CHAPTER XXIV 



FIRST VISIT TO AMERICA IN SEARCH OF NEW BIRDS 



Audubon settles for a time in Camden — Paints in a fisherman's cottage 

 by the sea — With the lumbermen in the Great Pine Woods — Work 

 done — Visits his sons — Joins his wife at St. Francisville — Record of 

 journey south — Life at "Beechgrove" — Mrs. Audubon retires from 

 teaching — Their plans to return to England — Meeting with President 

 Jackson and Edward Everett. 



Audubon laid his plans to visit America in 1829 

 with unusual care, and was fortunate in being able to 

 entrust his publication to the competent hands of John 

 George Children, of the British Museum. This was 

 to be actually his third voyage to the United States, 

 but it was the first which he made from English soil, 

 and after he had become known as an ornithologist and 

 animal painter. He wished to renew at least fifty of his 

 earlier drawings and to obtain new materials of every 

 description. Although he was naturally anxious to see 

 his wife, from whom he had been absent for nearly three 

 years, and his boys, the elder of whom had been left 

 at Shippingport five years before, he felt constrained 

 to devote to his work every moment that could be spared. 



When writing to his wife of his difficulties and pros- 

 pects at this period, he assured her that he would act 

 cautiously, with all due diligence and sobriety, and con- 

 tinued : 



Thou art quite comfortable in Louisiana, I know; there- 

 fore wait there with a little patience. I hope the end of this 

 year will see me under headway sufficient to have thee with 



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