hv_sansomj_letters_1796_012

in revenge for the cruel treatment of the Friends to the former Government at this place, and the rash conduct of the Townspeople in living upon the Ships as they lay at anchor. From this place we rode several miles through a deep sand, like that of Jersey covered with pines, saw a beautiful waterfall upon our left; and crossed a small creek in a Scow, for the first time since we left the Delaware. We did not reach Katskill the place of our destination for the night till dusk, and could not then get over the Creek to the town, because the Boat was aground on the other side. In this dilemma the Owner of an adjoining House, by name Jacob Bigordeiss, offered us the best accommo-dations his house could afford; which we gladly accepted. He freely expressed his good will when we told him what was our business; and in the morning took us out to see a place, near the Creek, where the side of a hill had gradually sunk down a few days before between 40 and 50 feet. About an acre of it has descended perpendicularly; and as much more of the lower part had bulged up, and cracked aston-ishingly, apparently by the vent of the air confined