[41] The reader may suppose that corn might be grown at the English Prairie as cheap as at Harmony; why it cannot will clearly appear in the account of this Colony.—Welby.
[42] For the location of Bonpas Creek, see Flower's Letters, in our volume x, note 2; Shawneetown, Croghan's Journals, in our volume i, note 108.—Ed.
[43] A relation of Mr. Flower's shot a bear during my stay.—Welby.
[44] A brief account of the early settlement of Princeton may be found in Hulme's Journal, volume x of our series, note 17.—Ed.
[45] On returning to Philadelphia, and stating how I had disposed of the baggage I was greeted with grins and smiles; one said he would not give fifty dollars for my chance, another offered ten, and in short I found that no smart fellow thought of trusting another in America; and that he who should think himself safe under the pledge of honour or honesty was considered a fiat and deserving to be taken in! At Vincennes I had yet to learn this at the expense of at least a thousand dollars.—Welby.
[46] This depreciation will appear nothing when compared with the following. Towards the close of the struggle for independence a Mr. S***** travelled westward in order to collect some out-standing debts; after receiving which in notes and on his road home, he actually paid within sixteen miles of Philadelphia, three hundred dollars for a breakfast, and even this bargain he would not have been able to make, he found on his return, to that city!—The government have never been able to enter into any arrangements to redeem these notes.—Welby.
[47] I added to the diet, strong gruel of Indian corn meal, or wheat flour, which enabled them to travel.—Welby.
[48] A short sketch of Major Spriggs will be found in Faux's Journal, ante, note 113.—Ed.
[49] It was in the beginning of November when I crossed the Ohio near Louisville; at that time a fine new steam vessel, of I believe two hundred and fifty tons burthen, was waiting the rise of the water. What a daily loss this detainer must have been to the proprietors! Many people were staying at Louisville in order to go passengers by her to New Orleans, a journey of between fifteen hundred and two thousand miles, which was to be performed in six days independent of wind: to get back it would require three or four weeks. This vessel was to convey the western mail to New Orleans—the accommodations in every respect were excellent and the whole interior was fitted up in the most complete manner; the price to New Orleans for each passenger was, I understood, forty dollars.—Welby.
Comment by Ed. The first steamboat mail to New Orleans was carried in this year by Captain Shreve upon his boat, named in honor of the occasion, "Post-Boy."