Vol-XXVIIJ Deane, Audubon's Labrador Trip of 1833. 43 



though in his ninetieth year his memory was very clear as to many 

 of the experiences of his Labrador trip of seventy years before. 

 At my request he wrote a Httle account of how he happened to be 

 selected as one of the party and of various incidents which occurred 

 while on the trip. As no one besides Audubon has ever written of 

 this expedition, I feel sure that the following rambling narrative, 

 and the recollections of an eye witness, will be of much interest. 



Joseph A. Coolidge remained in Eastport, Me., until 1849, when 

 he emigrated to California, remaining there until his death July 30, 

 1901, having been a respected citizen of San Francisco for forty 

 years. In a letter received from INIr. Coolidge, dated Dec. 31, 1896, 

 he writes the following in reference to his trip to Labrador with 

 Audubon : 



"Our custom while there was to anchor our vessel in some harbor 

 and cruise in two boats (east and west) commanded by John Wood- 

 house Audubon and myself. Of course there was some rivalry 

 as to who should be the most successful, not in number of birds, 

 but in the quality of specimens. Our orders were to kill them with 

 as few shot as ])Ossible, so as not to disfigure them. On one occa- 

 sion I returned to the vessel late at night and found those aboard in 

 ecstasies over a very fine bird which John W. Audubon procured. 

 I examined it and pronounced it the finest specimen of the cruise, 

 but that I could procure a better one and would wager the wine for 

 the company upon it. I then brought my bird and all examined 

 it and finding no shot mark upon it said I must have found it, but 

 I convinced them that I did shoot it by exhibiting the shot mark 

 near the neck. I had killed it flying with only one fine shot; it 

 dropped dead without a struggle, showing a slight stain on the 

 feathers, which I pulled out. A copy of this specimen (I think) 

 may be seen in the plate representing the Red-throated Diver. I 

 do not mention this to assert my superiority as a marksman over 

 Audubon's son, but consider it merely a chance shot." 



The letter given below from John James Audubon to his wife is 

 of particular interest in this connection, as it was written on board 

 the 'Ripley' during the Labrador trip, and is here published for the 

 first time. My thanks are especially due to Miss M. R. i\.udubon 

 for the gift of this valuable document. 



