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[Page 2]
So favorable an opportunity of the Garden going to England must not be lost, if it can possibly be got ready. It is the plants of Van Diemens Land that are most wanted, this Sir Joseph has repeated again to me in his last letter. And I fully intend taking the empty Boxes & fill them there. At present the Garden does not contain above 1 third of its quota. When it is compleated I cannot think of trusting it to others, not only in the want of due attention on the passage, but on its arrival in England, where it may [be] robbed of its best plants, probably this sort of plunder you are unacquainted with, therefore it is my intention to have the sole charge of it until it is delivered to Mr. Aiton. Now I must beg to be informed whether I can go the voyage in the Buffalo to the Derwent and return before the Sydney sails from here.
The specimen sent with Mr. Shererd is a tree which I have noticed years ago on Mount Hunter. It is laid to some of the hills in that neighbourhood; but it has been found on other parts of the coast by Mr. Brown. Where Batty found it I cannot say, but I am certain it was not in the vicinity of M. Banks. If the bush rangers will always bring plants from the remote parts of their tours, I can form a good idea of what distance they have been. If any ordit is given to the distance these sort of travellers have been, I should like to go with them, but on the return I would lead the road, and I'll be bound to soon shew then they were of no great distance from the settlements. If all the Bush rangers were to saver they had been at the Devils Wilderness, I would not believe them,