Directly over my Room was a sick Woman that kept a dismal groaning all night--My window-Shutters Clapt the Potowmack howl'd, yet I Slept--My Bill at Mrs Laidlers--A Bottle of Porter 2/. Dinner 1/3 Bed./6d--Bottle of Rum for Ferrymen 1/3--Gallon Oats./8d--Stable & Foder 1/.--A smart looking Girl at Mrs Laidlers made me smile--She was complaining to me of the unhealthy Climate, that these three months past she has had a constant Ague & Fever, & been in the Country only six months--Pray Miss said I did you come from Britain?--No Sir, I came from London--Rode thence to Port-Tobacco--It has been extremely sickly here this Fall--Bill to Barber 1s/8--Breakfast 1/--Hay and Oats 1/3--Mrs Halkinson my Landlady, a poor aged, distress'd Widow, when she found that I was acquainted with her little son at Princeton, seemed a little to revive; she beg'd me to encourage her Son to be diligent & industrious, to caution & admonish him from h[er] against bad company & wicked practices--She told me of her great & sore loss of an only Daughter, a young woman of 15 this Summer, since which, she told me in tears, that She has been a stranger to health & Quiet--O relentless Death!--How universal & severe are thy Commissions! From Mrs Laidlers to Port Tobacco is called 13 miles--I rode thence thro' a fog of Dust to Piscatua 14 miles. The Landlady here is very ill--That dismal disorder the bloody-Flux has been extremely bad at Port-Tobacco, & in the Neighbourhood of this town, but is subsided--Expence here half a Gill of Brandy./3d--Oats & Fodder./6d--Left this Village half after four, and rode to upper-Marlborough, almost blinded with sweat & dust!--Arrived by seven, a little tired this Evening--Distance 16 Miles--Whole distance yesterday including the Ferry 8 miles 44 Miles--Whole Expence 8/7--That epidemical distemper above mentioned has been likewise raging in the Neighbourhood of this Town--Bill at Marlborough To Tea 1/3--To lodging ./8--To Oats 1/1--To stabling 1/.-- _Saturday 22._ Rode thence to Patuxen Ferry 4 mile Ferriage./6d--Thence to South River 12 miles, Ferriage./6d--To Boy ./4--Thence to Annapolis 4 miles--Bill here To Dinner & Club 4/6--To Hay & Oats 1/3--To two Silver watch Seals 15/6 To half Gallon Rum for Ferryman 2/6--To Hay for Horse /8--To Barber 1/--Left Annapolis at 6 no wind returned about 8 to the Coffee-House To Ferriage across the Bay 17/6-- _Sunday 23._ Teusday evening last the people of this Town & of Baltimore obliged one Anthony Stewart a Merchant here to set fire to a Brig of his lately from London in which was 17 Chests of Tea--The People seem indeed to be full of patriotic Fire--Second Bill at Annapolis--Supper 1/6--Lodging ./9 Hay 1/3--2 Gallons Oats 1/6--Articles for the Voyage 4/.--Landed about 5 at Kent-Island,[208] rode thence to a small Ferry for Oats & Ferriage 1/.--thence we rode to Queens Town 15 miles[209]--Bill there 5/2½ [208] Kent Islands, Maryland. [209] Queenstown, Queen Anne County, Maryland. _Monday 24._