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
November 10, 1832
Horizon hazy, sky bright. At seven thirty, 1/2°R [33.1°F, 0.6°C]. At five o’clock Mr. Bodmer and Dreidoppel had gone hunting to the Fox River. To get there, they traveled a distance of 2 miles down the Wabash. Messrs. Say and Owen visited me; I visited the former and Mr. Lesueur in the afternoon. At four o’clock the hunters returned with an Anas sponsa and a parakeet. They had shot several parakeets, which, however, had remained hanging high in the trees. They had seen very many parakeets, as well as five turkeys, which had flown across the river in front of them, and they frequently heard them calling. In addition, they saw wild geese but not many ducks today.
Both hunters had headaches and were very adversely affected by the warm weather (it was so warm at noon that one could not tolerate wearing a coat). My complaint had worsened after half a glass of wine that afternoon. During the evening Messrs. Lesueur and Say came to see us.