24 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



I have heretofore taken much pleasure in furnishing Mr. 

 Audubon with credentials to the officers of the Navy, and re- 

 questing [them] to furnish every aid, in the prosecution of 

 [his] scientific researches: and shall be happy to afford any 

 further facilities within the power of the Department. 

 I am very respectfully 



&c &c 



Levi Woodbury 

 Honorable. L. Mc Lane 

 Secy of the Treasury 



Finally, on April 15, 1832, Audubon and his party- 

 were able to board the revenue cutter Marion, com- 

 manded by Robert Day, and the opportunity thus af- 

 forded for exploring the dangerous east Florida coast 

 amply repaid them for their long and vexatious delays. 

 They visited the islands from St. Augustine to Key 

 West, and examined every part of the shore which it was 

 the duty of the Marion to approach. At Indian Key 

 the deputy collector, Mr. Thurston, gave Audubon the 

 services of his pilot, a veteran sailor and hunter, who 

 accompanied him on the Marion for a number of weeks 

 and led many boat journeys to lonely islands, where 

 vast colonies of sea fowl then dwelt in undisputed pos- 

 session. The leisurely movements of the vessel also en- 

 abled the naturalist to produce many finished drawings, 

 and to obtain materials for fresh "Episodes." 1T At Key 

 West Audubon was hospitably received by Major Clas- 

 sel, 18 and by Dr. Strobel, who was of great assistance 

 both to him and to Bachman in procuring new birds 

 from that little known point. 



The unexpected delays experienced in Florida, and 

 the expense which the presence of his assistants neces- 



17 See "The Florida Keys," Ornithological Biography, vol. i, pp. 312 

 and 345, and "The Turtlers," ibid., vol. ii, p. 370. 



18 See Vol. II, p. 7. 



