xcviii life of WILSON. 
tenth of the curses slavery has brought on the southern states. 
Nothing has surprised me more than the cold melancholy re- 
serve of the females, of the best families, in South Carolina and 
Georgia. Old and young, single and married, all have that dull 
frigid insipidity, and reserve, which is attributed to solitary old 
maids. Even in their own houses they scarce utter any thing 
to a stranger but yes or no, and one is perpetually puzzled to 
know whether it proceeds from awkwardness or dislike. Those 
who have been at some of their balls say that the ladies hardly 
ever speak or smile, but dance with as much gravity, as if they 
were performing some ceremony of devotion. On the contrary, 
the negro wenches are all sprightliness and gayety; and if re- 
port be not a defamer — {here, there is a hiatus in the manu- 
script) which render the men callous to all the finer sensations 
of love, and female excellence. 
“ I will not detain you by a recital of my journey from 
Charleston to Savannah. In crossing the Savannah river, at a 
place called the Two Sisters’ Ferry, my horse threw himself 
into the torrent, and had I not, at the risk of my own life, res- 
cued him, would have been drowned.” 
Of the first volume of the Ornithology, only two hundred 
copies had been printed. But it was now thought expedient to 
strike off a new edition of three hundred more; as the increas- 
ing approbation of the public warranted the expectation of cor- 
responding support. 
TO MR. WM. BARTRAM. 
Philadelphia, Jiugust 4, 1809. 
“ The second volume of “ American Ornithology” being 
now nearly ready to go to press, and the plates in considerable 
forwardness, you will permit me to trespass on your time, for 
a few moments, by inquiring if you have any thing interesting 
to add to the history of the following birds, the figures of which 
will be found in this volume. 
^ 
“ I have myself already said every thing of the foregoing 
