Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, 9-10 May 1803(Series 39.078) - No. 0019

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[Page 19]

filled with such plants as I conceived to be worth sowing, & in [indecipherable] which I was advised by Coll Paterson & Cayley: The Boxes grew rotten, & I was near giving that batch up; & to make new Boxes for a fresh Collection, but on the [indecipherable] arrival, our friend Brown advised me by all means to get outside Boxes made to drop the others in to, & send the plants as they are for the most part now at Kew & have the advantage of being well established - I followed his advice & improved on it, by seeing each Box full of different Native Seeds -

On the Glattons arrival no better opportunity could offer of sending them,I have requested him Capt Colnet to take them on board; he has allotted a Cabbin before his, for their reception,  And that their safety may be assured as much as possible; I have sent James Fleming, to take charge of them during the passage, & until he receives your advise, which is to be close with them; the shipboard Boxes are marked & invoiced & as soon as the Ship arrives, he will forward one of the Two Letters he is Charged with for you - And I dare be bound will discharge his trust faithfully, & Conscientiously - I have said he came out a prisoner in the Royal Admiral in 1800 - the other part of his history is, that he is well known among the nursery people about London, (I still am sure he will be honest and give you  all) he was gardner with Lord Paulet, & was sent here for Seven Years, his Crime, buying some Clover Seed that had been stole - he [indecipherable] time in which, I would Trust him with any thing - As no other reward is attached to his taking care of these plants here, & obeyin] your future directions, when the Glatton arrives, then the Free pardon

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