Sojourn in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Excursions into the Surrounding Region
Bethlehem on the Lecha or Lehigh – Dr. Saynisch – His solicitude – Natural history specimens – Lecha islands – Lecha Mountain Nazareth Delaware Gap – Easton – Delaware Gap – Pocono Mountains – Tunkhannock and Tobyhanna Creek – Beaver and Bear Creek – Susquehanna Valley – Wilkes-Barre – Falls of Solomon Creek – Neskopeck Valley – Lausanne – Nesquehoning Valley – Mauch Chunk on the Lecha – Collieries – Lecha Valley – Mahoning Creek – Lehigh Valley – Mahoning Gap – Preparations for departure from Bethlehem – Nazareth – Allentown
August 13, 1832
In the morning at five o’clock, dense fog. At six thirty, air temperature outside in the shade, 14 1/2°R [64.6°F, 18.1°C]. Dreidoppel had gone out hunting with our landlord, Wöhler, to the Lecha Mountain, from the summit of which one has an extensive prospect of the entire valley as far as the Blue Mountains and the Poconos. They returned about noon but had obtained nothing other than several ordinary birds, a hummingbird, and a nice troupial. In the afternoon some hunters came out of the mountains with a live fawn and the very sturdy antlers of a Cervus virginianus, but they did not want to sell either of them. Today I received several small snakes, a very nice frog—Rana maculata tigrina (in my [Natural History] Diary the zoologists’ [——])—seven turtle eggs, and several interesting new things. In the evening we received a visit from Pastor Seidel, who is always occupied doing kind and pleasing things for other people. There had been a birthday in his family today. He had spent the day among friends in the country and had hunted up some deer antlers (Cervus virginianus) for me.