694 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Philadelphia to work up the rich treasures gathered on his long 

 journey. For several years he and Dr. Pickering worked har- 

 moniously together at the Academy of Natural Sciences the for- 

 mer on his own collections, the latter on the Schweinitz herbarium. 

 Two important memoirs based upon the fruits of the trip across 

 the continent were published about ]840 in the Transactions of 

 the American Philosophical Society. Conchology was a new sub- 

 ject of study to Nuttall, and he became much absorbed in it. He 

 did not trouble himself much about his meals when at work, and 

 Dr. Pickering would often return after an hour's absence from 

 the Academy hall in the middle of the day and find him stooping 

 over a case of shells in the same place and position as when he 

 left him. 



Nuttall was a remarkable-looking man. His head was very 

 large, bald, and bore the signs of a vigorous intellect ; his fore- 

 head was expansive, but his features small, and his gray eyes 

 looked out from under fleshy brows. His complexion was fair, 

 and sometimes very pale from close application to study and lack 

 of exercise. He was above medium height, his person stout, with 

 a slight stoop, and his walk peculiar and mincing, resembling that 

 of an Indian. 



He was naturally shy and reserved, but, if silent and perhaps 

 morose in the presence of those toward whom he felt no attrac- 

 tion, yet with congenial companions he was communicative and 

 agreeable. It will readily be surmised that his devotion to science 

 frequently led him into actions that were strangely at variance 

 with the circumstances of the moment. In one of his solitary 

 digressions in the wilderness he got lost. The party he was with 

 resumed its march, sending out some friendly Indians to find him 

 and bring him to rejoin it. The Indians performed their duty 

 faithfully. Looking upon him, however, as a great medicine man, 

 they were afraid to come close to him, so they surrounded him, 

 keeping at a respectful distance. Nuttall soon became aware that 

 he was watched by savages, and, not knowing whether they were 

 friends or foes, became intensely alarmed. From what he had 

 already experienced at their hands he had the utmost horror of 

 Indians. Therefore hiding himself, and taking advantage of 

 every ravine, every tree and bush, he succeeded in regaining the 

 track of the caravan, which he followed for three days without 

 food or sleep, when, to his infinite delight, he overtook it and was 

 relieved from his anxieties. 



On another occasion he was rambling in the vicinity of the 

 camp when a band of Indians, apparently hostile, made its ap- 

 pearance. The alarm was immediately given, with orders to pre- 

 pare for an expected attack. Nuttall was nowhere to be seen, and 

 a friend ran in search of him. It was not long before he per- 



