Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/7/1/1/42

Date

18 May 1839

Scope & content

Written from Hacienda del Carmen [near Oaxaca, Mexico]

Postmarked ('Paris [illegible]', 'London 14 Jul[?] 1839' and '[illegible]'). Part of an opened seal is attached to the letter. Annotated on the reverse: 'per Anais, via Bordeaux [France]'

Letter No 30

He acknowledges receipt of a letter dated 14 Feb, which he received on 15 May; he made a 'long and interesting' excursion across the cordillera [mountains] and the lowlands in the state of Veracruz [Mexico], 100 leagues [300 miles] from Oaxaca [Mexico]; his journey was very successful 'in that splendid country of constant verdure. How different from the arid plains and mountains in the north!'; he found three species of Gaultheria, two species of Viburnum and a 'most splendid' new species of Fuchsia; his main task was to collect orchids, and he found more Arpophyllum spicatum as requested, with dark purple flowers; he has started to pack up over 60 species of epiphytes to dispatch them; he intends to make an excursion to the south coast while waiting for an answer from Mr Skinner [George Ure Skinner, British merchant and naturalist in Guatemala]; he is also waiting for his baggage from Mexico [Mexico City, Mexico], 'detained in Pueblo [?Puebla, Mexico] for want of conveyance'; 'the mozo [servant] I left in the hospital in Oaxaca made his escape' after partly recovering, and is now employed by someone returning to Zacatan [?Zacatlan], 'which saved me a certain sum of dollars of sending him back, which according to the laws of the country I would have been obliged to do'

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Apr-16 May 1839 comprise 'monthly allowance' $50, 'wages of mozo [servant]' $16 and 'keeping of three beasts' $11.4

Level

Item

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

Royal Horticultural Society

Credit Line

RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

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