was excessive and such as had not been felt for Many years. At 9
Miles I passed by Bacon Creek and the Cabin of a man but recently
settled there and who was unprovided with everything, even Maize,
needed for the sustenance of his household. At 22 Miles from Green
River is the House of one Ragon and I hurried on to reach some better
habitations before night. 26 Miles from Green River I perceived a
House 200 toises[163] from the Road situate on the bank of a Creek.
The inhabitant was a German who had been settled there only a year;
he had a good stable, was well supplied with fodder of wheat, straw,
and Maize leaves for my horse, and I ate Wheat bread for the first
time since I had left Illinois. My supper consisted of bread and milk
and I found myself very well treated. The name of my host was George
Cloes; a German by Birth; his house is situated on the South fork of
Nolin river.
Sunday the 31st passed by Huggins mill[164] on Nolin river (good
lodgings); at a quarter of a Mile the road on the right hand leads
to Beardston. At 2½ Miles the new cut road is straight. At 9 Miles
passed by Rolling fork and 4 Miles further slept at Mr. Scoth’s on
Beech fork.
Monday 1st of February 1796 passed by Dr Smith’s house 8 Miles from
Beech fork and by Mackinsy 9 Miles from Beech fork. From Mac Kinsy
to Long Lake 6 Miles. From Longlake to Sheperdston on Salt river 4
miles.[165] From Shepperdston to Standeford 9 Miles (good inn). From
Standeford to Prince Old station 8 Miles. From Prince to Louisville 6
Miles.
The 2nd started from Prince’s and arrived at Louisville. 3½ Miles
before arriving measured a _Liriodendron tulipifera_ on the left hand
road whose size was twenty two feet in circumference, making more
than seven feet in diameter. (Correspondent of Monsieur La Cassagne
and St. James Bauvais at New Orleans Monsieur Serpe Trader at New
Orleans.[166] Correspondent of Monsieur La Cassagne at Philadelphia
Geguir and Holmes, Merchants, Philadelphia. Prices: Dinner 1
shilling 6 pence; Supper and Breakfast 1 shilling 6 pence; Lodging 9
shillings; ½ quart of Brandy 2 shillings 3 pence; Horse per day on
hay and maize 3 shillings 9 pence.)
The 3rd, 4th and 5th remained at Louisville, being occupied in
gathering together the Collections I had left with one La Cassagne.
The 6th I saw General Clarke and he informed me of the visit of
Colonel Fulton who had come from France a few months previously.[167]
Sunday the 7th breakfasted with General Clarke’s Father whose house
is 4 miles from Louisville. I wanted to obtain more ample information
regarding Lieutenant-Colonel Foulton. I was told that he was to
proceed to Philadelphia immediately after having gone to Georgia.
That he was to embark for France and hoped to return to America at
the end of this summer 1796. The same day, I started to return to
Nashville. Slept at Standeford. 14 Miles from Louisville. (Supper 1
shilling, Bed 6 pence. Hay for the horse for the night 1 shilling.
Maize 8 quarts 1 shilling 4 pence.)
Monday 8th of February 1796. (Breakfast 1 shilling) Passed by
Sheperdston 9 Miles from Standeford. Maize for horse 3 quarts, 9
Pence, Virginia money, as in all parts of Kentuckey and Cumberland.
Passed by Long lake, where Salt is made as well as at Sheperdston and
slept at Mackinsy’s 7 Miles from Longlake.
In swampy places in the vicinity of Longlake: _Quercus alba_;
_Quercus cerroides_; _Fraxinus_ ...; _Nyssa_; _Laurus benjoin_;
_Sassafras_; _Mitchella repens_; _Fagus sylvatica americana_.
On the hills: _Pinus_[168] _foliis geminis conis oblongis minoribus
squamis aculeis retrocurvis_. Saw planks of this tree at the house of
an inhabitant; the wood seemed to me almost as heavy as that of the
three leaved Pine of Carolina. Tar is also made of it in this part of
Kentucky.
The 9th I started very early in the morning from Mackinsy’s. I had
been very well received there that is to say he gave me a supper of
boiled Pork; the same for breakfast. My horse fared very well on
Maize fodder and in a Stable that was not muddy like all those in
America when one lodges with Americans or with Irish.
I paid 3 shillings, being 1 shilling 6 pence for my horse and as much
for myself. I had paid 5 shillings for my lodging the previous night
and had not been so well satisfied. As the daughter of this house was
the smartest of any I had ever seen in America I gave her a quarter
of a Dollar and the old man offered me a stuffed Tongue but I thanked
him, not being fond of salt meat.
It began to rain an hour after I started but I was fortunate enough
to pass Beechford and Rollingford. 13 Miles from Mackinsy’s.
I was obliged to stop at the house of an inhabitant a Mile and a half
from the crossing and the Rain compelled me to pass the night there.
In the neighborhood there is _Liriodendron_ with yellow wood and in
some parts _Liriodendron_ with white wood. The inhabitants prefer the
yellow variety.
Wednesday 10th of February 1796, I had supped the previous evening on
Tea made from the shrub called Spice-wood. A handful of young twigs
or branches is set to boil and after it has boiled at least a quarter
of an hour sugar is added and it is drunk like real Tea. There was
no Milk at the time and I was told that Milk makes it much more
agreeable to the taste. This beverage restores strength and it had
that effect for I was very tired when I arrived. This shrub is the
_Laurus Benjoin Linn_. The Illinois French call it Poivrier and the
hunters season their meat with some pieces of its wood.
In the vicinity grows a plant[169] of the _Orchis_ family whose
leaf remains all winter. There are seldom two; the form is oval,
furrowed, entire; the root bears two or three very viscous bulbs. It
is used in the Country to mend broken crockery. It is called _Adam
and Eve_. This plant is more common in the rich low lands of the
territory West of the Allegany Mountains. I have also seen it in
Lower Carolina but it is very rare there. It is not rare in Illinois.
Rain continued to fall all day and I was obliged to spend the night
in a house near Nolin Creek because the river had overflowed its
banks.
The 11th arrived at Huggins’s 12 Miles from Rollinford.
The 12th passed through a Country covered with grass and Oaks which
no longer exist as forests, having been burned every year. These
lands are called Barren lands although not really sterile. The
grasses predominate: _Salix pumila_, _Quercus nigra_ and _Quercus
alba_ called Mountain White Oak. _Gnaphalium dioicum_ also grows
there in abundance. It is called by the Americans White Plantain.
The same day 12th of February 1796 passed by Bacon Creek, a new
settlement 19 Miles from Huggins Mill and arrived at Green river 9
Miles from Bacon Creek. Slept 3 Miles further on at the house of one
Walter.
The 13th of February traveled 37 Miles without seeing a House through
the lands called Barren lands. The _Salix pumila_ that grows there in
abundance is the same as that which is very common in the Illinois
prairies as one leaves Vincennes Post to go to Kaskaskia. Slept
beyond the Big Barren river.
Sunday the 14th traveled about 30 Miles. In all the Houses the
children were suffering from Hooping Cough. This disease probably
results from a simple Cold but the reprehensible system of living
continually on salt and smoked meat fried in the pan produces those
acrid humors that render expectoration more difficult.
The 15th traveled 27 Miles and arrived at Nashville. Supper, bed and
breakfast 2 shillings.
The 16th started to go and visit Colonel Hays[170] a wealthy
inhabitant to whom I had been recommended the previous year by
Governor Blount, Governor of the Country known under the name of
Western territories, South west of the Ohio. This Country, which
is estimated to have 60 Thousand inhabitants, in consequence of
the considerable annual immigration and of the rapid increase of
population, has just been erected into a State governed by its own
representatives under the new name of the _State of Tennesee_ from
the name of a very large river that runs through the whole Houlston
Country, the Cumberland Country, the Country of the Cheroquis Indians
and other adjacent countries. This large river falls into the Ohio
9 Miles above fort Massac. It was known by the French, who were the
first to discover the Countries in the interior of North America,
under the name of Cheroquis River and it is so designated on the
French Maps. I met at Colonel Hays’s several inhabitants of the
neighborhood who came to confer upon current matters in connection
with the election of new civil and military Officers.
The 17th and 18th of February 1796 remained at Colonel Hays’ on
account of bad weather.
The 19th concluded the bargain for the purchase of a Horse to
convey the baggage, Collections of Plants, Birds and other Things I
had brought from Illinois and recently from Kentuckey. Returned the
same day to sleep at Nashville.
The 20th spent the entire day in getting my collections together
and in packing them. Saw some French voyageurs who spend all their
lives in the Trade with the Savages and asked the Terms on which I
could obtain a Guide to go up the Missouri river. One of them named
... told me he would willingly engage for a year for the sum of 500
dollars in furs that is to say 1000 dollars in money; another asked
me 2000 dollars in money.
Sunday the 21st prepared for my journey.
The 22nd had my two horses shod.
The 23rd started and after making two Miles was obliged to return on
account of....
The 25th started to return to Carolina and slept 10 Miles away at
the house of Colonel Mansko, a declared enemy of the French because,
he said, they have killed their King. Although I had not dined I
would not accept his supper believing that a Republican should not be
under obligations to a fanatical partisan of Royalty. I was greatly
mortified that the night and the rain should compel me to remain in
his House. But I slept on my Deer skin and paid for the Maize he
supplied me with to cross the Wilderness.
The 26th
Sunday 28th of February 1796 stopped ten miles from the river on
account of the Rain and because the Creeks had overflowed their banks.
The 29th in the evening crossed the Creeks and slept in the Wood near
the road at a place where Reeds or Canes were growing in abundance.
This species of grass which grows abundantly in many places
which have not been settled, is destroyed when completely eaten by
Cattle; Swine also destroy it by rooting in the earth and breaking
the roots. The stalk is sometimes as thick as a goose quill, but in
the rich lands bordering on the rivers and between the mountains,
some stalks are as much as 2 and even three inches in diameter; the
height is sometimes from 25 to 30 feet. This grass is ramose but it
seldom bears fruit in the territory of Kentuckey, in that of Tenesee
or in that of the Carolinas. This grass begins in the southern and
maritime portion of Virginia. Further South as in the Carolinas,
in the Floridas and in Lower Louisiana, this grass is found in
abundance.[171]
Snow fell throughout the night and on the following morning my two
Horses that had been tied had their legs swelled in consequence of
the cold and of the continually muddy roads over which I had traveled
the previous day.
The 1st of March 1796 arrived at Fort Blount situated on the
Cumberland River.[172] Snow continued to fall during a part of the
day.
The 2nd remained over in order to pull young Shoots of a new
Sophora[173] I had remarked in the vicinity of Fleen’s [Flinns]
creek about 12 Miles from the Fort. Snow covered the ground and I
was unable to get any young Shoots but Captain Williams, the young
[officer] stationed in the Fort cut down some trees and I found some
good seeds.
I also pulled up some roots of those trees to replant them in my
garden in Carolina.
The same day I had occasion to write to Governor Blount.
The 3rd of March continued my journey; crossed Fleen’s Creek several
times. Saw again the small bulbous umbelliferous plant I had remarked
some days previously. Toward evening the road was less muddy.
The 4th arrived at the Mountains called Cumberland mountains.
The 5th passed several Creeks and Rivers on which is an abundance of
a climbing Fern of the genus....[174]
The land through which these rivers flow is less fertile than the
territory of Nashville or Cumberland settlement and two-leaved Pines
are found there in abundance.
Sunday 6th of March 1796 arrived at West Point on the Clinch River.
The 7th slept at a distance of 15 Miles near the junction of the
Houlston river with that called Tenesee.
The 8th arrived at Knoxville.
The 9th Dined with Governor William Blount.
The 10th took my lodgings in the house of Captain Louné near the
Cumberland river.[175]
The 11th herborised on the opposite bank bordered by steep rocks
covered with _Saxifrage_, _bulbous umbellifera_ etc.
The 12th continued to herborise.
Sunday the 13th, Visited Captain Richard, Commandant of the garrison.
The 14th herborised; saw in bloom, _Anemone hepatica_; _Claytonia
Virginica_; _Sanguinaria_.
Saw a new genus of Plant designated by Linnaeus _Podophyllum
diphyllum_ and discovered some years ago in Virginia while passing
by Fort Chissel. This Plant is less rare in the fertile lands
of Kentuckey and Cumberland. It is found in the neighborhood of
Knoxville. Dr Barton[176] called it _Jeffersonia_ in a description
he gave of this Plant after seeing the flower of the Shoots I
had brought back to Philadelphia in the hands of the Botanist
Bartram.[177] The time when the plant flowers in the neighborhood of
Knoxville is about the 10th of March.
The 15th received the Letter from Governor Blount in answer to that
I had written him respecting the discovery of a new _Sophora_ in
the neighborhood of fort Blount. Started the same day and slept at
a distance of 7 Miles. Paid 2 shillings 3 pence for Supper and for
Maize and fodder for the Horses. Bundle of fodder 2 pence.
The 16th of March 1796 slept a mile from Iron Works at the house of
Mr Rice, Lawyer, 30 Miles from Knoxville. Observed in bloom: _Ulmus
viscosa_, _Acer rubrum_ ♂ flower on one individual and ♀ flower on
another tree.
The 17th slept near Bull’s gap 30 Miles from Iron Works.
The 18th passed by Lick creek and by Green court house 18 Miles from
Bull’s gap.
The 19th passed by Johnsborough 25 Miles from Green [ville]. Several
merchants are established at Johnsborough who obtain their goods from
Philadelphia by land.
Sunday the 20th started from Johnsborough. Saw in passing Mr Overton
of Kentuckey,[178] Major Carter of Wataga[179] at whose house I had
lodged several years previously with my son, and Colonel Avery.
Sunday 20th of March 1796 saw in bloom _Corylus americana_, ♀ flower
having the Styles or Stigmas of a purpurine color. _Ulmus viscosa
geminis aureis floribus 4-5-6-andris_, _stigmatibus purpureis_. _Acer
rubrum_ ♂ flower on one individual and ♀ flower on another. Slept at
Colonel Tipton’s 10 Miles from Johnsborough.
The 21st remarked that the Mountains were covered in several
places with _Sanguinaria_, _Claytonia_ and _Erythronium_ with
spotted leaves. These Plants were in bloom. _Magnolia acuminata et
auriculata_; _Rhododendron_; _Kalmia_; _Pinus abies canadensis_,
_Pinus strobus_; _Azalea_ etc. etc. grow in abundance at the foot
of those Mountains. Arrived at Lime Stone cove and slept at Charles
Collier’s 18 Miles from Colonel Tipton’s.
The 22nd crossed Iron Mountain and arrived at night at David
Becker’s, 23 Miles without seeing a house.
The 23rd started from Becker’s on Cane Creek to Rider’s 6 Miles;
from Rider’s to Widow Nigh’s 7 Miles; from Nigh’s to Samuel Ramsey’s
2 Miles; from Ramsey’s to David Cox’s on Paper Creek 4 Miles and
from Cox’s to Young’s 1 Mile; from Sam Ramsey’s to Davinport’s 8
Miles.[180] Total 23 Miles. Slept at Davinport’s. Remarked the _Salix
capreoides_ in flower on the banks of the streams.
The 24th visited the high Mountains opposite Davinport’s house;
pulled up several hundred Shoots: _Azalea lutea fulva_; _Anonymos
azaleoides_. _Rhododendron minus_ etc.
The 25th of March 1796. Saw in flower the _Corylus cornuta_,[181]
_amentis_ [male] _geminis quandoque solitariis squamis ciliatis_;
_antheris apice ciliates_, _stylis coccineis_.
This species flowers about 15 days later than the species of _Corylus
americana_ found in all the Climates of North America even in lower
Carolina in the neighborhood of Charleston. The _Corylus cornuta_ is
found only on the highest mountains and in Canada. _Corylus americana
amentis_ [male] _solitariis squamis externe tomentosis margine nudâ_;
_floris_ [female] _stylis coccineis_.
The 26th herborised and pulled Shoots of shrubs and fresh Shoots to
transport them to the garden of the Republic in Carolina.
Sunday 27th of March....
The 28th prepared and packed my Collection of fresh Mountain Plants.
The 29th started from Davinport’s and slept at the house of ...
Young. Violet with dentate reniform leaves, villous petiole and
yellow flower in full bloom on the banks of streams and very cool
places.
The 30th continued my journey and by mistake took a road to the right
leading to Wilkes [County]. Another _Viole lutea scopus foliosus
foliis hastatis_ in flower in cool places and also less damp places.
This one is a little more tardy than the previous one.[182]
The 31st arrived at Colonel Avery’s and slept at Morganton or Burke
Court house.
Friday 1st of April 1796, started from Morganton. Slept at
Robertson’s, formerly Henry Waggner’s, 30 Miles from Morganton.
The 2nd of April _Epigea repens_ in full bloom as on previous
days; on several individuals all the female flowers were without
rudiments of Stamens while on other individuals all the flowers were
hermaphrodites. Arrived at noon at the house of Christian Reinhart
near Lincoln. Remained all day to pull shoots of the _Spiraea
tomentosa_ that grow in swampy spots.
Sunday 3rd of April arrived at Bennet Smith’s 12 Miles from Lincoln;
remained all day to pull shoots of a new Magnolia[183] with very
large leaves, auriculate, oblong, glaucous, silky, especially the
young leaves; the buds very silky; Flowers white Petals with a base
of a purple color. Stamens yellow etc. Along the Creek on the bank
of which this Magnolia grows I also saw the _Kalmia latifolia_,
_Viola lutea_, _foliis hastatis_; _Ulmus viscosa_ then in process of
fructification; _Halesia_; _Stewartia pentagyna_.
The 4th started and crossed Tuck-a-segee ford on the Catawba[184]
river 10 Miles from Bennet Smith’s. Took the road to the left instead
of passing by Charlotte and slept _11 Miles_ from Catawba river.[185]
The 5th of April 1796 at a distance of 12 Miles took once more the
road leading from Cambden to Charlotte.[186]
Took Shoots of _Calamus aromaticus_ that grows in damp places in the
neighborhood of Charlotte and of Lincoln. _Rhus pumila._ Slept near
Waxsaw Creek in South Carolina about 35 Miles from Tuck-a-Segee ford.
The 6th at the house of Colonel Crawford near Waxsaw Creek: anonymous
Plant with leaves _quaternate_, _perfoliate_, _glabrous_, _entire_.
This same Plant grows in the Settlements of Cumberland and in
Kentuckey. _Frasera foetida._[187]
Passed by Hanging Rock; the distance from Waxsaw to Hanging Rock is
22 Miles. To go to Morganton or Burke Court house one should not pass
by Charlotte, but take the Road to the left 3½ Miles from Hanging
Rock.
About 20 Toises after leaving the fork of the two roads (one of which
leads to Charlotte) one sees the _Anonymous_[188] shrub with a red
root which has the appearance of the _Calycanthus_. This shrub is the
one I saw in the vicinity of Morganton. Slept near Hanging Rock.
Thursday 7th of April 1796 arrived at Cambden; five or six Miles
before arriving there pulled Shoots of a new _Kalmia_ seen some years
previously. The distance from Hanging Rock to Cambden is 26 Miles.
Friday 8th of April started from Cambden, passed by State’s borough
22 Miles from Cambden and slept at Manchester 30 Miles from Cambden.
The 9th my Horses strayed away during the night, having broken the
Fence within which they were placed.
In the streams: _Callitriche americana_; _fructificatio simplex_,
_axillaris sessilis_, _Calyx 2-phyllus_, _stamen unicum_; _filamentum
longum_, _latere geminis germen duplex? styli duo longitudine
staminis_, _stigmata acuta_.
_Silene ... calyx 5-fidus cylindricus_, _corolla Petala 5_ (or
_5-partita usque ad basim_) _unguibus angustis_, _laciniis planis
apice obtusis_; _Stamina 10 basi corolla inserta_; _Germen
oblongum_. _Styli tres_; _stigmata acuta_; _Capsula unilocularis_,
_semina plura numerosa_, _flores rosei_.[189]
Started in the afternoon and slept at 15 Miles having crossed 10
Miles of sand called Santee High Hills in the space of which observed
_Phlox_; _Silene_ ...; _Dianthus_ ... in flower; _Lupinus perennis et
pilosus_ in flower.
Sunday 10th of April 1796 arrived at the Santee River at the place
called Manigault ferry; before arriving there observed _Verbena_
(_aubletia?_) and on the banks of the Santee, _arbor Anonymous_ whose
fruit (_muricatis_) covered with soft points, was almost ripe.[190]
Manigault ferry is 28 Miles from Manchester.
Two miles further on one takes the road to the right called Gaillard
road which is shorter than the ordinary road but muddy in winter.
Slept at the house of the Widow Stuard 18 Miles from Manigault ferry.
Tavern dirty and without a supply of fodder for Horses.
The 11th started very early; at a distance of 5 Miles remarked
_Lupinus perennis_ and _Lupinus pilosus_ in flower. Distance from
Charleston 40 to 43 Miles. Arrived at the garden of the Republic 37
Miles from the Widow Stuard’s that is to say 47 Miles from Charleston.
Recapitulation of the journey from Illinois to Charleston.
From St Louis of the Illinois to Kaskias 4 Miles
To the village of St Philippe 45
To the Prairie du Rocher 9
To Kaskaskias 45
To the junction of the Mississipi and Belle Rivière 95
To Fort Massac 45
To the Junction of the Cumberland and Belle Rivière 18
To Clark’s ville on the red river 120
To Nashville 60
To Bloodshed’s lick[191] 30
To Fort Blount on the Cumberland river 40
To West Point on the Clinch river 90
To Knoxville on the Houlston river 40
From Knoxville to Iron Works 30
To Bull’s gap 30
To Green’s ville 25
To John’s borough 25
To Colonel Tipton’s 10
To Limestone cove 18
To David Becker’s beyond the Mountain called
Iron mountain 23
From Backer’s to Young’s 20
To Morganton or Burke 22
To Robertson’s 30
To Lincoln 16
To Tuck a Segee 22
To Wax Saw Creek 35
To Hanging Rock 22
To Cambden 26
To Manchester 30
To Manigault ferry 28
To Charleston 70
----
Total 1123 Miles
374⅓ leagues
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Edmond Charles Genet (Genest) was born at Versailles
about 1765. His father was a diplomat who was
interested in English literature, and who welcomed
the American coterie in Paris to his home. Henrietta
Genet, later Madame Campan, was first lady of honor
to Queen Marie Antoinette; her brother was chosen
at the early age of twenty-four, secretary--later,
_chargé d’affaires_--to the French embassy at
St. Petersburg. His dispatches thence were of so
republican a tone, that in 1792 he was commissioned
minister of the new French republic, to Holland; but
late in the same year was chosen for the mission to
the United States, where he arrived April 8, 1793.
His career in America is well known. After his
commission was revoked, Genet became a naturalized
American citizen, married a daughter of Governor
Clinton of New York, and died at Jamaica, Long
Island, in 1834.--ED.
[2] Humeau and Le Blanc appear to have been agents of
Genet, assisting in this revolutionary movement.
Nothing is known of the former. Le Blanc was a
citizen of New Orleans, well-affected to the French
revolutionary cause. He was to have been made mayor
of New Orleans, when that city should fall into the
hands of the revolutionists. See American Historical
Association _Report_, 1896, pp. 1049, 1050.--ED.
[3] For a description of the left-hand or southern
branch of the road, known as “The Old Glade,” see
Harris’s _Journal_, _post_.--ED.
[4] Evident error; perhaps 320 was intended.--C. S. S.
The distance in reality by this route was somewhat
less than this.--ED.