Creator
M. Seeley Husted
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
Hankow China.
Nov. 1st 1906
My dear Prof.
I received your very welcome letter a week or so ago and sincerely hope that long ere this you have received the tea. I double registered it by Parcel post so that you must certainly receive it else it will come back to me as I am still keeping the register receipt until I am certain you have the tea. As to the fossils you speak of I will do my level best to secure some for you and think I may be fortunate as there is a regular boat trade between here and the Ping shan coal mines of Hunan. You may rest assured that if it is in my power to get you any I will certainly do so. Now that the cool weather has began I spend a great deal of time out in the country with my gun, and as I am still well on the youthful side of forty I enjoy myself immensely. Game there is in abundance Duck, Wild geese, Quail, partridge, Pheasant, and deer by the hundreds, so one has good sport.
The country is beautiful so much like the New England states except that it is not so hilly. There are several mountains all seemingly belonging to the one range, but no low rolling hills like in New England. Some of the farms are really picturesque though of course the houses are mere hovels.
The people here are much more hospitable here than in the south and that makes rambling around the country a pleasure. Many times, though, I have wished you were with me to explain the many things I see in nature of which you have so much knowledge and I, alas, so little; I enjoy
03771
getting out in the country away from the hum and burr of civilization, where one can see natures handiwork in all its splendor; but know I would enjoy it much more had I but a little knowledge of the why's and wherfor's.
Our conversation during the brief time we were together when going to Canton from Hongkong I shall remember to my latest hour and I live in hopes of renewing our personal acquaintance at some future date when I shall be again able to profit by your explanation of things that are.
By the way the Steamer by which we went to Canton was burned in Hongkong some two weeks ago and many lives were lost (all native) there were only 2 European passengers on board and they were saved. She took fire just as she was reaching her berth at the wharf, and the chinese in their mad rush to get ashore trampled many women and children to death and blocked the gangways. The loss of life is not none exactly but some reports put it at over a thousand while others say about 300, at any rate it was more than enough.
I have not copies of your two books and would be more than pleased to have them but I cannot procure them out here. Could I have them I would treasure them greatly.
If you have or have not received the tea by this time let me know and I will jump on the Postal authorities here and see what is wrong. Because the tea I sent I really want you to get as it is just as it comes from the plantations and not adulterated in any way.
Wishing you all the good things of this and the next world
I remain yours most sincerely
M. Seeley Husted.
J. M. C. Hankow.
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Location
Hankow, China
Date Original
1906 Nov 1
Source
Original letter dimensions: 27 x 21 cm.
Recommended Citation
Husted, M. Seeley, "Letter from M. Seeley Husted to John Muir, 1906 Nov 1." (1906). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 3580.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/3580
Resource Identifier
muir16_0397-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 16, Image 0397
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
2 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
