13l* exploring N'ATUnAI.lSTS. 



aid and comfort for the brief voyage he was about to make. Mr. Bey- 

 rich however cared little for those trifles, he had but a short time since 

 landed with some emigrants from a European voyage, and having en- 

 countered its perils and discomforts, those, vvhich the anticipated one 

 might bring forth, were held at a discount. He was careful however of 

 his thermometer, traveling compass, some necessary books, and sundry 

 reams of durk, coarse, but very bibulous paper. Quite a discussion 

 arose between them as to the selection which had been made of this ar- 

 ticle, but the Prussian knew what the American apparently did not, that 

 this coarse paper, probably half made of woollen rags, did not contain 

 any bleaching salt.s, with vvhich most paper is prepared, for the purpose 

 of whitening it, the presence of which would have certainly caused 

 the colors of his dried plants to fade rapidly. 



He was a very agreeable person on board indeed, had learned the 

 English language entirely on his voyage out to America, and could 

 speak it intelligibly, and in any difficulty always eked out his phrases 

 with that great conventional tongue, the French. When the weather 

 permitted, he was constantly on deck, examining the temperature of the 

 Gulf Stream as we neared, entered, or passed out of it. At his request 

 the bucket was frequently thrown over the side to bring up the floating 

 sea weed or any other object which swam within i-each. Entangled in 

 the gulf weed (fiicus natans) not unfrequeiitly were found small crusta- 

 ceans, curious fishes, or microscopic forms of animal life, which his 

 ever ready magnifier brought into view. These caused him great de- 

 light, and his attention had evidently been directed to other branches of 

 Natural History besides Botany. 



Trifles of a certain description, especially if accidental or otherwise 

 irremediable, did not distrub his equanimity, as when a flaw of wind 

 blew his Barscheii's cap off at sea, it was testified by a shrug of the 

 shoulders, and a little sigh, as it floated astern beyond recovery ; on one 

 stormy morning, when the steward placed on the table a liquid, which 

 he was pleased to designate as coflee, but which looked and tasted more 

 like an infusion of his greasy black cap, than of the Arabian berry. 

 The queer look of astonishment he wor-e, when he asked, "What is it.?" 

 will never be forgotten. To intrude uporr his hour of study would irri- 

 tate him; he had no time to waste, nor any wish to gratify that Ameri- 

 can custom of killing another's time, when ycu have nothing to do with 

 your own. 



We crossed the bar and entered the bay of Charleston on a still af- 

 ternoon in May. Here Mr. Beyrich feasted his eyes on the first glimpse 

 of southern vegetation, all new to him and full of promise, as it wa.? 



