Part 3

We put up for the Sabbath at a tavern where none but the servants deign to look at us- When I am with such people, my proud spirit rises & I feel superior to them all-- I believe no regard is paid to the sabbath any where in this State- It is only made a holiday of-- So much swearing as I have heard amongst the Pensylvanians both men & women I have never heard before during my whole life- I feel afraid I shall become so accustom'd to hearing it, as to feel no uneasiness at it. Harrisburgh is a most dissipated place I am sure- & the small towns seem to partake of the vice & dissipation of the great ones-- I believe M^{rs} Jackson has cast her eyes on Susan or me for a daughter in law- for my part, though I feel very well disposed toward the young man, I had not thought of _making a bargain_ with him, but I have jolted off most of my high notions, & perhaps I may be willing to descend from a judge to a blacksmith- I shall not absolutely determine with respect to him till I get to Warren & have time to look about me & compare him with the judges Dobson & Stephenson- It is clever to have two or three strings to ones bow-- But in spite of my prejudices, they are _very clever_-- Among my list of _cast offs_, I would rank Dutchmen, a Pensylvania waggoner, ditto gentlemen- for their prophanity- & a Slut- The words, Landlord & lady, terrible,- get married,- get a husband-&c &c-- I do not find it as easy to write a journal as I had hoped- for we are seldom favour'd with any more than the barroom, & there is always as many men as the room will hold besides our party, & there is nine of us- so you may judge whether I find it difficult or not- I frequently begin a sentence & forget how to finish it,- for the conversation grows so loud, that I am oblig'd to listen to it & write between whiles- I sometimes get quite discouraged & think I will not try again, but I take too much pleasure in writing, to give it up willingly--

10 miles West of Carlisle- Penn-Monday Nov-5^{th}-

We came but a little peice as the Dutchmen say, to day, & are in a most curious place to night- If possible I will describe it- It is a log hut built across the road from the tavern, for _movers-_ that the landlord need not be _bother'd_ with them-- Had it been possible for our horses to have reached another inn we should not have staid with the cross old dutch fellow-we have a good fire, a long dirty table, a few boards nailed up for a closet, a dozen long boards in one side & as many barrels in the other- 2 benches to sit on, two bottomless chairs, & a floor containing dirt enough to plant potatoes-- The man says he has been so bother'd with movers, that he has taken down his sign, for he does not need his tavern to live-- If we had a mind to stay we might but if we chose to go on he had no objection-- Cross old witch- I had rather have walk'd 10 miles than stay, but the poor horses could not-- We are going to sleep on the floor all in a room together in the old stile without bothering the old Scamp, for any thing-Mrs Jackson has beds-- If I did not feel provok'd with the wretch I should rest comfortably-

Tues- morn- The old man I believe feels a little asham'd of his treatment of us & was going to make some apology, but concluded by saying with a forced laugh, that if we ever came there again, he would treat us just so- He may if has oppor^{ty}--

Tuesday night- Nov-6^{th}-

We have only counted 17 miles to day although the riding has been much better than for several days past- We stopt in Shippenburgh at noon- The town contains only one street a mile & a half in length & very thickly built- The street is some part of it pleasant, & some part dirty-- I saw in it a handsome young gentleman who was both a dutchman & Pennsylvanian, yet in an hour & half I did not hear him make use of a single oath or prophane word- It was a remarkable instance, the only one I have known, & I could not but remark it- Prophanity is the characteristic of a Pennsylvanian---- We are 4 miles from Strasburgh & the mountains, & one of our horses is ill, owing to Erastus giving him too many oats- Erastus is master rather than his father, & will do as he pleases for all any one- He is a stubborn fellow, & so impudent to his mother & sister, that I have no patience with him-- We are not as bless'd as the Israelites were, for our shoes wax old & our cloaths wear out-- I don't know that mine will last till I get there---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

Wed- morn- Last night Susan & I went to bed early, as we slept ill the night before- we expected to get good beds & were never so disappointed- We were put in an old garret that had holes in the roof big enough to crawl through- Our bed was on the floor, harder it appear'd to me, than boards could be- & dirty as possible- a dirty feather bed our only covering- After lying an hour or two, we complain'd to M^{rs} Wolcott who applied to the landlady for a bedstead, but could only obtain leave for us to sleep on one bed with another over us- I slept wretchedly & feel very little like climbing a mountain--M^r & M^{rs} W could not sleep at all & got up at about eleven oclock-- She had good beds in the house or I would not have complained so much--

Jennyauter-P--Wednesday 2 oclock P M-between 2 brothers----

This morning we cross'd the first mountain call'd first brother, & are in an inn between the first & second brother; the latter we are soon to ascend-The first m-n is 3-1/2 miles over,- better road than we expected- but bad enough to tire the horses almost to death- We met & were overtaken by a number of people-- We all walk'd the whole distance over- I did not stop at all to rest till I reach'd the top- I was then oblig'd to wait for some of them to overtake me, as I had outwalk'd them all. It is not a little fatiguing to walk up a long mountain I find--When we had nearly reach'd the foot of it, we heard some music in the valey below, & not one of us could imagine from what it proceeded; but soon found it was from the bells of a waggoner- He had twelve bells on the collars of his horses, (not sleigh bells) & they made a great variety of sounds which were really musical at a distance-- We found at the tavern where we are now, or rather they came after us, a M^r Beach, & his wife who was confin'd nine days after she set out on her journey, with a little son-It is just a fortnight since she was confin'd, & this morning she ventur'd to set out on her journey again- They came from Morristown- N J- & are going to some part of the Ohio, much farther than we are going. M^{rs} B- appears to be a very pretty woman & quite a lady- Her father & mother, a sister & 3 little children, set out with them, but were oblig'd to leave them & go on, as soon as M^{rs} B was confin'd- I feel afraid she will catch her death, tho' every care is taken to render her journey safe & comfortable-- She & babe are both very well now--

Fannitsburg- Penn- M^cAllen's Inn-Wednesday night- Nov- 6^{th}-

We have over come 2 mountains to day- & are between the 2^d & 3^d brothers- We walked over it-I have walked about 8 miles to day & feel as much fatigued as I have almost ever been in my life- It was 4 _long_ miles over- We met a number of waggons on it- but no other travellers- This is a very small but pretty place- The 3 first m-ns are very near each other- the 4^{th} is 40 or 50 miles distant--They are higher than I expected, & make a formidable appearance- It has been very smoky all day- I am so tir'd I can neither think or write, so good night----

Thursday morn- We had a good nights rest, but I am so lame I can scarcely walk this morning- I have a mountain to walk over, notwithstanding-- M^r W's horses grow so dull that he expects to be oblig'd to put up for a few days, & we are all almost discouraged--The weather looks stormy & where we shall get to or what we shall do, I cannot imagine--The Jacksons enquire about the road & the mountains &c &c, of every one they see, & get such different & contradictory answers from each one, that it perplexes & discourages us all- I wish they would be contented to wait patiently till time & experience inform them what they cannot find out any other way- M^r W says I have now an oppor^{ty} to experience the truth of a text of scripture which says "all men are liars"- I found that out long ago- & this journey confirms the truth of it.

Peach Orchard, P- Thursday night-Phelps' Tavern--

I do not feel to night, my dear Elizabeth, as if I should ever see you again- 3 mountains & more hundreds of miles part us; & tho' I cannot give up the idea of returning, I cannot think of traversing this road again- If I live to return I will wait till the new turnpike is finished-- We cross'd the last brother this morning, & found the greater part of it, better than the other two- but about 60 rods near the top it was excessively steep-- We found a house at the foot of the steepest part- A woman & her 2 sons live there & keep cakes & beer-- The woman told us she had no husband at _present_--I suppose, she has one in expectation--On the first mountain, I found some sweet Williams-- We stopt at noon, at a dismal looking log hut tavern- The landlady (I hate the word but I must use it,) talk'd about bigotry, bigotted notions, liberty of conscience &c- She did not look as if she knew the meaning of conscience, much less of bigotry-- All this afternoon we have been walking over young mountains, distant relations of the 3 brothers, but not half as clever- I was so lame & so tir'd that for an hour I did not know but I must set down & die- I could not ride- the road was so bad, it was worse than walking- I would not tell you all this, if you were to receive this before it is all over---- It rain'd a very little all day, but just at night it began to rain very fast, & I expected we should all catch our death, walking thro' mud & mire, with no umbrella, or but one that would not cover us all- We were wet thro before we reach'd this dreadful place where we now are-- The Woman is cross & the Man sick----

Friday night- It rain'd all day yesterday, & such a shocking place as this is, I never saw- A dozen Waggoners are here, some half drunk & no place for us to stay in but our waggons or a little chamber with 3 squares of glass in it- with scarcely room to sit or stand--

Saturday morn---- I am now in despair, it continues raining faster than ever- The house full of drunken prophane wretches, the old woman cross as a witch- We have nothing to eat & can get nothing but some slapjacks at a baker's some distance off, & so stormy we cannot get there---- M^{rs} Jackson frets all the time, I wish they would go on & leave us, we should do as well again---- M^r Beach & his wife & child & the woman who is with them, are here, & the house is full- M^{rs} Beach rode in all the rain Thursday, but took no cold & bears it well as any one- It rains most dreadfully & they say it is the clearing off shower- Oh, if it only proves so---- "Oh had I the wings of a dove, how soon would I meet you again"- We have never found the wretches indelicate till last evening, but while we were at tea, they began talking & singing in a most dreadful manner---- We are 4 miles from Sidling hill, the next mountain, & a mile & a half from this, there is a creek which we must cross, that is so rais'd by the rain, as to render it impossible to pass it----

Saturday night- Our "clearing up shower" has lasted all day with unabated violence,-- Just at sunset we had a pretty hard thunder shower, & at dusk there was clear sky visible & the evening star shone bright as possible, but now it is raining fast again--After giving an emetic I would take a long journey with my _intended_, to try his patience---- mine is try'd sorely now- I wish you could just take a peep at me-my frock is wet & dirty a quarter of a yard high, only walking about the house- I have been in my chamber almost the whole day, but was oblig'd to go down just at night to eat, & look at the sky- I was very much frighten'd by a drunken waggoner, who came up to me as I stood by the door waiting for a candle, he put his arm round my neck, & said something which I was too frighten'd to hear- It is the first time the least insult has been offer'd to any of us- One waggoner very civilly offer'd to take Susan or me, on to Pitts^g in his waggon if we were not like to get there till spring- It is not yet determin'd which shall go with him-- One waggon in crossing the creek this afternoon, got turn'd over & very much injur'd-- We have concluded the reason so few are willing to return from the Western country, is not that the country is so good, but because the journey is so bad-- M^r W. has gone to & from there, 5 times, but thinks this will be the last time- Poor Susan groans & sighs & now then sheds a few tears-I think I exceed her in patience & fortitude----M^{rs} Wolcott is a woman of the most perfect equanimity I ever saw- She is a woman of great feeling & tenderness, but has the most perfect command over her feelings- She is not _own_ mother to these children, but she is a very good one---- I have learn'd Elizabeth, to eat raw _pork_ & drink whisky-dont you think I shall do for a new country? I shall not know how to do either when I end my journey, however- We have almost got out of the land of dutchmen, but the waggoners are worse---- The people here talk curiously, they all reckon instead of expect-- Youns is a word I have heard used several times, but what it means I don't know, they use it so strangely-- M^r Rees used to exclaim at any thing wonderful, "Only look at that now"-- "I reckon you are going into the back countries" is now our usual salutation from every one---- Susan is in bed for want of some employment & I will join her, after telling you, it has really clear'd off now, & the moon is shining in full splendor.- I hope to-morrows sun will deign to smile upon us- It is long since we have seen it---- I expect to be oblig'd to go thro' a process of fire & brimstone at my journeys end & shall feel thankful, if that will remedy all the evils arising from dirty beds &c-- I find no necessity for even that yet, but I fear I shall soon----good night----

Sunday 2 oclock P M- We left the Inn this morning in the hope of getting a _little piece_ on our way, but have only reach'd the baker's, half a mile from where we set out- The creek is so high we cannot cross it yet- An old man & his wife live here, & appear to be very kind clever people, & what is more than we have found before, they appear to regard the Sabbath- They are Methodists- This is a small log hut, but clean & comfortable- There are no waggoners here-- I shall be oblig'd to colour my frock I believe, for it attracts the attention of those creatures so much, that I dare not go in sight of them scarcely- I often think of the 2 lines your Mama repeated to us "In Silk, &c"

Sunday night.

About sunset, we left the baker's & came down to the Creek, but found it was impossible to get over the waggon, & the road was so intolerable between the place we had left & the creek, that we could not go back, & what to do, it took a long time to determine; but at length M^r W concluded we had better come over to a dirty tavern this side, & let Erastus sleep in the wagon-- The stream runs so fast, that we did not dare cross it alone, as there was nothing but a log to cross on; so the waggoners & our own party, were oblig'd to lead & pilot us, over the stream & thro' a most shocking place as I ever saw- The men were all very civil- they are waiting

this line is the shape of a Pensylvania waggon--

with of us---- We fare their the rest waggons, like

worse & worse, & still M^r W- & his wife, tell us this is nothing to what will come- I do not fully believe them, for we cannot endure much more & live--Susan & young M^{rs} Jackson have been quite unwell all day-- I never felt in better health, & my spirits are pretty good, considering all things-- We are not able to get beds here, & are to sleep on the floor to night- There is another family here, with several little children-- They say there has been a _heap_ of people moving this fall;- I don't know exactly how many a heap is, or a _sight_ either, which is another way of measuring people-- I would be _apt_ to think it was a _terrible_ parcel, to use the language of the people round me---- I have such an enormous appetite the whole time, that I have been in some fear of starving- for food of every kind, is very scarce with us- Money will not procure it, & nothing else I am sure, will- for they love money better than life, if possible-- 4 Sabbaths we have pass'd on the road, & I suppose 2 or 3 more will pass before we get among people who "remember the sabbath day to keep it holy"-- We find no books to read, only at the bakers to day I found part of a bible, a methodist hymn book & a small book containing an account of the progress of Methodism throughout the country; in letters from Ministers & others----We left M^r Beach & family, at the tavern we left to day-- I hope tomorrow to write you from a comfortable place 6 or 8 miles at least from the next mountain--

Monday morn- We have now I think met with as bad as can befal us-- Never, never did I pass such a night---- We could get no bed & for a long time expected to be oblig'd to set up all night- but we could get no room nor fire to stay by, & the landlady was so kind as to give up her bed to us; so M^rs W & Susan went to bed there, while I went to bed with M^rs Jackson in another room- I took off my frock & boots, & had scarcely lain down, when one of the wretches came into the room & lay down by me on the outside of the bed- I was frighten'd almost to death & clung to M^{rs} Jackson who did not appear to mind it- & I lay for a quarter of an hour crying, & scolding & trembling, begging of him to leave me-At last, when persuaded I was in earnest, he begg'd of me not to take it amiss, as he intended no harm & only wish'd to become acquainted with me-- A good for nothing brute, I wonder what he suppos'd I was- I don't know of any thought word or action of mine that could give him reason to suppose I would authorise such abominable insolence---- The man & his wife, who are here, & their family, John Jackson & his wife, & M^{rs} Jackson, were all in the room-The moment he left the room, I put on my frock & was going in to M^{rs} W & Susan, but I could not get to them without going thro' the room where all the waggoners were, & M^{rs} Jackson did not think it safe, so I got on another part of the bed where none of them could come near me, & had been there about 10 minutes when M^{rs} W & Susan came into the room both crying, & as much frighten'd as I had been, for one of the creatures had been into their room, & they could scarcely get him out- M^r W- was in the waggon, & the landlord was so afraid of these wag^gs that he did not dare stay in his own house, for they threaten'd to put him into the creek, if he did not continue giving them liquor- I wish they had put him in- a mean sneaking fellow!-- His poor wife was then oblig'd to bear it all, & she was very much distress'd on our account- She was not to blame for any thing that happen'd, for as long as her husband suffer'd it, she could not prevent it-At last M^{rs} W- went to bed with M^{rs} Jackson & me, & Susan lay down with John & his wife- We lay but a few minutes, when one of them came into our room again crawling on his hands & knees- M^{rs} W & I sprung & run out into the mud in our stocking feet & were going to call M^r W.- but the creatures came out to us & begg'd us not to, & pledg'd their honor (of which you may suppose they possess'd a great share) that we should not be disturb'd more- & tenderness for M^r W- who we knew would be sick to day if depriv'd of rest, at length determin'd us to go back; but we did not go to bed again till just morning, when some of us slept nearly or quite an hour- which was every wink of sleep we could obtain during the whole night- The fellows were all but one, very still afterwards- Indeed there was but 2 who made any disturbance, & only one of those was very bad- but one, was a complete child of the evil one- the vilest, worst, most blasphemous wretch, that ever liv'd-- M^r W- came back to the house before 2 oclock, & this morning, threaten'd them with a prosecution- They are quite angry- they are in the employ of this man who is moving; he is a merchant & they carry his goods to Pitts^g--

Nov^{br}-12^{th} Monday night- Nail Shop-on the 4^{th} Mountain

We have got 8-1/2 miles on our journey to day, & now it rains again-- If I could describe to you our troubles from roads, waggoners & creeks, I would,- but it is impossible-- The waggoners set out just before we did & the bad one being foremost has taken all the pains in his power to hinder our progress, by driving as slow as possible & stopping every other moment- The road was too narrow to pass them, unless they would turn out for us- all but one did, but he swore he would not- We came by them as they stopp'd at noon, & put up to night at an inn on the mountain, out of the direct road, where we should peaceably pass the night- but the waggoners have follow'd us, & the house is full- They are not in our room-- Our party now consists of M^{rs} Jackson's, M^r Beach's & M^r W's familys-- The woman who is with M^r Beach, is such a foolish old creature, that we are all out of patience with her----She is aunt to them, I believe---- If I were to choose, I would never have company on a long journey- such company at least- Our chairs here are taken from us for the Waggoners---- Our road over the mountains, has not even a good prospect to render it pleasant-- I have been repeating to Susan all day, "Comfort damsel &c"- M^{rs} Jackson is scolding because she has no chair to set on.- M^r W- tells her, "Fret not thyself because of evil doers"---- There is another impassable creek a head, & a hundred waggons waiting to cross it- Our prospect brightens fast-dont you think so? good night--

Tuesday eve- Nov- 13^{th}- 4 miles east of Bedford- Penn-