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

No. 31 1/2 -32-

-31-1/2

1828.

ments to day, some of it was dissolved in water. I poured in a little of a solution of oxalic acid and held a paper over it which was moistened with liquid ammonia to see if the gas evolved was muriatic acid gas, but to my surprise there was not the slightest effervescence, the paper was then dipped into the solution, but no white fumes appeared, which would have been the case had there been the least quantity of uncombined muriatic acid. The oxalic acid however, precipitated a considerable quantity of oxalate of lime. Into a solution of another portion of the mineral. I poured a few drops of a solution of nitrate of silver and immediately a white precipitate fell down which proves clearly the existence of Muriatic acid, this precipitate has as well as the supernatant liquid become purple.

We observed this evening that the animal we are keeping, Triton lateralis, does not like to be touched on the tail when he is thus treated with a stick he jumps and springs with great activity compared to his usual appearance, which is sluggish and dull. I have observed also that he lays on the side of the tub (in which he is kept) on which the light does not fall, having no doubt some dislike to it. We were told that in the summer they make a noise somewhat like that made by a puppy, hence, the name "water puppy" has been given them.

Feb 25. We all except Mary went to school this day, it being the first time since the 13th of the present month. We observed a large hole around the moon this evening. Darius to day finished the family record which is ornamented with Ionic columns and a masonic arch.

Feb. 27. For two days we have not been to school on account of the rainy weather and muddy roads. It rained all night, the river

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continue very high, it has been so ever since it was up to our door, and if the rain continues much longer we expect it will be over the streets again.

Feb. 28. A very cold morning. We went to school to day.

Feb. 29. We went to school. The river is now in the street below Taylor's store and is rising. It is 25 ft. and 9 inches above low water at Louisville at 12 o' clock to day.

March 1. Darius and I were engaged the greater part of the day in calculating the lateral pressure of water against the lock gates and the weight of one to be constructed of cast iron. The river commenced falling last night. Father told me that in one instance he had observed iridescent colors in bituminous coal from Pittsburgh.

March 2, Mr. Henry visited us this afternoon and said he had some surveying to do for the U.S. Bank and the theater and that I must go to Louisville and get a compass in the morning.

March 3. Agreeably to the above I went to Louisville this morning and borrowed a compass of Mr. Joyce. At noon we commenced our survey of a tract of land containing 2,000 acres lying south of Shippingsport and Portland and west of Louisville. I came home at night cold and tired with wet feet and (having frank a good mug of beer with Mr. H.) a head rather above the common order.

March 4. I took breakfast with Mr. Henry in order that I might be ready by the time he was, for a trip to the land which I have been travelling back and forth ever since. It is all covered with forest trees, of which the beech and poplar are the most conspicuous. It contains also a large number of ponds to get a correct map of which was the principal object of our journey. They are nearly dry in summer, and support numerous trees, particularly the red or water maple (Acer rubrum) which grows very tall and is

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thickly scattered over the surface. The alder covers those which contain the most water--and we also observed a species of wild rose growing with the alder. The soil is composed of everywhere of a yellow clay covered with a layer of vegetable mold, to the depth of five or six inches.

On a little ridge which bounds one of the largest of these ponds, above mentioned, I observed several chestnut trees (Castaenea Vesca B. Americana) the existence of which so near us I had not before suspected.

Numerous hogs (Sus scrofa) are turned loose in these woods which keep fat all winter on the hickory nuts and beach nuts. Which they find in great plenty, they have become very wild.

We saw the crow (Corvus corons), ducks (Anas baschas), the kingfisher (Alcedo alcyon), two or three species of woodpeckers (Picus), pigeons (Columba migratoria) and a great many species of smaller birds which were (as it was a fine day for them) seen in great numbers flying about in every direction from bush to bush enlivening the lonely woods with their sweet melodious music.

The flowers of the red maple (Acer rubrum) and the leaves of the Elder (Sambucus) and Blackberry (Rhubus vlossus) have already made their appearance,-the heavy frost last night must have been very injurious to them for saw a great number of the flowers of the red maple lying on the ground.

March 5.*** Drew a map of the land we have examined, commenced reading Eaton's Geological Survey of the Erie Canal.

Louisville is now a city.

March 7. My birthday:: Seventeen years old to day, heigh-ho: After taking seventeen severe beatings I did some writing in Mr. Henry's

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room. Went to Louisville after dinner, on the way I found a small herbaceous plant, the flowers of which had begun to expand. I observed that it belonged to the Pentandria monogamia class and order,-corolla blue, leaves fleshy, thick,-Pulmonaria Virgines.

March 9. A great number of pigeons were seen flying about to day in different directions. Darius engaged preparing a letter for Mr. Alfred Barrett, containing a description of the low pressure steam engine. The blackbird first came under my observation to day as I was walking in the field.

March 11. This afternoon our water puppy (Triton lateralis, Say) was found dead in the bottom of the vessel in which he had lived ever since the 4th of Feb. last. For a day or two past he became more noisy than common which I supposed to be an account of the increased warmth of the weather. It was not certainly owing to any pain, agony, or misery,-for we got two others of his species to day, which make fully as much noise. We also got two small specimens of soft shelled turtles (Testudo ferox).***

Yesterday in examining some coal from the Pittsburgh mines, I found some irn pyrites, and some specimens of the coal possessed iridescent colors of which specimen No. 6 is one. The turtles mentioned are spotted on the back, -spots larger on the middle and gradually diminish in size and increase in number until they approach the margin.

March 13. Commenced reading "Basil Hall's Voyages" which I borrowed from Victor G. Audubon.

March 15. We saw on March 5th the mistle-toe (Viscum vertisellatum) on the elm (Ulmus) in the low wet grounds, swamps, or ponds as they are called.

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I had not suspected that the mistletoe grew anywhere except near the river before that day.

March 16. Took a walk into the woods, with Darius, south of this place, but found nothing to interest the botanist,-the ornithologist would have been interested in some degree, but very little.

March 17. Monday, St. Patrick's Day; Irish mean all drunk before night:: An effigy appeared on a pole this morning with a string of potatoes about his neck but he soon disappeared.

March 18. I went to school, where I have not been since the last day of last month.

March 19. Buds of the cotton tree (Populus angulata) containing the masculine flowers are beginning to open.

March 20. Peach trees are in full bloom.

March 21. Worked on the canal, the earth which is excavated is of two kinds, first, a bluish clay with fine sand and gravel, and 2nd, yellowish clay with fine sand, the same variety in color is observed in the sandstone which forms the Knobs, and the sand annually deposited by the river. The blue is the inferior strata laying immediately upon the rock. It is of different thickness but extends the whole length of the canal. The yellow contains minute shining particles (of quarts?), and lays immediately upon the blue variety and is thicker, extending to the surface of the ground, and indeed it is almost the only kind excavated at present. It never contains the remains of old trees, which are found to be plentiful in the blue variety.

Had all the earth been deposited here by the river as has been supposed, why are not these logs found in the yellow variety as well as the blue? Since it must have been deposited by the river and since the blue was deposited ? Bones of deer and Indian implements have been found in the blue, but not in the yellow variety.