I must not forget to tell you of a magnificent bald-headed eagle which
Mr. ---- called me to look at early this morning. I had never before seen
alive one of these national types of yours, and stood entranced as the
noble creature swept, like a black cloud, over the river, his bald white
head bent forward and shining in the sun, and his fierce eyes and beak
directed towards one of the beautiful wild ducks on the water, which he
had evidently marked for his prey. The poor little duck, who was not
ambitious of such a glorification, dived, and the eagle hovered above the
spot. After a short interval, its victim rose to the surface several
yards nearer shore. The great king of birds stooped nearer, and again the
watery shield was interposed. This went on until the poor water-fowl,
driven by excess of fear into unwonted boldness, rose, after repeatedly
diving, within a short distance of where we stood. The eagle, who, I
presume, had read how we were to have dominion over the fowls of the air
(bald-headed eagles included), hovered sulkily awhile over the river, and
then sailing slowly towards the woods on the opposite shore, alighted and
furled his great wings on a huge cypress limb, that stretched itself out
against the blue sky, like the arm of a giant, for the giant bird to
perch upon.

I am amusing myself by attempting to beautify, in some sort, this
residence of ours. Immediately at the back of it runs a ditch, about three
feet wide, which empties and fills twice a day with the tide. This lies
like a moat on two sides of the house. The opposite bank is a steep dyke,
with a footpath along the top. One or two willows droop over this very
interesting ditch, and I thought I would add to their company some
magnolias and myrtles, and so make a little evergreen plantation round the
house. I went to the swamp reserves I have before mentioned to you, and
chose some beautiful bushes--among others, a very fine young pine, at