xxx AUDUBON THE NATURALIST 
October 21.—Leaves abruptly and returns with Mason to New 
Orleans, where he again becomes a drawing teacher, and 
resumes his studies of birds with even greater avidity. 
December.—Is joined by his family, and winter finds them in 
dire straits. 
1822 
March 16.—To Natchez with Mason, paying their passage by 
doing portraits of the captain and his wife; while on the 
way finds that many of his drawings have been seriously 
damaged by gunpowder; teaches French, drawing and 
dancing at Natchez, and Washington, Mississippi. 
July 23.—Parts with Mason, after giving him his gun, paper 
and chalks, with which to work his way north. 
September.—Mrs. Audubon, who was acting as governess in a 
family at New Orleans, joins him at Natchez, where she 
obtains a similar position. 
Receives his first lessons in the use of oils from John Stein, 
itinerant portrait painter, in Natchez, at close of this 
year. 
1823 
January.—Mrs. Audubon is engaged by the Percys, of West 
Feliciana parish, Louisiana, and starts a private school at 
“Beechwoods,” belonging to their plantation, in St. Fran- 
cisville, where she remains five years. 
March.—Audubon leaves Natchez with John Stein and Victor 
on a painting tour of the South, but meeting with little suc- 
cess, they disband at New Orleans; visits his wife, and 
spends part of summer in teaching her pupils music and 
drawing. 
Adrift again; both he and Victor are taken ill with fever at 
Natchez, but when nursed back to health by Mrs. Audu- 
bon, they return with her to “Beechwoods.”’ 
September 30.—Determined to visit Philadelphia in the inter- 
ests of his “Ornithology,” he sends on his drawings and 
goes to New Orleans for references. 
October 3.—Starts with Victor for Louisville, walking part of 
the way. 
