Portrait of Himself. 29 



brows, aquiline nose, and a fine set of teeth ; hair, fine 

 texture and luxuriant, divided and passing down behind 

 each ear in luxuriant ringlets as far as the shoulders." 

 There appears excellent reason to believe that Audubon 

 quite appreciated his youthful graces, and, with the nat- 

 veti of a simple nature, was not ashamed to record them. 



After returning to Mill Grove, Audubon and his friend 

 Rosier planned an expedition towards the west, at that 

 time a wild region thinly populated by a very strange 

 people. 



The journey of Audubon and Rosier to Kentucky had 

 for its purpose the discovery of some outlet for the 

 naturalist's energies, in the shape of a settled investment, 

 which would permit of his marriage to Miss Bakewell. 

 In Louisville Audubon determined to remain, and with 

 this purpose in view he sold his plantation of Mill Grove, 

 invested his capital in goods, and prepared to start for 

 the west. His arrangements being Complete, he was 

 married to Miss Bakewell on the 8th of April, 1808, in 

 her father's residence at Fatland Ford. Journeying by 

 Pittsburg the wedded pair reached Louisville with their 

 goods in safety. From Pittsburg they sailed down the 

 Ohio in a flat-bottomed float called an ark, and which 

 proved to be an exceedingly tedious and primitive mode 

 of travelling. This river voyage occupied twelve days, 

 and must have given the naturalist wonderful opportuni- 

 ties of making observations. At Louisville he com- 

 menced trade under favorable auspices, but the hunting 

 of birds continued to be the ruling passion. His life at 

 this period, in the company of his young wife, appears to 

 have been extremely happy, and he writes that he had 

 really reason " to care for nothing." The country around 

 Louisville was settled by planters who were fond of hunt- 

 ing, and among whom he found a ready welcome. The 

 shooting and drawing of birds was continued. His 



