Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1877-06-11)

am told I did *very well* on this last one. Well now the question is, *what next*? I have a letter from Theobald, who is in the Annamallies. He says come to him, that his locality is the best in all Southern India for game, i.e. for a collector. Kindly offers me every assistance, & says he will promise to get permission for me to shoot 2 elephants in the adjoining Rajalis territory, as he *knows* the Madras Gov't will not give me permission to shoot elephants in the Gov't Forests. *But*, he says I will run the risk of catching the jungle fever if I go now. Now if the fever were out of the question my mind would be made up in ten minutes as to "what next." I have consulted my physician on the subject-- who is appointed here by Gov't, & draws Ro 2000 per month salary-- and he says "You must not go into any of the low forests now. The Annamallies are feverish just now, but in three weeks, or a month they will not be, owing to the Monsoon. I think you can go down there in safety in three weeks or a month." That's the Dr. on it.