the offer of an opportunity to return home, at that time. We soon found enough to do to prevent our brooding over the troubles we encountered. On the first of April, one person left our party for Tampa Bay, in tending if possible to penetrate to Cedar Keys. The country in that direction was considered dangerous on account of the Indians, which prevented us from traveling farther to the south. We see negro life here with all the peculiarities of the far south. The blacks were lounging about camp the whole time, trying to sell us some snakes, toads or other animal. A great many snakes were bought of them, which they had caught without danger to themselves, simply by putting a forked stick over the neck of the reptile, and thus pinning his head to the ground. Sometimes we attended negro meetings in the evening; these are held in a little hut, built of slabs, without windows or floor, and occupied by some three families. It was really quite interesting to stand near the open door, and look in upon the dark group, which surrounded the huge fire of pine knots, that burned on the hearth. The preacher was a slave ; a tall, straight, and gentlemanly looking fellow, who after a very lengthy prayer, made a short exhortation, when they commenced to sing words like these. "O my Redeemer, O my Redeemer, It's well and good Dat you come'e out to-night, It's well and good Dat you come'e out to-night, To learn de ways ob de Lord." After singing for some time: praying and exhorting alternated again, sometimes continuing nearly all night. The blacks seem very fond of music, and groups of them might be seen in the evening before almost every house, singing or playing on some instrument. Going up the rail-road one day, an alligator's nest was found, though destitute of occupants. It was composed of grass, weeds and mud, piled up in layers, so that the heat generated by fermentation, shall hatch the eggs, which are placed between the layers. When the young leave the shell, they immediately betake themselves to some pond, near which the nest is always situated, when it is said the mother feeds them with a milky substance, which she casts out of her mouth upon the surface of the water. On the beach, one hot day in the middle of April, one of the party received a sun-stroke which was very violent, and threw him into a fever, that has lasted for two months. He was attended, while there and accompanied as far as Philadelphia on his return home, by Dr. Jackson, from that city, who treated him with much skill and kindness, and to whom we are under the greatest obligations. Inasmuch as the first expedition to the Bird Banks had proved so eminently unsuccessful, Prof. C― advised that before our return, we should undertake another. Accordingly on the thirteenth of April, three individuals were dispatched on this service They went in a heavy yawl boat, with three days' provisions. Being late in the afternoon, when they started, but little progress was made the first day. They were intending to encamp in a deserted cabin, near where the rail-road crosses the Fernandina River, but a planter living near, having come down to the river, invited them to go up with him and stay in his kitchen. Accordingly they walked some two miles to his house, and spent the night. To reach it, they had to cross a marsh more than a mile in width, upon a road built on spiles, with timbers laid across at intervals of about two feet. This was very difficult of accomplishment in the night, especially as they were loaded down with blankets, &c. They lay down to rest upon the hard floor of the kitchen, and awoke in the morning much refreshed. On visiting the boat, it was found left by the receding tide, high and dry upon the bank; but while making some extended preparations to launch her, one of the party by main strength pushed her afloat. After rowing for some distance through a narrow and very crooked channel, in which they several times lost their way, a point was seen jutting out for some distance into a large bay that they had entered, which with wind and tide both adverse, could not be rounded. Accordingly, after several unsuccessful attempts, it was concluded to go back a short distance, and wait for some change. After a time it came, and the remaining distance was passed with little delay. Night overtook them near the south end of Amelia Island; but before they had reached good camping ground; and finding a little hillock in the center of a marsh, they made a fire upon it, roasted some oysters, ate their supper, and having arranged their lair, fell into the arms of Morpheus. In the morning, having eaten a supply of oysters, from the dish which Nature had set before them, they put up sail and steered for the Bird Banks. But here bad luck awaited them; for the birds had not begun to breed, and consequently very few were seen. Having shot a few gulls, curlew and terns, they left the Banks, and crossing over to the beach, spent the remainder of the day in collecting shells. On returning to the boat, it was found to have left them in the lurch again; there was no water within sixty feet of it: nothing but a level sand beach, over which the yawl must be dragged to the water. On examining the provision chest, too, a great deficiency in eatables was observed. Here was trouble; it seemed impossible to drag the boat to the water, but it would not do to wait for the tide to rise, or they would reach home very hungry men. So they went to work, and after an hour's hard struggling, the boat was launched; by dark the collection was on board, and the hungry, thirsty and tired party pulled for Fernandina, as hard as they were able. As there was no wind, it was necessary to row the whole way, and being ill acquainted with the channel, they had a very hard time of it. Having no water and being extremely thirsty, the only resource was to mix vinegar and molasses; the only two liquids in the boat, and try to quench their thirst with that. But this made bad worse, and it was only by holding bullets in their mouths, that they could be at all comfortable. At length, they lost their way, having left the channel and entered a broad bay filled with oyster banks, which were just covered at high tide. The night being very dark, these could not be seen until the boat struck, and it was one continual routine of running upon banks and pushing off, until they became almost entirely discouraged, and were upon the point of attempting to spend the night there; but at length, by following the shore for some distance, the channel was again entered, and they went on encouraged. Before reaching camp however, sleep seized upon all, exhausted as they were by abstinence and hard rowing, so that no sooner had the person whose turn it was to steer seized the tiller, than drowsiness began to creep over him, and soon the boat would be going in an opposite direction from that in which they wished to sail. At length the camp was reached, and a search immediately instituted for water and eatables. Having satisfied themselves on this point and removed their luggage from the boat, they turned in, as the sea phrase is, for a good night's rest. While at breakfast next morning, loud shouts in the direction of the river announced the arrival of the Dew-Drop, and looking out, we saw her colors flying, as she cast anchor in front of the camp. A boat soon brought our friends ashore, and right glad were we to see them; much regretting however that the time had come for us to leave the south. We had experienced much kindness from the people among whom we had been thrown, and whatever were our troubles, we cannot fail to remember with pleasure and gratitude those who befriended us. It was a source of great wonder, especially to the negroes, what we could want of the alligators, snakes and birds, that were collected, but the promise of a "bit" apiece for what they brought us, made them set eagerly to work, and procured us many valuable specimens. Upon the whole the expedition was eminently successful, and has brought treasures into the Society's cabinet, and the cabinets of those who aided the enterprise, which would not have been obtained without it. Those of us who were permitted to accompany it, also, feel that we have thereby gained greatly in very many respects. It is such an expedition as any society or any college may be proud to have originated, if we judge by its results; and we hope that this is only a beginning of what is to be, for there are plenty of fields left for the naturalist to explore, and plenty of treasures to be gathered in before the book of Nature can be read understandingly, and this can never be done by private individuals with such profit and so great a degree of success, as by such expeditions. We close this account of our adventures, by expressing our great obligation to our friends, both here, and at the south, who have assisted us in carrying out the objects of this enterprise. HEROD'S LAMENT FOR MARIANNE. A MONODRAME. SCENE-A dark and gorgeous apartment in Herod's palace at Jerusalem—A cresset hung by a silver chain is dimly burning in an alcove-Courtiers and attendants talking in an antechamber, who gradually retire—A Roman sentinel mounting guard before the door of the room. [Enter HEROD in soliloquy.] DEAD! dead! did they tell me that she was dead! That her sweet spirit is among the stars! It cannot be, ah no, it cannot be ! What my poor, stricken_heart would disbelieve. [The moon emerges from a cloud, and its rays steal along the floor of the chamber. He pauses and gazes musingly on it.] How cold and pale yon moonbeam creeps along Of beauteous beings haunting twilight hours, |