AN ORIGINAL. 115 



states, and at length reached his favonrite Louis- 

 iana. 



In 1830, Audubon, accompanied by his wife, 

 visited New Orleans. Sauntering there one 

 morning, he observed a gentlemen, whose sin- 

 gular appearance attracted his attention. As- 

 suming to be another " odd fish" he determined 

 to make his acquaintance. 



The exterior of this original might reasonably 

 account for the conclusion. 



A huge straw-hat covered his head. The 

 unusually broad frill of a shirt fluttered about 

 his breast, and a very remarkable collar, which 

 left his neck exposed negligently to the weather, 

 fell over the top of his light green coat. The 

 delicate hue of this garment harmonized well with 

 the yellow of his glowing nankeens, and was 

 brightened by a pink waistcoat, from the bosom 

 of which, lurking amidst a bunch of the splendid 

 magnolia flower, part of an alligator protruded, 

 which seemed anxious to escape its gentle im- 

 prisonment in folds of the finest cambric. 



In one of his hands the gentleman held a 

 cage, plentifully furnished with nonpareils as 

 richly plumed as himself — in the other sportively 

 handled a silk umbrella, on which could be 

 plainly read the words, " stolen from I," painted 

 m large white characters. 



With a conscious air, he strutted along, hum- 



