18 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 
The cause of his wrath was this; a 
lead mine had been discovered upon the 
farm of Mill Grove, and Audubon had 
applied to his father for counsel in regard 
to it. In response, the elder Audubon 
had sent over a man by the name of Da 
Costa who was to act as his son’s partner 
and partial guardian — was to teach him 
mineralogy and mining engineering, and 
to look after his finances generally. But 
the man, Audubon says, knew nothing 
of the subjects he was supposed to teach, 
and was, besides, ‘‘a covetous wretch, 
who did all he could to ruin my father, 
and, indeed, swindled both of us to a 
large amount.’’ Da Costa pushed his 
authority so far as to object to Audu- 
bon’s proposed union with Lucy Bake- 
well, as being a marriage beneath him, 
and finally plotted to get the young man 
off to India. These things very naturally 
kindled Audubon’s quick temper, and 
he demanded of his tutor and guardian 
money enough to take him to France 
