Sunday eve- Sundown-

I can wait no longer to write you, for I have a great deal to say- I should not have thought it possible to pass a Sabbath in our country among such a dissolute vicious set of wretches as we are now among—I believe at least 50 dutchmen have been here to day to smoke, drink, swear, pitch cents, almost dance, laugh & talk dutch & stare at us- They come in, in droves young & old- black & white- women & children- It is dreadful to see so many people that you cannot speak to or understand— They are all high dutch, but I hope not a true specimen of the Pennsylvanians generally— Just as we set down to tea, in came a dozen or two of women, each with a child in her arms, & stood round the room- I did not know but they had come in a body to claim me as one of their kin, for they all resemble me- but as they said nothing to me, I concluded they came to see us Yankees, as they would a learned pig— The women dress in striped linsey woolsey petticoats & short gowns not 6 inches in length- they look very strangely- The men dress much better- they put on their best cloaths on sunday, which I suppose is their only holiday, & "keep it up" as they call it— A stage came on from Bethlehem & stopt here, with 2 girls & a well dress'd fellow who sat between them an arm round each— They were probably going to the next town to a dance or a frolic of some kind-for the driver, who was very familiar with them, said he felt just right for a frolic— I suspect more liquor has been sold to day than all the week besides— The children have been calling us Yankees (which is the only english word they can speak) all day long-Whether it was meant as a term of derision or not, I neither know nor care- of this I am sure, they cannot feel more contempt for me than I do for them;-tho' I most sincerely pity their ignorance & folly- There seems to be no hope of their improvement as they will not attend to any means- After saying so much about the people, I will describe our yesterday's ride- but first I will describe our last nights lodging- Susan & me ask'd to go to bed- & Mrs W spoke to M^r Riker the landlord-(for no woman was visible)- So he took up a candle to light us & we ask'd M^rs W to go up with us, for we did not dare go alone- when we got into a room he went to the bed & open'd it for us, while we were almost dying with laughter, & then stood waiting with the candle for us to get into bed- but M^rs W- as soon as she could speak, told him she would wait & bring down the candle & he then left us- I never laugh'd so heartily in my life- Our bed to sleep on was straw, & then a feather bed for covering- The pillows contain'd nearly a single handful of feathers, & were cover'd with the most curious & dirty patchwork, I ever saw-We had one bedquilt & one sheet- I did not undress at all, for I expected dutchmen in every moment & you may suppose slept very comfortably in that expectation——M^r & M^rs W, & another woman slept in the same room- When the latter came to bed, the man came in & open'd her bed also, after we were all in bed in the middle of the night, I was awaken'd by the entrance of three dutchmen, who were in search of a bed- I was almost frightened to death- but M^r W at length heard & stopt them before they had quite reach'd our bed- Before we were dress'd the men were at the door- which could not fasten, looking at us- I think wild Indians will be less terrible to me, than these creatures- Nothing vexes me more than to see them set & look at us & talk in dutch and laugh— Now for our ride- After we left Mansfield, we cross'd the longest hills, and the worst road, I ever saw- two or three times after riding a little distance on turnpike, we found it fenced across & were oblig'd to turn into a wood where it was almost impossible to proceed- large trees were across, not the road for there was none, but the only place we could possibly ride- It appear'd to me, we had come to an end of the habitable part of the globe- but all these difficulties were at last surmounted, & we reach'd the Delaware- The river where it is cross'd, is much smaller than I suppos'd- The bridge over it is elegant I think— It is covered & has 16 windows each side— As soon as we pass'd the bridge, we enter'd Easton, the first town in Pennsylvania- It is a small but pleasant town- the houses are chiefly small, & built of stone- very near together- The meeting house, Bank, & I think, market, are all of the same description- There are a few very handsome brick houses, & some wooden buildings—From Easton, we came to Bethlehem, which is 12 miles distant from it- M^r W. went a mile out of his way, that we might see the town- It contains almost entirely dutch people— The houses there are nearly all stone- but like Easton it contains some pretty brick houses- It has not half as many stores as Easton—— The meeting house is a curious building-it looks like a castle- I suppose it is stone,- the outside is plaister'd- We left our waggon to view the town- we did not know whether the building was a church or the moravian school, so we enquir'd of 2 or 3 men who only answer'd in dutch- M^r & M^rs W were purchasing bread, & Susan & I walk'd on to enquire- we next saw a little boy on horseback, & he could only say "me cannot english" but he I believe, spoke to another, for a very pretty boy came near us & bow'd & expecting us to speak, which we soon did; & he pointed out the school & explained the different buildings to us as well as he was able; but we found it difficult to understand him, for he could but just "english"- We felt very much oblig'd to him, though we neglected to tell him so- He is the only polite dutchman small or great, we have yet seen; & I am unwilling to suppose him a dutchman. The school buildings are low, long stone houses- the stone houses are not at all handsome- but rather ugly—Where we stopt to bait yesterday, we found another waggon containing a widow Jackson, her 2 sons & a daughter in law- They enquir'd where we were going & told us they were going to the same place & immediately join'd our party- We were sorry as we did not wish an addition to our party, & thought by not travvelling on sunday we should lose their company, but rather than lose ours, they wait till monday-They are very clever people apparently, & we may possibly be benefited by them before we end our journey—We now find the benefit of having our own provision- for I would not eat anything we could get here.