276 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



duties. There were also the usual troubles with the Legislature 

 concerning appropriations, which varied from ten to twelve 

 thousand dollars a year, sums so small as to cramp the 

 efficiency of the Survey and to lead to occasional outbursts of 

 indignation on the part of those in service. One gentleman of 

 influence writes, "If we had a little more intelligence among 

 those who push themselves into public places there would be 

 much more real economy." His most constant annoyance was 

 with regard to the pay of assistants. He himself often advanced 

 out of his own pocket money for field expenses and even to meet 

 family exigencies, such as a marriage, a birth, or a death. 

 Besides the many legitimate cares of the office, in connection 

 with it was the fearful American waste of high intellectual 

 powers upon petty details which, under a better clerical system, 

 would be left to men of inferior grade. (In regard to this matter 

 the writer once heard an English professor of eminence say, 

 after a visit to Mr. Shaler's office in Cambridge, that he had 

 been struck in America with the absence of trained assistants 

 and the amount of clerical work done by college teachers.) 

 Letters addressed to Mr. Shaler at this time abound with such 

 questions as, " What shall I do with Mollie, the mare? Shall I 

 use her or hire a team? " " How much will you take for the wagon 

 and harness belonging to the Survey? I have a brother who 

 is going to move to Texas. He is very poor and unless you put it 

 at very low figures he will not take it," etc. And then come 

 requests of the following order: "Please send at once three 

 tents, some camp-stools, and blankets." 



While there were annoyances, there were also agreeable epi- 

 sodes the pleasure derived from an extended acquaintance 

 with the people and with the rich resources of his native state. 

 In the introduction to his first report Mr. Shaler writes : 



The thanks of the Survey are due to the generous citizens, whose names 

 are too numerous for mention, who, by their unfailing kindness, have aided 

 every step of its work. My own gratitude is due, in large measure, to the 



