. 27.] TO JOHN F. TROW BRIDGE. 65 



three weeks, and it would not surprise me, after what 

 I have seen, if we should be kept back longer than 

 you expect. Let us once get to sea and you will not 

 see or hear of so much dilatoriness from us. 



November 10. I was prevented from closing my 

 letter last evening by the calling of Professor Henry, 

 who has just returned from a visit of nine months to 

 France and Great Britain. I have been very much 

 engaged all day, and sit down now for a little time, 

 hoping to finish a few letters which have been delayed 

 too long already. 



December 5. 



I am here yet, and am like to be for a month or so. 

 Commander Jones has been sick for two or three 

 weeks, and I am sorry to say there seems little proba- 

 bility that he will be much better ever. He has a bad 

 cough, and raises blood is of a consumptive habit. 

 As he has been growing worse, he this morning left 

 for Philadelphia, on his way home. It is thus most 

 probable that we shall have a new commander, and a 

 considerable delay is unavoidable. I think the secre- 

 tary will be put right this winter by Congress. 



Do let me know how Mrs. Trowbridge is. Please 

 send this note to my father, as it is a week or more 

 since I wrote. As soon as anything further is known 

 I will let you know. 



Yours very truly, A. GRAY. 



July 18, 1838. 



DEAR TRO, I find, by turning over some books 

 that have been lying on my table, four reviews which 

 certainly ought to have been sent you long ago, but 

 which have been forgotten in my great hurry for the 



