Name/Title
Letter from John James Audubon to his wife written from Eastport, Maine | John James Audubon | May 16, 1833Description
Artist: John James Audubon
Medium: Letter
Description:
Gift of Charles and Keithe Moore
Old Accession Number: 27
Eastport May 16, 1833 My Dearest Friend –
I have nothing to say of any importance to thee, but cannot refrain to write a few lines, if merely to tell thee that we are all well - I have received a letter from Doc Shattock (?) who authorizes me to draw upon him the ___ ____ for whatever the expenses of his —- may be to me, it will somewhat finish our own tremendous expenses of the charter by ourselves of a fine schooner to take us to Labrador, we are to pay at the rate of $350.00 per month, the captain and crew finding themselves in provisions and we in ours. - I expect to ____
this _____ of month from the first of June which I have appointed as the day of our sailing - from advice which I have received from men who have visited Labrador frequently I shall be induced to order the captain to sail directly for the coast to between latitudes 53 & 54 {where} the birds are to be met by millions from the 20th of June to the last of August. When the birds begin south to return to our own coast. - I shall ___ ____ anticipate all the information which I expect to collect from this voyage but the more I approach that country the more do I feel ___ of ____ I am afraid that we shall have but little time to draw any thing beginning and finishing outlines with coloring bills, ___ ___, I will have to finish the drawings at home as I did at Charlottetown on my return from the Floridas
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I am led to think that I shall have no opportunity of sending thee letters after our sailing and yet will try every chance however impractical they may be. - Should I meet with B___ C___ I may from thy dear ___ I cannot hope for a line, yet write to the care of ___ ___ ____ ____ who will forward to St. John’s Newfoundland where probably we shall touch on our return. - The fishermen from this place do not return until the middle of October merely because they thereby gain a bounty in their ____ but I am told that I ought to return by the last of September to here I shall be moved by the seafarers and will act with all the ___ I can in my happinesses (?) not derogatory from my preferred purpose doing all in my power during this voyage. - The climate is expected as being fine although cold with the exception of a few days toward the end of July and beginning of August. - The captain whom will convey us is a man of information and I am pleased to say a gentleman besides, our pilot is well acquainted with the coast having been [or seen?] several voyages to it for the purpose of egging which I find to be quite a trade. - I shall have every man around with ___ and have seen very fine boats ___ to fail ___ the islands, the others to be carried on our crew’s shoulders to the lakes of the interior ____ I am having a few warm clothes of a coarse kind made here hats such as Mr. ___ wore at Houlton boots a la fishermen ___ ____ our ship will be our home ___ ___ in the interior of the country when of course we will camp and under the protection of ___ John is in good spirits and away shooting this morning __________________. It is now 6 O’clock I have been writing 2 1⁄2 hours
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I find thee in ___ a letter for ___ I began to have the hope of having my good friend ___ should
he not come it will be a great disappointment to me and John ___ thee. The first of June tell him is the last day and the surest way to join us if he thinks proper to ___ by mail after his ___ ___. The ___ Lincoln to ___ Shattock are going with us and will be agreeable company I shall write a
long letter for Victor and ___ and to thee also. - We are quite comfortable in the Weston family ___ has been expected to be confined for several days I have seen but little of the captain, Lieutenant Green is a fine fellow and well informed should the reverend Culter Swift ___ in a day or so we shall immediately set sail in ___ ___ ___ to Grand Manan and surrounding islands perhaps as far as the last islands above 100 miles of ___ the morning is beautiful but cold and we cannot do at all without good ___ I may find myself obliged to draw on Nicholson for some money when we return to make up the balance of our charter above what we have on hand I shall write to him to that effect. ___ and something by return of mail what his determination is and will augment our stores accordingly to be prepared for his reception and accommodations. We dine today with mayor Shatburn whom we could not well refuse although we are anxious to go to Lubeck back to shoot all this day. - God bless thee my dearest friend
Thine ever faithful friend John J. Audubon
