the south, and therefore I determined to set out immediately.
I have frequently thought that my success in this vast undertaking
was in part owing to my prompt decision in every thing
relating to it. This decision I owe partly to my father, and
partly to BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. We arrived at Charleston
in October 1833. At Columbia I formed an acquaintance
with THOMAS COOPER, the learned President of the College
there. Circumstances rendered impracticable my projected trip
to the Floridas, and along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico,
for which reason, after spending the winter in keen research,
aided by my friend BACHMAN, I retraced my steps in March,
in company with my wife and son, to New York. At Baltimore,
where we spent a week, my friends Messrs MORRIS,
GILMORE, SKINNER, and Drs POTTER, EDMONSTON, GEDDINGS,
and DUCATELL, greatly aided me in augmenting my
list of subscribers, as did also my friend Colonel THEODORE
ANDERSON. My best acknowledgments are offered to these
gentlemen for their polite and kind attentions.
Taking a hurried leave of my friends Messrs PRIME, KING,
STUVEYSANT, HARRIS, LANG, RAY, VAN RANSSELAEK,
LOW, JOSEPH, KRUGER, BCCKNEK, CARMAN, PEAL,
COOPER, and the Reverend W. A. DUER, President of the
College, we embarked on board the packet ship the North America,
commanded by that excellent man and experienced seaman
Captain CHARLES DIXEY, with an accession of sixty-two subscribers,
and the collections made during nearly three years of
travel and research.
In the course of that period, I believe, I have acquired much
information relative to the Ornithology of the United States,
and in consequence of observations from naturalists on both con-
Halifax. There, however, we had the misfortune of finding the
individuals to whom we had introductions absent, and being
ourselves pressed for time, we remained only a day or two, when
we resumed our progress.
Our journey through Nova Scotia was delightful, and, like
the birds that, over our heads, or amidst the boughs, were cheerfully
moving towards a warmer climate, we proceeded gaily in a
southern direction. At St John's in New Brunswick, I had the
gratification of meeting with my kind and generous friend
EDWARD HARRIS, Esq. of New York. Letters from my son
in England which he handed to me, compelled me to abandon
our contemplated trip, through the woods to Quebec, and I
immediately proceeded to Boston. One day only was spent there,
when the husband was in the arms of his wife, who with equal
tenderness embraced her beloved child.
I had left Eastport with four young gentlemen under my
care, some of whom were strangers to me, and I felt the responsibility
of my charge, being now and then filled with terror lest
any accident should befal them, for they were as adventurous as
they were young and active. But thanks to the Almighty, who
granted us his protection, I had the satisfaction of restoring
them in safety to their friends. And so excellent was the disposition
of my young companions, that not a single instance of
misunderstanding occurred on the journey to cloud our enjoyment,
but the most perfect cordiality was manifested by each
towards all the rest. It was a happy moment to me when I delivered
them to their parents.
From Boston we proceeded to New York, where I obtained
a goodly number of subscribers, and experienced much kindness.
My work demanded that I should spend the winter in