Friday night- Allegany Mtn—
After a comfortable nights rest, we set out on foot to reach the height of the mtn- It rain'd fast for a long time, & at length began snowing- We found the roads bad past description,- worse than you can possibly imagine- Large stones & deep mud holes every step of the way- We were oblig'd to walk as much as we possibly could, as the horses could scarcely stir the waggon the mud was so deep & the stones so large—— It has grown so cold that I fear we shall all perish tomorrow- We suffer'd with cold excessively, to day- From what I have seen and heard, I think the State of Ohio will be well fill'd before winter,-Waggons without number, every day go on- One went on containing forty people- We almost every day, see them with 18 or 20- one stopt here to night with 21— We are at a baker's, near a tavern which is fill'd with movers & waggoners- It is a comfortable place, but rather small- One old man has been in examining my writing, & giving his opinion of it in dutch, to a young fellow who was with him- He said he could not read a word of any thing— He found fault with the ink, but commended the straitness & facility with which I wrote- in english- I was glad he had not on his specs—— We came but 10 miles to day, & are yet on the Allegany- It is up hill almost all the way down the mountains— I do not know when we are down them for my part—I'm thinking as they say here, we shall be oblig'd to winter on it, for I reckon we shall be unable to proceed on our journey, on account of roads, weather, &c— We are on the old Pennsylvania road- the Glade road is said to be ten times worse than this-That is utterly impossible- We thought we should escape the waggoners this way; but find as many of them as ever- they are a very great annoyance—— What would the old man say hereto?— I am very tir'd, so good night—
Saturday eve-2 miles from Laurel Hill-Penn-
We came but 9 or 10 miles to day, & are now near the 6th Mountain- in a tavern fill'd with half drunken noisy waggoners— One of them lies singing directly before the fire; proposing just now to call for a song from the young ladies—— I can neither think nor write he makes so much noise with his love songs; I am every moment expecting something dreadful & dare not lay down my pen lest they should think me listening to them- They are the very worst wretches that ever liv'd, I do believe,—I am out of all patience with them- The whole world nor any thing in it, would tempt me to stay in this State three months- I dislike everything belonging to it—I am not so foolish as to suppose there are no better people in it than those we have seen; but let them be ever so good, I never desire to see any of them——We overtook an old waggoner whose waggon had got set in the mud, & I never heard a creature swear so- & whipt his horses till I thought they would die—I could not but wonder at the patience and forbearance of the Almighty, whose awful name was so blasphem'd— We also overtook a young Doctor-who is going with his father to Mad river in the state of Ohio—— He has been studying physic in New Jersey,- but appears to be an uneducated man from the language he makes use of——I believe both himself & his father are very clever- I heard them reproving a swearer— He dresses smart, & was so polite as to assist us in getting over the mud— Susan & I walk'd on before the waggon as usual, & he overtook us and invited us into the house & call'd for some brandy sling- we did not drink, which he appear'd not to like very well, & has scarcely spoken to us since—— He thinks himself a gentleman of the first chop, & takes the liberty of coining words for himself- Speaking of the people in this state, he said they were very ignorant & very superstitionary —perhaps you have heard the word before- I never did—
Sunday morn- We had good beds last night, contrary to my expectation,- and we are going on our journey this morning- It is extremely cold & very bad riding or walking- Mr W- has been so long detain'd by bad weather & riding, that he thinks himself justifiable in riding on the sabbath- I thought so some time ago—
Sunday noon- We are on the top of Laurel Hill, the 6th mountain— We women & girls, have walk'd between 5 & 6 miles this morning— We left the waggons getting along very slowly, & came on to a house to warm us- It is a log hut & full of children, as is every one we come to— The wind whistles about us, & it looks very much like snow—— One waggon got set this morning, & hinder'd us this long time— The young Doctor & his father are still in company with us— The former, who has got over his pouting fit, leaves his father to drive,- while he walks on with the ladies- he is not with us just now— He has not conquer'd the antipathy I bear a young physician— or rather a young Doctor— How little it seems like the sabbath— I would not write if I could do any thing else— but I can not even think good thoughts——