Burns — On Alexander Wilson. 25 



zoologist; Mr. Jessiip, geologist; Titian R. Peak, assistant 

 naturalist; Samuel Seymour,- artist. 



It appears that the civilian attaches wore the fatigue dress 

 of common soldiers. On October 11 Major Long, Mr. Jessup 

 and several other persons took leave of their friends at Engi- 

 neer Cantonment and descended the Missouri in a canoe, on 

 their way to Washington and Philadelphia. Say furnished an 

 account of the expedition during the commander's absence; 

 also all descriptions of birds, mammals, and insects. August 

 24, 1820, Major Long arrived at St. Louis on his way from 

 Philadelphia to Council Bluff to rejoin the party, accompanied 

 by Captain John R. Bell, who was to relieve Lieutenant Gra- 

 ham ; and Dr. Edwin James; who had been appointed to serve 

 as botanist and geologist on recommendations of Dr. Torrey 

 and Captain LeConte in place of Dr. Baldwin, who had died 

 at Franklin on August 31, 1819, and Mr. Jessup, who had re- 

 turned. They arrived at Engineer Cantonment on May 28, 

 1820. The expedition now consisted- of twenty persons. Say 

 headed a party and rendered an account of a trip down the Ar- 

 kansas river, where he lost clothing, Indian presents, and val- 

 uable manuscript notes by deserting soldiers. On October 12, 

 1820, the reunited party assembled at Cape Girardeau on the 

 Mississippi and dissolved via New Orleans, about the first of 

 November. Peale's sketches amounted to 122, of which 21 only 

 were finished, the residue lieing merely outline sketches of 

 quadrupeds, birds, insects, etc. More than 60 prepared skins 

 of new and rare animals were deposited in the Philadel- 

 phia (Peale's) museum. Youmans is the authority for the 

 statement that Say refused the opportunity of acting as histor- 

 ian and Edwin James compiled the report as published in 1823. 



As a bird biographer, Wilson had no immediate followers, 

 excepting Audubon. Ord scarcely attempted it, Say was more 

 of an entomologist than ornithologist, and Peale wrote little 

 imtil he made his report on the birds of the United States Ex- 

 ploring Expedition to the South Seas. 



At length the demand for a continuation on the plan of Wil- 

 son was met by the announcement of Charles Lucian Bona- 

 parte ,who says in part : "A love for the same department of 



