Fannitsburg- Penn- McAllen's Inn-Wednesday night- Nov- 6th-
We have over come 2 mountains to day- & are between the 2d & 3d brothers- We walked over it-I have walked about 8 miles to day & feel as much fatigued as I have almost ever been in my life- It was 4 long miles over- We met a number of waggons on it- but no other travellers- This is a very small but pretty place- The 3 first m-ns are very near each other- the 4th is 40 or 50 miles distant—They are higher than I expected, & make a formidable appearance- It has been very smoky all day- I am so tir'd I can neither think or write, so good night——
Thursday morn- We had a good nights rest, but I am so lame I can scarcely walk this morning- I have a mountain to walk over, notwithstanding— Mr W's horses grow so dull that he expects to be oblig'd to put up for a few days, & we are all almost discouraged—The weather looks stormy & where we shall get to or what we shall do, I cannot imagine—The Jacksons enquire about the road & the mountains &c &c., of every one they see, & get such different & contradictory answers from each one, that it perplexes & discourages us all- I wish they would be contented to wait patiently till time & experience inform them what they cannot find out any other way- Mr W says I have now an opporty to experience the truth of a text of scripture which says "all men are liars"- I found that out long ago- & this journey confirms the truth of it.
Peach Orchard, P- Thursday night-Phelps' Tavern—
I do not feel to night, my dear Elizabeth, as if I should ever see you again- 3 mountains & more hundreds of miles part us; & tho' I cannot give up the idea of returning, I cannot think of traversing this road again- If I live to return I will wait till the new turnpike is finished— We cross'd the last brother this morning, & found the greater part of it, better than the other two- but about 60 rods near the top it was excessively steep— We found a house at the foot of the steepest part- A woman & her 2 sons live there & keep cakes & beer— The woman told us she had no husband at present—I suppose, she has one in expectation—On the first mountain, I found some sweet Williams— We stopt at noon, at a dismal looking log hut tavern- The landlady (I hate the word but I must use it,) talk'd about bigotry, bigotted notions, liberty of conscience &c- She did not look as if she knew the meaning of conscience, much less of bigotry— All this afternoon we have been walking over young mountains, distant relations of the 3 brothers, but not half as clever- I was so lame & so tir'd that for an hour I did not know but I must set down & die- I could not ride- the road was so bad, it was worse than walking- I would not tell you all this, if you were to receive this before it is all over—— It rain'd a very little all day, but just at night it began to rain very fast, & I expected we should all catch our death, walking thro' mud & mire, with no umbrella, or but one that would not cover us all- We were wet thro before we reach'd this dreadful place where we now are— The Woman is cross & the Man sick——
Friday night- It rain'd all day yesterday, & such a shocking place as this is, I never saw- A dozen Waggoners are here, some half drunk & no place for us to stay in but our waggons or a little chamber with 3 squares of glass in it- with scarcely room to sit or stand—
Saturday morn—— I am now in despair, it continues raining faster than ever- The house full of drunken prophane wretches, the old woman cross as a witch- We have nothing to eat & can get nothing but some slapjacks at a baker's some distance off, & so stormy we cannot get there—— Mrs Jackson frets all the time, I wish they would go on & leave us, we should do as well again—— Mr Beach & his wife & child & the woman who is with them, are here, & the house is full- Mrs Beach rode in all the rain Thursday, but took no cold & bears it well as any one- It rains most dreadfully & they say it is the clearing off shower- Oh, if it only proves so—— "Oh had I the wings of a dove, how soon would I meet you again"- We have never found the wretches indelicate till last evening, but while we were at tea, they began talking & singing in a most dreadful manner—— We are 4 miles from Sidling hill, the next mountain, & a mile & a half from this, there is a creek which we must cross, that is so rais'd by the rain, as to render it impossible to pass it——
Saturday night- Our "clearing up shower" has lasted all day with unabated violence,— Just at sunset we had a pretty hard thunder shower, & at dusk there was clear sky visible & the evening star shone bright as possible, but now it is raining fast again—After giving an emetic I would take a long journey with my intended, to try his patience—— mine is try'd sorely now- I wish you could just take a peep at me-my frock is wet & dirty a quarter of a yard high, only walking about the house- I have been in my chamber almost the whole day, but was oblig'd to go down just at night to eat, & look at the sky- I was very much frighten'd by a drunken waggoner, who came up to me as I stood by the door waiting for a candle, he put his arm round my neck, & said something which I was too frighten'd to hear- It is the first time the least insult has been offer'd to any of us- One waggoner very civilly offer'd to take Susan or me, on to Pittsg in his waggon if we were not like to get there till spring- It is not yet determin'd which shall go with him— One waggon in crossing the creek this afternoon, got turn'd over & very much injur'd— We have concluded the reason so few are willing to return from the Western country, is not that the country is so good, but because the journey is so bad— Mr W. has gone to & from there, 5 times, but thinks this will be the last time- Poor Susan groans & sighs & now then sheds a few tears-I think I exceed her in patience & fortitude——Mrs Wolcott is a woman of the most perfect equanimity I ever saw- She is a woman of great feeling & tenderness, but has the most perfect command over her feelings- She is not own mother to these children, but she is a very good one—— I have learn'd Elizabeth, to eat raw pork & drink whisky-dont you think I shall do for a new country? I shall not know how to do either when I end my journey, however- We have almost got out of the land of dutchmen, but the waggoners are worse—— The people here talk curiously, they all reckon instead of expect— Youns is a word I have heard used several times, but what it means I don't know, they use it so strangely— Mr Rees used to exclaim at any thing wonderful, "Only look at that now"— "I reckon you are going into the back countries" is now our usual salutation from every one—— Susan is in bed for want of some employment & I will join her, after telling you, it has really clear'd off now, & the moon is shining in full splendor.- I hope to-morrows sun will deign to smile upon us- It is long since we have seen it—— I expect to be oblig'd to go thro' a process of fire & brimstone at my journeys end & shall feel thankful, if that will remedy all the evils arising from dirty beds &c— I find no necessity for even that yet, but I fear I shall soon——good night——