Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, Volume XII Part 16

This was strange, but not so particularly unaccountable as at the time I thought it; for, I afterwards learned he had not sown either one or the other, although he ventures to put forth this year in one of the American newspapers, what in charity we will suppose a day-dream--a pleasing mental deception, in the form of a letter in which he expresses himself thus; (I quote from memory having mislaid the journal,) "We have now about as many acres {118} of corn sown as there are settlers, that is seven hundred."

Now, from the best inquiries I could make, there was not then two hundred and fifty acres sown in the whole settlement, and on Mr.

Birkbeck's ground not a rood! Therefore, it may be truly said, that the colony was still for its existence depending for bread upon the exertions of those who, from a distance of many miles, bought and brought corn and flour for the market. In corroboration, I will here insert an extract from a published journal by a Mr. Hulme,[40] formerly a great bleacher near Manchester, and a friend of Mr. B., who had lately paid him a visit. Mr. H. writes, "The whole of his operations had been directed hitherto (and wisely in my opinion,) to building, fencing, and other important preparations. He had done _nothing in the cultivating way but make a good garden_, which supplies him with the only things that he cannot purchase, and purchase too with more economy than he could grow them."

This Mr. Hulme knew the comforts and cheapness of Philadelphia, and its market, too well to think of settling at Boulton-house Prairie; besides, he evidently sneers, as much as a friend can, at the choice of situation Mr. B. has made, because it appears not to possess any {119} of the capabilities for mills, &c.: he adds, "I was rather disappointed, or sorry at any rate, not to find near Mr. Birkbeck's any of the means for machinery, such as waterfalls, minerals, and mines; some of those however he may yet find."

Thus has Mr. B. chosen to build a house, plant a garden, and dwell in a situation where he cannot grow corn so cheap as he can purchase it, and have it conveyed at a considerable expence from the settlement of Harmony,[41] distant above twenty miles; in a situation too, which if it have any recommendation at all, it must be for the purposes of agriculture, for others it has none that are yet discovered. This may be to the taste, and it may suit the purse of Mr. B., and no one could fairly find fault with him for pleasing himself; but, when he steps beyond this line, and publishes plausible representations to induce others to seek fortune and independence in such situations, he is then doing that which he has no right to do, and has much to answer for: he has led people into this wilderness where, for any thing he has done, they may in vain look around for the expected shelter; they will see only Mr. B's house and garden, and perhaps {120} two or three log huts which at present const.i.tute the whole of the new town of Wansborough; in short, he seems only to have thought of himself and to have falsified his public promises. I believe it to be a fact that the colony could not have outlived the winter of 1818, but that the whole must have been dispersed or starved, had it not been for the exertions of Mr. Flower; who perceived in time the coming want, and at considerable trouble and expence obtained a sufficient and timely supply. Mr. Birkbeck, in his publication, inveighs strongly against land-jobbing; yet if I am correctly informed he has obtained and is now gaining great profits by it,--he has entered as many as thirty thousand acres, which he now disposes of in lots as high, where he can, as four dollars per acre; it seems indeed to be his only business, to carry on which with better success he has given to others, it is said, an interest in the concern to find out and bring in purchasers of more money than judgment. One of these jackals, reported to be so employed, I met with on the road.

Having said thus much of an individual who has become noted for promissory books, and who therefore deserves to be noted for non-performance, let us turn to the contemplation of that which has been accomplished by those who did {121} not promise any thing, but who have done much. Mr. Flower, ably a.s.sisted by his father and in conjunction with a few others, has formed the settlement of New Albion, (an auspicious name;) and notwithstanding the miserably unprovided state in which I found it, much had certainly been done, and more was rapidly doing towards rendering the place habitable. Among other well-judged resolutions, they had determined, that in future all the houses should be substantially built of bricks, for the manufacture of which they have, as I understood, plenty of good clay in the neighbourhood.

A neat covered market, and place of worship, as before observed, had been finished and opened to the public; to which I have to add that a roomy boarding house and tavern were half up; a store (shop) pretty well supplied was opened; a wheelwright has been already mentioned: besides this trade many other artisans had come in, and the chief want was a sufficiency of the several materials of their business to work upon; but fair expectations may be entertained that, ere this account shall be published, the place will have become well supplied with most of the common comforts of life, not excepting the essential of water.

It clearly appears, that at present the {122} produce of the earth can be _bought_ cheaper than it can be _grown_ here; but let us look forward to the period when this shall not be the case, and the time must surely soon arrive or the colony cannot long exist:--What then will be the prospect of a market that the settler will have for the produce, which shall be more than the consumption of the neighbourhood? It is this,--at about twelve miles distance is a place called Bon Pas, consisting of a tavern and two or three houses, situated upon a creek communicating with the Wabash river; to this creek, (the mud in which not always allowing boats to come up it,) as the nearest point from the English settlement to water carriage, all the corn and other exportable produce must be hauled by land; to be conveyed in boats down to Shawnee town on the Ohio,[42] (sixty miles,) and thence down that river and the Mississippi to New Orleans: there to be shipped either for Europe, or for the eastern ports of America. It must be obvious then, that the price which can possibly be allowed to the western grower, in order to meet the eastern farmer on equal terms in his own market, must ever make the business of the first a comparatively bad one: and as it is thus in the American markets so will it be in Europe; the freight from the eastern ports being so much less, as {123} the distance is less, and navigation safer;--but against this manifest disadvantage may be set the supposed greater fertility of the western country, and the less price of the land per acre: but it will never do.--These advantages, if granted, are more than counterbalanced by the higher price of all the imported articles of common consumption.

The best hope of the English settlement must be, that in the common course of events, the time may arrive when the population will be sufficient to make its own markets; and awaiting that period, they must be resigned to sink their immediate interests in the prospect of laying the foundation of future fortune for their posterity. Meanwhile, it may have attractions for many; whether on account of their principles religious or political, from general turn of mind, or misfortunes met with elsewhere; to such it may afford an asylum: but let none forget that the comforts of life are more than cent per cent dearer (and many are not to be obtained at all,) than they are in the eastern States; and that for this cause, more than the climate it is, that health is far more likely to be preserved in the old settled country, than here.

The strange heterogeneous mixture of characters which are collected hither by the magic {124} pen of Morris Birkbeck, is truly ludicrous.

Among many others, a couple now attend to the store at Albion who lately lived in a dashing style in London not far from Bond-street; the lady brought over her white satin shoes and gay dresses, rich carpets, and every thing but what in such a place she would require; yet I understand that they have accommodated themselves to their new situations, hand out the plums, sugar, whiskey, &c., with tolerable grace, and at least "do not seem to mind it." At Bon Pas we sat down to a wild turkey with a party among whom was an _exquisite_, so complete, that had it been the age of genies, I should have thought _it_ had been pounced upon while lounging along Rotten-row, whirled through the air, and for sport set down in this wilderness to astonish the natives: the whole has truly a most pantomimic effect, and Momus might keep his court at this anomalous scene, and laugh to his full content.

Let us now bid adieu to the English settlement, my sentiments respecting which are, from what has been said, so obvious as to render any thing more unnecessary. We are taking the road to the German settlement called Harmony, and will only stop the wheels to make mention of the very complete farm yards and surrounding {125} buildings, which Mr. Flower has erected; also of his flock, consisting of upwards of four hundred sheep, which has been collected in a very short s.p.a.ce of time and part of which he brought from England; these feed during the day upon the prairies, and are brought into the yards at night _for safety from the wolves and bears_.[43] A yoke of fine oxen too were daily plowing for him the prairie land, and preparing a considerable breadth of it for cultivation:--But though men of capital may thus in great measure bring many of their comforts with them, and attract others, yet after all that can be said of this place it is at present a bad concern; from which it was with no small pleasure that I knew myself in a situation to get away; and many,--many expressed themselves to be of the same opinion, though with rueful faces, for they were obliged to stay, having spent their all to get there.

HARMONY

From Bon Pas (the future Emporium of the commerce of New Albion!) we soon crossed the Wabash at a ferry of difficult approach; for the {126} river banks are steep and high, and the descent is therefore rather dangerous for a carriage; we got over safe however, and then keeping the river close on the right, arrived in the evening at the German settlement, and put up at the excellent good tavern, neatness itself, but furnished in the very plainest manner, and beyond a three cornered arm chair, there was not a piece of furniture which could excite the repose of indolence or the indulgence of luxury. After a plain repast, accompanied however with some good beer and a bottle of white wine, both the produce of the colony, (for the last we paid one dollar,) we sallied out to take a view of a place which could afford such good cheer. Before we proceed to examine it, however, I am disposed to talk a little of the great cementing principle of the society--_a communion of goods_.--While the rest of mankind are given up to a selfish principle; while each one is ama.s.sing the possessions of this transitory scene, grasping them truly as if he were never to part with them, these people, under the guidance of their spiritual pastor M. Rapp, are shewing to the world the practicability of what they esteem the real christian principle; they are living in the utmost harmony with a strict communion of property.

All the products of the earth, which all contribute their share of labour {127} to produce, are deposited in the common stock, whence each one receives whatever may be required for his comforts. Indeed, what my host at the tavern told me seems perfectly true; "We have every thing we can want" says he, "for our comfort and _something more_."

Nothing short of a pure religious principle (certainly not worldly interest,) could keep such a community in harmony; that here is an example of its doing so is at first view highly gratifying; it gives promise that the time may arrive when mankind may generally adopt it.

Should it stand the test, it must bring conviction to all, what some think _now_ must be the universal belief; at least _christians_ must be convinced that the inst.i.tution of property, with all its attendant "hard words, jealousies and fears" is incompatible with a religion which proclaims "peace on earth, good-will towards men," and prescribes mutual love and benevolence as essential to happiness here and hereafter.

This colony, (though they admit into their communion any one, who professing their principles and submitting to their rules wishes to be admitted among them,) is composed chiefly of poor Germans; who have fled from a despotic government, to enjoy quietly in this remote scene their religion, and the fruits of their industry:--{128} In their leader they place implicit confidence, and obey him with prompt.i.tude; he directs the labours of the day as well as their religious duties; and in neither is there any perceptible distinction made between the members of his own family and his flock. The same plain dress is worn by all, and all equally go to the labours of the field. To shew the extent of their reliance on, and obedience to him, the following fact is sufficient: soon after the commencement of their settlement M. Rapp, foreseeing the serious difficulties which would arise from too quick an increase of their numbers, told them it was necessary that for the present they should not have any more children. He was obeyed for the necessary period; but the interdiction has been since removed and plenty of children were to be seen in proof of it. Mr. Birkbeck has misrepresented this temporary order as a fundamental law of the society, and takes occasion to condemn them for it; when in fact it was a very wise forecast, preventing the distress which would have certainly ensued from the want of sufficient provisions.

Let us now take a view of this interesting colony. The site is obviously well chosen on a good soil, rather elevated, and at a sufficient distance from the low grounds near the river for {129} the advantage of a healthy air: the streets are of s.p.a.cious width crossing each other at right angles, and lined with Lombardy poplars: the houses, which at leisure are to be replaced by others of more durable materials, are at present log cottages of a pleasing picturesque plan, and very neatly thatched; to each is attached a garden, a yard, a shed, and out-house for the cow and other purposes, the whole having an air of great comfort. Near the inn in a square open s.p.a.ce stands the church, which, though formed of wood and boarded, is a handsome large building. On one side this square is the house of the pastor, the materials of good brick. It is large, and finished in the best style of workmanship. Of the same material they have also built a s.p.a.cious store which contains articles of grocery, hardware, and indeed every thing that the inhabitants of the surrounding country require, and with these it seemed to carry on great business: this store is guarded with close iron-barred windows, and its general appearance corresponding, I inquired what occasion _they_ had for a prison? This caution is no compliment to the honesty of the settlers around. A large steam mill is at work constantly, where they grind corn, card wool, saw boards, &c.: they have also thrashing machines of great power and indeed {130} a vast variety of other machinery; they dye cloth pretty well: there are buildings ample for school instruction, and in short, (for, to enumerate every thing would require a long residence among them,) they seem to possess every comfort. The vines were loaded with beautiful ripe grapes both black and white; and they were fast covering the hills of sandy soil in the neighbourhood with new vineyards. It was the Indian-corn harvest, and the young women and children, standing in a large circle, were employed in stripping off the leaves and throwing the cobs into baskets, which the men carried into the barns on willing shoulders. We contemplated this scene with much pleasure and then proceeded to take a view of the country around the settlement; which we found cleared to great extent, and sown with wheat looking luxuriantly and promising abundance.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Church at Harmonie]

The whole here described, and probably much more might escape observation, has been effected in the short period of five years and a half!--They may fairly take for their motto _vis unita fortior_, for they have accomplished wonders by it; far more than money could have effected with mercenary workmen, and far better too, for here is no interest to deceive the employer; they work for themselves. But, though inclined, {131} I must not dilate upon this fascinating principle which seems to strike at the root of most if not all of the moral evils of society; heartily hoping that its practicability may stand the test, and prove its sterling character, I shall therefore take leave of the subject with a few more observations, which will end what I have to say respecting this quiet industrious people. They keep no accompts of the several branches of their industry;--an annual taking of stock is all they think necessary; which is done in order to know the extent of their resources, and that they may be able to calculate their sufficiency to the wants for the year.

There was, I must confess after all, a dull sameness pervading the place, which I am willing to attribute rather to the phlegmatic German character than to their inst.i.tutions. There is too, a depression of spirit which hangs about every man, far removed from the country which gave him birth, from those early scenes of childhood upon which his eye first rested with delight, and from those friends "he ne'er shall see again." Expatriated communities, like plants removed from the seed bed, for awhile sicken; but if planted in a genial soil they in time take firm root, again spread abroad their leaves, and flourish.

{132} Music they have, for we heard a grand pianoforte well played; they may have other instruments and also other amus.e.m.e.nts though I saw none; and their language, which I did not understand, precluded conversation, for no one, except my host of the tavern, not even M. Rapp, spoke English or French. The women, to use the phrase of a polite man, are the _least handsome_ I ever beheld: the Colony therefore may possibly not be much disturbed by female intrigues, and thus be free from one other great cause of embroilment among mankind. To conclude my observations, they seem according to their own ideas a happy people; and did they possess a little more liveliness, more polish, and talk English one might have lived among them, which is more than I felt inclined to do in any other society we met with.

_October_ 3d. We were now considerably above four thousand miles from home. It was the original intention that we should winter at Vincennes, on which account various necessaries had been sent from Philadelphia as well as brought with us; but I had already nearly _seen enough_, and having been informed, also judging from what I had seen,

(Of hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent _river banks_ --------_Mora.s.ses_ vast and desarts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven;)

{133} that the roads of Indiana were seldom pa.s.sable for wheels in the spring of the year, and not until the beginning of summer, I began to think that a winter and following spring pa.s.sed in the western country, might leave the choice of a winter pa.s.sage home or the further delay of another year; which would be too long a detainer from old England: and we therefore entertained thoughts of getting back before winter to one of the eastern ports, whence, if necessary, we might embark at any time during the winter, or otherwise to stay till spring. Not to lose time and fair weather therefore, in getting back to Vincennes to make arrangements for the return, we quitted the interesting Colony of Harmony early in the morning; having to drive thirty miles to Princetown[44] the nearest station. Throughout the whole of my journey, though sometimes at a loss, I was fortunate enough not once to lose the way; a circ.u.mstance partly owing to being very particular in noting directions whenever they could be obtained--a plan that cannot be too strongly recommended to travellers through difficult countries. Let them not be content with directions from one individual, but ask every one they may meet; I have often had cause to repent confidently pa.s.sing a person, and within half a mile after have found myself in uncertainty: this {134} was the case on leaving Harmony after obtaining what we thought full directions; but people who know a country are hardly ever sufficiently circ.u.mstantial to a stranger.

In a few miles we pa.s.sed in the midst of the forest a solitary meeting-house, and soon after met several respectable looking people on horseback in their Sunday clothes coming to it. We were this day probably beholden to our fire-arms for safety; and though many travellers do not carry them, I strongly recommend all those who have any property not to omit it. A ruffian-looking fellow had introduced himself to me at Harmony, under pretence of shewing a note which he had received, he said, above thirty miles westward, and which proving to be a forgery he must go back to exchange. He wanted much to be informed of my route, but this of course I avoided telling, and thought no more of him; but to-day, instead of going back as he had said, we suddenly saw him riding after us upon a wretched horse, and he soon pa.s.sed with such a dogged look that I had no doubt on my mind of his intentions, which were the more confirmed by his stopping afterwards frequently and looking about and at us. So we got under arms; I placing the rifle between my legs as I drove, and the pistols at my side: he evidently wavered {135} in his resolution, apprehensive that more people might be near on their way to the meeting, and perhaps not liking our number. We soon came up with him, however, at a log-hut, where he was fortifying with whiskey; and as we marched past we took care he should see we were prepared: he looked hard, but before we were out of sight struck off in another direction and we saw him no more.

Slept at Princetown; where there was found nothing more important to note than a tolerable good inn, and some blackberry wine of my host's own manufacture, for a bottle of which he had the conscience to charge a dollar, and "by the light of the moon" next evening we got safe back to Vincennes, and found those of our party left there during this expedition all well. From this pleasant town we made short excursions in the neighbourhood, and a week pa.s.sed in irresolution whether to winter or to attempt the return at this season; for various were the representations and advice upon the subject: among the inducements to stay there is plenty of shooting of all kinds, the place is healthy, and we had the offer of a furnished house.--If the reader has been called upon to act under circ.u.mstances where the _pros_ and _cons_ have been so equally balanced, that it seemed not possible to refer the affair to the {136} decision of the judgment,--perhaps _he_ has tossed up. _I_ did not, but I resolved to go: and having once determined, the necessary arrangements were soon made; the baggage waggon and its contents to a considerable value were intrusted to the _honour_ and _honesty_ of a Vincennes merchant,[45] and with my dearborn, and luckily all the four horses, on the 11th October, I commenced my retreat. I intended to take the same route homeward as far as Zanesville, (Ohio,) and from thence by a northerly course to Lake Erie, proceed to the Falls of Niagara, then to Albany and down the north river to New York; but the lateness of the season afterwards induced me reluctantly to alter the plan, and to return through Maryland.

In retracing our steps we shall not have occasion for much observation, until we take new ground on entering the State of Maryland.

From Vincennes the first week brought us to Louisville; a distance of near one hundred and {137} fifty miles. I had been instructed, by the persons who cashed my bill at Vincennes, to consult with a broker of this town who was requested to exchange those notes which were not at par for others that were so, taking a per centage for the transaction--he did so; and the reader is informed, in order that he may have some idea of the state of the banks and of public credit, that twenty-five per cent or one quarter was the difference of value of notes between Louisville and Vincennes.[46]

The end of the second week brought us again to Maysville, or Limestone on the Ohio, which divides Kentucky from Ohio State. The country does not lose on the review; even in Indiana it seems to be cultivated to greater extent than at first sight it appeared to be; the weather is delightful, and the various tints with which the foliage glows is far beyond the reach of pen or pencil. This season is called here the _Indian_ {138} _summer_, and indeed the agreeable temperature of the air, the beauty of the day, and the variety of forest scenery I could much wish to describe though vain would be the attempt. Let the reader imagine the finest autumnal day in England, and suppose an unvaried succession of such days, as far from oppressive heat as from cold; let him then cull from our woods every tint of autumn's foliage, heighten every colour in imagination, and add more; then perhaps he may have a faint idea of the Indian summer season.

At Lewis's tavern in Indiana we witnessed a fine appearance of the aurora borealis; beautiful columns of light in constant motion and of great breadth continually darted upward, extending and shortening by turns while others crossed these; the whole moved gradually towards the west. At this place we were overtaken by a lady and gentleman, their child and nurse, returning from Lexington from an excursion to the new settlement of Indostan on the White river;--they travelled in their own carriage, (a chariot) it may therefore be well supposed that the roads were tolerably good. Their arrival caused a good deal of consultation and contrivance for the night's accommodations; there was but one room for both {139} parties, which, by hanging up sheets and other subst.i.tutes for curtains, was at length divided into four;--beds were then spread, and all slept quietly without furnishing any scene in which either Scarron or Fielding would have delighted: 'tis true we set fire to the log chimney, for the night was cold, and we had piled the f.a.ggots a little too high, but this was luckily seen before retiring to rest, or it might have been attended with serious consequences to us. My host, a shrewd spirited little fellow, strutting about in the short cloak a l'Espagnol worn here, and with his black worsted remains of stockings full of holes, which did not in the least damp his self-conceit, told me next morning, on my remarking the scarcity of houses of entertainment for travellers, that indeed another _good_ house besides his own was much wanted on the road.

Great is the facility of acquiring money here if a man has judgment; he first looks out for some spot where a tavern is wanted, he immediately cuts down the trees around and puts together a rude log hut, which he covers with shingles (wood tiles;) a board is then inscribed "tavern,"

or "house of entertainment." Inside you find it very sparingly furnished, but he has got some fowls and spirits, and if he minds, his fortune is made. Travellers are plentiful, and his charges {140} as high as if he could treat them with every comfort, instead of putting two people _commonly_, and sometimes three, into a bed; in a room, too, containing four, five and six beds! The horses are put into another inclosure of logs, the interstices of which near a foot wide, (in summer an advantage,) are not at all closed even during the severity of winter.

At Paoli town, Indiana, we arrived on the day of militia muster, and found there a considerable concourse of people, for it appeared to be a holiday. It would have been idle to look for the regular uniform, correctness of evolutions and discipline, where probably neither the power nor the wish to attain these existed; a few only wore a uniform of neat grey colour with sash and long feather; the rest in the usual dress, and each man armed with his rifle. The amus.e.m.e.nt or chief exercise of the day, beyond the roll call, seemed to be firing at marks, at which they have justly established a character for great dexterity.

Yet the American has but little skill with his arms in hitting a moving object, whether running or flying; indeed he scarcely ever attempts it, and he must too have his accustomed weapon or it is a chance if he succeeds;--a man dexterous with his rifle was admiring the pistols I carried, and wished to {141} try them; he shot twice at fifteen paces without even hitting the tree on which the mark was placed: that the pistols may not be supposed faulty, I mention, though _no practiser_ with the weapon, that I hit close to the mark each shot, and with both, for he would change thinking mine might be the best. The same person with his own rifle without a rest, (which aid by the way is frequently taken advantage of,) at sixty yards shot from a tree a piece of paper no larger than we could see. Towards evening the mult.i.tude dispersed, and again the silence of the desert prevailed.

At Louisville we first saw the effects of a violent epidemic disease which had attacked the horses, and many were dying of it. The disorder appeared first upon the tongue, without any previous symptoms of fever that I perceived; blebs or blisters rose, broke, and increasing in number the whole tongue shortly became completely skinned and much swelled; the malady extended itself gradually down the throat, and the animal died, more it would appear from inability to take in food than immediately owing to the disorder.--Almost every horse we met on the road had caught the infection; at Louisville and Frankfort, at the last in particular, I saw near forty altogether in one yard: various were the {142} modes of treatment; some bled them and gave physic upon the first appearance; diet, soft mashes with nitre honey and the insides of gourds: the animals seemed to suffer greatly from hunger. The local applications were a mixture of copperas, alum, and blue vitriol pulverized and rubbed upon the tongue twice or more each day, in order to destroy the activity of the disease, and a frequent washing between these applications, with honey and alum water. This was the mode of treatment I adopted,[47] for three of my horses caught it, and they all recovered, though one was reduced so low that I was obliged to exchange him at Maysville. With the others we continued the journey without the delay of one day, and they were in better condition on re-entering Philadelphia than when they left it.

At Lexington (Kentucky) we stopped at the Indian Queen which is a good house. Another change of notes became here necessary; those of the Bank of the United States were not to be procured, and no others being received with any certainty on the road, I sold the notes changed at Louisville for dollars at a further discount of two and a half per cent, and even {143} for this bargain I was again beholden to the good offices of the same gentleman who had kindly cashed my draft when going westward. My dollars were put into a bag, and as I returned swinging them along to the tavern, the weight caused some reflections on the different effects on mankind of specie and paper as circulating mediums;--the first, by its weight obviously tends to make one think more of expenditure even in small sums; the latter, by the facility it affords of carrying in the pocket-book sums of any magnitude must have a directly reverse effect;--perhaps one of the greatest evils attendant upon the paper money system may be attributed to this cause, and the very inconvenience which I now experience of carrying an inconsiderable sum in specie might therefore, if general, be an important means of raising the value of money, and of establishing economy in public and private affairs.

25th. Quitted Mr. Chamber's hospitable house at Maysville; and crossing the river ascended the steep hill which immediately presents itself in the State of Ohio.--On reaching the top we received the first intimation of a change of weather--snow had fallen and did not disappear the whole day from the shade; gales of wind now blew, and rain had lately fallen in different {144} parts in sufficient quant.i.ty to render the roads wretchedly bad: our progress was now slow and frequently difficult;--we pa.s.sed several laden waggons of emigrating parties either set fast in the clay and digging out, or broken down and waiting for the aid of some distant blacksmith. This was a sad change of scene, however we kept up a good spirit, and having a light though strong carriage, good cattle, and helping these with our own exertions up some of the steepest hills, we surmounted all difficulties, and arrived without accident the end of the fourth week at Washington, Pensilvania, distant from Vincennes about five hundred miles.

Travellers, whether through unformed tracks of distant countries or over the mighty ma.s.s of waters, must possess minds little susceptible of impression, if they do not, in such situations, feel themselves more peculiarly under the protecting hand of providence. To pa.s.s safely a length of way, where a false step might frequently bring destruction, is alone a subject of thankfulness; but to have seen themselves within a moment, a hair's breadth of destruction, and to be preserved, must bring the sentiment to their minds with tenfold force: one day while traversing Ohio State, a gust of wind blew off the top of a large dead tree, which fell with a {145} tremendous crash on the spot over which in another moment of time we should have been pa.s.sing!

At West Union, a small town with a good court-house, we had intended to sleep; but on arriving found the whole place full of people and to obtain beds impossible; at which the owners of the tavern very civilly expressed their regret, and though in the midst of hurry and bustle thought to speak for beds to the owner of a good private house, three or four miles further who happened to be in the inn. While the horses were feeding however, we went into a room, the table of which was covered with a profusion of fowls, ham, veal, beef, and many other symptoms of plenty; to partake of which the hostess very hospitably pressed us, and, that we might not be backward in accepting her proffered good cheer, a.s.sured us that it would be no loss to them, as every thing on the table would be swept away not to appear again; for especially upon these occasions nothing was ever brought on a second time.--"Have you no poor people to accept of the remains?" said I. She knew but of one family, she replied, to whom it could possibly be acceptable, and she did not think even these would receive it. An additional instance this, proving that food is abundant in {146} this country. Paid here for a new horse-shoe about eighteenpence sterling.

In pa.s.sing through Ohio, the Derbyshire of the United States, we found in the sitting-rooms coal fires used almost generally in preference to wood; but from an extraordinary prejudice, which even exists at Philadelphia and other places, wood is still used for the purpose of cookery, and they will not believe that a dinner can be dressed properly at a coal fire.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bridge at Zanesville, Ohio]

We again slept at Wheeling, and again were much pleased with the situation. Old Major Sprigs[48] did us the honour to entertain us at his very good house, though it was very perceptible that he, in common with so many more, is not in charity with English blood: as a proof of the feeling, he was complaining of the rats about his premises, none of which vermin, he said, "were to be found in the country before the English brought them!"

This is the beginning of the season for Venison. A man came to the door with a horse-load which the Major bought for threepence sterling per lb., the price asked. Let not the reader long for American venison and fancy it to resemble a fine haunch fed in an English park; it is lean and more like horse-flesh, with very few exceptions.

Many families and other parties were still waiting {147} here, and at other places where we had crossed the Ohio, until the rising of its waters should enable them to pa.s.s down to the west: this did not happen, I was told, in the past year until the month of December; and to all appearance it may be as late this season; during the interval these poor people are exhausting their resources, losing their time, and at last will pa.s.s down the river at a most unpleasant and dangerous season of the year, if the ice should permit, a circ.u.mstance not probable: those travellers therefore, who intend such mode of conveyance, (a very pleasant one in summer,) should not start later than May; as the waters rapidly subside after June, when it frequently happens that none but light and nearly flat-bottomed boats can get down.[49]--{148} The rivers of North America it must be acknowledged are grand, but this annual loss of water will perhaps ever be a drawback to their utility which no art can remedy. I am more than half inclined, however, to withdraw this opinion, for American enterprise is alive to the object; and two works which I saw in progress, and which by this time may be finished, give promise that much may be accomplished;--one of these is at Louisville, where a ca.n.a.l cut at great expense will enable vessels to avoid the Falls of the Ohio, dangerous at all times, and often impa.s.sable;[50]--another on the Schuylkil, where the aim is to deepen the water sufficiently to render it at all times navigable.[51] Weirs are carried at certain distances nearly across the river, leaving a s.p.a.ce for a short ca.n.a.l with two locks to pa.s.s vessels.

[Ill.u.s.tration: View at Fort c.u.mberland, Maryland]

Should this plan become generally adopted on those rivers where the navigation fails annually from the loss of water, it will, among other good results, conduce essentially to the health of the climate; by preventing the stagnant pools left in hollows, and the exposure of slime and mud to the sun, now the pregnant source of disorders.

Where, or when an American uses water for the purpose of washing more than his face and fingers, {149} does not appear, for no water ever goes up stairs at a tavern unless your own servants take it. Under the shed of the house, water and tin basons are placed in the morning, and each one on coming down rubs his face and hands over;--they may bathe perhaps in the rivers occasionally; if not, they are decidedly dirty people.--An English youth at our inn at Wheeling in order to wash himself a little more effectually, let his shirt down to his waistband; an attempt at cleanliness so unusual, caused a general surprise and laugh among the _yahoos_.

At a small place called Claysville, a stage from Washington (Pensilvania), a man came to offer to the tavern-keeper for sale a fat pig; the price he demanded was about two shillings and sixpence sterling per stone of fourteen pounds, and I was told that he would have taken a quarter less.--Another proof this, if one were wanting, of the cheapness and plenty of food.[52]

We stayed a day at Washington, Pensilvania, comfortably received at Mr.

Morris's good tavern, and then took a new route by the south-west corner of this State: crossing the Monongahela river we baited at Brownsville,[53] at an excellent house kept by Mr. Evans, an emigrant; from {150} thence, by a fine new road through Union Town,[54] we soon entered the picturesque State of Maryland, and arrived at a small town called Fort c.u.mberland. The traveller by this route will pa.s.s the mountains scarcely knowing it, except from the fine views of the subjacent country which are frequently presented to view; that from the top of the hill about eleven or twelve miles west of c.u.mberland is truly magnificent. Along this well-formed road we pa.s.s without once being stopped to pay toll, and I understood it to be the intention of the United States government to finish and support this western road, from Washington the seat of the government down to New Orleans, by a fund to be raised solely for that purpose; a liberal plan and worthy of imitation. Of the few picturesque stations it has been our lot to see, Fort c.u.mberland stands first; it is not in itself a town of any importance or containing many good buildings, but surrounded as it is by mountains covered with beautiful foliage, and its stream winding through the vale, it forms a whole worthy the pencil of a master: at the distance of about six miles are some natural curiosities of rock, cave, and waterfall, which, owing to the lateness of the season, I did not chuse to lose a day in viewing though invited to it by the respectable old Patriarch of {151} the settlement, who in his ninetieth year yet offered to walk and accompany us to the scene.

[Ill.u.s.tration: View at Fort c.u.mberland, Maryland]