At half past two we were abreast of Eighteen mile creek on the right, so called from its being that distance from Point Pleasant.
Five miles from where we dined is Swan creek, a handsome rivulet on the right, and Mercer’s bottom, a fine settlement on the left, and a mile further, it is separated from Green’s bottom by the Little Guiandot, a beautiful small river.
Green’s bottom settlements, which are very fine and populous, extend along the left bank three miles, and a mile beyond them the river hills approaching within a quarter of a mile of the bank, a remarkable cliff called the Hanging rock, impends from about half their height, and they again recede. On the right opposite to Hanging rock, is a bank of clay under which is a substratum of fine potter’s clay.
It is two miles from Green’s bottom to the next settlement. A gust threatening, we stopped to shelter at it—but the house was locked up, and no one at home. Every thing here testified to its being an honest neighbourhood, as the smoke-house was left open, with a quantity of fine bacon in it—a crib was full of corn, and shirts and jackets were left drying on the garden fence.
After the shower, we went on three miles to Miller’s farm house at the mouth of Federal creek on the right, where we landed and bought some salt pork for stores, and some milk for supper. Miller seems to be active and industrious, and keeps a keel boat for freighting on the river, but he says he gets very little encouragement.[100]
It was now half past six, and in an hour and three quarters we rowed eight miles further, when it coming {132} on dark, and I not being willing to lose the view of any part of the river, we stopped at Joel Bowden’s tavern and farm on the right, contrary to A——’s wish of letting the boat float down the current all night. Though we had provided our supper, yet we preferred ordering one at Bowden’s, for the sake of whiling away a little time, and gaining information about the country.
He had removed his family here from Marietta in April 1806, and had to begin to clear away the forest to make room for a cabin, and he now has twelve acres completely cut, grubbed and smooth, and eight acres cut, but not grubbed, all planted and under fence, besides a natural orchard of sugar maple of seven acres, out of which he has cleared every thing else except about four hundred sugar trees, which will be enough to supply his family with sugar.[101]
{133} He has also planted an apple and peach orchard and a nursery, and will cut six tons of hay this year. Such instances of industry and perseverance are frequently seen in this country amongst the New England settlers, of which Bowden is one, who are generally remarkably enterprising, and judiciously economical. His house not promising superior accommodation for sleep to our skiff, we re-embarked after supper, and on our platform enjoyed undisturbed repose, until five o’clock next morning, when we loosed from the bank, and proceeded at our usual rate of from three to four miles an hour.
FOOTNOTES:
[98] For the history of the French settlement of Kaskaskia, see Michaux’s Travels, vol. iii of this series, p. 69, note 132.—Ed.