Thursday Morn- Sewel's tavern-Versailes-township-
Yesterday morning, we did not set out till quite late, but had the good fortune to overtake all our company within an hour or two, & were oblig'd once more to put up with them- We had also, a considerable addition to our party— We were oblig'd to walk a great deal, & just at night, I happen'd to be on before the waggon some distance & prevented Mr W- from stopping at a private house, which we pass'd- I did not think of his wishing it till Mrs J-mentioned it, I then set out to return, but saw the waggon coming & sat down on a log- We did not reach a tavern till some time after dark- & Mr W-got hurt & his waggon got set-, & he feels unpleasantly towards me, & thinks me the whole cause of his trouble— The whole family feel & treat me differently this morning, & I can not think myself to blame- for we are oblig'd to walk almost all the time, & if we are behind the waggon Mr W- always is angry— Mrs W- Susan & I, were oblig'd to walk, till we found a house, & if the young Dr had not been with us, I don't know but we should have pass'd the night in the woods - but he was so good as to assist us - The gentlemen all reach'd the tavern before us, & when Mr W- came & told his trouble, they very kindly went back & assisted him— There were but two beds to be had, so Mr Smith gave up his place to me, & Mr & Mrs W took the other— The gentlemen were very noisy all night, as they could not lie down— I am much better pleas'd with Mr & Mrs Smith, than I was before- He is a lawyer- & I believe knows more, than I at first suspected— He is a great talker, & has a story for everything- We came 14 miles yesterday— To day I am so dreadfully lame that every step I take, almost brings tears- my feet are sore with walking-
Nov-24- Friday morn- Turtle Creek-Penn-
One misfortune follows another, and I fear we shall never reach our journey's end— Yesterday we came about 3 miles— After coming down an awful hill, we were oblig'd to cross a creek; but before we quite came to it, the horses got mired, & we expected every moment one of them would die-but Erastus held his head out of water, while Mr W-was attempting to unharness them, & Mrs W- & Susan were on the bank, calling for help— I sat by, to see the horse breathe his last; but was happily disappointed in my expectation— No assistance could be got- till Mr W- waded though the water, & then 2 men with 3 horses came over— We came to this Inn, & Mr W- thought it best to stay till this morning- All our company have gone on- Mr Smith invited me to ride with his wife, on to Pitts'g- & I on some accounts, wish I had accepted his invitation-indeed I could scarcely get beside it—
We found a gentleman (Doctor I presume by his looks-) here, who was very sociable & staid an hour with us- He appear'd to be a man of good information & considerable politeness— We found the landlord very good natur'd & obliging, & his wife directly the contrary— We find the men generally, much more so than their wives— We are 12 miles from Pitt——& here like to be- The landlord offers to keep Susan & me, till spring, & let the old folks go on— We got into the slough of Despond yesterday-& are now at the foot of the hill Difficulty- which is half a mile long- one waggon is already fast in the mud on it- & Mr W- is afraid to attempt it himself—I think I will winter here——
Friday eve- 9 miles past Pitts'g- Penn-
This morning we set out once more & proceeded 4 miles- It was snowing very fast, & one of our horses was taken sick & could scarcely get that little distance-Mr W- was oblig'd to whip it almost every step to keep it from lying down— We could not ride at all & stopt at the first tavern we came to—We are afraid the horse will die & then what will become of us?—— I am more than ever discouraged-
Sat-morn- Our horse is better & we are going to set out again——