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
December 20, 1832
At daybreak, beautiful, bright weather, cold. At seven thirty, -6 1/2°R [17.4°F, -8.1°C]. The sun shone undiminished today. This morning we dissected a skunk, a task that requires considerable resolve. We collected the stinking matter from the glands in a glass in order to have it analyzed in Europe, for I assume that this has not yet been done. At twelve noon, -3°R [25.3°F, -3.8°C]. During my walk I found some beautiful black-and-white ducks on the Cutoff River; I wounded one, which, however, drifted too far away. An extremely raw wind blew toward us over the surface of the water. I visited the young pigs farrowed several days ago and found them vigorously suckling on their mother. Mr. Bodmer returned from his walk with several small birds, including Fringilla canadensis. In our room it was so cold all day that one had to get up every few minutes and go to the fire. Visit in the evening at the home of Mr. Lesueur. He told us of the arrival of Mr. Fountleroy from Nashville, who comes here every year during the winter to shoot large numbers of turkeys, which he salts and takes home. Today he immediately went out to hunt all day.