CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 79 



As you however appear desirous to present my thoughts of your 

 capabilities as one of the assistants in that Stupendous undertaking, 

 I send you inclosed what I hope most sincerely may prove beneficial 

 for such purposes. 



Now as you have been kind enough to offer me your services 

 at Washington, I desire you to call upon Mr. (Caleb) Gushing, M. C., 

 of Mass. Us, and to ask him to have the goodness to forward me the 

 Letter promised me by the President of the U. S., for, as I have not 

 yet had it, I somewhat fear that it has been missent. 



Write to me at once, and believe me, 



Your friend, JOHN J. AUDUBON. 



(Enclosure) 



Knowing as I do, Spencer F. Baird, Esq. as a young gentleman 

 well qualified to assist in the arrangement, description, etc., of the 

 specimens of natural history brought home by the Exploring Expedi- 

 tion, and deposited in the National Institute at Washington City 

 for the purpose of being published and thereby rendered useful to 

 the world of science, I take great pleasure in recommending him as a 

 most worthy, intelligent, and industrious student of nature, both 

 in the field and the museum, and I would feel great satisfaction in 

 hearing that our government had employed him in this national and 

 important undertaking. 



JOHN J. AuouBON. 26 



This proposition, however, came to nothing. Political 

 influences prevailed, as one might expect from Congress- 

 men, some of whom had been willing to finance a Symmes 

 expedition. A janitor and preparator in the person of a 

 kindly and well intentioned old man, one or two taxider- 

 mists, with a Dr. King as Curator, and a clergyman, 

 doubtless a worthy theologian, were assigned to the work 

 of caring for the collections until the return of Capt. 



26 The above recommendation is a copy of an original or auto- 

 graph letter of the great naturalist and distinguished author of the 

 "Birds of America," now in possession of Harvey Rowland, Jr., of 

 this city. C. A. Kingsbury. April 23, 1883. 



