48 AUDUBON 



and being industrious both by nature and habit I pro- 

 duced a great number of those black-chalk sketches." * 

 This carried him on for some months, but the curse, or 

 blessing, of the "wandering foot" was his, and as soon 

 as money matters were a little ahead, off he went again 

 to the forests. It was during these years, that is from 181 1 

 to 1819, that many months were passed hunting with the 

 Indians, the Osage tribe being the one whose language 

 Audubon spoke. Late in life he wrote : " Of all the 

 Indian tribes I know, the Osage are by far the superior." 

 With them he delighted to track the birds and quadrupeds 

 as only an Indian or one of like gifts, can ; from them he 

 learned much woodcraft; with them he strengthened his 

 already iron constitution ; and in fearlessness, endurance, 

 patience, and marvellously keen vision, no Indian sur- 

 passed him. 



He had a wonderful gift of making and retaining friends, 

 and even in these days of poverty and depression he 

 never seemed too poor to help others ; and certainly from 

 others he received much kindness, which he never ceased 

 to remember and acknowledge. Through one of these 

 friends I believe a member of the Tarascon family 

 he was offered a position in the Museum at Cincinnati. 

 Without delay, or any written agreement, Audubon and 

 his family were again (1818) in new surroundings, and 

 the work being congenial, he entered heartily into it with 

 Mr. Robert Best. The promised salary was large, but 

 being never paid Audubon began drawing classes to sup- 

 port his modest household. In Cincinnati he first met 

 Mr. Daniel Mallory (whose second daughter afterwards 

 married Victor G. Audubon) and Captain Samuel Cum- 

 mings. This latter gentleman had many tastes similar to 

 Audubon's, and later went with him to New Orleans. 



The life at Cincinnati was one of strict economy. Mrs. 

 Audubon was a woman of great ability and many re- 

 1 Of these many sketches few can be traced, and none purchased. 



