Slept soundly after the bath so that I did not hear the thunder. The
bedroom I hope the smallest I shall meet with; got up at half past four
but not able to shave; obliged to sleep in my shirt, as the night-shirt
was made wet by crushing a pineapple into the bag. On the road I stept
down to feel the Hot Spring which was hot indeed, I did not learn the
degrees. Breakfasted at Maurice Hill. Drove over mountains chiefly
covered with oaks and pines; the chief danger in crossing these
mountains is the snapping of the drag chain. Dined nearly one mile from
Sulphur Springs; a good deal of company; ran down to the spring, the
water a sulphur taste. Took leave of fellow passengers consisting of an
elderly lady and her daughter of the name of Parker of Philadelphia, a
family from Baltimore; a gentleman about sixty with his wife and two
daughters, one not more than seven years, and a middle-aged lady born in
London. We had spent two or three days very pleasantly and parted
reluctantly. I received an invitation to their house. Set off to
Lewisburgh and arrived a little before six; a little thriving place. The
hill before descending to the White Sulphur Spring I find is the
back-bone, as the streams flow each way; eastward into the Atlantic, and
westward into the Mississippi. For some time past the negroes have been
so numerous that whites have appeared rather strange. Some of the trees
that are hollow are fired to drive out the squirrels, and others have
been fired by lightning and others split by the same means. A
double-bedded room.
MONDAY, JUNE 30TH.
Rose at half past three. Found my companion to be a member of Congress.
There were two others in the stage, also a pleasing lady, wife to one of
the members, also a young man, H. C. Hart, a midshipman, who was
returning from a sail round the world, also a lively Frenchman.
Breakfasted at Kamley. Dined at Deak.
The road as usual very hilly, covered with oak, pines, etc., also a
curious honeysuckle and rhododendrons; the Hawk's Nest a jutting rock,
1100 feet high and a magnificent view of the river which does not appear
20 yards wide and is more than 200. Also the hills covered with trees,
those below looking mere shrubs.
As we came near the Falls of Kanawha the bridge had been washed down,
therefore we were ferried over; the road for some time carried alongside
the rocks overhanging the river. Arrived 1/4 before ten at Kanawha, got
supper and to bed at 1/4 past ten, to be called up at half past three.
Eight beds in a large room; the window wide open, but I selected one of
the beds the farthest off and secured my trousers under my pillow. The
names of the two M.P.'s were Mr. Doon and Marshall McLatcher. Here I had
the first introduction to mosquitoes, but they behaved rather
mercifully, or perhaps my blood was not to their taste.
TUESDAY, JULY 1ST.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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