300 AUDUBON 



the number of my subscribers has not increased; on the 

 contrary, I have lost some. 



I have met a Mr. Parker, whom I once knew in Natchez; 

 he asked me to permit him to paint my portrait as a 

 woodsman, and though it is very tiresome to me, I have 

 agreed to his request. The return of Captain Basil Hall 

 to England has rather surprised me; he called on me at 

 once; he had seen our dear Victor, Mr. Sully, Dr. Har- 

 lan, and many of my friends, to whom I had given him 

 letters, for which he thanked me heartily. He has seen 

 much of the United States, but says he is too true an 

 Englishman to like things there. Time will show his 

 ideas more fully, as he told me he should publish his 

 voyage, journeys, and a number of anecdotes. 



August 10. My usual long walk before breakfast, after 

 which meal Mr. Parker took my first sitting, which con- 

 sisted merely of the outlines of the head; this was a job 

 of more than three hours, much to my disgust. We then 

 went for a walk and turned into the Zoological Gardens, 

 where we remained over an hour. I remarked two large 

 and beautiful Beavers, seated with the tail as usual under 

 the body, their forelegs hanging like those of a Squirrel. 



August 13. I wrote to Mr. Swainson asking if he could 

 not accompany me to France, where he said he wished to 

 go when we were talking together at Tittenhanger. 



August 19. My absence from this dusty place has 

 prevented my writing daily, but I can easily sum up. 

 Thursday afternoon on returning from Havell's, I found 

 Mr. Swainson just arrived. He had come to take me to 

 Tittenhanger Green, where the pure air, the notes of the 

 birds, the company of his wife and children, revived my 

 drooping spirits. How very kind this was of him, espe- 

 cially when I reflect on what a short time I have known 

 him. We procured some powder and shot, and seated 

 ourselves in the coach for the journey. Just as we were 

 leaving London and its smoke, a man begged I would 



