22 July: During the night Mr. Bodmer woke me. He had written me two letters, neither of which I had received. In order to conclude our affairs quickly, he had appeared in person. This was most agreeable to me. Much to my chagrin, I now learned that our chests and trunks still had not arrived in New York from Boston and that there was no prospect of them for a long time.

Since today was Sunday, when neither steamships nor stages go to New York, Mr. Bodmer stayed here, and after breakfast we took a walk to L. [sic, Joseph] Bonaparte’s garden. We viewed the nicest places and climbed up into the upper building and its high gallery, where we had a beautiful view of the entire region, and spoke with a Frenchman who lives in this building. As we were on the way there, white-tailed deer (Cervus virginianus) suddenly stepped out on the path in front of us. We were told that they were numerous in these thickets, but all the old deer had been shot off because, during the rutting season in fall, they roamed about the area and caused damage for the neighbors.

Today I learned that the Nymphaea lutea advena is not the only aquatic plant growing in the river but that Pontederia cordata also frequently grows here, standing above the water on taller stalks, the beautiful blue flowers of which were just now blooming. In a young oak close to Bonaparte’s residence, we found a pretty nest with two eggs of an unimpressive gray or blackish colored bird (Muscicapa [——]. The nest was neatly built and rested between two branches. Mr. Bodmer sketched L. [sic, Joseph] Bonaparte’s residence in the park, [Page 1:47]and in the afternoon, accompanied by a local resident, we went there again to finish the drawing. I once more took back many interesting plants, including the two aquatic varieties and several kinds of oak.

It was very hot in the afternoon; at six thirty the Fahrenheit thermometer stood at 69° [20.6°C] in the cool, shady corridor. Today, not far from the inn, we saw young Murat (son of the former king of Naples), who had married a woman from this region and settled not far from Bordentown.