190 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



amounting to much. I will try to go down when I have time and 

 give the beach a good overhauling. I am glad you came when 

 you did to see the heaps for it will not be very long before most 

 of them will be washed away. The gales last fall probably 

 destroyed dozens of them about the coast. But if you will go to 

 Florida with me next winter we will go shell heap digging all 

 winter as there are plenty of them there. 



Mr. Boardman's letters are full of interesting personal 

 allusions showing his interest in people. Writing January 

 3, 1869, he says: " I have often thought of your sick 

 friend at Beverly, I think his name was Swan. Did you 

 ever hear from him after his arrival in Europe ?' ' October 

 25 of the same year: "Write me if Ridgway is with 

 you and if he found much that was new. Give him my 

 kind respects." November 29, writing of Dr. Brewer 

 he says: " I have no doubt Dr. Brewer and family will 

 find Washington much more pleasant when Congress is 

 in session and know they will have a fine time. The 

 doctor will be in clover when he gets at the eggs. I 

 always like to look them over but I think I enjoy that 

 chap's steamed oysters, down on the avenue, fully as 

 much — better still your splendid library. ' ' After return- 

 ing from Boston in November, 1872, where he went to 

 witness the ruins of the great fire he writes: "You 

 have heard by the papers all the particulars. Dr. Brewer 

 looks as smiling as though he had found some new egg. 

 Their stock was all burned, not a thing was got out. 

 Many of our friends lost all." Writing from Jackson- 

 ville, April 12, 1875, he says : "I have given Dr. Henry 

 Foster, owner of the great sanitorium at Clifton Springs, 

 a letter of introduction to you. He owns a splendid 

 establishment up at Lake Jessup, twenty-five miles above 

 Enterprise. He is one of the best men I ever met in 



