A SERENADE. 153 



As Audubon and his companions landed, an 

 unusual excitement seemed to prevail, whicli, 

 with reason, tliej attributed to the curiosity 

 raised among the good people by their arrival, 

 as with arrows and hunting accoutrements, in 

 guise half Indian, half civilized, they made their 

 appearance. In return for the interest they ex- 

 cited, they met, however, with kind greetings and 

 abundance of good cheer. Grateful for the wel- 

 come, on betaking themselves at nightfall again 

 to their floating habitations, they serenaded 

 with repeated glees and madrigals the amiable 

 inhabitants of the village ; who on the following 

 day sent a deputation to request that the whole 

 party would favour with their company a ball, 

 which was to take place in the evening ; desiring, 

 also, that in order to give additional zest to the 

 festivities, they would bring their musical instru- 

 ments. At the fashionable hour of ten o'clock, 

 accordingly, the party — some carrying flutes, 

 others vioHns, and Audubon a flageolet stuck in 

 his pocket — were lighted to the dancing hall — 

 (the ground floor of a fisherman's house) by 

 paper lanterns. 



The hostess, completely at her ease and en 

 neglige^ like the apartment, curtseyed with the 

 agility if not with the elegance of a Cerito, and 

 full of activity, as well as intent on cordiality, pro- 

 ceeded in the presence of her visitors to arrange 



