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
January 16, 1833
Early in the morning, clear sky, strong wind, and frost. The wind had raged all night so that I had to fear for my windows. During the morning the wind continued, though not quite so severely. At seven thirty, −5 3/4°R [19.1°F, −7.2°C]. The fires in my stove and fireplace were vigorously fed and tended, whereby the temperature rose to a tolerable level. Today the wind is from the north. I took a walk through the fields, where a very cold wind was blowing. Today in my mousetrap I found two mice that resembled the European common mouse. They were frozen solid. Otherwise I saw nothing of interest. At twelve o’clock, with a cold wind (which, incidentally, does not affect the thermometer), −4 2/3°R [21.5°F, −5.8°C].
In the afternoon Mr. Say paid a visit and brought me several interesting books. Dreidoppel went out and saw a striped golden oriole, which he was unable to shoot. There was a bright red sunset. It is very cold and will become still more so during the night. I spent the evening at the home of Mr. Say and was happy to receive a letter from Neuwied dated 26 October in response to one I had sent from Bethlehem on 5 September. In the letter I received a description of Luitgarde’s wedding, and from New York Mr. Gebhard informed me that the French had entered Belgium.