28 JLife of Auduhon. 



losing some hundreds of pounds by a bad speculation ir 

 indigo. 



The leading work done by the imprisoned naturalist 

 was, as usual, wandering in search of birds and natural 

 curiosities. While so engaged he made the acquaintance 

 of Dr. Samuel Mitchel, one of the leading medical men 

 in New York city, and distinguished as an ethnologist. 

 Dr. Mitchel was one of the founders of the Lyceum of 

 Natural History, and of the ' Medical Repository,' which 

 was the first scientihc journal started in the United States. 

 Audubon prepared many specimens for this gentleman, 

 which he believed were finally deposited in the New York 

 Museum. After a season of probation, during which Mr. 

 Bakewell became convinced of the impossibility of tutor- 

 ing Audubon into mercantile habits, the naturalist gladly 

 returned to Mill Grove. Rosier, who had likewise been 

 recommended to attempt commerce, lost a considerable 

 sum in an unfortunate speculation, and eventually return- 

 ed to Mill Grove with his friend. 



Audubon remarks that at this period it took him but 

 a few minutes, walking smartly, to pass from one end of 

 New York to another, so sparse was the population at 

 the date of his residence. He adds, in reference to his 

 absent habits and unsuitability for business, that he at 

 one time posted without sealing it a letter containing 

 8000 dollars. His natural history pursuits in New York 

 occasioned a disagreeable flavor from his rooms, occa- 

 sioned by drying birds' skins ; and was productive of so 

 much annoyance to his neighbours, that they forwarded a 

 message to him through a constable, insisting on his abat- 

 ing the nuisance. An excellent pen and ink sketch of 

 his own appearance at this time has been left by Audu- 

 bon. He says : " I measured five feet ten and a half 

 inches, was of a fair mien, and quite a handsome figure ; 

 large, dark, and rather sunken eyes, light-coloured eye- 



