EXPLORATIONS IN FLORIDA 11 



night : certain beef-steaks we brought with us we roasted upon 

 sticks, and the adjacent shore provided us with excellent 

 oysters : gaiety, good appetites, and our hearts all right, maide 

 the time pass pleasantly, and it was with some reluctance we 

 spread our blankets, and arranged the fire preparatory to go- 

 ing to rest. Nothing is more valuable to a naturalist, and 

 particularly to an ornithologist, than the first hours of the 

 day; therefore, long ere the sun had glowed over the broad 

 sea that lay before our camp, we had reached another island 

 where birds resort to roost by thousands ; but, notwithstanding 

 these multitudes, not a new species did we procure. We, how- 

 ever, had the pleasure of observing two noble "birds of Wash- 

 ington," 8 sailing majestically over the broad watery face. 



But it was necessary to bring my stay in Charleston to a 

 close, and it was somewhat difficult too. My friends had in- 

 creased in number; they were in the habit of accompanying 

 me in my shooting excursions ; I was becoming very much at- 

 tached to them ; invitations poured in from various parts of the 

 country ; and I really believe that had I been willing, we might 

 have remained there and in the neighborhood, if not all our 

 lives, at least as long as would have caused a rare scarcity of 

 the feathered tribes, in that portion of the Carolinas. But 

 my mind was among the birds farther south, the Floridas, 

 Red River, the Arkansas, that almost unknown country, Cali- 

 fornia, and the Pacific ocean. I felt myself drawn to the un- 

 tried scenes of those countries, and it was necessary to tear my- 

 self away from the kindest friends. 



We embarked on the schooner Agnes ; the wind was fair, 

 and we hoisted all sails for the Floridas. Our passage was 

 not short ; the wind changed, and we put back into St. Simon's 

 Island Bay. This was one of the few put backs in life of a 

 fortunate kind for me. I made for the shore, met a gentleman 

 on the beach, presented him my card, and was immediately 

 invited to dinner. I visited his gardens, got into such agree- 

 able conversation and quarters, that I was fain to think that 



8 See Vol. I, p. 400. 



