My dear Sir.

I have just received your letter and regret I did not give you my town address however, my general Agents, M^c.Gregors. 17 Charles St. St James Square, will always give it you when I am either in England or abroad.¹ I write this letter, without any delay, as I think I can afford you some information about the mamalia, of St Thomas, & Princes— I have also to state the pleasing news, that I have received a letter from Africa, from H.M.S. Scourge,² stating that M^r. Gabriel of the mixed commiss. on coast,³ is making an extensive collection of fowls &c for you— I suppose ere this, you will have received information of this collection.⁴

In looking over some old notes, extracted from a Portuguese history of these islands, I find that numerous monkeys & civit cats (the same probably as those of Fernando Po and the main land)—belong to these localities. The following are the precise words in Portuguese— “A unica especie do genero Mamalia, que se achou nestas Ilhas ao tempo do descobrimento eram macacos de differentes castas, e muitos ratos assas daninhos. Os Portuguezes alli introduziram logo gado, vaccum, lanigero cabrum, e cavallar, o qual propagou sufficientemente, e mais que tudo as cabras” — “Varias viverras se acoutam tambem nessas matas entre ellas uma especie de gato dalgalia ou viverra civetta. Lagartos, lagartixas sapos acham-se por toda a parte, e dos amphibios a rãa, e o cágado—e nas praias destas Ilhas sahem muitas tartarugas, de que a casca se aproveita para o commercio por ser da melhor qualidade” ⁵

I hope this long quotation may afford you a slight insight I will however keep you memo in my sight. It is most difficult to gain any information on these subjects. Fernando was inhabited by a black race of men, supposed originally to have passed over from [Camarõens] ⁶ river, as there are several words in both languages the same— It is not unlikely I may go abroad again early in next year, and if I can give you any information or make inquiries into any particular subject for you, I will do all I can in these respects.

I remain my dear Sir | ever yours sincerely | W. F. Daniell C. Darwin Esq— | &c &c

The island of St. Thomas’ was discovered in 1470 on Dec 21. by Joãn de Santarem and Pedro de Escobar. It was colonized in September 1485

Navegação de Lisboa a Ilha de St Thomes e Principe por um Piloto Portuguese about 1500— published