CHRONOLOGY xlv 



1823-1824 



Winter spent at Shippingport, where Victor becomes a clerk 



to his uncle, Nicholas A. Berthoud. 

 Paints portraits, panels on river boats, and even street signs, 



to earn a living. 



18H 



To Philadelphia, to find patrons or a publisher; thwarted; is 

 advised to take his drawings to Europe, where the engrav- 

 ing could be done in superior style; befriended by Charles 

 L. Bonaparte, Edward Harris, Richard Harlan, Mr. Fair- 

 man, and Thomas Sully, who gives him free tuition in oils. 



August 1. — Starts for New York, with letters to Gilbert Stuart, 

 Washington Allston, and Samuel L. Mitchell ; is kindly re- 

 ceived and made a member of the Lyceum of Natural His- 

 tory. 



August 15. — To Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, 

 Meadville, and Pittsburgh, taking deck passage on boats, 

 tramping, and paying his way by crayon portraits. 



September. — Leaves Pittsburgh on exploring tour of Lakes On- 

 tario and Champlain for birds ; decides on his future 

 course. 



October 24- — Returns to Pittsburgh, and descends the Ohio in 

 a skiff; is stranded without a cent at Cincinnati ; visits Vic- 

 tor at Shippingport, and reaches his wife in St. Francis- 

 ville, Bayou Sara, November 24. 



1825-1826 



Teaches at St. Francisville, and gives dancing lessons at Wood- 

 ville, Mississippi, to raise funds to go to Europe. 



1826 



May 17. — Sails with his drawings on the cotton schooner Delos, 

 bound for Liverpool, where he lands, a total stranger, on 

 July 21. 



