CHAPTER XIII.
STONY HILL.
Since the choice made by the members of the Gun Club to the detriment of Texas, every one in America--where every one knows how to read--made it his business to study the geography of Florida.

Never before had the booksellers sold so many _Bertram's Travels in Florida_, _Roman's Natural History of East and West Florida_, _Williams' Territory of Florida_, and _Cleland on the Culture of the Sugar Cane in East Florida_.

New editions of these works were required.

There was quite a rage for them.
Barbicane had something better to do than to read; he wished to see with his own eyes and choose the site of the Columbiad.

Therefore, without losing a moment, he put the funds necessary for the construction of a telescope at the disposition of the Cambridge Observatory, and made a contract with the firm of Breadwill and Co., of Albany, for the making of the aluminium projectile; then he left Baltimore accompanied by J.T.
Maston, Major Elphinstone, and the manager of the Goldspring Manufactory.
The next day the four travelling companions reached New Orleans.