58 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



of heavy rain, while they drenched the travellers, 

 rendered their pathway a very morass. The 

 withered leaves and bark of the canes stuck to 

 their clothes as they plunged through, while 

 briers and nettles penetrated still further. To 

 De Thouville's repeated inquiry, whether they 

 should ever emerge ahve out of so horrible a 

 situation, Audubon returned exhortations and 

 admonitions to patience and courage. Tumbling 

 and crawling, the memorable march was con- 

 tinued by the poor naturalist, who, once well out 

 of the maze, emptying his pockets of fangi, 

 lichens, and moss, never again expressed a desire 

 to enter it. 



One evening, he was missed from the circle at 

 Henderson. Grasses and possessions were no 

 longer in his room. Whether he had been 

 drowned in a swamp or devoured by a bear, was 

 matter of conjecture, till a letter, some time after, 

 assured Audubon that this eccentric naturalist 

 still existed. 



