444 



AUDUBON 



seated on one of the wharves and saw the mass of water 

 accumulating with a rapidity I cannot describe. At half- 

 flow the water rose three feet in ten minutes, but it is even 

 more rapid than this. A few minutes after its greatest 

 height is attained it bej^ins to recede, and in a few hours 

 the whole bed of the river is again emptied. We rambled 

 over the beautiful meadows and fields, and John shot two 

 Marsh Hawks, one of each sex, and we saw many more. 

 These birds here are much darker above and much deeper 

 rufous below, than any I ever procured in the Middle 

 States or farther south. Indeed, it may be said that the 

 farther north I have been, the deeper in tint have I found 

 the birds. The steamboat has just arri ed, and the young 

 men have been on board to secure our passage. No news 

 from the States. 



Eastporty Maine, August 31. We arrived here yesterday 

 afternoon in the steamer " Maid of the Mist." We left 

 Windsor shortly before twelve noon, and reached St, 

 John's, New Brunswick, at two o'clock at night. Passed 

 " Cape Blow-me-down," " Cape Split," and " Cape d'Or." 

 We were very comfortable, as there were few passengers, 

 but the price was sufficient for all we had, and more. We 

 perambulated the streets of St. John's by moonlight, and 

 when the shops opened I purchased two suits of excellent 

 stuff for shooting garments. At the wharf, just as the 

 steamer was about to leave, I had the great pleasure of 

 meeting my most excellent friend Edward Harris, who gave 

 me a letter from thee, and the first intelligence from the 

 big world we have left for two months. Here we were 

 kindly received by all our acquaintance ; our trunks were 

 not opened, and the new clothes paid no duties ; this ought 

 to be the case with poor students of nature all over the 

 world. We gave up the " Ripley " to Messrs. Buck and 

 Tinkham, took up our quarters with good Mr. Weston, and 

 all began packing immediately. 



