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Show 448 PROF. A. NEWTON ON A LIVING DODO. [June 16, dents recorded in his book; but it is almost certain that he could not have reached Mauritius until 1629*, while Altham, as the letters show, was there in 1628. For the time that the two travellers were in company, however, their tales tally very well. Both mention the mortality which the expedition suffered in the Mozambique Channel, losing the Vice-Admiral, Goodall, " and many a braue gentleman beside ;" both were equally struck with the amazing whiteness of the sea (a phenomenon often observed since) ; and both frequently name the same ships as forming part of the fleet. These facts appear equally in others of Altham's letters (a copy of which has been considerately placed in m y hands by Dr. Wilmot) and in Herbert's published 'Travels.' To come, however, to the two letters which I exhibited. They bear the same date, and were doubtless written to be sent by different hands. Both (as before stated) are addressed to the same person, and begin:- " Bight wor and louinge brother." The first and longest, after recounting the writer's adventures, proceeds :- " W e were ordered by ye said Councell [of India] to goe to an Hand called ye mauritius lying in 20d of South latt where wee arriued ye 28th of may : this Hand hauinge many goates hogs and cowes upon it and very strange fowles called by ye portingals DoDo which for the rareness of the same the like beinge not in ye world but here I have sent you one by m1' perce : who did arriue with ye ship william at this Iland ye 10th of June." It concludes:- " your most louinge brother E M A N U E L L ALTHAM./" "June ye 18th 1628 ffro ye mauritius." And there is a postscript, written across the margin, as follows :- " of mr perce you shall receue a iarr of ginger for m y sister : some beades for my Cosins your daughters: and a bird called a DoDo./ if it hue " Its superscription is :- " To ye right woor m y most Louinge brother Sr Edward Altham at marke Hall, in Essex./ " Deliuer./" The second letter ends thus :- " You shall receue a iarr of India ginger for m y sister your wife as alsoe some beades for m y Cosins your daughters, and withall a strange fowle : which I had at the Iland mauritius called by ye por-tingalls a DoDo: which for the rareness thereof I hope wilbe welcome to you. " mauritius ye 18th of June 1628 : your most louing brother, EMANUELL ALTHAM./" * Strickland, however, says (I.e.) "1627." |