432 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



In the hospitable mansion of W. G. J , in the parish of 



West Feliciana, if one will look into the parlor, they will see 

 over the piano a cabinet sized portrait, remarkable for a bright 

 eye and intellectual look. The style of it is free, and there is 

 an individuality about the whole that gives assurance of a 

 strong likeness. Opposite hangs a proof impression of the 

 bird of Washington, a tribute of a grateful heart to an old 

 friend. The first is a portrait of Audubon painted by himself ; 

 the other is one of the first [of his] engravings that ever 

 reached the United States. 



There Audubon spent nearly two months at the close 

 of 1829, and followed his usual occupations of hunting 

 and drawing, while his wife prepared for their contem- 

 plated journey to Europe. He is said to have drawn 

 at this time the "Black Vulture attacking a herd of 

 Deer," several large hawks, squirrels, and heads of deer 

 which were never finished. 



Although Audubon's business affairs in England 

 had been left in charge of his trustworthy friend, John 

 G. Children, his engraver, Havell, had become alarmed 

 at the loss of subscribers and the failure of certain of 

 their agents, and particularly M. Pitois of Paris, 11 to 

 render due returns. Havell, as it proved, was unduly 

 disturbed, but his gloomy accounts tended to hasten 

 the naturalist's departure, a circumstance that was later 

 deplored. These matters are clearly reflected in the 

 following letter written from the Johnson home in Lou- 

 isiana when the Audubons were preparing to leave it; 

 particularly interesting are the included statements 



"While in Paris in 1828, Audubon wrote on October 26 that he had 

 received a call from "a M. Pitois, who came to look at my book, with a 

 view to becoming my agent here; Baron Cuvier recommended him strongly, 

 and I have concluded a bargain with him. He thinks he can procure a 

 good number of subscribers. His manners are plain, and I hope he will 

 prove an honest man." See Maria R. Audubon, Audubon and his Journals 

 (Bibl. No. 86), vol. i, p. 339. 



