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
October 30, 1832
At seven thirty in the morning, 2 2/3°R [38°F, 3.3°C]. The weather was becoming bright and beautiful; at noon very warm. In the morning Mr. Bodmer sketched New Harmony. The Messrs. Owen paid me a visit. In the afternoon Mr. Bodmer and I went on a short outing. In Mr. Maclure’s orchards we found the big lark (Alauda magna Linn.), which must belong to a special genus. It flew up and alighted on the apple trees. Along the Wabash urubus flew about in the air; here this bird is called turkey buzzard. Nowhere did we see here the striped chipmunk (Sciurus striatus), which is so endlessly abundant in Pennsylvania.
On the other hand, I did obtain from Mr. Say several jumping mice, which are found here (though rarely) (probably Gerbillus canadensis). Unfortunately, they were [preserved] in spirits. We learned from Mr. Hall, who was in Mount Vernon today, that the cholera is not yet there; on the other hand, it is said to be in St. Louis.