THE STRANGER NATURALIST. 53 
but at the same time, he eagerly denied the offer 
of any clean clothes; and it was with evident 
reluctance he accepted an invitation for ablution. 
It is not difficult to conceive the interest and as- 
tonishment excited among the inmates of Au- 
dubon’s habitation, by the singular appearance 
of this scientific professor. A long loose coat of 
yellow nankeen—on which the inroads of time 
were plainly visible, stained as it was with the 
juice of many a plant—hung about him like a 
sack. A waistcoat of the same, with enormous 
pockets and buttoned up to the chin, reached 
‘below, over a pair of tight pantaloons, the lower 
parts of which were buttoned down to the ancles. 
The dignity he acquired from the broad and 
prominent brow which ornamented his counte- 
nance, was somewhat diminished by the forlorn 
appearance of his long beard, and the mass of 
lank black hair which fell from his shoulders. 
His striking resemblance to that equaily eccen- 
tric savant, Dick Roberts, must certainly have 
crossed the mind of Audubon, if, as is not -im- 
probable, that extraordinary man had ever met 
his observation, whilst enjoying the hospitality 
of Allerton, The surprise of the ladies was in- 
voluntarily manifested in the exchange of sun- 
dry critical glances which, to a tenacious egotist, 
would have spoken volumes. Soon, however, 
their astonishment was converted into admiration 
5* 
