Nov-24- Friday morn- Turtle Creek-Penn-

One misfortune follows another, and I fear we shall never reach our journey's end— Yesterday we came about 3 miles— After coming down an awful hill, we were oblig'd to cross a creek; but before we quite came to it, the horses got mired, & we expected every moment one of them would die-but Erastus held his head out of water, while M^r W-was attempting to unharness them, & M^rs W- & Susan were on the bank, calling for help— I sat by, to see the horse breathe his last; but was happily disappointed in my expectation— No assistance could be got- till M^r W- waded though the water, & then 2 men with 3 horses came over— We came to this Inn, & M^r W- thought it best to stay till this morning- All our company have gone on- M^r Smith invited me to ride with his wife, on to Pitts'^g- & I on some accounts, wish I had accepted his invitation-indeed I could scarcely get beside it—

We found a gentleman (Doctor I presume by his looks-) here, who was very sociable & staid an hour with us- He appear'd to be a man of good information & considerable politeness— We found the landlord very good natur'd & obliging, & his wife directly the contrary— We find the men generally, much more so than their wives— We are 12 miles from Pitt——& here like to be- The landlord offers to keep Susan & me, till spring, & let the old folks go on— We got into the slough of Despond yesterday-& are now at the foot of the hill Difficulty- which is half a mile long- one waggon is already fast in the mud on it- & M^r W- is afraid to attempt it himself—I think I will winter here——