John Woodhouse Audubon...

Leaving the Rio Grande at Roma, the company took the main road to Chihuahua, passing through Monterey, Saltillo, Buena Vista, Parras, and Mapimi and reaching Parral June 18. Cholera still followed them and here claimed another victim. Mr. Audubon had been twice attacked but had been able to resist the disease. At Parral the company left the highway and struck across the mountains to Sonora. On the western slope towns were few and far between. Ures was reached August 22 and Altar September 9. Lea

John Woodhouse Audubon, the younger of the two sons of John James Audubon and his wife, Lucy Bakewell, was born in Henderson, Kentucky, November 30, 1812. Those who recall the life of the ornithologist may remember that at this time he was far from his days of prosperity, and was trying to be a business man, with saw-mills and lumber; a venture, which like all his business efforts, did not succeed. Therefore, almost before the boy John remembered, the wandering days began for him, which continue

A year of quiet at my happy home had passed since my return from my last voyage to England, when "the fever" as it was called began to rage in New York, and as I sat, convalescent from a fever of a different kind at the time, of more danger than my present trip, I listened to the tales of speedily accumulated fortunes. At first I heard them with complete scepticism, again with less, until in some degree faith in the tales began to be awakened in my mind, and at last I thought it might possibly c

March 13th, 1849. Daylight came in beautiful and calm, but we were enveloped in a dense fog, so heavy that though the clear sky could be seen over head, not more than fifty yards could be distinguished about us, and the tents looked as if we had had a heavy rain in the night. Col. Webb went over to Camargo to report himself and the company to the Alcalde and returned at night with a Mr. Nimons, and it was arranged that they should go next day to China [11] to purchase mules. Rob Benson was serge

April 28th, 1849. The company started today, and I expect to follow early tomorrow, and join the men who are now fifteen miles ahead of me. I am compelled to remain to attend to the property of the ten men who have died of cholera in this accursed place; it goes to New Orleans by boat in the morning. Why Col. Webb, who had been in this country before, selected this route instead of a more northerly one, I cannot understand, but it is now too late to change, and we must go forward with courage. A

June 28th. Left Parral at noon, leaving Carroll, E. A. Lambert, J. S. Lambert, J. Black, Pennypacker and Joseph Lambert to follow after burying poor Teller. Before this we had sold our Jersey wagon for $275.00 and I refused $250.00 for two mules, as I did not dare to start short handed in animals, their lives here are so uncertain. Our start was late, not only owing to the loss of our companion, but because the night previous we had a severe storm with thunder and lightning, which had drenched t

September 14th. Leaving Altar on the 10th we crossed a desert-like plain or prairie for many miles to the Rancho "La Sone," as usual a miserable cluster of mud jacals and surly Mexican vacheros, but we did not care for that. We bought and killed one of their cattle, paying four dollars for it; the next day the seller returned and asked seven, which we refused. On the lagoon near here we found the American Avoset, long-billed curlew, and Canada crane; I thought I saw the sandhill, but it was so f

San Diego. November 6, 1849. We started for Los Angeles at ten this morning, leaving behind Havens, Sloat, Watkinson, Lee, Snider, Perry, Dr. Trask, Steele, Bachman, Stevens and Cree, to follow by boat; Cree remained at my request to take care of Stevens, who is seriously ill, and Bachman is not strong enough to march further. The road from San Diego is a pleasant one; northwest over a few moderate hills brings the traveller to the edge of a large bay, which from its appearance seems to be shall

January 2d, 1850. Leaving Stockton we tramped through mud and water, so like the coast of Louisiana (the Mississippi) that it might have been winter there, instead of in California. We had packed the day before leaving, so left early for our walk of twenty miles after our pack-mules, and went over a partially sandy prairie to the Stanislaus River, and at eight that night reached good wood and water, and encamped about three miles from the river. Next morning, January 3d, we left in the rain for

[Extract from the New York "Evening Express," February 9, 1849.] A company of young men started yesterday afternoon, who, under the command of Major H. L. Webb and J. W. Audubon, will take the land route via Corpus Christi, Monterey, etc., to the gold regions of California. The whole company will number one hundred. Thirty-five or forty went from Philadelphia yesterday. They proceed direct to Cairo, which is the rendez-vous of the party; here they will be joined by companies from the West. At Ne