348 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



From Spencer F. Baird to R. Kennicott. 



WASHINGTON, March 30, 1861. 



MY DEAR ROBERTUS: 



Greatly to my delight the mail a day or two (ago) brought your 

 letters of August 3Oth of Fort Simpson and of Sept. 1st on the River. 

 I do not understand why there is not a line from at least Fort Good 

 Hope; Perhaps it is only delayed. At any rate the mail has come a 

 month earlier than last year. 



You cannot regret more than I do the failure of the supplies to 

 reach you last year. We did all we could to expedite them; had them 

 in Chicago before the time specified by Burbanks, and why they 

 did not reach Fort Garry in time passes my comprehension. After 

 all, however, it will not seriously affect the egging, which is the main 

 point, and you must so instruct the gentlemen at the posts that when 

 they get full supplies, they can use them in our behalf, even after 

 you have left them. In the high North, skins do not take much 

 poisoning to preserve, and they can easily be re-stuffed if very valu- 

 able. Strychnine dissolved in water or alcohol will probably answer 

 a good purpose. 



I forgot to say that all our boxes last year were in St. Paul before 

 Woodworth sent off the last one which you received. The supplies 

 sent by Gov. McTavish were in response, I presume, to my request 

 to that effect. I have asked him to send a clerk's allowance clear 

 through, and 25 Ibs. tea extra to you each year. 



Gov. McTavish sent to me for 10 dollars worth of birds' eyes 

 for a friend to use in mounting birds, at Fort Garry. These I shall 

 send in a supplementary box and ask him to place to your credit. 

 Prof. Henry, on behalf of the Smithsonian, has already sent $250 to 

 acting Governor Hopkins, to be placed to your credit, and I have 

 strong hopes of getting $250 more from Agassiz, which will also be 

 sent. At any rate, you will not want so far. The outfit purchased 

 for your use this year, including books for presents to various gentle- 

 men, amounts to over $200.00 and has been paid for by special con- 

 tribution. 



I may enclose with this letter, or send in a succeeding one, a 

 detailed invoice of ten boxes already sent to St. Paul. 6 of these 

 went by express, intended for points beyond the La Loche Portage, 



