Bedford--Travellers and travelling--Whiskey preferred to victuals and
necessaries--Obliging disposition of inhabitants--A musical and
social judge--Departure in the stage--The Allegheny mountains--
Somerset--Good inn--A murder--visit to the gaol.
Making a virtue of necessity, I consoled myself under my
disappointment, by restoring to my constitution the equilibrium of
rest, which it was deprived {46} of last night, by the anguish of my
foot, and the impatience of the elder Wilson; I accordingly went to
bed, and enjoyed an hour’s refreshing repose, after which I arose and
sauntered about the house until supper was announced, which I partook
of with my civil and attentive host and hostess Mr. and Mrs. Fleming.
Soon after supper, five travellers from the N. W. part of the state,
arrived on horseback, with whom I conversed until bed time. They were
on their way to Baltimore, and were plain Irishmen, uninformed of any
thing beyond their own business, which appeared to be that of packers,
or travelling merchants, who vend groceries and various merchandize
through the country.
The travelling on these roads in every direction is truly astonishing,
even at this inclement season, but in the spring and fall, I am
informed that it is beyond all conception.
Apropos of travelling--A European, who had not experienced it,
could form no proper idea of the manner of it in this country. The
travellers are, wagonners, carrying produce to, and bringing back
foreign goods from the different shipping ports on the shores of the
Atlantick, particularly Philadelphia and Baltimore;--Packers with from
one to twenty horses, selling or trucking their wares through the
country;--Countrymen, sometimes alone, sometimes in large companies,
carrying salt from M’Connelstown, and other points of navigation on
the Potomack and Susquehannah, for the curing of their beef, pork,
venison, &c.;--Families removing further back into the country, some
with cows, oxen, horses, sheep, and hogs, and all their farming
implements and domestick utensils, and some without; some with wagons,
some with carts and some on foot, according to their abilities:--The
residue, who made use of the best accommodations on the roads, are
country merchants, {47} judges and lawyers attending the courts,
members of the legislature, and the better class of settlers removing
back. All the first four descriptions carry provisions for themselves
and horses, live most miserably, and wrapped in blankets, occupy the
floor of the bar rooms of the taverns where they stop each night, which
the landlords give them the use of, with as much wood as they choose
to burn, in consideration of the money they pay them for whiskey,
of which they drink great quantities, expending foolishly, for that
which poisons them, as much money as would render them comfortable
otherwise.--So far do they carry this mania for whiskey, that to
procure it, they in the most niggardly manner deny themselves even the
necessaries of life; and, as I was informed by my landlord Fleming, an
observing and rational man, countrymen while attending the courts (for
they are generally involved in litigation, of which they are very fond)
occupy the bar rooms of the taverns in the country towns, for several
days together, making one meal serve them each day, and sometimes
two, and even three days--but drinking whiskey without bounds during
the same time. The latter description of travellers--the merchants,
lawyers, &c. travel as in other countries--making use of and paying for
their regular meals, beds, &c.
The pain of my foot having been much alleviated, by an application
of bran and vinegar all night, the next morning after my arrival in
Bedford, I walked out into the town, and having occasion to call at
some tradesmen’s shops, and at another excellent tavern where the
stage from the eastward stops, as that from the westward does at
Fleming’s, I was much gratified with the civility and desire to please,
which I observed throughout, which impressed me much in favour of the
place, and the impression was heightened by another circumstance that
forenoon. I had sat down to write, and while engaged at it, the bar
{48} keeper, who had been amusing himself with an octave flute, of
which I had made a pocket companion, opened the door, and introduced a
gentleman of the middle age, who I supposed to be a traveller; but he
soon undeceived me, by telling me that he had been informed I was fond
of musick, and that I had a German flute with me, which was also his
instrument, and he had taken the liberty of calling on me to inform me,
that there was a musical society in Bedford, of which he was a member,
and that he would convene it that evening for my amusement, if I would
assist them by taking a part. I excused myself on account of the pain
of my foot, and also on my flute being an octave. He then hoped a glass
of punch would be acceptable, which I declined, saying, I never drank
spirits of any description. There was something perhaps ungracious in
my refusal of his proffered civilities, for he appeared hurt, and made
a movement to depart, but I made my peace, and prevailed on him to give
me half an hour of his company, by observing that although I was a bad
fellow with respect to the bottle, I nevertheless enjoyed very much
the society of the well bred and well informed, and felt myself much
obliged to him for his polite attention. He proved to be a man of good
theoretick information, but with little practical worldly knowledge.
From a desire to appear to merit the compliment I had paid him, he
was particularly studious of his language, measuring each word, and
weighing every sentence before he gave it utterance;--prefacing each
speech with “If I may be permitted to hazard an opinion,”--“According
to my local ideas,” and other set phrases to fill up the vacuum, while
considering what he should next say on the subject under discussion. We
talked of the country--of robberies--murders and accidents, and at last
he bade me good morning; setting me down, no doubt, as a poor devil
without soul, who would {49} not drink spirits. On his taking leave,
“my name, Sir, said he is S---- it would perhaps be an unwarrantable
liberty to ask yours,” “Not at all, Sir, mine is ----.” Mrs. Fleming
afterwards told me that he was one of the associate judges of the
county, “a very clever and fine spoken man,” but rather over fond of
the universal enemy;--that he had lost considerable property, but that
his wife’s fortune being secured to herself, enabled him to still enjoy
some of the comforts of life.
This afternoon my wagonner arrived, and went on, appointing to be in
Pittsburgh on the Friday or Saturday evening of next week.
Bedford the capital of a county of the same name, is very romantically
situated--being hemmed in on all sides by low mountains covered with
woods except on the north, towards which point is a long vista, so
that it has not unaptly been compared to a barber’s bason, with the rim
cut out on one side for the chin. It was considered as a frontier only
about twenty years ago; when some of the stoccado which had defended it
when it had a garrison, was still to be seen.[19] It now contains about
80 houses, of brick, stone and logs. It has a court-house, a gaol,
and school-house, and I was informed that a house is used as a place
of worship for any Christian sect, and that sometimes a travelling
minister of one or other of the various divisions into which, to its
disgrace, Christianity is split, stops to remind the inhabitants of
their religious duties.[20]
{50} Apropos of religion.--Asking for a book last night, my landlord
sent me Richard Brother’s prophecies, with which farrago of
enthusiastick madness, I read myself to sleep. The town is supplied
with water from a spring half a mile distant, by means of wooden pipes,
which conduct it to a reservoir in the centre: And some chalybeate
springs strongly impregnated with sulphur, have lately been discovered
in the neighbourhood; to which, according to custom, whether with
justice or otherwise, great medicinal virtues are attributed.[21] This
town was incorporated in 1794, and is governed by two burgesses, a
constable, a town clerk and three assistants.
{51} The 31st day of January at 4 in the morning, I left Bedford in
the stage with three gentlemen and a young girl passengers. It had
snowed all night, {52} and the ground was covered some inches deep, so
we had to proceed slowly to break the road, crossing the West branch
of the Juniata twice in the first three miles. As day dawned, the
country appeared to be in general rather better settled and cultivated
than on the eastern side of Bedford, but it was still very hilly,
and wood was the prevailing feature. At half past 10, we had reached
the foot of the Allegheny {53} ridge, where we breakfasted; and here
I found one of the advantages of travelling in the stage, was to be
charged a sixteenth of a dollar more per meal, than if one travelled in
any other way.
We were now in Somerset county, and having changed stages, horses,
and drivers, we ascended by a very easy road of one mile to the top
of the highest ridge of land in the United States, to the eastward of
which all the rivers flow to the eastward, to empty themselves into the
Atlantick ocean, while to the westward, they flow westerly to unite
with the Mississippi, which is their common aqueduct to the gulph of
Mexico.[22]
The face of the country before us now changed for the better; not being
broken as to the eastward, but fine extensive levels and slopes, well
inhabited and cultivated; and the ridges of hills, though long, not
so steep, and finely clothed with heavy wood. This was the general
appearance of the country, until we arrived at Somerset, the capital of
the county, 14 miles from the top of the Allegheny ridge.
This is a new town, having been laid out and built within twenty years:
It contains about seventy tolerably good houses, with a court-house,
where upstairs, is the present place of worship, common to all sects
like Bedford, until a church, which is to be in common also, is
erected, for which the town has petitioned the assembly to enable them
to raise $3000 by lottery.
We stopped at Webster’s excellent, comfortable, and well furnished inn,
where we found good fires, a good supper, and a series of the Baltimore
Daily Advertiser.
Since I had come over the three mountains between Strasburgh and
Ramsay’s, the principal subject of conversation along the road, was
concerning the murder by two Frenchmen of a Mr. David Pollock, on the
23d of this month, on Allegheny mountain. {54} They had shot him, and
when he fell in consequence from his horse, they dragged him off the
road into the wood, and stabbed him with a knife in several places.
He was soon after discovered dead by a company of packers, who had
seen two men but a little while before, and had heard soon after, the
reports of a double barrelled gun carried by one of them. This, and the
meeting of a horse with a saddle and saddle-bags, and no rider, gave
them a suspicion, and induced them to search in the wood, following the
tracks of men from the road into the wood, to the body. After returning
to the road they again saw the two men whom they suspected come out of
the woods before them. They pursued them, but lost sight of them at a
turning in the road, where they again took into the woods. The packers
rode on to the next house and gave an alarm, which soon mustered the
inhabitants of the neighbourhood, who arming themselves, went in
pursuit of the murderers. One of them resisting, when discovered, was
shot, and the other apprehended, and lodged in Somerset gaol.
I had been informed that the prisoner neither spoke, nor understood
English, and that since his apprehension, he had no interpreter with
him, except a German farmer, who understood French but badly. Impelled
by humanity, I asked my landlord to accompany me to visit him. He was
a poor, ignorant, abject, pusillanimous wretch of the name of Noel
Hugue, and had lately arrived in America from Marseilles, where he had
been a traiteur or cook. He denied the murder or any knowledge of it,
but his story was inconsistent and dissatisfactory. On my informing
him of the motives of my visit, he was very grateful. I advised him
to write to any persons at New York or Philadelphia, where he had
staid some time after his arrival, who might have it in their power
to send him any testimonial of character; {55} and, as I thought his
case desperate, to write to his friends or connections in France, and
that the court before which he would be tried, or whatever lawyer was
charged with his defence, would forward his letters. On my return
to the inn a Mr. Leiper, a young gentleman just called to the bar,
requested me to accompany him to the gaol, to interpret between him
and the prisoner, as he intended voluntarily to undertake his defence,
although it was so unpopular as not to be unattended with personal
danger, in the irritated state of mind of the country. I complied with
his request, but from the interview, I had no reason to expect his
humane attempt would be, or ought to be successful.[23]
FOOTNOTES:
[19] Part of the log building, which formed the garrison here, and
which was erected by the troops of Geo. III. king of Great Britain,
still exists, and has been newly weatherboarded lately, and now forms a
kitchen to a tavern.--CRAMER.
[20] In the summer of 1809, the foundation of a new Presbyterian church
was laid in Bedford opposite the court-house for the Rev Mr. Boyd’s
congregation, a young clergyman of handsome talents, and who had
settled here a short time before.--CRAMER..
[21] It is perhaps worth while for the sake of a curious and important
fact, to mention the extraordinary effects of the water on a gentleman
who had visited this spring in the summer of 1809, and who before he
left it, discharged from his bowels a _living monster_, described by
some who saw it, as a _lizard_, by others a _crab_, with legs, claws,
&c. and of considerable size.--The unhappy man had been ill for several
years, without being able to get any relief by the aid of skilful
physicians. Immediately after this, he began to recover, and is now in
a fair way of regaining his health.
Of the four classes of mineral waters known, the water of this spring
unites the qualities of at least _three_ of them, viz. The _saline_,
the _sulphurous_, and the _martial_--but of the second it is lightly
tinctured. Its usual effects on people in health, are those of an
immediate and powerful _diuretick_, a gentle _cathartick_, with a
considerable increase of _perspiration_, and sometimes a slight
_emetick_, this last happening but very seldom. The water may be
drank in great quantities with safety, from two to thirty half pints,
being the usual quantity in the course of an hour before breakfast.
Some indeed drink fifty half pints, while others are considerably
incommoded by drinking a gill, which was the case with Mrs. Snyder,
wife of governor Snyder, whose death was lately announced. She was at
the spring, August 1809, but her case, which was of the consumptive
kind, was too far gone to admit of recovery. Not being able to take the
water, she tarried but a few days, and returned to Lancaster with her
companion, Miss ----
The following Latin poem written by James Ross, teacher of the
languages in the Philadelphia academy, formerly of Chambersburgh, and
author of an excellent grammar, with its translation in prose by the
Rev. Mr. Willson, teacher of the languages in Bedford, descriptive
of this spring, and the quality of its waters, &c. will be read with
pleasure.
J. ANDERSON, M. D.
Hos versiculos symbolum amicitiæ inscribit,
_JA. ROSS_,
IN PONTEM BEDFORDIÆ SALUTAREM.
Monte decurrens, velut amnis, alto,
Fons, loquax nunquam, tacitus recedis,
Abditus terris, catebrasque celans
Fluminis unda.
Non alis campos virides vel agros;
Non greges pascis, vitulosque vaccas;
Non tuæ ripæ generant leones
Dente furentes.
Sed tuas undas celebrant Puellæ,
Femulæ et Matres, Puerique Sponsi,
Has Senes undas adamant Anusque
Ore bibentes.
Hisque gaudentes Homines levabunt
Pectoris morbos, capitis dolores;
Aurium sensus, laterumque pœnas
Sæpe lavando.
Has bibant isti quibus est podagra;
Has quibus tussis mala, nec fuganda
Artibus, cura aut Medici periti;
Namque levabunt.
Quin et afflicti, ac oculisque lumbis
Has bibant undas, stomacho dolentes;
Pauperes, dites, recreentque corpus
Sæpe bibendo.
Has bibant undas vacui, salubres;
Nil nocent salus Puerisve Nymphis:
Pauperes multi hæc, simul atque dites,
Dicere possunt.
Bedfordiæ, (Pennsylvanorum) quarto }
Kal. Septembres, A.D. 1809. }
_Bedford Gazette._
_TRANSLATION_
_To John Anderson, M. D. the following Verses are inscribed, as a token
of Friendship, by the Author James Ross_
ON THE MEDICINAL SPRING OF BEDFORD
From the base of a lofty mountain issuing, O fountain, thy profusion
of waters, thou sendest forth in silence, from thy fountain, deep in
earth’s womb embowled, them mingling with the stream, which murmurs
below, thou loosest. No verdant plains, nor verdant fields are
nourished by thy stream irriguous. Nor flocks, nor younglings of the
herd dost thou with food supply. To no prowling beasts of prey, do thy
shady, thy romantick banks, afford shelter or refuge. _Hence_, blooming
virgins gay, matrons old, and aged sires, and youths lately in wedlock
joined: greatly delight to saunter along thy streams; _and, in the cool
refreshing shade_, to quaff thy healing waters.
While, with heartfelt satisfaction, the valetudinarian, in the waters
of this fountain, laves himself, the diseases of the breast--the pains
of the head--the distresses of the side--and deafness, _which prevents
the ear from drinking in the rich melodies of musick_, all shrink
from the healing efficacy of the healthful element. Let those drink
whom the gout torments, and those whom the distressing cough annoys,
diseases, which yield not to the art or care of the physician, however
learned. In drinking, they certain aid shall find. The humble cottager,
and wealthy lord, however weakened by disease shall re-invigorate
their systems, by drinking these waters. Tender eyes shall regain
their strength--lost powers of digestion shall again return--and the
enfeebled loins, with new strength be girded. Let the sons of leisure,
and votaries of amusement, on these health preserving waters regale
themselves. The vigorous young man, and the rosy cheeked, from them
receives no harm. Rich and poor innumerous, can well attest the truths
I sing.
_Ibid._--CRAMER.
[22] The Allegheny Ridge is in fact but twenty-five hundred feet
in height. The White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Cumberland
Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee exceed it in altitude.--ED.
[23] This man was hung at Somerset after April court, 1807. He
positively denied to the last of having any knowledge of the crime for
which he was about to suffer death. He also declared his companion, who
was shot in taking him, innocent, and as having no knowledge of the
circumstance of the death of Pollock.--CRAMER.