22 Life of Audubon, 



progress, until my companions arrived to help me. My 

 wet clothes had to be changed. One lent me a shirt, 

 another a coat, and so apparelled I resumed my home- 

 ward journey. Unable to reach Mill Grove, I was taken 

 to Mr. Bakewell's house chilled and bruised. It was 

 three months before I recovered, notwithstanding the 

 advice of able physicians called in from Philadelphia." 



The quiet life young Audubon led at Mill Grove was 

 interrupted by an incident in his life which might have 

 proved serious to one owning less energy and hardihood 

 than he possessed. A "partner, tutor, and monitor," 

 one Da Costa, sent from France by the elder Audubon 

 to prosecute the lead mine enterprise at Mill Grove, be- 

 gan to assume an authority over young Audubon which 

 the latter considered unwarranted. An attempt was made 

 to limit his finances, and Da Costa, unfortunately for 

 himself, went further, and objected to the proposed union 

 with Lucy Bakewell, as being an unequal match. Audu- 

 bon resented such interference, and demanded money 

 from Da Costa to carry him to France. The French 

 adventurer suggested a voyage to India, but finally agreed 

 to give Audubon a letter of credit upon an agent named 

 Kanman, in New York. With characteristic earnestness 

 Audubon walked straight off to New York, where he ar- 

 rived in three days, notwithstanding the severity of a 

 midwinter journey. The day following his arrival he call- 

 ed upon Mr. Kanman, who frankly told him he had no 

 money to give him, and further disclosed Da Costa's 

 treachery by hinting that Audubon should be seized and 

 shipped for China. Furious at his treatment, Audubon 

 procured money from a friend, and engaged a passage on 

 board the brig Hope, of New Bedford, bound for Nantes. 

 He left New York, and after considerable delays, surpris- 

 ed his parents in their quiet country home 



