130 AUDUBON 



the man of business. From there to France, but, except 

 to see my venerable mother, I shall not like France, 

 I am sure, as I now do England; and I sincerely hope 

 that this country may be preferred to that, on financial 

 grounds, for the production of my work. Yet I love 

 France most truly, and long to enter my old garden on 

 the Loire and with rapid steps reach my mother, — yes, 

 my mother ! the only one I truly remember ; and no son 

 ever had a better, nor more loving one. Let no one 

 speak of her as my " stepmother." I was ever to her 

 as a son of her own flesh and blood, and she to me a true 

 mother. I have written to Louisiana to have forwarded 

 from Bayou Sara six segments of magnolia, yellow-poplar, 

 beech, button-wood or sycamore, sassafras, and oak, each 

 about seven or eight inches in thickness of the largest 

 diameter that can be procured in the woods; to have 

 each segment carefully handled so as not to mar the bark, 

 and to have each name neatly painted on the face, with 

 the height of the tree. These are for the Liverpool Royal 

 Institution. 



Green Bank, October 1. Though the morning was bright 

 it was near four before I left my room and stepped into 

 the fresh air, where I could watch the timid birds fly from 

 bush to bush before me. I turned towards the Mersey 

 reflecting the calm, serene skies, and listened to the voice 

 of the Quail, here so shy. I walked to the tide-beaten 

 beach and watched the Solan Goose in search of a retreat 

 from the destroyer, man. Suddenly a poorly dressed man, 

 in somewhat of a sailor garb, and carrying a large bag 

 dashed past me ; his movement suggested flight, and in- 

 stinctively I called, " Stop thief! " and made towards him 

 in a style that I am sure he had never seen used by the 

 gentlemen of the customs, who at this hour are doubtless 

 usually drowsy. I was not armed, but to my surprise he 

 turned, fell at my feet, and with eyes starting from his head 

 with apprehension, begged for mercy, said the bag only 



