Letter received by Banks from John Sibthorp, 10 December 1787 (Series 72.148) - No. 0001

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Sir

From the very kind interest you took in the success of my voyage, I flatter myself you will with pleasure here of my safe arrival at Oxford.  A tedious Voyage Passage of three months from Patras from contrary winds & stormy weather has made my Friends very anxious for my safety.  I had the Honor of writing to you last winter from Pera informing you of the success of my Voyage the preceeding year in Botanical discoveries.  I have this year been fortunate in making a considerable addition to my collections in Natural History.  Leaving Constantinople the Beginning of March I sailed to Cyprus from thence to Rhodes touching in the way at different Parts of the Asiatic Continent, in Mysia [undecipherable] the ancient Cilicia the native Country of Dioscorides.  From Rhodes I passed to Patmos, Naxia [Naxos] & the Cyclades - from thence to Athens, having collected the plants of Hymettus Pentele & Parnes, neighbouring mountains.  I passed into Boeotia to Thebes & Livadea [also spelt Livadeia] from thence to Parnassus.  I was there several times on that Mountain - the highest in Greece & was supposed to find in the Mid Region of that Mountain some of the Persian Plants, particularly ye Morina persica.  Parnassus furnished