INTERFERENCE OF HIS PARTNER. 11 



clothes had to be changed. One lent me a shirt, another a 

 coat, and so apparelled I resumed my homeward journey. 

 Unable to reach Mill Grove, I was taken to Mr. Bakewell's 

 house chilled and bruised. It was three months before I 

 recoyered, notwithstanding the advice of able physicians called 

 in from Philadelphia." 



The quiet life young Audubon led at Mill Grove was inter- 

 rupted by an incident in his life which might have proved 

 serious to one owning less energy and hardihood than he pos- 

 sessed. A " partner, tutor, and monitor," one Da Casta, sent 

 from France by the elder Audubon to prosecute the lead mine 

 enterprise at Mill Grove, began to assume an authority over 

 young Audubon which the latter considered unwarranted. An 

 attempt was made to limit his finances, and Da Casta, unfortu- 

 nately for himself, went further, and objected to the proposed 

 union with Lucy Bakewell, as being an unequal match. 

 Audubon resented such interference, and demanded money 

 from Da Casta to carry him to France. The French adventurer 

 suggested a voyage to India, but finally agreed to give Audubon 

 a letter of credit upon an agent named Kanman, in New York. 

 With characteristic earnestness Audubon walked straight off to 

 New York, where he arrived in three days, notwithstanding the 

 severity of a midwinter journey. The day following his arrival 

 he called upon Mr. Kanman, who frankly told him he had no 

 money to give him, and further disclosed Da Oasta's treachery 

 by hinting that Audubon should be seized and shipped for 

 China. Furious at this treatment, Audubon procured money 

 from a friend, and engaged a passage on board the brig Hope, 

 of New Bedford, bound for Nantes. He left New York, and 

 after considerable delays, surprised his parents in their quiet 

 country home. 



