Peter Forsskål has sent several letters to Linnaeus from Yemen via Gedda and Livorno [Forsskål to Linnaeus, 19 January 1763{L3196}, 18 April{L3243}, 3 May{L3260} and 18 May{L3255}]. If Linnaeus has received them, he will know that Forsskål reached Yemen in December 1762. By now he has found 30 new genera of plants, in addition to those he has already sent to Denmark, and new marine species and fishes. He has 90 new species of fishes from the Red Sea. He has identified the genus of balsam. The mountains of the interior are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. Forsskål cannot determine their heights because his barometers have all been broken. On their arrival, their collection of starfishes and snakes in alcohol caused great commotion and accusations of magical practice. However, “the silly governor” was bribed and order restored. One member of the expedition, Frederik Christian von Haven, died on 25 May. He was a troublesome man, so the loss of him is a relief to everybody. The mountain Sabr, near the town of Taîs, is their next destination. By the end of August Forsskål hopes to be able to embark on an English ship and return home. His health is good and he is quite busy.
Forsskål writes only to Linnaeus and is grateful if Linnaeus can forward his greetings to his parents and brother if they are still alive [Forsskål’s mother, Margareta Forsskål had died already in 1735, his father was Johannes Forsskål, his brother Johan Christian Forskåhl had died already in 1756, the other brother was Jonas Gustaf Forsskål]. Forsskål received Linnaeus’s letter of June 1762 [this letter has not come down to us] but not the others that are mentioned there, with the dissertation enclosed [Forsskål refers to Prænotionum theologicarum pars quarta]. He hopes that Linnaeus will continue writing because his letters are his greatest pleasure. This letter will go to Bassora and from there across Syria to Livorno.
Forsskål is enclosing an open letter in German to be sent by Linnaeus to the Danish Prime Minister Johan Hartvig Ernst Bernstorff [Forsskål was mistaken as to Bernstorff’s title, he was Minister of foreign affairs], about the animal in Madrepora and the Jemen Alps. It contains a twig, probably of the genuine balsam tree. The drawing made by Prosper Alpini is incomplete [Forsskål refers to Alpini’s De balsamo dialogus, first published in 1591].
P.S. Seeds from Arabia have been sent via Gedda.