From Union town, the turnpike was only begun at different places, but many men were employed on it. Near the town, the {65} land was of good quality. We afterwards passed a rocky ridge of hills, perhaps a spur of the mountains. Here the land was rather poor, a clay on a slate-rock; but many fine orchards well stored with good apples, and some morello-cherries still on the trees. A woman, at a small cabin, offered us some, if we would take the trouble to gather them; we took two or three pounds; they were small but palatable, being very ripe. But cherries, in general, are not so good as in England, as the Americans seldom bud or graft any fruit-trees, only planting the stone. Land better as we approached Brownsville, on the Monongahela.[92] Brownsville is a thriving place, with some iron-works: at high water many people embark here for Pittsburg. As the national road crosses the Monongahela at this place, there is a bridge to be built over the river; it was about 300 yards when we forded it, but it is much wider when the water is high.
From the river we went six miles, mostly through woods, to the Golden Lion Tavern. {66} A woman milking her cow, on the side of the road, gave us some milk, and offered us some apples, of which there were large quantities in their orchard. She said they purchased their farm for 2700 dollars, 900 of which they paid down at the time, and the remainder by instalments, most of which were now paid; and when the whole were paid, she would not give a cent to call King George her uncle. A large wooden building, by the side of the road, in ruins, and a new stone-chapel, belonging to the Methodists, built to supply the place of the old one. Here the Methodists are numerous: we passed a wood on the east side of the mountains, where a camp-meeting had recently been held; these meetings often continue four or five days, during which they have prayers four times a day.
4th. I proceeded on foot to Pittsburg, having some business to transact there, the rest went on towards Wheeling; I should have left the national road at Brownsville, as I was there at an equal distance from {67} Pittsburg. I went five or six miles through a poor country, to Bentleyville;[93] a place with several taverns, a large public school, a grist and a saw mill on a very large creek, then low, but much subject to floods in wet weather. I then went two miles up a valley, full of sugar-maple trees, most of them had been tapped for procuring the sweet liquor to make sugar. February, in general, is the month for making it; they catch the sap in wooden troughs, and most of them are left under the trees from one season to another. After leaving this valley, at a little distance, I entered the road from Brownsville to Pittsburg; here I first saw some water-meadows, although I had passed many pieces of land that might easily have been irrigated. The water was taken along the side of the hill for some distance; it was not done in a good manner, yet still it was a great improvement: I have seen but few water-meadows since. I slept at a tavern, five or six miles from Pittsburg. This day I travelled twenty-five miles.
{68} 5th. I reached Pittsburg at nine o'clock in the morning, after having crossed the Monongahela in a ferry-boat, for which I paid three cents. Having concluded my business at the bank, I took a walk round the town: it is a large place with upwards 7000 inhabitants. It is well situated for trade on the Ohio, at the junction of the Monongahela and Allegany rivers. A large bridge is nearly finished over the Monongahela, and another partly built over the Allegany; both these bridges have stone-piers above high water-mark, but the remainder of them is of wood. The bridge, that was nearly finished, was divided into four passages; two for carriages and horses, the other two for foot passengers. Contrary to the English practice, each takes the right-hand side; so there is no meeting on the bridge, as there are two passages for coming out, and two for going into Pittsburg. These passages are covered over, with holes in the sides to admit air and light. As the whole is covered, the bridge is kept dry in {69} all weathers, and the timber is prevented from rotting. They are longer and higher than London-bridge, at least at the ends, being quite level. The streets are laid out in straight lines, from the Monongahela to the Allegany rivers, and crossed by others mostly at right angles. There are many handsome brick-buildings, but there are also a great number of log and frame-houses. There are several places of public worship, a large market house, several banks, numerous taverns, and large stores; yards for building steam and other boats. Several steam ones were building, and others laid up, the water being too low for them or large flat-bottom boats to get down the river, when I was there. Trade of all kinds extremely dull. Owing to the quantity of iron-works, it has a black and dismal appearance; and from the account I had heard of it, I was, on the whole, rather disappointed in Pittsburg. It was a desert until about the year 1756, when the French, from Canada, built a fort near it.[94] But a few {70} years after it was taken by the British, and the name of Du Quesne changed to Pittsburg. From that time till the revolutionary war it was held by them, and during that war it increased much, being made a place for the manufactory of arms. Yet as the Indians remained near it for some years, they were very troublesome; but now they are removed to a greater distance, except a few, who are settled near, and have adopted the manners of the Americans. It will always be a place of considerable consequence from its situation. It is 1100 miles from the mouth of the Ohio, and more than 2000 from New Orleans. Steam-boats, in high water, come from New Orleans to Pittsburg, in seventy or eighty days; but from the latter to the former place in much less time.
Having purchased a new rifle for 18 dollars, and taken a place in the Wheeling stage for Washington, for which I paid 2 dollars 50 cents; I supped and slept at {71} the Pittsburg Hotel; charge for supper and bed 50 cents.
August 6th. I left Pittsburg, in the stage, before day-light, and crossed the Monongahela, by the new bridge. Then up a very steep hill, the passengers all walking; we passed a very rough country, for nine or ten miles, to a tavern, kept by the driver of the stage, where we breakfasted; they charged us 2s. 3d. each, instead of the usual charge of 1s. 1½d., yet our fare was very indifferent. From this tavern to Cannonsburg,[95] eight miles; the country still rough, but better as we approached this town. Here is a college, a large brick-building, where most of the principal people of Pittsburg send their sons to finish their education. This town was begun twenty years since by a Mr. Cannon. It is pleasantly situated on the side of a steep hill. From this town, seven miles, to Washington (Pennsylvania), along a rough road with many log-bridges; but some of my fellow passengers, from the state of Kentucky, called them corderoy. The {72} stage-coach was very different from an English one, it was much more like a light waggon; it was covered at the top, but open on the sides, with leather curtains to let down in case of rain or cold. The road being rough, we could not keep these curtains down, as there was no sort of fastenings to them; and as it rained very hard several times, we got wet. We were much crowded with luggage; the seats were placed across the carriage, and the luggage under them. At Washington we dined, and I drank some spruce-beer (for the first time in my life), and I found myself very unwell from it. I left the room, and went into the air; in a few minutes I was better; but as the stage still stood at the door, I did not return for about twenty minutes, when I found they had changed coaches, and were gone. I endeavoured to recover my money, but there was no bookkeeper to be found.
Wishing to rejoin my family at Wheeling, I set off on foot; the afternoon was excessively hot. The road was good for {73} the first ten miles, to Claysville, a new town.[96] Then six miles of hilly country to Alexandria;[97] here I took some refreshment, and again set forward: near this place I left the state of Pennsylvania, and again entered the state of Virginia. Then six miles farther to a tavern, where I intended to sleep; but the house being full, they recommended me to go two miles farther on. It was very dark, and thundered much; when I arrived at this tavern I could not make any of the family hear, but I roused two or three great dogs, and I was again forced to proceed. My road lay up a long valley, part of the national road to Wheeling. I passed over several large stone-bridges, but partly finished; at length it began to rain, and I put up at the first building I could find; it proved to be a stable. This day I travelled twenty-five miles by the stage, and about the same distance on foot.
7th. From my lodgings, in the stable, I proceeded up a valley to some houses, and enquired the way to Wheeling. I found I {74} was in the right road, and that it was only seven miles distant. I found much excellent land on the sides of a creek; the meadows were particularly so: I saw twelve small hay-ricks in one large meadow. The Indian corn was much larger than any I had before seen.
I met the two men who had driven our waggons; from them I learnt where my family were, and that they had settled with them for the carriage of our luggage. It is but justice to them to say, we had every reason to be satisfied with their conduct during our journey; Marchant, in particular, was in his manners much above his station in life. At seven o'clock I reached Wheeling.[98]
After breakfast we entered into an agreement with Messrs. Knox and Pemberton, of Wheeling, for the conveyance of ourselves and luggage to Louisville, in Kentucky, 600 miles, for 50 dollars, on condition we should help to navigate the boat down the river. We hired a horse and dray, for a dollar and {75} a half, to convey our luggage on board, and paid one dollar for the room where our goods were lodged. We laid in some provisions for our voyage, as we expected to sail in the afternoon, but a thunder storm coming on, we stopped till the next morning: we slept in the ark or flat boat. There were twelve tons of store-goods, for Cincinnatti and Louisville, besides our luggage of about three tons. The ark was about 36 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a fire-place in the centre; it was covered with boards, as a protection from the weather.