* 



1882] Exploration of the Gulf Coast 



the world. (This work was the first to be done in 

 the new National Museum building, just then opened, 

 but since [1915] replaced by one far larger and more 

 commodious.) Later, as a literary aftermath of our 

 investigations on the Columbia and a sort of com- 

 panion piece to my "Story of a Stone," I wrote 

 "The Story of a Salmon," 1 a piece of simplified "Story 

 Natural History dealing with the life and ways of f a 

 the Chinook Salmon. This has been reprinted more 

 frequently than anything else from my pen; being 

 readable and accurate, it perhaps deserves its vogue. 



In the summer of 1881 I again went to Europe, 

 covering much the same ground as in 1879, but now 

 adding to former experiences among the high moun- 

 tains an ascent of the Matterhorn. Of this reckless 

 adventure a somewhat detailed account will be 

 found in the following chapter, in which I shall 

 treat of all my early European trips as a whole. 



In the spring of 1882 I made a collecting trip to Along 

 the Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Galveston. Up ^ 

 to that time all my investigations in the South had 

 been at my own expense, the Fish Commission 

 furnishing at the most only nets and alcohol. On 

 these explorations of 1882, however, and all similar 

 later ones under the auspices of the Commission, 

 my actual expenses and those of my scientific as- 

 sociates (but nothing more other than the slight 

 exception noted below) were met by the United 

 States. On these terms I was able to command the 

 best of help. If salaries had been paid, the hangers-on 



1 First published in The Popular Science Monthly for January, 1881. 



C 



