Darwin Correspondence Project

Down Farnborough Kent

Sept. 8th

My dear Waterhouse

I was heartily glad to get your pleasant, fresh note, which is like one of your good shakes of the hand. Believe me that it has not been forgetfulness which has stopped me coming to see you, but I have been very seldom in London, & both the last times (which I believe includes all the times that I have been there this past summer) I have been excessively knocked up, so that I was really not able to do necessary business: rely on it, I shall not forget the pleasure of seeing you when next in London. I am delighted to hear that you are starting for your holidays & that your little ones are enjoying themselves on the sea-beach,—that abundant source of delight & mysteries to the young.

Now for business: I literally believe I know not one individual in B. Ayres: I did only know one & that was a Mr Lumb, & I know not whether he is there, or even alive.

In my volume on the Geology of S. America I give every locality at which I ever heard of great Bones: please tell me, if you think it adviseable, I wd send M. Bravard a copy of my Volume. If he can get to Bahia Blanca I wd strongly advise his visiting the low cliffs of Punta alta & all the cliffs for 30 miles sea-ward, to Monte Hermoso: it was at Bahia Blanca that I reaped my best harvest. The Carcarana a branch of the Parana,—again near St Fè Bajada, again near the R. Negro in Banda Oriental, are all excellent places. He shd everywhere enquire for Giant Bones; He shd go up the rivers in Boats. The evil of going to Bahia Blanca, is the sail of 200 or so miles.— I believe M. Bravard will probably be very successful. He shd know that at one time Rosas ordered that Fossils shd not go out of the country; but it is excessively improbable that this wd be still acted on; if indeed it ever was acted on. He will find plenty of Frenchmen to advise him in B. Ayres.

When we meet, I shall be anxious to hear something of you & your doings. I am yet at work at the Cirripedia; it is folly for a man & a slow coach to undertake systematic w<ork> if he can work only some two hours per diem. The Ray Socy has delayed distributing my first vol. for the last nine months ! whenever you can borrow a copy (for I have not a copy to give away), do read what I state on the sexes of Scalpellum & Ibla.

Farewell till we meet. Pray give my kind remembrances & compliments to Mrs Waterhouse | Ever your's truly Ch. Darwin