About Manuscripts Profiles Maps Map Gallery Credits

Isaac Coates Journal of Journeys to the Indian Country

SW_IC1799_Page_17

attender of meetings, and there lodged, having ridden ten miles this day. 14th. Rode five miles through rich land and new road. We came to a great road, and as soon as we entered it we came in sight of Canandaigua, a newly settled town containing nearly or quite fifty houses. I was surprised to see such a place in this back country. It stands on a beautifully elevated spot, the buildings generally excellent, and divers of them would cut a very good figure on the banks of the Schuylkill for a country seat. The town commands a pleasant prospect of a small lake about twenty miles long and two or three wide. We rode round the lower end of the lake and crossed the outlet; then rode nine miles to one Gilbert's tavern, a good stage for horses. Greater part of said nine miles is very rich land, some of the timber more mixed with hickory and oak than some other places; but gen-erally through this country there is a great scarcity of mill seats or lively streams. Then to Thomas Lee's, a kind man, his wife a member of our society; seventeen miles. About midway of this stage we passed Judge Potter's house and farm. The house is quite grand and magnificent, and was it one story higher would cut no inconsiderable fiture in one of the most populous streets of Philadelphia. About two miles beofre we came to said Lee's, we crossed a fine stream running to the left, being the outlet of Crooked Lake; and about one mile below the lake, at the place we crossed said stream, there is a new mill and saw-mill which was built by David Wag-oner, one of the followers of Jemima Wilkinson, it being a few miles from her residence. Our quarters for ourselves and horses at this place are excellent; and being informed that Joseph Jones, a young man brought up in Yorktown, with whom I had some acquaintance, lived near, I sent for him. He cameand spent the evening very agreeably to us both, and as there appeared to be a few Friends and some Friendly people in this settlement besides some of Jemima's followers, who are very tired of their ad-herence, Nathan Smith felt a draft in his mind to have a meeting appointed, which was accordingly done, to be held in the house where we have put up, to begin to-morrow at eleven o'clock. This day's ride, thirty-one miles. 15th. Attended the appointed meeting, which was large considering the place, it being a memorably favoured time, in which the gospel was preached in demonstration of the spirit and with power, and I be-lieve many hearts contrited, divers who had been and some who are adherents of Jemima. After meeting walked home with Joseph Jones; spent the afternoon with him at his lodging where he has set up his trade at a mill known by the name of the "Friends' Mill," but [which] is now private property, and will, in time, I think, be of great value, the stream being large and durable, and a fall over the rocks of forty feet, which completely answer for a dam and head race for one grist mill, two saw mills, and a fulling mill. Returned to lodge at the same place. 16th. Set off early from Lee's and rode sixteen miles till we came in sight of Mud Lake to our left hand. There Joshua Sharples, Nathan Smith, and John Hill went forward, and James Cooper and my-self took a right-hand road leading to Bath, and rode two miles to one Stanford's, fed our horses, and dined. Just before we came to Stanford's, Joseph Jones came up with us and brought forward Joshua Sharples's pocket-book, he having left and forgotten it at our lodging. Then James Cooper followed the others with the pocket-book. Joseph and I rode to Bath, fourteen miles. The first part of this day's ride was chequered with good, bad, and middling land. About seven or eight miles before we came to Bath we passed the upper end of Crooked Lake, it being about twenty miles long and about three miles broad in the widest place. About two miles above the head of the lake, tolerably good land with improvements; the rest of the way to the town very poor land cov-ered with pitch pine. The town of Bath is hand-somely situated on the bank of a branch of the Sus-quehanna called Cohocton, containing about forty houses, one of which is a court-house, in Steuben county. Lodged and was kindly entertained by Wil-liam Kersey and his wife, who appeared truly glad tosee me. 17th. Set off early from Kersey's, accompanied by Joseph Jones, and rode six miles to Dolson's, where the rest of our company lodged, they being just gone when I arrived. I though they might have stayed a little longer to acknowledge Joseph's kindness in following with the articles left behind. Thence to the Painted Post, twelve miles; it being a noted place, I was disappointed in seeing the house and entertain-ment. However, it was not so bad but it might be worse. The most of this stage was very poor, rough land. Thence to the tavern known by the name of Lind-sley's; a good stage, twelve miles. Immediately after leaving the Painted Post, crossed the Cohocton, a large stream running into the Tioga. We then rode up the Tioga, a long, rich bottom, and crossed it twice after leaving Lindsley's. Crossed the Cowanesque and the Tioga twice more before we arrived at Berry's, where we lodged; ten miles. This day's ride, forty miles. 18th. From Berry's to Peter's Camp, twenty-one miles still up the Tioga, and crossed it six time. Land and timber much as before, except in many places very lofty white pine. On our way we fed at one White's, twelve miles from Berry's, a newly set-tled place, and appears as though it may in time be good quarters. We have now ridden about forty-two miles up the Tioga river, and crossed it ten times. Thence to the block-house, ten miles, where we fed and parleyed a little about staying all night. Some were for lodgeing there, but from the general account of the mischief done to travelers by the man of the house or some of his family, I was all along uneasy to stay there. The rest of my companions appearing disposed to stay, it being then three o'clock in the afternoon, however at last I gave up to stay, and then they changed their purpose and set off, and I with them, I feeling a good deal unhappy at our entering a lonesome desert, not knowing whether we should meet with any suitable place to encamp, and two of our company being infirm. But on riding about