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 19, 1833
Early in the morning, slightly overcast sky. At seven thirty, 3°R [38, 3.8°C]. Exceptionally pleasant day. Worked at home during the morning. At twelve noon, 7 1/4°R [48. 3°F, 9.1°C]. In the afternoon we went to the ferry and crossed the Wabash with the two Duclos. We stationed ourselves for ducks, and Mr. Bodmer shot an Anas rufitorques. It was rather quiet in the extensive woods. The water, rising rapidly, had overflowed into several deepened canals, where we always found ducks. A steamboat came up the Wabash; we heard it from a great distance.
In the forest, a kind of maple with beautiful red filaments (possibly Acer dasycarpum eriocarpum?) is blooming now everywhere, but the entire blossom is not as red as that of an Acer rubrum. This is the only blossom, besides the hazelnut (Corylus) and the Viscum, that I have noticed until now. On old trunks in these forests, one finds dark-green moss ([——]), now with its calyptra, which seemed to be from the previous year. As we rowed back across the river, two steamboats came downstream at the same time. The one in front was named Rambler; the second one was without a name. They were racing, and the second one had heavily fired up. In the evening, at home.