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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Journal of a Journey

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three miles, we came to a stream of water and there
fixed things in order for lodging in the woods, which
we got completed before night; and had a comfort-
able night under a tent made of bushes, by a large
fire. My companions said the place should be called
Coats's Camp

, which name I have no doubt it will go
by. From Peter's Camp we immediately left the Tioga
on our left hand, and ascended a great mountain
called the Savage Mountain., which I take to be there
same range with the Alleghany and Laurel Hill. It
is a great height and breadth, being twenty miles
across the ascent, and on the top until we came to the
place we lodged, (which is thirteen or fourteen miles),
to the worst road I have met with on this side the
Genesee river, being very stony, rooty, and muddy; a
great part of it covered with hemlock.

19th.

The descent down the south side pretty good
road, but steep until we came to Trout Run, nine
miles from the block-house, then down said run
six miles, in which distance we crossed it twenty-seven
or twenty-eight times, and came to Charles Reeder

's.
Got oats and fed our horses, then left the main road,
crossed the Lycoming and went seven miles over
very poor, rough land to Moses Wilson's, a Friend at
a place called Blooming Grove. Dined and proposed
to stay all night. Rode these two days, fifty-two
miles.

20th.

First of the week. Rode two miles to Na-
thaniel Pearson

's where a small meeting of Friends
is held by indulgence on the First- day of the week.
Sat with them in their meeting and went home with
Moses Starr to dine. Afternoon rode seven miles to
the widow Harris's. The land and timber this day's
ride, which was nine miles, appeared to me to be
very poor until we came to the said Harris's, on the
west branch of the Susquehanna, where there appears
to be excellent land a considerable width from the
river, and they have an extraordinary plantation for
fertility with a beautiful descent from the house fac-
ing the south. On taking a view of said farm and
the buildings upon it, I was led to contemplate upon
the great difference between the New England set-
tlers in a new country and those from Maryland,
having heretofore mentioned the industry, economy,
and intrepidity of the former. This family emigat-
ted from Maryland and appears in the house hold to
be in affluent circumstances. Several sons, young
men grown, and have been settled here, I suppose,
twelve or fourteen years; have got a good deal of
excellent land, cleared perhaps by the blacks, but
they have no barn nor stable fit to put a horse into;
but have ten or twelve hounds, a tame wolf, etc., and
I expect spend much of their time in hunting; all of
which had a tendency to increase my partiality in
favor of the Yankees. But we are kindly enter-
tained here; therefore it will not be proper to cast
any reflections on their economy.

21st.

Rode from the widow Harris

's to Wm. Ellis's,
nine miles. On the way crossed the Loyalsock.
Rested till evening, when twelve Friends appointed
by Philadelphia Quarter came to Ellis's in order to
attend the opening of a new Monthly Meeting at
Muncy, next Fourth-day, the 23d of this month. Here
we all lodged, being sixteen of us, they having plenty
of room, good accommodations, and open, generous hearts.

22d. Went to get my mare shod. Returned to
Ellis

's and lodged.

23d.

Attended the opening of the new Monthly
Meeting

at Muncy, where appears a considerable
number of well concerned Friends. Said meeting
held till near sunset. Lodged this night at our kind
and hospitable friends, Wm. and Mercy Ellis's.

24th.

Rode from Muncy

to Catawissa, thirty miles,
and lodged at Ellis Hughes's. The most of the way a
very good road; passed by a number of pretty good
plantations though a thin soil and a great deal of
what I call poor mountain land, covered with barren
oaks and small pitch pine. Soon after I left Ellis's,
crossed Muncy Creek, a large stream; and a little
before we came to Catawissa town, Fishing Creek,
another large stream appeared on our left hand and
emptied into the northeast branch of the Susque-
hanna, which opposite to said town is about a quarter
of a mile wide. We rode through it, [it] being a lit-
tle more than belly deep.

25th.

Stayed in the town and walked about with
Ellis Hughes

viewing the river and town, which
contains about fifty houses, most of them not the most
elegant. Near three o'clock, afternoon, James Cooper
and myself set off, leaving the rest of our company who
intend to attend the Monthly Meeting at Catawissa
tomorrow, and rode fourteen miles to Ledingburg's,
a Dutch tavern, the road being good over mountains
of very poor land.

26th.

Rode from Ledingburg's

to Ricgh's, nine
miles; fed our horses and got breakfast; to Pensinger's,
eighteen miles, and dined; to James Star's, at Par-
vin
's, twenty miles, and lodged. This day's ride,
forty-seven miles. The most of it good road over a
poor mountain country. Crossed the Schuylkill at
a forge in a gap of the Blue Mountains, and Maiden
Creek, about a mile before I came to James Star's.
James Cooper having parted with me two miles back,
in order to go to John Star's, it felt very comfortable
to be with these my old neighbors and beloved
friends, James and Eleanor Star.

27th. First of the week.

James Star

accompanied
me to Reading; attended Friends' meeting in that
place, which is very small, six miles, and dined at
John Jackson's, who accompanied me to my son-in-
law's, Mark Hughes, seven miles, at Exeter. The
pleasure I felt in meeting with my children was more
sensible than easy to describe.

[To be Continued.]