MY DEAR FRIEND,--Your letter of the 6th inst. awaited my return from the White Mountains last evening, and I must drop you a hasty reply by this day’s mail. I started for the mountains almost at a moment’s warning. Emerson, who was to accompany me, being called down to Maine, wrote me unexpectedly to meet him on Monday or Tuesday of last week at the Notch. I had just time to look up Tuckerman,[129] the very morning of his arrival! and to get his consent to meet me on Monday morning at the cars for Dover. Monday evening we reached Conway, New Hampshire, thirty miles from the White Mountains (full in sight); and Tuesday, in a one-horse wagon, we reached and botanized up the Notch to Crawford’s at its head. Emerson had been there, and returned to his father’s in Maine, having learned his brother’s arrival from France in the ship that brought Tuckerman. We made two ascents to the higher mountains; slept out one night; cold weather; a good deal of rain, but had some very fine weather for views. We saw the ocean distinctly, which is only possible under favorable circumstances. I made a fine collection of living plants, which was the chief object. Although too late for botanizing, yet I got many good alpines in fruit, some few in flower. When I see you, which I trust will be soon, I will tell you particulars, and bring specimens of the few plants collected that will be needed in your herbarium.
I have seen the president this morning, and find that Mr. Lowell has returned, but all are so busy that I doubt if they will settle anything about our affairs until the last of next week. Consequently I shall be kept here all next week. I shall immediately, at Mr. Quincy’s desire, or rather approval of my intimation, draw up a plan of my wishes for the management of the Garden, and shall ask for a specific appropriation, of small amount, for obtaining live plants, paying bills of transportation, etc. If I succeed, I may then be able to engage Knieskern to procure some New Jersey plants, as well as go to western New York myself; but I fear this delay, with the advancing season, will perhaps prevent the latter.
The parcel of Compositæ, etc., of the Far West has only just come in. I have looked over the Compositæ with some excitement. Some few new and the old help out Nuttall’s scraps, etc., very well. Tetradymias this side of the Rocky Mountains!! Some new Senecios, especially, from the mountains, near the snow line. How I would like to botanize up there!...