide, is where to go after <visiting> England, and on this subject [MS burned] as you seem to wish, give you my [MS burned] views.

I am myself convinced that [MS burned] whole range of Tropical America [MS burned] could select no place less [MS burned] your purpose, none more [MS burned] ruin all your prospects [MS burned] yet you apparently [MS burned] a [MS burned] [2]³ [MS burned] to exist there, for the Tring^4. Of course he would ! And [MS burned] might possibly pay for ½ doz. or [MS burned] a dozen species 20/-⁵ each, to [MS burned] which would probably cost you [MS burned] 50! or even more, while the <remainder> of your collection might [MS burned] be worth as many shillings!

[MS burned] extreme poverty of the fauna of [MS burned] the W. Indian islands, is well known [MS burned] Hayti [sic] there are less than 50 species [MS burned] resident land-birds. In Lepidoptera [MS burned] is a still more marked deficiency [MS burned] all the most characteristic S[outh]. Am[erican]. [MS burned] being ^either absent ^{or very few,} while even the [MS burned] genera and species are very [MS burned] perhaps extinct, and others [MS burned] in certain localities you [MS burned] in years. Add [MS burned] travelling [MS burned] quite [3]⁶ certain that it would never [MS burned] one but a permanent resident [MS burned] considerable means, even to [MS burned] for them.

Belize in British Honduras, is [MS burned] a fairly good locality, and if it <can> be reached much more <cheaply> [MS burned] any other part of the tropics it [MS burned] worth considering. But [2 words illeg] ^as Salvin⁷ & Godman⁸ for about 40 <years> were either personally or by [MS burned] paid collectors, native or English [MS burned] all the surrounding countries [MS burned] Central America, which owing to [MS burned] large American trade there, [MS burned] scores of American collectors [MS burned] worked in ^or near it, it cannot [MS burned] much novelty — - though of [MS burned] much more than all [MS burned] [4]⁹ [MS burned] England would probably [MS burned] than to Guiana¹⁰ or Para. [MS burned] ^{<distance> is very much greater.} [MS burned] as there is a far less amount of [MS burned] <unknown> or little-known region there, [MS burned] even in Guiana, it would be, I [MS burned] pure waste of time to go there [MS burned] England.

[MS burned] come back again there to the two [MS burned] Iquitos¹¹ and British Guiana; and [MS burned] the first is more expensive to reach, [MS burned] foreigners, and is perhaps [MS burned] of a risk to begin with, there [MS burned] B[ritish]. Guiana — and there is these [MS burned] between the Missionary stations [MS burned] coast and the Berbice river.¹² [MS burned] London you can probably find [MS burned] the missions — perhaps even [MS burned] some one who has been [MS burned] English mission is one [MS burned] is [MS burned] [5]¹³ If you decide on B[ritish].Guiana [MS burned] not be as well to write at once [MS burned] Rodwell, who I believe still lives [MS burned] Georgetown, and could probably [MS burned] information as to the place on the [MS burned] River the most likely to form a [MS burned] collecting centre, mentioning the [MS burned] conditions you require — such as a [MS burned] settlement,— roads and paths in [MS burned] which must be near the town — [MS burned] Indian villages near ^{&c. &c}. It is <possible> there may be places on the <Berbice> river, which would be better ^still [MS burned] collector as being much less [MS burned] On this ^river I see places marked [MS burned] names & therefore probably [MS burned] settlements. If I hear <from> [MS burned] you decide for B.Guiana [MS burned] write to Mr. Kaye on [MS burned] [1 word illeg.] agreement¹⁴ [6]¹⁵ [MS burned] old settlement the 2^nd growth [MS burned] the virgin forest, are often [MS burned] the old forest itself.¹⁶

[MS burned] as to various places in the [MS burned] both pleasant to live at and [MS burned] for the insect-collector.

I believe myself, that besides [MS burned] large numbers of fine insects of [MS burned] orders, you will by a few years [MS burned] in a good locality, get a [MS burned] number of rare and a very [MS burned] <considerable> number of quite new [MS burned] remarkable species, which, taken [MS burned], will sell for about ten times [MS burned] the very scanty collections from [MS burned] would bring you — to say nothing [MS burned] advantages of being in an old [MS burned] <British> Colony, and probably with as much [MS burned] society as in most country [MS burned] in England or America.

[MS burned] ^you should find a really good [MS burned] have the opportunity [MS burned] [7]¹⁷ house with fruit-trees & a [MS burned] ground. But, in a good [MS burned] you will need almost every [MS burned] your time in collecting and [MS burned] & packing your collections, <especially> if you send off different sets [MS burned] your chief purchasers.

Still, I hope you will get [MS burned] information you can as to <Iquito> [MS burned] both in America and England, as [MS burned] am pretty sure, myself, that it [MS burned] repay you very much better, [MS burned] a much larger number of the [MS burned] moths, and beetles, would be [MS burned] new species. You will [1 word illeg.] [MS burned] seriously to consider the [MS burned] an Agent. — as without [MS burned] would lose [MS burned] [8]¹⁸ [MS burned] buy ^a few ^specimens at a time, but [MS burned] a good price for special [MS burned] or varities[sic] that they can [MS burned] from a large collection. [MS burned] <that> you will have to decide on [MS burned] interviews with any agents [MS burned] may now be available, and must [MS burned] clear¹⁹understanding as to terms, & have a signed agreement. [MS burned] course when you are in London [MS burned] can easily go to Tring, and see [MS burned] they want, and ascertain if they [MS burned] ^take a set of Lep[idoptera]. from Guiana at [MS burned] each, and also if they will pay [MS burned] <higher> price for sets from Iquitos [MS burned] the lower slopes of the Andes. [MS burned] not take whatever collections [MS burned] you ^now have to Tring, or ^{perhaps better,} if you [MS burned] ^{now and} say you are coming to [MS burned] and will call on them. [MS burned] the N[orth]. American [MS burned] really [MS burned] ²⁰