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LIFE OF AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST OF THE NEW WORLD HIS JMflttarts ani giscatetts. BY MRS. HORACE ST. JOHN REVISED AND CORRECTED, WITH ADDITIONS, *ND ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS BY J. W. ORR, FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS. PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO, 1884. "3 \ i 1 T Entered according to Act of Conrress, in the « s*r 1166, By C. S. Francis & Co., the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States fot Southern District of New York, ? PREFACE. The materials of this narrative have been derived from Audubon's works, from the recollections of hia friends, and from fragments published in the United States. The writer's object has been,. exclusively, to follow the adventurous American through those episoJes of romance and discovery which constituted his career as a naturalist. Those unacquainted with the enthusiasm which car- ried him onward in the project of bis life, may be at times startled at the extreme vigour of his descriptions ; but when it is recollected that his original language was French, and that in rendering his thoughts and feelings in English, he found it wanting in the sweet- ness and vividness requisite for the expression of his poetic imagination, and to illustrate the beauties of nature as he felt them, then his style will be fully appreciated, and the reader will follow him through his career (vy a. VI PREFACE. wondering that nature had so many beauties before unknown to him. It has been found necessary to correct the English edition in many particulars of fact, and in the order of events, which are better known on this side the water. Some additions have been made by the American pub- lishers CONTENTS. PuKTACK ..... •• ▼ CHAPTER L Aspects of the New World 1 Magnificent Forests. 1 Splendid Plumage of Birds 2 Boundless Prairies 2 Interminable Rivers 2 Snow-covered Wilds. 8 Crags and Cliffs of the St Lawrence. 8 Genial Soil of Louisiana 4 The £1 Dorado of the Naturalist 4 Audubon, the Genius of the Woods. 4 His early Devotion to the Study of Nature. 6 Disappointments and Difficulties 5 Burns hundreds of his Early Sketches 6 Is sent to France to be Educated 6 Has David for his Master. • Has no taste for other than Natural Subjects 7 Unwearied in the Study of Creation 7 Returns to the Woods of the New World 7 Resumes his early Studies 7 His " Birds of America" a work of unequalled magnifi- cence 7 Unremitting exertions amid Privation and Danger 7 VH1 CONTENTS. MM Perseveres friendless and alone 8 Rare Truthfulness of his Nature . 8 Equally at Home in the Indian Camp and in Refined Society * CHAPTER IL His Estate in Pennsylvania 10 Plantation on Perkioming Creek 10 A Rocky Cave his Studio 11 Birds build their Nests orer its Entrance 11 Nest of Pewees within his Retreat 11 Audubon's Marriage 12 Removes to Louisville after his Marriage 13 Beargrass Creek, Kentucky 13 Kentucky Barbecues --«, 14 Fertility of Southern Kentucky 15 Ruggedness of the Northern portion 16 Will Smith, the Forest Chieftain 17 Solitary Life of Smith 17 The "Silent Hunter" 18 Early Years of Will Smith 18 Mattie Saunders. 19 Tyrannical conduct of Mattie's Father 19 Patient Heroism of Will Smith 20 Makes his Escape from the Cruelty of Saunders 21 Curious Vicissitudes and Distress of Will 21 Found by Judge Campbell 21 Kindness and Humanity of the Judge. 21 A Strange Coincidence, 22 Saunders take3 his Trial for "making away with Will" 22 Sudden Appearance of Will in Court 23 His emaciated look excites Horror and Pity 23 Mattie's Sensations 23 Saunders compelled to aid in h'a Support and Education 21 CONTENTS. IX mat Will Smith a Successful Barrister. 23 Will Smith Marries Mattie Saunders ' 24 Years of Happiness 24 Smith's Losses in the War of Independence 24 The Lands beyond the Alleghanies his Resource. 24 Mattie accompanies him to the West 24 Leaves his Family at Sinking River 25 Presses on to meet his Friend Boone 25 On his Return finds Mattie and the Children Murdered. 25 Funeral Rites 26 Vengeance on the Shawnees 28 Smith never leaves their Track 26 Sarcophagus of the " Silent Hunter" 21 CHAPTER IIL Audubon adds to his Collection 28 Friendly assistance of Gait and Ferguson 28 Visit from Wilson, the American Ornithologist 28 First impressions mutually Disagreeable. . . .• 28 Personal Appearance of Wilson 29 Audubon refuses to subscribe for Wilson's Book 29 Wilson's astonishment on examining Audubon's Collec- tion 29 Friendly offers of Audubon 29 Wilson's impressions of Louisville 30 Subsequent mortification of Audubon 80 Removes to Henderson, on the Ohio 30 Attractiveness of the neighbouring Heights and Valleys 31 Audubon remains several years at Henderson 31 The Passenger Pigeon 31 Rapid Flight 31 Vast numbers 82 Wanton Destruction of Pigeons 38 Earthquakes in Kentucky St X CONTENTS. warn Audubon's experience of an Earthquake 84 Terror of his Horse 84 Earthquake at a Wedding. 85 Disturbed Slumbers 86 The Whip-poor- Will. 87 Noiseless Flight. 81 Sings long after Sunset 88 Resumes its Song at Early Dawn 88 The Chuck-Wills-Widow. 88 An Inhabitant of Warm Climates 39 Habits of the Chuck- Will's- Widow 89 Its Song 40 Its Wooing 41 CHAPTER IV. Kentucky Sports 42 Habits of early Settlers 48 Capacious Flat-boats. 44 Conflicts with Indians 44 Kentucky Feat of " Driving the Nail" 45 " Barking a Squirrel" 45 "Snuffing the Candle" 45 Hurricanes 46 Destructive Effects 47 Audubon and Daniel Boone 48 Boone's Account of his Capture by Indians 49 A Strange Visitor 51 "An odd Fish" 63 M. Thouville, the Naturalist 52 Personal appearance of Thouville 68 His Enthusiasm 54 Nocturnal Uproar 55 Sanguinary Contest with Bats 55 Ttouville preserves Specimens 56 CONTENTS. XI PA Gl Attemp fcs the Passage of a Cane Brake . 56 Sudden Appearance of a Bear 67 Thunder Storm and Retreat 67 Disappearance of De Tbouville 58 CHAPTER V. Audubon's Commercial Pursuits 69 Trading Voyage on the Upper Mississippi 69 First sight of the " Bird of Washington". 69 Its Nest on Inaccessible Cliffs 60 Its mode of taking Fish 61 Wild Mississippi Scenery 61 Vast Forests — Fairy Islands 62 Curious Nest of the Oriole 63 Architectural capacity of Birds 64 Nest of the Tailor Bird 65 Flight of the Baltimore Oriole 65 Its Song 65 Beautiful Plumage 65 The Umbrella Bird. 66 Wolf Island 66 The Pirate Mason 66 The Regulators 67 The Pirate Mason Shot 68 CHAPTER VL Audubon s Return from the Mississippi. 69 Prairie Solitudes 69 Meg Merrilies of the Woods 70 Wounded Indian 70 Unwilling Hospitalities 71 Intended Treachery 7f Xll CONTENTS. wtm Timely Warning . 72 Imminent Danger 73 Opportune Arrival of Friends 74 Hospitality of Backwoodsmen. 74 An Incident 74 Rough Travelling 75 Interior of a Log Cabin 76 Heart}* Hospitality of the Inmates 77 Far-fetched Cider 77 CHAPTER VIL Audubon in Philadelphia, in 1824 79 As yet unaware of future Success 79 Is introduced to Charles Lucien Bonaparte 80 By him urged to Publication 80 Doubts and Hesitation 80 Rearranges his Drawings 81 Determines to continue his Explorations 81 The Great Pine Swamp 81 Audubon in Upper Canada 82 Replenishes his Purse by taking Portraits 83 Returns to his Family in Louisiania 83 Luxuriant Vegetation of Louisiana 88 The Louisiana Thrushes 84 Privations attendant on his Pursuits 85 Cheered by the Song of Birds 86 Habits of the Wood Thrush *7 Its Antipathy to the Raceoon J7 Peculiarities of the Mocking Bird 88 Its Young destroyed by Snakes 89 The Humming Bird 89 Its brilliant Plumage 9C Rapid Hight 9C Whole Structure adapted for Flight 93 CONTENTS. Xlll PAGl Nest of the Humming Bird 91 Its peculiar Food 92 The Sun Bird 93 Gem-like Plumage 93 CHAPTER VIII Swamp on the Mississippi River. 94 Guide to the Swamp 94 A Cougar Hunt 95 Seeking the Track 96 TheAnimal "Treed" 96 Is Shot, and Escapes Wounded 97 The Pursuit continued 97 Treed again 98 Death of the Cougar 98 A Suspicious Appearance 99 " Stand still or die" 99 Audubon's Forbearance 100 A Runaway Negro 100 The Runaway's Queen 101 The Negro's Recital 102 Extreme Privations of his Family 103 Audubon's kindness to them 104 Mississippi Floods 104 Their Destructiveness 105 A Crevasse 106 Seenes of Desolation 106 Transformation 107 Gradual Subsidence 108 CHAPTER IX. Audubon's years of Toil and Disappointment 109 His indomitable Perseverance 109 XIV CONTENTS. PA 01 His Constitution invigorated by a Life of Hardship. ... 110 His moral Fortitude 110 Difficulty in getting his Drawings Engraved Ill Determines to visit Europe Ill His Diffidence Ill His Success Ill Honors accorded him in Liverpool. Ill Hospitality of the Rathbone Family 112 Universal Approval of his Drawings 112 First Number of " Birds of America" , 112 Exhibits Engravings in various English towns. 113 Lord Stanley 114 Audubon elected Member of the Linnsean and Zoologi- cal Societies 114 Visits Paris in 1828. 114 Cuvier 114 Returns to America in 1829 114 An Original 115 A Studio 118 Abad "Sitter" 117 An impassible Commodore 118 Audubon Revisits London 118 Diploma from the Royal Society 119 Returns to New York. 118 Visits "Washington and Charleston 119 Spends the Winter of 1831 in Florida. 119 Birds and Vegetation of Florida 120 Various species of Doves 120 Tender Cooing of the Zenaida Dove. 121 Ita effect upon a noted Pirate. 121 Nest of the Zenaida Dove. 121 The Ground Dove 122 The Key West Pigeon 128 Its resplendent Plumage 129 CONTENTS. X* CHAPTER X. nam Pine Ban ens of East Florida 124 Wood Cutters 1 25 Their Mode of Life 125 Fogs in the Woods 126 A " Live Oaker" lost in the Woods. 127 Night in the Woods 127 Hunger and thirst. 1 29 Prolonged Sufferings. 129 Final Rescue. 129 The " Turtlers" of Florida 130 Beautiful Islands • 131 Catching Turtles 132 TheTurtler's Story 133 A Yawl marked with Blood 134 Dying Groans 135 The Wounded Pirate 136 Extraordinary Situation. 137 Death Wounds 138 The Pirate's Confession. 139 Death of the Pirate 140 CHAPTER XL Audubon revisits Philadelphia. 141 Boston 141 New Brunswick 142 Birds on the St John's River 142 Visits Labrador- 142 Islands on the Coast 143 The Esquimaux Curlew 143 Dense flocus of Curlews 143 The Roseate Fern 144 Solitudes of Labrador. 144 XVI CONTENTS. A Suppliant 145 Poverty and Contentment 147 Hard Fare. 147 A Citizen of the World H8 Eggers of Labrador. 149 Cruel Habits of the Eggers 149 Probable Extinction of Birds 151 Coast of Newfoundland 152 A Serenade and BalL 153 Modesty of the Belles 155 Visit to Pictou 155 Audubon returns to New York 156 Revisits London and Edinburgh • . 157 CHAPTER XH, Audabons untiring ZeaL 158 Occasional Dejection 159 The Highlands of Scotland 160 Volume of "Water Birds". 161 Solitary Retreats of Water Birds 161 The Cormorant . 161 Double-crested Cormorant of Labrador 162 The Florida Cormorant 162 Flight of the Cormorant 163 The Great Blue Heron. 163 Its Solitary Habits 164 Enormous Appetite 164 Nest of the Cormorant 165 The ■ Lady of the Waters" 165 Herons 1 66 The Brown Pelican 166 Its great Powers of Flight 166 The Frigate Pelican 167 Its resemblance to the Vulture 16* CONTENTS. XVU PAGI Rapid Flight 167 Mode of taking its Prey. 168 The American White Pelican 169 American varieties of the Ibis 169 The American Flamingo * 170 The 'Oyster Catcher 170 Its Timidity 171 Mode of obtaining its Food. 17? The Anhinga, or Snake Bird 172 Frequents the Pools of Florida 178 CHAPTER XIII. Audubon's Recollections of Scotland 175 Christopher North 175 His Account of a Visit from Audubon 176 Gaieties and Gravities 179 Canal-boat Travelling. 180 Audubon at Sixty 181 His rapid Walk 181 His keen Sight 182 CHAPTER XTV. Audubon's attachment to his Native Shores. 183 Precarious Health of his Wife. 183 Meeting with Nuttall 184 Audubon at the Gulf of Mexico. 186 A Family Gathering 187 Impatience of Subscribers 187 The Meadow Lark 188 Its places of resort 188 Peculiar Flight of the Meadow Lark 181 Solicitude for its Young 19C XY111 CONTENTS. MM Found in Labrador 19C Nest of the Meadow Lark . . 191 The Mungo Humming Bird 191 Humming Birds peculiar to the American Continent-. . 199. The Raven 19S Various species of the Crow 1 98 The Whiteheaded Eagle 194 Mode of taking its Pre}* 194 Astonishing Rapacity and Daring 195 Great Powers of Abstinence 195 An unfit National Emblem 196 Franklin's Opinion of it 196 Audubon's first sight of the Caracara Eagle 197 The Golden Eagle 197 A Magnificent Specimen 197 Its Tenacity of Life 19S Seen as far North as Labrador 199 Keenness of Vision 199 Long-continued Gyrations 200 Nests inaccessible 200 Anecdote in Illustration 200 CHAPTER XV. Audubon's Great "Work Completed in 1839 201 His Unremitting Zeal for Sixteen Years 202 Sustained by Visions of Final Success 202 Labors terminated in his Sixty-Third Year 203 Audubon's Death 204 CHAPTER XVL Note by the American Publishers. 205 The " Quadrupeds of North America" 205 Octavo Edition of the " Birds of America'* 206 Rev. Dr. Bachman. of Charleston 2(N CONTENTS. XIX PAOl V. G.