John James Audubon | Page 6

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 Audubon's proposed union with Lucy
Bakewell, 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 to consult with his father. Da
Costa gave him a letter of credit on a sort of banker-broker residing in
New York. To New York he accordingly went, as above stated, and
found that the banker-broker was in the plot to pack him off to India.
This disclosure kindled his wrath afresh. He says that had he had a
weapon about him the banker's heart must have received the result of
his wrath. His Spanish blood began to declare itself.
Then he sought out a brother of Mr. Bakewell and the uncle of his
sweetheart, and of him borrowed the money to take him to France. He
took passage on a New Bedford brig bound for Nantes. The captain had
recently been married and when the vessel reached the vicinity of New
Bedford, he discovered some dangerous leaks which necessitated a
week's delay to repair damages. Audubon avers that the captain had
caused holes to be bored in the vessel's sides below the water line, to
gain an excuse to spend a few more days with his bride.
After a voyage of nineteen days the vessel entered the Loire, and
anchored in the lower harbour of Nantes, and Audubon was soon

welcomed by his father and fond foster-mother.
His first object was to have the man Da Costa disposed of, which he
soon accomplished; the second, to get his father's consent to his
marriage with Lucy Bakewell, which was also brought about in due
time, although the parents of both agreed that they were "owre young to
marry yet."
Audubon now remained two years in France, indulging his taste for
hunting, rambling, and drawing birds and other objects of Natural
History.
This was probably about the years 1805 and 1806. France was under
the sway of Napoleon, and conscriptions were the order of the day. The
elder Audubon became uneasy lest his son be drafted into the French
army; hence he resolved to send him back to America. In the meantime,
he interested one Rozier in the lead mine and had formed a partnership
between him and his son, to run for nine years. In due course the two
young men sailed for New York, leaving France at a time when
thousands would have been glad to have followed their footsteps.
On this voyage their vessel was pursued and overhauled by a British
privateer, the Rattlesnake, and nearly all their money and eatables were
carried off, besides two of the ship's best sailors. Audubon and Rozier
saved their gold by hiding it under a cable in the bow of the ship.
On returning to Mill Grove, Audubon resumed his former habits of life
there. We hear no more of the lead mine, but more of his bird studies
and drawings, the love of which was fast becoming his ruling passion.
"Before I sailed for France, I had begun a series of drawings of the
birds of America, and had also begun a study of their habits. I at first
drew my subject dead, by which I mean to say that after procuring a
specimen, I hung it up, either by the head, wing, or foot, and copied it
as closely as I could." Even the hateful Da Costa had praised his bird
pictures and had predicted great things for him in this direction. His
words had given Audubon a great deal of pleasure.
Mr. William Bakewell, the brother of his Lucy, has given us a glimpse
of Audubon and his surroundings at this time. "Audubon took me to his
house, where he and his companion, Rozier, resided, with Mrs. Thomas
for an attendant. On entering his room, I was astonished and delighted
that it was turned into a museum. The walls were festooned with all
sorts of birds' eggs, carefully blown out and strung on a thread. The

chimney piece was covered with stuffed squirrels, raccoons and
opossums; and the shelves around were likewise crowded with
specimens, among which were fishes, frogs, snakes, lizards, and other
reptiles. Besides these stuffed varieties, many paintings were arrayed
upon the walls, chiefly of birds. He had great skill in stuffing and
preserving animals of all sorts. He had also a trick of training dogs with
great perfection, of which art his famous dog