Letter from E.S. [Edward Sabine], Sierra Leone to Joseph Sabine esq [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society's House, Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from E.S. [Edward Sabine], Sierra Leone to Joseph Sabine esq [secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society's House, Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/2/Z1/16

Date

19 Mar 1822

Scope & content

Written from Sierra Leone

The letter is postmarked ('[illegible] 29 1822', 'Shoreham ship letter'). A small section of the letter has been torn away by an opened seal

Captain Finlaison [William M. Finlaison, commander in the British Royal Navy], a passenger on the merchant ship Stockton bound for London [Captain Finlaison was invaliding out of the Navy], is taking charge of the three boxes from Mr Don [George Don] to be sent to Joseph; one contains live plants, one preserved fruits and one seeds; Edward has recently sent Joseph a case of birds so it is not worth sending him the few they have collected since; Smith's [John Smith, Edward Sabine's assistant] ankle is mending; they were both out on horseback with their guns this morning but had no success; he has a pair of wild ducks that Finlaison will try to keep alive for Joseph; they are capable of domestication even in disadvantageous circumstances; Edward also hopes to obtain six guinea fowls of a 'different and far more beautiful' species than the common guinea fowl for Finlaison to bring, which could be either the mitrata [Numida meleagris mitratus, helmeted guinea fowl] or the cristata [Numida cristata, crested guinea fowl], but as he does not have descriptions of either he cannot be sure; the species is rare and difficult to obtain alive; there are three or four domesticated here [in Sierra Leone] which live with the other species, but have not yet bred; if the Stockton has sailed before the guinea fowls arrive, Edward will endeavour to find another vessel to take them the following month; if he does not succeed he will ship them with the HMS Pheasant [patrolling for slavers off the coast at this time, and the ship in which Edward intended to leave for his next destination] for Sir Ralph Woodford [British governor of Trinidad], and if he wants he will try to get more for him; Edward thinks that the guinea fowl and the ducks would be a good present for Lord Essex [?George Capel-Coningsby, 5th earl of Essex] unless Joseph has a better idea; they would be well taken care of at Cassiobury [seat of the earls of Essex] and there would be a chance of the breed being introduced; if all six arrive safely, he suggests a pair could be kept at the Horticultural Garden [Chiswick] in a netted space as they are 'very ornamental'; Don is in very high spirits today, though his letters are not ready; Don says that Joseph will not need any accompanying notes with the plants, which will have arrived before the James; they should arrive at St Thomas's [Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe] in the middle of the 'most healthy season', and the island has the reputation of being healthy; he promises to send a second letter with news of the duck and guinea fowl if he can get them on board; Don has sent a letter. Written from Sierra Leone

The letter is postmarked ('[illegible] 29 1822', 'Shoreham ship letter'). A small section of the letter has been torn away by an opened seal

Captain Finlaison [William M. Finlaison, commander in the British Royal Navy], a passenger on the merchant ship Stockton bound for London [Captain Finlaison was invaliding out of the Navy], is taking charge of the three boxes from Mr Don [George Don] to be sent to Joseph; one contains live plants, one preserved fruits and one seeds; Edward has recently sent Joseph a case of birds so it is not worth sending him the few they have collected since; Smith's [John Smith, Edward Sabine's assistant] ankle is mending; they were both out on horseback with their guns this morning but had no success; he has a pair of wild ducks that Finlaison will try to keep alive for Joseph; they are capable of domestication even in disadvantageous circumstances; Edward also hopes to obtain six guinea fowls of a 'different and far more beautiful' species than the common guinea fowl for Finlaison to bring, which could be either the mitrata [Numida meleagris mitratus, helmeted guinea fowl] or the cristata [Numida cristata, crested guinea fowl], but as he does not have descriptions of either he cannot be sure; the species is rare and difficult to obtain alive; there are three or four domesticated here [in Sierra Leone] which live with the other species, but have not yet bred; if the Stockton has sailed before the guinea fowls arrive, Edward will endeavour to find another vessel to take them the following month; if he does not succeed he will ship them with the HMS Pheasant [patrolling for slavers off the coast at this time, and the ship in which Edward intended to leave for his next destination] for Sir Ralph Woodford [British governor of Trinidad], and if he wants he will try to get more for him; Edward thinks that the guinea fowl and the ducks would be a good present for Lord Essex [?George Capel-Coningsby, 5th earl of Essex] unless Joseph has a better idea; they would be well taken care of at Cassiobury [seat of the earls of Essex] and there would be a chance of the breed being introduced; if all six arrive safely, he suggests a pair could be kept at the Horticultural Garden [Chiswick] in a netted space as they are 'very ornamental'; Don is in very high spirits today, though his letters are not ready; Don says that Joseph will not need any accompanying notes with the plants, which will have arrived before the James; they should arrive at St Thomas's [Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe] in the middle of the 'most healthy season', and the island has the reputation of being healthy; he promises to send a second letter with news of the duck and guinea fowl if he can get them on board; Don has sent a letter

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

John J. Timothy Jeal

Credit Line

Courtesy John J. Timothy Jeal / RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)