Four-and-a-Half Months’ Stay in New Harmony
Description of the region – Natural history – Messrs. Say, Lesueur, and Owen – Hunting excursions in Indiana and Illinois – Wabash, Fox River – Illinois prairies – Albion – Black River – Mr. Bodmer’s trip to New Orleans
February 18, 1833
Early in the morning, bright. At about six or seven o’clock, fog. At seven thirty, 2°R [36.5°F, 2.5°C]. At twelve noon, 6°R [45.5°F, 7.5°C]. At three o’clock Mr. Bodmer, young Duclos, and I went to Cutoff Island, where we dispersed but unfortunately failed to shoot any ducks. Most of the mallards have already mated. The waters of the Wabash are now rising higher and higher, and the current is rapid. If we shot a duck, we could rarely get it. After he had rowed us across the river, Mr. Duclos continued on in order to set out his nets. He complained that the turtles had bitten off so many hooks during the summer. Toward evening our landlord brought Mr. Bodmer’s suitcases and other baggage from Mount Vernon.
In the evening, a visit to Mr. Say. We talked very much about his travels and the extremely dangerous situations in which he had often found himself. In his Notes on Virginia, Jefferson cites in his Indian list three books about this subject that Mr. Say did not know.
Mr. Bodmer related that he [had] found the town St. Landry in Opelousas Parish in Louisiana, about which up to now no one could give me any information. Now I will have to publish an inquiry about young Westen, who once lived there, in a New Orleans newspaper, something my banker, Mr. Nicolet, certainly will be so kind as to take care of. Today I had also written to Mr. Krumbhaar in Philadelphia, so that he might have a copy of Neagle’s painting of the Indian chief Petalesharo made for me.