Читать книгу: «A Journey to Ohio in 1810, as Recorded in the Journal of Margaret Van Horn Dwight», страница 4

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 Mrs 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 – Mr & Mrs 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 3½ 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 Mr 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. Mrs 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 Mrs 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 – Mr 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- Mr 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 – Mrs Jackson frets all the time, I wish they would go on & leave us, we should do as well again – Mr Beach & his wife & child & the woman who is with them, are here, & the house is full- Mrs 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 Pittsg 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 – Mr 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 – Mrs 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 – Mr 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"