140 John Baclnnan. 



have been cut off. Some, incleed, are of the opinion 

 that it is not Asiatic Cholera. I think otherwise. 

 The state of collapse can scarcely be mistaken ; and 

 those who have died have, nearly all, fallen into 

 this state before death. Fortunately the disease did 

 not appear among us, until it had traveled through 

 the North and West. Our people were not much 

 alarmed, but remained at their posts, watching the 

 first symptoms, and checking the disease before it 

 had put on an alarming character. During my 

 confinement I read everything that I could find 

 written on tlie subject, and became a quack myself. 

 Dr. Harlan's reports I found most sensible, and his 

 writings have raised him, m my estimation, as a 

 Physician of excellent judgment. My family are 

 all well again, excepting my mother's white servant, 

 and she is better. Relapses in this disease are ex- 

 ceedingly common ; even a cup of tea, or a piece of 

 bread, sometimes causes the patient to lose ground. 



:}« Hj >K ^ 



Before I go further, let me tell you that one of tlie 

 evils of my late indisposition, from which I recover 

 but slowly, is, that I cannot hold my hand steady ; 

 after writing for ten minutes, I have to lie down 

 and rest a little. 



While you are detained at the North, there are 

 some matters to which it would be well for you to 

 attend. Find out in what Cjuantities and how far 

 North our long-billed Curlews are found and 

 migrate. William Cooper ought to permit you to 

 figure the "Mourning Warbler." He did not say, 

 " No," when I asked him, but he did not sa}^ " Yes." 

 He was under obligations to Bonaparte then, and 

 he distinctly said that if that work w^as discontinued, 

 he would be willing to give you all the assistance 

 he could render. I am not sure that you have, as 

 yet; figured the Grey Owl of Maine. You must find 



