Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1877-08-04)

especially the small ones. Some of the large ones that I have tried are not worth shucks, and 1 or 2 small ones the same. But it is so with every lot of knives. These do very well after they get worn down into the good steel by use. The new edge is nearly always bad. They suit me very well, and stand hard usage. Some are very good, of the small ones. Jackson is bent and determined on Nat'l History, and he has got to have an outlet somewhere for his enthusiasm. No, to tell you honestly, much as I dislike to do so, I do not think he, nor anyone you could send to Sumatra from America could do as much for you as I could do alone with the additional amount of money his expenses would foot up. It's because I am already on the ground, and a collector may at all times consider himself very successful if he can find as many specimens as he can take care of alone. I have come to the conclusion by slow degrees, that where labor is cheap, as in all the Oriental hopies, two collectors together can only make it pay when collecting large animals, such as I am up to now. The expenses of traveling and living are so great in spite of everything. Send Jackson straight to Dutch Guiana have interest each, for 20 Manatee. He will fetch these another time, for now all his blood is boiling. Before it was a drag with him, for he had had enough of it before going to Suriname. He knows just how to do it now. Send him for Manatee only, and he'll fetch them, for the