The /U'oi>nii>/os of Aiiici'icaii Science. 433 



was an admirer and intimate friend of I^'anklin, and it was in his home 

 at Passy, we are told, that he conceiv^ed the idea of his most famous 

 l)()ok, L,es Ruines. ' 



Anionj:^ tlie traditions of Fauquier County, Viroinia, is one which is of 

 interest to haturahsts, since it relates to an incident showing the interest 

 of our first President in science: 



About the year 1796 [runs the story], at the close of a lous^ sinnmcr's clay, a 

 strani^er entered the viUat^e of Warrenlon. He was alone and on foot, and his 

 appearance was anythintr but prepossessini^. His garments, coarse and dust covered, 

 indicated an individual in the humble walks. I'rom a cane across his shoulders 

 was suspended a handkerchief containing his clothing. Stopping in front of Tur- 

 ner's tavern, he took from his hat a ])aper and handed it to a gentleman standing 

 on the steps; it read as follows: 



The celebrated historian and naturalist 



Volney needs no recommendation from 



C Washington. 



In 1 80 1 Jeflferson began his eight years of Presidency. vSince he was 

 the onl}- man of science who has ever occupied the Chief Magistracy, he 

 has a right to a high ])lace in the esteem of such a society as ours, and I 

 only regret that, having spoken of him at length a year ago, I can not 

 now discuss his scientific career in all its aspects. 



I then spoke of the credit which was due to him for beginning so early 

 as 1780 to agitate the idea of a Government exploring expedition to the 

 Pacific, which cttlminated in the sending out by Congress of the expedi- 

 tion of Lewis and Clarke, in 1803. Captain L,ewis [b. 1774, d. 1S09], 

 the leader of this expedition, was a young Virginian, the neighbor and 

 for some years the private secretary of President Jefferson. He set out 

 in the sunnner of 1803, accompanied by his associate. Captain Clarke, 

 and twenty-eight men. They entered the Missotun May 14, 1804, before 

 the middle of the following July had reached the great falls, and by Octo- 

 ber were upon the western slope, where, endjarking in canoes upon the 

 Kouskousky, a branch of the Columbia, they descended to its mouth, 

 where they arrived on the i5tli of Novendjer, 1805. The following- 

 spring they retraced their course, arriving in vSt. Louis in Septendjer. "' 

 The restdts of the expedition were Hrst made known in Jefferson's mes- 

 sage to Congress read February ig, 1806. 



Doctor Asa Oraw, in a recent letter, says: 



I have reason to think that Michaux suggested to Jefferson the expedition which 

 the latter was active in sending over to the Pacific. I wonder if he put off Michaux 

 for the sake of having it in American hands? 3 



'John Bigelow, Franklin's Home and Host in PVance. The Century Magazine, 

 IMay, 1888, p. 743. 



-vSee a complete l)ibliograph3' of the various reports of this expedition, by Klliott 

 Coues, in the Bulletin of the United vStates Cieological Survey. 



3See American Journal of Science, XIJI, 1842, p. 5. 

 NAT MUS 97, PT 2 28 



