And finally...

...if Douglas was in any doubt about the success of his journey, others were quick to laud his achievements.  The Horticultural Society were well pleased:

"This mission was executed by Mr Douglas with a success beyond expectation: he obtained many plants which were much wanted, and greatly increased our collection of fruit trees by the acquiring of several sorts only known to us by name.  it would be unjust here to omit mentioning the uniform kindness and attention with which he was received [no mention of Mr Prince] in every part of the United States that he visited.  It is gratifying to have to add, that the presents of cultivated plants embraced nearly everything which it was desirous to obtain; and that the liberality with which they were given was only equalled by the hospitality with which the collector was received."

De Witt Clinton wrote to the Society that "He unites enthusiasm, intelligence and persevering activity....and appears to me to combine the essential qualities required in trusts of this nature."

High praise indeed for someone still sometimes described as "the shyest being" and ere long Douglas would be honoured by enrolment with the New York Horticultural Society as a corresponding member.

Douglas has begun to make his name.  Barely six months later he will be back on the high seas en route to the Pacific North West where his further adventures collecting for the Society will cement his reputation as one of the greatest plant collectors of his day.

Land ahoy!

1824

January 1st-3rd – On the morning of the New Year, I had the gratification of seeing the rocky shores of Cornwall and with a continued steady wind came to an anchorage off Dover on Saturday morning.

4th-10th, [January, 1824] – Gained the Downs on Sunday evening, where we lay becalmed for two days. Entered the river [Thames] on Wednesday evening, and had the pleasure of arriving safe at London on Friday morning having had a highly interesting journey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That is a very brisk passage across the North Atlantic in mid-winter, only three weeks from setting sail to sight-of-land at Cornwall, although it's another ten days before he disembarks in London.

And what of the ducks? Last heard of being seasick just out of New York I was of the view that Douglas ate them, along with the pigeons and quail. Not so, although it didn't end well for the pigeons. In a letter to Clinton, Douglas laments that he “most stupidly had put them in the same cage” and they had fought each other to death. But the quail and ducks seem to have survived and went to the Earl of Liverpool while the deceased pigeons went to anatomist Joshua Brooks

Homeward bound

13th-31st December, 1823 – [Douglas is on his way home] In the morning the wind from the north-east produced a heavy sea. In Lat 39, long 72, the water in the Gulf of Florida stood at 83deg Fahrenheit.

That’s a remarkably high temperature, and you’re not in the Gulf of Florida, Mr Douglas. The water will be the Gulf Stream, emanating from the general area of Florida, but even so that is very warm for the middle of December. If the reading is correct, which I doubt very much.
My ducks were very sick for two days and ate nothing, the pigeons and quail continued well. On the morning of the 14th a favourable wind sprang up which continued to the end of the month with scarcely any alteration. Our passage was such as did not admit of an observance of the holiday [Christmas Day &c.]

Delayed departure

10th [December, 1823]

Waited on the wharf till 12 o’clock noon. I had the mortification to return. According to promise went to General Lewis and had all the kindness renewed which I experienced at his house in the country. At 7 o’clock in the evening took leave of Dr Hosack [who Douglas will never see again], and Mr Hogg saw me in the small boat, the ship having hauled out before dusk. Ship “Nimrod”

12th – went under sail at daylight, having a keen frost and pleasant fresh breeze: sent a letter on shore to Dr H[osack] and D. C[linton] by the pilot who left us at midday. Our view of Long Island and New Jersey closed with the night and we beheld the land of Columbia no more.

So, finally, Douglas is on his way home. He can feel justifiably pleased with himself. He has met his mission objectives, of bringing back new varieties of fruit trees for the Horticultural Society and has collected new species of other plants. But, arguably more important, he has demonstrated that at only 24 he can comport himself well in all levels of society and be a great ambassador for both the Society and the United Kingdom. Well done Douglas.

PS - he's not home yet; there will be one more entry about the ducks etc!

And here is a view of the ship, Nimrod, on which he made his way home. 

 Nimrod had previously been to Canton, China and Buenos Aires where she picked up hides for the American tannery industry. In "Stratford and the Sea; Lewis G Knapp, 2002"  her Captain, John Sterling, records that at their anchorage [off New York, I believe] the ship was unloaded of 15,000 evil-smelling hides. Unless the ship was given a VERY thorough cleaning Douglas may have had a malodorous journey home! 

Reading the legend more closely it looks as though this is a sister ship to the Nimrod but, nevertheless, it's a good representation of the sort of vessel on which Douglas was travelling.