Travel diary: D. Stabler, 1823

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[here], about 50 families compose it, among them some worthier, but no minister belonging to any meeting, since Huntington, and only 3 belonging to the Q^ly meet^g. _ Which may in part account for the openness, with which I have been reciev'd, among them _ Making ready for meeting it was discoverd, that one of the thorough braces was nearly half broken. After dinner several of the neighbors came in and assisted in repairing it, but too late to go on our way, we spent another night agreeably with our kind friends T Penroses family, his wife is aunt to M Kirk & tho entirely incapacitated from doing any kind of business or sit up long at a time, her whole frame is so Paraliz'd, that the shaking is incessant; when awake; but her mental powers appear to have suffer'd very little impairment; her mind quiet, and severe to an uncommon degree, takes an Interest in converstation, her life is said to been actively useful, and love to her Maker, and to all around her appears to be full in measure _

5^th day the 19^th of the M^o _ Set out at 6 oclock, rode 8 miles to Bedford, search'd the P Office for letters, unsuccessfully, put one in, and mov'd on, crossd several Streams, which come together and form the Juniatta, which we cross'd on a

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very fine bridge, just below their junction _ rode to the feeding place 14 miles, eat our cold dinner, rested two hours in the middle of the day, and set forward again, passd many miles in sight and on the margin of the River. In several places the rocks hung over our heads, fearful indeed to look at. In many places they appear'd to be so broken and loose that a slight jar above might tumble them upon us by the Ton. We again cross'd the Juniatta on a Magnificent Bridge on the Bedford Turnpike, and have now taken leave of it, no doubt forever, to some of us; and have put up for the night in a Spacious Tavern, 26 miles today. _ Within the last 5 or 6 miles, we have seen hundreds of Trees and Saplins, from 15 or 18 inches thro down to a very small size, which appear to have been turn'd up by the roots with the weight of Snow which fell in the 3^d M^o. A large number of them had fallen accross the Turnpike and had been cut out enough to have taken several Men some days to accomplish.

20 of the M^o. Left our quarters after and early breakfast, and did little else but accend, wind round, and descend mountains, made 14 miles on the Bedford Turnpike, by half past 11, put in at a comfortable Tavern

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out of heavy gust, but little rain fell before we got in, got a dish Tea to wash down our bread and Cheese fed the Horses, and after a rest of 2 1/2 hours mov'd on it raining a little part thro M^cConnels Town, and then parted with 3 of the committee with whom we have been agreeably and usefully associated for 20 days. They bent their course homeward, to the left, and we accompanied by our kind friend Thomas Leach of Warrington and M Farquhar had wet Eyes, I had some suspicion that it was also the case with dear little Sarah Cook, Indeed we all felt enough and I was glad when it was over. _ We took the new Turnpike to Mercersburg, cross'd another mountain 7 miles over, one of the most complete roads we have been on, 3 miles more brought us to M^sburg where we have found nice quarters, during this afternoons ride, making 27 miles today; Cousin H saw the clouds gather and rise, below the mountains, and watchd them untill they rose above their tops, some appear'd to rest on them, putting us in mind of the Ark on the mountain

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of Ararat, in our descent on the 7 mile mountain, G Wilson propos'd for us to walk, to keep Cousin H from swallowing hard as she happend to be on the side next the deep Vally some hundreds of feet below us. When we were out, she softly said look down upon the universe; To give to any person an Idia of these scenes who never saw them, would be a vain attempt, farewell now to mountains, we are in some hopes. _

21^st of the M^o. & 7 of the week, Left out lodgings at 6 oclock, journey'd on, soon found that yesterday, and last nights rains had been very heavy, a fine rich Country, well improv'd with dwelling houses, Barns &c, the Crops of grain, including Indian Corn, exceeds any thing we have heretofore seen, we have seen plenty of common Cherrys nearly ripe and have eat as many as were good for us untill we came into this rich Vally of Hagars Town have not seen a Cherry that was swell'd, 5 day days previously I gather'd white

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oak leaves on the bank of Juniatta, not larger that Squirrels ears; came 20 miles to W^ms Port, a place of deposit for vast quantites of building stuff rafted down the Patowmac. We got a Tea dinner with every kind attention from our Landlady who was very desirous of a meeting, having been raisd in the neighborhood of Hopewell, however we had no meeting for her, at 1/2 past two we were under way, again, tho' we knew we were only 62 miles from home, we had to look another course and half a mile brought us to the River. I thought I could not, nor would not ford it, but meeting no suitable way of ferrying, we sat in the Carriage untill T Leach went across 4 or 5 hundred yards wide as we suppose'd, for there was no body to tell us, here [we?] in had in remembrance, our dear departed relation T Moore, who no doubt reciev'd on this shallow stream, the ground work of his mortal disease; T Leach after trying its depth returnd to meet us in the deepest water, and as G Wilson said, remain'd in this Jordan untill I pass'd over. My weakness about crossing water here show'd itself so much, tho I was very still, that George said he had never seen me so beat out, in all the journey. _ in 10