The Audubon Reader (74 page)

New Orleans, Louisiana

22 March 1837

My dear Bachman,

We will leave this city tomorrow morning, before day, on board of the cutter the
Campbell
, Commandant Napoleon L. Coste, and proceed directly though slowly on our researches. The vessel is small, yet very roomy, i.e. she is less encumbered than any of her size I have yet seen. Coste is full of the expedition and so is the first lieutenant. The other lieutenant is, I conceive, a “man-o’-war man”—full of his duty on the weather side of the quarterdeck during his daily or nightly watch! 16 men, 3 boats, and provisions for about 2 months, one great gun and many pikes, cutlasses (
cutlasses
), pistols and muskets as can be crammed in so small a craft. We intend visiting the whole of
Galveston Bay and islets thereabouts, spite of the Mexicans’ flotilla—which after all I think is all “my eye.” We hope for great things but God knows how many new species will be added to our fauna. We are well provided with ammunition, &c., but our apples have turned into sour cider and I have some doubts whether our butter will not run through our biscuits ere we gobble the latter. John is packing up 4
squirrels and a
wildcat for you; I hope you never have seen the like? I have and think that you will be pleased with them. John, or my nephew young Berthoud, [will] send you a bill of lading. I am glad, and proud too, that I have at last been acknowledged by the public prints as a native citizen of Louisiana [
sic
: Audubon was born in Saint Dominique, West Indies, a fact he knew], and had it been supposed when first we arrived here that our stay would have been half as long as it has been, I really think that my countrymen would have honored us with a public dinner! Try to find out the paragraphs in the
New Orleans Courier
(French & English) of the beginning of this month. And above all, my Dear Bachman, pray attend to the following:

There is coming here another cutter to take the place of the
Campbell
, and she may be here before our return, when the
Campbell
will scarcely be called for on this coast. [Captain Napoleon] Coste is very anxious to have,
in her
(the
Campbell
) the Key West station (not the Savannah) and tells me that he would be delighted to take us round to Charleston, after having shewed us the different breeding places which he has discovered on the western Florida coast. Now I should like this myself of all things, and the thought has crossed my mind, that the
Florida
war being at an end!!!
the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr.
Levi Woodbury, might grant us the privilege of that vessel for the purpose mentioned above, if someone was at his elbow, with strength and power enough to urge him to such an act of generosity towards a poor student of Nature, who in all probability is not likely ever afterwards to trouble his government again—and now that [Joel R.] Poinsett is the Secretary of War, and you very intimate with him, that were you to write to that gentleman at once, and ask of him to speak to Mr. [Levi] Woodbury, and ask the request I long for, Woodbury
I think
would hardly refuse
him
(Mr. Poinsett). All this must, however, be done at once, and not be put off even for a day if possible, as you know our time is growing very short, and we are anxious to make the best we can of it. Ask of Mr. Poinsett that in case this last petition is granted by Woodbury to urge the latter to forward me a letter to the effect, care of
James Grimshaw, Esq., New Orleans …

New Orleans, Louisiana

23 March 1837

My dearest beloved!

I have only a little time to say to thee, that we will leave this [place] tomorrow morning on board the revenue cutter, the
Campbell
,
Capt. Napoleon Coste, for a coasting voyage of about two months. That we three are quite well! that I have received our dear Victor’s letters of the 6th and 9th of January and that I am now happy and comfortable in the thought that he will carry the publication [of
The
Birds of America
] according with the lists I have sent him. I have heard of the arrival at Liverpool of the
Mohawk
on the 22nd January and hope that the 9 drawings sent by her were in good time for the Numbers intended for these. I hope the
Superb
has also reached safely, and if so Victor will have enough [drawings] until I return to you. I have felt great uneasiness about your precious healths since I have read the accounts of the influenza in London. May God preserve you both, and may he grant us the happiness of meeting again all well and happy. It is not probable that I shall hear from you now for two months but I will be patient and take good care of John, [Edward] Harris and self.
The Florida war is actually ended!
Depend upon this intelligence. We therefore hope to return by that coast to Charleston after we have been to Galveston Bay &c. on the western coast of the Gulf. Not a new subscriber at New Orleans as yet. Mr. Forrestal has not even asked me to his house once. I dined at
Governor Roman’s in a large company. He is a fine man, and has written a few kind things in the papers here. My “Natal City”! Remember us to everybody, even to Bessie. Oh how glad I shall feel when I land at No. 4 Wimpole Street and kiss again my best beloved and dearest friend & wife and our dear Victor …

Below New Orleans

29 March 1837

My dear Bachman,

I have the great satisfaction of receiving your letter of the 15th instant yesterday, and send you my thanks for it, and a thousand kisses for all the sweethearts you and I and Johnny have about you!

We are on board of the cutter, the
Campbell
, about 2 miles below New Orleans, anchored on the western side of the great river, and today is the 29th of March of the Year of our Lord 1837. We are only waiting for 5 sailors, and as our Capt. Coste and the first lieutenant are gone to New Orleans in search of the hands we want, we hope to see the remainder of our crew completed this day, cut stick tonight, &c., &c. Johnny is in the swamps outlining cypress trees with the camera [lucida] for Victor. [Edward] Harris is gone to town for letters if any there are and here I am scribbling this to you. I thought you would want me pretty soon, but I can echo you at that, and I would willingly give up one year of my life (
hereafter
) to have you at my side just
now
.

I would first ask, what do you say to those
squirrels
? and again to this
wildcat? for I hope you have those, which we have shipped to you, before your eyes just at this very moment. About one other hundred questions I would ask of you to answer, but we are a pretty good distance asunder now, and must wait for the pleasure of meeting again in
this world
! A world which though wicked enough in all conscience, is
perhaps
as good as woods unknown.

We took Harris on an
alligator hunt on a fine bayou. We killed about 20 of these beautiful creatures, and brought only 7 on board. Harris killed several. He never had seen any before. He likes their flesh too, but not so Johnny, excepting the latter [part]; our mess made a grand dinner of the “tail end” of one, and after all, alligators’ flesh is far from being bad. God preserve us from ever “riding” a live one [an allusion to Audubon’s English critic
Charles Waterton, who claimed to have ridden an alligator on an expedition to South
America]. We had a fine frolic of this, but after all they are not to be fooled with.

Sandhill Cranes are yet here—blue wings & green wings. Few, very few Herons have come to this latitude and longitude, but we have procured here the Common American Gull,
L. Torhinas
. We have heard through Mr. Grimshaw’s English letters that all was well at London at a late date, but have had no letters ourselves.
Bats are plentiful and you shall I hope see some of them. The
deer here is different from yours, and this also I trust you shall see. In a word you will be thought of as of a “worthy friend” during the whole of our expedition. My former letters will have given you many details which I cannot now repeat. One of your letters (I mean one of our beloved
Maria Martin’s) has not reached us—God bless her; and d—the post!

I have a most kind friend here collecting birds in rum for me during our absence. I trust that those at Charleston will not forget their promises on that score, and we already thank the latter for certain “Brown Creepers” that are now snoozing in rum. Harris stands the packets admirably. He is in facto one of the finest men of God’s creation—I wish he was my brother!

The steamer
Fancy
was totally destroyed a few evenings ago on her way to Louisville, Ky. She belonged to my youngest brother-in-law, cargo and all. I fear his loss is considerable. The whole of the living on board saved themselves
only
with what they had on their backs. William Bakewell saved a babe from the waters, but the nurse was drowned. The child belonged to one of the passengers. Had this accident taken place at night, it is more than probable that one half of the people must have been drowned or burnt to death.

Have you written to my Lucy [in London]? Do not forget this I pray you. My beloved daughter must write also, and so must our dear amiable friend & sweetheart. Do not forget to write to Mr. Poinsett for me to ask of Mr.
Levi Woodbury to let me have the
Campbell
, Capt. N. L. Coste, to go to Charleston on our return, which I am anxious to make around the Floridas. Write soon, and send Woodbury’s answer or orders (I hope) to this place care of
James Grimshaw, Esq. The failures at New Orleans have dampened the spirits of everyone who speculates on cotton, land or dollars …

[P.S.] There is no grog on board of the
Campbell
!! What do [you] say to that? Snuff is yet partially afloat, but will be dropped astern very soon!

Aboard the U.S. Revenue Cutter
Campbell

Island of Barataria, Grande Terre

6 April 1837

My dear Bachman,

I wrote a few lines to you from this place by a schooner bound to New Orleans, but as winds & mail carriers are not always to be depended on, I will try to have this ready for a gentleman going from here to New Orleans by the bayous 105 miles, and who promises to have it put in the post office.

We were detained a few miles below New Orleans for the want of sailors, until, raising the wages to 40 dollars, we procured a few crew and some stout fellows, after which we sailed down the great stream to its southwest pass or entrance. The next morning we sailed (very foolishly) to the northeast pass, and sent an officer in a boat in search of a Capt. Taylor, also of the revenue service, to whom the collector at New Orleans had sent orders to join us, and to assist us as a pilot. That day was lost. The next morning we went shooting and killed 4
Marsh
Terns and some other birds. We had put Mrs. Coste on shore at a fisher’s house to await the return of her husband, and the next morning early we sailed on our expedition. The weather was fair and the sea smooth until we approached the bar at this place; we however crossed it guided by Mr. Taylor, whom we towed on board of his
Crusader
, a small schooner of about 8 tons acting as a tender on the
Campbell
. We anchored safely under the lee of
Barataria Island and have been here ever since, shooting & fishing at a proper rate. Johnny & I shot 4
White Pelicans, Harris and the two latters a great number of different
Tringas
[i.e.,
Yellowlegs and
Sandpipers], Terns,
Gulls, &c., and so we have passed our time at potting species, their habits, and skinning and placing specimens in rum. Cask is already filled. We are all well. We intend proceeding to
Cayo Island, 52 miles west, by the first fair wind, and then expect to do well, as it is said to be a great breeding ground. Not a bat on our island, and only
raccoons, otters, wild cats and a few rabbits. We have not seen anything more than tracks. Not a new bird as yet. Have killed 5
Tringa himantopus
[Long-legged Sandpipers].
Marsh Terns abundant. Cayenne and
Common Terns as well.
Larus atricilla
[Laughing Gull] also.
White & Brown Pelicans and a good variety of
Ducks and the
Florida Cormorant. Few land birds. Saltwater Marsh Hens and
Boat-tailed Grackles breeding. But enough, as I have noted every incident worth notice, which you will read from the journal. We have now in contemplation to leave the schooner as soon as we have reached Texas and seen Galveston (Galveston Bay) and return over land to New Orleans, and there make ready either to go back to you at once, or proceed around the west coast of Florida. We will, however, be guided by circumstances and do all for the best. Have this copied and forwarded to my dear wife, and if you please, have us “reported” in the papers. We have been very kindly treated by a planter here who is a partner of Mr. Forrestal of New Orleans, who gave me a few lines of Introduction. We have had fine vegetables, milk & cornbread and
fresh butter
!

This island is about 10 miles long but scarcely a mile broad. It is low and mostly marsh (hard however), with many ponds, lagoons, &c. It possesses one sugar plantation and a few dilapidated government buildings, began by [Andrew] Jackson but now abandoned and rotting. This was Lafitte’s (the pirate) stronghold. The remains of his fortification, and the ground on which his houses stood, are yet discernible. Some say that much money is deposited thereabouts—I wish it was all in the Charleston bank placed to our credit!

The island is flat, and in 1830 was overflowed by the waves of the Gulf impelled by a hurricane to the depth of 4 feet above the highest ground, and castle, &c., was sent adrift towards the main distant some 12 or 15 miles. The soil is good enough to produce cotton or sugar and the place healthy and pleasant; and yet I should not like to be imprisoned at large upon it the remainder of my life. It abounds with snakes, not, however, injurious excepting a very small ground rattler species. We have placed several in rum for Dr. Holbrook and crabs for yourself! No insects of note except
mosquitoes and
sand flies, of which we could spare enough, God knows.