BAEATAEIA BAY. 333 



his son John, and Mr. Edward Harris, came down from New 

 Orleans, in the cutter, to the S. W. pass, provisioned for two 

 months, and bound westwardly from the mouth of the Mississippi 

 to Galveston Bay, in Texas, with the intention of exploring the 

 harbour, keys, and bayous along the coast, and to examine the 

 habits of the birds of this region, and to search for new species, 

 to furnish materials for the completion of the fourth volume of 

 the " Birds of America." 



" Afril 3. We were joined this day by Captain W. B. G 

 Taylor, of the Eevenue service, with the schooner Crusader, 

 twelve tons burden, two guns, and four men completely equipped 

 for our expedition, with a supply of seines, cast-nets, and other 

 fishing-tackle." 



The same day they entered Barataria Bay, and began opera- 

 tions, and found a variety of birds -which are described in the 

 journal. The next day the party landed, and made excursions 

 in different directions, in pursuit of birds and eggs. Among 

 the spoils of game taken this day were two white pelicans, of 

 which there was an abundance. 



The next three weeks were spent in visiting the islands and 

 bayous, and penetrating some of the rivers which pour into the 

 latter that occur along the coast between the Mississippi river 

 and Galveston. The parties landed at various points, and found 

 many new species of birds, and other interesting objects of 

 Natural History. In the course of one of these rambles, Audubon 

 made the acquaintance of a squatter, a great hunter, and with 

 whom he went on an excursion, which is thus described : — 



" I entered the squatter's cabin, and immediately opened a 

 conversation with him respecting the situation of the swamp 

 and its natural productions. He told me he thought it the 

 very place I ought to visit, spoke of the game which it contained, 

 and pointed to some bear and deer skins, adding, that the indi- 

 viduals to which they had belonged formed but a small portion 

 of the number of those animals which he had shot within it. 

 My heart swelled with delight ; and on asking if he would 

 accompany me through the great swamp, and allow me to 

 become an inmate of his humble but hospitable mansion, I 

 was gratified to find that he cordially assented to all my pro- 

 posals, so I immediately unstrapped my drawing materials, laid 



