94 Life of Auduhon. 



solemnly regarded me as a madman, and my wife and 

 family alone gave me encouragement. My wife deter 

 mined that my genius should prevail, and that my final 

 success as an ornithologist should be triumphant. 



"March, 1823. My preparations for leaving Natchez 

 almost complete. 



''May i. Left Mr. Percy's on a visit to Jackson, Mis- 

 sissippi, which I found to be a mean place, a rendezvous 

 for gamblers and vagabonds. Disgusted with the place 

 and the people, I left it and returned to my wife. I 

 agreed to remain with the Percys throughout the sum- 

 mer, and teach the young ladies music and drawing. I 

 continued to exercise myself in painting with oil, and 

 greatly improved myself. I undertook to paint the por- 

 traits of my wife's pupils, but found their complexions 

 difficult to transfer to canvas. On account of some mis- 

 understanding, I left the Percy's and returned to Natch- 

 ez, but did not know what course to follow. I thought oi 

 going to Philadelphia, and again thought of going to 

 Louisville and once more entering upon mercantile pur- 

 suits, but had no money to move anywhere." 



During a visit to a plantation near Natchez, both he 

 and his son Victor were attacked with fever, and Mrs. 

 Audubon hastened to nurse both of them. 



" September 8. I was asked to go and recruit my health 

 at the Percys, and I went to Bayou Sara. I sent on my 

 drawings to Philadelphia, and resolved to visit that city 

 and obtain employment as a teacher. 



" September 30. Sold a note for services in Natchez, 

 and with proceeds took steamer to New Orleans. 



" October 3. Left New Orleans for Kentucky, where 

 I intended to leave my son Victor with my wife's rela- 

 tions, and proceed on my travels. I left Bayou Sara with 

 m> son Victor on board the steamer Magnet, bound for 

 the Ohio, and was kindly treated by Captain McKnight, 



