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languages, including those of Africa, Asia, and the vast extent of 

 islands in the Pacific. Here a field was opened to him wide 

 enough for the employment of all his strength and all his time, 

 could he have devoted himself to it. He gave himself to it, as 

 far as he could, with untiring zeal. He hunted for specimens of 

 unwritten dialects, with as much ardor as Audubon hunted for those 

 of unknown birds; and he could give them forms as distinct, if not 

 as beautiful. He had always, indeed, been watchful of opportuni- 

 ties to collect materials for his philological investigations. Hearing, 

 once, of a stranger in Salem who had been among the Yaloffs in 

 Africa, he sought and obtained from him facts and information 

 which enabled him to study the interesting language of that people. 

 Shipmasters, and even common sailors, who had visited strange 

 lands, might be sure, not only of a welcome, but of assistance from 

 him, if they had any facts or knowledge to communicate, illustrative 

 of the inhabitants or their dialects. The publication of Holden's 

 " Narrative " of his captivity and sufferings on Lord North's Island 

 affords an interesting example of such assistance. When the United 

 States Exploring Expedition was in contemplation, Mr. Pickering 

 exerted all his influence to draw the attention of the government, 

 and those more immediately concerned in the undertaking, to " the 

 various native languages of the different tribes of people that might 

 be visited by the expedition." He reminded them of the noble 

 example of the late empress of Russia, and endeavoured to stimu- 

 late their curiosity and interest by illustrating the real importance 

 of " this department of knowledge," and by considerations of what 

 was due to the scientific reputation of our country. His corre- 

 spondence with J. N. Reynolds, Esq., in 1836, on this subject, 

 presented his own enlightened views so clearly, that, if they were 

 duly regarded, we cannot doubt, from the high reputation of the 



