180 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



the travellers,* who, during a journej by canal 

 route from Philadelphia, chanced, through good 

 fortune, to have Audubon for their companion. 



Through the noise and bustle, round about 

 them, of the crowd on board the boat, his well- 

 known name sounded on their ears. 



" Mr. Audubon is last on the list," observed 

 the speaker, " I fear he will not get a bed, we 

 are so crowded." 



" What, is it possible, Mr. Audubon can be 

 on board ?" they rejoined, " the man of all others 

 in the world we wanted most to see. Where ? 

 Which is he ?" 



" He is actually in this very cabin," said their 

 informant, " there," he added, pointing to a huge 

 pile of blankets and fur, which, stretched upon 

 one of the benches, looked like the substantial 

 bale of some western trader. " What, that Mr. 

 Audubon !" exclaimed the travellers — whose 

 names were at the moment called out by the 

 captain as entitled to the first choice of berths. 

 This privilege they openly renounced in favour 

 of Audubon. And now the green ball stirred 

 a little, half turned upon its narrow resting- 

 place, after awhile sat erect, and showed that 

 there was a man inside of it! A patriarchal 



* Talk about birds and Audubon. — North American 

 Review. 



