Читать книгу A Journey to Ohio in 1810, as Recorded in the Journal of Margaret Van Horn Dwight - Dwight Margaret Van Horn - Страница 10

We yesterday travell'd the worst road you can imagine- over mountains & thro' vallies- We have not I believe, had 20 rods of level ground the whole day- and the road some part of it so intolerably bad on every account, so rocky & so gullied, as to be almost impassable- 15 miles this side Morristown, we cross'd a mountain call'd Schyler or something like it- We walk'd up it, & Mrs W told us it was a little like some of the mountains only not half so bad – indeed every difficulty we meet with is compar'd to something worse that we have yet to expect- We found a house built in the heart of the mountain near some springs- in a romantic place-Whether the springs are medicinal or not, I do not know- but I suspect they are, & that the house is built for the accommodation of those who go to them- for no human creature, I am sure, would wish to live there- Opposite the house are stairs on the side of the mountain & a small house resembling a bathing house, at the head of them – Soon after we cross'd the mountain, we took a wrong road, owing to the neglect of those whose duty it is to erect guide boards, & to some awkward directions given – This gave us a great deal of trouble, for we were oblig'd in order to get right again, to go across a field where the stones were so large & so thick that we scarcely touch'd the ground the whole distance- At last the road seem'd to end in a hogs pen, but we found it possible to get round it, & once more found ourselves right again- We met very few people, yet the road seem'd to have been a great deal travelled- One young man came along & caus'd us some diversion, for he eyed us very closely & then enter'd into conversation with Mr W who was walking a little forward-He told him he should himself set out next week for Pittsburg- & we expect to see him again before we get there – Erastus enquir'd the road of him & he said we must go the same way he did; so we follow'd on till we put up for the night; he walking his horse all the way & looking back at the waggon-As soon as we came to the inn he sat on his horse at the door till he saw us all quietly seated in the house & then rode off- Which of us made a conquest I know not, but I am sure one of us did – We have pass'd thro' but 2 towns in N J- but several small villages- Dutch valley, between some high hills & the Mountain- Batestown, where we stopt to bait-& some others- all too small to deserve a name- At last we stopt at Mansfield at an Inn kept by Philip fits (a little f). We found it kept by 2 young women, whom I thought amazoons – for they swore & flew about "like witches" they talk & laugh'd about their sparks &c. &c. till it made us laugh so as almost to affront them- There was a young woman visiting them who reminded me of Lady Di Spanker-for sprung from the ground to her horse with as much agility as that Lady could have done – They all took their pipes before tea – one of them appears to be very unhappy- I believe she has a very cross husband if she is married- She has a baby & a pretty one – Their manners soften'd down after a while & they appear to be obliging & good natur'd —