passed a ship at anchor, and now opened on our view the city of Savannah,
where we soon landed.
Repairing to a hotel, I immediately took a seat in the mail, in order
to proceed directly to Charleston; but happening to have a letter of introduction
from the Rathbones of Liverpool, to a merchant in the city,
to whom I had already written, and to whose care I had several times
taken the liberty of consigning my baggage trunks, I resolved to wait
upon him, and return him my thanks. In the company of a gentleman,
who kindly offered to guide me, I therefore proceeded, and was fortunate
enough to meet him on the street. The merchant took my arm under his,
and as we proceeded, talked of the many demands of money made on him
for charitable purposes, the high price of the " Birds of America,'" and
his inability to subscribe for that work, concluding with telling me, that
he much doubted if even a single purchaser could be got in Savannah.
My spirits were sadly depressed, for my voyage to the Floridas had
been expensive and unprofitable, not having been undertaken at the proper
season; and I confess I thought more of my family than of what the
gentleman said to me. However, we reached his counting-house, where
I met with Major Le Conte of the United States Army, with whom I was
previously acquainted. Our conversation turned on the difficulties which
authors have to encounter even in their own country. I observed that
the merchant was extremely attentive, and at length seemed uneasy.
He rose from his seat, spoke to his clerk, and sat down again. The
Major took his leave, and I was about to follow him, when the merchant
addressing himself to me, said he could not conceive why the arts and
sciences should not be encouraged by men of wealth in our country.
The clerk now returned and handed him some papers, which he transferred
to me, saying, " I subscribe to your work ; here is the price of the
first volume; come with me, I know you now, and I will procure you
some others; every one of us is bound to you for the knowledge you
bring to us of things, which, without your zeal and enterprise, might
probably never have reached us. I will now make it my duty to serve
you, and will be your agent in this city. Come along."
" Thus, poor AUDUBON, art thou alternately transported from a cold
to a warm climate, from one mood to another, desponding this morning,
and now buoyant with the hopes inspired by this generous merchant!"
Such, reader, were the thoughts that filled my mind, along with many
others; for I thought of you also, and of my work then going on in England,
under the care of my excellent friend J. G. CHILDREN, Esq. of the
British Museum. The merchant took me back to the hotel, when he desired
me to open the few'drawings I had with me, and lay them, as I usually
do, on the floor. He then went off in search of subscribers. I received three
visits from the worthy soul, on each of which he was accompanied by a
gentleman, of whom two subscribed, the merchant himself paying me the
price of a copy of my first volume for each of them. Others who he
thought might have met my wishes in the same agreeable way, were absent
from town. The time of my departure having arrived, he accompanied
me to the ferry boat, when I bade him adieu with feelings of gratitude
which I found it utterly impossible to express.
Travelling through the woods, already rendered delightfully fragrant
by the clusters of yellow jessamines that bordered them, I arrived in
safety at Charleston, where I had the happiness of finding all my friends
well. The next mail brought me a remittance from Savannah, and an
additional name to my list of subscribers; and before the week was ended,
two checks on the Branch Bank of the United States came to me with
two more names.
Leaving Charleston some time after, I revisited the Floridas, crossed
the whole of the Union, went to Labrador, and in October 1833, returned
to my starting place, when I wrote to my generous friend at Savannah,
announcing to him my intention of sailing for Europe. By return of post
I received the following answer :—" Three of your subscribers are now,
alas! dead; but I had taken the precaution to insure the continuation of
their subscription for your works. I have called on their executors, who
at once have paid over to me their respective amounts for the second volume
of the ' Birds of America and I now feel great pleasure in enclosing
to you a bill for the whole amount, including mine for the same volume,
payable in London at par."
Some weeks ago I had the pleasure of forwarding the volumes wanted
at Savannah, which I hope have reached their destination in safety; and
here let me express my gratitude towards the generous merchant, who,
on being made aware of the difficulties which men have to encounter whose
success in their pursuits tends to excite the malevolent feelings of their
competitors, nobly resolved to exert himself in the cause of science. I
trust he will not consider it improper in me to inform you, that on inquiring
at Savannah for WILLIAM GASTON, Esq. you will readily find
him.