140 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



in his habits, generally retiring at nine o'clock in the 

 evening. He always looked on the bright side of things 

 and remained a boy all his life. This cheerfulness and 

 good nature, the optimistic view he always took of 

 human affairs, was founded upon his belief in the Divine 

 goodness and in the benevolent order of all things as 

 directed by the Great Creator. A single passage from a 

 letter written to Prof. Baird at his brother's office in 

 New York, when Mr. Boardman was on his way south, 

 is of deep interest in this connection. It is dated Janu- 

 ary 12, 1869. " I was much surprised," he writes, "to 

 hear of the sudden death of Mr. Cassin. Mr. Lawrence 

 told me this morning. I hardly know what Philadelphia 

 and all the naturalist people are to do without him. 

 How many of our naturalist friends are being taken 

 away. But it is just as natural to die, as to be born and 

 all we can do is to be ready when we are called." No 

 one who knew his life could ever have had a doubt but 

 he was ready, always, for the final summons. 



How did this plain, unschooled man become the friend 

 of the great scientists of the country ? What elements 

 of character did he possess which made him their close 

 and trusted companion and co-laborer in the paths of 

 science ? It was because he possessed a union of the 

 characteristics which have just been outlined. He was 

 a true lover and devout worshiper of nature. He was 

 endowed with an extraordinary natural gift for the 

 acquisition of scientific knowledge ; few men living and 

 few men who ever lived had the gift of knowing birds 

 and bird ways in so generous a measure as did Mr. 

 Boardman. His moral qualities were of the highest 

 order and his frank, genial personality won friends to 



