Transcription:
5 fess to a joy experienced in again breathing the free air of heaven, and beholding the light of the sun. We went through
the Ophir Consolidated Virginia, and I presume you know what we saw as well as I could tell you; There were seven of us, Prof.
Gun- ning being of the party. And here I want to ask you your opin- ion of that gentleman. I promise not to betray confidence,
for I am really anxious to know something about him. He had letters to General and myself, and expects to visit Chico ere
returning east. Is merry and amusing, but I do not believe a word he says, scientifically, and I will tell you why. First,
because he con- fessed to having deceived persons rather than confess his ignor- ance. Second because he always evaded, or
deliberately im- povised answers which I knew incorrect when cornered. An instance He insisted that the whole scientific world
with- out exception, admits that man is evolved out of a lower ani- mal . I replied that Dr Gray does not, underlined: for
he had so told me. (Prof Gunning at first declared Dr Gray does, but when I added he told me he does not , then Prof. Gunning
replied Well Gray does not, but he is the only one .) To prove his theory he would constantly twist everything underlined:
twistable into harmony with his theory. A passing drove of hogs was turned to the same account, but seemingly un- intentionally.
I notice that in California and Nevada the white hogs are giving way to the black, the black are evolved from the white: (you
can see it in these hogs, they have mostly become black . I replied yes, but in the cause you are mistaken: The Chester white
is too delicate a hog for this country s mode of treatment, requiring great care; while the Essex Berkshire, both black hogs
naturally, deleted: would thrive under the hearding system and grow fat on grass, can bear exposure to the weather, hence
are the only hogs which our people can afford to keep. This annoyed Prof. Gunning and he replied