WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
Travels into North America, Volume 2 (of 3) cover

Travels into North America, Volume 2 (of 3)

Chapter 9: January 1749.
By Pehr Kalm
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)Science - BiologyScience - Earth/Agricultural/FarmingTravel Writing

About This Book

The volume offers an 18th-century traveler's systematic account of colonial North American settlements, combining natural history, agricultural practice, and social observation. It attributes rapid population growth to easy access to uncultivated land, low levies, and early marriage, illustrated through local family records. Detailed naturalist notes describe periodic swarms and caterpillar outbreaks, grass-worm infestations, and their cyclical damage to trees and crops. Domestic nuisances receive attention as well, with descriptions of clothes-eating moths, fleas, crickets, and bedbugs and their effects on household goods and animals. Interwoven with these reports are reflections on settlement patterns, farming methods, and contrasts with European conditions.

December 1748.

D. H. Ther. Wind. The Weather in general.
1 N 1 Fair.
2 W S W 1 Fair, and cold; a great halo round the moon at night.
3 W S W 1 A pretty red aurora, however a fair day.
4 7 m 6.0 S S W 0 Fair.
3 a 18.0
5 7 m 5.5 N N E 1
4 a 9.5
6 7 m 6.5 S S W 1 Cloudy.
3 a 14.0 Somewhat fairer: hard rain in the next night.
7 7 m 13.5 S W 1 Cloudy.
2 a 19.0 Fair.
8 7 m 5.0 S 1 Cloudy.
2 a 13.5 Rain and wind next night; thick, but
9 7 m 12.0 S W 2 scattered clouds.
2 a 10.0 W N W 2
10 W N W 2 Scattered clouds.
11 7 m 2.0 S S W 1 Fair.
2 a 12.5
12 7 m 0.5 N E 1 Cloudy, rain, and fog all day from nine o’clock.
2 a 10.5
13 8 m 7.5 S W 0 Foggy, and cloudy.
2 a 10.0 Next night a strong N. W. wind.
14 8 m 1.0 N W 2 Scattered clouds.
2 a 2.0
15 8 m 07.0 W N W 1 Fair and cloudy alternately.
2 a 01.0
16 8 m 01.0 W 1 Fair.
2 a 1.5
17 8 m 02.5 N W 1 Cloudy, some snow, the first this winter.
2 a 00.0
18 8 m 03.0 W 1 Fair.
2 a 4.0
19 8 m 1.0 W 1 Cloudy.
2 a 8.0 Fair.
20 8 m 01.5 W S W 2 Scattered clouds: about six at night were quite red stripes on the sky, to the North.
2 a 7.5 W S W 1[330]
21 8 m 07.0 N 0 Fair.
2 a 2.0
22 8 m 04.5 S E 0 Fair.
2 a 13.0 It grew cloudy in the afternoon.
23 8 m 13.0 S S W 0 Heavy rain.
2 a 18.0 Foggy and cloudy.
24 8 m 13.0 W S W 0 Thick fog.
2 a 17.0 S W 1 Fair; but late in the evening a hard shower of rain.
25 8 m 18.0 S 3 Last night was a storm, rain, thunder, and lightning.
2 a 18.5 S S E 2 Heavy rain all day.
2 8 m 3.0 W 3 Last night a violent storm from W. and S. and heavy rain. The morning was cloudy, and some snow fell.
2 a 3.5 W N W 3 Clears up.
27 8 m 04.0 W N W 3 Fair.
28 8 m 07.0 W 0 Fair.
2 a 8.0
29 8 m 3.0 N N E 1 Somewhat cloudy, and intermittent showers.
2 a 13.0 — 0
30 8 m 8.0 N N E 1 Cloudy and foggy all day.
2 a 10.0 — 0
31 8 m 6.0 W 3 Fair.
2 a 4.0 N W 1 At night a halo round the moon.

[331]

January 1749.

D. H. Ther. Wind. The Weather in general.
1 7½ m 07.0 N W 0 Fair.
2 a 4.0 — 0
2 7½ m 04.5 W N W 1 Alternately fair and cloudy.
2 a 5.5 — 1
3 7½ m 2.0 N W 1 Cloudy.
2 a 2.0 — 1
4 7½ 02.0 W 1 Fair.
2 a 11.0 — 1
5 7½ m 03.0 W 0 Fair.
6 7½ m 03.0 W 0 Fair, but darkened towards night, with some snow.
2 a 14.5 — 0
5 a 14.5 N W 3
7 7½ m 01.0 W N W 1 Somewhat cloudy.
2 a 3.0 — 1
8 7½ m 04.0 W N W 1 Fair.
2 a 8.0 — 1
9 7½ m 03.0 W N W 1 Aurora, cloudy, heavy rains at night.
2 a 8.0 — 1
10 7½ m 15.0 S 2 Cloudy, and showers, some snow at night; at 9 morn. W. S. W. 3; at 11. m. S. W. 4; at 2 aft. W. 4
2 a 2.0 W 4
4 a
11 7½ m 03.0 W N W 3 Cloudy.
2 a 04.0 — 3
12 7¼ m 04.0 W N W 3 Fair.
2 a 01.5 N N W 2
13 7¼ m 07.5 W N W 2 Fair.
1 a 03.0 — 2 Cloudy.
14 7¼ m 05.5 W N W 1 Cloudy, and snows all day; it lay above two inches thick.
1 a 02.0 — 1
15 7 m 07.0 W N W 0 Fair.
2 a 3.0 — 0
16 7 m 08.9 N W 3 All the last night W N W 4.
8 m 09.0 Fair all day.
2 a 08.0 — 1
17 7 m 011.0 N N E 0 Cloudy; snows all day, and the ensuing night.
7 a 09.0 — 0
18 7 m 012.0 N W 1 Cloudy, and snows in the morning, fair all the afternoon, and the ther. at 011.0: snow lay five inches deep.
10 m 011.0 — 1[332]
19 7 m 015.5 W 1 Fair.
1 a 010.5 — 1
20 7 m 012.5 W 1 Fair.
2 a 07.0
21 7 m 022.0 W N W 0 Fair.
2 a 03.0 W 1
22 7 m 05.0 W 1 Fair.
2 a 01.0 W 1 Cloudy.
23 7 m 010.0 W N W 1 Fair; a great halo round the moon at night.
7 a 3.0 — 1
24 7 m 01.0 N N E 0 Cloudy, snows all day.
2 a 4.0 N E 0
25 7 m 00.0 W N W 0 Fair.
2 a 4.0 W 0
26 7 m 013.0 W N W 1 Fair.
2 a 1.0 — 1 Cloudy; at three in the afternoon began to snow.
27 7 m 07.0 W 1 Fair; halo round the moon at night.
2 a 00.0 — 1
28 7 m 01.0 W N W 1 Cloudy; snows almost all day.
3 a 4.0 — 1
29 7 m 05.0 N N E 1 Fair.
3 a 03.0 — 1
30 7 m 013.0 W N W 1 Fair; halo round the moon at night.
3 a 4.0 — 1
31 7 m 04.0 W N W 1 Fair; halo round the moon at night.
3 a 8.0 — 1

[333]

February 1749.

D. H. Ther. Wind. The Weather in general.
1 7 m 03.0 W N W 1 Fair; a halo round the moon at night.
1 a 11.0 W 1
2 7 m 5.0 W N W 0 Fair.
2 a 6.0 W 0
3 7 m 00.0 W 0 Fair.
2 a 19.5 — 0
4 7 m 5.5 W 0 Cloudy; at ten at night wind N N E 3, snow.
2 a 11.0 4 a.N N E 2
5 7 m 06.0 N N W 2 Fair.
1 a 03.0 N W 2
6 7 m 010.5 N W 0 A cracking noise was heard in all houses the night before. Aurora.—Fair all day,—at 7 in the morn. N W 0—at 9, W N W 1—at 11, W 1—at 2 in the afternoon, W S W 1.
2 a 3.0 W S W 1
7 7 m 01.0 N N E 1 Cloudy—fair—at 7 in the morn. N N E 1—at 9, N 1 .—at 10, W N W 1—at 12, N W 1.
2 a 1.0 N W 1
8 7 m 09.0 N W 0 Fair.
2 a 7.0 W 1
9 7 m 03.0 W 1 Fair.
3 a 16.0 — 1
10 7 m 7.0 W 1 Pretty clear; a violent storm with rain all the ensuing night.
1 a 11.0 S S W 4
11 7 m 9.0 S S W 2 Fair; rain towards night; at night a light similar to an Aurora Borealis in S. W.
1 a 11.0
12 7 m 4.0 S S W 3 Fair; about nine at night a faint Aurora Borealis in S W.
1 a 10.0
13 7 m 2.0 W N W 2 Cloudy.
3 a 5.0 N W 2 Fair.
14 7 m 06.0 N W 1 Fair.
3 a 02.5 W N W 2 Flying clouds.
15 6¾ m 010.5 N W 1 Fair; at eight in the evening an Aurora Borealis.
2 a 03.0 W N W 0
16 6¾ m 013.0 W N W 0 Fair.
2 a 00.0 N W 1
17 6½ m 02.0 W N W 1 Cloudy and snow; wind all the afternoon long.
2 a 00.0 W 1[334]
18 6½ m 2.0 W N W 1 Cloudy.
2 a 00.0
19 6½ m 03.0 N N E 2 Cloudy; rain all day, mixed with snow and hail.
2 a 01.0
20 6½ m 1.5 N W 1 Cloudy.
2 a 4.5
21 6½ m 00.8 N W 0 Cloudy; at 5 in the morn, we heard a waterfall near a mill, about a mile S S of us making a stronger noise than common, tho’ the air was very calm—at 10 began a rain which continued the whole day.
4 a 4.0 N N E 1
22 6½ m 3.0 W N W 2 Fair.
2 a 3.5
23 6½ m 06.0 W 2 Fair.
4 a 4.0 Some clouds gathered round the sun.
24 6½ m 4.0 S S W 1 Cloudy.
3 a 10.0 W 1
25 6 m 3.0 W N W 0 Alternately fair and cloudy.
2 a 1
26 6 m 012.0 N N W 1 Fair; cloudy at night; at eight in the evening was a halo round the moon, and the clouds in S. quite red.
3 a 02.0
27 6 m 04.0 N 2 Cloudy, and snow in the morning; but fair at 4 in the afternoon.
3 a 01.0
28 6 m 04.5 N W 4 Flying clouds.
3 a 03.5 W N W 4

[335]

March 1749.

D. H. Ther. Wind. The Weather in general.
1 6 m 09.0 W N W 2 Fair. A great halo round the moon at night.
3 a 01.5
2 6 m 06.0 N W 2 Fair. A faint halo round the moon at night.
4 a 2.5
3 6 m 04.0 N W 1 Fair. Cloudy afternoon. About 8 at night the clouds in S. W. were quite red. At 9 it began to snow.
2 a 6.5 S 1
4 6 m 0.5 E S E 1 Cloudy. Heavy rain at night.
2 a 7.0 S 1
5 6 m 4.0 W 1 Alternately fair and cloudy. The next night calm.
2 a 11.0 W 3
6 6 m 4.0 W 2 Fair.
7 6 m 00.0 W S W 1 Alternately fair and cloudy in the morning. In the afternoon cloudy, with intermittent rain and thunder.
2 a 8.0
8 6 m 2.0 W N W 0 Fair. About 8 at night we saw what is called a snowfire to the S. W.—See Vol. II. p. 81.
3 a 20.0 W S W 2
9 6 m 5.0 N 1 Fair.
3 a 13.5 Cloudy. Snowfire in S. W. about 8 at night.
10 6½ m 5.0 S S E 1 Cloudy. Snow and rain all day, and next night.
2 a 6.5 S E 1
11 6 m 9.0 S S E 1 Cloudy and heavy rain in the morning. Clears up in the afternoon.
3 a 14.0 W 1
12 6 m 9.0 N N W 0 Cloudy in the morning. Clears up at 10. Towards night cloudy, with rain.
3 a 15.0 E N E 0
13 6 m 9.5 N N E 2 Cloudy, with heavy rain. Fair at 4 in the afternoon.
2 a 8.0 10 m. N 3
14 6 m 4.0 W N W 2 Fair.
2 a 10.0
15 3 m 00.0 W S W 0 Fair. Cloudy towards night.
3 a 13.0 W 2
16 6 m 2.5 N N E 3 Snow violently blown about all day.
3 a 01.0
17 6 m 01.0 N W 2 Cloudy. Clears up at 8 in the morning.
3 a 5.0
18 6 m 02.0 W S W 0 Fair. The fields were now covered with snow.
3 a 4.0 W 2[336]
19 6 m 02.0 W N W 1 Fair.
3 a 6.0 N W 2
20 6 m 05.5 W 0 Fair. Cloudy towards night.
3 a 11.5 S W 1 Cloudy.
21 6½ m 2.0 S S E 0 Cloudy. Intermittent showers.
3 a 14.5
22 6 m 10.0 S S E 0 Cloudy.
3 a 19.5
23 6 m 15.0 S S E 1 Heavy rain.
3 a 19.0
24 6 m 8.0 S W 1 Fair.
3 a 15.0
25 6¼ m 6.5 W N W 3 Fair.
3 a 11.0 Flying clouds.
26 6 m 00.0 W N W 2 Fair.
5 a 11.0 S W 2 Flying clouds. About 8 at night a snowfire on the horizon in S. W.
27 6 m 3.0 W N W 1 Fair.
3 a 9.0
28 6½ m 3.0 S 1 Rain all the day, and the next night.
3 a 12.0 11 a.NNW3
29 6 m 1.0 N N W 2 Fair.
2 a 6.0
30 6 m 03.0 E 1 Fair. Cloudy at noon: begins to snow, which continues till night, when it turned into rain.
2 a 4.0 S E 1
31 6¼ m 5.0 N 1 Cloudy.
3 a 14.0

[337]

April 1749.

D. H. Ther. Wind. The Weather in general.
1 6 m 5.5 N N E 1 Rain in the morning,—afternoon,—and in the night.
3 a 3.5 E 1 Snow, with much thunder and lightning.
2 6 m 0.5 N N E 1 Snow almost the whole day.
3 a 0.5
3 6 m 02.0 N W 1 Fair.
3 a 9.0
4 6 m 02.0 W 1 Fair.
3 a 16.0
5 6 m 00.5 N 1 Fair.
3 a 19.0 S W 1 Sun very red at setting.
6 6 m 4.0 S W 1 Fair.
3 a 23.0
7 6 m 13.0 S 2 Fair. Cloudy afternoon.
3 a 24.0 About 7 in the evening it began to rain, and continued till late at night.
8 7 m 9.0 N W 3 Flying clouds.
3 a 13.0
9 6 m 1.0 N 1 Alternately fair and cloudy. Snows in the evening, and at night.
3 a 7.0
10 7 m 2.5 N E 1 Cloudy. Began to rain at ten, and continued all day till night.
3 a 6.5
11 6 m 5.0 N E 1 Rain almost the whole day.
3 a 9.0
12 6 m 2.0 W N W 2 Fair. Afternoon cloudy, with hail and rain.
2 a 13.0
13 6 m N W 2 Fair.
2 a S W 1 Cloudy.
14 6 m E 1 Cloudy; fair at eight. Cloudy towards night.
2 a
15 6 m E 1 Almost quite fair.
2 a
16 6 m 6.5 W N W 2 Fair.
2 a 13.5 — 1
17 6 m 7.0 S 1 Alternately fair and cloudy.
3 a 16.0 S W 1 Rain.
18 7 m 6.0 N 0 Fair.
3 a 18.0 N W 3 [338]
19 5½ m 2.0 N N W 0 Fair.
3 a 20.0 W 2
20 6 m 2.0 S W 0 A hoar frost this morning, fair and very hot all day.
3 a
21 S W 1 Fair; with hot vapours raised by the sun.
22 5 m 13.0 S 0 Almost fair.
3 a 23.0
23 5½ m 11.0 W 1 Fair.
3 a 25.5
24 6 m 12.0 S 1 Cloudy, intermittent drizzl. showers.
3 a 22.0
25 6 m 18.0 S 0 Rain the preceding night, and now and then this day. At night thunder and lightning.
3 a 24.0
26 6 m 28.0 W 1 Fair.
3 a 30.0
27 6 m 17.0 W 2 Fair.
3 a 25.0
28 6 m 7.0 W 0 Fair.
3 a 24.0
29 6 m 7.0 N 2 Fair.
3 a 17.0 E 2
30 5 m 3.0 E 1 Flying clouds.
3 a 15.5 S 1

[339]