Simply enter the word you wish to find and the search engine will search for every instance of the word in the journals. For example: Fight. All instances of the use of the word fight will show up on the results page.
Using an asterisk (*) will increase the odds of finding the results you are seeking. For example: Fight*. The search results will display every instance of fight, fights, fighting, etc. More than one wildcard may be used. For example: *ricar*. This search will return most references to the Aricara tribe, including Ricara, Ricares, Aricaris, Ricaries, Ricaree, Ricareis, and Ricarra. Using a question mark (?) instead of an asterisk (*) will allow you to search for a single character. For example, r?n will find all instances of ran and run, but will not find rain or ruin.
Searches are not case sensitive. For example: george will come up with the same results as George.
Searching for a specific phrase may help narrow down the results. Rather long phrases are no problem. For example: "This white pudding we all esteem".
Because of the creative spellings used by the journalists, it may be necessary to try your search multiple times. For example: P?ro*. This search brings up numerous variant spellings of the French word pirogue, "a large dugout canoe or open boat." Searching for P?*r*og?* will bring up other variant spellings. Searching for canoe or boat also may be helpful.
| Entering in only one field | Searches |
|---|---|
| Year, Month, & Day | Single day |
| Year & Month | Whole month |
| Year | Whole year |
| Month & Day | 1600-#-# to 2100-#-# |
| Month | 1600-#-1 to 2100-#-31 |
| Day | 1600-01-# to 2100-12-# |
hereafter and to the latest ages, when Bull Run and Shiloh and Port Hudson, when Vicksburg and Stone River
abstract, & other papers submitted to me relative to the title of "Seavey's Island," in the Piscataqua River
sitting in Louisiana, a number of adjudications were had upon libels in rem against steamboats & other river
baffled; Not the path-finder, penetrating inland, weary and long, By deserts parched, snows chilled, rivers
take a serpentine course—their arms flash in the sun—Hark to the musical clank; Behold the silvery river—in
spots, and you airs that swim above lightly, And all you essences of soil and growth—and you, my rivers
green leaves of the trees pro- lific prolific In the distance the flowing glaze, the breast of the river
view of great expanse, & very comforting every way—also a pleasant breeze coming in steadily from the river
Parker's family —I am writing this by my window in the office—it is a fine view, ten miles of river,
country is beautiful now—I take a walk on Broadway almost every afternoon—then sometimes a sail on the river
I am writing this by my window in the office—the breeze is blowing moderate, and the view down the river
It is pleasant this afternoon—the sun is shining out—the river & hills on the other side look beautiful
window I have so often mentioned, & have the cool breeze blow on you, as it is now, & the trees & river
This quotation is taken from Henry David Thoreau's A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849).