REESE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Class TRAVELS THROUGH THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, THIi COUNTRY OF THE IROQUOIS, AND UPPER CANADA, IN THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797; WITH AN AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF LOWER CANADA. BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. VOL. I. CONTAINING THE TOUR THROUGH THE NORTHERN PROVINCES, UPPER CANADA, AND THE CAROLINAS, WITH THE ACCOUNT OF LOWER CANADA ; AND A GENERAL MAP. Honiion : PRINTED FOR R. PHILLIPS, NO. 71, ST. PAULAS CHURCH-YARD, BY T. DAVISON, LOMBARD-STREET, FLEET-STREET; SOLD BY T4 HURST AND J. WALLIS, PATERNOSTER-ROW, AND BY CARPENTER AND CO. OLD BOND-STREET. 1799- BEESB Of THE UNIVERSITY y- &r THE r |^HEDuke de la ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT, a man, who, at all times, has been diftinguifhed as one of the molt amiable, the mofl virtuous, and the belt in- formed of the French nobility, has made a journey for philofophical and commercial obfervation throughout a great part of North America, and has communicated the fubftance of his observations to the World, in the valuable Narrative which is here prefented to the Britifh Public. Although no longer a dependency of the Britilh Empire, , the thirteen Provinces of the American Commonwealth are not regarded by -Britons as a land of ftrangers. The mu- tual animofities of the war of the American revolution are already extinguilhed. Britons and Americans now think of each other only as brethren; a kindred defcent, a com- mon language, congenial character, a Itrong alliance of in- ftitutions, arts, and manners, render them to one another reciprocally interefting, perhaps much more than, in fimilar circumftances, any third nation would be to either. As the hiitory of the Spaniards, who firit entered South America, engages our curiofity more than that of the horfes, the dogs, a 3. or iv TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. or the fugar canes, which they carried with them ; as the hiftoryof the nations of poliihed Europe is more interefting than that of the Tartars and Tongufi ; as accounts of the fortunes of a fon, a father, a brother, a lover, in a diftant land, are more anxioufly expected, and more eagerly heard, than if it were but a cafual acquaintance to whom they re- lated : fo, in the fame manner, and for the fame reafons, every new communication refpe6iing North America, and its inhabitants of Britifh defcent, is naturally, in an extraor- dinary degree, attractive to the curiofity of the people of this country. M. de la Rochefoucault's details concerning co- lonial life and manners are, hence, adapted to imprefs a Britifh imagination, as agreeably as if their fubjecSl were the rural ceconomy of Wales, of Yonkftiire, or of the High- lands of Scotland, and that, till now, though .fb nearly in- terefting, yet utterly unknown. Befides fuch motives of affe&ion and curiofity, there are reafons of a lefs refined nature, which engage the commer- cial people of England, to liften eagerly to all authentic accounts refpeting America. A great and increafing inter- courfe of trade and emigration is carried on between thefe two countries. 'The lands and national debts of the Ame- rican Republic are familiarly bought and fold in London. The produce of American plantations, the planks from American faw-mills, the fliips built in American dock-yards, are, in a large proportion, deftined for the ufe of Britain. A very numerous emigration .of induftrious, reftlefs, or enter- prifing TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. prifmg perfons, is conftantly paffing from Britain to Ame- rica. The transfer of property between the two countries is great and inceflant. It would be impoffible to manage the commercial buiinefs which thus arifes between the two countries with any adequate mercantile intelligence, if con- tinual enquiries were not diligently made into all circum- fta-nces, that can influence produce, manufacture, and de- mand in the market, efpecially in America, where all things are yet much more uncertain, and more imperfectly known than in Britain. The political relations and corref- pondence between Britain and America confpire to the fame effect ; for there are many occafions, upon which a Britifh politician, inattentive to the progrefs of things in America, would be entirely incapable of providing for the true political interefts of the Britifh empire. It is, however, to the philofophical enquirer, of what- ever nation, that fuch details as the following volume con- tains, concerning the ftate of life and manners in America, are likely to be the moft acceptable and inftructive. The progrefs of colonization ; the firft diffufion of new inhabi- tants through unappropriated waftes; the fluggifh aukward- nefsof infant hufbandry; the relapfe into barb arifm ofthofe outcafts from polifhed fociety, wiiom their fortune conducts into regions, where they can converfe only with the wild- nefs of rude nature, and where they are deflitute of all the accommodations of the arts ; the fimplicity of government and of life and manners, that is natural in countries where population vi TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. population is fcanty, and in which the fubdivifions of labour, and all the complex accommodations of fociety, are unknown ; the curious vcontraft between colonial and favage* manners, and the effects of the collifion between barbar- ifm and civility ; topics interefting to philofophy, above al- moft all others in the hiftory of human nature, and, of all, the moil imperfectly known ; are to be now, for the firft time, fully elucidated, by a vigilant and unremitting obfer- vatioii of the phafes of focial life in America. For the pur- pofes of afcertaining and illuftrating the moft important principles of general polity and jurifprudence, how often have philofophers in vain attempted to explore the forgot- ten and unrecorded beginnings of civil life ! How often lamented, that the moft interefting period in the progrefs of fociety, mould thus be prior to the age of enlightened ob- fervation ! How often and how ridiculoufly laboured to fupply the deficiency of records, by that fort of theory which has been pompoufly chriftened Conjectural Hiftory ! The account of the firft population, meafurement, and tillage of the plains of Egypt, Aflyria, Hindoftan, or China, is no longer to be recovered from oblivion: even the exacl: ck- cumftances of the fettlement of the firft Egyptian colonies in Greece ; of the firft Lydian, Greek, and Phrygian colo- nies in Italy ; of our Teutonic anceftors in Germany and Britain muft remain unknown. But a keen attention to what is now paffing in the back fettlements of North Ame- rica, and to that ihceffant emigration from Europe, and from TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. vii from the more populous American provinces, by which thofe back fettlements are filled, will, at laft, amply fupply to phi- lofophical enquiry, what had feemed to be irrecoverably loft, and will enable us to fill up an important chafm in the hiftory of the human fpecies. It is the vegetable unfolding itfelf from the feed ; it is the opening mind, in the firft months of infancy ; it is the form of confummate ftrength or beauty, rifing under the artift's hand, from the ihapelefs block of marble ; rather than the full-grown plant, the" mature man, or the finifhed ftatue ; that the moil delight- fully interefts the philofopher of refined penetration, and the man of tafte, who to foundnefs of reafon unites a vivid delicacy of fentiment, and of imagination. Of all the pages of philofophical hiftory, none can deferve to be read with fuch earneft curiofity, as thofe which difplay the nafcent energies of focial life. Of fuch inducements to attend to 'any information con- cerning the progrefs of induftry, wealth, and civil policy in North America, it is impoffible for any one to be infeniible in reading the following journal. M. de la ROCHEFOUC AULT LIANCOURT is a traveller of no ordinary difcernment and diligence in enquiry. As the friend, and, in fome fort, the agricultural pupil of that intelligent philofopher, Mr. Arthur Young, he travelled with views nearly fimilar to thofe by which Mr. Young was guided in fo many tours and pere- grinations, and in the compofition of fo many journals of husbandry. The quality of the foil, the advantages for cul- tivation, vTl TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. tivation, the numbers, the induftry, the intelligence of the hufbandmen ; the advances which they have made in trans- forming the vaft forefts and favannahs of interior America into corniields and meadows ; their modes of clearing and culture; the quantity of produce which they obtain; their mills, and other means of manufacture for the market; the opportunities of profitable fale, have been marked and re- corded by M. de la Rochefoucault Liancourt ,i n all thofe American provinces through which he travelled, with an accuracy and fullnefs of information, which feem to rival Mr. Young's tour through France and Italy, or even Sir John Sinclair's more elaborate ftatiftical collections concern- ing Scotland. Commerce fhares his attention with rural ceconomy; he vifited the lakes, the bays, the creeks, the points of the influx of the navigable rivers into the fea, and thofe beyond which navigation cannot afcend toward their iprings ; he furveyed the ftore-houfes ; he marked the arti- iices of the traders ; he entered the dwellings of the inha- bitants of every different rank, partook of their fare, and flept or w r atched in their places for reft ; he travelled without any thing of that encumbering apparatus of wealth or gran- deur, which hides the realities of life from thofe it environs, even at thofe times when their refearches are the moft dili- gent, and, as they think, the moft fuccefsful. He liftened, and enquired, and looked around him, even with all the bufy affiduity of Sterne's Inquifitive Traveller. He was not one of thofe who are willing to content themfelves with gueffes TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE?. ix guefTes and with general language ; but was, on every oc- cafion, careful to obtain, if poffible, ftatements admitting of the ftri6left accuracy of number and calculation. If unable to look around on thofe fcenes of wild and majef- tic nature, with the fublime and picfturefque imagination of a poet ; if unendowed with the fkill of a fcientific naturalift ; M. de la Rochefoucault Liancourt cannot, however, fail to appear to every reader, to have been eminently qualified to make fuch obfervations as are beft adapted for the inflec- tion of the farmer, the merchant, the colonial emigrant, or the political ceconomift : And it was precifely a traveller of this character who was wanted to give us the moil defirable new information concerning the progreffive fettlement of America. With the account of trade and induilry, he unavoidably combines fketches, details, and flight cafual touches, re- fpe6ling the familiar life of the Americans, which every reader will find highly amufing and inftruclive. He exhi- bits pictures of Indian manners, which, though mournfuf, and difgufling to tafle, are, yet, interefling to philofophy, in conjun&ion with his accounts of the fettlers before whom the Indian tribes are gradually vanifhing from the earth. With his ftatements refpec~ling the provinces of the Ameri- can Republic, he prefents alfo a multiplicity of important details concerning the British colonial pofTeffions of Canada. He tells all that he could learn, without being reflrained, even by confiderations of perfonal delicacy, or the fecrecy b of TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. of honour, from making public. feveral things, which, though acceptable to us, were certainly not intended to be thus proclaimed to all Europe, by thofe who communicated them to him. Concerning the intercourfe, the emulation, the mutual jealoufies, the dark projects reciprocally meditated, between the Americans and the Britifh colonifts and foldiery of Upper Canada, he gives a variety of information, which, \ve ihould, otherwife, never have obtained:. The character and predominant opinions of M. de Roche- foucault Liancourt himfelf, are, in this volume, very frankly and amply difplayed. In his character, great native recti- tude and benignity of difpofition appear to be aflbciated with fome of the philofophical affectations of the new fchool, and with fomewhat of that never-failing gallantry arid polite- nefs, which ufed to mark the manners of the old French' nobility. Although a vi&im to the Revolution, he Hill approves thofe principles of political reform, upon which the firft movements toward it were made : Though an outcafi from France, he ftill takes a warm patriotic intereft in the glory of the French nation. Hence, he inclines, at times, to en- courage the milder clafs of thofe political fentiments, which the fagacity of Government finds it prudent to difcourage in Britain, as little adapted to promote the general welfare. And whenever the views, the interefts, and the public fer- vants TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. xi. vants of the Britifh Government come to be mentioned, he ufually fpeaks the language of a foreigner and a foe.* Throughout the whole of his American journies, there ap- pears to have reigned in the mind of this illuftrious exile a melancholy caft of imagination, with a peeviih irritabi- lity of feeling, fuch as it was very natural for misfortunes like his, to produce. Every fcene of beneficent conduct from great landholders toward their dependents, brings to his remembrance his own endeavours to enlighten and blefs the peafantry upon thofe eftates in France, which once were his own. He fhrinks in agony from the exultations with which Britifh officers tell him of the ruin of the naval force of republican France. He complains of a dirty room, a hard bed, or a fcanty meal, as if it were a grievous misfortune. He has a peculiar quicknefs of eye at difcover- ing floth, knavery, and mifchief, wherever he travels. The wounds which his fpirit had fuffered were flill frefh or fef- tering ; and were, therefore, liable to be grievoufly inflamed and irritated by the flighteft degree of new laceration. He, not unfrequently, breaks forth into expreflions of keen anguifh, or more fubdued and penfive forrow, which, being * In a very few places it has been found expedient to infcrt initials for proper names, and to fubftitutc afterifks for fentiments. In one or two inftances where obvious fuppreflion would have insinuated more than the original paragraph, the original has been retained. The motives of the writer, in thefe places, are fo obvious, and his conclufions fo palpably unjufl, that to have foftcncd or (upprefled would have been a bad compliment to the underftanding of the Britifh reader. b % :X11 TRANSLATORS PREFACE. the. voice of nature and of truth, muft prove to every reader \ inexpreffibly interefting. It is, amidft all this, impoffible not to admire this ami- -able nobleman, for labouring to divert the tseclium of his .exile, by enquiries of a tendency fo beneficial, and for ac- .commodating his mind, in fo confiderable a degree, to the hardfhips of his condition. Perhaps he could not have been more ufefully employed, in any conceiveable profperity of his fortunes. He appears to have been content to ricle on horfeback, without a fervant, and to travel about without .aught of the pomp of greatnefs, or the luxury of opulence, juft as if he had never been more than a plain farmer or manufacturer in France. ; The ftyle is naturally fimple, and devoid of all affecta- tion. The Tranflator has not, in his verfion, made any attempt to clothe the work in laboured elegances or orna- ments, which it did not originally wear. Faithfulnefs, iim- plicity, and corredlnefs of Englifh phrafeology, are the chief qualities, by which he has afpired to diftinguifh his work. He leaves it to the reader, to judge, how far he may have been fuccefsful or other wife. The Englifh Edition has been, illuftrated by a MAP, drawn on purpofe, from the information contained in the work kfelf, and a clofe infpection will fhew, that this Map not only corrects former Maps of America in many points* but exhibits in their proper places, for the firil time, fe- veraj new Towns and Settlements. The TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. xiii The Index, formed by the Tranflator, will render it eafy to refer to this volume, even for any fmgle particular of the information which it contains. It cannot, for a moment, be doubted, but the book of fo illuftrious a traveller free as it is from all blemimes of affectation or negligence, filled with information the moft recent and important, concerning a country than which there is no one elfe more an object of Britim curiofity, communicating nothing but what is plainly of the higheft authenticity, dwelling chiefly on thofe topics of enquiry and information, which are the moft fafhionable, and the moft attractive, to policy, trade, and induftry, and inter- mingling fuch allurements of pathetic fentiment, and of perfonal anecdote, as never fail to pleafe, will, from all thefe recommendations, be very favourably received by the Britim Public. H. NEUMAN. LONDON, July, 1799. . AND TT 7"HEN I began to write a journal of my Travels, it was my intention to confine it folely within the circle of my friends : but fome of them being of opinion that the publication of it would be of general advantage, I fubmitted to their advice, and refolved to publifh k on my arrival in Europe. In chufTng a patronefs for my book, it was natural for me to felecT: that perfon who claimed the largefl fhare of my efteem and gratitude ; who has been endeared to me ftill more by her unparalleled misfortunes. There could be no occafion for calling to remembrance, the atrocious murder of a coufin ; as it is too well known, and held in juft abhorrence. But perhaps it is neceffary to remark, that his- virtue was fo exalted as to render him unfufpicious of fo nefarious a crime, and that his internal confcioufnefs induced him to flight the advice which his friends gave both to him and me, at the time when an order was iffued for arrefting us; and which, in all proba- bility, xvi AUTHOR'S PREFACE. bility, was not the only mandate concerning us from the fame quarter. He would not quit France, but I, who was lefs confident and lefs virtuous, fled from the poignard, while he fell by its ftroke ! On my arrival in Europe, and while I was employed in preparing this work for the public, I received an account of my aunt's death, which cut off all the fond hopes I had entertained of once more beholding her, even on her .death-bed. It will readily be fuppofed, that the idea of withdrawing from her the dedication of my book, could not enter my afflicted mind I have ftill preferved it for her with a fympathetic regard. Although eftablifhed ufage mav hereby be violated, yet he who is feniible that neither friendflup nor gratitude ends with death, will eaiily conceive the pleafure, melancholy as it may be, which I receive from the performance of this laft facred duty to a departed friend, who had fo many claims upon my warmeft affections. DEDICATION ( xvii ) DEDICATION TO CITIZENESS LA ROCHEFOUCAULT D'ENVILLE, My dear and unfortunate Aunt, IVE me leave refpecTfully to prefent you with na account of my Travels through the United States of America. It is an offering of fincere attachment and gratitude ; and I am confident you will receive it kindly. How often have I, in the courfe of this work, lamented with painful anxiety, that I was not near you ; that I was prevented, by dreadful circumftances, from taking a mare with your amiable and lovely daughter, in affording you that attention and comfort of which your feeling and af- flicted heart flood fo much in need ! Undoubtedly my fervices could never have been equal to his, whofe fate we deplore : but I am bold to think, that in the tender- nefs of my feelings, and in your own heart, you would in me have recognifed a fon. I have fometimes thought, that you miffed me ; that after recollecting every thing which makes me indebted to your goodnefs, your advice, and example, you have not entirely removed me from your thoughts. You will eaiily believe, that this was one c>i* c the XV ill DEDICATION. the reflections which has given me the greater! degree of pleaiure. The certainty of holding unalterably a place in the affection of an efteemed .object, in fpite of misfor- tune and reparation, has a peculiar effect in animating the heart of that man who is free from felf reproach. " The obfervations you will find in this work itfelf are not fo perfect as they might have been ; but you know what difficulties a traveller, who wifhes to convey informa- tion, has to combat. He is always obliged to be fatisfiecf with the anfwers given to his queftions : he does not often find a man at leifure or difpofed to give the information that is required: the perfon who is queftioned about the objects of his own bufinefs, frequently knows no more than is neceffary to carry it on, and is incapable of conveying his ideas to another even on the fubject of hrs own occupa- tion. And it happens ftill more frequently that party-fpirit, ielf-intereft, or prejudice, deprive thofe anfwers of all man- ner of truth and candour. The traveller himfelf is often deficient in making the proper enquiries; he often views things with a prejudice, imbibed from a certain fyftem, arid according to which he regulates all his queftions, and all the anfwers he receives. To thefe real difficulties are frequently added thofe which arife out of the perfonal fituation of the traveller, from the circumftances of the moment, or from fome opinions which he may have already formed, before he makes his inquiries. It is eafy therefore to to conceive how difficult it is for a perfon who travels to acquire a full and accurate account of every thing, " I do not fay, that in this tour I have had the good fortune to keep clear of the rocks againft which fo many travellers have ftruck. But I may fay that I have done every tiling in my pdwer to infert nothing but what is authentic. As far as I poffibly could, I have made inquiries concerning the fame thing of feveral men, of different iiiterefts and opinions. I have done my utmoft endeavour to get rid of every partial opinion, I might have previoufly formed ; in fhort, I have fought after truth by every means in my power. The idea of writing only for you, for my friends, and for myfelf, has made me ftill more ftrict and attentive with regard to the materials which I collected, and the accounts I afterwards made from them. I have likewife ftated almoft on every occafion, the fources from whence I drew them ; in order to engage your appro- bation, or fliew where doubts ought to be entertained. I have not, knowingly, ftated any thing that was erroneous; but ftill I am far from fuppofing that I have efcaped every kind of error. I have frequently in one place been unable to obtain an account of certain circumftances, concern- ing which I had in another place acquired very full in- formation. Although fome books of travels in America may contain fewer facts than I have collected ; yet I do not the lefs, on this account, perceive the defects of my c 2, tour, XX DEDICATION. tour, which I might with more cunning, but with lefs fairnefs, have concealed from my friends. " The territory of the United States is perhaps the only country in the world which it is moft difficult to be made acquainted with, unlefs you have traverfed it your- * felf. It is a country altogether in a ft ate of progreffive advancement. What is to-day a fact with regard to its population, its management, its value, and trade, will no longer be fo in fix months to come ; and ftill lefs in fix months more. It is like a youth, who from the ftate of a boy is growing into manhood, and whofe features, after the expiration of a year, no longer refemble the original pidture that had been drawn of him. The accounts given by travellers at prefent, and perhaps for many years to come, can only ferve as the means of enabling diftant pofterity to form a comparifon between the ftate which the country mall then be in, and what it formerly was. In this point of view it appears to me, that fuch accounts are far from being ufelefs. " Every day I travelled, I wrote down the accounts, juft as I received them. Whenever I remained for forne time in the fame place, I put together what information I had col- lected, and arranged it in a better order. I have been in many places oftener than once ; confequently the obferva- tions made concerning them have been written at the dif- ferent times 1 happened to be there. It would have been eafy DEDICATION. XXI eafy enough to have put them together into one article : but in that cafe I ihould not have written merely a Journal of my travels, which was what ' I had wifhed to do ; that being perhaps the only kind of work which does not require greater talents than mine, and where truth can be the prin- cipal merit. " I have fometimes made remarks which had properly no connection with my tour : it is a great fatisfaclion to him who writes for his friends, that he is fure of their lympathiiing affe6tion, though he mould give himfelf up to the fentiments and feelings of the moment. " No doubt I ftand in need of forgivenefs for having occafionally yielded to an imperious neceffity, and for hav- ing been carried away by the force of impreffions which were only of a perfonal nature. My friends will view thefe deviations with indulgence; and perhaps they will even ex- perience favour with thofe readers to whom my prefent fituation. may be known. " With regard to the ftyle of this work; probably my endeavours to make it as perfpicuous as poffibk, which has been my chief object, lias been productive, in fome places, of tedious prolixity, and frequent tautology. To write with as much purity and corre6lnefs as we are capable of, we want more Icifure than he can fpare, who binds himi.elf to commit to paper every day the obfervations he has made, whatever may be his fituation. " I have 5CXH DEDICATION". " I have foinetim-esmadc ufe of Engjifli terms, and forne- -times turned them into French; always taking pains, how- ever, to tranflate them as correclly as pofFible : this I have done whenever I found it practicable, and never loft fight of the true meaning. Still there are foine words, which, when translated, do not perfectly convey the fignifica-tion that attached to them in Englilh-.: for example the word cleared Signifies a piece of land where forne great trees have been felled, and others have had an incifion cut round them in the bark, and the branches lopt off and burnt ; in order that corn may be fown. This is not perfectly explained by the word eclair ci, which only means that fome- branches have been cut off; either for the purpofe of forwarding the growth of thofe that remain, or of adding to apleafant profpecl. The term defriclie always fignifies cultivated ground from which .the roots have been taken away : but that land which in America is called cleared, is frequently not cultivated. The French translation of the term flare is magazin : but it is frequently expreffed by the word boutique : and yet neither of thefe words conveys its meaning completely, according to the particular character, object and ufe of ilore in Ame- rica ; and efpecially in places thinly inhabited. The words magazin and boutique may be met with repeatedly in books of travels, but the reader will never be able from them to form an idea of the meaning which belongs to the word ^ o /lore in America. A ftore is a mop or place where all kinds DEDICATION. XXlll kinds of commodities intended for confamption are to be found, and fold by retail ; nothing is excluded from it : here are candles and matches, as well as fluff and tape. The word fettler has never the fame meaning with habitant* the fettler, in general, is a man who repairs to a particular place, with an intention of fettling in it; but he is not always the inhabitant of it. A tract of land is faid to be fettled, when a fufficieut number of inhabitants have fixed themfelves in it : but die meaning of this kind of fettk> ment can never be expreffed by the words habite, peuple, or eiapK* In order to exprefs certain circumftances. and iituations in a new ftate, it is no extraordinary thing io be obliged to adopt new terms. Therefore, my dear friend, you will, without doubt, forgive me for having attempted to introduce new words into our language. " In a word, dear Aunt, whatever imperfections this work may poffefs, I offer it to you with confidence ; although to others it may be indifferent, I am certain, that to you it will be abundantly interefting." ERRATA. Page 12. for Medot read Medoo. 16. for of the read of. 17. for the pravifion zVread the provifons are. 35. for than read but. 35, 36, 37. for Dunkers read Tunkcrs, 95. for conquently read confequently . I oo. for preferred read preferred not. 155. for cultivation read circulation. 172. for on read oar. 236. for if ever there fliould arife a want of money, large and prompt iupplies of which are requifite to give activity to the whole ; as well as judgment, induftry and economy. There is- in America a fcarcity of perfons capable of conducting a bu- finefs of this kind. There are alfo but few good workmen, who are with difficulty obtained, and whofe wages are exorbitant. The conduc- tors of Mr. Nicholfon's manufactories are faid to be very able men; But then a whole year may elapfe, before the workmen fall into a proper train of buiinefs, fo that Mr. Nicholfon's fituation does not afford the moft flattering profpects of fuccefs, if his returns be not rapid, as well as large. ^ The condusctors of the manufactories beingjabfent, we were not able to obtain more ample information concerning this eftablimment, and for the fame reafon we could not learn, whether it be intended to make ufe of the fame machines, which are ufed in the great iron- works in Europe. The whole road from Philadelphia to Roxborough is full of granite, and covered with a fort of mica, which is reducible to the fineft duft. About TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, About half a mile from Mr. Nicholfon's buildings, on the bank of the Schuylkill, is the houfc of one ROBERTSON, where we intended firfl to flop. Robertfon, a quaker, and brother of Caleb Lownes's wife, is a mil- ler and farmer on his own account. He pofleffes an eftate of two hundred and fifty acres, of w r hich thirty only are covered with wood. The land is, on the whole, of very inferior quality in this diftri&. There is but little wheat cultivated here, the common grain being maize, called m America Indian corn, rye, and fome oats. An acre generally yield's 'from twenty-five to thirty bumcls of maize, from eighteen to twenty bufhels of rye, and about ten bufhels of wheat. Mr. Robert- fon manures his land ; but it is a furprifing fact, that he fetches his dung from Philadelphia at the high price of three dollars a load, containing about five cubic feet, w r hen he might cafily procure it in abundance on his own form. Seven fuch loads are allowed to every acre, and his land is manured every three or four years. His meadows are fuperior to the reft of his grounds ; in .common with all other American farmers, he mixes platter of Paris with his feed. Four oxen and two horfes are fufficient to do the work of this farm, a part .of which is fo tteep, as to be incapable of cultivation. Day-labourers are procured here without much diffi- culty ; they receive four millings a day with board, or five millings and nine pence without it. The price of Indian corn is five Ihillings a bufhel, of wheat from nine to twelve, and of barley fix. Hay is gene- rally fold at fixtecn or eighteen dollars a tun, but at this time it is thirty- three, .Common meadows jield about three tuns,l}jut thofe in a good fituatio.n, which are properly cultivated, and fown with clover or other grafs, at times produce eight tuns. Mr. Robertfon buys lean cattle, from the fattening of which he derives a profit of fixtecn, twenty, or twenty-five dollars a head. Robertfon however afierts, that hay is the moft lucrative produce arifmg from the meadows; at leaft it is that which, with equal profit, requires the leaft toil. I am aftonifhed at the ihallow arguments the farmers of this country offer, to juftify this fa- vourite fyftem, of avoiding whatever requires labour. On this principle Mr. SY THE DUKE DE LA 110CHEFOUCAULT tfANCOURT, 7 Mr. Robertfon will not keep a dairy, or mgke either butter or cheefe, though, were he to try the experiment, he would loon experience its ad- vantages. It appears, that this cuftom partly arifes from the fcarcity and great expence of labourers, but ftill more from the prevailing indiffer- ence and indolence of the farmers, who prefer the indulgence of this difpoiition to a fmall advantage. It is alfb, in fome meafure> to be at- tributed to the national character, in which indolence is a very ftriking feature. In point of agricultural knowledge, Robertfon is but little fu- perior to the lervant, who conducts his bufmefs ; he is filled with prcju-- dices, and is .-even- ignorant of many things, which in Europe are conii- dered as the A B c of- hufbandry.^ He appc^:s, however, to be far more fkilful, as a 'miller^ His mill, which is faid to be the fiiit that was built in America, is/worked by a rivulet, -called WhTahiccon, which turns twenty^five . other mills, before' it reaches Robcrtibn's. It has three water-courfes, and three ieparate mills, two of which work for the manufactory, as they call it, and one for the public.- The latter grinds all the corn which is brought hither, without the leaft alteration : of the mill-flones, in its palling from the grain to the flour ; which naturally renders the meal very indifferent : the miller's due is one tenth, according to the law of the land. RO- BERTSON does not grind any Indian corn on his own account, nor has he ; any kiia:to dry it. Meal from this corn is not bad, if fpeedily ufed ; but it is not fit for being long kept, and yields but little. The corn is brought hither in waggons, and the cranes, irrftead of turning it out of the veflel, kit it .up from the waggons into the granary ; which is very fmall; and the corn lies in heaps, the feveral floors being ^ low^ dark and dirty. Robertfon grinds yearly from forty-five to about fifty thousand * This indifference to improvement, of which the Duke complains, is always to be obferved while agriculture is in its infancy, in a country, and while tiiere is enough of land, but Tittle accumulated ftock. It is the chara&eriftic of a particular ftatc of fo- ciety ; and does -not originate from the accidental and peculiar caufes, to which he afcribes it. Tranflator, bufliels 8 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, buihels of cp,rn, which he procures from Virginia and New-York ; and fome is even brought from the upper parts of Pennfylvania. There are, however, fo many mills along the Schuylkill,that he receives but little from that part of the country. The grain procured from the other fide of the bay comes by Philadelphia, from which it is brought to the mill, which is large enough to contain about ten thoufand bufhels. Six horfes are con- ftantly employed in carrying the meal to Philadelphia, and bringing back corn in return. This journey is often performed twice a day. The water of the Wiflahiccon is never frozen, nor does the mill ever ceafe working, except in a cafe of the utmoft neceffity. Mr. Robertfori employs about his mill five men, three of whom he pays ; he gives one hundred and twenty dollars a year to the firft, and eighty to each of the other two. The reft are apprentices, who receive nothing but victuals, clothes, &c. A barrel of flour is at this time * worth ten dollars. Ro- bertfon complains of the quality of the grain of laft year, which, he lays, is not heavy, but in general hollow. I have, however, feen fomc very good grain of laft year. I heard him fay that grain, attackediby the Heffian fly, notwithftanding it becomes bad and hollow, yields flour, which, though fomewhat indigeftible, is not quite unwholefome. The banks of the Schuylkill were vifited laft year by great numbers of thefe flies. The county-rates are the fame at Roxborough as in the whole diftricl: of Philadelphia, of which this place forms a part, namely, from five to fix Shillings per cent, upon all property. The other taxes have of late been reduced to little or nothing. A perfon in affluent circum- ftances pays but pjae or two fhillings towards the repair of the high- roads. Poor-rates are quite unknown, as there are feldom any poor in the country ; and a fmall mm has been laid up in the bank for the fup- port of the poor, if there fhould be any; which ftock yields annually about forty or forty-two dollars, and thefe are added to the capital. There is alfo a moderate tax of fix or feven fhillings on every hundred pounds a man is worth, which he pays as an offering towards the public fervice of * Twentieth of April, 119$. the BY THE DUKS DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT; . $ the ftatc,' that he may remain lindifturBed in the enjoyment of his pro- perty. And this is fix miles from Pliiladelphia^-furely this mufl be 3, vi happy country.* The Wifllihiccon flows between hills, which are high and covered with wood. A fine water- fall of about fcven or eight feet, and as broad as the bed of the rivulet, fupplies Robertfon with more water than would be required for turning many more mills. The banks of the rivu- let bear a wild and romantic appearance, and the brook, winding in the rnotl: beautiful meanders through the woods and rocks, forms a grand, yet gloomy, profpecl, which catches and detains the eye, and difpofes the mind to penfive reflection. The various fituations of this fublunary life prefcnt to us the fame objects in very different points of view. How different are the impreffions I now feel, from the pleafing fen/ations with which memory and hope once enlivened my fancy but 1 will depart, and be happy, that I may not enhance my misfortunes by painful re- flections. From Roxborough we proceeded on to Springmill. After having left the banks of the Schuylkill, we travelled through a tracl; of countryxin- terfecled by a regularly alternate fucceffion of hills and valliesj ' We found here &veral badly watered meadows, which are capable of great improvements. The farms here arc very clofe to one another; all the land is cultivated ; very little wood is to be feen, at leaft, without going to a defiance from the highway. As we proceed, the country becomes extremely beautiful. The corn-fields are now green, the leaves begin to fprout forth, and the fruit-trees are covered with bloffoms ; all nature re- vives, her face glows with life and beauty ; and my temper has not yet attained fo great a degree of apathy, as to render me infenfible to the charms of this feafon, which always captivated me with irrefiftible power. * It k the proportion between, en the one hand, what may be gained in every foliation, with the dlverfity of fuch fituations and, on the other hand, what is to be paid for public protection) with the degree of fecunty and comfort fuch protection may give ; which is the ible and precife point upon which an eftimation like that which the Duke here C Yet !O TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, Yet the uninterrupted and high fences of dry wood greatly disfigure the landfcape, and produce a tedious famenefs. Thcfe might be eafily re- placed by trees which endure the froft, as thorns are fuppofed here (I think without any juft ground) to be unfuitable to the climate. Some of the fields along the road are bordered with thaga. or cedar, but thefe experiments are rare; and, in general, the land is inclofed with double fences of wood. The country is covered w T ith neat houfesj furroundcd with painted railings ; which indicate profperity, without reminding us of thofe European eftates, which are either enriched by a refined agri- culture, or ornamented with coftly and elegant country-feats. Near Springmill we again faw the Schuylkill. Springmill confiits of eighteen or twenty habitations, which lie clofe to each other, and are- moftly either farms or mills ; it is fituated in a valley, far more extenfive and fpacious than any we have hitherto paiTed ; and the foil is alfo fu- perior. The greateft part is grafs land, extending as far as the river ; while the opposite bank, fteep, woody, and even fomev. hat rocky, forms- a beautiful contrail with the charming plains of Springmill. The prof- peel: up and down the river is extenfive, and ilrikingly variegated by green meadows and dark mountains. Springmill is the place, where is fituated the farm, mentioned by BRIS- SOT in his travels, as being cultivated by a Frenchman, whofc ilcill and philo-fophy he highly praifcs. This Frenchman, of whofe name BrifTot gives only the initial, is Mr. LEGAUX. His farm has been fold on account of his inability, to pay the fccond installment of the purchafe-money.. He now a&uallyj rents fifteen acres, which he has converted into a vine- yard. But the prcfent moment is by no means the time, in which vine- yards appear to the greateft advantage ; the vine fearcely begins to bud, and is almoft without life. The foil is very good, and, as far as we were able to judge, well chofcn, both on account of its funny fituation and interior quality ; and the clcanlinefs, as well as fkil-1, with which the ground is managed, is very remarkable. No kitchen-garden can be in better order ; the vine-props are already fixed in the ground. The fifteen acres give employment to fix labourers, whom Mr. Lcgaux procures without BY THE DUKE DE LA llOCHfiFOUCAULT LIANCOUKT. 11 'without much trouble ; he pays them three fhillings and nine pence, and provides them victuals. His dwelling is a fmali {lone cottage, one ftory high, about twenty feet in breadth and ten feet deep ; a very indifferent, dirty kitchen, feparated by a wainicot partition from a real alcove, which contains a miferable bed, conilitutes all the apartments of this cottage. In the fmall room were jumbled together in one confufed heap, books, furniture, papers, glafles, bottles, and philofophical inflrumcnts. The fight of a man of liberal education reduced to fuch penury, excites a painful ienfation.i -V't Mr. Legaux was not at home on our arrival ; \ve were informed that he was in Philadelphia, as, no doubt, we were fufpected as unwelcome vifitors. He was, however, at a neighbour's ; and we had no fooner left his houfe to remount our horfes, than we were called back, and he haf- tcned up to us. To an unfortunate man, reduced to iuch a ftate of re- tirement, the vifit of three Grangers is an occurrence not to be flight- ed. He knew that one of the three ilrangers was a Frenchman, for J had left my card* The view of a countryman at fo great a diftancc from our native land, is far more pleafmg than that of any other perfon. It is fo at leaft to me, though the pleafmg fenfation I feel on fuch occa- fions, is frequently embittered by the thought, that at this unfortunate period of the revolution a Frenchman is fometimes the very worn: com- pany which a Frenchman can meet. Mr. l^egaux accofted us with a countenance which apparently be- fpoke content. His drefs perfectly correfpondcd with the reft of his eftabliihment. A long coarfe flannel waiftcoat, black breeches, and blockings full of holes, and a dirty night-cap, formed his whole attire. He is a man of about fifty or fifty-five years of age V? his eyes are very lively, and his whole phyfiognomy indicates cunning rather than goodnefs of heart. In the courfe of the fhort converfation we had with him, he told us, that the cruel and rigorous conduct of the perfon of whom he had bought the eftate, which he pofleifed at the time of poor Briu'bt's vifit (this was his expremon), had compelled him to fell it again, and to rent the fmall vineyard which he was now cultivating. He confiders the C2 fuccefe 12 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, fuccefs of this enterprize as certain, and thinks that it will prove very lucrative to him. He allured us that his wines are already very good, though the oldeft of them had not yet been in the cellar more than two years. They are Medot vines ; and one vine of the Cape of Good Hope, for which he paid forty guineas, has already produced nearly two hun- dred layers. He faid that his wine is of a peculiar flavour, yet more like. the " vin de Grave" than any other w r ine. He pays a rent of ilxty-two dollars for his fifteen acres. This is, in few words, the fubftance of all we could learn concerning his plantation. On our alking him why he fettled in America nine years fmce ? he acquainted us that he was an advocate in the parliament of Metz, but left his fituation and his coun- try to afTift his friend, Mr. FOULQUIER, in his functions, as intendant o/$ Guadaloupe, and that this intendant having been ftrongly fufpecled.of mal-adminiltration in the colonies, had exculpated himfelf by throwing all the blame on him, Legaux, whofe purity of fentiments had ever been equal to his zeal for his ungrateful friend. None of his expreffions be^- fpoke that tranquillity and peace of mind, w T hich a man might be fup- pofed to enjoy who thus withdraws from the world to lead a fequeftcred life, and cultivate the ground. He even appeared dhTatisfied with every one, especially with the Americans, of whom he repeated twenty times that we could never entertain too much fufpicion. Although this man received us kindly, and fpoke many handfome things of my family as- well as of myfclf, afTuring me that he had heard a great deal about me pre- vioufly to my leaving France, yet I was difplcafcd with him, and he ex- ritcd in me rather difapprobation of what he termed his misfortunes, than compailion for his prefent fituation, though my frame of mind was much in favour of the latter. What I heard concerning him, on my return to Philadelphia, has confirmed me in my opinion. He is a worth- lefs, litigious man, who, during the nine years he has refided in America,, has been engaged in upwards of two hundred law-fuits, not one of which he has gained. However ftrong may be our prepofTeffion againfb America, it is highly improbable that juftice Ihould'fo obftinately be denied to a fo- reigner. On the contrary, it is much more likely that a man who has en- tered "*> * BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. '13 tered or defended two hundred actions, muft have been actuated folely by a' litigious difpofition, and that none of his claims were well grounded; efpecially if he himfclf conducted the fuit, which is extremely probable, as he was formerly a lawyer. Mr. Legaux's reputation at Philadelphia is not ot the beft complexion, and I verily believe that if an enquiry were made into the affairs of Guadaloupe, the refult would not prove favourable to this fage, this philanthropi-ft, this philofopher,. (on whom poor Briifot pafles fo high an eulogium,) who cannot live in peace with his neighbours, but quarrels with every one about him^ We left the Sclmylkili by Springmill, to ftrike to^the Ihorteft road to Norris Town : the land is of the fame defcription. with that which we hadjuft pafledv On the road from. Roxborough to Norris Town we had now and then a view of the river, and at times alfo of a, more diftant range of {mall-hills, rifn-ig in the form of an. amphitheatre ; this is a branch of the Vattty-hllh, w r hich form a part of the Blue Mountains.. NorrisTown is the chief town, of the county of Montgomery, about fcveii miles from. Philadelphia, This chief foiv.n of the couniy confifls of ten buildings, in onejof which the feffions are held - r in: another the judges refide when they come to hold the affixes ; a third is-the county jail ; three (others are inns ; the reft are farm houfes> fliops,. or habitations of labour- ers. All the houfes are ftron-gly built of {tone. Norris Town, fituated on an. eminence, about a quarter, of a. mile from the Schuylkill, en:- joys a- grand, and. very cxteniivc profpecl ; and forms itfelt, even viewed at a diftance, a very linking and confpicuous object. The quarterv icffions are held here regularly, but the circuit- courts only once a year, and at times only every two or three years, when there are no cauies. The jail was built about two or three years ago,, after that of Phila/- delphia. But, thanks to the penal code of Pennfylvania, it is feldom inhabited by any other perfon than the keeper. When we vilited it, t a. Frenchman was confined there on llrong fufpicion of having forge.d a bank note: he is to remain, in this prifoa until the next quarter-feffions, \vhen he will be cither acquitted or removed to Philadelphia, unlefs the circuit fhould happen to be held, in that. town. The priibn-gate was _* 14 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA-, open, and the prifoner might have erFeded his efcape without any diffi- culty, had he been the lean; inclined to do fo. But he did not efcape, either from a reliance on his innocence, which I wifh may be the cafe, or from the rifk of being taken again. It is no ealy matter to difcover the neceffity, nay, the utility of fuch confidence as this, which is more nearly allied to indolence than humanity. It isjuft as difficult to affign a reaibn why a Frenchman, who is a villain, or at leaft a man of fo bad a character as this prifoner, who in France would have attempted twenty times to efcape from prifon, yet remains quietly in Norris Town, where the doors ftand open to him. Pretenders to philofophy, and Briflbt for one, will fay, that the certitude of impartial juiticc being adminiftered to him, retains the prifoner more effectually in his prifon than fetters ; that in a republic every one confiders himfelf as the guardian of the law, even againft himfelf, &c. All this may fatisfy thofe who are contented with words, but is not fufficient to explain this extraordinary facl to him who prefers found argument to unphiiofophical jargon. It may perhaps befl be accounted for from the circumftance that this man would find it impoffible to fubfift any where elfe but in prifon, j 0^ The foil about Norris Town is very good, which is here fomewhat more the objecl of culture than near Roxborough, yet is not even produced here in great quantity, The fyftem of agriculture is much the fame, and the average produce nearly the fame, perhaps fomewhat greater. The beft land is worth from forty-eight to fifty-two dollars ; the inferior fort from twenty-fix to thirty. Labour is cheaper here than at Roxborough and SpringmilL The price of provifions is lower than in Philadelphia, though not much ; there being no nearer market than that town, all the produce of this country is carried thither. Beef is fold at, from fix to feven pence a pound, bacon at one milling a pound, and flour five one-half dollars the hundred weight. The county-rates of Montgomery amount to no more than about three millings for every -hundred pounds, and one milling towards the re- pairs of t'.jc roads ; thus a per centage of four Shillings on all taxable pro- perty is die total amount of the public taxes, Poor-rates are feldom ne- cciTary, BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 15 ceflary, though this place is not pofleffed of the fame resource of a fund, eftablifhed for that purpofc, as lloxborough. There arc at prcfent no ^ paupers here ; and when there are,, a rate of one {billing is fully fufficient j * lor their maintenance. Each pauper is boarded in fomc family or other, and his board and lodging are paid for by the parifh. It is the duty of the overfeers to take care that the pauper be well treated, and that the parini be not impofed upon by improper charges. All the poor confift o perfons afflicted by iicknefs, or rendered incapable of labour by old age. The canal, intended to join the Schuylkill with the Delaware, begins at Norris Town, and half a mile of it on this fide is completely finiflied^ Its bed, which was parallel to the river, is about eighteen, or twenty feet in breadth, and three feet deep. The canal is opened about three miles farther. Here marble rocks are to be cut through, which flope down to> ^ the river. This is a laborious, as well as very expenfivc, undertaking ;, as every cubic toife of rough ftone cofts nine Shillings, and fifty work- men only are employed in this work. The canal, when finiihcd, will be of great advantage to Philadelphia ; but w hen w ill it be fmilhed ! It is begun near the town on a very bad plan ; in fome places it is filled up with land that has been warned together to the height of ten feet, whichb tan never keep water. It is reported, that Mr. WATSON, an English en- gineer, who fuperintcnds the conffoufcion of this canal, very particularly recommended that it might be dug on the oppoihe bank of the Schuyl- kill, as it w T ould be much more folid there ;. but as it was much to the intereft of the directors of the company, that the canal iliould pafs through their eilates, they w ere deaf to every other propofal,. and the canal is now executed on the moft difficult and moil: circuitous plan, with little profpecl: of fuccefs. The money for conftructing the canal, began already to fall fhort of the fum required, and feveral fubfcribers kept back their fubfcriptions beyond the limited time of payment, even at the hazard of forfeiting the fum already paid, as well as all claims to the advantages refulting from the completion of the canal, rather than they would incur the riik of finking a further fuin, when; the legislative power, apprifed of the obftacles which obftrucled the completion of the work. l(j TRAVELS IN" NORTH AMERICA, work, granted a lottery to raife a (urn of four hundred thoufand dollars, intended for the execution of all practicable plans of inland navigation, one hundred and thirty-three thoufand dollars of which are -to foe appro- priated to the completion of the Schuylkill canal. If the meafure of a Kate lottery can ever be justified by the vaft utility of the objccl to which the money it produces is applied, it certainly is fo in the prefent inftancc, But among a corrupt people, crimes and vices are generally cncreafcd by the inftitution of a lottery ; andean the legislature of Pennfylvania flatter rtfelf, that it will not eonfiderably add to the corruption and immorality of the inhabitants by an eftabliihmcnt fo extremely dangerous, and of \vhich a very immoderate ufe has already been made in America? After having viewed the canal, as far as it is at prefent fmimed, we vifited the quarries which yield the marble, of which nearly all the chimney -pieces in Philadelphia, as well as the ornaments of many ilreet- doors, flcps before the houfes, and windows -are formed. This marble is black and white, and very hard. It is found in great abundance in the quarries, which have hitherto only been opened in thefc places, and not to any great extent. It is, however, true, that we faw the principal quarry only, and that many others have been opened in the neighbourhood. We were even told of a quarry where the marble is all wtiitc, but it was at too great a diftance to be vifited by us. That which we iaw is in the T35 . diflricl: of Plymouth, wriere: there is alfo a mill with two faws for cutting marble, -which lies on the nvialet Plymouth. The mill contains nothing worthy of -notice, but its Situation is extremely picturefque and pleafant. The whole trad: of country from Norris.Town to within one or two miles from Roxborough, is covered with lime-Hone, more or lefs perfecl. The ftrata are moftly inclined, forming an angle of forty-five -degrees, and in fomc places interfpcrfed with hard quarry-ftone, and even with flints. We found in the road a great quantity of hard (tone ; a quarry, or variety of the granite -ftones, which contain about three or four cubic feet, fcem to be wafhed up by the water. Between Roxborough and Philadelphia granite is again found, and the earth is covered with mica. We ^Y TIIK DUK2 DE LA ROCftEF0VCAUT L1ANTCOURT. If We arc again in the fame inn, at which we put up before. The land- lord is making a well, and the ground, where they are digging it, being very loofe, he lines it with a large wooden cylinder, five feet in diameter., and within the cylinder conftruds a wall eighteen inches thick.j -^ \ May theftth, 17Q5. From Norris Town to Trap the country is much varied, very hilly, highly cultivated, with little wood-land, many orchards and meadows, w r ater in abundance, brooks, fprings, and creeks of every fize ; two of the latter, w r hich are by no means fmall, we forded, namely, the Shipack, eleven miles from Norris Town, and the Pachiomming, two miles far- ther on ; they were both fomewhat deep. The roads are very bad, and no attempts are made to repair them ; we cannot, therefore, be furprized at hearing, that fo many ftage-coaches are overturned. Trap is a village in the diftricl: of Providence, which is the largefl and rnoft affluent in the whole county. The foil, which is very good, is cultivated in the fame manner as in other places ; more land lies m^grafs here, than we have feen any where fmce we left Philadelphia. There are four different churches in this diftric% where, as in all the other flates, the minifter is paid by thofe only who belong to his feel:. The Speakers among the people called Quakers are the only ones who preach gratis. The manner of paying for divine fervicejis the fame as in Philadelphia ; people pay for their feats in the church. The provifion produced in the diftricl; of Providence is fold in the market -of Philadelphia. The taxes in this diftricl:, as well as in the county, amount to about eighteen pence for .every hundred pounds of taxable property, with the exception of the poor-rates. The poor arc rather numerous in this diftricl:, and fix hundred and forty dollars arc railed yearly for their fupport. The common price of labour is three Shillings and fix-pence a day, with board ; and the price of land fluctuates between thirty -two and forty-feven dollars per acre, in proportion to the ilate of its inclofurcs, cultivation, and buildings. Bread made of rye or D Indian 18 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, Indian com is the common food of the labourer, who, in addition to this, has meat three times a day. We arrived at Trap, and intended to dine at Pottfgrove; but we were under the neceffity of returning by the fame road we had come. The fervant, who mould have joined us an hour before, did not arrive ; and as we knew this delay muft have been occafioned by fome accident, we. were determined to learn what it was. We met him about a mile from Trap, leading both his horfes by the bridle, but without the baggage, which had fallen off four miles farther back, and our poor Jofeph being unable to procure any affiflance, and fuppofmg that we mould be uneaiy on his account, had left it in the care of a woman, and had proceeded thus far to inform us of his misfortune. We therefore returned the other four miles, and placed the baggage again on the horfe, but in fo indiffe- rent a manner, that after we had travelled two miles, it was again likely to fall off. Mr. Guillemard, taking every thing into confideration, con- vinced us, that the horfe was too heavily, as well as unfkilfully laden, and we therefore refolved to procure a waggon, to convey our baggage to the inn. During our ftay at the inn, to which we returned, we learned, in the courfe of converfation with a furgeon, that the number of gentlemen of his profeffion is pretty confiderable in this diftricl ; that one is to be met with every fix or feven miles ; that their fee for a vifit at the diftance of two miles, is one milling, and every additional mile adds one milling more, befides the charge for medicines; that inoculation of children for the fmall- pox is very common ; that the fee for this operation amounts to two dol- lars ; that the moft a phyfician of known abilities can make, in. this part of the country, is one thoufand three hundred dollars a year, but that very few make fo much, in confequence of which, all medical men, with few exceptions, follow fome other employment befides their profef- fion, and become either farmers or mop-keepers, to increafe their in- come. Although the inn, at which we put up, was not that which had been pointed BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 1<) pointed out to us, and was, in fad:, no better than a fmall, miferable ale- houfc lately opened ; yet we met with very good accommodation. We had tea and coffee for breakfaft ; bacon, tongue, and eggs for dinner, and every thing tolerably clean. Whilft we were contriving the means of fending our baggage to Reading, the flage-coach happened to pafs, and took charge of it : we then continued our journey to Pottfgrove. The road thither is exactly of the fame defcription with that between Norris Town and Trap. The ground where it confifts of fand, is good, but extremely bad where the foil is rich, having been entirely foaked through by the rain, which fell the day before yefterday ; the foil con- fifts, in general, of a ferruginous earth, particularly near Pottfgrove. The landicape is beautiful along this road, abounding with a great variety of fine views, wonderfully enlivened by the verdure of the corn-fields and meadows. We patted through fome parts of the country, where the grafs was fine, ftrong( and thick, in Ihort, as good as it could poffibly be. If agriculture were better underftood in thefe parts ; if the fields were well mowed and well fenced ; and if fome trees had been left ftanding in the middle or on the borders of the meadows, the moft beautiful parts of Europe could not be more pleafmg. But thefe eternal fences of dead wood, thefe dry maize-ftubbles of laft year, thefe decayed trees, which are left ftanding until they are rotten, and the abfolutc w r ant of verdant trees in the corn-fields and meadows, greatly impair the beauty of the landfcape, but without being able entirely to deftroy its variety and charms. The country about Pottfgrove is ftill more pleafant ; the plain, in which this fmall market-town is fituate, is more extenfive than any we have hitherto feen, and, at the fame time, is in the higheft degree of cul- tivation. The forejl-mountains, which are in fight on the left and in the front, form beautiful borders to this landfcape. In the neighbourhood of Pottfgrove we again difcovered the Schujl- kill, which we had left near Norris Town. Along its whole courfe its banks are delightful, and all the land, through which it pafles, is good. I D 2 do 20 TRAVELS IN N011TH AMERICA, do not know a finer river in point of water and views. If" European tafte and magnificence adorned the banks of the Schuylkill with country- feats, it would not be excelled either by the Seine or the Thames. Pottfgrove is a market town, and originally laid out by a quaker- fa- mily, of the name of POTT. About forty years ago they purchafed land of the ftate at a very low price, and fold it afterwards at a confiderable profit, according as it was more or lefs fought after. It is now worth thirty dollars in the town, and from thirty to thirty-feven in the adja- cent country. The family of Pott have eftablimed confiderable iron forges, and by means of thefe much increafed the fortune, which they acquired by the fale of the lands. They are generally fuppofed to be very rich. Poltfgrove confifts at prefent of about thirty well built houfes, and belongs to the diftricT: of Douglas, which forms a part of the county of Montgomery. The poor-rates are very inconfiderable, and all neceffaries of life are cheaper here by nearly half than at Philadelphia, As I alighted from my horfe, I difcovered a Frenchman, among the feveral perfons who were {landing at the door of the inn, by a certain characteriftic deportment, which is eafily difcernible in individuals of all nations, but more particularly fo in a Frenchman. An involuntary move- ment, fome natural feeling, drew me towards him. His name is GER- JSIER ; he is a nephew of the celebrated advocate of Paris, by \vhom he was brought up, and the fon of a famous advocate at Rennes, of whom he has received no intelligence during thefe laft ten months. In St. Domingo, where he refided formerly as a merchant, he married a Creole, a friend and fchool companion of Madame de MONTULE* with whom he lives in one of the houfes of this borough. It is impoffible to meet with a Frenchman in thefe times, without being called upon to liften to the hiftory of his loiTes, his misfortunes, and to his refentments naturally refulting from them. Mr. Gerbier's account of his misfortunes, however, was very Ihort, though they appear to me very great. As to his refentment, he exprefled himielf on this point as a man of fenfe, who wiihes not to entertain any* He feemed melan- choly BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 21 choly and dejected, yet polleffing a ftrong mind. Misfortunes, borne with patience and refignation, are ever fure to excite companion : I heartily fympathife in thofe, which have fallen to his lot. He porTefTcs a fmall por- tion of land in Afylum, whither he intends to remove, as foon as his wife has recovered from her lying-in. He fpoke with much praife of M. de BLA- CONS, of the excellent Mr. KEATING, of M. DE MONTULE, and of Du PETIT THOUARS. He appeared to me a mild and worthy man, but rather too much deprcfled by misfortune] ; for, at his age,, and with his abilities, he might find numerous refources in this country. After he had left me, he received a letter from his mother, a lady turned of feventy. She in- formed him, that me and his father were both well ; that they had fortu- nately efcaped the dreadful guillotine, the drownings and fhootings., which would ever difgrace the French revolution ; that they could not fend him any money at that time, but that they would pay any fum, for which he chofe to draw on them. This wife and fenfible Better was written, however, in the language of liberty. The poor young man was happy to perceive, that I participated in his joy ; and yet this glimpfe of fun-mine was not able to difperfe the profound melancholy which cloud- ed his mind. I muft obferve, that Mr. Gerbier's mother, in the defcrip- tion which me gave of the fituation of France, fpoke of great diftrefs, and efpecially of the depreciation of affignats, which was fo great, that a fowl coil two hundred livres in paper money, and three livres in fpecie. The inn at Pottfgrove is very good ; it is kept by a German. The in- habitants of this borough are moflly Germans. Here we found the ftage- coach, by which we had fent our luggage ; but the letter-cafe, which contained Mr. Guillemard's money, had been left behind in Trap.^ En- deavouring to think of every thing, my travelling companion) thinks, in fact, of nothing. Thus we are obliged to fend back to Trap, to fetch the letter-cafe, even if it be not ilolen, a point which we {hall learn to- morrow at Reading. 02 TRAVELS IX NOHTII AMERICA, On Thurfthy, the 1th, We flopped at the White Horfe, four miles from Pottfgrove. This inn is kept by a Frenchman, a native of Lorrain, who has married an American woman, the daughter of a native of Avignon, by a woman from Franche-Comte. The whole family fpeak bad Englifh and bad French, but probably good German. They pay a rent of eighty-fix dol- lars for fifty acres of land and the houfe ; their owner lives very near, and keeps a fhop. The houfe and the land, which is of very good qua- lity, would have been worth fixty dollars more, had it been let to a pri- vate family. But the iliopkeeper had very juftly calculated, that a good tavern fo near his houfe was of more value to him than fixty dollars, and that a well frequented inn could not but procure cuftomers to his fhop, from whom he would be likely to derive advantages far exceeding the 'ium which he thus facrificed. The good people of the inn enquired with much eagernefs for news from France. My friend told them, that it would be obliged to fuftain another and more dreadful campaign. " How ! a flill more dreadful one than the preceding campaign/' they exclaimed, " notwithstanding the Englifh were beaten laft year ?" " There are many other enemies," re- plied my friend, " Ruffians, Auftrians." " Aye, aye," faid the good people, " all thofe who do not like liberty ; but the French will never- thclefs triumph, if it pleafe God, over all the f ." Thefe are the fentimcnts, and fuch is the language of moft Americans ; and indeed this muft be the opinion of all, who are not acquainted with the crimes attending our revolution ; and even they who are fb, very juftly im- pute them to the various factions, and carefully diftinguim and fepa- rate them from the caufe of liberty. The principles and conduct of the coalefced powers are treated with the fame degree of indignation as thofe of the terrorists. The lefs informed clafs of men confider the matter in this light, and, in facl, in this light it Ihould be confidered by all, who are able to lay afide for a moment their grief and their misfortunes, and to contemplate BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHKFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 2$ contemplate the true nature of the cafe with a calm, unbiased mind. Liberty is now ftruggling with defpotifm. If the caufe of liberty prove triumphant, it will be able to organize itfelf, and to acquire regularity'and order ; it will ceafe to be anarchy, and become true national freedom. If defpotifm triumph, it will organize itfelf for no other purpofe, but to, enflave the world. The fituation of this borough, and like wife of all other places on the road from Pottfgrove to Reading, is delightful. Indeed the country ap- pears to become more lively and populous, the nearer we approach the latter town. Corn and faw mills are numerous here ; and there are many creeks with flrong currents, w r hich turn the wheels of fome iron- forges. The mountains, which rife on the banks of the Schuylkill, and feparate Reading from the other part of the county, begin to form a ridge, which at firft ftretches along under the name of Oley Hills, and afterwards takes that of Lehi-hill. Thofe marks of the increafmg im- provement of the country, which are obfervable as far as Bethlem and the Delaware, are alfo perceivable here. Log-houfes, conftru&ed of trunks of trees, laid one upon another, the interfaces of which are filled up with clay, are feen no longer, having been replaced by framed houfes, confuting however of balks, properly hewn and fhaped, and covered with boards ; and even buildings of a ftill better conduction are already to be feen in fome parts. They now build only with ftona and brick, and no- woodland remains to be converted into arable ground. The wood that is ftanding is left for confumption. Oak fells at three dollars and half, and hickory at four dollars and half a fathom. A few miles from Reading the price of land is from twenty-five to thirty dollars, if covered, with wood ; and from one hundred and ten to one hundred and thirty dollars if grafs-land. Day labourers receive three (hillings, carpenters and mafons four (hillings a day. We overtook the ftage-coach again at the White Horfe, where the paflengers breakfailed. It appears fomewhat ftrange to Europeans, to fee the coachman eat at the fame table with the paiTengers ; but it would; feem equally jftrange to Americans, to fee the coachman eating by himfelf,. It jU TRAVELS m NORTH AMERICA, It is futile to argue againft the cuftoms of a country ; we muft fubmrt Equality, pretended equality, which widely differs from true freedom, is the foundation of this cuftom, which, in fad:, injures nobody ; it is for the fame reafon, that the fervants, who wait at dinner or breakfaft, are feated, except while they are ferving you, and that the landlord at- tends you with his hat on his head. A jnan may be allowed to diflike this cuftom, without poffemng any extrayagant mare of weak pride. An inn-keeper, a fhoe-maker, a taylor, are naturally at liberty to wait on people, or to let it alone ; but if they choofe to wait on others, they mould keep at a proper diftance, and obfcrye the re-fpecl:, which becomes their fituation. It muft be obfeTved, however, that many an inn-keeper in America is a captain or a major ; nay, I have ieen drivers of ftage- coaches, who were colonels : fuch things are very common in America, There is much greater propriety in the uftom that prevails in Eng- land, where the tradefman is treated- with politenefs and refpecl: by his employers, whilft he, in return, -obierves the due decorum of his fitur ation, without meanly facrificing that noble principle of liberty, which every Englimman cherimes with confcious pride 4 it will foon be the fame in France. Reading, the chief town of the county of Berks, which contains about thirty thoufand inhabitants, is fituate on the banks of the Schuyl- kill. The building of the firft houfes commenced in 1752. The fa- mily of Penn repurchafed the land, which they had originally difpofed of, for the purpofe .of building on this fpot the chief town of the county. It confifts at prefent of about five hundred houfes; a few of thofe which were firft built are ftill {landing ; they are log- lioufes, and the intedlices between the trunks of the trees are filled up with ftone or plafter. In confequence of the flight manner in which they were finimed, feveral of them have tumbled down ; vanity has pulled down others ; but all thofe built within thefe few laft years are of ftone or brick, and have a neat appearance. The town is improving in point of buildings ; the ftreets are broad and ftraight, and the foot- paths are fhaded by trees, planted in front of the houfes. Little Bt Tilt DUKSf DE LA ROCHEFOtfcltfLT LtANCOURT. 2$' This town has little or no trade, and fcarcely any manufactures. There is one, at which a confiderable number of cioarfe hats are fabricated of wool, procured from Philadelphia, to which place the hats are fent for fale ; with a few tan-yards, which prepare leather for the confumption of the town and neighbouring country. The population of Reading is ef- timated at about two thoufand five hundred fouls, confiding chiefly of lawyers and inn-keepers. Some new honfes were built in the courfe of laftyear ; but no increafe of the number of inhabitants has been obferveJ for feveral years. They are all either Germans, or of German defcent ; great numbers of the inhabitants of the town and neighbouring coun- try do not underftand a word of Engiifh, and yet all the public acts, and all the judicial proceedings are drawn up and conducted in the Eng- lim language. Hence it often happens, in the courfe of law-fuits, that the judges underftand no German, and the parties, witneffes, and jurymen, no Englim, which renders the conftant attendance of in- terpreters necefTary, to repeat to the judges the depofition of the wit- nefles, and to the jurymen the fumming-up of the judges. The ad- miniftration of juflice is therefore extremely imperfect. Many law- fuits, however, having no other object than to fatisfy the hatred and paflion of the moment, by dragging an adverfary before the judge, both parties are frequently fatisfied with the fentence, of whatever complexion it may be. How many differences might be fettled oa amicable terms, but for this revengeful difpofition to proceed to extre- mities, which prevails in all countries, and enfures to lawyers a certaitt fubfiftence ; or rather how many law-fuits might be accommodated, but for the great number of lawyers and courts of juftice I Law-fuits are very frequent in Reading, and originate chiefly in debts, quarrels, and aflaults. There is a printer in Reading, who publishes a German gazette weekly ; the price is a dollar a year. The fale extends as far as Pittf- burg, and does not exceed one thoufand one hundred copies. Every one here, as well as in all other parts of America, takes an intereft ia ftate affairs, is extremely eager to learn the news of the day, and dif- cufles politics as well as be is able, E There 20 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, There are three churches in Reading ; one for the people called Quakers, another for Roman Catholics, and the third for Lutherans. The two laft are much frequented by Germans, in whofe native lan- guage the fermons are delivered. Every one pays for the fupport of that form of wormip,; which he has chofen for himfelf, fre- quently without attending "ft, which is to his tafte, to which he is accuftomed, or which fome whim or other moves him to prefer. Generally fpeaking, few men go to church, 'at lead few of the firft clafs. Religious wormip is left chiefly to the women, who, forming the leaft buly clafs of mankind, are the moll affiduous fre- quenters of the theatres and the churches. The Lutheran church is much reforted to in the morning, and the Roman Catholic ier- vice in the evening. The minifters, who are paid by fubfcription, receive about four. hundred dollars per annum. Being without political importance., and confined to their ecclefiaftical functions, they are reli- gious, humane, and tolerant. If their conduct were otherwife, their parishioners would change them juft as readily as withdraw their em- ployment from a Shoe-maker, who Should make bad Shoes. They live in perfect harmony with one another. The fermons delivered in the different churches are chiefly of a moral caft. Lutherans, Roman Ca- tholics, and Quakers intermarry with each other. Mr. READ, the gentleman to whom we had a letter of introduction, has ten children, two of whom only have been baptized ; the reft are left to choofe their religion for themfelves, if they think proper, when they arrive at years of difcretion. The fortunes of thofe, who are accounted people of property in Reading, are in general moderate. n An income of eighteen hun- dred or two thoufand dollars a yearf is deemed large ; and at leaft a part of fuch incomes is always earned by fome ufeful employment. Here are indeed fome gentlemen poSTeSTed of large property, but then this has been generally obtained by commerce, or elfe accumulated in the town itfclf by dishonourable means, namely, by buying up, at a low price, demands againft poor fmall proprietors, and driving them from their poSTeflions by judicial proceedings. The number of people, who BY THE DUKE DE tA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 2/ who have made fortunes in this manner, is not great ; yet there cer- tainly are about three of them in the town, who poflefs capitals amount- ing to two hundred and fifty or three hundred thoufand dollars. The fentiments of the inhabitants of this town and the neighbouring country are very good, and breathe a warm attachment to the federal government. There is no democratic fbciety. Reading fent about eighty volunteers on the expedition againft Pittfburg, forty of whom were equipped to ferve as cavalry. They all belonged to rich families, and were engaged in bufmefs ; but either their own zeal, or the influ- ence of their relations, impelled them to devote themfelves to the pub- lie good. In confequence of this public fpirit, a fociety has been formed at Reading, called the FIRE SOCIETY,* the members of which enter into an obligation to keep at their common expence two fire en- gines, and each at his own expence two buckets, a baiket, and a fack^/ and to attend at the firft alarm of fire. This fociety, which refembles that of Philadelphia, and many others of the fame defcription, which are very common all over America, fpares government an expence, which otherwife it would be obliged to incur, and enfures a more fpeedjr afliftance to fufferers, than any public inititution could poffibly afford. It will perhaps be faid, that this fociety originated from the perfonai intereft of every individual member or fubfcriber : be it fo; for what elfe is public fpirit, but private intereft properly underflood ? Some public buildings, fuch as a large houfe for the different officers of the county, and the archives, a prifon, and a feffions houfe, have been very lately built at the expence of the county. The taxes are very fmall. Of three lawyers, with whom we palled the greateft part of our time at Reading, not one could inform me of the exact total amount of the taxes, but they all agreed, that they are very inconfiderable^ or next to nothing. The county- taxes and poor-rates, taken all together, may perhaps amount to about fixpence in the pound, or a fortieth part of the yearly income. On particular occafions, or when publie build- * The eftabliihment of a company for infurance from lofs by fire, may be expected to follow next, in the progrefs of improvements at Reading.- Tranjlatvr. E 2 ings 28 . TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, ings are to be erected, they are doubtlefs higher, but never fo high as to take from a rich man more than twelve dollars a year. There are weekly two market days in Reading, and the market is well fupplied with provifion. In fuch diftricts as lie near the market, the price of building-ground, two hundred feet in depth, is twenty- five dollars per foot ; in lefs populous parts of the town only ten dol- lars. The rent for large convenient houfes, at fome diftance from the town, amounts to one hundred and fifty dollars. The price of land is about twenty-two dollars an acre, and near the town from thirty- two to thirty-fix dollars. Meadows near the town coft one hundred and fifty dollars. A great number of them belong to the family of Penn in right of purchafe ; for it is well known, that all lands and tene- ments, which this family held in fee, were redeemed by the ftate, on granting indemnification more or lefs adequate to their value. The Schuylkill does not flow through the town, but at a diftance of about five thoufand paces. A project is formed for extending the town to the bank of the river, and it will certainly be carried into effect, as foon as the canal, which is to join the Schuylkill with the Sufquehan- nah, fhall be finifhed, a part of which is already completed. Reading will then become a confiderable ftaple for inland traffic. A tolerably ex- tenfive corn-trade is already carried on here. In winter, when the na- vigation is obftrudted by ice, the neighbouring farmers, who happen ta be in want of money, bring their corn to town. The wealthy inhabi- tants buy it at a low price, lay it tip in granaries, and fend it to Phila- delphia as foon as the river is navigable, as it is, in general, for vef- iels of one hundred or two hundred tons burthen, except when it is frozen . The banks of the Schuylkill are exquifitely beautiful near Reading, indeed more fo than in any other part of its courfe. On the fide oppofite to the town arifes a range of richly cultivated hills, covered with as- many houfes as can be expected in this country. Beyond thefe heights- are mountains of more confiderable elevation : and beyond thefe are feen the lofty fummits of the Blue Mountains. The whole form a profped BY THE DUKE DH LA KOCHliFOUCAULX LIANCOURT. 'flf) profpeft at once pleafmg and fublime. A great number of brooks run into the Schuylkill, and turn many paper, faw, platter, and oil-mills in the vicinity of Reading. The inhabitants of the town are temperate, induftrious and prudent people. A tradefman clears as much money in a few years, as enables him to buy a plantation in the back coun- try, where he either fettles himfelf, or fends one of his children. Per- fons who quit Reading and its vicinity generally retire to the country around Sunbury and Northumberland.'^ Some poor Germans from time to time arrive here from Europe, get rich, purchafe a plantation, and retire. i They marry here very young. Few women remain unmarried be- yond the age of twenty years : and marriages are very fruitful. The mortality among children is, upon an average, much lefs here than in Philadelphia. The country is healthful. Perlbns grey with age are numerous, and epidemical difeafes rarely break out. Living is cheaper here, by one half, than in Philadelphia* We had letters to MeiTrs. Read and BRIDLE, and cannot fpeak with fufficient praife of the handfome reception we experienced from thefe gentlemen. They anfwered all our queilions with a degree of patience as obliging on their part, as it was advantageous to us. The day we flopped at Reading was fpent at Mr. Bridle's, where we found Mr. Read, Judge RUSH, brother to Dodor RUSH of Philadelphia, and Pre- iident of the diftricl:, General ROVER, who, during the lair, war, ferved conllantly under La FAYETTE, and holds now the place of Regiftrar, Mr. ECKARD, an actuary, and Mr. EVANS, who is a lawyer as well as Meffrs. Read and Bridle. The conveifation was pleafant enough. It conilantly turned upon the political fituation of Europe, of which every one will talk, and which is rightly underftood by none. But it is the topic of the day, to the difcuffion of which we mud: fubmit. Excel- lent principles of government, a warm attachment to France, abhor- rence of the crimes which have been committed, and fervent wifhes for her welfare, formed the prominent features of the converfation. Several very acute and judicious obfervations on the fubjeft of England were 30 I'll AT ELS IN NORTH AMERICA, were made, which did not befpeak great partiality for that country. The gentlemen fpoke with euthufiafm of WASHINGTON, with gratitude and efteem of La Fayette, and, in fhort, difplayed the moil laudable feelings. During a walk we met fome ladies, who, to judge from the manner in which their attendants conducted themfelves, mufl be of very little importance in fociety. Mr. Bridle, who, without faying a word, gave us tea in the evening, feemed fcarcely to have eaten his dinner. The civility of our friends in Reading was not confined to a kind re- ception ; they alfo offered us letters to gentlemen at Lancafter, and in other places on our road, which, though we were already provided with a tolerable number, we accepted with the fame fatisfaction as they were offered. fekllf* One of thefe letters procured me an introduction into the farm of _ Angelico. I was defirous of being more accurately /acquainted with the ftate of agriculture and husbandry about Reading, which, in Phila- delphia, had been pointed out to me as the moft perfect in all Pennfyl- vania, and I therefore wifhed to converfe with one of the bed informed farmers ; Mr. EVANS had been named to me as fuch. He fuperintends and manages the farm of Angelico for Mr. NICHOLSON in Philadelphia, who bought it three years ago of Governor MIFFLIN. This farm, which lies three miles from Reading on the way to Lancafter, con- fifts of nine hundred acres, four hundred only of which have hither- ta been cultivated, and fifty of thefe lie in paflure. From fixty to feventy acres confift of the fineft meadows, fome of which are fown with clover. They are watered at pleafure, partly by the Angelico, a fmall brook from which the place takes its name, and partly by a very copious fpring, which waters fuch parts as are not within reach of the Angelico. The grafs is fine, ftrong, and bumy, and the only care taken of it confifts in a flight irrigation. The reft of the land is under the plough, and produces wheat, rye, buck-wheat, oats, and Indian corn, but with- out any fixed rotation of crops. The land is of the beft/quality, being a rich clay, from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches deep. Some places arc BY THE DUKE fcE LA ROCIIEFOTJCAULT LIANCOURT. 31 are ftony. More or lefs manure is laid upon the foil every three years. From four to five [cart-loads of dung, about fifteen hundred weight each, are generally allotted to an acre ; but the dung is far from being in a ftate to anfwer the intended purpofe. The produce of the firft year, after the ground has been cleared, is .twenty-five bufhels of wheat, forty bufhels of rye, forty bufhels of barley, eighty bufhels of oats, twenty-five bufhels of Indian corn, per acre. It would produce confiderably more, if the wood were felled in a more careful manner, and the ground fomewhat deeper tilled. It is the cuftom, and confequently the general opinion, that the ground muft not be ploughed deeper than four or five inches. I have converfed with Mr. Evans on this fubjecl:, who could not help allowing, that the above opinion is erroneous. He was entirely of my way of thinking ; but it is the cuftom, and that has more weight than the cleared reafoning. Newly cleared land fometimes produces better crops after the fecond and the third year's tillage, than at the firfl ; and this generally happens when the ground has not been cleared with fufficient care. The ufual pro- duce of this land is ten bufhels of wheat, twenty of rye, twenty of barley, forty of oats, and eighty of Indian corn. This diftricl: has not furTered from certain infects, called lice, which occafion fometimesjcon- fiderable mifchief to the crops ; nor had the Heflian fly much damaged the corn here. The plough- fhare is of iron ; it has but one broad fide bent towards the right. It is ill contrived, and turns up the ground very imperfectly. Two horfes are able to draw the plough in a pretty ftrong foil. The work of the farm is performed by five men, fix horfes, and twelve oxen. Mr. Evans's wife and children manage the bufinefs of the houfe, of a pretty confiderable dairy, and of the poultry-yard, which is much better flocked with fowls than American farms ufually are. The butter which is not confumed in the houfe, is fent in winter to Phila- delphia ; but in fummer they make good cheefe, which is fold for ten- pence a pound. The corn is either fold in Philadelphia or Reading. Mr. Evans fattens fome oxen, but their number does not exceed eigh- teen, though he poflefles feventy acres of meadow land; thefe oxen, together 3'i TRAVELS Itf NORTH AMERICA, together with his twelve cows and fix horfes, confume almoft all his bay, for he fells very little. He keeps it in barns, and fometimes in flacks made after the Englifti manner, hut fo very badly, that they ge- nerally tumble down. Every acre of meadow, if mowed twice a year, yields from three to four tuns of hay, 4 and the price of this article Was laft year fourteen dollars a tun. Mr. Evans keeps no more than forty or fifty fheep. This fmall num- ber affords an additional proof of the prejudices, which prevail in this country ; " to keep many of them," Mr. Evans obferved, " would be the certain means of lofing them all." On my mentioning to him the example of England, he faid, ' I know all this, but it is the cuftom here, and a wife cuftom it is ; for our neighbour, Mr. MORGAN, who would keep more, and had a good mepherd from Europe, loft them all. We do not wifh for more than are neceflary to fupply us with wool for our own cloathing, and that of our people, and on that account keep no more." The fiate of agriculture is here exactly the fame as in the remoteft provinces of France. Prejudices, maxims handed down from father to fbn, ufages, ignorance, and confequently obftinacy, govern every thing. The fheep are tolerably good, and yield excellent wool. Before I faw them, I afked the fhepherd, whether the wool was fhort or long ? he anfwered, " that it grew longer towards the time of (hearing it." I explained to him the meaning of the terms, long and mort wool, the difference between the fheep which produce it, the different purpofes they are fit for in the manufactories, and, confequently, the reafons why, in different parts of England, one fort of fheep is kept in pre- ference to another. He liftened to me, and replied, " of all this we know nothing here." It is the cuftom not to keep a ram upon the farm ; they enquire where a good one may be found, and- either hire him or fend the ewes to him. Mr. Evans fattens his oxen with hay, and flour of Indian corn, of which he allots to each, twice a day, fix quarts, or fix-fixteenths of a buihel : his oxen are tolerably good, but not remarkably fo. In my prefence he fold feventeen, which were all he BY THE DUKE DE LA. BOCHSFOUCAULT tlANCOUttT. 33 he had at that time, and among; which was an old bull and a fine cow. o For thefe he received nine hundred and fix dollars ; the cow alone cod forty-two ; me was three years old, large fized, of a good fort, and was bought for breeding in another part of the country. Turnips for feeding cattle are cultivated only in gardens like pot- herbs, to the extent of a quarter or half an acre. The cultivation of cabbages and turnips in the fields is unknown. Potatoes are planted in great abundance. The art of getting good dung is as little known here as all other branches of agriculture, which require the lead judgment. J There is no hole in the farm-yard to collect the dung; no- thing is done to improve it by the urine from the different {tables, or to prevent the rain from wafhing away its ftrength ; it lies in the farm- yard in large heaps, does not rot, but is entirely dried up. In other refpedls this is one of the fined eftates that can be defired. The foil, the fituation, and every thing confidered, leave nothing to wifh for 1 but a more fkilful cultivation, of which it is as capable as any other fpot in the world. In point of profpedl and pidturefque effect, its fituation is charming, being in a large, delightful valley, which is well watered, and furrounded by a multitude of the moft pleafant hills, partly cultivated, and partly covered with wood. A faw-mill forms a part of this eftate ; it is conftantly employed either for the ufe of the eftate, for the pofTeffor, or the public. The price of labour is three millings for one hundred feet of plank. The mill has but one faw, though there is a fufficient quantity of water for at leaft three. This water, which can be difpofed of at pleafure, might very conveniently turn feveral other mills, and thus encreafe both the value of the eftate, and the induftry of the country ; as the pro- duce is fure to meet with a ready fale eithejrjin Philadelphia or Reading. The fences and farm-buildings, which Governor Mifflin left in very bad condition, are now repairing, and will foon be in very good order. Mr. Nicholfon pays Mr. Evans, who accounts to him for the out- goings and expenditure, but who has not yet remitted him any money. He intends, undoubtedly, by this management, to put the eftate into a F good 34 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, good condition, and to raife its value beyond that which landed property has hitherto acquired in America. At this time a bufhel of wheat fells for fifteen (hillings, Indian corn for three (hillings, and oats for five (hil- lings. Labourers are eafily procured here in fufficient number for all the purpofes of agriculture. From the account I have given of this eftate, it is evident, that its value would be very confiderable, if it were better managed. The five hundred acres, which lie uncultivated, fupply the necefTary timber for repairing the houfe and out-buildings, and alfo wood for fuel ; which, as I have already mentioned, is fold at Reading from three and a half, to four and a half dollars per cord, according to the quality of the wood. The expence for felling, cutting it, and car- rying it to Reading, amounts to one 'dollar two- thirds. Mr. Evans is of opinion, that this tract of land (hould neither be cultivated, nor the wood fold for fuel, becaufe the trees, if fuffered to grow, encreafc the value of the land far beyond what it can be worth, if applied to any other ufe. I know not how far he may be right. To form a cor- rect opinion on this fubject, it would be necefTary to traverfe the wood, to be acquainted with the wants and cuftoms of the country ; and be- fides, it is well known, that in France, where the management of woods is fingularly well underftood, the rearing of trees is deemed one of the moft difficult arts. My friend, Mr. Guillemard, who is more fond of his bed, and lefs partial to farms, than I am, fufJered me to leave Reading fome hours before him ; he overtook me at Angelico, and thence we entered upon our journey to Lancafter. There is no public conveyance yet eihbli(hed by the ftate between Lancafter and Reading, though thefe are both confiderable towns. The ftage- coach goes from Reading to Harrifburg, fituate on the Sufquehannah, and on the road to Pittfburg, Another ftage-coach goes from Harrifburg to Lancafter, which forms a circuit of eighty miles ; though, by the direct road, the diftance is only thirty-one miles. There is, indeed, a poft, which goes twice a week from Bethlem to Lancafter, and pafTes through Reading, but is of BY THE DUK.E DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LlAXCOURT. 35- of no ufe to travellers. This poft,^which makes a journey of eighty miles, frequently arrives without bringing one (ingle letter ; every thing evinces, that the country is yet in an infant ftate, but mews, at the fame- time, that it is proceeding, by large and rapid ftrides, to a ftate of con- iiderable ftreiwth. / The country between Reading and Lancafter abounds with moun- tains and vallies. The former are not high, but run in ranges. The vallies are chearful, well watered, abound 'with fine meadows, and arc tolerably well inhabited. Almoft all the inhabitants are Germans, or, at leaft, of German defcent. The greateft part fpeak no other language than German. The houfes are fmall^and kept in very bad order ; the barns are large, and in very good repair. The general appearance of the country, which is very rich and pleafant, refembles that near the Voghefian Mountains, except that here the mountains are not fo high. We continually meet with brooks or creeks,Kwith numerous mills and a luxuriant verdure. The road is tolerable, except in fome places, where it is miry, or rough with ftones. Four miles from Lancafter the hills decreafe in height, and two miles from the town they terminate in a plain. On our way we flopped at Ephrata, where we vifited the DUNKERS, a fort of monks well known in America by the folitary life they lead, though their number is but final 1. We had a letter to Father MILLER, the Dean of the fociety. The houfe, which is built of a very indiffer- ent fort of flone, and badly roofed with laths, is the reudence of feveral hermits, the remains of iixty, who formed the fociety about forty years ago. A few yards from this houfe ftands the nunnery of the order, which contains ten or twelve nuns, fubjeft to the fame rules. The venerable Father Miller is an old man, not far from eighty years of age. His eyes {till fparkle with a degree of fire. ,and his imagina- tion is ftill lively. Our curionty led us to enquire/after the inftitutiou of the houfe, and the doctrines of the order. Father Miller fatisfied this curiofity in a manner the moft tedioufly diffufe, by giving us a mi 1 irnte account of every point, however trifling, of the dodrine and hif- F 2 tory 3(5 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, tory of the Dunhrs. This hiltory is a tifTue of abfurdities, like that of all monks. A ridiculous compound of ambition, and of the deiire of infulating themfelves apart from the {late, is common to them all. The Dunkers were infKtuted in the fame place where they at prefent re- fide, by oneQ^ T RAD PEYSEL, a German, who, however, foon perceived, 2 well asthemfeves, that the life of an anchorite is neither the moft plea- i'ant, nor the mofl ufeful in the world. He collected them into a fociety, and conducted them to Pittfourg, which, at that time, was a wild, unin- habited place. The prior, who fucceeded Peyfel, intended, according to iome, to fubject his monks to a flricler difcipline ; but, by the account of others, he propofed to accuftom them to a wandering life ; diiTen- fions arofe among them, and they palTed fome years in a ftate of con- 'tinual difagreement ; they then difperfed, and afterwards united again.. in the fame place where they were firft eflablifhed. The old monk told us, that they obferve a ftrict rule, and live with the utmoft fruga- lity ; and that a communion of property is obferved among them with- out the leafl fupremacy, or any other diftmdtion whatever ; he told us,, that he goes himfelf to church regularly at midnight. Theyjhave made the vow of poverty and chaftity ; there are, however, fome, who marry, in which cafe they quit the houfe, and live with their wives elfewhere in the country. Others leave the houfe without marrying ; but thefe, Father Miller obferved, violate, by fo doing, the oath they have taken ; yet they cannot be profecuted for want of a law to that effect. They wear a long gown made of grey cloth for the winter, and of white linen for the fummer, tied round the waift with a.. {trap of lea- ther. They let the beard grow, and deep on a bench, " until," fa id Father Miller, " they deep in the grave," This was his expreffion. The fpirit of the prefent age, and the country they inhabit, being,eq.ually averfe to a monastic life, Father Miller perceives, with as much certainty as concern, the impending diiTolu.tion of his order, which has fome other, eftablifhments in one or two counties of Pennfylvania. As to the doc- trines of the order, they are a medley of the mod abfurd tenets of tha fts, Univerfalifts, Calvinifts, Lutherans, Jews, Methodifts, and Re-man BY THE DUKE D" LA ROCTIEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 37 Roman Catholics. 7^ c y lament the fall of our rlrfr. parent, who* would rather have for his wife a carnal being, Eve, than let the celeftial Soph ia, a being thoroughly divine, bear a child. She would have com- municated only with the fpiritual nature of Adam ; and thus a race would have been engendered all pure, and without the leaft corporeal- ingredient. They lament the indulgence, which God (hewed in regard to this defire of Adam, who acted on this oecafion as brutes might do. However, God, according to their do&rine, has merely deferred the pe- riod of this flate of perfection ; it is certainly to arrive, and the D tinkers, forefee the time, when, after the general relurrecYion, the divine Sophia will defcend into every one of. us. All this is to their fancy as evident- and clear as the Song of Solomon!" We wafted nearly two hours in> liftening to the idle prate of the old monk, who was happy to -enter- tain us on this fubject, and particularly enraptured at the idea, that the, Sophia would defcend into him. Another monk of the fame order, whom we met with, feemed to be. lefs imprefled with this hope. He was a printer, a man of thirty years. of age, who had lived thirteen years in this houfe. He told us, that the discipline of the order is by no means fo ftricl:, as the old monk pre- tended ; that they divide their earnings only if they choofe ; that they live juft as they pleafe, and dnnkjcoffee and tea.. He did not appear fo. enthufiaftic a friend to the vow of chaftity as Father Miller ; and to our- queftions, whether many brothers married,. and whether they were fup- pofed to offend by fo doing, anfvvered, " that many did, and that, in, his opinion, they acted rightly ; " for," faid he, *' are not -women truly charming ?" Before we left Father Miller, \vhofe accounts the infor- mation of the young monk already mewed to have greatly exaggerated every thing, we had an opportunity of convincing ourfelves, that he had misdated even the particulars of their way of living ; for we found in a room, contiguous to his, a nice feather-bed, in which, he could not help confeffing, he flept fometimes, and in which, by the afTer- t ion. of the young Dunker, he fleeps every night. Ju the church. w-e. 3"8' TRAVELS IN NORTH AMEEIOA, we found a place as much diftinguifhed from the reft, as that of any prior of a convent of benedictine monks can be. .Monks are every where the fame men, and live by deceiving others; they are every where importers : in Europe, and in America, men are the fame, when placed in the fame lituation. r In point of furniture and outward appear- ance the houfe bears a near refemblance to a capuchin convent, dif- playing every where an oftentatious poverty by half-hidden beds of down. We did not vifit the nunnery, as we fhould have met there only the fame follies, and the fame naufeous filth ; beiides, the nuns, being old, could not in the lead intereft our curiolity, and we knew already enough of thefe Dunkers. They are a good-natured fort of peo- ple, they live upon the produce of an eftate of three hundred acres, in- jure nobody, are laughed at in the country, and yet tolerably well be- loved. The foil between Reading and Lancafter is full of fmall lime-ftones, and ilates, which are frequently found of a very large fize. Near . Lancafter the quantity of lime-ftone encreafes : the whole country abounds with iron-mines; and the iron-works, which are very nume- rous between Bethlem and Reading, become more ftrikingly fo between Reading and Lancafter, though many of them do not ftand near the road. We intended to vifit the iron-work of Mr. COLMAN, one of the moft,confiderable in the whole diftrict ; but finding that it was too .muca out of our road, we relinquimed the defign. All we could learn was, that the workmen receive from eight to ten dollars a month, befides feoard and lodging. The founder has five (hillings per tun. The price of caft-iron is thirty Shillings, and of iron in bars forty millings a tun. The high price of grain in this place is faid to have much lefTened the profits arifing from founderies. We had left the fervant, with the baggage horfe, at Reading, on ac- count of his back being fore. My friend Guillemard intended at firft to make the tour from Lancafter to Harrifburg without the fervant, and to fend him by the ftraight road to Northumberland, but Jofeph wifhed to BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCACLT LIANCOURT. 3Q to fee Lancafter. Mr. Guillemard's kindnefs could not refufe him this fmall favour ; he accordingly fet out for Lancafter fome hours after us, and brought the horfe thither ; we had lefTened his burthen, at lead by eighty pounds, and had fent feveral of Mr. Guillemard's effe&s to Phi- ladelphia. 7'he pack-faddle had been mended, and yet the poor horfe's back was ,worfe than before. This is an accident truly difagreeable, and by no means unimportant ; for the difpofition of my fellow travel- ler does not allow us t-o-hope afpeedy end to our furFerings. We muft have; patience, a virtue of material ufe in all foliations, while on the contrary impatience never ferves any good purpofe. Lancafter, the \lth of May. We reached Lancafter at nine o'clock at night, tn"e ufual fnpper- time. The groom arrived the next morning with the difabled horfe. A delay in Lancafter, while the cure of the horfe was effected, proved the more unpleafant, as out of the twelve gentlemen, to whom we had letters of introduction, threeonly were in town. General HAND, who lives a mile from Lancafter, happened to be there. We accordingly paid him a vifit, and faw him, as well as his lady and children. But, by not returning our vifit, he gave us a pretty clear proof, that he was not very defirousof our repeating it. Mr. Bridle, though in town, was indifpofed ; and Mr. MONTGOMERY, to whom we had a letter from Mr. Bridle, of Reading, was not at home, when we called at his houfe. This concurrence of unpleafant circumftances led us to the firm deter- mination of removing at once the obttacles, which, fmce our departure from Philadelphia,- ''had obftrucled the execution of our plan. In oc- currences of a more ferious complexion than this incident, experience has convinced me, that the fuccours of the moment, with which irre- folute and indolent people are fo well pleafed, far from actually clear- ing the way of difficulties, merely places them at a greater diftance, but, in facl, encreafes them. I was alfo fenfible, that it is by far the beft and eafieft way, in all fimilar fituations, to do without every thing, 'which may prove troublefome. My friend Guillemard is determined, to 40 TIlAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, '.to ad upon the fame principle; and we have refolved to reduce our .baggage to what our three horfes can conveniently carry, and to fend the reft back to Philadelphia. Thus relieved from ali uneafmefs, our -minds will be more capable of receiving the new knowledge, which we .fhall ufe every opportunity to collect* Here we gathered our informa- tion from the landlord's family at the inn, where we had put up. This inn, the Swan, has been kept by Mr. SLOW thefe thirty years. -He was a man of very considerable property, but, fome time back, was much reduced by misfortunes; having engaged in iron-works, and other buunefs, he was defrauded, and nearly ruined, and found himfelf under the neceffity of felling all the property he had acquired. Grief under- mined his conftitution ; but his wife, pofTeifed of more fortitude, (as women generally are) roufed his dejected fpirits. His honefty had never been impeached, and his fituation in life, as innkeeper and member of the aflembly of Pennfylvania, had made him known, and had obtained him friends, who affifted him with money, and procured him credit. One of them purchafed fifteen hundred acres of land, which he pof- fefled near Wilkfbarre, on the Sufquehannah, and, when the bargain was ftruck, told him, that he mould only confider himfelf as his truftee, and return the land for the fame money. His circumitances improved ; he has not only repaid the money for the lands near Wilkf- .barre, which are again in his pofleffion, but has alfo purchafed others near Northumberland, ^married one of his daughters, obtained commif- iions in the army for two of his fons, and thus recovered his former profperity. We had letters to him : he happened to be in Philadel- phia ; but his wife and two of his fons were at home, who furnimed us with, perhaps, as much information, as we might have been able to procure, had we met with all the other per fons to whom we had let- ters of recommendation-. .Lancafter is the largeft inland town on the continent of America. It (lands twenty miles from the Sufquehannah, and half a mile from the Conawango, a large ftream, flocked with fifti, but not navigable. This diftria was prefented to the family of Mr. WILLIAM HAMIL- TON BY THE DUKK DE LA RQCHBFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 41 TON, by the Penns, their relations. The town- began to be built in 1731, with a view of its being the chief of the county. The land is not fold by the Hamiltons, but leafed out for a ground-rent, which they have raifed in proportion to the encreafed demands, and the ri- fing price of Jand in every place. As W. Hamilton has ftill^ a great quantity of land left about the town, he difpofes of it in the fame manner ; and his yearly income, compofed of unredeemable rents, amounts at prefent to four thoufand dollars. During the war the payment of thefe rents was collected with difficulty ; Mr. Hamilton, as well as the family of Penn, belonging to the Tory party. The population of Lancafter confifts of about fix or feven thoufand fouls. Inftead of increafmg, it rather decreafes. at prefent, in confe- quence of the continual emigration of fuch inhabitants, as by their in- duftry have acquired a fufficient fortune, to purchafe lands in the lefs in- habited diftrijfts of Pennfylvania, or in the moft diftant part of Mary- land, and whom the high price of land, in the county of Lancafler, prevents from fettling here. Near the town, and even at fome diftance from it, the price of land is at prefent from fifty to eighty dollars per acre. , V/ithin thefe laft three years, it has been more than doubled. General Hand bought, five years ago, the eftate on which he refides, two miles from the town, for twenty- five dollars per acre, and has lately refufed one hundred, which were offered him. Mr. Scott, fon-in-law of Mr. Slow, bought lately an eftate, for which he paid one hundred dollars per acre. The price of land has rifen nearly in the fame proportion throughout Ame- rica, at leaft in all its 'cultivated parts.. Mr. Slow, about five years ago, purchafed an eftate near Northumberland for -forty fhillings per acre, and laft year fold it again for fifty-four (hillings. With the pro- fits he purchafed a pretty little eftate, fituate half a mile from Lan- cafter, between the road and the creek. This eftate, which contains one hundred and ten acres, is npw in a fine ftate of cultivation. About eighteen or twenty acres lie in grafs, and form the mojft beautiful meadows ; twenty-five are covered with O woodj 42 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, wood, and the reft are under the plough. He lays from twelve to fourteen tuns of dung on each acre: no land lies fallow ; but he entertains the fame prejudices as the reft of the farmers in favour of flat ridges, and againft fheep. His fon, in whofe company I furveyed the eftate, con- feffed, that the theory and practice which prevail in Europe do not agree with the husbandry of the Americans, but he is neverthelefs zealoufly wedded to their prejudices, and caufes them to be clofely followed, not only on his father's eftate, of which he has the management, but alfo on his own near Northumberland. The land, in the environs of Lancafter, exceeds in fertility that in the neighbourhood of Reading. An acre yields, upon an average, fif- teen bumels of wheat, and other grain in proportion. Every thing is much dearer in Lancafter than in Reading. Day labour- ers are paid four millings per day, and are eafily procured. The inhabitants are the fame good natured kind of people as at Reading, and equally la- borious. In the town, as well as the neighbouring country, are a great number of tan-yards, and many mills, from which the flour is fent to Philadelphia in waggons. Returning, thefe waggons commonly bring merchandize, which is expedited from this place to every part of the back country. The road has hitherto been vefy bad; a turnpike- road, which is about to be made, and which will probably be com- pleted this autumn, will doubtlefs much facilitate and promote the communication*. The mealmen feem already to familiarize themfelves with the idea of paying an additional toll of two or three dollars, and of providing larger wheels for their waggons. If the Sufquehannah fhall be made navigable as far as Wright, an event that cannot be far diftant ; the meal-trade will grow ftiH more confiderable in this diftricl, at leaft until the projected plan of rendering the Suatara and' the Dela- ware navigable, by means of the Schuylkill, ftiall be carried into effect. In a recently fettled and free country, it is feldom poffible to come at any certain refults of calculations, relative to trade and commerce- Thus the number of waggons, which afe fent from Philadelphia to Laueafter and the neighbouring country, with flour and other provi- BY THE DUKE BE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD LIAN'COURT. 4-3 fion, is not -exactly known ; yet it is certain, that frequently from fe- venty to eighty waggons pafs through Lancafter in a day, and it is ge- nerally believed, that Mr. WITHINS, who fome years back, at his own expence, built a bridge on the road to Philadelphia, a mile from Lan- cafter, on condition of his being entitled to take a toll or pontage, clears that way every year one thoufand fix hundred and fifty dollars, the whole amount of the fum he laid out in con ft rucking the bridge. A perfon on borfeback pays him two pence, and a waggon eleven pence, though he has a right to take eighteen pence for the latter. The gen- tlemen who have contra&ed for the conftru&ion of the turnpike-road, are authorized by government to redeem the above toll or pontage, as foon as the road mall be completed. 7'hough the number of houfes does not encreafe at Lancafter, yet the town gains much in outward appearance. The houfes in general are larger than in Reading, and conftrufted either of brick or ftone. Rent 7 is much the fame as at Reading. There are numerous quarries in the vicinity of the town, which yield a quartzofe fch'ijl^ that is very hard, yet eafily cut, but cannot be obtained in pieces of any large fize. This ftone is fold by the rod, containing fixteen feet in length, eighteen inches high, and eighteen wide ; the price is one dollar, delivered in town, free from expence, and a quarter of a dollar to take it out of the quarry. The turnpike-road has confiderably encreafed its fale. The difpofition of the generality of the inhabitants of Lancafter is of the fame good caft as that of the inhabitants of Reading. There ^? exifts here, however, a democratic fociety, but it canfifts only of twelve members, not five of whom ever attend the meetings. The enterprifc againft Pittfburg, which no American mentions without confcious pride, efpecially in thefe parts, where the militia bore a mare in it, has ruined the Jacobin clubs and focieties. The difapprobation of the Senate, the enquiry fet on foot by the reprefentatives of the people, (notwithftanding the propofal of the committee, that they be repri- manded, was not carried) and efpecially the citcumftance, that the Prefident, who is generally efteemed asd refpecled, nay, revered to a G 2 degree 44 TRAVELS IN XORTH AMERICA, degree of enthufiafm in America, perfonally reprobated them,'have com- pleted their defr.ruHon. The city of Lancafter is furrounded with meadows, which are well watered. It gave me much fatisfa&ion to fee a wheel, purpofely de- figned to raife the water necefTary for that pnrpofe. The town itfelf is rather dull. It has more the appearance of a city than Reading ; the houfes fraud nearer each other, and are more numerous ; broad flone pavements, run in front of the houfes, and the ftreets that are not _ paved, are at kail covered with gravel, and kept clean. The fef- fions-houfe is a good building, neat and elegant, There are two or three well built churches in the town. The number of places of wor- fhip amounts, in the whole, to feven. The Swan inn is undoubtedly better than any inn in Philadelphia ; lefs magnificent than the excellent Englifh inns, yet of very fimilar defign ; none, at leaf!, can be more cleanly, A great number of fervants are kept, and the family of the laiidlord, whofe manners befpeak a liberal education, are generally re- fpected, and enjoy that coniideration, which in all countries mould be bcftowed on honed men, whatever their occupations, if not contrary to morality. Innkeepers are here men of the firft rank. How many Euro- peans would (hake their heads, were it fo in their own countries ! It is a general cuftom in America, to dine with the innkeeper and his family, and to conform to the dinner hour which he fixes. This cuftom, which, at times, proves extremely difagreeable, is, on the contrary, very pleafant in this houfe, for it is impoffible to meet with a family in all America of fuperior breeding, or which forms a 'more agreeable fo- ciety, than that of Mr. Slow. One of the two fons, who holds a commiflion in the army, was at home. He ferves in one of the regiments, whicji, under the orders of General Wayne, act againft the Indians, and was wounded in an en- gagement laft autumn, in which thofe people were repulfed by the Americans. The particulars of this war are by no means interefling.. The Americans fpeak of the ignorance of the Indians, in. point of tactics, with the fame contempt that the Englim exprefs for Ame- rica !>' BY THE DUKE DE LA KOCHEFOlTCAULT LIAXCOUHT. 45 rican tallies,, and the Pruffians, Auftrians. and French for the tac- tical knowledge of the Englifli. All that I have been able to learn of thefe Indians interefts me in their favour. The Americans are a waging war againft them, in order to drive them out of a country, which belongs to them ; and the Americans, who inhabit the frontiers, are greater robbers, and more cruel than the Indians, againft whom it is alleged as a crime, that they exercife the'right of retaliation. They are, moreover, incited by the Englim againft the Americans, and be^ come thus, in their untutored ftate, victims of the ambition and dif- eord of thefe two civilized nations* 'Captain Slow aflured me, that, among the Indians (lain on the field of battle, many white people have been found, who were Englishmen ; that many active officers on horfe* back have been feen at the head of the Indians, who were alfo Englifh- men, and that the Indian army is fupported by the Englim garrifons. Thefe a (fort ions-, however, tend merely to prove the fupinenefs of the Americans, both in regard to the Englifli and Indians. Captain Slow allured me, that even in Kentucky, he never met with any land, which, in point of richnefs, can be compared with the foil of thofe parts, efpecially in the country, on the river Miami ; that the ft'raturri: of vegetative earth is from twenty to twenty-five feet thick ; and that the fields, in which the Indians have fown maize and beans, befpeak a very careful cultivation, and promife the "richeft crops, that ever came within his obfervation. Before I conclude the article of Lancafter, I muft not omit to men- tion two Frenchmen, who have fettled here from the French colonies in the Weft Indies. The one is a miniature painter, who fells his coarfe pictures for three guineas each, and contrives to vend many ; the other is a very indifferent mufician, who charges three guineas a month for his leffons, and has feveral pupils. At every ftep we take in America, either in towns or in the country, it becomes more and more evident, that any one may make his fortune, who will take the pains ; and no- thing can afford a ftronger proof of the truth of this remark, than a perfonal acquaintance with the crowd of foreigners, who enjoy the re- putation 4@ TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, putation of being exceedingly clever, and who are amaiTing fortunes under the aufpices of this frequently ufurped title. In the inn, at Lancafter, I met with Mr. Brown, member of the congrefs for Kentucky ; he was on his way to Philadelphia, where the congrefs meets next, month. I lifted him a little refpecting the prefent ftate of Kentucky. The refult of the information I obtained is, that the foil is every where excellent, and frequently yields, for the firft har- veft, from one hundred to one hundred and ten bufliels of Indian corn, and from fifty to fifty-five bufhels of wheat an acre ; that the price of land is fix dollars per acre, of flour eleven dollars per barrel, and of In- dian corn, one-fixth of a dollar per bufhel ; that the population, which, in 1790, confifted of ninety thoufand fouls, amounts at prefent to one hundred and fifty thoufand ; that, in the courfe of laft year, twenty- five thoufand perfons fettled there ; that the Indians attempt no longer any inroads in that part of the United States, which, though occupied the laft of all, advances more rapidly towards a flate of profperity than any other diftri<5t in America. From Lancafter we proceeded to May Town. The road from Lan- cafter to this place lies chiefly through a woody tract of country, which affumes a wilder appearance than we have hitherto feen. Cultivated land appears more rarely as we proceed, except a few vallies, which ftill lie in grafs, or are fown with Indian corn. In proportion as the diftance from Lancafter encreafes, houfes of brick or ftone are lefs frequently feen. We met with fcarcely any but log-houfes ; every where we obferve German farms, fmall houfes, and large barns. Cows and oxen, which feemed tolerably good, we found grazing in the woods and near the road ; and alfo faw, at times, fheep, but never more than eight or ten of them together. From their thicknefs, you would fuppofe the woods to be no more than thirty years old : and yet it is highly improbable, that new plantations mould have been made at a time when wood-lands were every where converted into tillage- ground. Thefe woods, as well as thofe which feem older, confift of oak, hickory, black am, acacia, chefnut, cherry and apple-trees, a few fpindle- trees, fome ce- dars, EY" THE DUKE DE LA ROCHBFOUCAULT LTANCOURT. 47 dars, and Wey mouth- pines. Were it not for the known partiality of man for whatever it is difficult to procure, it would be impoflible to ac- count for the introduction of the Italian poplar into America, which abounds in fo great a variety of beautiful trees, as may well excite the envy of Europe. Great numbers of thefe poplars, which ierve for not one ufeful purpofe, have been planted in America. They border all the ftreets in Philadelphia, and all the roads about the town. All the cultivated land between Lancafter and May Town is inclofed with fences of dry wood, which fpoil the landfcape, and confume vafl quantities of timber, though it already begins to grow dear. Sooner or later this ufelefs wafte will certainly be regretted. May Town is a fmall village, fixteen- miles from Lancafter, built on a fpot entirely without water, where either chance, or the intereft of a few individuals, threw togethe.r a dozen houfes, the number of which has not been encreafed iince the origin of the eftablifhment, and, to all appearance, never will be. This little village is inhabit- ed entirely by Germans, who have ftill remained fuqh. Land in this neighbourhood cofts twelve or thirteen dollars an acre, and is in a to- lerable flate of cultivation. The road from May Town to Middle Town becomes more dreary and unpleafant as we proceed ; fix miles from the former place we fell in with the fuperb river Sufquehannah, on a fpot where the ra- pids proceeding from the Conawango render it unnavigable, or, at leafr, the navigation fo extremely dangerous, that it is attempted but by very few veflels. In order to free this navigation from all danger, which is of the utmoft importance both to the prefent and 'the future wealth and profperity of the country, a canal has been begun, which will run half a mile d)ove and below thefe rapids, and thus keeps the navigation open at all times for veffers to work up or drop down the river. This canal, the undertaking of a private gentleman, to whom the flate of Pennfylvania has advanced thirteen thoufand three hundred and thirty-three dollars, and alfo granted leave to efiablifh a toll, is nearly completed* Nothing remains to be conflructed but the locks, yet a dif- ference 48 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, a ference of opinion exifts as to the time of its completion. We intended to view the canal ; but my fellow-traveller being a little indifpofed, we were the more ready to give up this project, as from a view of the canal we could not have derived any additional, or more exact information, than we had already obtained. The road from this place to Middle Town afTumes a wilder and more romantic appearance at every frep we advance. The forefts and rocks reach down to the Sufquehannah. A great number of trees, warned looie by the water a long time ago, lie, half rotten, along the banks of the river,; others lie rooted up, broken, or felled in the midfr. of the wood, without its having occurred to any one, to life them for any be- neficial purpofe ; and they have been fuffered to lie here, to be .taken pof- feffion of by the firft comer. The oppofite bank is likewife covered with wood, and bounded by mountains of no confiderable height. From time to time we faw, through viftas naturally opening among them, the Blue Mountains. The river is, in general, from two to three thoufand fathoms broad, full of confiderable iflets, which are of an. irregular level at -the furface, and encreafe the width of its bed. It is full three miles broad, exclufive of an iftet in it, at the fpot where the Suatara falls into it. Middle Town is feated on the latter, about half a mile diilant from its confluence with the Sufquehannah, From the above-mentioned rapids of the Conawango ufually interrupting the navigation on this large river, Middle Town becomes the ftorehoufe of all the grain, which is produced in the country fituate along its upper courfe, and not con- fumed there. From one hundred and fixty to one hundred and eighty thoufand bufhels of wheat are yearly bought up by the corn -dealers, on the fpot where it grows, conveyed to Middle Town, and depo- fited in granaries there. The millers of the furrounding country ufually buy it here, grind it into flour, and fend it to Philadelphia. The grand proje4 TRAVELS IK NORTH AMERICA, fpeaks but little Euglim, and has refided here only a few months, en* joys already confiderable practice. We had a letter to General HANNAH ; and as we intended to flop here but a few hours, we delivered it as foon as we alighted from our horfes. -General Hannah is a man of about thirty-fix or thirty-eight years of age, and Brigadier General of the Militia. He was a member of the Senate for Pennfylvania, but went out by rotation laft autumn. Before he was engaged in the fervice of the ftate, he was a lawyer ; but he has iince relinquimed that profeffion, and has commenced far- mer. He has married a daughter of old Mr. HARRIS, the founder of the town, and appears to be an upright, worthy character. Not being prepared to give us a dinner, as we came unexpectedly, he offered to attend us to our evening quarters, feven miles from this town, as fome token of refpect for the letter of introduction which we brought him. As our horfes wanted (hoeing, we were obliged to make him wait fome time, which we pafTed in the true American ftyle, quaffing a bottle of Madeira and fmoaking fegars. The general is not fond of them, but prefers chewing tobacco ; yet, from motives of politenefs, he fmoaked with us. Being at our lodgings we propofed as a toaft, " the PRESIDENT," upon which he immediately gave, " LA FAYETTE." I notice this trifling circumftance, to introduce once more the remark, that La Fayette is conftantly toafled next to the Prefident, which, in my judgment, reflects honour on America. We took up our quarters at MAC ALISTER'S. General Hannah is acquainted with him, and being informed of my wifh to collect authentic agricultural information, he was defirous of introducing me to one of thefe gentlemen, who are moft able to impart it. Mac Alifler is a farmer, and, at the lame time, proprietor of a corn-mill, a faw-mill,a diftillery, and an inn. He is the fame on whom COOPER, in ,his " Account of America," beftowsfo much praife. Mac Alifter is art active, enterpriz- ing, induftrious, and intelligent man. About eleven years ago he bought the ground, on \vhich he has formed the feveral different eftablifhments of his induftry. Thefe ane all in a thriving way. His eftate confifts of BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIAXCOURT. 55 of about three hundred acres, which are partly hemmed \i\ between the blue and ftcond mountains; but, for the mo(t part, are fituatq on the blue mountains. The cultivated ground amounts in the whole to one hundred and twenty acres, fifty of which are laid out in artificial meadows, and thirty- fix in orchards for apple and peach- trees. The meadows are beautiful, and the fields in good order. He extols them, far above all other fields in America, but we have met with fome, even- in the vicinity of Reading, and in the county of Lancafter, which are beyond comparifon better than his. He allured us, that he never lays- dung on any part of his land but meadows, which he alfo waters-; and. that his only manure for land, which hefows with corn or clover, con- fifts in fowingit with clover three years fucceflively, and plowing down, the clover whilft it is in bloflbm. By his aflertion his land yields ge- nerally iixty bufhels an acre of maize, or thirty bufhels of wheat, but it has not the appearance of producing fuch confiderable crops. He fows a larger proportion of grain than is ufual in this country ; but this is not always a certain method of obtaining a rich harveft. His orchards are uncommonly fine ; he makes as good cyder as I have ever tafted in. America. He finds labourers in abundance, and pays them at prefent three millings a day ; becaufe,. from the prefent high value of corn, the price of day-labour has rifen one (hilling.. The price of the neighbouring lands is eight dollars an acre if co- vered with wood, and fifty dollars if they be cleared, and in any de- gree cultivated. He keeps no fheep, at leafl not above twenty ; be- caufe, as he told us, they do not yield him fo much profit as his mea- dows, which produce two tuns and half of hay per acre, worth twenty- five dollars. For the fame reafon he fattens no cattle. His ridges are as flat as thofe of other farmers, and his dung is badly managed, though he ufes a great deal on the land; he Jays fometimes twenty, loads or thirty tuns of dung on an acre. His mill is a very indifferent one in- deed ; but he allures me, that he means fbon to build a new one, which will greatly excel that of Mr. Frey, in Middle Town. The prefent mill has two courfes, which generally grind corn, of his own, but are at: 58 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, at times employed for the public, and are frequently fet to pulverize plafter of Paris, which he mixes with his feed. He informed us, that he grinds fifteen thoufand bufhels of wheat a year 011 his own ac- count ; but, on comparing his mill with that of Frey, which grinds no more in proportion without ever flopping, I feel inclined to doubt the ve- racity of his aflertion. He fends his meal in waggons to Philadelphia, the carriage of which amounts, at times, to feventeen Shillings per barrel. His faw-mill is almoft conftantly going. The logs are floated down the river from the upper country when the water is high ; and he cuts them into planks, which he fells on the fpot ; deals at fix fhillings per hundred, and other planks at eight millings. Thefe prices are the fame as at Harrifburg. His whifky alib is fold on the fpot ; and the grain for the diftillery he receives likewife from the upper country. . A bufhel of rye yields about three gallons of whifky ; and he dijftils yearly four thoufand gallons. He makes fpirit from his cyder too ; but, fuch is the power of habit, that cyder whifky, which, in Jerfey, fells at five millings per gallon, while corn-whifky is worth only four and fixpence, cofts, in the county of Dauphin, only three fhillings and fixpence, and corn-whifky five fhillings. This important fettlement Aands'on a wild, romantic fpot, at the en- trance of a narrow vale, covered with wood, and fituate on a rapid creek, that dafhes along over rocks, where decayed trees, either felled by the hand of man, or rooted up by the wind, are fcattered in every direction. The various buildings, of which the fettlement confifts, are of wood; they are all, with the fingle exception of the inn, log- houfes, more or lefs rudely formed. The houfes of the labourers fland on the Sufquehannah, and in the precincts of Fort Hunter, which was erected a long time ago by the Englifh for defence againft the in- roads of the Indians. Mac Alifler intends greatly to embellifh his build- ings, and confiderably to improve his eflate, particularly by the culture of the vine. From what he has already done, it may be fairly inferred, that he will alfo fucceed in his future undertakings. He is a man of an acute, well-informed mind, fuch as we fhould hardly expect to find iu BY THE DtfKE DK LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOt'RT. Sf in an American farmer, fhut up in mountainous wilds. Yet his felf-love and vanity keep pace with his merits, and frequently detract from the latter, by exaggerating them. For the fame reafon his aflertions are not to be received as ablblutely certain, nor are we to wonder at being oo cafionally deceived by a man, who is conftantly deceiving himfelf. Thurfday, the llth of Majt. Five or fix ranges of heights run in parallel directions, more or lefs diftant, from Harrifburg to Sunbury ; round feveral of thefe the road winds, particularly the Blue Mountains and Second Mountains, making an undulation along the banks of the river, while it rifes -over others. Thefe Blue Mountains, which catch the eye, on opening any defcrip- tion whatever of America, arc like all the others, with which they are connected, a mere ridge of high hills, through which the Sufque- hannah fecms to have worked out his bed. Their fummits have not that rife and fall, which is common to the generality of chains of moun- tains, but form one uninterrupted line, without the leaft variety, in point of elevation. The trees, with which they are all uniformly co- vered, may probably contribute, in fome meafure, to give them this monotonous appearance. The Blue Mountains are not the higheft, over which the road leads ; the Peter's and Mahangoning Mountains far exceed them in height, though they arc much lower than the Voghefiaa Mountains. You pafs them by a road, which, though very ftony, is yet tolerably good ; its declivity, with the exception of a few places, is not very ftecp. Thefe mountains are covered with wood ; where this has been cut down, a view of the Sufquehannah opens at times, or the eye repofes on fome cultivated fpots. The whole road lies through one uninterrupted foreft. Another road, which does not lead over the mountains, runs parallel to the courfe of the river ; and though the latter road be more pleafant, affording a profpccl of the confluence of the Juniata and Sufquehannah, yet we preferred the former, from the more frequent opportunities which it affords of obtaining a knowledge of the country. I At 58 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, At no great diftance from Mac Alifter's habitation, pines are the pre- vailing trees ; and a great many flowers and herbs grow in this foreft, which are unknown in Europe. Honeyfuckles are found in almoft every wood. The blofToms are longer than in our gardens, but they have the fame fhape, and nearly the fame fragrance. The fhrubs, on which they grow, are much lower than thofe reared by art ; they have longer indented leaves than the latter ; and though I have frequently found them near large trees, yet I never faw the plants leaning for fupport towards the trunk of the tree. Trees, rooted up by the wind, which in their fall have often brought others to the ground, continue on the fame fpot until they are rotten : they frequently obftrucl: the paflage, but the traveller makes a new path, by going round them, and this becomes the common road. In the progrefs of this long journey through forefts, we faw the coun- try in its firft ftage of cultivation. We found a few ftraggling houfes, one or two miles diftant from each other; the greateft number are yet unfinished. They are log-houfes, with the interftices between the trunks tiled up with earth. Some have been landing there feveral years, and are rather more covered. Maize is the general produce. The habitations ftand chiefly in vallies, on a brook or creek. The new fet- tlers begin their operations by building a houfe, by felling trees, or paring off the bark all around the tree, about five or fix inches in breadth, by breaking up the ground, on which they ftand, to fow a little corn, and by fencing the ground, thus cleared, with a part of the felled trees. The land firfl cleared is generally laid out as an orchard, one being annexed to every habitation. Moil of the houfes have a mean ap- pearance ; the inhabitants are badly clothed, but every thing around them is their own property. Land, recently cleared, is every where good; and the two or three acres, which have been firft broken up, afford crops fufficiently rich to fupply tlie inhabitants till further cultiva- tion takes place. This eonfideration fomewhat relieves the mind, de- preffed by the view of thefe melancholy manfions. The roads are, in general, better than might be expected ; here and there flony, and rather fteep, $Y THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFCXU CAUL T J-IANCOURT. 5Q fteep, but by no means dangerous. In this mountainous country we have even met with good roads feveral miles in length, formed by the hand of nature, and which remain undamaged by the tracks of large waggons. There are places where the road appears to encroach upon the Sufque- hannah itfelf ; being formed of trees thrown down with their branches on, and the interftices filled up with fragments of {lone from the rocks, againft which the road is made. The views here are far lefs picturefque, and all the roads much lefs bold, and lefs pleafmgly awful, than thofe which we find in fome parts of Switzerland, the fublime grandeur of which is above all comparifon. Inns arc by no means numerous on the road we have lately travelled. Formerly there were inns at this place ; but as a certain fum is annually paid to the ftate for a licence, and as the profits are not equal to their expence, few perfons undertake fo unprofitable an employment. We pafied one about twelve miles from Mac Alifter's habitation, which is the only one on this road, in a tracl: of country twenty-two miles in extent. All the intermediate inns have been fliut up in the courfe of this year. At length we arrived at an old German's, who, after having ferved in Canada, in the war of 1/58, as a private foldier, in an Englilli regi- ment, fettled, at the conclufion of peace, on the fpot where he ftill re- fides ; the government of Pennsylvania having granted him the land, which forms his eftate. Here he lived unmolested until the beginning of the war of the revolution ; when the Indians, at that time ftimulated and paid by England, drove him from his plantation. When peace was -eftablimed, he returned hither, and now enjoys the produce of fifty acres of cultivated land, forty of which are his own property. Land in thefe parts is very good ; its price is feven or eight dollars per acre uncleared, -and the value of fuch as is partly cleared, is proportionate to the qua- lity of the land, and the quantity of wood remaining. The higheft .price is from eighteen to twenty dollars per acre. Good flabling and good oats were fufficient to reconcile us to the dirty hole, into which we were ufhered, and where we fat down to a very bad dinner. Four or five I 2 girls, GO THAVKLS IX NOBTII AMERICA, girls, who are cither daughters or fervants of the old foldier, perform the bvrfmefs of the inn, which confifts of one room, where thefe people fleep altogether. The uncleanlinefs, Cupidity, and rudenefs of the whole family, can hardly be conceived. The old foldier, in common w r ith the generality of old warriors, diiplays in his behaviour a franknefs and good nature, which are ever fure to pleafe. The poor fellow can neither write nor read ; he prefents to every traveller a flate and pencil to write down his bills, as he dictates to them ; for there is not a fmgle pcrfon in the houfe able to diftinguifh one letter from another. He complained of being frequently cheated by travellers, in their fumming up the arti- cles, for which they were to pay. We met two travellers at this inn, who, as well as ourfelves, intended to go to Sunbury, but they wifhed to proceed on the journey that very evening. One was a hatter, w horn we had feen the night before at Mas Alifter's; and the other an elderly man, whom the landlord ilyled COLO- NEL, and who arrived, and left the inn, leading a mare, followed by a foaL The converfation, during our ftay at the inn, turned on the political ftate of Europe. The prevailing fentiment was hatred againft England, and fervent willies for the welfare of France : even the old foldier, who now and then put in an obfervation, expreiTed the fame feelings. " This campaign will mow," faid the hatter, " what the French are able to do." " I am perfuaded," obfcrved the colonel, " that if the French are in arms, they will prove victorious, and conquer the whole globe ; and it has been foretold long ago, that this conqueft muft precede the arrival of Antichrift, and announce the end of the world." " The end of the w-orld r Is it then fo near at hand, pray ?" afked the old foldier. " Moft afluredly ; before fifteen years arc elapfed." " That's my opi- nion too," rejoined the hatter. Having drunk their gill of whiikey, thefe politicians feparated. From DEBLERFF'S, which is the name of the old foldier, we proceeded twelve miles farther to WHITE'S, where we intended to pafs the night. The road leads over woody mountains, but is, all the way, better thaa > we BY THE DUKE DE LA. ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOUHT. l we expcclcd to find it, from the dcfcription that was given us. This road runs for a confiderable extent, in a parallel direction -with the Sufque- hannah, which is here confined between two ranges of mountains, rarcTy interrupted by v allies, and by none of any confiderable extent. This ilde of the county of Northumberland (for we left the county of Dau- phin fifteen miles from Mac Alifter's habitation) difplays rather more cultivation than the adjacent fide of the county of Cumberland, where only once in every four or five miles a fmall dwelling is fcen, iurroundcd with narrow traces of cultivated land. The river forms a great number of ifles, which, according to law, belong to that county, from which they arc feparated by the narroweft arm of the ftream. Thefe iflands have, in general, a good foil, for which reafon, the progrcfs of cultivation is more rapid on them than any where elfe. White is a farmer, w r ho came hither from Ireland about thirty years ago, and pofleflcs at this time an eftate of one thoufand one hundred acres, only one hundred and ten of which have hitherto been cleared. He has refided here about feventeen years, and has found means to raife money enough to purchafe an ifle, at twenty-fix dollars per acre, fituate oppo- iite to his houfe, which ftands between the mountains and the river. This fituation affords a wild profpecl, but without one pleafmg feature. White annually clears feveral acres, the expence of which, fencing in- cluded, amounts to eight dollars per acre. The price of land, in its na- tural ftate, is, in this neighbourhood, fix dollars per acre ; but in fuch traces, as are cleared of wood, particularly in the iflets, it is frequently fold at forty dollars per acre. This plantation of White's, has no com- munication with any market town. The river is the only channel by which he can receive goods, or forward his commodities, and this is a very uncertain channel of conveyance, at leaft fome part of the year, on account of its dangerous navigation. Mr. White would ealily procure labourers, as all his neighbours are poor Irifhmen, did not the conftruc- tion of the canal, and the opening of the road near Lancafter, afford them fo much employment, and at prefent render them fcarce. Mr. White 6'2 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, White has already been twice a member of the legiflature of the {late ot Pennsylvania. He feems a worthy, fenfible man, and a friend of order ; but at the fame time very open to the arts of defigning men. He continues his inn, as he fays, " to oblige travellers," yet his bills fhew, that he ferves them for money, and that too at a higher rate than is ufual ; and as he has put up no fign, the reception of travellers af- fumes the garb of hofpitality, which naturally precludes all enquiry into the unreafonablenefs of his charges. We did not fup with his family ; for what reafon, 1 know not. His laughter brought us our coffee as ufual. This is always taken at fup- per, which confifts of fmoked beef, falt-meat, or fifli. At thefe inns you feldom meet with any thing but meat, falt-fim, eggs, and but- ter ; and this fare is certainly fufficient to fatisfy a hungry ftomach. We were afked every where, whether we travelled with a view to buy lands. There is hardly a perfon in America, who has the leall idea of gentlemen travelling with any other defign ; and when we told them, that w r e travelled for no other purpofe than to gratify our cufiofity, they thought w r e were fools, or, at beft, liars. All, even our Dunkers in Ephrata, put that queftion ; and, notwithstanding their own fandity, thefe holy folks w T ould hardly believe us, when we informed them of the bbjecl of our tour. Friday, the 1 5th of May. The road from White's to Sunbury continues much the fame, as from Mac Alifter's to White's. We met, however, at times, with more cultivated vallies, efpecially along the creek Tulpehocken, and with houfes better conftrufted and {landing on piclurefque fituations, which, with the appearance of fome retired rocks, form landfcapes not un- worthy of comparifon with Switzerland. Several other traces are now cleared of wood ; but from the want of labourers, and undoubtedly of money a]fo, the trees are more frequently barked and burnt than felled, which renders the profpecl: dull and gloomy. The mountains, in this part of the country, are high and rocky, yet bear no comparifon with the BY THE EUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 6$ the Alps or Pyrenees. Impudent and artful men are certain in Ame- rica, as indeed they are in all other parts of the globe, to live upon the ftupidity and ignorance of others. Of this we found a remarkable inftance in the hiirory of a German, who arrived from Franckfort, three years ago, without a milling in his pocket, and who fmce that time has travelled the country between Lancaster, Reading, and Northumber- land, particularly the lead inhabited parts of thcfe counties, with a col- lection of fmall phials, deceiving the people into a belief, that he is a phyfician ; he vends medicines, bleeds, draws teeth, or fells ballads to fuch as do not choofe to buy his drugs. The profits of this artful trade have already enabled him to purchafe a horfe, which carries him, his commodities, and his dog ; he flays with the farmers as long as they are willing to keep him ; and feveral of them are glad to entertain him, on account of his knowledge and abilities. He makes himfelf happy every where, is merry, fmgs a good fong, and appears, upon the whole, to be a fly, crafty fellow, who began his career as a player. I am aware, that the various anecdotes, with which I prefent my readers, are not all equally interesting; yet they are all requifite to give a juft notion of my tour, and to complete the delineation of the cuftoms and manners of the country. The mountains, over which the road from Harrifburg to Sunbury leads, are all of granite, more or lefs perfecl:, which in fome places is very fine and beautiful. All the fpecies of maple, cornel-tree, called here dog-tree, fumach, Weymouth pine, feveral fpecics of afh, and num- berlefs pfeudo-acacias, grow in the furrounding woods, and are here of remarkable fize and beauty. At fome diftance from White's habitation we miftook our way, and ftruck into the old road, inftead of keeping the new one, which is ihorter by feven miles, and lies along the banks of the Sufquehannah. In confequence we croiTed the mountain Mahonoy, to reach the plain, m which Sunbury Hands. This town, which is not fo large as Har- rifburg, and in its buildings lefs elegant and compact, is feated on the left bank of the Sufquehannah, about half a mile below the ipot, where its fli TRAVELS I.V NORTH AMUR 1C A, its two arms join. The profpcct of" the town, on dcfccnding the mountain, is neither grand nor pleafing ; in point of fize the houfes, viewed from the heights, rcfemblc a camp, rather than a town. The final! furrounding plain is but indifferently cultivated, and without trees. The oppofitc bank of the river is bounded by high mountains, the profpecl: of which is darkened by numerous pines, growing on the rocks, and confequently not likely to be cut down, to make way for cultivation. The river Sufquehannah is beautiful in every point of view, broad, with lofty majeltic mountains, rifmg in gradual elevation from its banks ; yet it is here lefs pleafing, except where the great va- riety of ifles, which it forms, and w r hich are planted with trees, foften and enliven the prevailing gloom by the light that gleams through their branches. The Sufquehannah, near Sunbury, is more than a mile in breadth, By the moft correcl information, which we were able to obtain, the inhabitants of all the counties, we have hitherto traverfed, are honeft, induftrious people, attached to the federal government, and to the laws of the ftate. Criminal offences are rare, fome thefts excepted, w^hich are generally committed by people, lately arrived from Europe, brought up in ignorance and penury, and whole morals generally improve as they acquire a fmall property of their own. The different counties, through which we have paffed, have for thefe many years formed inte- gral parts of the ftate of Pennfylvania. The limits of the lands are, therefore, more exactly afcertained here, than in other counties ; and confequently law-fuits, arifmg from the confufion of land-marks, are lefs frequent. Thefe give occafion to about a twelfth part of the caufes which are tried here : outftanding debts are the chief fubjects of legal profecutions. The manners of the people difplay great fimplicity, fre- quently bordering on rudenefs. I have heard it affcrted, that this appa- rent fimplicity is merely a cloak for deceit and artifice, but I have made no difcoveries of that kind by my own experience. Among the Ame- ricans of every rank and defcription, there prevails lefs of apparent ci- vility and politenefs than in France, or even in England, where I have found BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIAN^TOtJRT. {);>- found both, though in a different guife :- yet we have experienced much good-natured, free, and engaging kindnefs, even from perfons to whom we had no letters of introduction, and an univerfal readinefs to refolvc our queftions, whenever they, to whom they were addreiTed, were able to gratify our requeft. Ignorance, and confequently prejudices, are fre- quently met with, even among the higher orders of fociety : there arc indeed fome exceptions, but thefe are few. Opinions on things and per* ions are delivered in a manner pofitive rather than argumentative,, and Confequently all means of free difcufiion are generally excluded. Political opinions tend in general towards liberty, and are commonly offered with ft franknefs, a boldnefs, and independence, which are truly pleafing/ The general bent of the public opinion is in favour of France, and ^gainir, her prefent enemies. It is by no means an uncommon thing, ta hear farmers, unconnected with the higher circles, call Robefpierrej, and all thofe who lhared with him the fupreme power, the ban- ditti of France. ^he exafperation againft England is great, fpreads through all ranks of fociety, and has been much increafed by the unjuffc proceedings againft America, with which fhe was charged laft year* In my opinion, Mr. JAY'S negociation will hardly be able to fmother tho glowing fpark. The public opinion is chiefly guided by the univerfal deiire of amafling property, which, if merely difplayed in induftrious pur- fuits, and exertions to cultivate and improve the land, deferves much praife* In towns, indeed, it is lefs nice, both in the manner in which it fhewa itfelf, and the means it employs to attain its end. Many of my Euro- pean countrymen are apt to cenfure this national bent, which precludes all the finer and nobler emotions of the foul. To this cenfure I cannot give my unqualified aflent ; and though I readily allow, that an immo- derate love of money hardens the heart, and renders it callous to huma- nity, to civility, nay tojuftice itfelf, yet it does not follow, that it mould be utterly incapable of a good and noble action. We have inftances of this in Europe, where love of money is as univerfally prevalent as in this country, though it conceals itfelf more than here ; either becaufe it is more criminally refined, or meets with lefs convenient opportunities of K being 68 TRAVELS IN XOH.TH AMERICA, being praftifed. Similar inftanccs -occur in America. Again, if we con- fider this propenfitv in a political point of view, we fliall find, that it is the natural refnlt of its prefent inlant ftate ; of the variegated compofi- tion of its inhabitants, who are emigrants from every corner of the globe, full of the prejudices and partialities of the country whence they came ; of the immenfe variety of eafy fpeculations, which croud around the monied men ; and laftly, of the diftinction enjoyed here by wealth, which exceeds that derived from it in other countries : for, a few eminent llations excepted, which are occupied but a fhort time, and meritorious fervices rendered, which are foon forgotten by the peo- ple, there exifts in this country no perfonal diftinclion. In fine, this way of thinking in private individuals is the moft certain means of rendering the country itfelf more profperous and important. And is not this the higheft advantage derived from the univerfal intereft, which unites and iupports fociety, that, with the exception of a few cafes, no member can enrich himfelf, without promoting at the fame time the profperity of others ? Though this obfervation more generally applies to agriculture, yet there exifls hardly one defcription of profperity, nay of individual luxury, where it does riot hold good. The people of America live well ; the foil produces all the neceffaries of life, even in a very fuperficial ftate of cultivation : there are few perfons, who do not poiTefs more than they need for tfoeir own maintenance. Hence arifes the in- dolence of a great number of the inhabitants, Who, having by four days labour earned a whole week's fubfiftence, idle away the remaining three days ; hence their kzinefs, relative to agricultural improvements, which would require fums of money, and other facrifices, of the neceffity of which they are not convinced, being infenfible of the advantages to be derived from them. Improvements, fimilar to thofe which have al- ready been made in regard to the political organization of fociety, to commercial relations, navigation, and roads, will certainly be effected in agriculture in the procefs of time. But, before they can take place, the land-owners muft be more forcibly impreffed with the neceffity of rouf- ing from their indolence, and abandoning their prejudices; and the po- pulation BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHRE OUCAU^T LIAXCOURT. / pulation mull be incrcafed beyond its prefent amount ; which will cer- tainly be done* Though all this muft happen in the ufual courfc of na- ture, yet men of abilities, and learned focietics, fhould endeavour to dif- fufe ufeful lights by good books, by collections of inftrucVive extracts from European works of acknowledged merit, and by all other means of inftruclion. For, undoubtedly, they may thus accelerate the period, when the neccfiity of the above improvements will be more fenfibly felt. In a country like this, literary focicties may prove eminently ufeful, if. they do not afTume too learned an appearance, but are animated and guided by the true public fpirit, which ipeaks a iimple and perfpicuous' language, and readily repeats its inftruclions, untincl:ured with the vain felfiilinefs, which generally dictates the profeffions of private, individuals. The incrcafe of the price of land is uncommonly great, it having been more than doubled within the lail three or four years. Though the price of labour, from the high value of ground, which, within thefe lail twelve^ .months, has experienqed an extraordinary rife, is higher than ufual ; yet it feems flill the moft profitable fpcculation for monied men in this country, to lay out their money in land, which they may have cleared -and ;cultivated under their own eyes. Notwithstanding this un- common rife of the price of land, inftances of its -being difpofed of at the fame price^ which prevailed ionic years fince, are not unfrequent. The ckcumfbmces, under which this happens, are, ,it is true/ rather of a pe- culiar complexipn^; yet pretty common. If, for inttance, a perfon, four years ago, bought eight hundred acres of land, and bound himfelf to pay a fourth -of the purchafe-rnoney at the expiration of four years, but was either too indolent to raife within the time a handfome fortune by his labours, or fpent the proceeds of his eftate, which he mould have laid i icbt ; he mufl raife money as well as he can, and rhuft fell his land at any price, without being able to infift on that which the adjacent lands fetch, at this time. The numerous banks, which have lately been eftablimed, fcem to have contributed not a little to the uncommon rife of the price of land ; ior in proportion as thqy increafe the quantity of money, they alfo mul- ls 2 tipl/ 68 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, tiply and facilitate the means of fubfiflence. It is by quickening the activity of internal commerce, and increasing the means of converting property into money, that banks raife the value of lands in fale. A relaxation is obfervable among all orders of fociety. Drunkennefs is the prevailing vice, and, with few exceptions, the fource of all other evils. A fpirit, or rather habit of equality, is diffufed among this peo- ple, as far as it poffibly can go. In feveral inns, efpecially fuch as are Situate on 1-efs frequented roads, the circumftance of our fervant not din- ing with us at the fame table excited general aftonimment, without its befpeaking any bad intention on the part of thofe who manifefted it. The inhabitants exhibit to ftrarigers ftriking inftances both of the ut- moft cleanlinefs and exceffive naftinefs. They are much furprifed at a refufal, to fleep with one or two other men in the fame bed, or between dirty flieets, or to drink after ten other perfons out of the fame dirty glafs ; and they wonder no lefs, when they fee ftrangers neglecl: to warn, their hands and face every morning. Whiiky mixed with water is the common drink in the country. There is no fettler, however poor, whofe family do not drink coffee and chocolate, and eat fait meat at breakfaft. At dinner comes fait meat again, or fait fim and eggs ; and at fupper, once more fait meat and coffee. This is alfo the general rule in inns. An American fits down at the table of his landlord, and lies down in the bed, which he finds empty, or occupied but by one perfbn, without in the leafl enquiring, in the latter of thefe cafes, who that perfon may be. We have hitherto fortunately efcaped a perfonal trial of this laft American cuftom, but were very near experiencing it at White's. The roads are good, where the foil is fo, the road by Lancafter ex- cepted ; art has hitherto but little meddled with the roads in Pennfyl- vania. Such fpots, as are bad and muddy, are filled up with trees, placed near each other ; when thefe fink into the ground, others are laid upon them. Over fmall brooks, bridges are thrown, which confift of boards, placed on two beams, laid along the banks of the brook. Thefe boards frequently rot, and remain in this condition for months together, without its entering into any one's head, to replace them with others. We have BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 69 have paSTed feveral fuch bridges, with great danger to our horfes, from the bad condition of the boards. All this will be better in time ; yet I mean to defcribe things juft as they are now. Creeks are generally forded. Acrofs fome, which are very deep, wooden bridges are thrown ; which, however, are not fuch as they Should be : the boards, or fmall trees, with which they are covered, are neither fo good, nor fo clofc to each other, as might be wimed. This is a brief Sketch of the phySical and moral Slate of the country, which we have hitherto traverfed, drawn after thofe obfervations, which the Shortnefs of the time allowed us to make. I Shall occasionally cor- rect, what on more exact information I find to be erroneous, and fupply what may be deficient. Sunday, the I'/th of May. On the oppofite fide of the river, a mile above Sunbury, at the e*- treme point of the ISlhmus, formed by the two arms of the Sufque- hanna, Stands Northumberland. Sunbury is the chief town of the county. But the fmall number of public buildings, which are necef- fary for the administration of juftice, constitute its only advantages over Northumberland ; that, on the other hand, enjoys all the benefits of a fine Situation, which, in fact, is as delightful as may be conceived. The two arms of the river forming a right angle at the point of their con- fluence ; the country expands behind it in a femi- circular form, rifing in gentle fwells of a fruitful foil, and connected with vallies and opening plains of ftill richer ground. The banks of both arms of the river are fufceptible of cultivation to a wide extent, on the fide where Northum- berland ftands. Both arms are navigable, without interruption, to a distance of three hundred miles, and water a foil, which courts cultiva- tion. The number of houfes is at this time, perhaps, a fixth greater at Sunbury than at Northumberland, where it amounts to about one hundred. The firft houfes were built in 1775; yet the inhabitants were driven from them in the war of the revolution, and their habita- tions ^eStroyed, The town was not rebuilt till the year 1785. It is undoubtedly TO TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, undoubtedly the worft built town we have hitherto feen. All the houfcs are of w r ood, chiefly log-houfes ; two only are built with flone. There is no market-place here ; the town contains no inns, but three or four whilky-houfes. We put up in that which is the bell of them ; and yet it rains on our beds, as well as on our horfes in the liable. Me- thinks there is hardly any place fituate more favourably for its be- cpming a large city, than Northumberland. The flow progrefs, hitherto made by the town, I have heard imputed to the untoward character and little fenfe of the gentleman, who poffefled three-fourths of the ground on which the town {lands. He is lately dead ; but had he lived longer, his exiftence would have proved no impediment, that might not eafily have been removed by the concurrence of favourable circumft'ances. The price of land about Northumberland is, at prefent, from twenty to twenty-four dollars per acre, near the river; that fituate on the northern arm is flill dearer, on account of the better quality of the foil, and becaufe a greater part of the ground is already cleared there, than on the eaflern arm. Farther up the river, land is fold from four to fix dollars an acre. The quality of the foil, the vicinity of a creek, and longer or fhorter inftalments, produce here the fame variety in the price of land as in other parts. The value, which I point out, is the me- dium price, . Ground- ihares in the town are, at thi time, fold at forty- eight or fifty dollars. The inhabitants of Northumberland, as well as of the county at large, confiil, for the moil part, of Dutchmen. There arc fome Germans, and a few natives; but moil of the inhabitants are foreigners. The Iriih are, with a few exceptions, the woril of them all. Being Icfs in- duilrious than the reft, they are consequently poorer ; and the property of an Irifhman is conflantly at the fervice of fuch as wifh to have it. The Germans are ,more tenacious of theirs ; and, for this reafon, in ounbury, and the adjacent country, where they refide in confiderable numbers, cftates are dearer than in Northumberland, though the foil is of an inferior quality. The flate of agriculture in Northumberland, and the adjacent $oun- fcY THE DUKE J>E LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIAXCOURT. 71 try, is much the fame as in all other parts of America ; but the pro- portion of cleared land is imaller than in other counties we have tra- verfed. Labourers arc eafily found ; they arc paid fix millings a day without victuals, or three {hillings and nine-pence with their entertain- ment. In the country, where they hire themfelvcs by the month, they havc eight dollars, for which they are obliged to work twenty-fix days. Bricklayers' and carpenters' wages are, in town, one dollar per day. The price of tiles is four dollars per thoufand ; and very good bricks coft, in Northumberland, two millings and fix-pence, delivered free of expence. The price of lime is from nine to ten-pence per bufliel, of deal-boards five fhillings per hundred feet, and of other boards fix Shillings and fix- pence. As there is no market, either in Northumberland or Sunbury, the inhabitants live, for the greater part of the year, upon falted meat, un- lefs they keep fowls. The farmers kill, at times, a cow ; but fince an epidemic difeafe has carried off almoft all the horfes, they have been obliged to replace thefe by oxen for the purpofes of agriculture, and consequently ufe lefs beef than before. Cow^-beef is at this time fold from five-pence to five- pence halfpenny per pound. The higheft houie- rent in Northumberland is eighty dollars ; and there is but one houfe in the whole town for which fo much is paid. It is of brick, large and convenient, and was but lately fold for five thoufand two hundred dollars. Every thing is fomewhat dearer at Sunbury, but the difference is not a mil iixth. The land about Northumberland yields generally fifteen bufhels of wheat per acre, when it has attained what the farmers call a full ftate of cultivation. The proportion of other crops is the fame as in other places. Indian corn is produced in large quantities, which mews the ignorance and indolence of the farmers, for it exhaufts the foil ; and though it fupplies all the houfehold wants of a family, yet no^ a bumel is ever exported from the place where it grows. A great advantage, which might be derived from it, by mixing its {talks with, the dung, is entirely neglected by the farmers. The Iheep are rather leng-legged and meagre ; yet 72 TRAVELS IN NOJITH AMERICA, yet the wool is good, and is fold for two fhillings and fix-pence per pound. But very little is fold ; for in ..this vale of Pennfylvania, as every where elfe, the farmers would be very forry indeed, if they were obliged, to keep many meep. I obferved before, that the clearing of lands in certain well-chofen diftricls is, in my judgment, the moft profitable fpeculation monied men can enter upon in this country. The information I collected in Northumberland affords an additional proof of the truth of this remark. The expence for clearing and fencing an acre, amounts, upon an average, to thirteen dollars ; and this is pretty high. The firft crops yield gene-* rally twenty bufhels of wheat, if the ground be well cleared, the trees, which ftood in the middle, cut down, and the largeft well barked. Wheat is fold at this time for ten fhillings per bufhel. The agreement entered upon with a farmer, relative to a piece of ground which has been cleared of wood, generally purports, that he is to have half the produce, but muft alfo find the feed. The land-owner nets therefore the firft harveft five pounds, the value of ten bufhels of wheat at ten fhillings, and con- fequently more than the expence for clearing and fencing. If we fup- pofe the medium price of wheat to be only five millings and nine- pence per bulhel, the land-owner obtains, even in this cafe, the firft year, twenty-five per cent on the capital laid out ; and yet there are many cafes where the former eftimate falls fhort of the real proceeds, as there are others where the latter is beyond them. The prices rife as faft in the vicinity of Northumberland, as in othef parts ; but this country, which is uncommonly extenfive, is but thinly inhabited, even in fuch diftricl:s as are fituate neareft to Philadelphia ; the prefent number of inhabitants does not exceed feventeen thoufand. The population encreafes, however, yearly, through emigration from the Jerfeys, from New -England, and a part of Pennfylvania. One hundred and thirty families, emigrants from the Jerfeys, have very lately fettled on the branches of the Sufquehannah. But the land- marks of the purchafed ground are not always fufficiently known, nor the right of the fellers perfectly clear ; for which reafon actions, con- cerning BY THE DUKE DE LA FvOCHEFOU-GAULT LIANCOURT. 73 cer-ning difputcd limits, conftitute nearly three-fourths of the caufes, which are tried in the courts of law at Sunbury. The political fentiments of the inhabitants of Northumberland are lefs virtuoils and fteady, than of the inhabitants of the lefs remote coun- ties. Several of them took, laft year, an active part in the revolt at Pittf- burg, and flill remain in confinement, on account of that affair. A de- finitive judgment being now daily expe Northumberland is the refidence of Dr. PRIESTLEY. They, who know with what relentlefs fury the ********** exerted all its influence to procure him to be harraffed by the mob, his houfe in Bir-. mingham to be burnt down to the ' ground, and himfelf to be infulted and made uneafy wherever he went, will, undoubtedly, feel for the fate of this gentleman, who has defervedly obtained fo -much fame in the literary world, and whofe perfecution, were he even guilty of the groffefl political mifconduct, which is by no means the cafe, cannot but deeply interefl in his favovir every feeling mind. This unwarrantable extenfion L of 74 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, of influence muft excite univerfal indignation, and it needs no gift of di- vination to forefee, that the Englim mob, thus fet upon their fujppofed enemies by the **********, ma y poffibly turn, fooner or later, againft the inftigators. However this maybe, the perfecution experienced by Dr. Prieftky would hardly have driven him fo foon to quit England, had he not expelled to enjoy in America that high celebrity and diftinc- tion, which were promifed him by fbme flattering friends. His cele- brity was, however, of no long duration ; the Americans are too little fenfibleofthe value of that knowledge, by which he has acquired fo dif- tinguifhed a rank among the literati of the age. They concern them- ielves but very little about dogmatical difcuffions of the Bible, and the tenets of the Unitarians ; and would readily give up all the experiments on air for one good and profitable fpeculation ! The perfecuted from va- rious countries have, in thefe late years, fought an afylum among the Americans ; fuch arrivals are, therefore, no uncommon fight to this people ; and they have not much time to lofe in vain civilities. Under thefe circumflances, the refpect fhewn to Dr. Prieftley, who is a pro- found philofopher, an admired writer, a celebrated chemift, and a vic- tim of the Englim miniftry, did not laft long. A few dinners, given to him at New York, where he landed, and at Philadelphia, to which place lie afterwards proceeded, formed the whole train of honours which graced his reception. His fon, who arrived in America fome time before him, had bought lands, where all the Unitarians, and all the perfecuted of Old England, were to join and rally under the Doctor's banner. This fettlement was to enjoy a diftinguifhed protection on the part of the American Government ; and to fecurc to the Doctor a name, as chief of the fed:, and founder of the colony. But thefe hopes have already vanimed. No Englishmen have arrived to purchafe his. lands ; and the Government of the United States, even that of Pennfylvania, did not confidcr the project of the Doctor's fettlement as more important than that of any other individual. The conftant praife of his uncommon merits as a natural philofopher induced his friends at Philadelphia, to lolicit for him the profeflbrmip of chemiftry in the college, which they obtained; BY THE DUKK DE LA EQCHEFOUC AUL T I.I AXCOUKT. 75 obtained; but this place was far beneath the expectation of the Doclor, as well as of his family ; and it became ncceHary, even for the preferva- tion of his celebrity in Europe, to withdraw from a fcene, where his at- tempt of attracting univerfal attention had completely failed. He therefore removed to Northumberland. The lands, purchafcd by his fon, were fituate in that county, though he had actually refolved to relincjuim the idea of founding a colony, which would have had no co- lonifts but his own family ; yet his removal to Northumberland, at leaft had not the appearance of an intention to abandon, in fo abrupt a man- ner, a project which had already been announced to the world. As Mr. Guillemard was flightly acquainted with Young PRIESTLEV, and more particularly with Mr. COOPER, who has alfo fettled in North- umberland, we were induced to prefer halting at that town, rather than at Sunbury, though both lay on our road ; that I might gratify the w T im, w T hich I entertained, to be introduced to a man fo juftly cele- brated. The project of forming the intended fettlement in the country is entirely relinquimed ; Mr. Morris has generoufly taken back the greater part of the lands, which young Prieftley bought of him laft year, with all the formalities prefcribed by law. He has alfb found means to difpofe of the reft, and has bought fome land near the town, which he is now clearing and preparing for cultivation. The Doctor has built a houfe, to which he intends removing about the end of the Cummer. His modes of life and drefs are nearly the fame as in Eng- land, the wig excepted, which he has laid afide. He frequently laughs at the world, but in a manner which clearly appears not to be from his heart. He fpoke with great moderation of the political affairs of Europe, and in very mild expreflions of England. He is now bufied in the infti- tution of a college, for which fix thoufand dollars have already been fub- fcribed, and feven thoufand acres have been affigned him, as a free gift. In this eftablilhment, of which he has drawn up a profpeclus, there is a prefident's place, doubtlefs intended for himfelf. JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, the eldeft fon, feems at prefent to be more engaged in induftrious pur- fuits, than in political difcuffions. He has married a young Engliih L 2 lady. J$ TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, lady, apparently of a mild and amiable difpofition, but who fpeaks very little in company. She, as well as her mother-in-law, feem lefs to ac- commodate themfelves to American manners than their hufbands. Mr, Cooper has purchafed fome hundred acres of land, which he is at prefent clearing of wood, and preparing for cultivation. He is undoubtedly a man of parts, of a reftlefs mind, ill adapted to find happinefs in a retired rural life. In the account he wrote of America, it was certainly his defign, to perfuade colonifls to join Dr. Prieftley. In his manners, he affects at prefent a ftrong predilection for American cuftoms ; and fays, that he prefers his prefent mode of living to any other. He is fufpecled here of aiming at a feat in Congrefs. In point of abilities at leaft, he would hold no mean rank among its members. Some Englimmen, who lately arrived in America, intended to fettle in the vicinity of Northumberland. It appears, however, that they have abandoned that intention, difgufted with the fort of precedence claimed by Dr. Prieftley and his family, and with the aufterity of their manners ; though unqueftionably the Doc- tor's acquaintance and library would prove a very great accommodation to new fettlers ; and his misfortunes and perfecutions cannot fail to in- tereft every one in his favour. As a companion of Mr. Guillemard I was received by thefe families^ with as much politenefs as their cold and gloomy tempers ever difplay. In one of our water excursions with young Prieftley, in the vicinity of Northumberland, we landed near a wooden houfe, built againft the fide of a high mountain, which is covered with wood and fragments of jocks, and feparated from the river by a tract of land, about four and twenty yards wide. An Englifh lady inhabits this fmall houfe, which, would prove a highly interefting fpot, if ihe were young and handfome,. and awake to the pleafures or the forrows of love. But, alas ! fuch ihe is not. She has three daughters, the youngeft of whom, the only one that refides with her, is twenty years old. This lady left England in confcquence of her hufband's becoming a bankrupt ; to avoid the difgrace,. attending an event of that nature, which, however innocent the bankrupt may be, muft wound his own feelings, as well as thofe of his family ;. BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT, 77 family ; and to prepare an afylum for her hufband, after he fhall have fettled his accounts with his creditors. Her name is DASH : her hufband was a banker of Bath, Colonel of the militia of his county, and en- joys the reputation of an honeft man. It is abfolutely impoffible, to dif- play more fpirit and perfeverance, than this lady has done, ever fmce me fettled on this eftate, not an inch of which was cultivated at the time flic purchafed it. It contains about one hundred acres ; on which, fix months ago, not a hut was to be feen, and where not a tree was felled. All thefe obfbicles me has furmounted. She is now building a ftone o houfe, and will, therefore, be able, within a twelvemonth, to receive her hufband in a retired and humble, yet decent habitation. The fitua- tion and misfortunes of this poor lady have in fome degree injured her brain. But, this circumftance, while it increafes her loquacity, does not prevent her from purfuing that direel; line of conduct, which me has marked out for herfelf. Two of her daughters have been well married, fmce their arrival in America. With a fort of enthufiafm, I liftened to the other, who is at home, whilft fhe played on the pianoforte. She per- forms very well, is young, pretty, unfortunate, modeft, poffefles no pro- perty on earth, and, in a wooden hut, plays upon one of the fineft inflru- ments, that ever came from Longman's fhop. The ftrange contraft of all thefe circumftances might eafily obtain a young lover for Mifs Sarah Dam; and this I moft fmcerely wifhed her, at my departure; but, young lovers are not fo easily to be won, in this country. I had here another proof how profitable a ipeculation it is in this coun- try to purchafe wood-land, clear the ground, and render it fit for culti- vation. Mrs. Dam bought one hundred acres for two hundred and fixty- five dollars, twenty of which me has cleared, and fown with wheat ; including the fpot on which her houfe {lands, and a fmall garden. The 1 expence for clearing the land, and building her wooden houfe and a ftable, amounted in the whole to one thoufand and fixty-five dollars. Her twenty acres yielded each twenty bufhels of wheat, the price of which, this year, is ten millings per bufhel. She employs no farmer, becaufe the is herfelf on the fpot ; and confequently the produce of the firft year's^ 78 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, year's harveft from twenty acres amount to two hundred pounds, or five hundred and thirty-three dollars, the moiety of the amount total of her expence, the purchafe money excluded.* We patted the Saturday and Sunday in Northumberland, and pro- ceeded on Monday to Wilkfbarre. Monday, the 18th of May. The road from Northumberland to Berwick, which we had been told N was dreadful, we found in a much better condition, than any we have hitherto pafled. The road is dreary, without the leaft variety of prof- peel;, runs constantly, or at lean: generally, through woods, though it lies parallel to the river, upon which, however, a view only opens now and then, and the bed of which, to the fouthward, is continually hedged in between mountains covered with fir.f We halted at Mr. MONTGOMERY'S, twelve miles from Northumber- land. The creek, on which his faw-mill is fituate, is the only one we have hitherto feen. The land, which moftly Hopes towards the river, feems good. Few or no rocks are to be feen. Mr. Montgomery is a fur- veyor ; he does not keep an inn, but fupplies both men and horfes with food and provender for money. From him we learned, that the price of the bcfl land in his neighbourhood, on the banks of the river, is from twenty- three to twenty- eight dollars an acre ; but that when whole eftates, for inftance, four hundred acres of good foil, are fold, the tenth part of which is cleared, the price of land amounts to eight dollars per acre ; that land, which lies yet in wood, fetches from two to five dol- lars per acre ; that the price of labour is three fhillings per day ; that it is no eafy matter to procure labourers, becaufe the number of inhabi- tants in the neighbourhood is inconfiderable ; that the colonifts confift chiefly of Dutchmen, or their children ; and, laftly, that this diflrid has fufFered much from an epidemical difeafe, which, two years ago, de- The original fays, the purchafe-money included* but this is either an error of the ,prefs, or an overfight of the author.- Tranfiator. t With the exception of two or three large bafins, formed by the river. ftroyed BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAtTLT LIANCQURT. JQ ftroyed nearly all the horfes. To judge from the fymptoms, pointed out by Mr. Montgomery, I never heard of any fimilar diftemper in France. By his dcfcription, it is a weaknefs, which deftroys a horfe in the courfe ,of two months. The liver is blown up by a fwelling, which extends into the legs, and the whole mafs of blood is entirely difcoloured. This diilemper is called here the yellow water* The road to Berwick leads, for its whole length, conftantly through woods, and confequently affords no profpecl:. There are few habitations here, and thefe have a mean appearance. At fome diftance from the houfes, we faw a few ftraggling cow r s and fhcep. We halted in the drftrid: of Fiftiing Creek, at one ABRAHAM MIL- LER'S, who is a farmer, and keeps an inn and a ihop. His eftate con- fifts of three hundred acres, feventy of which are cleared. He clears annually about twelve or fifteen acres more, but not without confider- able trouble, as labourers are very fcarce in this diftrict ; they are paid three ihillings and fixpence per day, and have befides their board, which is eftimated at about one Hulling and fix pence. Here, as well as in all the other places through which we have hitherto paiTed, three dollars per acre are generally paid for hoeing up the roots of bufhes, on fuch ground as is deftined for cultivation ; or if day-labourers be employed in this work, they are paid five ihillings a day, befides their victuals. This was the firfl place, where we ufed maple fugar, which we found excellent. Abraham Miller fells yearly about five or fix barrels of this fugar. He buys it at thirteen pence per pound, and fells it at fifteen ; the brown moift fugar of the colonies he fells at fourteen pence. He procures all the goods, fold in his Ihop, from Philadelphia ; they are brought in waggons as far as Catawefly, where they are fhipped on "the Sufquehannah, and thence conveyed to Fiihing Creek. The aggregate amount of freight and carriage was, formerly, one dollar per tun, but fince laft fpring it has riien to one dollar and a half. The price of land in the neighbourhood is from eight to ten dollars per acre, if in any degree cleared of wood, and from two to three dol- lars, if Hill covered with trees. Habitations are fcarce and flraggling, but. 80 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, . ' "but inoreafe in number nearer to Berwick. This is the chief town of the diftrid: : it ftands on the banks of the river. The fituation is fufficiently agreeable, and more open than that of other places, through which we have lately paffed. This fmall village confifts of twenty miferable houfes, in which we could not iind an egg for our fupper, but we pro- cured fome milk. The beds were clean, the ftabling good, oats and hay excellent; and travellers on horfeback are ufually contented them- felves with fcanty fare, it their horfes be well provided for. The inn- keeper and his wife are a young couple, who have but very lately fettled here. Their houfe is of wood, and only half fmiilied ; they poilefs, at prefent, eighty acres,- ten of which are cleared and cultivated. The price of land at Berwick is twelve dollars, if the ground be already fome what cleared, and from one dollar and a half to tw T o, if the wood be not yet cut down. The inhabitants of Berwick, as well as of the huts, we faw on this day's journey, are a medley of Englifhmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Fle- mings, and Scots. Moft of the colonifts, who have lately arrived, come from the Jerfeys. They feem all poor, and are badly cloathed, yet their ftrong and healthy appearance mews, that they are well fed, and foothes the mind, which iympathizes in their poverty. The number of chil- dren is, in proportion to the habitations, very great indeed. Near Ovens we faw a fchool for young girls, which, from the fmallnefs of the hut, and the number of children who ran out to fee us pafs, had the appear- ^ ance of an ant-hill. Two miles below Berwick are thofe rapid cur- rents, known by the name of Nefcopeck, which greatly impede the navi- gation of the river, efpecially at low water. Tnefday, the 1 gth of May. This day proved rather unfortunate to us. We left Berwick at fix o'clock in the morning, and were unfortunately addreffed to one 'SQUIRE BEACH, who lives feven miles from it, and who was to point out to us the the bell road to Wilkfbarre. Our ill-luck would have it, that this 'Squire Beach is a maker of roads, and had but very lately con- BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 81 ftrucled a new one, which is fome miles morter than the old road. He advifed us to take the former, which he aflured us was the beft. Re- lying on his ailurance, we followed his advice, but were on the very outfet at confiderable pains, to find the place where we were to be fer- ried acrofs the river, to reach the new road. The ferry-boat, which was rowed by a man turned of feventy; was too fmall to contain our four horfes ; we therefore caufed our baggage to be carried over firft ; and this arrived fafe on the oppofite bank. The fervant was ordered not to wait for us, but to proceed. On the return of the ferry-boat, Mr. Guillemard and I embarked. His mare, who is always very fpirit- ed, and whofe mettle was perhaps heightened by the fight of the other horfes on fhore, began to ftir in the fmall boat, which was rather low at the fides ; and in the midft of our pafTage put one of her hind-legs into the water, which brought her whole hinder part down. The boat heeled to that fide, was filled with water, and would have been in- ftantly overfet, but for Mr. Guillemard's prefence of mind. He puihed the horfe into the river, and thus faved us in the moft imminent danger of being drowned ; a danger to which travellers muft be frequently expofed in this country, from the bad conftrudlion of the ferry-boats, as well as from the imprudence and unfkilfulnefs of the ferry- men. The mare, Mr. Guillemard holding her faft by the bridle, fafely reached the more ; and thus far every thing was well. But this incident was the harbinger of accidents ftill more unpleafant. We could not difco- ver any road ; fome trees, which had been felled, mewed an intention, it is true, to make one ; but we faw even few of thefe. No beaten road was to be found ; ten times already we had miffed our way. We had to travel eighteen miles over felled trees, deep morales, rocks, and loofe ftones. The girth of the baggage- horfe broke two or three times ; Mr. Guillemard's mare, who was badly faddled, twice loft her iaddle on a fteep road, and threw her rider. She ran away and fcattered part of her load ; a brace of piftols was loft ; our horfes were exhaufted with fatigue ; we were tired, faint with hunger, and unable to difcover any human habitation on the road. A few houfes ftanding at fome diftancc M from 82 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, from it, which we vifited, could not fupply our wants ; and, to err- creafe our misfortunes, it rained all day long. At length we found fome oats at an honeft German's, whofe wife procured us alfo milk and eggs. Thus refremed, we purfued our journey, not without feve- ral new accidents befalling our baggage ; and at laft reached Wilkfbarre. My friend's horfe was lame, the faddle was broken to pieces by the ac- cident in the ferry-boat, and our cloaths were torn ; but at Dr. Cowell's we found a good fire, a good ftable, good eggs, fait meat (frefh meat is entirely out of the queftion) and thus, as we fmoaked our fegars, indulged the pleafant thought of having efcaped all thefe misfortunes. Wilkfbarre frauds on a wide and fertile plain. The profpe&, osi defcending the mountains by the creek of Nantikoke, is one of the richeft, moil exten five, and moil delightful, we have yet feen. The land is in a high {late of cultivation. We were not able to obtain any new information, that deferves to be mentioned. 1 Wilkfbarre is the chief town of the county of Luzerne. It is a fmall place, containing about a hundred wooden houfes, of a much better appearance than thole in Northumberland. The town is feated on the Sufquehannah, and muft in time become confiderable, if the country, which lies higher up, mail be more generally cultivated. It is even now of fome importance, and has about two hundred and fifty inhabi- tants. The population of the whole county is eftimated at five thou- fand fouls. Wednefday, the 20th of May. Mr. Guillernard's mare being lamed by our misfortunes of yefterday, he refolved to leave her at Wilkfbarre, under the care of his fervant. We accordingly fet out by ourfelves. A new road was propofed to us, which fhortens the journey twenty miles, but is untrodden. However, having yefterday had enough of new roads, we preferred the old, though it was bad, and twenty miles longer. At the end of our firfl day*s journey, we reached Huntsferry. The road was bad, and we were fe- veral times obliged to travel in foot-paths, which were hardly pafT- able, BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 83 able. We frequently met with quarries of mill-ftone, and with fpots, where a path, only eighteen inches in breadth, was cut through the rock,, or where the road was fupported by trunks of trees, narrowed by falls of earth, obflrticled by fallen trees, and led along the edges of a precipice. We often pafTed over declivities, rendered more danger- ous by the ground being ftrewed with loofe ftones, or fragments of rock. Fortunately it fo happened, that we never got more than a few yards out of our road ; but we were obliged to enquire the way of every one we met, to avoid more confiderable deviation. The dwelling- houfes in this diftrict are moft of them fo new, that the inhabitants are often ignorant of the names of places, which are fcarce two miles dif- tant ; nor are they able to point out the direction and diftance, fo that their information beyond the next farm-houfe is not to be depended upon. There is not one inn on the whole road, but fome private indi- viduals are in the habit of felling oats to travellers. They live at cer- tain diftances, and, being known, travellers conftantly put up at their houfes. The firft day we halted at the houfe of one HARRIS, twelve miles from Wilkfoarre, and afterwards at HARDING'S, fifteen miles far- ther on. Both are farmers ; the former, a captain of the militia, is richer, and has been eftablifhed much longer than the latter. They are both very bad hufbandmen ; they cultivate nothing but Indian corn and potatoes, in a foil, which is, for the moft part, poor, and, with few excep- tions, produces nothing but fpruce fir and the common birch. All the -cultivated fields are inclofed with fences, which confift of poles of wood, once fplit, and and laid zig-zag upon one another without any ftakes ; a manner f fencing, general in all parts of America, at the firft clear- ing of the ground. The expence of clearing ground amounts, in this diftrict, to feven or eight dollars an acre. Five miles beyond Harding's habitation, we crofted the river in a very bad ferry-boat, and arrived at HUNT'S, an Irimman, who fettled here ten years ago. We found in his houfe Indian corn for our horfes, but neither oats nor hay, and no milk for ourfelves, nor even an egg. The houfe confifts of one room on the ground-floor, and of a corn-loft over M 2 it 84 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, it. Beds were not to be had. Hunt took an old paillaffe from his- own bed, and lent it me for the night; and on this, with my faddle- cloth, I refted comfortably. By Hunt's account, the fpot, which he inhabits, is very unwholefome ; and fo, he fays, are the banks of the river in general for fome way, higher up, or lower down. His young and handfome wife has laboured under a hectic fever, for thefe eight months. Thurfday, the lift of May. In the morning we halted at one Mr. GAYLOR'S, eleven miles from our lafl night's quarters. All the dwelling-houfes are of the fame fort. We purfued our journey to Afylum by Wyalufing. The latter is a confiderable village, feated on a creek, from which it takes its name. The road is the fame as yefterday, at times even and good, often re- cently cut through the wood, or interrupted by new fettlements, the fences of which occailon a circuit of near a furlong, at the end of which it is difficult to find the road again. Nearly all the plantations, which we have hitherto traverfed in this diftricl:, have been more or lefs recently formed by families, who de- rive their titles from Connecticut. The right of property claimed by that fbte, in regard to thefe lands, has been declared to be unfounded, firfl by arbitrators in Trenton, three or four years ago, and fmce that by the judges of affize, who hold their fittings in Philadelphia. The laft fentence has excited general difcontent in thefe parts ; and, in truth, ihould it be confirmed by the fupreme court of juftice, the natural eonfequence muft be a general difpoffeffing of all the cultivators, who have fettled here by right of purchafe, or gift from the date of Connec- ticut, and who have fpent feveral years labour on a foil, on which they eftablimed themfelves in the moft le^al form. Several of thefe fettlers O were, during the laft war, driven from their poffeffions by the Indians, who deftroyed all the buildings, and burnt the woods, as far as they were able, on their retreat. Thefe are indeed fufficient reafons for dif- content ; and the ftate of Pennfylvania, fatisfied with being reinflated iu. BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHRFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 85 ia its right to thefe lands, will undoubtedly leave them in the poffeffiou of thofe families, who, bonajide, obtained them either for money, or by their labour. If Pennsylvania had fold the fame lands, the fu- preme court of judicature would doubtlefs award an indemnification in money. But in the United States, whofe conftitution is, and muft be founded on the rights of man, and modelled by juftice, peaceful and iu- duftrious inhabitants will never be driven from their pofTeffions, or expelled from their homes. The foldiers, ordered to carry fuch a fen- tence into execution, would be too deeply affected ; their own feelings would contradict the oath of allegiance they have taken, and humanity would forbid them, to co-operate in the execution of the law. The flate of Pennfylvania is too wife, and too juft, not to embrace, in thefe circumftances, a relolution, which is dictated by the very principles it profeiTes. The inhabitants, who derive their titles from Connecticut, form, we were told, two diftinct claffes, whofe rights are of a widely differ- ent complexion. One clafs fettled here long before any public difcuf- fion of the claims of the two ftates took place ; and moft of thefe had to rebuild their houfes, which, as has already been mentioned, were deftroyed during the war. The other clafs formed their fettlements* after the above award, fblicited by both ftates, had been ififued, and therefore were not, or, at leaft, iliould not have been ignorant of the hazard, to which they expofed themfelves. Several perfons in Connec- ticut have proceeded in this bufinefs in a manner extremely blameable, efpecially one Colonel FRANKLIN, who, two years ago, decoyed fe- veral families into this country, notwithftanding the oppofition of the flate of Pennfylvania, and of all the friends of order, who difcouraged thefe unfair proceedings, and foretold to the new fettlers, that they would foon be difpofleffed of their eftates. Moft of the families lately arrived here are poor. They obtained the land gratis, and are the lefs difturbed in their prefent momentary enjoyments, by apprehenfions of fome future difpofleffion, as the character of many among them is not of the faireft complexion. The colonel acted on the principle, that an, increafe 86 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, increafe of the number of colonifts would increafe the force of refift- ance againft the fenteiice of a judicial difpofleflion, in which, being himfelf a proprietor, he is perfonally concerned. This difference, in point of the period of pofTefiion, and of the fpecies of property, ren- ders it far more eafy to accommodate matters, than it might otherwife have proved ; fin.ce the difference being fettled with the landholders of the former clafs, the execution of any vigorous rneafure, which it may be neceflary to adopt again ft thofe of the latter, will be greatly facili- tated. Afylum {lands on the right bank of the Sufquehannah, which muft be croiTed, in order to reach this fcttlement. It has been only fifteen years eftablimed. MeiTrs. TALON and De NOAILLES, who arrived here from England, richer in hopes than in cam, fancied they fhould be able to purchafe, cultivate, and people two hundred thoufand acres of land. They interefted in their project fome planters of St. Domingo, who efcap- ed from the ruins of that colony, and who had prudence enough care-. fully to preferve the remains of their fortune. Meflrs. Morris and Ni- cholfon, who poflefs im men fe tracks of land in the United States, were willing and ready to meet their views. Lands were -chofen on the northern banks of the Sufquehannah ; the price and infralments were regulated, and the firft trees felled* on the fpot, which was {elected for -the town. Mr. de Noailles took upon himfelf the management of the concerns of the company in Philadelphia. Mr. Talon caufed the firft log-houfes to be erected here, and the land to be prepared for the recep- tion of the new inhabitants. But they foon difcovered, that they ihould be difappointed of all the money, which they had hoped to re- ceive. Meflrs. Morris and Nicholfon readily releafed them from this .firft difficulty, and the contract was refcinded. From exclufive pro- prietors of thefe lands, the above gentlemen became aflbciates and part- ners in trade with Meflrs. Morris and Nicholfon, in all the profits arifmg from their fale, and the quantity was enlarged to a million of acres. Each of them kept about fix thoufand acres, as his private property, the * In December, 1793. price BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 87 price of which was fomewhat raifed ; but more diflant periods of pay- ment were fixed. Mr. Talon was appointed agent for the company, with a falary of three thoufand dollars. The buildings, as well as all other expences, were, with the con feat of MefTrs. Morris and Nichol- fon, placed to the account of the company. The ufe of the mofl cort- fiderable houfe, built by Mr. Talon, was affigned to himfelf as agent. Ignorance of the language of the country, want of practice in bufinefs of this kind, avocations of a different nature, and the embarrafTments of the company, have deprived Mr. Talon of the mofl exquifite hap- pinefs, an emigrated Frenchman can poffibly enjoy, to open a peaceful and comfortable afylum for his unfortunate countrymen, to a (lift them in the firil moments of their fettlement, and thus to- become the founder of a colony, which would have proved as honourable to the name of a Frenchman, as ufeful to the unfortunate fufferers, whom it would have received. An enormous expence, -partly incurred without a mature consideration of the plan, occasioned deficiencies. The com- pany was not able to fulfil its engagements. The exertions of Mr. Talon and his aflbciates were not equal to the removal of thefe diffi- culties ; and it becoming evident, that the colony could not attain proiperity fo quickly as Mr. Talon had expected, he refigned his fitua- tion as agent to Mr. Nicholfon, and fold him his mare in the property of the company, who, having fix months before bought that of Mr. de Noailles alio, is now become fole proprietor of the land. This is a brief fketch of the hiftory of Afylum. There cannot re- main a doubt, but that this eftablifhment, the plan of which is cer- tainly the work of much deliberation, would have proved more fuccefs- ful, had it been formed by degrees, and with a fuffident fupply of ready money. For notwithflanding the errors committed in the exe- cution of the plan, and the adverfe incidents it has met with, Afylum has already attained an uncommon degree of perfection, confidering its infant flate. Thirty houfes, built in this town, are inhabited by fa^ milies from St. Domingo, and from France, by French artizans, and even by Americans. Some inns and two (hops have been eftablifhed, the 83 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, the bufmefs of which is con deferable. Several town- mares have been put into very good condition ; and the fields and gardens begin to be pro- ductive. A confiderable quantity of ground has been cleared, on the creek Loyalfock ; where the company has allotted twenty-five thou- fand acres of land, in part of a hundred thoufand acres, which the inhabitants of Afylum have purchafed by fubfcription. Similar agri- cultural operations, which take place in almoft every town-mare, are intended to enliven, at once, all the different parts of this large tract of ground. The town-fhares confift each of four hundred acres, from ten to twenty of which are cleared. The owner can therefore either fettle there himfelf, at the end of the year, or entruft it to a farmer. The clearing of the town-fhares is, at prefent, effected by fubfcription, on this principle ; that for every acre belonging to a fubfcriber, who has cleared ten acres, five of which only are enclofed with fences, nine dollars are paid. Mr. de MONTULE, one of the inhabitants of Afylum, directs this, clearing of the ground ; the plan of which he conceived for the welfare of the colony. The fentiments of the colonifts are good. Every one follows his bufmefs, the cultivator as well as the inn-keeper and tradef- man, with as much zeal and exertion, as if he had been brought up to it. The foil is tolerably good, the climate healthful. Almoft all the ingredients of a thriving colony concur in Afylum, and afford room to hope, that thefe great natural advantages will, in time, be im- proved, for the benefit and profperity of the colonifts. A new trading company has fuperfeded the former ; at leaft the firm and management of the company's concerns have been altered. Mr. Robert Morris has entirely left it, and Mr. Nicholfon, being now the only proprietor, has formed a bank of his million of acres, divided into five thoufand mares, containing each two hundred acres, the price of which, at two dol- dollars and half per acre, is five hundred dollars. They bear fix per cent intereft, which increafes in proportion to the flate of the land ; and at the expiration of fifteen years, the period at which the company is to be diflblved, all the benefits and advantages accruing to the bank are BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOUIIT. 8Q are to be divided among the holders of {hares. An office has been efta- blifhed by the latter, for the direction and management of the concerns of the bank. This new company, taught by the errors of the former, will no doubt make it their principal bufinefs, to promote the profperity of Afylum ; which, alone, can, in any confiderable manner, increafe the value of the land. Yet fome previous facrifices will alfo be required for that purpofe. It will be necefTary to conftruct new roads, and repair the old ones. Encouragement muft alfo be given to the families, which already inhabit Afylum ; and advantageous offers muft be held out to fuch, as may be difpofed to fettle there. If thefe things be done, Afy- lum will foon be peopled. Motives arifing from French manners and opinions have hitherto prevented even French families from fettling here. Thefe are now, however, in great meafure removed, and if the company mall proceed with judgment and prudence, as it is to be hoped they will, there can hardly remain a doubt, but tlpt Afylum will fpeedily become a place of importance. Its fituation on the Sufque- hannah, two hundred miles from its fource, fits it in a peculiar manner for an emporium of the inland trade. French activity, fupported with money, will certainly accelerate its growth ; and this will donbtlefs in time convince the world, that the enterprife and affiduity of French- men are equally confpicuous in profperous and adverfe circumftances. The following families have either already fettled, or intend to fet- tle, at Afylum, viz. i. Mr. de BLACONS, deputy for Dauphine, in the conftituent aflembly. Since his quitting France, he has married Ma- demoifelle de MAULDE, late canonefs of the chapter of Bonbourg* They keep a haberdafher's mop. Their partner is Mr. COLIN, formerly Abbe de Sevigny, arch-deacon of Tours, and confelller au grand confeiL 2. Mr. de MONTULE, late captain of a troop of horfe, married to a lady of St. Domingo, who refides at prefent at Pottfgrove. 3. Madame de SYBERT, coufm to Mr. de Montule, and relict of a rich planter of St. Domingo. 4. Mr. BECDELIERRE, formerly a canon, now a mop- keeper ; his partners are the two Meflrs. de la Roue, one of whom N was TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, was formerly a petit gens-d'anne^ and the other a captain of infantry. The latter has married a fitter of Madame SYBERT, Mademoifelle de BERCY, who intends to eftablifh an inn on the road from Afylum to Loyalfock, eight miles from the former place, whither ihe is on the point of removing with her hufband. 6. Mr. BEAULIEU, formerly a captain of infantry in the French fervice, who ferved in America, during the laft war, in the legion of Potolky. He has remained ever fince in this country, has married an Englifh lady, and now keeps an inn. 7. Mr. BUZARD, a planter of St. Domingo, and phyfician in that colony, who has fettled at Afylum with his wife, daughter, and fon, and fome negroes, the remains of his fortune. 8. Mr. de NOAILLES, a planter of St. Domingo. 9. Mr. DANDELOT, of Franchecomte, late an officer of infantry, who left France on account of the revolution, and arrived here destitute of property, but was kindly received by Mr. Talon, and is now engaged in agricultural purfuits with fpirit and fuccefs. i o. Mr. du PETIT THOUARS, an officer of the navy, who, encouraged by. the conftituent aflembly, and affifted by a fubfcription, embarked in an expedition in queft of Mr. de la Peroufe. He was detained on the coaft of Brafil by the governor of the colony, Fernando de Noriguez, and fent with his crew to Portugal, where he was very ill treated by the -Por- tuguefe government, ftripped of all his property, and only eicaped far- ther perfecution by fleeing to America, where he lives free and happy, without property, yet without want. He is employed in clearing about two or three hundred acres of land, which have been prefented to him. His fociable, mild, yet truly original temper and character, are fet off by a noble flmplicity of manners *. n. Mr. NORES, a young gentle- man, who embarked with Mr. du Petit Thouars, and efcaped with him to this country. He formerly wore the petit collet f, was a pupil of Mr. de la Chapelle, poffefTor of a fmall priory, and now earns his * Du Petit Thouars returned afterwards to France, obtained the command of a (hip of the line, and was killed in the unfortunate battle off the mouth of the Nile. Tranjl. t The petit collet (little band) was formerly a diftinguifhing mark of the fecular clergy in France. Tranjl. fubfiftencG BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCIIfiFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. Ql fubfiftence by cultivating the ground. 12. Mr. KEATING, an Irimman, and late captain of the regiment of Welm. At the beginning of the re- volution he was in St. Domingo, where he poflefTed the confidence of all parties, but refufed the moil tempting offers of the commiflioners of the affembly, though his fentiments were truly democratic. It was his choice and determination, to retire to America without a (hilling in his pocket, rather than to acquire power and opulence in St. Domingo by violating his firft oath. He is a man of uncommon merit, diftin- guilhed abilities, extraordinary virtue, and invincible difintereftednefs. His deportment is grave, yet affable. His advice and prudence have proved extremely ferviceable to Mr. Talon in every department of his buiinefs. It was he who negociated the late arrangements between MefTrs. Morris and Nicholfon ; and it may be juftly faid, that the confidence, which his uncommon abilities and virtue infpire, enables him. to adjuft matters of difpute with much greater facility than moil other perfons. 13. Mr. RENAUD and family. He is a rich merchant of St. Do- mingo, who has juft arrived with very confiderable property, preferved from the wreck of an immenfe fortune. 14. Mr. CARLES, a prieft and canon of Guernfey, who retired to America with a fmall fortune, and who has now fettled at Afylum ; he is an induftrious and much-re- ipecled farmer. 15. Mr. PREVOST, a citizen of Paris, celebrated there for his benevolence ; he was a member of all benevolent focie- ties, treafurer of the philanthropic fociety, and retired to America with fome property, a confiderable part of which he expended on a fettle- ment, which he attempted to eftablifh on the banks of the Sufquehan- nah, but which did not eventually fucceed. He now cultivates his lot of ground on the Loyalfock, as if his whole life had been devoted to the fame purfuit ; and the cheerful ferenity of a gentle, candid, philo- fophical mind, ftill attends him in his laborious retreat. His wife and fiiler-in-law, who have alfo fettled here, mare in his tranquillity and his happinefs. 16. Madame d'AuTREMONT, with her three children. She is the widow of a ileward at Paris. Two of her fons are grown up : one was a notary, and the other a watch-maker; but they have N 2 now 92 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, now become hewers of wood, and tillers of the ground, and fecure by their zeal, fpirit, politenefs, and unblemiihed character, the fympathy and refpetT: of every feeling mind. Some families of artifans are alfo eftablifhed at Afylum ; and fuch as conduct themfelves properly earn great wages. This cannot be faid of the greateft part of them. They are, in general, very indifferent workmen, and much addicted to drunkennefs. In time they will be fuperfeded by more valuable men ; and American families, of a better defcription, will fettle here : for thofe, who refide at prefent at Afy- lum, are fcarcely worth keeping. One of the greateft impediments to the profperity of this fettlement will probably arife from the prejudices of fome Frenchmen againft the Americans, unlefs felf-intereft and reafon mould prove the means of removing them. Thefe are frequently manifefted with that incon- fiderate levity, with which Frenchmen, in general, decide on things and perfons of the greateft moment ; fome of them vauntingly de- clare, that they will never learn the language of the country, or en- ter into cow ver fat ion with an American. Whether particular facts and occurrences can juftify this prejudice, in regard to individuals, I will not affirm ; but certain it is, that they can never juftify it in the lati- tude of a general opinion. A conduct founded on fuch prejudices would prove extremely hurtful to the interests of the colony ; the progrefs of which has been already retarded by fo many unavoidable obftacles, that there certainly is no occafion to create new ones, by purpofely exciting the animofity of a people, among whom the colony has been formed, and who, in the judgment of every impartial man, muft be confidered as in a ftate of lefs degeneracy than many European nations. The real farmers, who reticle at Afylum, live, upon the whole* on very good terms with each other ; being duly fenfible, that har- mony is requilite, to render their fhuation comfortable and happy. They poflefs no confiderable property, and their way of life is fimple. Mr. Talon lives in a manner fomewhat more .fplendid, as he is obliged to maintain a number of perfons, to whom his afliftance was indifpenfable. It BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 03 It is to be wifhed and hoped, that the whole fettlement may prove ultimately fuccefsful. A more convenient fpot might, doubtlefs, have been chofen. But not to mention, that all ex pojl fafto judgments are unfair, the prefent fituation of the colony appears fo advantageous, as to warrant the moil: fanguine hopes of fuccefs. Induftrious families, however, without whom no fettlement can profper, mufl: be invited to it; for it muft be confidered, that, however polimed its prefent inhabi- tants may be, the gentleman cannot fo eafily difpenfe with the affiftance of the artift and the hufbandman, as thefe can with that of the gentle- man. A fpeedy adjuftment of the prefent differences between- Connecticut and Pennfylvania, with refpedt to the eftates contiguous to the lands of Afylum, would alfo prove a defirable and fortunate circumftance for this colony. None but perfons of indifferent character are willing to fettle on ground, the title to which remains a matter of difpute. Even the fmall number of colonifts we found between Wilkfbarre and Tio- ga are by no means praifeworthy in their morals ; and they are poor, lazy, drunken, quarrelfome, and extremely negligent in the culture of their lands. The valuable emigrants from New-England, from the eaftern branch of the Sufquehannah, who fhould be encouraged to fet- tle here, will certainly not make their appearance, till they can be fure of cultivating their land without oppofition, and of retaining the un- difturbed poffeffion of their eftates. It is therefore of the greateft importance to the company of Afylum, that this weighty bufinefs mould be fpeedily and finally adjufted. When that is accomplimed, the company will doubtlefs embrace the earlieft opportunity of advertifing the whole million of acres ; they will endeavour to combine feparate eftates with each other, by purchafing the intervening lands ; they will make public their right of property, purfue a well concerted ge- neral plan, execute it with the requifite care and difpatch, and make the neceflary facrifices. They will perceive how advantageous and im- portant it is, to place Afylum, as it were, in full activity, by conftruct- ing the roads already projected and commenced, by eftablifhing a fchool, by inviting iaduftrious fettlers, and by endeavouring to me- liorate 94 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, liorate the breeds of horfes and cattle : in fliort, by encouraging ufeful eftablimm'ents of every kind. A few hundreds of dollars, laid out here properly, would produce the moft coniiderable and lading improvements. In fuch cafes, however, it is requiiite to calculate well, that we may expend judicioufly. By prudent and liberal meafures, the profperity of this French colony, and consequently of the company, would be efien- tially infured and promoted. And when this fettlement mall have once ripened into a fiourifhing ftate, it will ferve to connect the coun- try, which is already cultivated along the banks of the river, above and below Afylum, and thus prove a fource of animation to this intereft- ing part of Pennfylvania. But unlefs active and judicious meafures be purfued, Afylum will inevitably fufFer from the partial inconveniences, which attend its fituation, and from the errors committed in the firft formation of this colony ; and inftead of attaining to the wifhed for prof- perity, it mutt, on the contrary, find its decline, if not downfal, in the very nature of its eftablimment. Every thing in this fettlement, at prefent, appears in a precarious condition. The price of provifion depends on a variety of fluctuating circumftances. By the activity and prudence of ceitain individuals the town is abundantly fupplied with grain and meat, and this honeft eco- nomy keeps proviiion at a moderate price. But me'n of a lefs liberal way of thinking have it alfo in their power to occailon fcarciry of the iirft neceflaries of life, and raife their price to a rate beyond all pro- portion to that of other commodities. The information, which I have been able to collect, relative to the flate of agriculture, however accu- rate at the prefent moment, can hardly be thought fufficient for the di- rection of a planter, who mould incline to fettle here ; I mall, how- ever, lay it before my readers, fuch as it is. The land behind the town is tolerably good ; but that on the banks of the river, confifts of excellent meadows, laid out by families, who fet- tled here, before the prefent colonies, producing very good hay, pretty confiderable in quantity, and they are capable of ftill farther improve- ment. The foil of Loyalibck is, in general, excellent. Many trees grow BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. Q5 grow there, which evince its goodnefs, fuch as, the white Virginian walnut-tree, white oak, plane-tree, fugar-rmple and hemlock-fir. It is a circumftance worthy of notice, that half-way between Loyalfock and Afylum, common oak, which in the fields about the latter place is found in abundance, becomes at once fo fcarce, that not two hundred oak trees grow in the whole diftnft of Loyalfock, which contains two thoufand five hundred acres. The price of the company's land is at prefent two dollars and half per acre ; very little however is fold. That of the town of Afylum fetches little more ; although there is little doubt, that the price will rife gradually to ten dollars. The land contiguous to Afy- lum, which docs not belong to the company, being at prefent in an unfettled (late with refpeft to the right of property, this circumflance renders it a very undefirable podeflion for fuch fettlers, as do not wifh to expofe themfelves to the danger of fubfequent litigations, and con- quently to being difpoflefled of their pur-chafes-. Hitherto the grain ap- pears to have fuffered but little from the Heflian fly and from blights. The winter lafts here from four months and half to five months. Agriculture o however has hitherto advanced fo llowly, that the cattle fufFer much during that feafon from want of fodder. They are, for the mofl part, fed with turnips, gourds, and flraw of Indian corn. Both oxen and cows are of a very indifferent fort, as little attention has been paid to the breed of cattle brought hither by the fettlers. Both feed-time and harveft take place here about a fortnight later than in the vicinity of Philadelphia. The land yields about fifteen or twenty bufhels of wheat, fixty bulhels of Indian corn, and three tuns of hay per acre. The foil feems naturally better adapted for meadows than for corn land; but from the little trouble attending the driving of the cattle into the fo- reft, the produce in corn is rather apparently great than fo in fa ft. In ploughing they generally employ oxen, which, it mould be obferved, are not fubjeft to any particular difcafe. They are at times driven to Philadelphia; and the country people frequently aft here with fo little judgment, as even to fend them two hundred miles off, when they might obtain much better prices, and even ready money, in the neigh- bour hood o 96 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, bourhood. The bullocks, which are confumcd in Afylum, are gene- rally brought from the back fettlements, but it is frequently found ne- ceflary, to fend thither for them. They are generally plentiful : the uncommon duration of the laft winter, however, proved fo de- ftru&ive to the cattle, that few are now to be feen, and a great fcarcity of beef prevails at Afylum, as well as in various other parts of America. The grain, which is not confnmed in Afylum, finds a market in Wilkfbarre, and is tranfported thither on the river. In the fame man- ner all kinds of merchandize are conveyed from Philadelphia to Afy- lum. They are carried in waggons as far as Harriiburg, and thence ient in barges up the river. The freight amounts, in the whole, to two dollars per cwt. The fait comes from the falt-houfes at GenefTee, on the lake of Ontario. Flax is produced in the country about Afy- lum ; and the foil is very fit for producing crops of that commodity. Maple-fugar is made here in great abundance. Each tree is com- puted to yield, upon an average, from two pounds and half to three a year. Melafies and vinegar are alfo prepared here. I have feen MefTrs. De VILAINE and DANDELOT make fugar in this place, which much furpafles any of the fame kind, that has hitherto come under my obfervation. A confiderable quantity of tar is alfo made, and fold for four dollars per barrel, containing thirty-two gallons. Day-labourers are paid at the rate of five millings a day. Mr. de Montule em- ploys workmen from the eaftern branch of the river, to clear his land ; to thefe he pays half a dollar a day, befides allowing them their victuals ; the overfeer receives a dollar and a third per day ; thefe peo- ple turn out to be very good workmen. They are- eafily procured, when employment is enfured to them for any length of time ; but otherwife, it is very difficult to obtain them. The manufacture of pot- afhes has alfo been commenced at Afylum ; and it is in contemplation to attempt the brewing of malt-liquor. A corn-mill and a faw-mill are building on the Loyalfock. The foregoing is a brief fketch of the prefent ftate of this interefting fettlement, Bt THE DUKE BE LA HOCHEPOUCAtTLT LIANCOURT. g7 fettlement, which, even a twelvemonth hence, will no longer retain, its prefent features. To judge from the actual condition of the . pro- bable progrefs and duration of this infant colony, it muft either rife or fall rapidly. It is to be hoped, that the want of fimiiarity to the original in my description, which may be obfervable next year in the colony, will arife from its rapid progrefs towards maturity ; and this hope is grounded on probable appearances. Tttefday, tlie id of June. On our arrival at Afylum, it was not our intention to have flopped more than four days in that place. But the pieafure of meeting with Mr. and Madame de Blacons, a defire to obtain a thorough knowledge of the prefent flate of the colony, as well as of its profpects of future improvement ; and the cordial reception we experienced from all its in- habitants, induced us to add four days to our flay ; and, in the whole, we flopped twelve days. On Tuefday, the ad of June, we at lengtk took our departure. MefTrs. De Blacons and Du Petit Thouars joined our caravan ; the latter, who travelled on foot, had fet out the preced- ing evening. The road from Afylum to Tioga leads, like the reft, through continued woods. We preferred that on the right bank ; as we fliould then be obliged to crofs the river only once. The road is in fbme places exceffively miry and flony, although in others it is very. good. On the whole it may be called tolerable, yet it is often difficult to be found. It affords but few flriking profpecls. The Sufquehannah, which we met with but once, during our whole journey, flows conflantly. between two chains of mountains, which feem to encroach upon its channel, but from time to time open into vallies more or lefs deep, but never very extenfive. We flopped at SOLOMON TEASY'S, to refl our horfes. This planter occupies an eflate of five hundred acres, only thirty of which are yet cleared, and which belongs to the village of Old Shefhequen. Its owner arrived here about five years ago, from the county of Orange, ui the flate of New York ; but he now intends to fettle in GenefTee ; O and, $ TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, and, confequently, wiflies to diipofe of his plantation, which he holds from the ftate of Connecticut ; the price he demands is five thoufand three hundred and ninety dollars, that is to fay, about ten dollars and three- fourths per acre. Another -landholder, at whofe houfe we flopped to procure directions about the road, intimated to us a fimilar delign, as he miftook us for land-jobbers. His plantation confifted of three hundred acres, fixty of which were cleared, with a corn and a faw-mill ; which he eftimated at one thoufand three hundred dollars. He aiked for the whole eftate two thoufand fix hundred dollars, which is tantamount to eight dollars and half per acre. The ftate of agriculture is no better here than in the other parts of Pennfylvania, and even worfe than in many of them, all the plantations being yet in that infant ilate, where the foil yields rich crops without cultivation. The fetflers too are doubtful whether their rights to their poffeffions will be confirmed, .have much bufinefs upon their hands, and are in general little able to advance money for the improvement of their lands, fo that they hardly give themfelves the trouble even to plough up the ground. For this purpofe they make ufe of oxen, the medium price of a yoke of which is feventy dollars. Wheat commonly fells for one dollar a bumel, rye for four millings, and oats from two millings and fix-pence to three Shillings. There are two fchools in the neighbouring country, which are both kept by women, who teach needle- work and reading. To learn to read is, therefore, the only inftruftion, which boys can obtain here. Thefe fchools are maintained folely by the fee of five fhillings a quar- ter paid by each fcholar. They are evidently infufficieat, yet they are fchools ; and thefe are yet very rare in Pennfylvania. No place has been hitherto fet apart here for religious worfhip. They, who defire to perform this, aflemble in private houfes, and engage a preacher for a yearly falary, which, however, is very fmall. Families of methodifts conftitute the principal part of the inhabitants. On the other fide of the river ilands New Shemeqiien, a fmall neat town, containing about twelve houfes, which are built either of rough logs or boards. It is feated in a very pleafant plain. The juilice BY THE DUKB DE LA. HOCHUFOtTCAULT LIANCOURT. {JJ juftice of the peace, the furgeon, and the paftor of the neighbouring country, refide in this place. It contains {hops, in fhort all thofe things which are found only in a principal town. The road from Old Shemequen to Tioga, which had been repre* Rented to us as a very bad one, proved, on the contrary, very good. Here the farm-houfes lie clofer to each other. Near Tioga, the river of the fame name difcharges itfelf into the Sufquehannah. The fite of the town, or rather of the eight or ten houfes which are fo called, is about two miles diftant from the confluence of the twa rivers, and very pleafant. The mountains, which form the banks of the Sufquehannah, do not lie fo clofe together, as in any other part of its courfe that we have yet feen. The country behind Tioga de- fcends into a plain of upwards of three miles in extent. The foil is good ; and, from the fituation of the town, it is likely to acquire fomc importance in time, when the land on both fides of the river {hall become cultivated and populous. There is not one fpring, however, to be found cither on the fpot where the town {kinds, or in its vicinity, fo that the inhabitants are obliged either to fink wells, or to fetch water from the river ; and, in either cafe, the water is far from being good. The price of land, in the neighbourhood of the town, is eight dollars per acre, when, out of three hundred acres, to the proportion of fifty or fixty are already cleared of wood. The town-fhares are fixteen yards in breadth by fifty in depth, and coft twenty dollars. The price qf wheat is feven (hillings and fix-pence per bumel, rye fells for fix mil- lings a bumel, and oats from three to four millings. Some venifoa excepted, which at times comes to market, no frefh meat has been feen at Tioga fince laft autumn. The merchants of the place carry on an inconfiderable trade in hemp, which they get from the upper parts of the river, and fend to Philadelphia by Middle Town. We were in- formed, that the mops at Afylum prove very hurtful to the trade of Tioga, a complaint which gave our fellow-traveller, who keeps a (hop in Afylum, no fmali fatisfacYion. Laft year there were three inns in Tioga, but, at this time, it con* O 2 tain* MX) TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, tains but one ; we found it crowded with travellers from the Jerfeys, Pennfylvania, and New York, who intended to fettle on the lakes. Af- ter a fcanty fupper, we were all obliged to take up with two beds; more were not to be obtained on any terms. The meets, which had already ferved three or four other travellers, were, according to the landlady's account, very clean ; and fo indeed they are called, in all the American inns, when they are in fat totally unfit for ufe. Yet, on the other hand, we enjoyed the fpecial favour of being permitted to lie down in boots, as thofe of our party really did, who, like myfelf, preferred taking their repofe on the ground, wrapped up in a blanket. Wednefday^ the %d of June. Our company confifted, as I have already mentioned, of four perfon?, one of whom (Mr. du Petit Thouars) travelled on foot, but whom we had promifed to relieve occafionally by walking in rotation part of the way. Near Tioga we turned from the river Sufquehannah, along the banks 4>f which we had travelled near two hundred and fifty miles, and yet the fource of that branch which we quitted is diftant two hundred miles ftill farther inland ; it rifes near the Mohawk's river. The Suf- quehannah, throughout its courfe, ferves to open up an extenfive coun- try of rich fertile foil, and which is likely to acquire an increafing importance from its navigation, that extends as far as to the Che- fapeak. It is an unfavourable circumilance, however, that its courfe is fo frequently broken by rapids, which, even at high water, can- not be paffed without danger by fmall veffels. It is in fiich fmall vefTels, or on rafts, conftrufted of trunks of trees covered with boards, that cargoes of provifion, &c., are at prefent tranfported. Thele rafts, which draw but little water in proportion to the breadth and extent of their furface, are moftly laden with proviiion for the lower country. The navigation of thefe rafts and veffels is fometimes impeded by ob- flacles infurmountable ; they are many times mattered from being dafhed on the banks or (hallows, and often beaten entirely to pieces. The BY THE DUKE DE LA JROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 1OI The number of men, and efpecially of vefTels, thus wrecked and loft, is very confiderable. At the diflance of four miles from Tioga, the ftate of Pennfylvania borders upon Ne\v York, and here begins a new ftandard of coinage. A dollar, which in Penniylvania is worth only feven {hillings and fix- pence, is here, with greater convenience and propriety, divided into eight millings. Near the confines of Pennfylvania a mountain rifes from the bank of the river Tioga, in the fhape of a fugar-loaf, upon which are feen the remain^ of fame entrenchments ; thefe the inhabitants call the Span'ijh rampart y but I rattier judge them to have been thrown up againft the Indians in the times of Mr. de Nouville. One perpendicu- lar bread-work is yet remaining, which, though covered over with .grafs and bufhes, plainly indicates, that a parapet and a ditch have been .contracted here. We flopped to breakfaft about ten miles from Tioga^ at the houfe of one Mr. WARREN, a landholder, who fettled here four years ago. His eflate along the rivet confifts of three hundred and fcventy acres of land, fifty of which only are cleared ; the reft are flony, hilly, and poor. The price of wheat is one dollar, oats three (hillings and fix pence, and rye five millings per bufhel. The cultivated land lies- .moftly in grafs. Thefe meadows, which are fown with timothy-grafa, and white clover, are ufed as fuch for three or four years. They are then broken up, fown with wheat, and ufed again as grafs land. Mr. Warren, it feems, never fows oats among the clover. His flock appeared to be in very good order ; the Iheep were tolerably good ; at the fhearing time the wool weighs from four to five pounds a fleece 5 its medium price is four millings per pound. This planter, only three years ago, paid nine hundred dollars for this eftate, and he now afks two thoufand five hundred dollars for it. There is no fchool kept in the neighbouring country, except in the winter :months, when every fcholar pays a dollar per quarter. The road from Tioga to Painted Pofl lies for the moft part along the tRAVBIS IN NORTH AMERICA, the bank of the river Tioga, which is here about as broad as the mouth 6f the Oife. Its water is very clear. The flream is rapid, and the country in general, through which it flows, is more open and pleafant than that watered by the Sufquehannah. We dined at New Town, which has not been built more than feven rears, and is fituate on the banks of the Tioga. Before the building of this town the Indians were in pofTeffion of the territory. This place is, at prefent, the chief town of the county of Tioga. The diftrict of JNew Town contains twenty thoufand acres of land, fold originally for eighteen pence the acre, which now fells for five or fix dol- lars, and in fome places from twenty-four to twenty- fix dollars. The foil near the river is remarkably good. The plain in which New Town {lands is large, and covered with meadows. In the other parts of the twenty thoufand acres but very little wood has hitherto been cut down, although we were afTured, that new fettlers are conti- nually pouring in. The whole town confifls of about fifteen houfes, moft of them being either inns or fhops. In New Town we met with Colonel STARRET, and we accompa- nied him to his own houfe, which is eight miles diflant from the town. He is an Irimman by birth, but has been for many years a rcfident of America ; he has a plantation of about thirteen hundred acres, only one hundred of which have been hitherto rendered fit for cultivation. Six hundred were cleared of wood by the Indians, who quitted this part of the country only five years ago. He has lived here feven years, during two of which he was entirely furrounded with Indians ; he af- fured us, however, that he had no reafon to complain of them as neigh- bours. The Indians burn the trees down to the flumps, when they clear any ground ; but although the former are thereby deflroyed, the flumps which remain mufl be rooted out, before the foil can be culti- vated. The Colonel's eflate is apparently under good management. He a/lured us, that his land is much fuperior to any in the neighbour- hood ; that it yields forty bufhels of wheat, and as much Indian corn *nnually ; and that his meadows produce two tuns, of hay per acre. He PY TIKE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFO"UCAULT LIANCOUHT. 103 He ploughs with oxen, which are of a very good fort. According to his account, he ploughs deeper than we have obferved any where elfe in America, making ufe of ploughs of various conftrucYions. He keeps no fheep, on account of the wolves, which are faid to be very numerous in this part of the country, it having been but lately cleared. He has a beautiful breed of cows, and a fine looking young bull, pro- duced from a cow, which he bought of 'Squire WALLIS, on the eaf- tern arm of the Sufquehannah ; it is of the Englifh breed. The cow, big with calf, coft him thirty-two dollars ; he rears his calves, and does not fell them. The winter commonly lafls here fix months ; during which time his cows and oxen are kept in the ftable. He de- pofits his turnips, which he gathers in autumn, under ground, an4_ feeds his cattle with them, as well as with Indian corn and hay. The price of wheat in this part of the country is one dollar, rye five {hillings, and oats three {hillings per buihel. It is difficult to pro- cure workmen hereabouts. Mr. Starret pays them after the rate of one dollar per day, exclufive of victuals. He has two diftilleries, one upon the eftate, and another in New Town; in both together he diftils about two thoufand gallons of whiiky in a year. Mr. Starret affured us, that a buihel of rye yields, in his diftilleries, only from two to tw& gallons and a half of whiiky ; and that the fpirit is not good, if a lar- ger quantity be diftilled from a bufhel. He fells his whiiky for one dollar per gallon, while, according to the beft information we have hitherto been able to collect, whiiky, three gallons of which are ob- tained from a buihel, coils but five {hillings. From what we have fince heard of this planter, it is probable, that his account is greatly ex- aggerated, for the purpofe of obtaining a higher price for his whiiky. The workmen, employed in his diiUlleries, receive one hundred and ninety dollars per annum. The Colonel told us, that he proposed to fell his eftate ; that he has refufed ten thoufand dollars for it, and that he means to refide for the future in New Town ; he hinted, at the fame time, that he is very rich. The fame evening we learned from 'Squire MAC CORNICK, that this pretended Colonel is an irnpoftor ; that he purchafed -104 TRAVELS IN" NORTH AMERICA, purchafed his eftate, which he told us he had bought from the ftate of New York for eighteen pence per acre, of a private gentleman, at the rate of two dollars per acre ; that he has not yet paid the purchafe mo- ney ; and that he will probably be compelled to quit the eftate, unlefs he finds means to difcharge the debt within the fhort time ftili allowed him. This man, who to all appearance was fo free-hearted and kind, is, at the bottom, a mere fwindler ; or, at leaft, he fuppofed we had a defign to purchafe land, and wifhed to fell us fome at an exorbitant price. 'Squire Mac Cornidk, with whom we took up our quarters for the night, is a farmer, and keeps, at the fame time, an inn, but one of that defcription, which affords neither hay for horfes, nor food for tra- vellers, and fcarcely even a bed. The horfes were turned out on the grafs. Our flipper confided of ru fly .bacon and coffee ; and we were all four obliged to deep in two beds, which belonged to the family. The fheets had already ferved them fome time, and it appears were to ferve them ftill longer. Mr. de Blacons and myfelf took pofleflion of that of the landlord. Though completely drefied, we could not lie down without extreme reluctance ; our wearinefs, however, overcame our double avcrfion to deep together, and between fuch fheets. Supper-time was, as ufual, fpent in mutual enquiries. We learned, that 'Squire Mac Cornick purchafed his eftate, four years ago, of MeiTrs. PHiLipand GORUM for ten {hillings and fixpence per acre ; that he would not fell it now for three dollars; that he pofTefTes about three thoufand acres, one hundred and fifty of which are cultivated, exclufive of forty others, which have been cleared by the Indians. His land yields about thirty bufliels of wheat, fifty bufliels of Indian corn, and four hundred bufhels of potatoes, per acre. He keeps about forty or fifty fheep, of a middling fort, and but common wool. He appears duly fenfible of the advantages to be derived from a good flock, and accordingly he values them higher, than any American that has hitherto fallen within my obfervation. He keeps twenty-three cows, which look tolerably well, a bull of a very indifferent breed, and two yokes of very fine oxen : BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCIIEFOUCAULT L1ANCOURT. 1O5 oxen ; he has refufed one hundred dollars for a yoke. The wolves have already deftroyed Tome of his meep. To prevent a repetition of fuch accidents, he now keeps feveral large bull-dogs, and caufes the flock to be folded every night ; neither is he deterred, by the damage he has fuftained, from increasing the number of his fheep. 'Squire Mac-Cornick has lived here for fo mort a .time, that, though a very in- telligent man, he could not ftate with any degree of accuracy the ufual expences of houfe-keeping. His father was an Irifhman ; but he himfelf was born in Pennfylvania, and has travelled in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, and Switzerland. He held, at leaft according to his own account, a commiffion in the Englifh fervice ; but he did not name the regiment in which he ferved. He is an entertaining man, who appears to underftand thoroughly what he is about; is very con- verfable, civil, and modeft, and exprefies himfelf with judgment, and often indeed with elegance. He feems well acquainted with the laws and interefts of his country, and is the father of a numerous family, from whofe affiftance in his labours he is now beginning to reap fome advantage. The price of every thing, except corn, is much higher here, than at Afylum, Tioga, or even Newtown, chiefly from the expenfivenefs of carriage. This was at leaft the reafon affigned by 'Squire Mac-Cor- nick for the high amount of his bill, which feemed to bear no kind of proportion to the compuliory frugality of our entertainment. The ftate of New York impofes no taxes, to defray the expences of its government; property is taxed only to pay the expences of the county and diftrict. Neither the land, which is ftill covered with wood, nor that which has lately been cleared, is required to pay any. It is only the land, that has been cultivated for a confiderable time, that is liable to taxation. The county taxes are raifed upon horfes, oxen, in mort, upon the whole live ftock of the farm. All thefe different fpecies of pro- perty are valued by overfeers. and taxed by afTeffors, in proportion to the pecuniary demands of the county. Thefe taxes, of which I (hall an opportunity hereafter to give a more particular account, are all P laid 1O6 TRAVELS IN NOnTH AMERICA, laid very low. 'Squire Mac-Cornick paid for the whole of his taxes laft year only four dollars and a half. The laws of the ftate of New York have eftablifhed poor-rates for' fuch diftricts as contain paupers ; but there are very few of that defcrip- tion to be found in this new country. The habitation of 'Squire Mac- Cornick appertains to the county of Ontario ; and here this tax is raifed,. but not in the county of Tioga. The expence of building prifons^ fefiions-houfes, &c. is defrayed by the fubfcription of individuals. The fchools lie at confiderable diftances from one another, and are kept only in winter ; their charge is one dollar a quarter for each fcholar. Read- ing and writing are taught in the fchools, but in thefe thinly inhabited forefts the inftru&ors are, in general, ignorant, and extremely indolent. No church has yet been built here ; people of all religious perfua- fions live in this country, and all feem to be little felicitous about reli- gious matters, whatever be the particular fec~l to which they belong. On our way from Newtown, efpecially between ,Starret's and Mac- Cornick's habitations, the foil is good ; and, where it is not yet cleared, is covered with oaks and fine pines. A great part however has been cleared by the Indians, and produces excellent grafs. From Mac-Cornick*s houfe to Painted Poft the foil continues the fame ; but the dwellings are fo thinly fcattered, that you may travel twelve miles through the foreft, without finding a fingle houfe. The country, being flat, is expofed to inundation, whenever the creeks and the river Tioga overflow. In the month of December, laft year (1794), the water rofe to an unprecedented height, namely, from fifteen tc* nineteen feet above the ufual level. Captain STARBER, who keeps an inn at Painted Poft, reported this circumftance to me as an unqueftion- able fat. He could eafily meafure the riling of the water in his well. This extraordinary inundation fwept away a great number offences. Thurfday, the 4th of June. We breakfafted at Painted Poft, fix miles from the place at which we had pa(Ted the night. It is the principal town of the diftricl;, and de- rives *Y THE DUKfi T>E LA KOCHEPftTJCAULT LIAttCOURT. 107 rives its name from a poft, hewn and painted by the Indians, the flump of which is yet left {landing. The firfl inhabitants fettled here only four years ago. The whole town at prefent coniifls of ten or twelve fmall houfes. The land here has alfo been parcelled out and fold by the {late of New York. The foil is good, efpecially near the town, where from fifteen to eighteen dollars are the common price for an acre. The woods are full of rofe-bufhes, apple and plumb trees, and bil- berries. There are however but few fu gar- maple trees. The price of this fugar at the beginning of lad fpring was one {hilling per pound. Wheat fells for feven {hillings a bufhel ; Indian corn for four ; oats, three ; rye for eleven {hillings and fix-pence ; and hay for three pounds a tun ; although very little of this laft article is fold, and that only in the depth of winter. A cow cofts from eighteen to twenty-five dollars; a yoke of oxen feventy- five dollars; {heep from fixteen to twenty (hillings, and wool four {hillings a pound. La- bourers' wages are from four to fix {hillings a day, and ten dollars a month without victuals. Maid fervants earn about fix {hillings a week. The quantity of uncultivated land is very confiderable in this part of the country, though numbers of emigrants, as we were told, are conflantly coming from all parts to fettle here. On our jour- ney from Painted Poft to Bath we met feveral families, who had quitted their former habitations in queft of new ones. Thefe tranfmigrations are generally removals from an old into a new country. The attach- ment to local property is yet but little known among the Americans. The foil, on which they were born, nay that which they have them- lelves rendered fit for cultivation, is valued by them little more than any other. Every where they live in a fimple and frugal manner ; their friendly connections alfo are moftly confined to their own families, which move about with them. Every where they can procure whifky and fait pork. They even experience a real pleafure in clearing the ground and rendering it fit for cultivation, independently of the profits they make when they leave their eflates, either altogether in a {late of cul- tivation, or at leaft partly fo, to purchafe another, yet covered with wood, and fome hundred miles farther inland. Among the many emi- P 2 108 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, grants we met this day, there were a great number of perfons who came from Niagara, fituate in the Englifli dominions, and were tra- velling to South Carolina. They were originally Pennfylvanians, from the neighbourhood of Pittfburg, who, allured by the promife of Go- vernor SIMCOE, that they fhould have lands gratis, belonging to the King of England, and aifo be affifled for fome time in their labours, quitted their former places of refidence, but did not find their new fitua- tion fo comfortable as they had been led to expecT:.* 1 Being alfo viiited by the fever, they forfook their fettlements, apparently much exafpe- rated at the expence and labour they had ufelefsly beftowed on them. The road from Painted Poft to Bath, leads, like that we have patted, , through the midft of forefts, up and down hill, particularly after pa/T- ing the creek of Connefteon, which flows into the river Tioga, near Painted Poft. This road, as it is called, which was made by Captain WILLIAMSON, with a defign to open a communication between his eftate and the eaftern arm of the Sufquehannah, is in fa ft nothing but - a ftraight line cut through the wood. The felled trees are, indeed, for the moft part removed, but the roots remain, and make the road very bad, miry, and deep; fo that in the middle of June, the drieft feafoti of the year, a horfe cannot travel it without difficulty. At the dif- tance of a mile and a half from Bath is a fmall lake about two miles in circumference. The lake itfelf lies within the foreft, but elofe behind it are the marfhes, which reach as far as Bath, the chief place of the fettlement of Captain Williamfon (of whom I fhall have occafion pre- fently to fpeak) and where he generally reiides. The Captain was abi- fent in Canandaqua, where he preiided as a judge at the feffions, but was expefted to return hither in two days time. To make an acquain- tance with this gentleman, was an important objcft to us ; we accord- ingly arranged our plan in fuch a manner, as to prevent his efcaping us. We, therefore, refolved to make an excursion to the fmall lakes* and to return to Bath in three days, when we fliould be fure to find the Captain at home. * By the treaty of 1T94 Niagara was to be ceded to the flate of New York, which it- was in H96. Hence, probably, we may account for the difappointment of the fettlers, Tranjlator. Friday, BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 10Q Friday, the $th of "June. We fet out without any baggage, as Mr. Guillemard hit upon the benevolent idea of leaving his fervant at Bath, that he might lend his horfe to Mr. Dupetitthonars. Nothing remarkable occurred during the whole day's journey of thirty-five miles, which we made through continued woods. AH this way we have met with but fix habitations, which fland within the foreft. From Boys' inn to Friendfmill, that is to fay, in a fpace of eighteen miles, there is not a fingle houfe to be feen. About eight miles from Bath is Crooked Lake, on which frauds Boys' inn, as it is called, but where we could procure neither eggs, butter, hay, nor oats. Crooked" Lake takes its name, as might be fuppofed, from its form ; it flows from north to fouth with a gentle current, in the midft of mountains, which are not very high ; but which, in point of external form, bear a ftriking refemblance to each other; this uniform appearance is encreafed by the wood, with which they are covered. I never faw a country abounding more in water, than that through which- we pafled from Boys' inn to Friendfmill. Moft of the brooks, on account of the feafon, contained, comparatively, but little water; though we continually met with tracks of torrents, which, to judge from the ground they had warned away, and the large ftones and trees they had fwept along, muft have been very violent and rapid. The road, which runs by the river fide, is nothing but a foot-path, which it is frequently difficult to diftinguifh. It pafTes be- tween rocks, felled trees, and bufhes, and is one of the mofl unpleafant to traverfe that can be conceived. The woods, however, are extremely beautiful, and" (hew that the foil is, perhaps, the richefr. we have yet feen. The mountains flope toward the lake, and terminate in inconfiderable hills. Their (hape announced to us, that we were approaching thofe vaft favannahs, which divide the enormous mafs of water, that irrigates America. The plain expands, and the country on a fudden afTumeg a different afpeft, although its deceptions are dill the fame. All the land*, HO TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, land, which we have hitherto traverfed, belongs to captain Williamfon, who is very generally beloved and efteemed. At length, about night-fall, we arrived at Friendfmill, after a very tedious journey, which, on account of the fondnefs orune of our com- panions for his bed, we did not begin till late in the day, and which was afterwards delayed by the fall of another ; this laft accident, how- ever, was not attended with any difaftrous confequence. The inn, which contained but two rooms, we found already full ; fome perfons, who intended to buy land near the Great Sodus, and Captain Williamfon's agent, who was to fell it to them, had taken poffeffion of it a little be- fore our arrival. After an American fupper, confifting of coffee and boiled ham, we all lay down to reft in the fame room. There were only two beds for ten perfons ; in confequence, thefe two beds were oc- cupied by four of us, and the others lay down in their clothes upon ftraw, which, though I enjoyed here the privilege of maring in one of the beds, appears to me the bed method of taking repofe, when you cannot have a bed to yourfelf. Saturday, the C/// of June. Friendfmill is a place, confifting of feveral houfes, which takes its name from its being fettled or founded by the Friends or Quakers. It lies in the center of the diftricl:, which is called the Friends fettlement. ^ } One JEMIMA WILKINSON, a Quaker, and a native of Rhode If land, manifefted fo fervent a zeal in her religion, that at the age of twenty me was admitted to all the meetings of the fociety, which were held weekly, monthly, and quarterly, for fettling the general concerns and watching over the conduct of the brethren. She at length fan- cied, that ihe was called to acT: fome great and extraordinary part, and in this perfuafion formed the project of becoming the leader of a feel. In the courfe of a long and dangerous illnefs, fhe was fuddenly feized, or gave it out that fhe was feized with a lethargy, fo that to her friends fhe appeared as really dead. She continued, feveral hours, in this fituation ; and preparations were actually making for her interment, when flic fud- denly BY THE DUKE DE LA UOCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOUHT. Ill demy ftarted up, called for her cloaths, declaring " that fhe had rifcn from the dead, and that flic had cafl off all her material fubftance, and retained only the fpiritual." She went, accordingly, to the next meet- ing, as if with the authority of fome celeflial being, fpoke there as one infpired, and gained fome followers. She, ere long, exprefTed her dif- pleafure at fome religious obfervances of the Quakers ; and was, on this account, reprimanded by the meeting ; which appears to have been pre- cifely the thing fhe wiflied for and expected. In the opinion of others, fhe met with this reproof, becaufe at the beginning of the revolutionary war, me had been much attached to the Tories, and favoured the Eng- lifh party by declaiming againft the war, according to the principles of the doclrine fhe profefled. She continued preaching and proceeding in this manner, till me was excluded from the meetings, which indeed all along appeared to be her particular wifh. Being now a perfecuted perfon, at leaft by her own account, fhe began to gain fome partizans. She preached publicly on the neceffity of the abolition of all meetings convened to cenfure, of a reform of the church-eftablifhment, of granting to the Friends univerfal liberty to preach, what they pleafed, without firft afking leave to do fo, &c. She foon made fome pro- felytes, and at the fame time drew on herfelf the difpleafure of all, who adhered to the old forms of the religion of the Quakers. She experienced, therefore, a very unfavourable reception for herfelf and her doctrines, both in Philadelphia and New York. Wherever me came, every Quaker turned away from her with abhorrence, as the enemy of his religion ; and all other perfbns deemed her a fool or an enthufiaft. This difpofition of the public fhe again called a perfecu- tion, it being favourable to her ultimate views. The number of her followers was now daily increafing ; and as fhe confidently trufted it would become ftill more confiderable, fhe thought they might perhaps be willing to follow her. Accordingly fhe propofed to a number of them, to flee from thefe regions of intolerance, and to fettle in a place where they might worfhip God undifturbed, and free from that bitter fpirit 112 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, fpirit of persecution, which men had introduced in oppofition to the divine will. Soon after the country about Lake Seneca and Crooked Lake was fixed upon as the place of their fettiement. The company of New York, which had purchafed this land from the Indians, entered into a treaty for the fale of it with thefe reformed Quakers. They were pro- mifed three tracls of land, containing each fix thoufand fquare acres, which were to form three diftricts, and to which Jemima inflantly gave the name of Jerufalem. Thirty families removed hither with her; but fhe had confidently expecled three or four hundred more, of whom, however, not above twenty at lafl arrived. This fociety foon fpread over the three diflricls, which it was to occupy ; but was not fufficiently numerous to.replenim the fourth part of each. The enchantment, how- ever, had already been broken by Jemima's abfence, and with it had alfo yanifhed their zeal for peopling this new land of promife. We faw Jemima, and attended her meeting, which is held in her own houfe. We found there about thirty perfons, men, women, and children. Jemima flood at the door of her bed-chamber on a carpet, with an arm-chair behind her. She had on a white morning gown, and waiflcoat, fuch as men wear, and a petticoat of the fame colour. Her black hair was cut fhort, carefully combed, and divided behind into three ringlets ; me wore a flock, and a white filk cravat, which was tied about her neck with affeded negligence. In point of delivery, me preached with more eafe, than any other Quaker, I have yet heard; but the fubje<5l matter of her difcourfe was an eternal repetition of the fame topics, death, fin, and repentance. She is faid to be about forty years of age, but fhe did not appear to be more than thirty. She is of middle flature, well made, of a florid countenance, and has fine teeth, and beautiful eyes. Her action is fludied ; fhe aims at fimplicity, but there is fomewhat of pedantic in her manner. In her chamber we found her friend, RACHEL MILLER, a young woman of about twenty-eight or thirty years of age, her follower and admirer, who is entirely devoted to her. All the land which Jemima poffefTes is purchafed in the name BY THE DUKE DE LA KOCHEFOUCAULT LIAN'COU.IT. 113 name df Rachel Miller, an advantage which flic owes to her influence over her adherents, and to her dexterity in captivating their affec- tions. Jemima, or the Friend (as flic is called by way of eminence) incul- cates, as her leading tenet, poverty, and refignation of all earthly poffef- fions. If you talk to her of her houfe, fhe always calls it " the houfe, which I inhabit." This houfe, however, though built only of the trunks of trees, is extremely pretty and commodious. Her room is ex- quifitely neat ; and refembles more the boudoir of a fine lady, than the cell of a nun. It contains a looking-glafs, a clock, an arm-chair, a good bed, a warming-pan, and a filver faucer. Her garden is kept in good order ; her fpring-houfe * is full of milk, cheefe, butter, butcher V meat and game. Her hypocrify may be traced in all her difcourfes, aclions, and conduct, and even in the very mariner in which fhe ma- nages her countenance. She feldom fpeaks, without quoting the Bible, or introducing a ferious fentence about death, and the neceffity of making our peace with God. Whatever does not belong to her own feel: is with her an object of diftafte and ftedfaft averfion. She fows dhTention in families, to deprive the lawful heir of his right of inheritance, in order to appropriate it to herfelf ; and all this fhe does under the name and by the agency of her companion, who receives all the prefents brought by the faithful, and preferves them for her reverend friend, who, being wholly abforbed in her communion with Chriil:, whofe prophetefs fhe is, would abfolutely forget the fiipply of her bodily wants, if me were not well taken care of. The number of her votaries has, of late, much de- creafed. Many of the families, who followed her to Jerufalem, are no longer the dupes of her felf-interefled policy. Some ftill keep up the outward appearance of attachment to her ; while others have openly dif- claimed their connexion with Jemima. Such however as ftill continue her adherents, appear to be entirely devoted to her. With thefe me paffes for * Thefe are fmall offices or detached houfes in America, in which butter, milk, and frefh meat are generally kept. They are called fpring-ko:tfcs> becaufe a ftream of frelh water is always running through them. Q a pro- 1 M TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA. -a prophetefs, an indefcribable being; me is not Jemima Wilkinlbn-, but a fpirit of a peculiar name, which remains a profound fecret to all, who are not true believers ; ihe is the Friend, the All-friend. Six or leven girls of different ages, but all young 'and handfome, wait upon her, with furprifmg emulation, to enjoy the peculiar fatisfaction of being per- mitted to approach this celeftial being. Her fields, and her garden, are ploughed and dug by the Friends, who neglect their own bufinefs, to take care of her's ; and the All-friend is fo condefcending, as not to refufc their fervices ; fhe comforts them with a kind word now and then, makes enquiries after and provides for their health and welfare, and has the art of effectually captivating their affections, the more perhaps be- caufe Ihe knows how to keep her votaries at a refpeclful diftance. When the fervice was over, Jemima invited us to dinner. The hope of watching her more narrowly induced us to accept the invitation ; but we did not then know, that it forms a part of the character fhe a els, never to eat with any one, She ibon left us ; and locking herfelf up with her female friend, fat down, without other company, to an excel- lent dinner ; we did not get ours, till after me had dined. When our dinner was over, and alfo another, which was ferved up after ours, the fancluary opened again. And now Jemima appeared once more at the door of her room, and converted with us, feated in an arm-chair. When, itrangers are with her, ihe never comes over the thremold of her bed- room ; and when by herfelf, fhe is conftantly engaged in deliberation how to improve the demefne of her friend. The houfe was, this day, very full. Our company confifted of exactly ten perfons ; after us dined another company of the fame number ; and as many dined in the kit- chen. Our plates, as well as the table-linen, were perfectly clean and neat ; our repaft, although frugal, w T as yet better in quality than any, of which we had partaken, fmce our departure from Philadelphia; it confifted of good freih meat, w T ith pudding, an excellent fallad, and a beverage of a peculiar yet charming flavour, with which we were plentifully fup- plied out of Jemima's apartment, where it was prepared. The devout gueils obferved, all this while, a profound filence ; they cither cafl down their - BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCREFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 115 their eyes, or lifted them up to heaven with a rapturous figh ; to nic they appeared, not unlike a party of the faithful, in the primitive ages, dining in a church. . The All-friend had by this time exchanged her former drefs for that of a fine Indian lady, which, however, was cut out in the fame fafhion a the former. Her hair and eye-broWs had again been combed. She did not utter a fyllable refpecling our dinner ; nor did me offer to make any apology for her abfence. Coriflantly engaged in perfbnating the part fhe has aflumed, fhe defcanted in a fan&imonious, myftic tone, on death, and on the happincfs of having been an ufeful inftrument to others in the way of their falvation. She afterwards gave us a rhapfody of prophecies to read, afcribed to one Dr. LOVE, who was beheaded in CROM- WELL'S time ; wherein me clearly difcerned, according to her accounts, the French Revolution, the decline and downfall of Popery, and the im- pending end of the world. Finding, however, that this converfation was but ill adapted to engage our attention, fhe cut ihort her harangue at once. We had indeed already feen more than enough, to eftimate the character of this bad actrefs, whofe pretended fanclity only infpired us with contempt and difgufl, and who is altogether incapable of impofing upon any perfon of common understanding, unlefs thofe of the mod fimple minds, or downright enthufiafls. Her fpeeches are fo ftrongly contradicted by the tenor of her actions ; her w r holc conduct, her ex- pence, compared with that of other families, within a circumference of fifty miles, her way of living, and her drefs, form fuch a ftriking con- traft with her harangues on the fubjecl: of contemning earthly enjoy- ments , and the extreme affiduity, with which fhe is continually endea- vouring to induce children, over whom fhe has any influence, to leave their parents, and form a part of her community ; all thofe particulars fo ftrongly militate againft the doctrine of peace and univerfal love, which fhe is mcefTantly preaching, that we were actually {buck with abhorrence of her duplicity and hypocrify, as foon as the rft emotions of our curiofity fubfidcd, Q 2 Her Il6 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, Her fraudulent conduct, indeed, has been difcovered by fo many perfons, and fo much has been faid againft it, that it is difficult to account for her having had any adherents at all, even for a fhort time. And yet fhe will probably retain a fufficient number, to encreafe ftill further her fortune, which is already confiderable for the country in which fhe refides, and fully adequate to the only end which fhe now feems anxious to atttain ; namely, to live independent, in a decent, plentiful, and even elegant manner. There are fo many weak-minded religionifts, and Jemima is fo particularly careful to fekdl her difciples among perfons who are either very old or very young, that her impofture, however grofs and palpable to the difcerning, may yet be carried on for fome time with fuccefj, fufficient to anfwer her ultimate purpofe. If her credit mould fink too low, ihe would find herfelf conftrained to tranfplant her holinefs to fbme other region ; and, in fact, me had, laft year, harboured the de- fign of removing her family and eftablifhment, and of fettling in Carl- ton Ifland, on the Lake of Ontario, where Ihe would enjoy the fatisfac- tion of living under the Englifh Government, which, by her account, has proffered her a grant of land. If we may believe common rumous, Ihe difluades the young women generally from marrying. In regard to thofe about her, this advice originates from motives of perfbnal intercft. I have little doubt, but that the pious devotion of thefe girls is fervent enough, to fubmit to all the caprices of the All-friend (which in their belief are infpi rations). Another report is alfo handed about, that me has met with a male be- ing, whom fhe fancies fufficiently purified, to unite occafionally with her own exalted fociety and converfe. On this head a ftory prevails, which, though fome what ludicrous, may yet properly find a place in a work of the graved complexion, efpecially as it affords an additional proof of the endlefs muliplicity of pious deceptions. Among other votaries of Jemima was one 'Squire PARKER, who fettled in her neighbourhood, and ftill refides near Friendfmill. Though a jolly fellow, ever gay and jocund, he efpoufed very zealoufly the caufe and mtereft of the prophetefs. This Parker, who was conftaritly in Jemi- ma's BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFO'JCAULT LIANCOURT. 117 i ma's retinue, gave himfelf out to be the Prophet Elijah, and very rightly conceived, that, by ailuming a peculiar drefs, he fhould give a more im- poung character to his impoflures. He wore accordingly a white gown, with large ileeves, and a girdle ; in fhort, whatever he fancied might belong to the coftume of the ancient prophets. This was the being, who was honoured with the high privilege of living with the All-friend on terms of the greateft intimacy. One evening the 'Squire, during a colloquy, inftituted by the divine and holy friend for the edification of her flock, ftole into the celeftial bed, which happened to be already occupied by a young girl of only fourteen. This girl, who had fre- quently heard the All-friend fay, that the Meffiah fometimes appeared to her in her bed under different forms, and that flie then converfed with him, fancied herfelf chofen by heaven to enjoy the felicity of being a witnefs of one of thefe apparitions, and retired pioufly to the edge of the bed, where with awful refpecl: and in profound {Hence me liftened to the repeated raptures, with which the pretended Meffiah blefled the All- friend. The next morning the poor girl could not refrain from indulg- ing her vanity by acquainting all her friends, that iir the bed of her friend me had feen Chrift, but who greatly refembled, me faid, the Pro- phet Elijah. Her curious and enraptured friends enquired into all the particulars of this apparition, of which me gave the moft fatisfaeen paid to this ftory, its veracity mould appear doubtful, let it be obferved, that in this new country juftice is but feldom duly adminiftered ; that, often, it is difficult to obtain it at all ; and that no one deems himfelf interefted in fubftantiating the truth of the depofi- tion, which, after all, it would be no eafy matter to do. Dervifes, pontiffs, and priefts of mod religious perfuafions throughout the world, fuch at leaft as would render religion fubfervient to worldly purpofes, are either impoilors or enthufiafts. Alas ! alas ! much the greater num- ber, I fear, belong with Jemima to the former clafs ! The firfl fettlers, who thoughtlefsly followed their divinity to this place, not being able to purchafe the lands, which compofed the three dif- tricls, the remainder has been reftored to the company, who have again difpofed of it, and are {till felling it to all, who are defirous of becoming fettlers. Accordingly, numbers of Methodills; Anabaptifls, and mem- bers of the Church of England, are now to be feen here ; yet the colony, retains its original name of The Friends' Settlement. Two meetings have been built here for the Quakers ; one for the Methodifls, and one for the Anabaptrfts. The foil in thefe parts appears to be of prime quality. The land, occupied by families of Quakers, amounts to about five hun- dred acres, more or lefs cleared, which produce excellent crops. The eftate, which we viewed with moft attention, is that of BENE- DICT ROBINSON, fituate between Lake Seneca and Friendfmill. This Robinfon is one of the Quakers, who arrived here in the retinue of the All-friend, being then one of her moft zealous difciples. He now fpeaks en this fubjed: with evident embarraiTment, in terms which ilill evince liis attachment, yet without enthullafm, and without extolling her or placing implicit confidence in her divine mifficn and oracular eifuiions, In ihort, he exprefles himfelf in a manner, which fufliciently indicates, that he has been impofed upon by her in a higher degree, than he is willing to acknowledge. Knowing that he- flill prokiTed an attachment to her, and perceiving the embarraiTment with which he delivered him- felf on this fubjecl, we thought proper to discontinue our enquiries, This BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCKEFOUCAULT LlANCOUttT. HO , This Benedict Robinfbn is a fciifible, mild, and well behaved man ; he refides on an eftatc of five hundred acres, about one hundred and fifty of which are cleared. Eighty have been laid out as meadows, and on thefe are fown. timothy- grafs, and white clover. He purchafed his demefne from the New York company for five iliillings an acre, and it is now worth, at leaft, three or four dollars. His prefent ftock amounts to about thirty-five head of cattle ; but he intends to rear more, and to make this the chief branch of his farming bufmefs, on a plan which ap- pears w r ell adapted to the nature of the ground. Mr. Robinfon, who has refided here only three years, has not yet been able to acquire any impor- tant information on the different departments of agriculture, and on the productions beft adapted to the foil ; and befides he appears to labour under prejudices, which he entertains in common w r ith the great ma- jority of American farmers. He does not plough his land, but contents himfelf with breaking it up with a harrow of iron teeth, which tears up the ground about four inches deep. After this fimple operation, he fows his wheat, yet never until he has reaped two crops of potatoes or oats from the land, on which the wheat is fbwn. The foil is fb ftrong, that, if rye were ibwn immediately after clearing the ground, the ears would run up fo high, and grow fo heavy, that they would fall on one fide, and be damaged by rotting. This facl, as he affbred us, is evident from the general experience of the other farmers of this diftrift. Wheat, ibwn after the firft harrowing, produces from twenty to twenty-five bufhels, f it, and conduct, himfelf accordingly. However, if he mould fell again before the ex- piration of eighteen months, the new purchafer is rendered liable to the condition, and Captain Williamfon, who adheres to his original con- tract, and confiders the land as mortgaged for the execution of it, re- fumes the porTeiiion of the lhares then fold, if the conditions of the fale be aot fulfilled, This rigorous meafure is not purfued in cafes, where known BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHKPOUCAULT HANCOURT. 13.') known obftacles impede or protract the execution of the claufe : for the Captain is too fenfible, that it is his intereft to acl: uniformly in a mild, juft and condefcending manner. The claufe however can always be enforced, and is actually enforced often enough, to fpur the indolence of fuch purchafers as need this incitement. It is, therefore, upon the whole, extremely well adapted to promote the fuccefs of his under- taking. For, in proportion to the quantity of land already rendered fit for cultivation, will doubtlefs be the price of that which yet re- mains unfold. 4thly, The following are the Captain's terms of payment: to difchargc half the purchafe-money in three years after the firft conclufion of the contract, and the remainder at the expiration of fix years. The payment of intereft to commence from eighteen months after the period when the bargain is ftruck. Thefe terms are remarkably advantageous to a pur- chafer ; for if he inftantly fet about clearing the ground, he may eafily obtain the produce thereof, before the intereft becomes due ; nay, his crops may frequently procure him fomewhat towards the payment of the firft inftalment. Such families, as are extremely poor, the Captain fup- plies occafionally with a cow, an ox, or even a houfe to live in. But this generofity he exerciles with great prudence and difcretion. He makes but few prefents of this nature, yet thefe are in fufficient number, to invite colonifts, by a well-founded reliance on his general character for benevolence ; and hitherto none, but German families, have abufed his kindnefs. Affiftance fo highly important can only be afforded by landholders, who refide perfonally on their demefnes. A proprietor, who is abfent from his effete, or a diftant commercial company, can. only acl: upon general principles, the application of which frequently leads to inconvenient expences, or has a tendency even to deprive the country of inhabitants, w T ho alone can give it agricultural or political importance. 5thly, Captain Williamfon never eftablimes a fettlement, without hav- ing previouily made fuch arrangements, as mall fecure a regular fupply of provifion. 1 34 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA., provifion to the inhabitants. His own ftores, which however he does not feem to confider as his own, are never opened, unlefs it ihould happen, that fettlers, from want of prudence or property, are expofed to want. Were he to open them before, the induftry of the inhabitants would be xjuickly relaxed ; which in all new fettlements it is highly neceflary to fofter and ftimulate. He employs the fame means in fuch fettlements as are already formed ; and this precaution, though not always necef- fary, is never attended with any lofs or damage, becaufe in a new coun- try of fuch vail extent, the prime neceflaries of life are fure at all times to meet with a ready fale. Cthly, He encourages every new iettlement by taking himfelf a mare in it. When five or fix new fettlers have formed the project of building their houfes together, he always adds one to them at his own expence, and which is much fuperior to theirs. This expence, which at firfl fight feems to carry with it an air of geperofity, or perhaps affecta- tion, is in reality founded on the foundeft policy. The mare, on which Williamfon builds, generally acquires ten times its former value. A purchafer or tenant foon appears ; and the different houfes and mills, -which he .has creeled, have hitherto, without exception, produced twice or three times as much as they coft. 7thly, Once every year, at leaft, he makes it a point, to vifit each of his fettlements, and thus difFufes activity by his prefence. This infpection tends to promote the fale of the land, and to enfure fecurity and eafe to the purchafer. In addition to thefe prominent traits of his management, he employs all the various means, which the peculiarity of fituation or other circumftances may offer. Independently of the medical ftores, which he keeps in all the chief places of his fettlement, he encourages by premiums races, and all other games and paftimes of young peo- ple. He is attemptiqg likewife _to eftablifh horfe-races, with a view to improve the breed of horfes, and keeps himfelf a fet of beautiful ftai- Jions. Thefe horfes cover only the mares of proprietors, who muft hire them, from motives which muft be obvious to all who are converfant in {hbjecti of this nature. Captain BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LtANCOURT. 135 Captain Williamfon has now nearly put the finiming ftroke to great undertaking. Next autumn he propofes to fail for England, and to return the following fpring with a choice aflemblage of horfes, cattle, and fheep, of the beft breeds he can obtain, and a collection of mo- dels of all implements of agriculture, the dimenfions of which are fo nicely calculated, and fo well made in that great country, where all ufeful arts, and efpecially thofe which relate to agriculture, have at- tained to an uncommon degree of perfection* Captain. Williamfon will, therefore, not only procure to his extenfive poiTeffions fingular ad- vantages over thofe of other landholders, but alfo become the benefactor of America at large, whofe agriculture he cannot fail to meliorate, by offering to her view improvements, fanctioned by time and experience. What I have related on this head is not merely the refiilt of what we faw and heard from the Captain himfelf during our ftay at Bath, but it tallies correctly with the information we afterwards collected at Geneflee. Captain Williamfon is here univerfally reipected, honoured, and beloved. How glorious, in my efteem, is his career ! How fortunate and enviable his deftination ! How much more important than that of a diffipated courtier, or a mercenary ftock-jobber ! I too, not in a new country, but in France, where there is fuch an ample field for ufeful exertion, formed iimilar eflablimments on my eftates, by which I diffufed activity and in- duftry all around me; I ftudied to enrich the country, and to render it induftrious and fburiming. I hoped, and expected, to encreafe the feli- city of my own iituation, by adding to the comforts of my poor neigh- bours. Undertakings, which had no object but the welfare of my coun- try, were beginning to be crowned with all the defired fuccefs, when I was fuddenly obliged to relinquish that much loved country, to which I was rendering fo much fervice. I am now, alas ! an exile ; all my hopes have vanifhed like a fhadow. Solitarily I wander, without a coun- try I can call my own : life, therefore, for me, is completely at an end. But no more of thefe reflections on what I was, and what I am : they are too painful;. To 13(5 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, To return to Captain Williamfon. The four days we remained here, we employed in vifiting the different fettlements in the neighbourhood of Bath. This place has been fixed upon, to be the chief town of a county. The prefent county of Ontario, at the next fitting of the Le- giflative Aflembly of New York, is to be divided into two parts, one of which is to retain its former name of Canandaqua, from the chief town fo called ; and the other is to aifume the name of the county of Bath, the chief place of which is to be the city of that name. Mr. Williamfon is, at prefent, building a fchool, in Bath. This he intends to endow with fome hundred acres of land, and to take upon himfelf the maintenance of the mailer, until the money, paid for the in- flru&ion of the children, mail be fufficient for his fupport. For good reafons, the Captain has been for fome time'pafl enquiring after an able fchool-mafter. He is alfo building a feffions-houfe and a prifon. The prefent inn was likewife built by him ; but he afterwards difpofed of it at a confiderable profit. He is now building another, chiefly to excite proper emulation, and an Englimman already occupies a part of the un- finifhed building, which, in addition to other conveniences, is alfo to contain a ball-room. Near Bath, on the other fide of the Conhoctoon, Jhe has creeled a corn- mill, and two faw-mills ; which works, from the great quantity of water at hand, are capable of confiderable enlargement. He is likewife conftrucling a bridge, for the purpofe of opening a free and uninterrupted communication with the country on the other fide; it will alib prove of efiTential fervice to the road leading to Williamfburg, which runs along the foot of the mountains. Thefe mills, when finilhed, will not coil more than five thoufand dollars ; and the Captain has al- ready been offered for them twelve thoufand five hundred dollars, be* fides a ihare of one hundred acres of land. He alfo pofieflTes fome fmall farms in the vicinity of Bath. A good hufbandman, who was his neigh- bour in Scotland, fuperintends thefe farms, which appear to me to be better managed, and better ploughed, than any I have hitherto feen. In all thefe fettlements, he has at leail one eflate referved for himfelf. The flock on all of them is remarkably good, and he keeps them in his own pofiTcffioiij BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFGUCAULT LIANCOURT. 137 pofleflion, until he can oblige fome of his friends with them, or hand- ibme offers are made for them from other quarters. To the different fettlements already mentioned the Captain is now adding two others on Lake Ontario ; one near Rondegut, on the river GenefTee ; and the other at Braddock, thirty miles farther inland. As there appeared fome danger of a war breaking out between America and England, it is but very lately, that he carried this project into execu- tion ; and for the fame reafbn the works at Great Sodus have alfo been much delayed. Lafl year General Simcoe, Governor of Upper Ca- nada, who confidered the forts of Niagara and Ofwego, which the Eng- lifh have retained, in violation of the treaty, as Englim property, toge- ther with the banks of Lake Ontario, fent an Englim officer to the Captain, with an injunction, not to perfifl in his defign of forming thefe fettlements. The Captain returned a plain and fpirited anfwer, yet neverthelefs conducted himfelf with a prudence conformable to the cir- cumftances. All thefe difficulties, however, are now removed by the profpecl: of the continuance of peace, and frill more fb by the treaty newly concluded. It is afferted, that the fituation of Great Sodus, on the coafl of this diflricl:, promises to afford fafe and convenient moor- ings for mips, from the depth of the water, and that the poft may alfo be eafily fortified againft an enemy. On confulting the map, the great im- portance of fuch a harbour to the United States, will be readily dif- cerned, whether it be confidered as a port for fhips of war, or for mer- chantmen. Hitherto I have fpoken of Captain Williamfon merely in his public character, as founder of the mofl extenfive fettlement, which has hitherto been formed in America. I ihall now follow him into private life, where his hofpitality and other focial qualities render him equally confpicuous and amiable : and here it is but doing him common juflice to fay, that in him are united all the civility, good nature, and cheerfulnefs, which a liberal education, united to a proper knowledge of the world, can impart. We fpent four days at his houfe, from an early hour in the morning un- T til 138 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, til late at night, without ever feeling ourfelves otherwife than at home. Perhaps it is the faireft eulogium we can pafs on his free and eafy urba- nity, to fay, that all the time of our ftay he feemed as much at his eafe, as if we had not been prefent. He tranfacted all his buiinefs in our pre- fence, and was actively employed the whole day long. We were pre- fent at his receiving perfons of different ranks and defcriptions, with whom the apartment he allots to buiinefs is generally crouded. He re- ceived them all with the fame civility, attention, cheerfulnefs, and good nature. They come to him prepoffeiTed with a certain confidence in him, and they never leave him dhTatisfied. He is at all times ready to converfe with any, who have bufmefs to tranfacl with him. He will break off a converfation with his friends, or even get up from dinner, for the fake of difpatching thofe, who wifh to fpeak to him. From this conftant readinefs of receiving all who have bufmefs with him, ihould any conclude, that he is influenced by a third of gain, this furmife would be contradicted by the unanimous teftimony of all who have had dealings with him, thofe not excepted, who have bought land of him, which many of them have fold again with confiderable advantage to themfelves. But were it even undeniable, that money is his leading or fole object, it is highly defirable, that all, who are fwayed by the fame paffion, would gratify it in the fame juft, honourable, and ufeful manner. The prices of all forts of provifion, of cattle, and labour, in this dif- trift, are exactly the fame as in the Friends' Settlement, or, at leaft, fo nearly the fame, that it is needlefs to mention the difference. The price of carpenter's work is four pence a foot for hewn timber, and two dollars for ten fquare feet in boarding the fides of buildings, or cover- ing them with mingles. It mould be obferved, however, that all forts of merchandize are much dearer in the mops here than at Mrs. Hill's, at Friendfmill. The price of commodities in thefe new fettlements depends, it may be faid, entirely on the honour of the trader ; for he alone can fupply the wants of the inhabitants, and the Americans never offer lefs than the feller demands. The prices of planks are higher BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 13Q higher at the Captain's mill than any where clfe. He takes feven dollars per thoufand for cutting them, and the mill, which is continually at work, can cut fix thoufand in twenty-four hours time. He fells them at the rate of nine millings per hundred. Should he continue pofleflbr of the mill for any length of time, it is his intention to lower the price. He obferved to us, that if he were to do fo at prefent, he mould difcourage all the other inhabitants, who may have formed the defign of con- ftrucling mills, and that the prices will foon be brought down by com- petition. We are aflured, that the climate here is much more temperate, both in winter and fummer, than in Pennsylvania ; that the winter feldom or never lafts above four months ; that the cattle, even in that feafon, graze in the foreft without inconvenience ; and that no provifion of fodder is requifite, during the winter, except for fuch cattle as are to be fattened. Neither does the fnow ever lie fo deep as to cover all the herbs, which ferve for their pafture. Captain Williamfon has hitherto endeavoured, but in vain, to remove the objection of this diftricl: being rather unhealthy. In his opinion, the unhealthinefs afcribed to it is nothing but the natural effect of the climate upon new fettlers, and is confined to a few fits of fever, with which {Gran- gers are ufually feized in the firft or fecond year after their arrival. It is certain, however, that the inhabitants all agree in this unfavourable re- port of their climate ; notwithftanding which crouds of new fettlers re- fort every year to this diftricl:. Thus much, at leaft, we obferved, that marfhes and pieces of ftagnant water are thickly ipread over the face of the country ; but thefe will, no doubt, be drained, as population and cultivation mall encreafe ; this however is and will for fome time be un- attempted ; and moreover, the water for common drink is in moft places unpleafant and unwholesome. Though we ilept at the inn, yet we fpent the whole day, from morn- ing to night, at Mr. Williamfon's, where we enjoyed more tranquillity than in the noify inn, which is no bigger than a fparrow's neft, and is T 2 always 14O TRAYELS IN NORTH AMERICA, always crouded with travellers. One night twenty -five of us ilept in two rooms, in fix beds, which rooms were, in fact, nothing but defpi- cable corn-lofts or garrets, pervious to the wind and rain. The habitation of the Captain confifts of feveral fmall houfes, formed of trunks of trees and joiner's work, which at prefent make a very irre- gular whole, but which he intends foon to improve. His way of living is fimple, neat, and good ; every day W T e had a joint of frefh meat, ve- getables, and wine. We met with no circumftances of pomp or lux- ury, but found eafe, good humour, and plenty. In the ufeful, yet com- fortable, manner, in which the Captain lives, life may be fecurely en- joyed, without difturbing the enjoyments of others. About twenty houfes compofe, as yet, the whole of the town of Bath. It is built on one of the bays, which the Conhofton forms in its courfe. The banks of this creek are bounded on the oppofite fide by pretty high mountains, which are chiefly covered with pines and hemlock firs. Our firft intention was to have flopped at Captain Williamfon's only one day ; in compliance with his wifh, however, we added another, and neceffity compelled us to ftay a third. When on the point of fetting out, I perceived that my horfe was lame \ and though we were aflured, that he might make the journey without the leaft inconvenience, yet Captain Williamfon obligingly infifled on our ftaying one day longer. We fhould not have hefitated a moment to comply with this invitation, but for the uneafinefs, which our delay might occafion to our friend Bla- eons. Mr. Guillemard obviated this difficulty, by offering to proceed himfelf, and thus remove any anxiety of our friend. Mr. Dupetitthouars and myfelf yielded, after this, with great pleafure, to the earneft and po- lite entreaties of the Captain. Mrs. Williamfon, whom we had not feen for the firft two days, made rier appearance on the third at dinner. To judge from her deportment, timidity^ even to a degree of baihfulnefs, had till then deprived us of her company* She is a native of Bofton, and was married there to the Cap- tain, who, in the contefl with Britain, had refided at Bofton as a prifoner o BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LlAXCOUTxT. 141 of war; being carried thither by a privateer, who captured the fhip, on board of which he was a pafTenger, with a view to join his regiment. Mrs. Williamfon, it feems, had followed her hufband to Scotland, and afterwards to GeneiTee. She is yet but a young woman, of a fair com- plexion, civil, though of few words, and mother of two lovely children, one of whom, a girl three years old, is the fineft and handfomefl I ever law. This our opinion we did not fail to report to her parents, which af- forded them great fatisfaclion. Frtday, the 12th of June. 1 Our horfes, as well as ourfelves-, being completely refreshed and reco- vered, through the civility of the Captain, we at length quitted his hof- pitable dwelling, and took our leave, with mutual promifes of epiftolary correfpondence, and rendering each other every fervice in our power by which at leaft my travelling companion, Dupetitthouars, and myfelf r could furely be no lofers. After leaving Bath, we pafled through a fmall fettlement, confuting of about four Englifh families, which arrived here from London only fix months ago. They are chiefly fawyers r who had been ufed to work for the cabinet-makers in that great metropolis. They now work for them? felves, and pofTefs each an cftate of about ninety acres. Thefe they have already begun to clear for cultivation, affifting each other with- their cattle and labour. They cannot fail, in time, to make their fortunes ;. and in the mean while they enjoy that ftate of independence, which forms one of the beffc bleffings of life, if accompanied with the means of fubfiftence. Their log-houfes have an appearance of cleanlinefs, neatnefs, and order, which plainly befpeak thefe families to be Englifh. To judge from the choice of their books, which form a part of their furniture, and from the converfation of fome of them,, they appear to be Methodifb. Thefe new Engliih fettiers have, this year, already made maple-fugar, and one of them the fineft I have yet feen, even that of Afylum not excepted. Two of the wives of thefe new fettiers have already caught the fever, and not one- 142 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, one of them appears to enjoy a good ftate of health. Eighteen miles farther from Bath, we found another family, that came hither lalt au- tum from Maryland, afflicted with a fever. Four miles farther on we flopped at one Mrs. BEYER'S, who was likewife laid up with an in- termittent fever, the fits of which returned every day. This fever may, perhaps, be a tribute, paid but once to the climate, as Captain William- ion thinks ; but the country, excellent as it is in all other refpecls, car- ries, I think, undoubted marks of being unhealthy ; fuch as flagnant waters, phofphoric exhalations, fwampy creeks, bad water for drinking, and an abfolute fcarcity of fprings. Having fome quantity of bark in our travelling- cafe, we gave a little of it to Mrs. Bever, with directions how to ufe it ;' we, at the fame time, wrote a letter to Captain Williamfon, in- forming him of the diflrefs of this family, and of their want of more bark. We entertain little doubt, but that the Captain will receive this intelligence as a firft attempt to fulfil, on our part, the engagement we entered into when we took leave of him. It will be eafily conceived, that after we had given the poor woman this advice, her hufband fhewed us all the refpecl, which men of the me- dical profeffion generally receive in this country. Yet his demonftrations qf refpecl: ceafed, when we refufed his repeated offers to pay us for the bark. Though we no longer appeared to Bever phyficians of the ufual caft, yet we were certainly deemed very knowing and clever, for feveral of the ten or twelve perfons, who had repaired to this cottage for fhelter and food, fhewing us their wounds and contufions, requefted our advice con- cerning them. We recommended to them, to wafh their fores with fait and water ; and the fimplicity of this remedy, which would perhaps have met with little approbation from European peafants, did not here, in the leaft, abate the high opinion, which thefe good people had conceived of our fuperior knowledge. The company we met with at Mr. Bever's confided of furveyors and fome other perfons, who had Purveyed land, which they intended to purchafe on the heights of Lake Canandaqua. I fay on the heights, becaufe in that place a chain of mountains, about ten BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCIlEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 143 fieri or twelve miles in length, feparates the water, which flows in a fouthern direction, from that, which difcharges itfelf into the river of St. Laurence. We found, among thefe perfons, a young man, who about fix weeks before had been bitten on the knee by a rattle-make, while he was fifhing on the banks of Lake Canandaqua. At firft he did not feel much pain in the part affecT:ed ; but an hour afterwards a fwelling ap- peared, which gradually extended all along the leg to the foot, and both became fo ftiff, that he was unable to move them. A cure was effected within the fpace of only fix days by the juice of fnake-root laid on the wound and fwelling, as a poultice, mixed with milk, together with a few drops of that juice, pure and unmixed, taken internally. Inftances of fuch bites occur but very feldom, and only, it feems, when the animal has been touched ; otherwife it conftantly retires, and may be killed by a blow with the flenderefl ftick. It is a common obfervation, that wild animals are lefs fierce in America than in other parts of the globe ; the truth of this is con- firmed by the teftimony of fuch as, from their refidence in forefts, are bell qualified to poiTefs fatisfaclory information. Wolves, bears, nay even panthers, moftly flee before man ; and the inftances of their do- ing mifchief are fo rare, that the very reality of it might be doubted. The dangers, therefore, to which new fettlers are expofed, are not much to be apprehended. The fevereft misfortune, to which the inha- bitants of the American foreft are liable, is the lofs of their children in the woods. Thefe unfortunate infants, over whom it is almoft impofli- ble to keep conftantly a watchful eye, are apt to run out of the houfe, which is feldom fenced the firfl year, and flraying from their homes are unable to find them again. In fuch cafes, however, all the neigh- bours, nay perfons from the remoteft parts, join in the fearch after thefe little unfortunate creatures, and fometimes they are found ; but there are alfo inftances of their being totally loft, or difcovered only, when dead of hunger or fear. 144 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, Saturday, the 13 th of June. From Bever's we rode on, till we came to Cap tain METCALF'S, where we flopped for the night. He lives at the diftance of eight miles from the former houfe, and keeps an inn. This diftricT: is called Watkinf- town, from feveral families of this name, who pofTefs the greateft pro- perty here. The road from Bath to Metcalf's habitation is generally bad enough, as is moftly the cafe in a luxuriant foil, and efpecially after a fall of rain ; fo that, w T here the roads are not properly made, the intereft of the traveller muft abfolutely clam with that of the land- owner. Two miles on this fide of Bever's houfe we had obferved the com- mencement of a range of mountains, which appeared to us to feparate, in thefe parts, the waters of the Sufquehannah from thofe of the lakes. After we had palTed the above Englifh fettlement near Bath, we met with no habitation but at diftances of eighteen, twenty, and twenty- two miles. Between Metcalf's houfe and Canandaqua, however, the dwellings ftand clofer together. The lands, belonging to Captain Williamfon, terminate at Bever's houfe ; all the ground thence to Canandaqua, and farther on, has been fold by Robert Morris, or Meflrs. Phelps and Gorham, who had purchafed their demefnes before Mr. Williamfon bought his. Metcalf, for inftance, three years ago, purchafed his eftate from them for one fhilling per acre. Of the one thoufand acres, he then bought, he has already fold five hundred and upwards for from one to three dollars per acre, and fome have fetched twenty-five dollars. The profits, which are made by fpeculations in land, all over Ame- rica, and efpecially in this neighbourhood, are great, beyond calcula- tion. We panned, however, through feveral fettlements, which were deferted. Occurrences of this kind are common enough in new coun- tries ; and experience Ihews, that of ten new fettlers, who, in the firit infhmce BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT tlANCOURT. 145 inftance join to clear and cultivate frefh grounds, at the expiration of a couple of years, one only will, for the moft part, remain; and the fecond, nay, at times, the third fettlers are generally the bcft colonifts. They take advantage of the labours and difburfements of their prede- ceflbrs, remain in the country, and thus become truly ufeful to the fet- tlement. Captain Metcalf, befides his lands and inn, poflefles a faw- mill, where four thoufand five hundred feet of boards are cut daily. Thefe boards he fends on the Lake to Canandaqua, where they are fold for ten milling. a thoufand feet. Wheat is fold here for fix millings a bufhel, and Indian corn for four millings. There is a fchoolmafter in Watkinftown, with a falary of twelve dollars per month ; all the fami- lies, that contribute to this ftipend, have the right of fending their chil- dren to his fchool. The road to Canandaqua is bad and miry, running for the firft three miles conftantly along water. A little farther on, where its direction U more elevated, it mends. The foil contains a ftratum of black earth, a foot or more in depth. On travelling this road, we obferved one or two extenfive trab of ground, cleared by the Indians, but few habi- tations. The few ploughs we faw here were drawn by oxen. The woods are thick and lofty. Sugar- maple, black birch, oak, hickory, hemlock fir, and beech, are the moft prevailing trees. The ague is a common diforder in all thefe parts. The Lake of Canandaqua, which we reached at the diftance of four miles from the town, exhibits a very delightful afpecl. The banks are not very low. The long and tedious famenefs of thefe woods, through which we had pafled, contributed, probably, not a little to enhance the agreeablenefs of the profpecl: now before us. On the oppofite fide of the lake is an orchard, where very confiderable quail* tities of cyder are made for fale at Canandaqua. Sunday, the \4th of June. Canandaqua is, as I have already obferved, the chief town of the county vailed Squawhill, lies nearer to Ontario, and the other, Mountmorris, to Williamfburg. They both contain Indian villages. That fituate on the former height confifts of about fifteen, and that feated on the latter, X 2 of J56 TRAVELS IN" NORTH AMERICA, of about four or five fmall log-houfcs, {landing clofe together, roughly built, and overlaid with bark. In the infide appears a fort of room not floored ; on the fides they conftrucl fhelves, covered with deer- {kins, which ferve as their cabins or fleeping places. In the midft of the room appears the hearth, and over it is an opening in the roof to let out the fmoke. Their ftores, confifting, for the moft part, of nothing but Indian corn and the flefh of deer, lie carelefsly thrown together in a corner. One of their huts not unfrequently contains two or three families. As we pailed through their villages we faw fome w r omen employed in works of hufbandry, but very few men. Among the Indians the hufbancl does not work at all ; all laborious icrviccs are performed exclusively by the wife. She not only tranfacls every part of domeftic bufmefsy but cultivates the ground, cuts wood, carries loads, &c. The hufbancl hunts, fifhes, fmokes, and drinks. Yet there are fome tribes, fuch as, for inftance, the Tufcarora- Indians, among which the hufband works, though occasionally and flightly. When 1 fpeak of Indian tribes o? nations, I w T ifh to be understood as confining my obfervation to the fix nations, commonly called the Iroquois, who inhabit the northern parts of North America, to the fouth of Lake Ontario, namely, the Onaii- dagas, Tufcarora, Oneidas, Cayugas, Seneca, and Mohawks. The Oneida- nation excepted, which, northwards from New York , ftill inhabits the banks of the lake that bears their name, all the other tribes have been, gradually expatriated, and have decreafed in number ; every nation is now divided into different branches ;, the families are difperfed abroad, and whifky is rapidly thinning the number of thofe which yet remain. A few years more, and thefe nations will difappear from the furface of the earth, as civilized people approach ! Near the Geneflee, on this fide of that river, and about five miles below the villages before- mentioned, ffonds another village belonging to Indians of the Oneida nation. The men are here lefs flothful than among the Seneca- Indians ; they are alfo tolerably ingenious and expert. It mould be recorded highly to their honour, that the Indians, of whatever tribe or nation,, BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 157 nation, are in general mild and peaceful, kindly officious in little fervicea to the whites, and, on the whole, excellent neighbours. 1 for my part am pretty well afTured, that, in all the numerous quarrels, which have taken place between the different colonifts and the Indians, on the con- fines of the United States, in ninety-nine inftances out of a hundred the former have been the aggreflfors ; they are weak, and they are opprefTed^ In Mountmorris Mr. Morris poflefles a farm of about fixty acres, the management of which he leaves entirely to an Irifhman, who arrived here about two years ago> from New England. The wheat, rye, and In^- dian corn are certainly excellent ; but the account this man gave us of the nature and quality of the foil does not eorrefpond with Captain Wat- worth's ilatemen-t. It yields, he fays, only twenty-five bulhels of wheat per acre ; and as this perfon is not concerned in the felling, of land, I judge his report to be much more d^ferving of credit, than the Captain's* It muft be allowed, however, that the land here is uncommonly produc- tive, that the flats form a very extenfive tracl; of ground, and that they afford a fine profpecl, which cannot but be extremely pleafing even to thofe, who have not been cloyed, as we were, with the eternal afpect of forefts and woods. Mr. Morris, it mould feem, had eitablimed this farm rather with an intention to exercife and fecure his right of property, than from any immediate view r s of profitable culture. Its prefent occupier en- joys the produce but of a very fmall portion of this vaft territory. Neither his habitation, nor his efhablimment in general, imprefles you with, the idea of a refpeclable farmer. Returning from our excurfion, w r e pafled through Williamfburg, the central point of Captain Williamfon's fettlements in this neighbourhood. It is a village confifHng of about twelve houfes. The habitations are faid to be very numerous in the adjacent country. Williamfburg is feated. on the point, where Canaferaga creek difcharges itfelf into the river Ge- neflee. This river, as well as the creek, which on our excurfion we were feveral times obliged to ford, are fo clofely hemmed in, that frequently it is very difficult to fcale their banks. The courfe of the river GeneiTee is J53 TRAVELS IN NQllTK AMERICA, is rapid, and full of windings, its water alfo is generally rnu4dy, and bad. Three miles from Captain Watworth's habitation, a Frenchman, for- merly an inhabitant of St. Domingo, refidcs, with his mulatto, on an eflate of about tw&nty acres, and in a houfe only twelve feet fquare, which he conftmcted himfelf, with the affiftance of his faithful fervant. This Frenchman is named DE Boui, and is a native of Alface. A quar- rel with a gentleman of confequence in his province, whom he accufecl of having defrauded him of an inheritance, and a duel that enfued, in which he wounded his antagonist, who was much older than himfelf, compelled him, in the prime of youth, to quit his native country, from the dread of a " lettre de cachet.'' The firft ftep, which he took after this, was to enlift, as a private, in the regiment, which bears the name of the Cape ; and in this fituation he foon evinced by his conduct, that he had received a liberal education. He next obtained his difcharge ; and as he .had been originally deftined for the profeffion of an engineer, his attain- ments, which were very refpeclable, furnimed him with the means of rendering himfelf ufeful to the colonifts. By degrees he rofe to the fitua- tion of Grand Foyer (inlpector general of the high-roads) in St. Do- mingo : he moreover cultivated a plantation, bequeathed to him by a friend. He now poffeffed a good income, and had a fine profpecl: of ac- quiring a very handfome property, when on a fudden the civil dnTen- tions at the Cape broke out. Being forced to quit the town, he retired to America, though in a very indifferent plight, with but little money, few effects, and fbme bills on France. From motives of parlimony, he proceeded to Hartford. Here Colonel Watworth, commiferating his misfortunes, and his diftreffed fituation, made him an offer, that he would endeavour to negociate his bills, in which he mould probably meet with lefs difficulties than an emigrant Frenchman ; he at the fame time made Mr.de Boui a temporary grant of a certain number of acres on the river GenefTee, engaging to fupply him with the neccifary money and iilores, and to render him every other affiftance in his power. The bills were BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 15Q were to ferve as a fecurity for all the previous difburfements. Such is the outline of the hiftory of Mr. de Boui. There are but few men, I fhould fuppofe, who do not feel tbemfelves agreeably interefted by the fight of a countryman in a remote part of the world. Unhappily the French revolution has in a gteat meafurc itirled thefe amiable, natural feelings. If two Frenchmen now meet, they are, in general, fo foured by political partialities, that they feel a mutual dif- truft, if not averfion. Thanks to heaven, the revolution and its conco- mitant evils have not yet infpired me with hatred to any individuals, much lefs have they foured my feelings to mifanthropy. This is a comfort, which I highly prize, and to which, even in my prefent fituation, I am in- debted for moments, not altogether unaccompanied with pleafure. I, there- fore, fmccrely fympathifed in Mr. de Boui's misfortunes. Meff. Blacons and Dupetitthouars became acquainted with him laft year. Blacons was de- puted by the reft of us to inform this hermk, a name, which he deferves as well as any man living, of our intention to dine with him that day. De Blacons' vifit, and our arrival, afforded him much pleafure and fatisfaction. The fight of his countrymen was the more agreeable to him, as from a peevifhnefs of temper, either contracted by prior misfortunes, or becaufe he has been actually ill ufed, he is highly dhTatisfied with the Americans. He is about forty years of age, poffeffed of a found underftanding, and en- tertaining in his manners and converfation. From the natural generofity of his own mind, his difguft at the fblfifhnefs of others, and his over- nice feelings, he is a perfect mifanthrope ; a conftant gloom hangs upon his fpirits. He ipeaks of Americans with a bitternefs, which can hardly be justified when applied to individuals, but evidently degenerates into pre- judice and injuftice when applied to the nation at large. He lives here, fequeftcred from all the world, or at leaft with no other company, but that of his mulatto Jofeph ; who has never left him, and is indeed his friend, rather than hisTervarit. Jofeph acts in the different capacities of cook, gardener, and hufbandman, for Mr. de Boui fows one or two acres in the flats with Indian corn, half the produce of which he allows the proprietor; he takes care of the fowls and pigs, and works at times for the 160 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, the neighbours, that they may, in return, lend their oxen occasionally to his mafter, and fupply him with eggs, milk, and other fuch like articles, which, though trifles in themfelves, are of no fmall value in this folitude. -Jofeph always appears buiy and cheerful : he is, in fact, a rare and af- fecting inftance of the raoft faithful attachment to his mafter, who, in return, fets a high and juft value on this refpectable fervant, without whofe affiftance and fupport his philofophy would be of little avail. Mr. de Boui is a man of extenfive reading, but the morofity of his tem- per frequently diftorts his ideas. He hates mankind,, and therefore is .conftantly fallen and wretched. Dupetitthouars, who rejoined us there, and myfelf, {topped the night at the habitation of this worthy gentleman, becaufe he feemed to wifh it. MeiT. Guillemard and Blacons, however, took up their night- quarters in Canawaga, with a view to get every thing ready for our journey to Fort Erie. We paffed the afternoon and next morning in converfation with our hoft, and in taking little walks, especially to a fmall Indian village already mentioned, with which De Boui holds a fkequent intercourfe of .civilities, fervices, and trade, and where at times, when there is a prefs of imfmefs on his hands, he alfo hires labourers to weed his garden : thefe are women, whom he pays at the rate of three millings a day. We left -him, not without a high fenfe of gratitude for the kind and friendly re- ception we had met with, nor did he feem altogether infenfible to a degree of fatisfaction afforded by our company. He may perhaps prove, ere long, a very valuable acceffion to the fettlement at Aiylum. May he live there, if not happy, at leaft content 4 but it is greatly to be feared, that the peeviihnefs of temper, which this unfortunate man has contracted, will dry up every fource of promifed happinefs and comfort, which this world might yet afford ! "Tuefday, the iQtJi of June. The road from -Ontario to Canawaga is a good one for this country. As ufual, it Leads through the midil of woods. Within a fpace of twelve miles BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. l6l miles we faw only one habitation. In this journey we difcovered two In- dians lying under a tree ; though we had already feen a confiderable number of them, yet this meeting had for us all the attraction of novelty, as we found them in a ftatc of intoxication, which fcarcely manifefted the leaft fymptom of life. One wore round his neck a long and heavy filver chain, from which a large medallion of the fame metal was fufpended, on one fide whereof was the image of George Wafhington, and on the other the motto of Louis the Fourteenth nee pluribus impar, with a figure of the fun, which was ufiially difplaycd with it in the French arms. This Indian was, no doubt, the chieftain of a tribe ; we were, however, obliged to leave his excellency in a ditch, out of which we made repeated efforts to drag him, but in vain. Canawaga is a fmall town ; Mr. Morris is the proprietor of the lands, which he holds on the fame condition of procuring their ceilion from the Indians, as he does all the other lands already mentioned. The price of land here, which at firft was one milling and fix pence per acre, foori rofe to three millings, and, by degrees, has been fo enhanced, that fmgle acres, near the town, were lately fold for eight dollars. The habitations here are yet but few, but among them is one of the beft inns w r e have feen for fome time paft. Mr. BERRY keeps it ; a good, civil man, but constantly inebriated. In common with feveral other in- habitants of the town, he has bought land from the Indians, regard- lefs of the prior right of purchafe, veiled in Mr. Morris by the Hate of Maffachufetts. Without any wifh to vindicate this prior right, which, in my judgment, confidered with refpect to the Indians, the original pro- prietors of the foil, is an acl: of flagrant injuftice, I cannot help obferv- ing, that this right, founded as it is on the laws of the land, cannot be infringed by private individuals, without expofmg themfelves to the hazard of being difpoflciled, and that in ftri6l juftice, of the lands, pur- chafed in violation of this right. The perfons here alluded to, who have bought land from the Indians, are perfectly aware of the flippery ground on which they fhmd ; but hope, that as the affairs of Mr. Morris are rather in a flate of derangement, he will not be able to make good his purchafe Y of l6'2 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, of the lands from the Indians ; hence they are led to conclude, that the contract, by which he has transferred his right to the Dutch company, muft eventually become void. This whole track of land is, as yet, fo thin of inhabitants, that we could not come at a right eftimate of the price of provifion, labourers' wages, &c. Both labourers and provifion are equally fcarce ; and the prices are, I prefume, not much different from thofe in the diftrifts 1 mentioned laft. The neighbourhood of the Indians occasions a frequent intercourfe with them, for the purpofe of buying game, fifh, &c. and though they are no ftrangers to the value of money, and appear fond of it, yet fcarcely any bufmefs is tranfa&cd with them, unlefs in the w r ay of barter. Whifky is their chief objecl: ; but old clothes, hats, knives, look- ing-glafles, paints, &c. in fhort, almoft every commodity, the refufe of European markets, will do for them ; and it may be advanced as a moral certainty, that the white people can hardly become lofers in this traffic. The Indians, indeed, to fpeak a well known truth, are conftantly cheated ; their ignorance lays them open to fraud, and it is taken advantage of al- moft ninety-nine times in a hundred, by thofe who have dealings with them. Before I quit this country, which is more or lefs inhabited by fubjefts of the United States, I mall prefent the reader with a few general obfer- vations on their manners and cufloms, which may ferve as a fupplement to thofe I made on my arrival at Northumberland. Since that time \ve have traverfed a country altogether new : the various fettlements, which lie more or lefs clofely together, and are occupied by colonifts from all parts of the world, afford nothing particularly worthy of obfervation. It feems to be the chief objecl: of the inhabitants of this new country, to raife the price of their labour as high as poffible, and then to fpend their earnings in unneceffary trifles,, as fail as they can. From this prevailing humour we may readily account for the flourifhing condition of the mops, or ftores, as they are called. A labourer or his family goes to a mop, to lay out fix-pence in ribbands, or two-pence in tobacco. Perhaps they have four dollars in their pockets, and with thefe, fuch is the rage for; BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 10*3 for (hop commodities, they purchafe articles, which, on entering the {hop, they never intended to buy, and for which they have no real occafion. Sometimes they purchafe on credit ; and the mop- keeper, who clears, at leaft, one hundred per cent, has generally no objection to felling upon thefe terms to perfons who are houfekeepers in the neighbourhood, or who work there for any length of time. The diihurfements of thofe, who, in this new country, undertake to clear large tracks of ground, and at the fame time keep a ftore, are, there- fore inconfiderable, efpecially in regard to labourers' wages, as the money cleared in the mop quickly brings back all that is expended in labour for days, weeks, and months together. The ftorekeepers too frequently take advantage of the credulity, eafinefs of temper, and ig- norance of the half-favage fort of people, who inhabit the back fettle- ments, and thefe in return abufe the credulity, eafinefs, and ignorance of the poor Indians. In fadt the conduct of mankind at large is in general nothing more than a chain of frauds and impofitions, only fomewhat lefs barefaced than thofe of the ftorekeepers in the new American dominions. I mail add a word or two on the methods pra&ifed by them in the management of thefe new fettlements. When a family have come to"/" a refolution to fettle in this country, the hufband, the latter end of fummer, repairs to the fpot where the fettlement is to be made. The fir ft thing he does is to cut down the fmall trees on one or two acres ; he next barks the larger trees, and then fows a little rye or wheat. Of the wodd he has felled, he conftrufts a fmall houfe, and makes fuitable fences around it ; a labour, which may be performed in about a month's time. He then returns to his former habitation ; and, at the beginning of fpring, he brings his family and the beft of his cattle to the new fettlement. His cows coft him little, being turned into the woods to graze : he then fmimes his houfe, plants pota- toes, fows Indian corn, and thus is enabled to provide for the firft year's maintenance. While thus employed, he is at the fame time Y 2 clearing lG4 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, clearing more ground, burning the trees he has already felled, and, as far as may be, even thofe which he has barked. By this procefs the roots of the bufhes are in a great meafure deflroyed ; yet they require to be more carefully grubbed out of land, which is to be thoroughly cleared. The aflies afford a very ufeful manure, and, in the opinion of the beft judges, are employed this way to much greater advantage, than when converted into pot-am, the making of which is, with the new fettlers, merely the refult of neceffity ; for if a faw-mill be at hand, the large trees can be conveyed .thither by oxen. Thus, within the fpace of twelve months, a man may clear fifteen acres ; and few families cul- tivate more than thirty. The barked trees are left {landing for a longer or ihorter time, according to circumllances, viz. the fpecies of the tree, the nature of the foil, and the degree of the wetnefs of the feafon. The hemlock-fir will {land eight or nine years, the oak four or five, the maple three or four, and trees, all the branches of which have been burnt off, feldom fall before this time. The flumps of the felled trees, generally two or three feet high above the ground, hardly rot fooner than the barked trees, which have been left {landing on the lands. The dwellings of new fettlers are commonly at firfl fet up in a very flight manner ; they confifl of huts, the roofs and walls of which are made of bark, and in which the hufband, wife, and children pafs the winter, wrapped up in blankets. They alfo fre- quently conflrucT: houfes of trees laid upon each other; the interfaces of which are either filled up with loam, or left open, according as there is more or lefs time to fill them up. In fuch buildings as have attained to fome degree of perfection, there is a chimney of brick or clay ; but very often there is only an aperture in the roof to let out the fmoke, and the fire is made and replenifhed with the trunks of trees. At a little diflance from the houfe {lands a fmall oven, built fometimes of brick, but more frequently of clay, and a little farther off appears a fmall med, like a fen try- box, which is the neceffary, or privy. Salt BY THE DUKE DE LA. ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. iQj Salt pork and beef arc the ufual food of the new fettlers ; their drink is water and whiiky, yet there are few families unprovided with coffee and chocolate. We mould not omit to obferve, that the axe, of which the Americans make ufe for felling trees, has a fhorter handle than that of European wood-cutters. Not only the Americans, but Irifh and German workmen have aflfured me, that they can do more work with this fhort handled axe, than with the European. The blade likewife is not fo large as that of the latter. Mod of thefe axes are made in America, but confider- able numbers are alfo imported from Germany. Though fome or mod: of the particulars above detailed may be found in works, which treat of the inland or back parts of America, yet I judge them not unworthy of a place in this journal. Refpe&ing the tenets or obfervances of religion, it mould feem that little room is left for a due attention to either, among the inhabitants of Pennfylvania and other parts of Geneffee. In the towns, as well as in all parts of the country that are in any degree populous, there are, indeed, every where places appropriated to religious wormip ; but, un- lefs I am greatly miftaken, religion is generally confidered rather as a political engine than a way to falvation. In the new fettlements you meet frequently with religious books v but they contain the peculiar ef- fufions of different fe&s, rather than the iimple morality of icriptural religion. Prayer-books, with other devotional exercifes of that clefcrip- tion, are chiefly found among the rigid Methodifts, or fanatic Scotch Prefbyterians. Yet the bitternefs and fanaticifm of thefe fe<5ts are rapidly wearing away in thefe forefts. Chiefly taken up with clear- ing the ground, and anticipating in imagination the beneficial refults of their labour, they foon forget all other concerns. The colonifts, who arrive from New England, are, upon the whole, more religious than any of the other inhabitants. They make a point of building churches, and providing preachers, as foon as circumftances enable them to do fo. Moft of thefe religionifls fettle*in the lG4 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, clearing more ground, burning the trees he has already felled, and, as far as may be, even thofe which he has barked. By this procefs the roots of the bufhes are in a great meafure deflroyed ; yet they require to be more carefully grubbed out of land, which is to be thoroughly cleared. The afhes afford a very ufeful manure, and, in the opinion of the beft judges, are employed this way to much greater advantage, than when converted into pot-am, the making of which is, with the new fettlers, merely the refult of neceffity ; for if a faw-mill be at hand, the large trees can be conveyed thither by oxen. Thus, within the fpace of twelve months, a man may clear fifteen acres ; and few families cul- tivate more than thirty. The barked trees are left (landing for a longer or fhorter time, according to circumilances, viz. the fpecies of the tree, the nature of the foil, and the degree of the wetnefs of the feafon. The hemlock-fir will (land eight or nine years, the oak four or five, the maple three or four, and trees, all the branches of which have been burnt off, feldom fall before this time. The flumps of the felled trees, generally two or three feet high above the ground, hardly rot fooner than the barked trees, which have been left (landing on the lands. The dwellings of new fettlers are commonly at firfl fet up in a very flight manner ; they confifl of huts, the roofs and walls of which are made of bark, and in which the hufband, wife, and children pafs the winter, wrapped up in blankets. They alfo fre- quently conftruct houfes of trees laid upon each other; the interfaces of which are either filled up with loam, or left open, according as there is more or lefs time to fill them up. In fuch buildings as have attained to fome degree of perfection, there is a chimney of brick or clay ; but very often there is only an aperture in the roof to let out the fmoke, and the fire is made and replenifhed with the trunks of trees. At a little diflance from the houfe (lands a fmall oven, built fometimes of brick, but more frequently of clay, and a little farther off appears a fmall med, like a fentry-box, which is the necefTary, or privy. Salt BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. Salt pork and beef arc the ufual food of the new iettlers ; their drink is water and vvhilky, yet there are few families unprovided with coffee and chocolate. We fhould not omit to obferve, that the axe, of which the Americans make ufe for felling trees, has a fhorter handle than that of European wood-cutters. Not only the Americans, but Irifh and German workmen have allured me, that they can do more work with this fhort handled axe, than with the European. The blade likewife is not fo large as that of the latter. Moft of thefe axes are made in America, but confider- able numbers are alfo imported from Germany. Though fome or moft of the particulars above detailed may be found in works, which treat of the inland or back parts of America, yet I judge them not unworthy of a place in this journal. Refpe&ing the tenets or obfervances of religion, it mould feem that little room is left for a due attention to either, among the inhabitants of Pennfylvania and other parts of Geneffee. In the towns, as well as in all parts of the country that are in any degree populous, there are, indeed, every where places appropriated to religious wormip ; but, un- lefs I am greatly miftaken, religion is generally confidered rather as a political engine than a way to falvation. In the new fettlements you meet frequently with religious books t but they contain the peculiar ef- fufions of different fefts, rather than the limple morality of fcriptural religion. Prayer-books, with other devotional exercifes of that defcrip- tion, are chiefly found among the rigid Methodifts, or fanatic Scotch Preibyterians. Yet the bitternefs and fanatieifm of thefe fedls are rapidly wearing away in thefe forefts. Chiefly taken up with clear- ing the ground, and anticipating in imagination the beneficial refults of their labour, they foon forget all other concerns. The colonifts, who arrive from New England, are, upon the whole, more religious than any of the other inhabitants. They make a point of building churches, and providing preachers, as foon as circumftances enable them to do fo. Moft of thefe religionifls fettle*in the TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, the upper diftricl: of GeneiTee, and fpeak with contempt of the fettle- ments on the Sufquehannah, and in the neighbourhood of Tioga, where the inhabitants, far from having places of worship, fcarcely ever men- tion the name of God. At the fame time it mufl be admitted, that the planters, who come from New England, are purer in their morals thau any of the reft; and that they are not only remarkably induftrious, but alfo the moft expert agricultures and workmen. As to the fertility of the country in natural productions, it is very great indeed. Jn many parts, the trees are of a prodigious iize and thicknefs. It is remarkable, that the largcft trees feldom flrike their roots deeper than about four or five inches into the ground ; this was at leaft the cafe with all thole which had been over- turned by the winds, and lay near the road. The thickets are frequently fo clofe, that, for feveral miles together, they bear the appearance of one large tree, under which grafs is growing in thick tufts and clufters. Fern, a fight rare in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, is very frequently in the back fettlements. Shrubs of every defcription, and flowers of various forms and hues adorn the woods and pleafe the eye with their beautiful appearance, but do not fo much regale the tra- veller with their fragrance. They more or lefs referable European plants ; but are in general of different fpecies. Among the great variety of infects and flics feen here, which alone would furnifh abundant matter of enquiry for the curious naturalift, luminous worms are fo very numerous, as frequently to difFufe by night a brightnefs, which is really aftoniming. The town of Canawaga is fituated on the river Geneffee, the courfe of which we have followed without deviation ever fince we left Ontario. By the Indians this river is called Camoufiagon. We much regret, that we did not fee the three falls of this river, which are but half a quarter of a mile diftant from each other ; the firft is one hundred, the fecond thirty, and the third feventy feet high ; they are all two hun- xffed and fifty feet in breadth. This river, which empties itfelf into Lake BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. Lake Ontario, previoufly forms a very fmall lake of uncommon depth, which alfo is difcharged into Lake Ontario by a narrow chan- nel, not very deep. The appearance of thete falls is faid to be ex- tremely grand and beautiful ; we felt a ftrong inclination to vifit them ; but Mr. Blacons expreiling an earned: defire to haften his return to Afylum, and to fee the Niagara, we lacrifked to his wifhes our own euriofity with refpcct to the falls of the river Geneffee.. Wednefday, the IJth of June. After remaining half a day at Canawaga, we at length fet out,- early in the morning, to-traverfe the defarts, as they are called. The guide, procured by Mr. Chipping, as already mentioned, had been- waiting for us two days. This man, a native of Canada, who, accord- ing to falfe reports, had adopted the manners and cuftoms of the Indi- ans, from love for zfquaw (the term for an Indian woman) of whom he was exceffively fond, did not, on a nearer acquaintance with him, anfwer any of the romantic, or at leaft extraordinary ideas, we had been led to- form of him. During the American war, he had ferved for lome time in an Engliih regiment in Canada ; but having found an opportunity to> defect, he fettled in the American dominions on the banks of the Ge- nefTee. He has been enabled to fave a little money by means of a fmalli trade, which he carried on, and efpecially by felling whifky to the In- dians ; after this he became acquainted with an Indian girl,, tolerably handfome, whom he married, after fhe had borne him feveral children ;: that is to fay, he declared her his wife in the Indian manner; an obli- gation, however, which binds him no longer than he himfelf choofes.. According to his own account, he poflefles a fmall eftate in the diftricT: of Geneflee, and another much larger in Tonowante (an Indian village equally diflant from Niagara and Canawaga), which PONDRIT (our guide) purchafed of the Indians for fome gallons of whifky, and which he can enlarge, at pleafure, as every one there is at liberty to appropri- ate to himfelf any quantity of land he thinks proper. This man, as far as l6S TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, as we could judge, appears to have fettled among the Indians from motives not the moft praife-worthy, viz. lazinefs and indolence ; he would rather, it feems, let his wife work, than do fo himfelf, gain money without care or toil, and by his fuperior knowledge overreach the Indians in the fmall trade he carries on with therrh In other re- fpects he is a free, jovial fellow enough, proud, good-humoured, art- ful under the appearance of aukwardnefs ; and in brief, not a little like many of the French peafants, who, after having ferved fome time in a regiment, return to their native village with a tolerable flock of felf- confidence and ailurance, which, if not blended with a due regard to confcience and morals, frequently degenerates into impudence, and fometimes draws them in the end, into a licentious and reftlefs way of life. Under the guidance of this Pondrit, who, by the by, was not even drelTed as an Indian, we fet out on our journey. He led a horfe that belonged to him, and was loaded with our ftores, which Indian guides generally trudge with on their backs. About a mile and a half from Canawaga, ftands a fmall village of the Seneca Indians, through which we palled, confiding of only three or four houfes. We found there again a handfome vounsc man, who O / O ' had vifited us the night before in Canawaga. It was obfervable, that thefe Indians (hewed a ftrong attachment to us as Frenchmen, repeat- edly alluring us, that the remembrance of our nation was peculiarly dear to them ; we in return regaled them plentifully with rum. The young man, who was more intoxicated than his comrades, was feized every now and then with fits of madnefs, which might have proved fatal to himfelf or thofe about him, but for the careful attend- ance of a young fquaw, who, partly by menaces, and partly by careiTes, got him out of the inn, caufed his arms to be tied by his comrades, and carried him to the banks of the river, where, lefs difturbed, me continued her attendance, until (lie had foothed his rage, though he was not perfectly reftored to his fenfes. An Indian wafhed the face and head of his inebriated comrade, by fpouting water upon him, which he BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOUK.T. he took into his mouth, and at the fame time by rubbing him with his hand. The intoxicated young man, though not quite fober, was at length, however, fb far recovered, as to be let on his legs. A boat was waiting to carry him acrofs the river, when, on a fudden, he broke from the hands of his attendants, and precipitated himfelf with great violence into the river. A moment after he came up again, and we faw him fwimming towards the oppofite bank. The indefatigable young woman then fprang alone into the boat, and rowed up to her charge, overtook him, and feized his hand to make him flep into the boat. But he would not enter, but dived again, rifing up in different places ; fo that to all appearance he was in no little danger, confidering the ftate he was in, of being drowned. The young fquaw followed him with her boat, called on him feveral times very kindly, did not ceafe a moment to follow him, with her eyes conftantly fixed on him, or on the fpot where me thought he was likely to appear again ; for he was as frequently under as above water. At lafl (he grafped him again, and fo tenacioufly as to retain her hold. This impreffive fcene lafted about two hours, during which time the uneafinefs, care, and endear- ments of the young woman, were inceffantly manifefted, and infpired us with mingled emotions of furprife, admiration, and efteem. She was tolerably handfome, and a fifter of the young man. It is hardly poffible to mew more fympathy, or more fincere, tender, and unwearied affection, than was evinced by this poor fquaw, as long as her intoxi- cated brother was in danger ; and all this too in a manner fo fweet and engaging, as it is not in the power of man poffibly to do. This fcene imprinted in ftill deeper characters on my mind the idea, which I have conftantly entertained, of the great fuperiority of women above men in every thing, relative to affections of every fort. He, who never experienced the friendmip of a woman, knows not half the eharms and delights of friendmip. Men, undoubtedly, are capable of making great facrifkes, which I certainly fhould be the laft to dif- own ; indebted as I am for the prefervation of my life, to the generous and ardent attachment of two friends. May they, iince a Z more 1 /O TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, more explicit teftimony of my gratitude might perhaps endanger their fafety and welfare, recognize in thefe lines the grateful ientiments, which fill my bofom, and which (hall not ceafe but with my exiftence, though I fhould never have the happinefs of perfonally exprefling to them the tribute of my thanks. But while a woman is capable of the fame attachment and facrifices, while a female friend will chearfully meet the fame dangers as men, me poflefles befides the art of embellifh- ing and brightening the faddefb moments of our life, by unutterable fweetnefs of temper, conftant care, and unwearied attendance on her friend ; (he can fympathize in his fufferings, mingle with his pleafures, and comprehend and divine all his projects ; me can pour balm on his wounded fenfibility, raife his dejected fpirits, unburden him of the load of forrow, and thus reconcile him to himfelf. Weir can fhe foften the harflinefs of a<3vice, which (he has the courage to offer at a feafonable interval, and can infpire a boundlefs confidence, without creating pain, or caufing exertion. She bids defiance to obftacles, is difcouraged by no accidents, not even by abfence itfelf. In fhort, female friendship is a divine feeling, and the fweeteft charm and comforter of life r when deprived of it by misfortune, the bare remembrance of it will i ftill afford us moments of refined pleafure. A journey through uninterrupted forefls offers but little matter either for fpeculation or remark. The woods are, in general, not clofe,. but ftand on a fruitful foil. Afoot-path, tolerably good, upon the whole, but in fome places very miry,, winds through them over a level ground, that rifes but feldom into gentle fwells. After a- ride of twelve hours, in which we crofTed feveral large creeks, WQ arrived at the Plain, where we determined to take up our lodg- ings- for the night. Big Plain is about thirty-eight miles diftant from Canawaga. We breakfafled at Buttermilk Fall, and dined on the bank of the creek of Tanawago, which is, feveral times, either ap- proached, or eroded, in this line of travelling; For both thefe meals our appetites were fo keen, that we, perhaps, never ate any thing with. a better relim. But, this was not the cafe with our fupper. The ma- rangouins,. BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. rangouins, of which we had heard fuch frightful accounts, hut from v/hich we had hitherto fuffered but little, began now to torment us. We were near a brook, for it is neceflfary to keep within a little dif- tance from water, if between arrival and departure it is intended to breakfaft, fup, and water the horfes. The fire and tobacco fmoke were not fufficient to keep off the offenfive fwarms of marangouins, mufquitoes, wafps and gnats ; nor did the veils of gauze, provided by Mr. Guillemard, flicker us from their pungent flings. Thefe innu- merable fmall blood-fucking infects are a very great annoyance, and though killed by thoufands, they feem to encreafe in proportion as they are destroyed. It is indeed impoffible to form an adequate idea of the torment and trouble they occafion, without having felt it. Two Americans, who arrived from Buffalo Creek, with two horfes, loaded with furs, fliarcd our fire and our moleftation, but not our fufferings. The next day (Thurfday) at four o'clock in the morning, the Americans having found their horfes, proceeded on their journey ; while our horfes, which, in fpite of our entreaties, Mr. Guillemard's fervant had not coupled, were not to be found, having run back part of the way we came. It happened, however, very fortunately, that a bell, which I had faftened to my horfe, hav- ing in the night indicated to our guide the courfe they purfued, he traced them before the break of day, overtook them at a di fiance of fifteen miles, and brought them back about eleven o'clock in the morn- ing. His uncommon zeal to ferve us, joined to his fuccefsfulalertnefs, infpired us with as much admiration, as we felt pleafure, to fee our horfes fafe returned. The two Americans, who left us in the morning, belonged to Bof- ton ; they make, it feems, the journey to Buffalo Creek, five or fix times every year, to barter for furs with the Indians ; they carry on this trade jointly with three or four other fmall companies ; and we learned that, on the whole about twenty thoufand dollars .are annually circulated in this way, the fhare of thefe two amounting to eighteen hundred or two thoufand dollars. Z 2 It 172 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, It was too late to indulge the hope of reaching Buffalo Creek before the fall of night. Our journey muft, therefore, take us up two days longer, although we had provifion only fufficient for one. In thefc circumftances we refolved to take the road to Tonowante, the refl- dence of one PONDRIT, which determination, though it occafioned a circuit of ten or twelve miles, yet fecured to us all the certain ad- vantage of obtaining frem provifion, which, by Pondrit's account, was in great abundance in that place. But Pondrit is as frivolous a prattler as he is a good pedeflrian ; we found no provifion, nor was there the leaft profpedl: of procuring viands of any fort in the hut of this demi-Indian. We were fain to be content with a little rum and two wet indigeftible cakes of Indian corn, prepared by Mrs. PONDRIT, and were, moreover, under the neceffity of waiting a whole hour for the lady's return, who, on our arrival was engaged in cultivating the grounds of her hufband. Befides this wretched repair., we got a little Indian corn for our horfes. Mr. Guillemard, whofe limbs were fwoln in confequence of the flings of the mufquitoes, fan- cied he was ill, and determined to remain that night at Tonowante. We left him under the care of the fquaw Pondrit ; and Mr. de Blacons, Dupetitthouars, and myfelf, fet out, with our guide, to purfue our journey. Tonowante, which we have jufl left, confifts of fifteen houfes or wigwams, built on the zig-zag windings of the river of the fame name. The foil is marfhy, yet good. However defirable it would have been, to fhortcn our next day's long journey by proceeding ten miles further this night, yet the remembrance, and the ftill-exifting fenfation of the mufquito-ftings of lafl night, deterred us from adopting this meafure, and we halted, therefore, half an hour before fun-fet, to gain the ne- ceflary time for making arrangements more likely to keep thefe in- fects off. A fmall Indian camp, which we found in the woods near Small-fall, was chofen for our night-quarters, not with (landing dreadful fwarms of mufquitoes and fmall flies, perhaps even more troublefome than the former, were buzzing about us. We furrounded this little place BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LlANCOURT. place of refuge, to the windward, with fires, which we kept up with dry leaves and rotten wood. The wind driving the fmoke through our camp, the mufquitoes could not exift there. After having coupled our horfes, tied them to trees near us, -and thus prevented the danger of lofing them, we procured fome water, made a mefs of a few cakes of portable foup, which we had remaining, and being protected from the attacks of our enemies, we partook of our cakes and remaining ham with great fat is fa 61 ion, and being farther comforted by a few fegars, we palled a very pleafing night ; I, on my part, at leaft, did not awake from nine o'clock at night till half paft three in the morning, the time when we were obliged to prepare for our departure. What an excellent remedy, or, at leaft, what a palliative for the fufFerings of the head and the heart, is travelling. Alternate wearinefs and reft leave no room for any train of ideas, and every thing confpires to ren- der us as happy as if our fufFerings were ended. Before I clofe the hiftory of the day, I muft obfer ve, that in the morning we met with a large rattle-fnake, on our way to Tonowante. She was awake, bent backwards, and her head ere6t ; in ftiort, me was in the attitude, in which thefe reptiles dart to bite. Our guide noticed her at the fmall diftance of two paces, and Cartouche had approached her within half a pace. We ftopped ; I called my dog. The afpeft of our horfes, our dogs and ourfelves, who furrounded her fo clofely, did not difturb her ; and Pondrit, who had cut a ftick, was at full liberty to choofe the fpot where he would apply his blow. This {hake was up- wards of four and half feet in length, beautifully black, with rings of a bright, golden yellow, and fixteen rattles. I relate this trifling in- cident, to fhew how little dangerous thefe animals in general are, the accounts of which, in Europe, fo greatly alarm all, who are preparing to go to America. We continued upwards of five minutes withi* & fmaller diftance from her than her own length- The dog ^'moft touched her ; me was awake, and yet mewed no ibrt of malignity.. Since I have travelled fo much in forefts, I have met with great num- ber 174 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, ber of rattle- fnakes, killed fome with my own hand, and, notwith- ftanding, have never yet received the leafl injury. Friday, the igth of June. For thefe two days paft the roads have heen truly execrable, full of deep holes, earth-falls, and thick-fet bufhes. You are obliged, at once, to beware of the branches of trees, which tear your face or throw you down, to felect the fpot for the horfe to tread on, to give it the necef- fary aid when it paffes a difficult place, and to take care not to crufh your knee or leg againft a trunk or ftone, which even with the utmoft precaution cannot be always avoided, and frequently caufes a very pain- ful fenfation. By the account of our guide we were this day to enter better roads ; and yet, a level tract of about feven or eight miles ex- cepted, thefe were even worfe than the former. Being defirous of feeing a large Indian fettlement, and having learned that Buffalo Creek is the large/I in this neighbourhood, we turned that way, left the foot-path which leads ftraight to Fort Erie, and ftruck into another, which is the word I have yet feen. We breakfafted twelve miles from the fpot where we had pafled the night, and finimed the remainder of our {lores in Buffalo Town. You reach Creek Buffalo twelve or fifteen miles before you come to the village. The fource of this creek, which is very narrow on the fpot where you fee it firft, is fifteen miles farther up the country. Yet it confiderably en- larges its breadth, and is upwards of a hundred yards broad, where it difcharges itfelf into the river. You muft ford it between a hamlet inhabited by the Cayuga nation and the village of Buffalo, where it is about forty yards in breadth, but its bed is fo confined and miry, that T ve were fcarcely able to work our way out of it. ^he village of Buffalo is inhabited by the Seneca-Indians. The chief of thibnation is BROTHERFARMER, a man generally refpected by all the tribes as ^ great warrior and ftatefman, and for this r-eafon much courted Bt THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 175 courted both by Engliftv and American agents. Buffalo is the chief place of the Seneca nation. Inftead of eighty houfes, of which we had been told this village confided, we found only about forty. The reft ftand-on the banks of the creek farther up or downwards, and thus people an extent of leveral miles. The village is fituated on a plain, the foil of which, to judge from the grafs it produces, is extremely fertile. We faw Indians cutting the grafs with their knives. -.Some families keep cows, and others even horfes. There were fome fine oxen to be fold in the village. All the commodities being coniidered as the produce of the labours of the wives, they alone difpofe of them at pleafure. They are looked upon as the fole proprietors. It is with them that every bargain is made, all the money, even the houfes in which they live, belong to them ; the hufbands have nothing but them gun, their tomahawk (a fmall axe, and at the fame time their pipe), and the fcalps fevered from the fkulls of the enemies they have (lain, and which in greater or lefs number form the decoration of the dwel- lings of all Indian warriors. More property they do not want. The dignity of a chieftain is, in general, hereditary among the In- dians ; though fome are alfo appointed by election. The fons of the chieftains, however, do not fucceed, but thofe of the female chiefs. For the wives preferve this right of fucceilion in their families, . and tranfmit it to their defcendants. Yet thefe Indian queens cultivate their fields with the fpade in their hand. Though they have oxen to fell, it has hitherto not occurred to them, to yoke thefe animals to the plough. I have already obferved, that a fmall field of Indian corn fuf- fices for the wants of a family. There is, at times, another planted with potatoes ; but, in general, thefe are planted between the rows of Indian corn. , The fields are moftly irregular pieces of land taken from the com- mon ; they are not inclofed, being more effectually guarded by an uni-- verfal honefty, which never deceives. The cattle, which conftantly remain in the woods, do no damage to the crops. The fields, culti* vated by the Indians, have, in general, a more luxuriant appearance than others, 176 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, others, from the manner in which they are cultivated. Being better tilled, and kept conftantly free from weeds, they cannot but pro- duce heavier crops, which is actually the cafe. The Indian huts in. Buffalo are not fo bad as others I have feen, but equally unclean and filthy. Our guide conducted us to a family, in which he faid a demi-French woman lived, which, however, was not the fact. On entering the ha- bitation, we found the landlord engaged in bleeding himfelf in the foot. He faid he fuffered from pains in the bowels, and placed great confi- dence in this remedy, which he prefcribed and applied himfelf. Two leaves of fage ferved for a comprefs, and an old garter for a bandage ; he looked about for his tomahawk to fmoke during the application of this remedy. One or two other families live in the fame hut. .The hufbands, fathers, and brothers were fitting before the door ; the wo- men were in the fields ; we were compelled to wait their return, to learn whether they had any eggs or milk. When they came home, we found that they had none. They gave us, however, butter-milk, and very good butter. During the two hours we pafled among them, nothing particular occurred. There is but little exprerlion in their faces, little cheerfulnefs, and little fagacity. They were extremely curious, as every one would be, who has feen nothing. They laid hold of our watches, ourcompafs, our pencils, and bridles, viewed them with much attention, yet without the leafl mark of aftonifliment or fatisfaE LA ROCHKFOUCAL'L I* LIANCOURT. The two men, who by their lamentations had decoyed them on more, now rejoined the Indians. Their wretched victims poured forth againft them fevere reproaches, though they were fomevvhat foftened by the fear of being overheard by the Indians. They pleaded necefTity, and that they had been ordered on pain of death, to acl: as they did. By their accounts, they were inhabitants of Kentucky, furprized by the Indians, fix months before, in their own habitations ; and had already, feveral times, been employed in fimilar treachery. The ftores found on board the veflcl ferved the Indians for their meals, in which they generoufly allowed the prifoners to partake. Night coming on, every one lay down to reft under the trees. The prifoners were furrounded by the tribes to which they refpeclively belonged, and Singly guarded by the Indian, who had the charge of them. Peggy Fleming, who was never left by her guards, was, this night in particular, {unrounded by women. Mr. John- fon was tied by the elbows ; and the ends of the ropes were fattened to trees, which flood far afunder, fo that it was altogether impomble for him to lie down. Yet this was not deemed fufficient. Another rope, fattened to a tree, was tied around his neck, and from it a rattle was fuf- pended, which, if he had made the leaft motion, would have awakened the whole troop. The reft were treated nearly in the fame manner. The two white fpies enjoyed the moft perfect liberty. Some Indians were ftationed, at certain diftances, around the party, to obferve what was paf- fmg in the furrounding country. Early in the morning the prifoners were unbound, and fuffercd to enjoy the fame liberty as on the preceding day. About ten o'clock the Indians, who were potted along the banks of the Ohio, reported, that a veffel was dropping down the river. The prifoners were ordered to join the other two, who yefterday beguiled their prey, and to exert their utmoft efforts to decoy the paflengers in the fhip on more. It is eafy to conceive, that the horror which they felt, on receiving thefe orders, was ftrongly combated by the fear of inftant death, with which they were threatened, in cafe of disobedience and refufal. They were, therefore, under the ncceffity of the other two white men. Mr. Johnfon, however, though com- C c 2 pellcd TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, polled, for the preservation of his own life, to pretend to do like the others, firmly determined not to make himfelf guilty of occafioning the Slavery, or probable death of the unfortunate paflengers on board, by any voluntary action on his part ; and, confequently, neither to make the fmalleft gefture, nor to fpeak a word. And well might he fpare himfelf this trouble. His companions exerted themfelves to the utmoft, to excite the companion of the pafiengers on board, who, without the leaft hefita- tion, ftood in towards the more, to fuccour and refcue from flavery, thoie whom they thought unfortunate captives. Scarcely had they approached within a fmall diftance of the more, when the Indians, who, as on the preceding day, had ftolen along behind the bufhes, haftened up, fired, and mot the fix perfons on board. Shouts of victory fucceeded to the howls of barbarous rage. The veflel was hauled on more ; and two of the ill- fated paflengers, who were not yet dead, were immediately difpatched with the tomahawk. The fix fcalps were torn off and dried, and the booty was divided, but with fewer formalities than on the preceding day. Soon after the fcouts made fignals, that three other veflels were in fight. The fame ftratagem was employed, but, for this time, in vain. The families on board, which were proceeding to Kentucky, did not appear to make any attempt to deviate from their courfe, but, on the contrary, purfucd it with redoubled activity. The Indians fired at the veflels, but, from the breadth of the Ohio, which, in this place, is almoft a mile, the balls took no effect. Yet the paflengers were panic-ftruck. Of the three veflels, which they occupied with their cattle, they deferted two, and joined all in one ; believing, that they might thus proceed falter, and more certainly make their efcape. The other two veflels they abandoned to the ftream. This meafure inspired the Indians with a hope of leizing them, which they would never have attempted, if the paflengers, without leaving thefe two veflels, had ftedfaftly purfued their courfe. The Indians, who, in all their enterprizes, are rather animated "by a thirft for plunder than by real courage, never venture upon an at- tack, without being convinced," that they are fuperior in ftrength ; a con- viction, which they do not readily admit. Infpirited by their number, by the BY THE DUKE DE LA HOCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOUKT. 1Q7 the obvious panic of their enemies, and by the feparation of their means of defence, they refolved on purfuing them. Having on the preceding day captured two vefiels, they went on board, embarked their prifoners, and, with ail pofiible fpeed, purfued the fleeing mip. The two veiTels, which had been abandoned to the itream, foon fell into their hands; but, not fatisned w r ith their capture, they were bent upon taking the third, which they purfued with redoubled exertion, railing dreadful howls, and difcharging all their pieces ; but their fire proved as ineffectual as their other exertions. The fugitive veffel having gained confiderably the ftart of them, approached a fpot, where the Indians feared to en- counter new enemies. They were, accordingly, obliged to relinquifh their defign, and to content themfelves with the rich booty, which had already fallen into their hands. It confuted of effects, ftores, and other valuable articles, belonging to the four families, which had jointly emigrated from Virginia, to fettle in Kentucky. They brought every thing on more ;, and, without diftributing the whole, fell eagerly on fome calks of whifky. They drank fo largely, that all of them were foon intoxicated. Six o* feven, to whom was committed the charge of guarding the booty, and who had been ordered, at the beginning of thefe Bacchanalian revels, to drink with moderation, retained alone the ufe of their ienfes. All the reft lay buried in a profound ileep ; and;, among them, the leader of the. party, and the guards of the prifoners. William Phlyn himfelf had drunk fo much whifky, as to be in the fame fituation with his mafters. Mr. Johnfon's mind w r as too deeply affected by his dreadful fituation, to (hare in this difgufting banquet. Totally absorbed in the contemplation of the dangers and miferies that awaited him, and eagerly defirous of warding them. ofi% if poffible, he conceived, that the profound fleep of all the Indians around him might afford the means of efcape, and commu- nicated his idea to> James Schuyl, \vho was lying by his iide. The vef- fels were -fattened to flakes along the more, at a fmall diftance from them; the fuccefs of their enterprize depended merely on their Healing thither unobferved, throwing themfelves into the firfl velfel they mould find, the night being very dark, and abandon her to the ftreamu Succefs appeared 1Q8 TRAVELS IX NORTH AMERICA, appeared as certain, if they could reach the veffcls, -as inftant death, ort the other hand, if they were apprehended. James Skuyl the more rea- dily embraced this project, as, but half an hour before, he efcaped death in a manner littie fhort of a miracle. An Indian ran up to him, in the firft fit of drunken madnefs, with the dreadful knife in his hand, to fcalp him, and would certainly have accomplifhed his purpofe, but for the in- terference of two other Indians, lefs inebriated than he was, who checked his fury. The laft words of this converfation were uttered in a voice fo very low, that it was impoffible to conceive they fhould have been under- ilood by an Indian, who lay at a confiderable diilance, though he were even poffefled of a knowledge of the Englifh tongue ; yet he arofe, and and tied them in the fame manner as the preceding night, without mew- ing, however, the leaft paffion, nay, without fpeaking a word. Thus the pleafmg hopes of the two prifoners were Wafted on a fudden, and converted into renewed defpair. Tied faft to trees, feparated from each other, convinced, by experience, that they were clofely watched, without the leaft intermiffion, even in moments w 7 hen they might imagine themfelves to be totally unguarded ; they could not but mppofe them- felvcs doomed to a ftatc of hopelefs mifery. The remembrance of all they had heard of the cruelty of the Indians towards their prifoners, op- preffed their minds with conftant horror. They were aware, that they would be yielded up to the grofTeft infults, and to lingering, cruel, and varied torments. They confidered the Indians, who were lying around them in a ftate of fenfelefs, brutifh intoxication, as the inftruments of their tortures. It was wdth thefe painful ideas, that the two unfortunate prifoners patted the remainder of the night. At break of day, the fur- rounding troop awoke ; they were untied ; and this day, the third of their captivity, was /pent in continued revels, kept up with the whilky, which had been left the preceding day. The leader, probably from an opinion that his expedition had Already proved fofficiently productive, proclaimed his will on the next following day, that it ihould be clofed ; and the dif- ferent tribes, which had taken a marc in it, fet out on their way home. They all inhabited the neighbourhood of the lakes Ontario and Erie. The BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEPOUCAULT LIANCOURT. The leader of the moft numerous tribe was a Shawanefe ; the reft were Lower Creeks, Wyandats, Mingoes, O then wages, Delawares, Ottawas, Chepawas, and Cherokees. Johnfon, Jacob Skuyl, and Peggy Fleming, as has already been ob- fervcd, had fallen to the lot of the Shawanefe, forty of which tribe were prcfent in this expedition. They left the Ohio together; while William Phlyn departed, with the Cherokees. On the firft day's journey, Johnfon was ordered to lead a cow, w T hich formed a part of the booty, found on board the two deferted veffels. Jacob Skuyl, being wounded, had no- thing to do, but follow the troop. Peggy Fleming, who was fur- rounded by men and women by turns, could go wherever me pleafed. They were all three at liberty to converfe as they chofe, without the In- dians having hitherto conceived the fmalleft diftruft. The vaft booty, which had fallen to the mare of this tribe, was, in part, transported on horfes, ten or twelve in number, found in the veflels, and in part carried by Indians, who, at times, loaded Mr. Johnfon with part of their burden. The nrft day's journey was but five miles. The Shawanefe halted in a beautiful vale, where, under draggling trees, about forty horfes were grazing, which, in the courfe of the expedition, had been taken from the different travellers, and fent to this fpot. They had adopted this meafure, becaufe they were to return this way; and it, be- fides, fupplied the horlfes with food in the utmoft abundance. The cow was killed the. firft day, roafted, and devoured. What had not been eaten, was left behind the next morning, when they fet out to renew their journey. The leader, with eight or ten Indians, had, by this time, left the troop, mounted the beft horfes, and rode off to reach their habi- tations, before the arrival of the reft. They took Peggy Fleming with them, who, for the prefervation of her life, did all me could to pleafe the leader, and the other Indians, on whom fhe depended. Her good and playful humour infured her. fuccefs. She was carried off on one of the beft horfes, and the apprehenfions of her future fate were loft in the plea- fure of her journey. Her two companions in misfortune, unable to charm their mafters, as me did, continued their journey irithe fame man- ner ^OO TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA, ner, in which they had begun it ; except that they had nothing to carry, as the horfes were more numerous: the cow too had been killed. The troop breakfafted on fome fait meat they had found on board the veffels, and on the remains of the meals of the preceding day, and then moved farther onward. About twelve o'clock they halted. The game killed by the hiuitfmen was dreffed, and the time of their halting was fre* quently determined by the good or bad luck of the chace. They fmoked their pipes before and after dinner, and then fet out again to purfue their journey, until about an hour before night-fall. At this time they flopped to eat their evening meal, which was much like the dinner, uiiially fmoked a pipe in profound filence, and then lay down to reft on hides. The prifoners were constantly tied at night, and the journey was pur- fued in the fame unvaried manner. During the march, fome Indians, generally the huntfmen, formed a kind of van-guard, and others brought up the rear, at fome diftance, to watch whether the troop were pur- fued; for both the miftruft and the vigilance of the Indians are very great. The main body marched as they chofe, without the leaft order. If game was efpied, either by the main body or the rear-guard, they killed it. But the van-guard feemed in particular charged with this duty. No more game is killed, than what is required for the next meal ; and the woods are filled with it to fuch a degree, as to preclude all appre- heniion in regard to future fubfiftence. The game killed is cut into large pieces, and put on flakes driven into the ground. The cookery is per- formed by the women. The Indians, on lighting their fires, take pecu- liar care not to fet fire to the neighbouring trees. The prifoners, we may eafily conceive, profited by the liberty they enjoyed of keeping constantly together. Their melancholy converfation breathed defpair in confequence of their having miffed the laft favour- able opportunity of efcape, rather than hope of meeting with another. Yet this hope, chimerical as it might appear, was not entirely abandoned. The chief of the troop had conceived fome mntruft from their being constantly together ; and his apprehenfion encreafed at the fight of a knife, which Mr. Johnfbn inadvertently drew out of his pocket, and which BY THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT LIANCOURT. 201