66 AUDUBON 



used himself, so that, as he rarely signed an oil painting,^ 

 the mill-board is no proof of identity one way or the 

 other. 



On April 15, 1831, Mr. and Mrs. Audubon left Edin- 

 burgh for London, then went on to Paris, where there 

 were fourteen subscribers. They were in France from 

 May until the end of July, when London again received 

 them. On August 2d they sailed for America, and 

 landed on September 4th. They went to Louisville at 

 once, where Mrs. Audubon remained with her sons, and 

 the naturalist went south, his wish being to visit Florida 

 and the adjacent islands. It was on this trip that, stopping 

 at Charleston, S. C, he made the acquaintance of the 

 Rev. John Bachman^ in October, 1831. The two soon 

 became the closest friends, and this friendship was only 

 severed by death. Never were men more dissimilar 

 in character, but both were enthusiastic and devoted 

 naturalists ; and herein was the bond, which later was 

 strengthened by the marriages of Victor and John to Dr. 

 Bachman's two eldest daughters.^ 



The return from Florida in the spring of 1832 was 

 followed by a journey to New Brunswick and Maine, when, 

 for the first time in many years, the whole family travelled 

 together. They journeyed in the most leisurely manner, 

 stopping where there were birds, going on when they 

 found none, everywhere welcomed, everywhere finding 

 those willing to render assistance to the " American back- 

 woodsman" in his researches, Audubon had the simpli- 

 city and charm of manner which interested others at once, 

 and his old friend Dr. Bachman understood this when he 



* We only possess one oil painting signed " Audubon." 



2 John Bachman, D. D., LL. D., Ph. D., Feb. 4, 1790-April 24, 1874. 



Author of many works, scientific, zoological, and religious. For sixty 



years he was pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, Charleston, S. C. 



8 Both these daughters died young, — Maria, the eldest, who married 



John, before she was twenty-four ; Eliza, who married Victor, still younger, 



during the first year of her wedded life. 



