Bird Day Book 



I had talents, and to them I instantly resorted." For a time he 

 found successful occupation in drawing portraits in black chalk, 

 but never lost an opportunity to add to his collection of drawings 

 of birds, which he now began to think of publishing. 



In 1821 he took a position as tutor in a family near New Orleans, 

 His wife also taught, and by their united exertion their boys, Victor 

 and John, were put to school and a happy home life secured for 

 a few years. In 1826 the proceeds of a successful dancing class, 

 $2,000, with his own and his wife's savings, enabled him to sail 

 with his beloved drawings for England, the goal of his hopes for 

 many years. Letters from friends in America brought him new 

 friends in England and Scotland, "who praised my Birds, and I felt 

 the praise to be honest." All praise for his drawings delighted him, 

 but the social attentions showered on him and the demands for pa- 

 pers on many subjects, Birds, Quadrupeds, Indians, tried him not a 

 little. "A man who never looked into an English grammar and who 

 has forgotten most of what he learned in French and Spanish ones — 

 a man who has always felt awkward and shy in the presence of a 

 stranger — a man habituated to ramble alone, with his thoughts 

 usually bent on the beauties of nature herself — this man, me, to be 

 seated opposite Dr. Brewster in Edinburgh reading one of my puny 

 efforts at describing habits of birds that none but an Almighty 

 Creator can ever know, was ridiculously absurd." He naively 

 writes: "The Captain (Basil Hall) wishes to write a book, and 

 he spoke of it with as little concern as I should say, "I will draw a 

 duck;' is it not surprising?" His pictures were exhibited, he was 

 made a member of the leading scientific societies, and, best of all, 

 his plans for publication took definite shape; the methods and cost 

 of printing were agreed upon, and subscribers began to enroll them- 

 selves. He returned to America, and to procure further material 

 for his great undertaking he journeyed from Labrador to the Flor- 

 ida Keys. "In all climates and all weathers, scorched by burning 

 suns, drenched by piercing rains, frozen by the fiercest colds ; now 

 diving fearlessly into the densest forest, now wandering alone over 

 the most savage regions; in perils, in difficulties, in doubts, with 

 no companions to cheer his way — listening only to the sweet music 

 of birds or to the sweeter music of his own thoughts, he faithfully 

 kept his path. The records of man's life contains few nobler exam- 

 ples of strength of purpose and indefatigable energy." 



