Chapter XI.
Merion--Cruel murder of a black boy--A few lines ad-
dressed to the author's family--Preservation of a ship's
company--Baltimore-Emigrants from Germany and
Holland--Elkridge--Company of slaves--Washing-
ton--A faithful slave.

12th Month, 31st, 1805,

I was employed in my
commercial concerns in Philadelphia

. In passing
along the market-house in this city, the variety of
wild animal food exposed to sale was very striking;
such as bear's flesh, oposums, racoons, squirrels,
deer, badgers, or ground hogs, &c. &c.; besides
a great variety of wild fowls. Many of the latter
were of beautiful plumage, but quite unknown
to me.

1806, 1st Month, 1st.

I returned to Merion

,
and spent the following day there, in writing to
my family and friends in England. I thought it
remarkable, especially at this season of the year,
that, notwithstanding there was a good deal of
plate in constant use, in the house where I lodged,
the doors were never locked at night, nor even had
any locks on them: the only fastening to the prin-
cipal front door, was a nail or a pin put over the
latch; and even this precaution was not unfre-
quently omitted. From what I could learn, it was
generally the practice, in this neighborhood, to