Elliott, Stephen, 1771-1830. Stephen Elliott papers, 1791- approximately 1947. Letters from James MacBride to Stephen Elliott 1812 October 7-1814 March 8. gra00020. Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Botany Libraries, Harvard University.

16.'May 1813.

Stephen Elliott Esq. {Esquire} Charleston To ge care of Mr. Quan

St. Stephens June 13th 1813

Dear Sir,

Your favour of yesterday accompanied by the tin case owing to accident was not delivered to me before 8 o'clock this evening. I am extemely sorry I had not known earlier of the arrival of the case for this being an idle day I might have sent you several fresh specimens.

Another excuse for the poverty of the [?] collection is that I have been until yesterday confined by a severe indisposition which invaded me a few hours after our separation in town.

I passed yesterday over some of the culti =vated Santee swamp lands & picked at the Hyoseris I send. Can it be the amplexicaulis of Michx. The stalks are "aspurgentes sive decumbentes." The seed entirely destitute of pappi. The florets seldom reach the number 12.

I met with the new Justicia growing very luxuriantly indeed. Fertility of soil had not changed its characteristic features. It, however in every instance was either geniculate or flexuose. The capsules small clavated (doubly!) I send you from the same soil the leaves of (to me) an unknown plant. It seems a Melothria or Cucumis. It is not yet in bloom. The Geum sent has been in bloom since the last of May. I send another Ophrys. It is certainly difft. from the O. cernua of which I send a dried specimen in the same envelope. This O. began to bloom about a week since & will soon disappear.

The Plantago is cultivated under the appellation of the ribbed grass. Is it the P. lanceolata. The leaf is very similar to the indigenous plantago now in bloom.

The Hypericum sent is not a proper specimen I gathered it since dark. The branches in full grown plants elevate their flowers to the same level with those of the stalk. This species species yields oil of no unpleasant taste. Is it the maculatum of Michx.

I state to you that I had seen an extraordinary feat performed by a species of Nepa. The species I cannnot designate. It is about 1 inch & 1/4 long & rather broader than our largest Blatta. [Blattaria]. It strictly resembled the large S. American Nepa excepting that it wanted the Cauda biseta. It is rare here I was standing with a gentle man on a ricefield bank in Sept. when we perceived a frog (common spring) leaping out of the water with great briskness & irregularity & is after a short time it appen =ed confined to a particular spot but still struggling. We approached & found that the insect above mentioned had inserted its inflected nostrum, & the cheliform processes of its forefeet into a thigh of the frog while the middle & hinder feet (furnished too with hooks) were firmly attached to the rice stubble. The frog soon exhausted itself when we liberated it, but its agility in endeavoring to regain the water did not secure it from the grasp of its pursuer who assisted by wings soon secured the fugitive. The insect was now laid hold of & examined.

I heartily join your in the wish that our correspondence may not be interrupted especially by the cause mentioned. As far as I can you may calculate on my cooperation.

Our post leaves Philli every Monday morning & Thursday noon & arrives every Thursday & Sunday—

I am, Dear Sir, high regard yours J Macbride

Excuse haste. I approve highly of the case.

13 June 1813.

Stephen Elliott Esq. {Esquire} Charleston With a tin box. To the care of Messr. Chisolm & Taylor

Sullivan's Island, Oct. 9th 1813

Dear Sir,

To your favour of June 23d I was pre =vented from replying by a severe illness which reduced me to the lowest extremity. To repair my health I took a journey to the warm springs, Tennessee, & the upper districts of this state. The state of body & mind I was in during this tour did not permit me to pay that attention to our favourite study. I could have wished still I was not wholly inattentive. My collec =tion will be forwarded to you as soon as I go home. Mr.— whom I mentioned to you as living at Vance's ferry has collected specim =ens of shells from the lime stone stratum which I hope will be interesteing to you. These shall also be sent you.

It gave me great pleasure to learn that you have escaped the the usual effects of the climate of Charleston upon strangers!

I returned to Pine Ville a week since & found one of my children so ill that I have removed it here from the