46 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 
of each day to follow his own pursuits. 
He continued in this position till October 
when he took steamer for New Orleans. 
“My long, flowing hair, and loose yel- 
low nankeen dress, and the unfortunate 
cut of my features, attracted much atten- 
tion, and made me desire to be dressed 
like other people as soon as possible.’’ 
He now rented a house in New Orleans 
on Dauphine street, and determined to 
send for his family. Since he had left 
Cincinnati the previous autumn, he had 
finished sixty-two drawings of birds and 
plants, three quadrupeds, two snakes, 
fifty portraits of all sorts, and had lived 
by his talents, not having had a dollar 
when he started. ‘‘TI sent a draft to my 
wife, and began life in New Orleans 
with forty-two dollars, health, and much 
eagerness to pursue my plan of collecting 
all the birds of America.’’ 
His family, after strong persuasion, 
joined him in December, 1821, and his 
former life of drawing portraits, giving 
