It was indeed a happy meeting ! Here I opened the fete containing
Dr TOWXSKND'* precious series of bird*, and while
waiting the arrival of Mr HAKIUS, drew upwards of seventy
figures, pf the speeds which I had procured at-Philadelphia,
assisted in the finishing of the' plants, branches ®f tries, and
flowers, which accompany these figures, fey my friend's sisterin
law Miss M. MARTI», to whom I now again offer my most,
sincere thanks. While here I received the agreeable intelligence
of my having: %bem elected a Member of .-thd Ornithological
Society of London.
HDWAUD,,!! vuitis joined me, but the Revenue Cutter had
not made its appearance 5 and t une becoming precious, on account
of the approach of spring, we bid adieu to all at.Charleston,
and pushed for f e®-Orleans, whercj 1. wiis informed'fey
(iovernnieut letters, 1 should meet with a vessel. On reaching
Augusta in Georgia, J. called on Dr WHAY, who promised
to forward to me, a number of plants for mv noble
friend Lord RAVENSWORTU, who has received them in good
order. , After sevend days ,,o| severe..; travellings we arrived
i at:, Montgomery; in Alabama,. and meeting there, with
a steam-boat bound to Mofeile, secured tour passage: Heixt
day we arrived there, and spent tjro days in examining the
neighbourhood; after which we proceeded to Pensacola, where
I felt prond to find a harbour commodious enough to contain
a fleet sufficient to r e p e l the attacks-of, any naval forge, brought
against the United .States.. Her« I made the long-seught-for
acquaintance, of Mr I N . X K K A K I T Y , ,to whom I had letters from
my friend ALEXANDER GORDON,. Ksq., and who introduced us
to all who were likely to forward our views. The next morning
he accompanied:us on board the ¡United States' frigate, the
I N T R O D U C T I O N . X V
(Constellation, and presented us to Commodore DALLAS, to
whom I had letters of introduction from our government. This
polite and gallant: officer received us all with great kindness,
ahd, after reading my letters, assured me that as soon as a
cutter could be spared, it should be at my service, and that
thé information would be transmitted to me through the medium
of the Collector of Customs at Mobile or New Orleans,
ftffâr searching the country around PeUsaCola, we returned to
Mobile, and proceeded to New Orleans in a steamer, by way
of the gréât lakes:
[lavWir previously received the most pressing invitation
frtiin my frieu'd .JASÎKS GUIMSÎIAW, Esq.. My son and I went
àt once to his hoiisè', where we were treated with all the kindness
ti>'be experted from a trUe Efiglish gentleman, ' » I had
the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with Ex-Governor
ROMAN; and sftVeral members of his most amiable family,
among whom was Mr ZARLNTIUI:.'': From that-' gentleman
1 receive'd much valuable! information refepèfcting ! some 6f
ëut birds, as Well as froni my long-khowti acquaintance, the
great, spdrtsmiin Mr Louis ADAM, llerë also I for the last
tifaie iniit with go'od M' : L K Sci:IFT, well Known to the world of
smeti&î'ils a zoologist of great merit, and with Whom I first
becamem-quamtivd kt'PHilâdfelphià in 1824'. Hey alas ! is now
no more. '
Tiavihg called;on Mr Bjîttfîïr.ovK, Collector of Customs for
XeW Orleans, aiul 'pres'ehted to him riiy letters from the Honour-
' able LEVI Wrtonru'UY. lie àt once assured trie that the Revenue
Cùttôf the Campbell, would bê at my disposal in a very few
dayS. Silt tlie service, bi other circumstances, did not allow
the arrival of that VesfteV at New Orleans until late in March,