Narrative of Richard Lee Mason in the Pioneer West, 1819 — John Shaqi
Narrative of Richard Lee Mason in the Pioneer West, 1819Mason, Richard Lee
History
Narrative of Richard Lee Mason in the Pioneer West, 1819
Mason, Richard Lee
United States -- Description and travel
Monday, Oct. 19.--Left Siers at 6 o'clock a. m. The morning fair and
cold. Roads extremely rough. Country fertile, but hilly. Log cabins,
ugly women and tall timber. Passed a little flourishing village called
Freeport, settled by foreigners. Yankee Quakers and mechanics.
Remarkable, with two taverns in the village, there was nothing fit to
drink, not even good water. The corn fields in the woods among dead
trees and the corn very fine. We arrived at Adairs, a distance of
twenty-seven miles, at 6 o'clock p. m. Passed some peddlers and a few
travelers. Value of land from Steubenville to Adairs from $2 to $30 per
acre. Lots in Freeport, eighteen months old, from $30 to $100. This day
being Monday and the end of the second week since leaving home, our
feelings were warm and our hearts beat high for those that are dear and
behind us.
Tuesday, Oct. 20.--Left Adairs at 6 o'clock a. m. The country extremely
hilly and not quite so fertile. Independent people in log cabins. They
make their own clothes, sugar and salt, and paint their own signs. They
picture a lion like a dove, a cat like a terrapin, and Gen. Washington
like a bird's nest. Salt wells and sugar orchards are common in this
country. Steep hills, frightful precipices, little or no water, and even
a scarcity of new whisky. Ragged and ignorant children and but little
appearance of industry. Met a number of travelers inclining to the east,
and overtook a larger number than usual bound to the land of promise.
The evening being rainy, the roads soon became muddy. We arrived at
Silver's Travelers' Rest at 6 o'clock. Distance twenty-nine miles.
Passed a little village called Cambridge.
Wednesday, Oct. 21.--Left Silver's at 7 o'clock and breakfasted at
Zanesville, a very growing and flourishing village. It is situated on
the Muskingum river, which is navigable for flat-bottomed boats.
Zanesville is a lively and busy little town. There are several mills and
manufactories in and at the place. Neat bridges and a canal cut at great
labor and expense through a solid rock for a considerable distance, by
which very important water power is gained. Left Zanesville and
traveled twenty-three miles to a village called Somerset. The country
very hilly and the lands not so fertile as those met with near Cadis.
Rain continues. Roads extremely slippery. Met and overtook about sixty
travelers, many on foot--Scotch, Irish, and Yankees. Oats, 25 cents;
butter, 12-1/2 cents; brandy, 50 cents a half-pint; hay, $8 a ton.
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