The beautiful Sassafras shrub is now plentiful, also several others which I in vain endeavoured to obtain the name of; for the people seem almost totally ignorant of the trees and shrubs in their woods. WHEELING Is very pleasantly situated on the Ohio, and, standing upon high ground, appears to be healthy; it is also a very thriving town, as a number of excellent buildings and others rapidly carrying up sufficiently testify; among these is a public seminary endowed by a professional man in the law, who, dying without heirs, left amply sufficient to endow it:[21] near to this stands a neat chapel erected by methodists. Two good vineyards {58} are planted here, which looked thriving and, we were told, produce excellent wine. Without meaning to speak in favour of slavery, I will yet state the fact that, during the drive across this small arm of the slave state of Virginia, the white people seemed far more respectable and civilized than in the free state we had just left; almost all we met accosted us pleasantly, as if to welcome a stranger without that rude stare to which we had become accustomed; the blacks, too, appeared to be well clothed, civilized, and comfortable; very superior to the free black population elsewhere seen. We had scarcely crossed the Ohio into the free state of that name, when we found a rogue and rudeness; freedom must at least take honesty for her companion or she is not worth a rush. STATE OF OHIO On entering the state of Ohio by this route we find little to interest; a wild uncleared hilly country,[22] which with little alteration continues {59} till you approach St. Clairsville: the soil then is clay; the town well placed and its buildings good and neat; land hereabouts, a good grazing soil, is worth about twenty dollars per acre. We bought here, out of a waggon load, half a peck of peaches for six cents, (3d.) the peach and apple orchards are literally breaking down with fruit; every morning we stop at the first orchard to take in as many apples as we want for the day.