RK-093

Nova Station Jo Davis Co Saturday night July 28

Dear Father. - I have now seen all the ag'ts on the main line. I staid a day at Dunleith - shall stay here till tomorrow night when I go to Dixon where I will stay a day & then go to Chicago -

Prospect up here very fine - At Galena Mr Germain promises to get a good collection of rocks fossils &c - At Council Hill the ag't An educated German is a good botanist Has got a fine lot of plants all labelled & Classed both by Linnean & Natural Systim - He says he finds a few plants

that he does not know! & wants a Botany - I shall send him a Copy of Greys botany from Chicago. If we could raise a subscription of $10 or $15 he could be sent down South to collect for a week - he would do big things - I'll see what Johnson can do. If a clerk could be sent to fill his place while who from the office while he was gone his board for a week would not cost $5 & I would easily get more that that subscribed. This man (Capt Emil Claussen) is a decidedly

fine fellow - A gentleman [illegible] intelligent, & observing Is a revolutionary refugee. Has been engineering with Mr Germain (the person you referred me to as a "scientific engineer") at Galena. At Scales Mound the Agt says he is bound to send in the best collection of Grain &c - At this place find an englishman who can set up birds - he is intelligent too He will get a good lot from the pain. & says if he can get a pass to go down South where he has brothers he will get a lot there too - I will get John =son to send him a hass. I am staying with a Dr Morgan - Got a fine

lot of fish from Apple river.

Sunday I shall probably be in Chicago on Wednesday next. Put Mr Francis up to getting specimens of various things about Springfield for this collection acc & send to the Station Agt at Decatur.

You might write to me in Chicago.

Monday - Dixon Shall go to Chicago this afternoon. Cant do anything here

Bob