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 24, 1833
Early in the morning, dreary sky, rain, and strong wind. At seven thirty, 2°R [36.5°F, 2.5°C]. We worked all day at home. At twelve o’clock, 2 2/3°R [38°F, 3.3°C]. At noon the rain had stopped; [there was] much wind, however. In the afternoon, a walk with Dreidoppel; we found ducks on the Cutoff River. Two large bald eagles streaked past on the other side of the Wabash. Golden-winged woodpeckers (Picus auratus) in large numbers were flying around a tree entwined with Rhus radicans (poison vine). They were eating the Rhus berries.
There were dead pigs behind the orchards of Harmony. There are no police here, and no one maintains order. As soon as they are repaired, the fences of these orchards are immediately broken through and some of them torn down. In this way people let their cattle graze on Mr. Maclure’s cornfields and land by making openings for them at night. Late in the evening, Mr. Say paid me a visit and brought word that the French army (Marshal Gérard) had marched into Antwerp and had demanded that the citadel surrender.