A Friendly Lettei . 377 



ter, and as evincing, moreover, how Audubon was e 

 dmated by his friends : 



" PHILADELPHIA, September 30, 1833. 

 " MY DEAR GOVERNOR, 



" I do not know when I have done a more acceptable 

 service to my feelings, nor when I have been just in a sit- 

 uation to afford as much gratification to yours, as in pre- 

 senting to your notice, and private and official friendship, 

 the bearer, Mr. Audubon. It were superfluous to tell you 

 who he is ; the whole world knows him and respects him, 

 and no man in it has the heart to cherish or the head to 

 appreciate him, and such a man, beyond the capacity of 

 yourself. 



" Mr. Audubon makes no more of tracking it in all 

 directions over this, and I may add other countries, than 

 a shot star does in crossing the heavens. He goes after 

 winged things, but sometimes needs the aid of at least 

 a few feathers, to assist him the better to fly. He means 

 to coast it again round Florida make a track through 

 Arkansas go up the Missouri pass on to the Rocky 

 Mountains, and thence to the Pacific. He will require 

 some of your official aid. I took an unmerited liberty 

 with your name and readiness of purpose, and told him 

 you were the very man ; and I need not say how happy 

 I shall be to learn that you have endorsed my promise 

 and ratified it. God bless you. 



" In haste, 



" THOS. L. MCKENNEY. 

 " To the Hon. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of War, 

 Washington City." 



" Richmond, Virginia, October {no date). Travelling 

 through the breeding-places of OUR species is far from being 

 as interesting to me as it is to inspect the breeding-places 



