This second image is an example of the kind of notes that Hamlin jotted down in his journal. These journal entries are particularly interesting given the layout and also the hand writing. Hamlin used the common cursive style that was popular, making these journal entries very challenging to read. Practically the only word I can make out in this journal entry is “leach”, which can be found in the third section of the document. It seems as though there is a very consistent flow in Hamlin’s work. He writes down detailed observations, draws sketches, and makes calculations in these field notes. Then, he elaborates on his observations in his journal entries. Finally, he seemingly uses a combination of these field notes and journal entries to write his published articles and books.
Curated by Ben Weisel