Box 1, Folder 5: Diaries 1827-1828

[Left page] Shippings port Dec 1827

Then following another river nearly South and then in a westerly direction he went to the Pacific Ocean Thursday the 6th I finished reading the above book another rainy day. Fryday [Friday] 7the A short journey for the cow, before breakfast; worked on the canal after breakfast, until noon, and after noon I went to Louisville to carry the Engineer's report through the mud. I have now borrowed from N. Berthoud [Las?] Botany, in reading which, I shall now spend my leisure time. Parri goes to school to Mr. [Marn?] Butler of Louisville; as an exersise [exercise] in composition, he gets a few pages in the history of the United States in his mind, and then writes them in his own words. The last week, (the first exersise [exercise]), he had written the best piece of the whole school!!?

[Right page] Shippingsport Dec. 1827.

Saturday the 8th. Another rainy day. I was all the day in my room drawing on my plan of the Locks. On account of bad weather there has not been any work of any concequence [consequence] done on the Canal. Saturday the 9th not much occurred worthy of a remark in this Journal.

The following is a plan of an endex [index] to a common place Book in which the word is recorded by the first letter and the first following [vowel?] for example take the Chemistry. Look in the index oposite [opposite] the letter C then oposite [opposite] the [vowel?] e mark the page in which Chemistry is found

[Left page] Plan of an Index to a Common place Book [Index table]

[Right page] Shippingsport Dec. 1827 Monday the 10th. After noon I done some work on the canal and then went to Louis ville on some business. Coal is 19 1/2 cents per [bush?] a grate for burning it in costs five dollars. The river has within a few days back raised about 30 feet. A great quantity of flood wood is born along upon its waters which At Louisville is compressed into one strip of about 30 feet wide and extending as far up the river as I could see. It all passes in front the [alley?] about 30 feet from the shore. Tuesday 11th. I worked on the canal this afternoon. The rest of the day was spent prinsipally [principally] in reading. Wednesday 12 I spent my time today in reading one of Mr. Berthoud’s Books on Natural History Thursday 13th I went to Louisville this morning to buy a barrel of flour In the afternoon I commenced drawing

[Left page] Shippingsport Dec 1827 a large plan of the Locks for the President of Directors of the Louisville & Portland Canal Company. The Latitude of this place according to Maj Long is 38 15' 23'' North. Dec 14 Fryday [Friday] a rainy day before noon I worked on the Canal after noon I worked on the plan of the Locks. Saturday 15. I worked on my plan of the Locks, except while I was attending an argument with Mr. Henry, Engineer. [sketch of triangle] He argues that if an instrument in the form of a funnel, be placed in the [illegible], with the tube downwards, the preasure [pressure] of the atmosphere downwards upon the tunnil [tunnel], is not balanced by the upward pressure through the tube; so that a current of air, will rush downwards through the tube of the funnel.

[Right page] He says that is now actually used in ventellating [ventilating] ships! and that several of them might be so combined as to be used instead of the bellows in a blacksmith forge!! It is he says on this principle that Dr Hales ventilator operates? Dec 16 Sunday I finished the plan of the Locks begun on the 13th and now contemplate going to school to morrow. Dec 17. A rainy day in conceqence [consequence] of which I did not commence going to school as I expected yester day. The river is now nearly as high as it was last spring - reports from above say that the water at Pittsburg is 6 feet higher than ever before known we therefore expect a verry [very] high fresh within a few Days. Dec 18 Tuesday I commenced going to school to day. I am now to go to school except while I have to work

[Left page] Shippingsport 1827 on the canal which at this season of the year is verry [very] little. This day is just one year sence [since] I commenced going to school to Mr. Mann Butler at The Jefferson Seminary Louisville Dec 19th Wednesday. The floodwood at Louisville running on the south side of the river is supposed to be caused by the North winds but it was to day in the same situation as seen on the 10th of this month although we have had no other than a west wind all day. I went to school. A black servent [servant] made Named Louiesa commenced work for us to day. Dec 20th. After Breakfast I went to Louisville to school - came home at night about dark and am now reading a book on Natural History. Dec 21. A rainy day. In concequence [consequence] of having to carry the Engineers report

[Right page] Shippingsport 1827 to Louisville I did not go to school I went up with the report after dinner through the rain - While I was there Mr. Goodwin Secretary told me he hat [had] a Thermometer he would lend me this winter; and I expect I shall get it before the begining [beginning] of the New year. and that I can commence a pretty complete meteorological table by that time The mean temperature of Cincinnati taking the mean of eight years observation (from the year 1806 to 1813) is 54.26. Latitude 39.6.''30.'' N Longitude 7.24.'45'' W. from Washington [Drakes?] Cincinatti [Cincinnati] Mean Monthly Temperature at Engineer [Commencement?] three miles S.E. from councel [counsel] Bluff on the Missoury [Missouri] River Lat. 44.25.'04'' Lon. 18.43.'53.'' - and at Germantown near Philadelphia as inserted in Long's Expedition to the Rocky Mountains.

[Left page] [1819 data table] Dec. 22. 1827. Shippingspost. Ky. Not much occurred worthy a note in this place at this time There has been no rain to day and we now think of having dry and cold weather again Sunday 23d. The river is now at Louisville is 16 feet above low water mark and at Shippingsport it is _ feet above low water. Not much occurred. Monday Dec 24th I stayed in my room nearly all day reading in Mr. Berthouds Book of Natural History, and in solving some problems in perspective

[Right page] Shippingsport Dec 1827. Towards evening I did not feel verry [very] well + Tues day. the 25 Chrismus [Christmas] day. I was in my room nearly all the day Mr. Henry the Engineer left my room to day for one nearer his board ing house. I bought a couple of fine shirts and a black silk hanker chief at the Canal Store. Wednesday 26. This morning I took a long tour to the South west on the hill or second bank of the river in search of our cow. came across an old rotten log which the hogs had lately been rooting, and found some snail shells marked 4, 5, 6, 87. in the cabinet My search for the cow led me to a swamp back in the woods which now contains a considerable quantity of water, here I saw a pair of