CORRESPONDENCE 197 



to beat me in fiuding rare things, and f>erhaps I can get some of 

 his specimens. Charley has just come from Mr. Spaulding's who 

 says he will take you (his route is by way of Machias) for thirty 

 dollars. It is so damp I have not been out much to-day. I am 

 sorry you have to go so soon. I expected to have a good cruise 

 somewhere but it doesn't look much like it now. You must come 

 another year. Let me know the day you come up. 



Yours truly, 



BOARDMAN. 



Jacksonville, Florida, February 1, 1868. 

 Dear Baird: 



I have been thinking of writing you for a day or two, but 

 there are so many new things to look at I have not thought of 

 hardly writing home. 



After I left your house we had a good passage to Richmond 

 where I spent one day, then went to Wilmington, made a short 

 visit. Next day went to Charleston, where I spent nearly a week, 

 arrived here day before yesterday. The weather when in Charles- 

 ton was very fine. I had a nice visit. I called to See Dr. Back- 

 man ; he was very glad to meet me, full of talk about old collecting 

 times. He is seventy-eight years old, but quite active mentally. 

 He has lost the use of one of his arms. His library and valuables 

 were taken for safe keeping to Columbia, to his son's house, but 

 when Sherman's men burned the place all his valuables were 

 burned, which if they had been left at Charleston would have 

 been safe ; all his specimens were destroyed. The soldiers nearly 

 killed him because he would not tell them Avhere the plate of the 

 oflicer with whom he boarded was buried. He admits he was a 

 little saucy to them. He was glad to hear from you and sends 

 his regards to you and Mr. Brewer. He had very many questions 

 to ask about ornithology as he had hardly looked at a book or 

 bird for eight years. Since I have arrived here we have had a 

 cold norther. I have not had my gun out; the place is so full I 

 can hardly get a room, and if I do not do better shall go to St. 

 Augustine to-morrow, and try to get a chance down the coast. 

 There are no vessels here and the collector, Mr. Moody, says he 

 does not think there are any vessels below Fernandina belonging to 



