Harmon's journal. 267 



iake twenty one sturgeon, that were from eight to 

 twelve feet in length. One of them measured 

 twelve feet two inches, from its extreme points, 

 four feet eleven inches round the middle ; and 

 would weigh from five hundred and fifty, to six 

 hundred pounds. All the sturgeon that we have 

 caught, on this side of the mountain, are far su- 

 perior in flavour, to any I ever saw in any oth- 

 er part of the world. 



A few days since, we cut down and threshed 

 our barley. The five quarts, which I sowed on 

 the first of May, have yielded as many bushels. 

 One acre of ground, producing in the same pro- 

 portion that this has done, would yield eighty 

 four bushels. This is sufficient proof that the 

 soil, in many places in this quarter, is favourable 

 to agriculture. It will probably be long, howev- 

 er before it will exhibit the fruits of cultivation. 

 The Indians, though they often suffer for the 

 want of food, are too lazy to cultivate the ground. 

 I have frequently tried to prevail on some of 

 them to hoe and prepare a piece of ground, prom- 

 ising them that I would give them potatoes and 

 turnips, with which to plant it ; but I have not 

 succeeded. Having been from their infancy train- 

 ed up to privation, the fear of want is a much 

 less powerful stimulus to excite them to industry, 



