Box 1, Folder 5: Diaries 1827-1828

[Left page] 120

Shippingsport 1828

I finished my plan of the locks. The number of fair cloudy & variable Days in the three last months will appear by the following table [Weather table for 1827] As kept by myself at this place I spend part of my time now days studying Botany. The birds we saw this morning were the (world pigeon) Columba migratora Jan. 19th Saturday. The river has now gone down nearly to its propper [proper] place of residence, at least it has left our house, on its journey that way - The inhabitants are busily engagued [engaged] in cleaning out their houses - The waves on the river runs very high from the high west wind which blows this afternoon

[Right page] 121

Shippingsport Jan 1828

Sunday the 20th I wrote a letter to Mr. [Cabaseur?] for his work on fish Not much occurred Jan 21 I commenced going to school again at Louisville. Father bought some store coal which we have commenced burning to day Jan 22 I went to school - Not much oc curred Jan 23 Not much occurred - Which I was at Louisville I saw Mr. James [Buckling?] from Ohio he is an engineer as was on the line of canal next below that on which I was [Viz.?] 12 below Hamilton - Jane 24 I went to school not much occurred Jan 25 I went to school as usual although it was rainy and the road was mudy [muddy] - I counted between here & Louisville four dead carcasses in different states of purification Darius arrived here this day from Upper Canada Jan 26 & 27 Not much occurred

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Shippingsport 1828

Sunday Jan 27. High west winds prevailed during the after noon & evening, from their Effect on the thermometer we are inclined to suppose it has lately swept the snow clad brow of the Rocky Mountains -

Jan 28 I, this morning sent a small keg of specimens of Minerals, [?] petrifications & Shells to Bro Silliman at New haven, - I went to school this day

Jan 29. I went to school as usual -

Parri starts to day for Newark Ohio where he is to learn the printers trade with Mr. Henry Brother to J.R.H. Engineer on the Louisville & Portland Road

Jan 30 I went to school - Parri did not start from Louisville yester evening as expected on account of some delay of the Steam Boat - But to day at three O'clock in the Ben Franklin

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Shippingsport 1828

When I came home from school I followed the high water mark on the banks of the Canal and from the [?] old sticks & brush I collected a number of Shells

Thursday 31. I went to School as usual

Feb 1. I went to school - I made a table of the height of the thermometer for the month of January and gave it to the Editor of the focus who said he would have it printed -

Feb 2 No School on Saturday - I made as a chemical experiment some hydrogen gas; with zinc water & Sulphuric Acid and formed the philosophical candle of Dr. Priestly

Feb 3 Not much occurred - I stayed in my room reading all the time

Feb 4. Father brought in from the river, a small animal one of three which was taken by one hawl of a net

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Shippingsport 1828

we at first supposed it a species of Siren but we now are confident of its being the Triton laterals of say described in the first vol. of Songs expedition page 5. or the Proteus maculata in Silliman journal Vol. 12 p.

I did not go to school but intended to go to the quarry but was disappointed in consequence of the Steam boat not arriving in time

Tuesday Feb 5th I went to school and was accompanied by Darius Mary & William the two [?] of whom commenced going to School on this day

Feb 6 I did not go to school in consequence of the rainy weather; it having rained during the night the road was very muddy

Feb 7. I went to school, and have given up the Idea of going to the quarry soon.

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Shippingsport 1828.

Friday Feb 8. I went to school - The leaves of the willow Solix angustata are now an inch long - the aments are 1/2 inch long & The elm Ulmus americana is in flower - A note which I made of the same willow the last spring says that on the 4th of march the leaves were in the same state; by which it appears that this spring is one month earlier than the last

Feb 9. Not much occurred worthy a place here. I spent my time in my room

Feb 10. Sunday. I stayed at home as I did yesterday

Feb 11. We went to school. At evening we received a letter from Parri

Feb 12 This day is noted for being just one year since the arrival of the family from N. York state

We went to school

Feb 13 - We went to school as usual Mr. Victor Audubon arrived from

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New Orleans in the steam boat Caralear

Thursday Feb 14 We did not go to school on account of rainy weather

I commenced the analyses of the water Lime to day. One hundred grains was pulverized and put into a saucer, muriatic acid was poured on to excess. A strong effervescence took place. It was next evaporated to dryness in the saucer, hot water was then poured on so as to fill the saucers, it occupied the rest part of the day in filtering

Feb 15 We do not go to school for nearly the same reason as yesterday

The matter unresolved by the muriatic acid remained on the filter all night this morning it was dryer and weighed it consists of Silica & Alumina - weighs 24 grams it is marked precipitate A

The solution was evaporated to dryness

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and dilute sulphuric acid was poured on. It was next evaporated to expel the excess of acid during the latter part of this evap= oration the surface was covered with a thin, black, pelicle

Saturday the 16th Feb 1828. I done a little work on the canal this afternoon; it was the first I have done for a long time. Father bought 25 bushels of coal the other twenty being all gone price 5 cents per lb

17th not much occurred A new increase of the family appeared to day after the above was written

18th I was at work for the Canal all this day

19. I worked on the canal all day In the morning the Silver Creek hills as seen from the canal was covered with snow = Darius sent a letter to Phoebe Allen & Father to PW Toulor

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Shippingsport 1828

Wednesday Feb 20 I was with Mr. Henry in his office nearly all the Day

Feb 21 I went to Louisville this morning about 10 o'clock to carry to the Board an inventory of property belonging to Collins Chapman & co.

While I was going I beheld a scene, which, though very common there, I have never before seen. It was a negro slave belonging to the above company, followed by his overseer on horseback and who was lashing him every other step with his large cow-hide. In vain did the poor fellow run to get rid of the blows; his increased steps was followed by a corresponding increased motion of his cruel tormenter`s motive He had left the work without permission which was the crime for which he was so cruelly beaten

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In the afternoon having nothing to do on the Canal commenced Drawing Landscapes instructed by Mr. V. Audubon

I commenced on a small view on James River in Virginia

Friday Feb 22 I worked in Mrs. Henry's room a little while this morning and then wrote a letter to Parri.

Father is engaged in making a model for an Iron gate. The buds begin to open on our peach trees to day

Feb 23. The first fair day we have had for some time. Mr. Setton of Cincinnati gave a mineral which I have marked No 2. he said it was Muriate of Lime I made some experiments on it to day. Some of it was dissolved in water, I pored in a little of a solution of Oxalic acid, and held paper over it which was moistened with