We came from Charleston by land to Norfolk; thence to Washington City by steamer in 20 hours, and in 8 to the city here, well fatigued but safely.... At Washington, where we remained only an hour, Col. J. Abert told me something connected with the climbing of Rattlesnakes upon trees &c. that will make your mouth water, and your generous heart leap with joy, _when you read_ [about] them, which you shall do ere long, I give you my word for it. Audubon was still in Baltimore on March 15, for on that day he gave Harris a letter of introduction to Edward Everett. New York was reached in April, when he wrote to Bachman that they had secured berths in "that fine packet ship the _North America_," which was to sail on the tenth of that month. [Illustration: J.G. CHILDREN AFTER AN ENGRAVING BY W. RADDON OF A PORTRAIT BY EDDIS, 1839.] [Illustration: EDWARD HARRIS REPRODUCED FROM "CASSINIA" FOR 1902.] Toward the close of Audubon's Charleston visit he had an unpleasant experience; he was sued for an old debt, which no doubt dated from his Henderson period and the failure of his mill in 1819.[52] Apparently the case was carried into court, where the naturalist was defended by a lawyer named Dunkin, who, if my inference is correct, later became a distinguished judge and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court[53] of South Carolina. The incident was referred to by Audubon in letters written from New York at this time; on April 6, he wrote to Miss Maria Martin as follows: I told friend Bach. in my letter of yesterday that I knew nothing of Mr. Pettigrue, connected with my business at Charleston, and that if that gentleman had presented himself before the court, it must have been for charity's sake; indeed, from the conversations that passed between Friend B. & I respecting Mr. Dunker [Dunkin], it would have been absurd in me to think for a moment of employing any other person than Mr. D.