EXPLORATIONS IN FLORIDA 11 



night : certain beef-steaks we brought with us we roasted upon 

 sticks, and the adjacent shore provided us with excellent 

 oysters : gaiety, good appetites, and our hearts all right, made 

 the time pass pleasantly, and it was with some reluctance we 

 spread our blankets, and arranged the fire preparatory to go- 

 ing to rest. Nothing is more valuable to a naturalist, and 

 particularly to an ornithologist, than the first hours of the 

 day; therefore, long ere the sun had glowed over the broad 

 sea that lay before our camp, we had reached another island 

 where birds resort to roost by thousands ; but, notwithstanding 

 these multitudes, not a new species did we procure. We, how- 

 ever, had the pleasure of observing two noble "birds of Wash- 

 ington," ^ sailing majestically over the broad watery face. 



But it was necessary to bring my stay in Charleston to a 

 close, and it was somewhat difEcult too. My friends had in- 

 creased in number; they were in the habit of accompanying 

 me in my shooting excursions; I was becoming very much at- 

 tached to them ; invitations poured in from various parts of the 

 country ; and I really believe that had I been willing, we might 

 have remained there and in the neighborhood, if not all our 

 lives, at least as long as would have caused a rare scarcity of 

 the feathered tribes, in that portion of the CaroHnas. But 

 my mind was among the birds farther south, — the Floridas, 

 Red River, the Arkansas, that almost unknown country, Cali- 

 fornia, and the Pacific ocean. I felt myself drawn to the un- 

 tried scenes of those countries, and it was necessary to tear my- 

 self away from the kindest friends. 



We embarked on the schooner Agnes ; the wind was fair, 

 and we hoisted all sails for the Floridas. Our passage was 

 not short ; the wind changed, and we put back into St. Simon's 

 Island Bay. This was one of the few put backs in life of a 

 fortunate kind for me. I made for the shore, met a gentleman 

 on the beach, presented him my card, and was immediately 

 invited to dinner. I visited his gardens, got into such agree- 

 able conversation and quarters, that I was fain to think that 



•See Vol. I, p. 400. 



