90 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



him. Examined his pictures with pleasure, and saw the medal 

 given him by Napoleon, but was not impressed with the idea 

 that he was a great painter. 



" August 4l. Called on Dr. Mitchell with my letters of intro- 

 duction, who gave me a kind letter of introduction to his friend 

 Dr. Barmies, explaining that I wished to show my drawings to 

 the members of the Lyceum, and become a member of that 

 institution. 



" August 9. I have been making inquiides regarding the 

 publication of my drawings in New York ; but find that there 

 is little prospect of the undertaking being favourably received. 

 I have reason to suspect that unfriendly communications have 

 been sent to the publishers from Philadelphia, by parties inte- 

 rested in Wilson's volume, and who have represented that my 

 drawings have not been wholly done by myself. Full of despair, 

 I look to Europe as my only hope. With my friend Dr. De Kay 

 I visited the Lyceum, and my portfolio was examined by the 

 members of the institute, among whom I felt awkward and^ 

 uncomfortable. After living among such people I feel clouded 

 and depressed. Remember that I have done nothing, and fear 

 I may die unknown. I feel I am strange to all but the birds of 

 America. In a few days I shall be in the woods and quite 

 forgotten. 



" August 10. My spirits low, and long for the woods again ; 

 but the prospect of becoming known prompts me to remain 

 another day. Met the artist Vanderlyn, who asked me to 

 give him a sitting for a portrait of General Jackson, since my 

 figure considerably resembled that of the General, more than 

 any he had ever seen. I likewise sketched my landlady and 

 child, and filled my time, 



" August 15. Sailed up the Hudson for Albany with three 

 hundred and seventy-five passengers, twenty-three of whom 

 were composed of a delegation of Indians from six tribes, who 

 were returning to the West from Washington. Arrived at 

 Albany, but found both Dewitt Clinton and Dri Beck absent. 

 Money getting scarce, I abandoned the idea of visiting Boston, 

 but determined to see Niagara. Engaged a passage at seven 

 dollars on a canal-boat for Rochester, N, V., distant two hundred 

 and sixty-eight miles. No incident happened to me worth 



