78 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



From J. J. Audubon to S. F. Baird. 



NEW YORK, July 30, 1842. 

 MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND, 



Your letter of the 27th Inst. reached me yesterday. I am truly 

 vexed that I should have missed you at the Library or the Congress 

 Chambers, where I went (perhaps too late) between 3 and 4 o'clock 

 of the afternoon, having been detained at the different Departments 

 of State where it was my duty to call, preparatory to my next coming 

 Great Western Journey. 



Now it proves by your letter that you feel favorably disposed 

 to accompany me on this long thought-of and contemplated Tour, 

 and wish me to give you some idea of the expenses, attached to such 

 an undertaking; but to this question I am quite unable to reply at 

 present, although I may do so in a few weeks, and which I shall do 

 provided you write to me again on the subject. 



I have no very particular desire to embark as deep in the Cause 

 of Science as the great Humboldt has done, and that, simply because 

 I am both too poor in pecuniary means and too incompetent; but 

 I wish nevertheless to attempt to open the Eyes of naturalists to 

 Riches untold, and facts hitherto untold. The portions of the country 

 through which it is my intention to pass, never having been trodden 

 by white Man previously. 



I have some very strong doubts whether the results of the 

 Antarctic Expedition will be published for some time yet; for, alas, 

 our Government has not the means, at present, of paying some 

 half a Million of Dollars to produce publications such as they should 

 publish, and connected with the vast stores of Information, collected 

 by so many Scientific Men in no less than Four Years of Constant 

 Toil and privation, and which ought to come to the World of Science 

 at least as brightly as the brightest rays of the Orb of Day during 

 the Mid-summer Solstice. Oh, my dear young friend, that I did 

 possess the wealth of the Emperor of Russia, or of the King of the 

 French; then indeed I would address the Congress of our Country, 

 ask of them to throw open these stores of Natural Curiosities, and 

 Comply with mine every wish to publish, and to Give away Copies 

 of the invaluable Works thus produced to every Scientific Institution 

 throughout our Country, and throughout the World. 



