Novbr 26- Saturday night- 3½ miles beyond Pittsburg-
Reading edition
Just as we were getting into the waggon this morning, Mr W- found he had left his great coat 4 miles back, & went back on foot after it, while we proceeded to Pitts- which we reach'd about noon— Mr W- came about an hour after—— After getting well warm, Susan & I were going out to view the town, when Mr W- came & hurried us away, as he wished to cross the river before night- From the little we did see of the town, I was extremely disappointed at its appearance- It is not one half as large as I suppos'd- but I am unable to give you any account of it, from my own observation— It is situated at the confluence of the 2 rivers, the Alleghany, & Monongahela- The town suffer'd very much by the flood- One house floated down the river- its inhabitants were in the upper part of it calling for assistance-none could be render'd & what became of them I did not learn- I believe it is not known- It was late before we could cross the river (Alleghany) & we came on but 3 miles & a half to a very good tavern- The man & his wife are both good natur'd—We found the road to day, better than for a long time— We left almost all the stones when we cross'd the last mountain- & to day I believe we have cross'd the last hills of any consequence- We are now- "on the banks of the pleasant Ohio"——
Sunday eve- It has been all day & still is, raining another flood I fear- All the men in the neighborhood came here to keep the sabbath by drinking whiskey &c. &c- but no swearing— I sat reading very quietly & one of them came & desir'd to look over me- I very much doubted whether he could read, but he convinc'd me he could by his observations, which were given with such a tobacco breath as almost suffocated me- He was not more than half shaved, & could read without spelling more than half the words- for he would read a page & half in an hour, nearly— There is a sweet little boy here about 3 years old- He has been writing with me some time & talks so much to me that I am as slow writing as this man was reading— This is the 6th sabbath since I left you— We have lost our company—I quite want to see some of them again—