Letter from. Audubon to the Editor, 361 



sun had glowed over the broad sea that lay before our camp, we 

 had reached another island where birds resort to roost by thou- 

 sands ; but, notwithstanding these multitudes, not a new species did 

 we procure. We, however, had the pleasure of observing two 

 noble " birds of Washington," sailing majestically over the broad 

 watery face. 



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

 and it was somewhat difficult too. My friends had increased in 

 number, they were in the habit of accompanying me in my 

 shooting excursions, I was becoming very much attached to 

 them, invitations poured in from various parts of the country ; 

 and I really believe, that had I been willing, we might have re- 

 mained there and in the neighbourhood, if not all our lives, at 

 least as long as would have caused a rare scarcity of the feather- 

 ed tribes, in that portion of the Carolinas. But my mind was 

 among the birds farther south ; the Floridas, Red river, the Ar- 

 kansas, that almost unknown country California, and the Pacific 

 ocean. I felt myself drawn to the untried scenes of those coun- 

 tries, and it was necessary to tear myself away from the kindest 

 friends. 



We embarked in the schooner Argus, 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, pre- 

 sented him my card, and was immediately invited to dinner. 1 

 visited his gardens, got into such agreeable conversation and quar- 

 ters, that I was fain to think I had landed on some one of those 

 fairy islands said to have existed in the golden age. But this was 

 not all ; the owner of this hospitable mansion pressed me to stay 

 a month with him, and subscribed to my Birds of America, in the 

 most gentlemanly manner. This was T. R. K., Esq. But the 

 wind shifted, and I was sent for, and our voyage for St. Augus- 

 tine resumed. 



St. Augustine, whatever it may have been, is far from being a 

 flourishing place now. It lies at the bottom of a bay, extremely 

 difficult of access, even for vessels of light draft, which seldom 

 reach the " city" in less than a day. I cannot say much for the 

 market, nor for the circumjacent country. Oranges and plenty 

 of good fish, seem to constitute the wealth of the place. Sands, 



Vol. I.— 46 



