P V Fithian.
[JOURNAL]
Wednesday 19.
Mr Lowe & Fantleroy left us early But I agreed to stay till tomorrow—I gave to Nelson on going away 2/2—To Miss Sally the House-Keeper 5/.—
Thursday 20.
I rose by three, & left Home by half after four—Gave Nelson & Dennis half a Bit a piece—rode thence to Westmoreland Court House ten Miles by half after six—Fed my Horse & drank some Brandy—Expence a Bit—Rode thence to Mattox Bridge 18 miles—Fed here three quarts of Bran & Corn for a Bit—The Bloody-Flux is now extremely bad in this Neighbourhood—I am told that scarce a Family is clear of it, & of every family some die!—Rode thence to Tylers Ferry 8 miles the road extremely dry & dusty—At two I set off for Maryland, the wind fresh at South East arrived at Mrs Laidlers by five Ferriage 7/6 I gave the Ferrymen a Bottle of Rum—Here I dined on fryed Chicken, Ham, with good Porter—Accomodations good—I[n] Bed by half after Seven—
Fryday 21.
Directly over my Room was a sick Woman that kept a dismal groaning all night—My window-Shutters Clapt the Potowmack howl'd, yet I Slept—My Bill at Mrs Laidlers—A Bottle of Porter 2/. Dinner 1/3 Bed./6d—Bottle of Rum for Ferrymen 1/3—Gallon Oats./8d—Stable & Foder 1/.—A smart looking Girl at Mrs Laidlers made me smile—She was complaining to me of the unhealthy Climate, that these three months past she has had a constant Ague & Fever, & been in the Country only six months—Pray Miss said I did you come from Britain?—No Sir, I came from London—Rode thence to Port-Tobacco—It has been extremely sickly here this Fall—Bill to Barber 1s/8—Breakfast 1/—Hay and Oats 1/3—Mrs Halkinson my Landlady, a poor aged, distress'd Widow, when she found that I was acquainted with her little son at Princeton, seemed a little to revive; she beg'd me to encourage her Son to be diligent & industrious, to caution & admonish him from h[er] against bad company & wicked practices—She told me of her great & sore loss of an only Daughter, a young woman of 15 this Summer, since which, she told me in tears, that She has been a stranger to health & Quiet—O relentless Death!—How universal & severe are thy Commissions! From Mrs Laidlers to Port Tobacco is called 13 miles—I rode thence thro' a fog of Dust to Piscatua 14 miles. The Landlady here is very ill—That dismal disorder the bloody-Flux has been extremely bad at Port-Tobacco, & in the Neighbourhood of this town, but is subsided—Expence here half a Gill of Brandy./3d—Oats & Fodder./6d—Left this Village half after four, and rode to upper-Marlborough, almost blinded with sweat & dust!—Arrived by seven, a little tired this Evening—Distance 16 Miles—Whole distance yesterday including the Ferry 8 miles 44 Miles—Whole Expence 8/7—That epidemical distemper above mentioned has been likewise raging in the Neighbourhood of this Town—Bill at Marlborough To Tea 1/3—To lodging ./8—To Oats 1/1—To stabling 1/.—
Saturday 22.
Rode thence to Patuxen Ferry 4 mile Ferriage./6d—Thence to South River 12 miles, Ferriage./6d—To Boy ./4—Thence to Annapolis 4 miles—Bill here To Dinner & Club 4/6—To Hay & Oats 1/3—To two Silver watch Seals 15/6 To half Gallon Rum for Ferryman 2/6—To Hay for Horse /8—To Barber 1/—Left Annapolis at 6 no wind returned about 8 to the Coffee-House To Ferriage across the Bay 17/6—