Audubon and His Journals, Volume 1Audubon, John James
History
Audubon and His Journals, Volume 1
Audubon, John James
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 -- Diaries; Birds -- North America; Naturalists -- United States -- Diaries
Now wife and sons have joined him; together they rest undisturbed by
winter storms or summer heat; the river they loved so well flows past
their silent home as in days long gone when its beauties won their
hearts.
Truly the place where they dwelt shall know them no more, but "while
the melody of the mocking-bird is heard in the cypress forests of
Louisiana, and the squirrel leaps from its leafy curtain like a thing
of beauty, the name of Audubon will live in the hearts of coming
generations."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] "My name is John James Laforest Audubon. The name Laforest I never
sign except when writing to my wife, and she is the only being, since
my father's death, who calls me by it." (Letter of Audubon to Mrs.
Rathbone, 1827.) All Mrs. Audubon's letters to her husband address him
as Laforest.
[2] This manuscript was found in an old book which had been in a barn
on Staten Island for years.
[3] Reprinted from Scribner's Magazine, March, 1893, p. 267. A few
errors in names and dates are now corrected.
[4] Isle a Vache, eight miles south of Aux Cayes.
[5] This vessel was the "Annelle."
[6] The family still own this portrait, of which Victor G. Audubon
writes: "This portrait is probably the _first_ one taken of that great
and good man, and although the drawing is hard, the coloring and
costume are correct, I have no doubt. It was copied by Greenhow, the
sculptor, when he was preparing to model his 'Washington' for the
Capitol, and he considered it as a valuable addition to the material
already obtained. This portrait was painted by an artist named Polk,
but who or what he was, I know not."
[7] There still remain those who recall how Audubon would walk up and
down, snapping his fingers, a habit he had when excited, when relating
how he had seen his aunt tied to a wagon and dragged through the
streets of Nantes in the time of Carrier.
[8] This brother left three daughters; only one married, and her
descendants, if any, cannot be traced.
[9] "The Polly," Captain Sammis commander.
[10] May 26, 1806.
[11] Great Blue Heron.
[12] This visit passed into history in the published works of each of
the great ornithologists, who were never friends. See "Behind the
Veil," by Dr. Coues in Bulletin of Nuttall Ornithological Club, Oct.,
1880, p. 200.
[13] Episode "Breaking of the Ice."
[14] 1819.
[15] Stephen Harriman Long, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, who was
then on his way to explore the region of the upper Mississippi and
Minnesota Rivers.
[16] Titian R. Peale, afterward naturalist of the U.S. Exploring
Expedition, under Commodore Wilkes. Later in life he was for many
years an examiner in the Patent Office at Washington, and died at a
very advanced age. He was a member of the eminent Peale family of
artists, one of whom established Peale's Museum in Philadelphia.--E.
C.
[17] The distinguished naturalist of that name.--E. C.
[18] Jacques Louis David (1748-1825), court painter to Louis XVI. and
afterwards to Napoleon I.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account