362 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



man would always look at him and forgive his meditated 

 crime." 



The Journal is taken up until the end of July with narratives 

 of almost daily excursions in various directions in search of all 

 kinds of game. Many anecdotes are related of the Indians, 

 their modes of life, habits, and peculiarities, most of which have 

 been described by other writers, and hardly merit repeating 

 again. Audubon found this region so rich in novelties of the 

 kinds he had come in pursuit of, that he was anxious that 

 some of the young men of his party should remain through the 

 winter. " My regrets that I cannot remain myself are beyond 

 description, and I now sadly regret that I promised you all that 

 I would return home this fall. 



" August 3. We observed yesterday for the first time that 

 the atmosphere wore the hazy appearance of the Indian summer. 

 The nights and mornings are cool, and summer clothes are 

 beginning to be uncomfortable." 



This seems to have caused Audubon to begin to think 

 seriously of turning his course homeward. The exposure and 

 hardships he had encountered in this long journey, and on 

 his hunting excursions, had made an impression on his health. 



He began to find that his age was telling On his energy, and 

 that he could not endure hardships as formerly. 



The Journal continues for ten days more, then abruptly ends, 

 from which we conclude that the writer began to make pre- 

 parations to return home. He reached New York early in 

 October, 1843. 



