“This collection is particularly interesting, as showing that while the plants, quadrupeds, and birds of the southern and northern declivities of the Kohi-Baba, the continuation of the Hindoo-koosh, are much alike, yet that a total difference exists in their fish.

“Lord Keane, and Sir Willoughby Cotton, left me in complete possession of my own time, a great kindness due no doubt to the considerate instructions of Lord Auckland, but for which I was not the less grateful.

“I always found Sir Alexander Burnes very considerate and very willing to forward my views, and put me in possession of information.  The late Dr. Lord also showed himself anxious to assist me in my duties, and very kindly asked me to join the Mission to Toorkistan, so suddenly put an end to by a suspected outbreak in Kohistan.

“To Captain Macgregor I was under great obligations during the whole time I continued in his district.  Through his influence I was enabled to remain at the outer borders of Kaffiristan; and that deservedly warm respect which he was held in by all the chiefs, would, I am confident, have gained me access into Kaffiristan, and towards Cashgur, at any less unsettled period.  I have seen Captain Macgregor in the closet and in the field, and I cannot sufficiently express the respect with which I have had cause to regard him in both situations.

“Captain Sanders, of the Bengal Engineers, was always eager to swell my stock of materials, and during periods of occasional indisposition, I relied almost entirely on him.  Captain Sanders had also made for me a collection of plants between Candahar and Herat, which, I regret to say, was nearly entirely destroyed in crossing one of the rivers on that route.

“It is to Dr. Ritchie, of the Bombay Medical Service, the companion of the justly celebrated Major Pottinger, during his return from Herat via Jhomunna, that the Botanical collections are mostly indebted.  Dr. Ritchie not only placed unreservedly at my disposal a very interesting collection made on that journey, but also a larger one made between Peshbolak and Peshawur.  Both these are of considerable value, the one shows that the Affghan forms prevail as far as Herat on both sides of the Paropamisus, the other shows that Affghanistan, even in its hottest parts, has a majority of European forms.  To the contents of these collections, notes of the localities are also added, enhancing their value very considerably.  I may be excused for adding, that Dr. Ritchie is acquainted with route surveying; in this and his knowledge of Botany, he possesses two valuable requisitions of a traveller.

“Dr. Grant, of the Bombay Medical Service, formerly in Medical charge of Dr. Lord’s Mission, liberally presented me with an excellent series of specimens from the valley of Syghan.

“While I am beyond measure indebted for Zoological collections, to Captain Hay, of the European Regiment.”