HIS EARLY YEARS 9 



near Fredericksburg; and while visiting there, he met 

 the young girl who was some years afterwards to become 

 his wife. She was Ann Hull Herndon, the eldest daugh- 

 ter of Dabney Herndon, who was a banker and promi- 

 nent citizen of Fredericksburg. It was a case of love at 

 first sight with young Maury, who was completely cap- 

 tivated by the blue eyes, auburn hair, and musical voice 

 of his fair cousin ; while she in turn was very favorably 

 impressed with this relative from the West with his 

 ruddy complexion which she used to say after they were 

 married reminded her of "David fresh from his sheep 

 with his sling". 



When he arrived at his destination in Washington, 

 the Secretary of the Navy allowed him fifteen cents a 

 mile as mileage from Franklin, Tennessee, and this 

 fairly put Maury's head above water financially. After 

 a short visit with relatives here, he went on to New York 

 where he had been ordered to report on board the U. S. 

 Frigate Brandywine. 



Here he arrived August 13, 1825, and at once entered 

 into active service in the profession which he had chosen. 

 He has left no record as to what his thoughts and feelings 

 were during those weeks when he, a lad from the W^est 

 who had never seen a ship before, was adjusting himself 

 to those new and strange surroundings. But that he 

 had made up his mind to succeed in his chosen career, 

 whether he liked it or not, is evident from this sentiment 

 which occurs more than once in his letters: " . . .to 

 the old rule with which I set out on horseback from 

 Tennessee in 1825, a fresh midshipman, 'Make every- 

 thing bend to your profession' ". 



