p. 214

214 The Filson Club History Quarterly [Vol. 45

July 4 1828. This morning I was awakened very early by the roaring
of canon celebrating the 52d anniversary of American Independence.
After breakfast I went to the post office and got a letter from Darius
[p. 73] requesting 50 wheel-barrow wheels made of cast iron, and I
immediately went to Louisville to get them.⁹³ The founder informed
me that he would have them ready within about one week from this
time. While I was there I went to see the Egyptian Mummy and other
curiosities & paintings now exhibited there.⁹⁴ When I returned to Ship-
pingport I had to make out the copies of the time lists, which took till
some time after dinner. The day was celebrated here by getting out the
two military companies an[d] marching off into the woods to dine and
returned, about the middle of the afternoon at Even[in]g they fired a
cannon 24 times, once for [p. 74] each state. I spent the rest of the
date at home. (Mr. Henry was appointed principal Engineer at the meet-
ing of the Board held yesterday).⁹⁵

Saturday July %th 1828. I felt very weak in my joints and other little
symptoms of disease this morning. I resolved to inform Dr. Dalton⁹⁶
of it and know what he thought best for me to do about it. This I was
prevented from doing until noon in consequence of his not returning
from the Ball in Jeffersonville until that time. He is of the opinion
that it will not be a very serious disease and recommended some Elexi
Vitreal. There was very little work to do for the canal. [p. 75]

Sunday July 6. Ever since I received the first letter from Darius since
he left here (received June 21) I have been wishing for an opportunity
to go to Utica and to examine the rock which presents itself in the hills
a little above that village.

In the letter above referred to he writes as follows "Six miles above
Louisville we passed the small Village of Utica situated on the first bank
of the river about high water mark. Just above this place a limestone
ledge or mural precipice, approaches the river bank 60 or 80 feet high
or more. The demoded surface of the rock strata appear to be covered
with oxide of iron which is probably contained in the clay between the
strata, and exuding runs down the surface. It abounds in geodes [p. 76]
There appears to be one stratum about ten feet thick situated two thirds
of the height from the river the other part is stratified or shelly. I am
suspicious that it is the Geodiferous limerock of Eaton."

He concludes by recommending to me the propriety of visiting the
place, and accordingly I procured a horse of Mr. Perrine¹⁹ one of the
contractors, this morning very soon after breakfast and ferrying across
the river I proceeded up the road which leads to Jeffersonville. My horse
is one which is what is commonly called "hard, or hard to ride", that is,
he jolts a person very much when on the trot. Not being much used
to riding horses, I at first found it necessary to hold on by the saddle to