432 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 
In the hospitable mansion of W. G. J: » in the parish of 
West Feliciana, if one will look into the parlor, they will see 
over the piano a cabinet sized portrait, remarkable for a bright 
eye and intellectual look. The style of it is free, and there is 
an individuality about the whole that gives assurance of a 
strong likeness. Opposite hangs a proof impression of the 
bird of Washington, a tribute of a grateful heart to an old 
friend. The first is a portrait of Audubon painted by himself; 
the other is one of the first [of his] engravings that ever 
reached the United States. 
There Audubon spent nearly two months at the close 
of 1829, and followed his usual occupations of hunting 
and drawing, while his wife prepared for their contem- 
plated journey to Europe. He is said to have drawn 
at this time the “Black Vulture attacking a herd of 
Deer,” several large hawks, squirrels, and heads of deer 
which were never finished. 
Although Audubon’s business affairs in England 
had been left in charge of his trustworthy friend, John 
G. Children, his engraver, Havell, had become alarmed 
at the loss of subscribers and the failure of certain of 
their agents, and particularly M. Pitois of Paris," to 
render due returns. Havell, as it proved, was unduly 
disturbed, but his gloomy accounts tended to hasten 
the naturalist’s departure, a circumstance that was later 
deplored. ‘These matters are clearly reflected in the 
following letter written from the Johnson home in Lou- 
isiana when the Audubons were preparing to leave it; 
particularly interesting are the included statements 
4 While in Paris in 1828, Audubon wrote on October 26 that he had 
received a call from “a M. Pitois, who came to look at my book, with a 
view to becoming my agent here; Baron Cuvier recommended him strongly, 
and I have concluded a bargain with him. He thinks he can procure a 
good number of subscribers. His manners are plain, and I hope he will 
prove an honest man.” See Maria R. Audubon, dudubon and his Journals 
(Bibl. No. 86), vol. i, p. 339. 
