years；　until　his　patient　and　persistent　efforts　achieved　the　success　they　so　richly　merited。　　All　but　the　last　volume　of　his　American　Ornithology　were　completed　when　the　overworked　naturalist　died。
  The　old　Swedes'　Church　is　the　most　ancient　religious　edifice　in　Philadelphia；　and　is　located　near　the　wharves　in　the　vicinity　of　Christian　and　Swanson　streets；　in　the　old　district　of　　Southwark。　　The　Swedes　had　settlements　on　the　　Delaware　before　Penn　visited　America。　　They　built　a　wooden　edifice　for　worship　in　1677；　on　the　spot　where　the　brick　〃Swedes'　Church〃　now　stands；　and　which　was　erected　in　1700。　　　Threading　narrow　streets；　with　the　stenographic　　reporter　of　the　courts；　Mr。　R。　A。　West；　for　my　guide；　we　came　into　a　quiet　locality　where　the　ancient　landmark　reared　its　steeple；　like　the　　finger　of　faith　pointing　heavenward。　　Few　indeed　must　be　the　fashionable　Christians　who　worship　under　its　unpretentious　roof；　but　there　is　an　air　of　antiquity　surrounding　it　which　interests　every　visitor　who　enters　its　venerable　doorway。
  The　church…yard　is　very　contracted　in　area　yet　there　is　room　for　trees　to　grow　within　its　sacred　precincts；　and　birds　sometimes　rest　there　while　pursuing　their　flight　from　the　Schuylkill　to　the　Delaware。　　Among　the　crowded　graves　is　a　square　brick　structure；　covered　with　an　　horizontal　slab　of　white　marble；　upon　which　I　read：
  〃THIS　MONUMENT　COVER5　THE　REMAINS　OF
  ALEXANDER　WILSON；
  AUTHOR　OF　THE　AMERICAN　ORNITHOLOGY。
  HE　WAS　BORN　IN　RENFREWSHIRE；　SCOTLAND；　ON　THE　6　JULY；　1766；
  EMIGRATED　TO　THE　UNITED　STATES　IN　THE　YEAR　1794；
  AND　DIED　IN　PHILADELPHIA；　OF　THE　DYSENTERY；
  ON　THE　23　AUGUST；　1813；　AGED　47。
  Ingenio　stat　sine　morte　decus。〃
  Philadelphia　has　been　called　the；　〃city　of　homes；〃　and　well　does　she　merit　that　　comfortably　sounding　title；　for　it　is　not　a　misnomer。　Unlike　some　other　large　American　cities；　the　artisan　and　laborer　can　here　own　a　home　by　becoming　a　member　of　a　building　association　and　paying　the　moderate　periodical　dues。　　Miles　upon　miles　of　these　cosy　little　houses；　of　five　or　six　rooms　each；　may　be　found；　the　inmates　of　which　are　a　good　and　useful　class　of　citizens；　adding　strength　to　the　city's　discipline　and　　government。
  The　grand　park　of　three　thousand　acres；　one　of；　if　not　the　largest　in　the　world；　is　near　at　hand；　where　the　poor　as　well　as　the　rich　can　resort　at　pleasure。　　I　took　leave　of　the　beautiful　and　well　laid…out　city　with　a　pang　of　regret　not　usual　with　canoeists；　who　find　it　best　for　their　comfort　and　peace　of　mind　to　keep　with　their　dainty　crafts　away　from　the　heterogeneous　and　not　over…civil　population　which　gathers　along　the　water…fronts　of　a　port。
  CHAPTER　VII。　　PHILADELPHIA　TO　CAPE　HENLOPEN。
  DESCENT　OF　DELAWARE　RIVER。　　MY　FIRST　CAMP。　　BOMBAY　HOOK。　　MURDERKILL　CREEK。　　A　STORM　IN　DELAWARE　BAY。　　CAPSIZING　OF　THE　CANOE。　　A　SWIM　FOR　LIFE。　　THE　　PERSIMMON　GROVE。　　WILLOW　GROVE　INN。　　THE　LIGHTS　OF　CAPES　MAY　AND　HENLOPEN。
  Monday；　November　9；　was　a　cold；　wet　day。　　Mr。　Knight　and　the　old；　　enthusiastic　gunsmith…naturalist　of　the　city；　Mr。　John　Krider；　assisted　me　to　embark　in　my　now　decked；　provisioned；　and　loaded　canoe。　　The　stock　of　condensed　food　would　easily　last　me　a　month；　while　the　blankets　and　other　parts　of　the　outfit　were　good　for　the　hard　usage　of　four　or　five　months。　　My　friends　shouted　adieu　as　the　little　craft　shot　out　from　the　pier　and　rapidly　descended　the　river　with　the　strong　ebb…tide　which　for　two　hours　was　in　her　favor。　　The　anchorage　of　the　iron　Monitor　fleet　at　League　Island　was　soon　passed；　and　the　great　city　sank　into　the　gloom　of　its　smoke　and　the　clouds　of　rainy　mist　which　enveloped　it。
  This　pull　was　an　exceedingly　dreary　one。　The　storms　of　winter　were　at　hand；　and　even　along　the　watercourses　between　Philadelphia　and　　Norfolk；　Virginia；　thin　ice　would　soon　be　forming　in　the　shallow　coves　and　creeks。　　It　would　be　necessary　to　exert　all　my　energies　to　get　south　of　Hatteras；　which　is　located　on　the　North　　Carolina　coast　in　a　region　of　storms　and　local　　disturbances。　　The　canoe；　though　heavily　laden；　behaved　well。　　I　now　enjoyed　the　advantages　resulting　from　the　possession　of　the　new　canvas　deck…cover；　which；　being　fastened　by　buttons　along　each　gunwale　of　the　canoe；　securely　　covered　the　boat；　so　that　the　occasional　swash　sent　aboard　by　wicked　tug…boats　and　large　schooners　did　not　annoy　me　or　wet　my　precious　cargo。
  By　two　o'clock　P。　M。　the　rain　and　wind　caused　me　to　seek　shelter　at　Mr。　J。　C。　Beach's　cottage；　at　Markus　Hook；　some　twenty　miles　below　Philadelphia；　and　on　the　same　side　of　the　river。　While　Mr。　Beach　was　varnishing　the　little　craft；　crowds　of　people　came　to　feel　of　the　canoe；　　giving　it　the　usual　punching　with　their　finger…nails；　〃to　see　if　it　were　truly　paper。〃　A　young　　Methodist　minister　with　his　pretty　wife　came　also　to　satisfy　their　curiosity　on　the　paper　question；　but　the　dominie　offered　me　not　a　word　of　　encouragement　in　my　undertaking。　　He　shook　his　head　and　whispered　to　his　wife：　〃A　wild；　wild　　enterprise　indeed。〃　　Markus　Hook　derived　its　name　from　Markee；　an　Indian　chief；　who　sold　it　to　the　civilized　white　man　for　four　barrels　of　whiskey。
  The　next　morning；　in　a　dense　fog；　I　followed　the　shores　of　the　river；　crossing　the　Pennsylvania　and　Delaware　boundary　line　half　a　mile　below　the　〃Hook；〃　and　entered　Delaware；　the　little　state　of　three　counties。　Thirty…five　miles　below；　the　water　becomes　salt。　Reaching　New　Castle；　which　contained　half　its　present　number　of　inhabitants　before　Philadelphia　was　founded；　I　pulled　across　to　the　New　Jersey　side　of　the　river　and　skirted　the　marshy　shore　past　the　little　Pea　Patch　Island；　upon　which　rises　in　sullen　　dreariness　Fort　Delaware。　West　of　the　Island　is　Delaware　City；　where　the　Chesapeake　and　　Delaware　Canal；　fourteen　miles　in　length；　has　one　of　its　termini；　the　other　being　on　a　river　which　empties　into　Chesapeake　Bay。　Philadelphia　and　Baltimore　steamboat　lines　utilize　this　canal　in　the　passage　of　their　boats　from　one　city　to　the　other。
  After　crossing　Salem　Cove；　and　passing　its　southern　point；　Elsinborough；　five　miles　and　a　half　below　Fort　Delaware；　the　inhospitable　marshes　became　wide　and　desolate；　warning　me　to　secure　a　timely　shelter　for　the　night。　Nearly　two　miles　below　Point　Elsinborough　the　high　reeds　were　divided　by　a　little　creek；　into　which　I　ran　my　canoe；　for　upon　the　muddy　bank　could　be　seen　a　deserted；　doorless　fish…cabin；　into　which　I　moved　my　blankets　and　provisions；　after　cutting　with　my　pocket…knife　an　ample　supply　of　dry　reeds　for　a　bed。　　Drift…wood；　which　a　friendly　tide　had　deposited　around　the　shanty；　furnished　the　material　for　my　fire；　which　lighted　up　the　dismal　hovel　most　cheerfully。　　And　thus　I　kept　house　in　a　comfortable　manner　till　morning；　being　well　satisfied　with　the　progress　I　had　made　that　day　in　traversing　the　shores　of　three　states。　　The　booming　of　the　guns　of　wild…fowl　shooters　out　upon　the　water　roused　me　before　dawn；　and　I　had　ample　time　before　the　sun　arose　to　prepare　breakfast　from　the　remnant　of　canned　ox…tail　soup　left　over　from　last　night's　supper。
  I　was　now　in　Delaware　Bay；　which　was　　assuming　noble　proportions。　From　my　camp　I　crossed　to　the　west　shore　below　Reedy　Island；　and；　filling　my　water…bottles　at　a　farm…house；　kept　upon　that　shore　all　day。　　The　wind　arose；　stirring　up　a　rough　sea　as　I　approached　Bombay　Hook；　where　the　bay　is　eight　miles　wide。　I　tried　to　land　upon　the　salt　marshes；　over　the　edges　of　which　the　long；　low　seas　were　breaking；　but　failed　in　　several　attempts。　　At　last　roller　after　roller；　　following　in　quick　succession；　carried　the　little　craft　on　their　crests　to　the　land；　and　packed　her　in　a　thicket　of　high　reeds。
  I　quickly　disembarked；　believing　it　useless　to　attempt　to　go　further　that　day。　　About　an　eighth　of　a　mile　from　the　water；　rising　out　of　the　salt　grass　and　reeds；　was　a　little　mound；　covered　by　trees　and　bushes；　into　which　I　conveyed　my　cargo　by　the　back…load；　and　then　easily　drew　the　light　canoe　over　the　level　marsh　to　the　camp。　A　bed　of　reeds　was　soon　cut；　into　which　the　canoe　was　settled　to　prevent　her　from　being　strained　by　the　occupant　at　night；　for　I　was　　determined　to　test　the　strength　of　the　boat　as　　sleeping…quarters。　　Canoes　built　for　one　person　are　generally　too　light　for　such　occupancy　when　out　of　water。　　The　tall　fringe　of　reeds　which　　encircled　the　boat　formed　an　excellent　substitute　for　chamber　walls；　giving　me　all　the　starry　blue　heavens　for　a　ceiling；　and　most　effectually　　screening　me　from　the　strong　wind　which　was　blowing。　As　it　was　early　when　the　boat　was　driven　ashore　I　had　time　to　wander　down　to　the　brook；　which　was　a　mile　distant；　and　replenish　my　scanty　stock　of　water。
  With　the　canvas　deck…cover　and　rubber　　blanket　to　keep　off　the　heavy　dews；　the　first　night　passed　in　such　contracted　lodgings　was　endurable；　if　not　wholly　convenient　and　agreeable。　　The　river　mists　were　not　dispelled　the　next　day　until　nine　o'clock；　when　I　quitted　my　warm　nest　in　the　reeds　and　rowed　down　the　bay；　which　seemed　to　grow　broader　as　I　advanced。　　The　bay　was　still　bordered　by　extensive　marshes；　with　he