Box 2, Folder 7: Typewritten Letters, 1811-1828

Sketch Diagram of Ohio Falls Univalves (Shells) No. 6.

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1828.

Jan 21. Commenced going to school again at Louisville. Father brought home some stone coal, which we have commenced burning today.

Jan 25. Went to school, rainy, road muddy.*** Darius arrived here this day from Upper Canada.

Jan 27. Sunday. High west wind prevailed during afternoon and evening. From its 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 petrifactions and shells to Prof. Silliman at New Haven.

Jan. 30.*** When I came home from school today I followed the high water mark on the bank of the canal and from the old sticks and brush I collected a number of shells [Sketch No. 6].

Feb 1.*** Made a table of the height of the thermometer for the month of Jan'y and gave it to the editor of the "Focus", who said he would have it printed.

Feb 2. No school today, Saturday. I made as a chemical experiment some hydrogen gas, with zine water and sulphuric acid and formed the Philosophical Candle of Dr. Priestly.

Feb 3. Father brought in from the river a small animal, one of three which were taken by one haul of the net; we at first supposed it to be a species of siren, but we are now confident of its being the Triton lateralis od Say, described in the 1st Vol. of Long's Expedition, page V; or the Proteus maculata in Sillman's Journal Vol 12. I intended to go to the quarry today but the steamboat did not arrive in time.

Feb. 5. Went to school today and was accompanied by my brothers and sister, Darius, William, and mary. The two last of whom commenced going to school on this day.

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1828.

Feb 6. Did not go to school in consequence of the rainy weather, road very muddy.

Feb. 8. Friday. Went to school. The leaves of the willow (Salix angustifolia) are now an inch long: and the elm (Ulmus Americana) is in flower: a note which I made of the same willow tree last spring says, that: on the 4th of March the leaves were in the same state, by which it appears that this spring is a month earlier than last.

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

Feb. 13. Mr. Victor Audubon arrived from New Orleans in the steam boat Cavalier.

[Feb. 13.] Did not go to school on account of rainy weather. I commenced the analysis of the water line today. 100 grains were pulverized and put in a saucer, muriatic acid was poured on to excess, a strong effervescence took place. It was next evaporated to dryness on the saucer. Hot water was then poured on so as to fill the saucer, it occupied the rest part of the day in filtering.

Feb. 14. Did not go to school today for the same reason as yesterday. The matter .undissolved by the muriatic acid remained on the filter all night, this morning it was dried and weighed: it consists of silica and alumina, weights 24 grains, it is marked precipitate A. The solution was evaporated to dryness and dilute sulphuric acid was poured on. It was next evaporated to expel the excess of acid: during the latter part of this evaporation the surface was covered with a thin black pellicle. Father bought 25 bu. of coal at 5 cts. per pound.

Shippingsport, Ky. Feb. 16, 1828.

Dear Sir--

I send you by way of New Orleans a small keg of mineral

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specimens which I collected during the past season at the Rapids of the Ohio river: they are nearly all numbered, and I have duplicates marked with the same number. I can refer to the same in my collection. I have given the names of such of the 33 specimens as I know: they may not however be correct in every case. I have left a blank opposite such as I can not ascertain, which I would thank you to fill up and transmit to me their names.*** The river being high at present, I can procure no more containing petroleum. I send you however a vial containing petroleum that was collected last summer. The petroleum occurs in the lime rock from which the specimens 1 to 5 were taken as you will perceive by their peculiar smell.

I have also collected a few shells from the Ohio river, at this place, which will serve to show the conchology.*** Should they prove interesting to you, I should be much gratified to have their names. Nos. 1,2, & 3 are all the univalves which I have collected, and I believe are all that inhabit the river at this place. No. 10 Unio purpurens: No. 11 U. crassus[;12] 12, I can not ascertain: No. 14 U. ovatus: No. 15 is probably a young shell. The three small bivalves are not numbered because I have no duplicate.***

You will observe that I have given names to some of the shells, but still I am not certain that they are correct. I have descriptions of nearly all the land and fresh-water shells of the U.S., but I can not determine all the names, until I have become more familiar with the terms which are employed. In return I would be thankful for the nine minerals which constitute the geological alphabet (excepting limestone), and such others, should you think mine of more value, as you would recommend to a

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young person acquiring a knowledge of mineralogy.

Whatever you send, please direct to the care of Edmund Forstall, New Orleans, and N. Berthoud, Shippingsport, Ky.

A small animal inhabits the Ohio river which agrees very well with that part of the description of the Proteus maculatus, which is mentioned in the article on doubtful reptiles in your Journal of Science. I have not a full description of it and cannot therefore ascertain with certainty that it is the same. They can be very readily procured here, and if you should want a specimen or two, I would with pleasure forward them.

With much respect,

Increase A. Lapham.

Prof. B. Silliman.

Feb. 19.*** In the morning Silver Creek Hills, as seen from the canal, were covered with snow.

Feb. 20. On my way to Louisville I beheld a scene, which though very common here I have never before seen: it was a negro slave belonging to the contractors on the L&P canal followed by his overseer on horseback, who was lashing him every other step with his hide. In vain did the poor fellow run to get rid of the blows, his increased stops were followed by a corresponding increased motion of his tormentor; he had left the work without permission, which was the crime for which he was so cruelly beaten.

In the afternoon having nothing to do on the canal I commenced drawing landscapes instructed by Mr. V. Audubon. I commenced on a small view on James river, Virginia. [Sketch No. 7.]

Feb. 22. The buds began 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 me a mineral which I have marked No. 2 in my collection: he said it was muriate of lime; I made some experi