assistance of Colonel J. PRINGLE, we went on board the revenue
cutter the " Marion," commanded by ROBERT DAY,
Esq., to whose friendly attention I am greatly indebted for the
success which I met with in my pursuits, during his cruize
along the dangerous coast of East Florida, and amongst the
islets that every where rise from the surface of the ocean, like
gigantic water-lilies. At Indian Key, the Deputy-Collector,
Mr THRUSTON, afforded me important aid; and at Key West
I enjoyed the hospitality of Major GLASSEL, his officers, and
their families, as well as of my friend Dr BENJAMIN STROBEL,
and other inhabitants of that singular island, to all of whom I
now sincerely offer my best thanks for the pleasure which their
society afforded me, and the acquisitions which their ever ready
assistance enabled me to make.
Having examined every part of the coast which it was the
duty of the commander of the Marion to approach, we returned
to Charleston with our numerous prizes, and shortly afterwards
I bent my course eastward, anxious to keep pace with the birds
during their migrations. With the assistance of my friend
BACHMAN, 1 now procured for my assistant Mr WARD, a
situation of ease and competence, in the Museum of the Natural
History Society of Charleston, and Mr LEHMAN returned to
his home. At Philadelphia I was joined by my family, and
once more together we proceeded towards Boston. That dreadful
scourge the cholera was devastating the land, and spreading
terror around its course. We left Philadelphia under its chastising
hand, and arrived at New York, where it was raging,
while a heavy storm that suddenly burst over our heads threw
an additional gloom over the devoted city, already bereft of a
great part of her industrious inhabitants. After spending a
day with our good friends and relatives, we continued our journey,
and arrived at Boston.
Boston! Ah ! reader, my heart fails me when I think of
the estimable friends whose society afforded me so much pleasure
in that beautiful city, the Athens of our Western World.
Never, I fear, shall I have it in my power to return a tithe of
the hospitality which was there shewn towards us, or of the benevolence
and generosity which we experienced, and which evidently
came from the heart, without the slightest mixture of
ostentation. Indeed, I must acknowledge that although I have
been happy in forming many valuable friendships in various
parts of the world, all dearly cherished by me, the outpouring
of kindness which I experienced at Boston far exceeded all that
I have ever met with.
Who that has visited that fair city, has not admired her
site, her universities, her churches, her harbours, the pure morals
of her people, the beautiful country around her, gladdened
by glimpses of villas, each vying with another in neatness and
elegance ? Who that has made his pilgrimage to her farfamed
Bunker's Hill, entered her not less celebrated Fanneuil
Hall, studied the history of her infancy, her progress, her indignant
patriotism, her bloody strife, and her peaceful prosperity—
that has moreover experienced, as I have done, the beneficence
of her warm-hearted and amiable sons—and not felt his bosom
glow with admiration and love? Think of her ADAMSES,
her PERKINS, her EVERETTS, her PEABODYS, CUSHINGS,
QUINCEYS, STOREYS, PAINES, GREENS, TUDORS, DAVISES,
and PICKERINGS, whose public and private life presents all that
we deem estimable, and let them be bright examples of what the
VOL. II. J)