Niagara Falls 



1820 



1820 AUDUBON, John James. Ornithological biography. Edinburgh: 



Audubon Adam Black. 1831. 1:362-363. 



This Niagara chapter is descriptive of a visit which Audubon made 

 there, presumably in 1 820. 



After wandering on some of our great lakes for many months, 

 I bent my course towards the celebrated Falls of Niagara, being 

 desirous of taking a sketch of them. This was not my first visit 

 to them, and I hoped it should not be the last. . . . But digres- 

 sions aside, — I directed my steps towards the Falls of Niagara, 

 with the view of representing them on paper, for the amusement of 

 my family. 



Returning as I then was from a tedious journey, and possessing 

 little more than some drawings of rare birds and plants, I reached 

 the tavern at Niagara Falls in such plight, as might have deterred 

 many an individual from obtruding himself upon a circle of well- 

 clad and perhaps well-bred society. Months had passed since 

 the last of my linen had been taken from my body, and used 

 to clean that useful companion, my gun. I was in fact covered 

 just like one of the poorer class of Indians, and was rendered 

 even more disagreeable to the eye of civilized man, by not having, 

 like them, plucked my beard, or trimmed my hair in any way. 

 Had Hogarth been living, and there when I arrived, he could 

 not have found a fitter subject for a Robinson Crusoe. My 

 beard covered my neck in front, my hair fell much lower at my 

 back, the leather dress which I wore had for months stood in 

 need of repair, a large knife hung at my side, a rusty tin-box 

 containing my drawings and colours, and, wrapped up in a worn- 

 out blanket that had served me for a bed, was buckled to my 

 shoulders. To every one I must have seemed immersed in the 

 depths of poverty, perhaps of despair. Nevertheless, as I cared 

 little about my appearance during those happy rambles, I pushed 

 into the sitting-room, unstrapped my little burden, and asked how 

 soon breakfast would be ready. 



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