Page 21

OverviewTranscribeVersionsHelp

Facsimile

Transcription

Status: Complete

xxii JOURNAL FROM

tivated lands, with neat little towns and villages ; but the
greater part lay throught a new country of dense forest,
where the axe had scarcely cleared a sufficient passage for
the coach. At one place, where we were to spend the
night, the establishment was only three weeks old ; in that
time, the family, who had come some distance, had erected
three log-houses, and placed their furniture and effects
therein ; yet, our entertainment was by no means bad. The
poor hostess, who never had so muh company under her
roof, did all in her power to make us comfortable ; and our
party, which consisted of eight persons, three of whom were
ladies, were in perfect good humour, notwithstanding their
new situation. When we arrived at the latter end of our
journey, we saw some fine lands destitute of woods, but inter-
spersed with small clumps, resembling those in some of the
parks of our nobility ; they were the reserved possessions of the
Indians, when they sold the adjoining country to the commis-
sioners of the United States. We wished to have entered
some of their houses, which were well built, with sash win-
dows and shingle roofs, but were told, that in general they
avoided receiving the visits of white strangers. Many of them
were wealthy, as appeared from their fine cultivated fields, and
large herds of cattle and horses. Near one village, we met a
young Indian driving a handsome waggon, drawn by four re-
markably fine oxen, which would have done credit to any En-
glish gentleman ; the youth was well dressed, and passed our
carriage with a look that sufficiently marked his consequence.
In the course of the day we saw near the road several
wild turkeys, whose splendid plumage, glittering in the sun,
far excelled in appearance those of the domestic ones. We
also conversed with several Indians, some of whom were on
horseback, armed with rifles ; they were civil, and seemed
pleased at the notice we took of them. A squaw, with her son
behind her, accompained us some miles. Her dress was a loose
blue cloth coat, with scarlet pantaloons, black beaver hat and
feathers, and her face was painted bright red. We arrived at
Sandusky in the evening, and found a steam-boat just starting
for Buffalo ; but being told another would arrive, during the
night, we preferred waiting for it, and were disappointed, as
it passed by, without entering the harbour ; and as no other
was expected for some days, we took our passage on the fol-
lowing evening, in a sailing schooner, which brought us in
three days to Buffalo, a distance we should have performed in

Notes and Questions

Nobody has written a note for this page yet

Please sign in to write a note for this page