Sunday eve— Nov-19th— Foot of Laurel Hill—Penn—

I wish my dear Elizabeth, you could be here for half an hour, & hear the strangest man talk, that you or I ever saw in this world— He is either mad or a fool— I don't know which, but he looking over me & telling me I can make a writer— He is the most rating, ranting fellow— I wish you could hear him——I begin to think him mad— His name is Smith— He & his wife are journeying either to New Orleans or the Ohio—— I never was more diverted than to hear him (he is certainly crazy— repeating a prayer & a sermon & forty other things in a breath) talk about the Dutchmen in Pennsylvania— He & his wife came amongst them one evening & stopt at several houses to get entertainment, but was sent on by each one to the tavern— He began by stating his religious tenets, & at length after every body & thing was created, he says the under Gods (of whom he supposes there were a great number) took some of the skum & stir'd it up, & those fellows came out—or rather Hell boil'd over & they were form'd of the skum——I believe he has been studying all his life for hard words & pompous speeches, & he rattled them off at a strange rate— His language is very ungrammatical—but the Jacksons are all in raptures with him—They cannot understand his language (nor indeed could any one else) & therefore concluded he must be very learned- Their observations are almost as diverting as his conversation- I could make them believe in ten minutes, that I was a girl of great larnin-if I were to say over Kermogenious- Heterogenious & a few such words without any connection—no matter if I do but bring them in some how— We are over the 6^th mountain & at an Inn at the foot of it- This m^tn is called worse than any of them- it is only about 6 miles over- We have only come 8 to day, & I have not been in the waggon- The horses once or twice got set, & cast &c- we have had a deal of bad luck— There is a great many travellers here-the house is full—— The young D^r told me he was married, to day— I like him rather better than I did, before, & ventured to walk on a mile or two with him- He gave me the history of his courtship &c-and some information respecting the part of Ohio he is going to, that was quite interesting— Susan chose to ride down the hill, & I outwalk'd M^rs W, so we were quite alone till we reach'd this house- M^rs Jackson & Eliza had gone on before us, and I every moment expected to overtake them, but did not see them till we got here— I am very tir'd & have laughed myself into a headache; so I can write no more to night.

Monday morn- Last night we were again cheated out of our beds, & oblig'd to pass the night as we could, & that was most uncomfortably- I was quite unwell with the headache, & had waited for a bed an hour & a half longer than I felt able to set up; & when I found I could get none, I had a long crying spell— This morning I feel almost sick— M^r W-is so much afraid of making trouble, that he will wait till every body else is served, & let them cheat him out of his eyes, & say nothing. Our party here consists of English, Irish, German, & Americans-2 of the first- 4 of the second- 1 of the third- & a house full of the last— This strange man is an everlasting talker- He knows every body & every thing about them- He has been repeating one of M^r Pierpont Edwards' speeches to me- & one of M^r Hilhouse's-Not one second elapses between his words-He is a very pompous fellow & takes great pains to display what he does know- He has been a schoolmaster-& now I suspect is crazy & running away with a girl he calls his wife- but who seems to be nobody—— It rain'd very fast last night- & is more muddy than ever—