[Enclosure]

Redit, Mauritius

13^th Feby 1869

My dear D^r Hooker,

I am in your debt for two letters dated 7^th & 29^th Dec^r. The former enclosed one from M^r Baker⁸ about ferns, which I defer answering till next Mail, by which time I hope to hear again from him about our Bourbon & Madagascan discoveries.

He rather puzzles us, by finally referring Lady Barkly's Hymenophyllum H. emersum to H. tenellum (as representative of Jacquin's old Adiantum tenellum,) for this latter was identified by your Father in the Sp. Filicum with the H. ricciæfolium which figures in Bojer's Hortus Mauritianus, and is described as like H. Polyanthos a Fern for which M^r Baker gives Mauritius credit in the Synopsis.⁹

Query does the Kew Herbarium contain specimens of both H. tenellum & H. polyanthos from this Island?

What complicates the matter is that Bojer gives H. tenellum (of Don) as a synonym of our widely different H. gracile.¹⁰

I will not take up your time with more ferny talk, but I must mention that our friend M^rs Higginson, the daughter of the former Governor of that name,¹¹ and who has been the companion of many of our explorations and has added to the List of Mauritius Ferns Goniopteris pectifera, & Pellæa [annluni] &c, —goes home by this Mail, & will probably find her way in due course to Kew, very full of the subject. She takes with her Plants of the terrestrial Orchid which D^r Meller fancied might be ‘Dryopeia cordata’, but which you thought new.¹² It has flowered with her, and is clearly not the Plant described in Lindley¹³ as it has 8 to 10 large greenish flowers on its erect stem.

I had no opportunity of examining the structure of the Flowers on the Pollen, but if it flowers with me I will do so. M^rs Higginson has a drawing of the Plant in flower, which will probably enable you to judge if it be new. I have not received any letter from Meller since he left this, but I heard that he has written to me by sailing Ship, and I heard from D^r V. Mueller¹⁴ by the Mail that he had been at Melbourne & gone on to Sydney.

Horne¹⁵ as you remark is very competent to replace him in the case of the Botanic Gardens, and he is superintending our Sugar Cane Experiments to my entire satisfaction.

With regard to his explanation of the Islets on the Coasts, rumour says that Horne was not bold enough to land at the chief of them—Isle Ronde, a very dangerous matter from the surf, even in calmer conditions, & that his companion young Duncan alone got on shore.¹⁶

The Island however has been lately visited by another Party in which was included the American Consul Colonel Pike, who like most Yankees knows something of everything, & who has written a very interesting Paper on its Geology, with a description of its Fauna & Flora, which is to be read at the next meeting of our Local Royal Society, & of which I will send you a copy.¹⁷

There can be no doubt that this little rock lying but a few Miles from Mauritius offers some of the strangest problems as to the distribution of Plants and Animals that can be met with. It has not only its peculiar Pandanus—as you say—which by the bye has been christened at Rotterdam P. Vandermeerschii—after one of our Surveyors here who has sent many Plants to Holland,— but it has its peculiar Palm the Jubæa spectabilis of Duncans catalogue a name I presume derived from Kew.¹⁸

Another a Latania glaucophylla is found on others of these Islands & I believe in Bourbon, whilst it has also Areca alba in common with Mauritius.¹⁹

As regards its Zoology— Colonel Pike proved that the tradition of its having Snakes (which are unknown here as in most volcanic Islands) is true, by bringing back one in Spirits of the genus [Heteræum] about 2 foot long and 2 inches round, & he also captured several large lizards quite unknown here.²⁰

Having at a little distance the appearance of other great Island Cones about a Mile in diameter at the base & 1000 feet in height to the apex, it has generally been deemed from the days of Bory²¹ & downwards a Volcano, but Colonel Pike describes it as consisting of beds of friable Sandstone upheaved at angles of inclination more and more acute all round the axis of the Cone from the base to the summit.

He certainly has given me specimens of red Sandstone.

Is it not allowable to suppose that Round Island therefore is the remnant of a much more ancient Island or Continent which once existed where Mauritius is now situated and of which traces are to be found in the Casts of the stems of Submarine forests found by D^r Ayres in Gabriel Island & by M^r Charles in the Islands off Grand Port.²² If so how many hints in the chain of animal & vegetable existence may not have perished in the Volcanic eruptions which produced the Mascarene groups! I have just had an opportunity of reading D^r Wrights letter to the Principal of his University about the Seychelles, & must own I am a good deal disappointed.²³ He was I see to publish the first part of his Flora of the groups in November, & I must order it to be sent to me.²⁴ I presume he is competent for the task, but I hope he will be fair to those who have gone before him. I see he makes great capital out of his discovery of Nepenthes Wardii; but surely its existence was well known to your father & M^r Newton certainly took it to Kew in flower before D^r Wright set foot at Mahé.²⁵Thanks for your hint about the Tropical African Flora. I have applied to M^r Layard for copies.²⁶ Many thanks also for completing Lady Barkly's set of the Synopsis Filicum which she will highly value.²⁷ I hope you will be able to make your expedition to Russia and return in renovated health to your post.²⁸

Very truly Yours | Henry Barkly