John Bachman, who had agreed to be responsible for the letterpress of the Quadrupeds, was already at work, as shown by the following note[190] sent to Audubon at this time:
John Bachman to Audubon
Charleston, August, 1842.
My Dear Friend:
I have just returned from a visit to the country, where I left Mrs. Bachman for the benefit of her health. I have a season ticket on the railroad, and, on my weekly visits, I do much of my writing on Natural History. The moment the clock strikes four I am up, and soon at work. From this hour until seven, I have no interruptions. I hope in this way to steal time to write about Quadrupeds. When I get fairly under way, as I am now, I am not easily diverted from the object before me, and nothing but ill health or domestic affliction will keep me back.
J. B.
On September 12 Audubon set out on a canvassing tour of Canada, on which he went as far north as Quebec; as he passed his home, he hailed his sons, who were sailing on the river, and the sight of them at this moment brought tears to his eyes. Whitehall, New York, was reached on September 13, St. Johns, Canada, on the following day, and on the 15th he was in Montreal; three days were spent at Quebec (September 16-18), where, as at other points, he met with the most gratifying success. After reaching home in October, the following glowing account of this tour and of the attractions of his new estate on the Hudson was given in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Phillips of London,[191] dated from "New York, 7th Nov., 1842":
AUDUBON