Nov-24- Friday morn- Turtle Creek-Penn-

One misfortune follows another, and I fear we shall never reach our journey's end— Yesterday we came about 3 miles— After coming down an awful hill, we were oblig'd to cross a creek; but before we quite came to it, the horses got mired, & we expected every moment one of them would die-but Erastus held his head out of water, while M^r W-was attempting to unharness them, & M^rs W- & Susan were on the bank, calling for help— I sat by, to see the horse breathe his last; but was happily disappointed in my expectation— No assistance could be got- till M^r W- waded though the water, & then 2 men with 3 horses came over— We came to this Inn, & M^r W- thought it best to stay till this morning- All our company have gone on- M^r Smith invited me to ride with his wife, on to Pitts'^g- & I on some accounts, wish I had accepted his invitation-indeed I could scarcely get beside it—

We found a gentleman (Doctor I presume by his looks-) here, who was very sociable & staid an hour with us- He appear'd to be a man of good information & considerable politeness— We found the landlord very good natur'd & obliging, & his wife directly the contrary— We find the men generally, much more so than their wives— We are 12 miles from Pitt——& here like to be- The landlord offers to keep Susan & me, till spring, & let the old folks go on— We got into the slough of Despond yesterday-& are now at the foot of the hill Difficulty- which is half a mile long- one waggon is already fast in the mud on it- & M^r W- is afraid to attempt it himself—I think I will winter here——

Friday eve- 9 miles past Pitts'^g- Penn-

This morning we set out once more & proceeded 4 miles- It was snowing very fast, & one of our horses was taken sick & could scarcely get that little distance-M^r W- was oblig'd to whip it almost every step to keep it from lying down— We could not ride at all & stopt at the first tavern we came to—We are afraid the horse will die & then what will become of us?—— I am more than ever discouraged-

Sat-morn- Our horse is better & we are going to set out again——

Nov^br 26- Saturday night- 3½ miles beyond Pittsburg-

Just as we were getting into the waggon this morning, M^r W- found he had left his great coat 4 miles back, & went back on foot after it, while we proceeded to Pitts- which we reach'd about noon— M^r W- came about an hour after—— After getting well warm, Susan & I were going out to view the town, when M^r W- came & hurried us away, as he wished to cross the river before night- From the little we did see of the town, I was extremely disappointed at its appearance- It is not one half as large as I suppos'd- but I am unable to give you any account of it, from my own observation— It is situated at the confluence of the 2 rivers, the Alleghany, & Monongahela- The town suffer'd very much by the flood- One house floated down the river- its inhabitants were in the upper part of it calling for assistance-none could be render'd & what became of them I did not learn- I believe it is not known- It was late before we could cross the river (Alleghany) & we came on but 3 miles & a half to a very good tavern- The man & his wife are both good natur'd—We found the road to day, better than for a long time— We left almost all the stones when we cross'd the last mountain- & to day I believe we have cross'd the last hills of any consequence- We are now- "on the banks of the pleasant Ohio"——

Sunday eve- It has been all day & still is, raining another flood I fear- All the men in the neighborhood came here to keep the sabbath by drinking whiskey &c. &c- but no swearing— I sat reading very quietly & one of them came & desir'd to look over me- I very much doubted whether he could read, but he convinc'd me he could by his observations, which were given with such a tobacco breath as almost suffocated me- He was not more than half shaved, & could read without spelling more than half the words- for he would read a page & half in an hour, nearly— There is a sweet little boy here about 3 years old- He has been writing with me some time & talks so much to me that I am as slow writing as this man was reading— This is the 6th sabbath since I left you— We have lost our company—I quite want to see some of them again—