It was a beautiful day in the latter part of September, that we started on this expedition in my Dearborn; our friend on horseback leading the way. We drove along a good turf road across the fine plain of Vincennes, fully expecting to get on as smoothly and pleasantly as a gig party on a Sunday excursion along what are called the "green lanes," around our own metropolis;--we were not long suffered to enjoy these pleasing anticipations however, for our guide suddenly turned into the wood and the wheels came bump upon our old acquaintance a stump road.--While we are getting on slowly upon it, I will just give a slight description how such tracts are formed;--imagine a woodland in a state of nature: through this, guiding themselves by compass, people get on as they can, chopping a piece of bark from the trees in the line, which they call "blazing," as a direction to those who follow with tools to cut down the trees between those blazed, which they do at about a foot to a foot and a half from the ground, leaving the stumps and brushwood standing. In a short time this latter gets worn away, but the stumps remain a long while; and between these, horsemen, waggons, and other {100} carriages proceed, steering between, or bumping upon them, which is at times unavoidable, and week after week I have driven to my own astonishment how escaping, winding about among these stumps, progressing at most not more than three miles an hour. Were the "four in hand" thought I, to try their skill on these roads, many a wreck would soon strew the ground. But to return to our adventure; for our companion calls, and presses me to urge forward the horses; advice needless to give, for alas! we could not adopt it. The small track became more blind; our guide appeared to be confused; and not a little to my dismay and vexation, instead of road as good as Vincennes town-street, we were at length entangled in woodland; brushing through breaking boughs, going in and out through bogs, and lifting the wheels over dead fallen trees as we could. In this situation, as difficult to retreat as advance, I knew not what to do and began to suspect some foul play; but recollecting the respectable character our companion bore at Vincennes, I dismissed the thought, and being both myself and servant armed I resolved to try to proceed; so calling in a peremptory tone to our friend in advance to keep in sight, for I fancied he seemed to be uneasy at his situation, and he at times {101} disappeared, I asked him, not if this was his excellent road--I was too vexed for that, but how much farther such difficulties would be found: he answered not far; that we were near the river, and that we would cross it at a nearer ferry than he had at first intended; adding, he would ride on and get the boat ready, he vanished, after pointing the way we were to follow.