Bec. Jan llth 

 Ans. Jan 15 



Washington City 

 December 28, I8U7 



Dear Engelmann, 



Today it is k weeks since I left St. Louis and the only reason.that 

 I have not yet bitten is solely, that I had nothing to report but 

 fatalities, uncertainties and unfortunate depressions,and that I am 

 just beginnihg to see better prospects. I arrived in Philadelphia 

 after a 12 day trip, delivered my recommendations and was well re- 

 ceived by all with exception of the book publishers, vrho all have 

 published so much about Mexico, with some still on the presses, that 

 they will not publish anything new before Spring, least of all a 

 scientific volume which demands a costly presentation* I was equally 

 unsuccessful in New York where I stayed 8 days. Mr. v. Eichthal 

 died the morning of my arrival in N.Y. due to a inflamation of the 

 lungs; at my first vislt there I found him laid out. Dr. Ludwig, Dr. 

 Tellkamif and others, to whom I had recommendations, were raost acoo- 

 modatlng to me and did their utmost to further my project, but it 

 was "no go", Too scientific, of too elevated a character, not po- 

 pulär enough, a concocted smear of a book by a former Sergeant of 

 Doniphan* s campaign was recommended as sample of populär w^iting. 

 I did not want to glve my book for nothing to a Garpox (?? E.D.) of 

 a book publisher, and thus packed my 7 ltems (a common German ex- 

 pression, E.D.) and went to Washington. As one must not tap around 

 blindly on the vulcanic, diplomatlc prround ofjr the capital, I used 

 the initial days fc» of my stay here to extend my feelers to orient 

 myself. The Xenophobie Situation, which has not come to an end, cre- 

 ates much bad feeling and I coneeived soon, that one musfc not sit 

 down between two feet if one wants to aecomplish something« Col, 

 Bnton and Fremont reeeived me very cordially. Old Bullion seems to 

 me not to be liked here but feared, his influance being still impor- 

 tant; when I showed him my opus he offered to present it unprlnted 



