But we will take leave of Philadelphia for the present--a future opportunity may occur for further observations; and to that chance we will leave it for the more important view of the Western country.
21st. With a strong but light carriage, called here a Dearborn waggon, for myself and party, and a light covered baggage waggon driven by my servant, I left the City about noon of such a day of heat as we had never until lately experienced: in consequence of which my dog, the fine animal above alluded to, ran off in a high fever, and I { 35} never saw him again; but he recovered, and came back to the house I had left in search of me, and was taken care of for a few days, when the dog butchers destroyed him. Not to mention the breaking of a three gallon Demijon bottle of good liquor in rattling over the pavement, another cross adventure happened, which made the commencement of so long a journey ominous;--having sent the baggage waggon forward the first stage, and there happening to be two roads and two inns with the same sign at about the same distance, my man unluckily took the wrong way--we slept the first night therefore ignorant of what had happened to him; however he crossed over, and to our mutual satisfaction joined us the following day. On requesting the ostler to call me early next morning, the drunken old beast told me I might "call myself and be damned." Oh, the blessings of independence!--But I will say this for the Americans, that if during my stay one other oath was uttered it is the most I heard.
24th. At Lancaster, Pensilvania.[13] We left Philadelphia on the 21st, and have travelled through a country well cultivated and still improving as we advanced, until, near this town, it breaks into hill and dale, woodland and pasture, forming the most beautiful scenery, and wanting nothing to the eye but water; actually { 36} it is, we are told, exceedingly well-watered. We admired the state of cultivation, observing good crops of red clover-seed, and the wheat stubbles clearly showing that heavy crops had been carried;--the beautiful Indian corn just shooting into ear, green and luxuriant, greatly relieved the eye; the oats alone (not yet harvested) looked short in the straw and bad, owing we were told to their quick ripening and want of rain. The clumsy zig-zag rail fence of the first settlers is giving way to strong post and rail, and in a few spots to the live hedge, which looked beautiful.