During our walk, we were shewn the scites of no less than three projected towns, on the different properties of Messrs. Martin, Brookes, and Coburn, at any of which, the situations were better than at Maysville, both in point of room for building, and communication with the interior of the country. They however all failed, in favour of Maysville;[112] but those attempts to establish towns on their estates, will serve to give some idea of the ambitious and enterprising spirit which actuates the landholders in this country.
Maysville is the greatest shipping port on the Ohio, below Pittsburgh, but it is merely such, not being a place of much business itself, but only serving as the principal port for the north eastern part of the state {149} of Kentucky, as Louisville does for the south western. It has not increased any for several years, and contains only about sixty houses. It is closely hemmed in by the river hills, over which the most direct road from Philadelphia through Pittsburgh and Chilicothe leads to Lexington, and thence through the state of Tennessee to New Orleans.
Several vessels of all sizes from four hundred tons downwards, have been built here, but as none are now going forward, I presume the builders did not find that business answerable to their expectations. It is a post town, the mails from both east and west arriving on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Its situation causing it to be much resorted by travellers, that gives it an appearance of liveliness and bustle, which might induce a stranger to think it a place of more consequence in itself than it really is.
After breakfasting with our host, I delivered a letter of introduction to Mr. George Gallagher, one of the principal merchants, who received me very politely; then leaving our boat with our landlord to be disposed of, we set out on foot for Lexington, at half past eleven o’clock.
FOOTNOTES:
[112] The town on the property of Thomas Brooks—one of the early pioneers who came to Kentucky before 1776—was called “Rittersville;” that of John Coburn was first designated as “Madison,” but later as “Liberty.”
Judge John Coburn was a Philadelphian who came to Kentucky (1784) on the advice of Luther Martin, living at Lexington until 1794, when he removed to Mason County, and was made judge of its courts. A prominent Democrat, he declined the position of judge in the territory of Michigan; but later accepted the same for that of Orleans, holding court at St. Louis. Coburn was an ardent friend of Daniel Boone, and the act appropriating land for the latter in his old age was passed at his instance. He also served as commissioner (1796) to run the boundary between Virginia and Kentucky; and after holding many offices of trust, died in 1823.—Ed.
CHAPTER XXIV
Delightful country—Beautiful fields of maize—Washington—A philosophical butcher—An architectural wagonner—May’s-lick—Barren hills—Licking river—Dangerous ford—Blue licks—Good inn—Salt furnaces.
Our road led over a high hill but of easy ascent for about half a mile, with small cultivated spots here and there. When at the summit of the river hills, we entered on a fine country, consisting of hill {150} and dale, with very extensive farms, and some of the largest fields of Indian corn I had ever seen. Perhaps no plantation has a more beautiful appearance than a field of maize in that stage of vegetation in which we now saw it. It was in tassel and silk according to the country terms. The first of these is the flower or blossom, which grows on the top of the plant which is from eight to twelve feet high. It is of a light brown colour and resembles the feather of a quill stripped down and twisted round the stem, and nods and trembles with the slightest air of wind. The latter consists of a few silky and silvery threads, which issue from the end of each ear, from two to three of which grow at the height of about two thirds of the stalk. The leaves which grow luxuriantly from the stalk to from a foot to two feet long, are of a deep and rich green, and have their ends generally bent down by their own weight. It is impossible to convey an idea on paper of the beauty of a field of fifty or sixty acres in this state. A field of sugar canes in the West Indies, when nearly ripe, comes the nearest to it in beauty and appearance of any other species of cultivation I am acquainted with. It might be deemed impertinent to occupy the time of the American reader, in describing the appearance of a field, to the sight of which he is so accustomed, but should these sheets ever find their way to Europe, it may afford information to those who may never have an opportunity of knowing more of the culture of so useful, so noble and so beautiful a plant.[113]