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
September 13, 1832
At six o’clock, 5°R [43.3°F, 6.3°C]. At noon we took a reading of the sun’s altitude with the sextant and an artificial horizon and obtained 72°25′. At two o’clock the needle oscillated 130 times in ten minutes. At seven o’clock Mr. Bodmer returned from his excursion with a badly injured hand. At Richmond (see page 65) he had wanted to go hunting with a young doctor early in the morning before breakfast because there were many wild doves in the vicinity, and he actually shot one of them. But the powder chamber of the left barrel of the freshly cleaned gun (presumably the wadding on the charge had moved forward) burst and damaged Mr. Bodmer’s hand. His thumb (the ball of the thumb) was completely torn open and his hand burned black. The young doctor bandaged him and brought him back to Bethlehem in the evening.