270 John Bachman. 



A large empty room which opened from their 

 chamber was put at their disposal. A few wooden 

 tables and chairs, were brought in, and specimens, 

 papers, etc., were soon arranged in readiness for work, 

 41 when the old love for it came back." Perfect rest, 

 aided by the healing waters, had an almost magical 

 effect. 



Rejoicingly he writes to Victor Audubon : 



MADISON SPRINGS, June 30th, '49. 



"I have very cheering news to give you. I have 

 been here eleven days ; the day after my arrival the 

 giddiness in my head and other horrid symptoms 

 that have distressed me for months, began to leave 

 me. I sleep well, drink the water, and take a 

 shower-bath daily. Best of all, I am able to work 

 without suffering from my eyes. 



I begun working four hours a day, now I can 

 work for twelve. I shall lessen the hours, should I 

 find my strength failing. This is my tenth work- 

 ing-day. I have finished seventeen articles, and ar- 

 ranged notes for another. I have used as many of 

 your notes as I could. Maria copies carefully. She 

 lops off to the right and the left with your notes and 

 mine ; she corrects, criticises, abuses, and praises us 

 by turns. Your father's notes, copied from his jour- 

 nal, are valuable they contain real information ; 

 some of the others are humbug and rigmarole ; but 

 you have done so well as to surprise us. 



To-day, I wrote the life and doings of the 

 Opossum ; my article will occupy me for another 

 day. Three days ago, I wrote the article on 

 the Ermine; what you sent me lacked informa- 

 tion, and I possessed it ; in going over its history, 

 I found and described a new Ermine a small 



