One misfortune follows another, and I fear we shall never reach our
journey's end-- Yesterday we came about 3 miles-- After coming down an
awful hill, we were oblig'd to cross a creek; but before we quite came
to it, the horses got mired, & we expected every moment one of them
would die-but Erastus held his head out of water, while M^r W-was
attempting to unharness them, & M^{rs} W- & Susan were on the bank,
calling for help-- I sat by, to see the horse breathe his last; but was
happily disappointed in my expectation-- No assistance could be got-
till M^r W- waded though the water, & then 2 men with 3 horses came
over-- We came to this Inn, & M^r W- thought it best to stay till this
morning- All our company have gone on- M^r Smith invited me to ride with
his wife, on to Pitts'^g- & I on some accounts, wish I had accepted his
invitation-indeed I could scarcely get beside it--
We found a gentleman (Doctor I presume by his looks-) here, who was very
sociable & staid an hour with us- He appear'd to be a man of good
information & considerable politeness-- We found the landlord very good
natur'd & obliging, & his wife directly the contrary-- We find the men
generally, much more so than their wives-- We are 12 miles from
Pitt----& here like to be- The landlord offers to keep Susan & me, till
spring, & let the old folks go on-- We got into the slough of Despond
yesterday-& are now at the foot of the hill Difficulty- which is half a
mile long- one waggon is already fast in the mud on it- & M^r W- is
afraid to attempt it himself--I think I will winter here----