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Typed transcript of Forrest’s letters and notes.

• Pages 1-28 describe Forrest's journey from Bhamo to Teng Yueh and corresponds closely with a handwritten letter to his fiancée Clementina Traill [GB 235 FRG/1/1/2].

Pages 29-94 contain ‘extractions’ from letters written to Mrs Forrest [either his mother, or Clementina, as she would likely have been Mrs Forrest at the time the letters were transcribed], Edinburgh, from Yunnan and Tibet [1904]-1905. These deal more with descriptions of the country and people rather than botanical matters. The copy letters, which have been typed out of order, are detailed as follows:

• Pages 29-42. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest from China Inland Mission, Talifu, 24 March 1905. Describes the valley from Hsia Kuan to Shang Kuan, and gives detailed description of Tali [Dali], its chiefs, main buildings and commerce.

• Pages 43-53. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest from China Inland Mission, Talifu, 28 March 1905. Gives further detailed information about Tali. Description of marble quarrying, trades, city buildings, female foot binding, clothing, food, education and customs.

• Pages 54-63. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, November 1904. Describes journey from Tali to Chong Ku on the Chung Tien plateau. ‘I left Tali on the 14th with the intention of going to Lichiang, and from there up to the top of the great Yangtse bend to work the base of the glacier there.’ Includes manuscript sketch of a kitchen or family room of a Tibetan house in which he spent two nights. Detailed description of the house and its use by the Tibetans in winter.

• Pages 64-67. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, November/December 1904. Describes journey from Chung Tien back to Tali, with itinerary.

• Pages 68-87. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, October 1904. Describes a 53-day journey from Tali north into Tibet, covering around 900 miles. Itinerary: Tali, Sha Kai, Shang Ying-pu, Tai Ho Tsun, Sung Kwei, Hoching, Chi Ho, Lichiang, Pei Sha, La Shi Pa, Mu Pi Wan, Na Le, Hsia So Yi, Ke Lo Wan, Mao Niu Chang, Hsia Chung Tien, Yong Ku, Chung Tien, Tang Tien, Chiao Tou, Pung Tzu-la, Kari Pass, Shi zo, Hsia zo, Shih Pa, Yeh Chih, Ba Ti, Tse Kou, Ba Ti, and again Yeh Chih, Ta Chiao, Hsiao Wei Hsi, Ka Ka, Wei Hsia, Lu Tien, Chu Tien, Tzu Ko, Shih Ku, Chia Ho, Chien Chuan-sho, Jiu Kai, Teng Chuan-sho and back to Tali.

• Pages 88-94. g. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, from Mission Apostolique, Tsekou, Tibet, 28 April 1905. Describes journey from Talifu going north by Chien Chuan and ending at Tsekou. Gives news of a revolt among the lamas in the north, ‘Tsekou is practically in a state of siege.’

Plants referenced:
Bamboo (pp.1,5); Mango (p.1); Orchid (p.6); Rice (pp. 3,16, 20); Teak (p.1)
Cotton (p.41)
Apricot (p.52); Bean (p.52); Cabbage (p.52); Carrot (p.52); Fig (p.52); Filbert (p.52); Gladitschia (p.53); Grape (p.53); Lemon (p.52); Mandarin orange (p.52); Pea (p.52); Peach (p.52); Pear (p.52); Persimmon (p.52); Pomegranate (p.52); Potato (p.52); Rice (p.52); Sapindus (p.53); Turnip (p.52); Walnut (pp.44, 52)
Allium (p.56); Azalea (pp.55, 56, 60); Gentian (pp.55, 56, 60); Lychnis (p.56); Lily (p.58); Paeonia (p.56); Pine (pp.54, 55, 56); Primula (p.60); Rhododendron (pp.55, 56, 60); Saxifrage (pp.56, 57, 60); Senecio (p.57)
Pine (p.66)
Azalea (pp. 77, 82, 85); Carduus (p.77); Clematis (p.80); Fritillaria (p.76); Gentian (pp.76, 77, 85, 87); Lily (p.85); Pine (pp.76, 77); Polygonum (p.77); Primula (pp.76, 82, 85, 86); Rhododendron (pp.77,82, 85); Rice (p.70); Saxifrage (pp.76, 77)
Pine (pp.90, 91)

Telegram from Sir Eldon Gorst, Foreign Office, handed in at Whitehall, To A.K. Bulley, received at Neston, Cheshire on the 21 August 1905: 'Latest information states that Forrest has arrived safe at Weishi [sic] and was to have been sent under escort on the 14th inst. to Tali [Dali] Gorst' with annotations by A.K. Bulley: 'I don't know whether you have had this, Just return it, A.K.B.'

Telegram from Sir Eldon Gorst, Foreign Office, handed in at Parliament Street at 5:18pm, to Professor Balfour, Keeper of the Royal Gardens, Edinburgh, received at Goldenacre Post Office at 5:55p on 19 August 1905.
'Further telegram received from Consul Gunnan [sic - Yunnan] stating Forrest is alive and safe. Gorst.'

Telegram from Forrest family, likely Miss Grace R. Forrest, George's sister, handed in at Lasswade Post Office at 8:17pm, to Balfour, Inverleith House, Edinburgh, received at Edinburgh Office at 8:21pm[?], 19 August 1905.
'Overjoyed to have good news many many thanks'

Telegram from Traill; presumably Miss Clementina Traill, Forrest's fiancee, handed in at Portobello Post Office at 8:25pm, to Balfour, Inverleith House, received by Edinburgh Office at 8:28pm, 19 August 1905.
'Many thanks for kindness letting me know good news. Traill.'

Sketch map in pencil showing Forrest's escape route from Tsekou [Cigu] on the 19th July to ~4th August at Yeh Chih [Yezhi]. The map was drawn by Forrest, presumably some time after the event, but is stored alongside the letter of the 10th October 1905, to which it relates. This may be an earlier version of the ink map (GB 235 FRG/1/1/1/1905/54).

Sketch map in ink showing Forrest's escape route from Tsekou [Cigu] on the 19th July to ~4th August at Yeh Chih [Yezhi]. The map was drawn by Forrest, presumably some time after the event, but is stored alongside the letter of the 10th October 1905, to which it relates.

This is a small series of items relating to the section of Rhododendron giganteum - now named Rhododendron protistum found and collected by George Forrest and his collectors in Yunnan, China on the 15th March 1931. The series consists of the specimen itself, and two of its museum labels.
For more information: (right click, open link in new tab) https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/14186

Report from Henry Hastings, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper, dated 13 November 1905.
Hastings, Balfour's Assistant, writes to provide a report from Mr. McBean regarding Forrest's charge of his careless packing of photographic material. McBean is adamant the material was packed carefully and that the box must have been opened by Customs Officials and that it must have been wholly immersed in water at some point. He admits with hindsight that a soldered tin-lined box would have been preferable and offers his apologies.
The report has been charred with some loss, though not of text.