contains fish: will you open it to see how the spirit has stood the
evaporation of the Tropics. On board the ship everything goes on as well
as possible; the only drawback is the fearful length of time between this
and the day of our return. I do not see any limits to it. One year is
nearly completed and the second will be so, before we even leave the east
coast of S. America. And then our voyage may be said really to have
commenced. I know not how I shall be able to endure it. The frequency
with which I think of all the happy hours I have spent at Shrewsbury and
Cambridge is rather ominous--I trust everything to time and fate and will
feel my way as I go on.

November 24th.--We have been at Buenos Ayres for a week; it is a fine large
city, but such a country, everything is mud, you can go nowhere, you can do
nothing for mud. In the city I obtained much information about the banks
of the Uruguay--I hear of limestone with shells, and beds of shells in
every direction. I hope when we winter in the Plata to have a most
interesting geological excursion into that country: I purchased fragments
(Nos. 837-8) of some enormous bones, which I was assured belonged to the
former giants!! I also procured some seeds--I do not know whether they are
worth your accepting; if you think so I will get some more. They are in
the box. I have sent to you by the "Duke of York" packet, commanded by
Lieut. Snell, to Falmouth two large casks containing fossil bones, a small
cask with fish and a box containing skins, spirit bottle, etc., and pill-
boxes with beetles. Would you be kind enough to open these latter as they
are apt to become mouldy. With the exception of the bones the rest of my
collection looks very scanty. Recollect how great a proportion of time is
spent at sea. I am always anxious to hear in what state the things come
and any criticisms about quantity or kind of specimens. In the smaller
cask is part of a large head, the anterior portions of which are in the
other large one. The packet has arrived and I am in a great bustle. You