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Correspondence from George Forrest to I. B. Balfour
The Consulate Teng Yueh Yunnan S.W. China.
30-12-1905
Dear Sir
Again I will have to ask you to excuse me writing a long letter to you. I have been so busy since I came back from the north. Mr. Litton [Consul General George Litton] was called away suddenly to the frontier on business connected with the proposed railway extension from Bhamo to Teng Yueh and left me practically in charge here, to entertain any people who might be traveling through on their way east or west etc.
Unfortunately for me and my work there happens to be quite a number on the road this year. At present there are four Europeans in the Consulate. Mr. Crowley, who is a member of the Alpine Club, his wife [Rose Kelly] and child [Lilith], and a Frenchman who is on his way north to buy musk and furs for some firm in Paris. His name is Peronne. I am the only person of the lot who understands a little Chinese, so you can quite easily understand that I have rather a busy time attending to their various needs. Later on I shall give you a full, or as full as possible account of our journey north and probably a number of photographs which may interest you. We reached lat. 27 15 1 1/4 degrees covering new ground. No roads, frightful travelling, people complete savages and the most barren country I have yet passed through. For days through grass 6-10 feet high. I have about 300 specimens for you, some of them new species I think, but as yet I cannot give you the correct number, as I have not had time to go over them and some are not yet dry. Of seeds I have only about 100 species I think and not by any measure those I wished most to secure. Therefore I shall have to go back on my tracks to Tsekou this next season as I cannot bear the thought of anyone else, especially a Frenchman, securing specimens and seeds of the plants I saw.
. . . I leave here about the middle of January. About that time I shall be sending off my plants but shall communicate with you regarding this letter.
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