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Isaac Coates Journal of Journeys to the Indian Country

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and rode through a body of rich land thirteen milesto Canandaigua, [this] being a most elegant and beau- tiful town here in the woods, containing near onehundred houses, many of which are truly grand. Itstands near the outlet of a beautiful lake, abouteighteen or twenty miles long and two or three wide.We crossed the outlet and rode four or five miles upthe side of the lake, and then generally through thewoods, except some few settlements, to Judge Pot-ter's, eighteen miles, where we got our horses wellfed and a good dinner, free of cost. Said Potter hasan elegant house and good farm; I suppose two hun-dred acres of excellent land cleared, and a stock ofcattle of superior kind. We then rode five miles to Morris Shepperd's, near the outlet of Crooked Lakein Jerusalem, in Jemima Wilkinson's settlement; saidShepperd being first cousin to Nathan Shepperd, lateof Philadelphia. Here we came up with ThomasStewardson, John Shoemaker, and George Vaux and propose to lodge here. George's horse holdsout. Thirty-six miles. 12th, We all set off, Joseph Jones still accompany-ing us, and rode twenty-three miles to Bartel's mill,where we got an excellent dinner. Here we met withThomas Clark, the turnpike man, who appeared indistress. Said three of his children were dead, andthe other one had been very bad, and [was] not quitewell. His wife had lain sick and in distress for nearlythree months, and had not yet the use of all her limbs. She now says she would not stay in thiscountry for all the land in it; so he proposes to tryto move her and his one child into our neighborhood again. The most of the way from Jerusalem here, is their land. We rode in the morning several milesin sight of the Crooked Lake to our right hand; andafter riding some distance we came in sight of it toour left, and saw where it empties into Mud Lake.Rode down near that to this mill which is on theoutlet called Mud Creek; then rode down near thesame to Dolson's, where it empties into the Cohocton;nine miles. On our way we passed several littlelakes, it being most of the way through a low pieceof land covered with lofty white pine, though notvery large, and, I think, an unhealthy place. Thirty-two miles. 13th. I rose up out of bed about four o'clock thismorning, haing had, I think, the most unmercifulset of bed-fellows I ever experienced; for after I foundit was in vain to stand them battle, I submitted andsurrendered to them. But let me be as passive as I would, they gave me no quarter, but continued to usetheir offensive weapons upon me full as much as ifI had been striving to aggravate them; until Ithought best to plan a retreat, and am glad to escapewith whole bones, but am afraid some of them willfollow or keep with me all day. About six o'clockwe all set off and rode down the Cohoctontwelvemiles to the Painted Post, through a bottom of prettygood land. Fed our horses and parted with JosephJones, who hath been an agreeable company thus far.Thence to Lindsley's, and dined; all the way up theTioga, twelve miles. At the Painted Post we crossedthe Cohocton; from Lindsley's to Berry's, ten miles,where we propose to lodge. One mile from Lind-sley's crossed the Cowanesque. Thirty-four miles. 14th. At Berry's, on the Tioga, we have had asgood a supper and night's lodging as we could haveexpected at Cheltenham or Caln. Nine miles; havingridden forty-three miles up the Tioga and crossed iteight or nine times, through a rich flat of land.Thence to the block-house, eleven miles, it being de-serted and without inhabitant that we discovered, ex-cept one cat. On examining the house, we chose toraise our tent, kindle a fire, and lie on the ground,where we had a much more comfortable night thanwe should have had if French Anthony had still lived there. Thirty-two miles. 15th. A little before day-break it began to thun-der, and by the time it was light enough to set off, it rained middling fast; but we could do no better thanto set off in it over the remainder of the Savage orAllegheny Mountain, it being a very bad road, thoughmuch better than four years ago. It rained until wecame to Trout Run, nine miles from the block-house,which is at the foot or lowermost part of the south side of that great mountain, which is twenty milesacross from Peter's camp to Trout Run, and a greatpart of it pretty good land, but rough and rocky insome places. We then rode down a narrow valley,down which the aforesaid run descends, to Reynold'stavern, fifteen miles from the block-house. In aboutfour miles' riding down the valley, we crossed TroutRun thirty times. Here we breakfasted and dinedboth at once. Thence to Williamsport, fourteen miles,it being a place we passed going out, [we] havingnow performed a revolution by encircling a very largecircuitous route of settled and unsettled country.Here fed our horses. Thos. Stewardson,, John Shoe-maker, and George Vaux propose to stay all night;Isaac Bonsal and myself rode three miles farther tothe widow Harris's and lodged. Thirty-two miles. 16th and first of the week. Rode nine miles toWm. Ellis's, and put up my mare, then walked onemile back to meeting. There I met all my compan-ions who with me came to Ellis's to dinner. In theafternoon I discovered my mare to be in such a con-dition that she could move but with great difficulty; we supposing her to be foundered, sent for some tarand applied it in the usual way. Went to bed notexpecting her to be fit to travel to-morrow. 17th. My mare rather better, but not fit to ride.We set off; I walked and drove her before me,and walked to Milton, a beautiful town on the bankof the west branch of the Susquehanna, sixteenmiles, and dined. Thence to Sunbury, fourteenmiles, and lodged; having walked about twenty-fivemiles, my brethren spelling me some times. North-umberland is a town about twelve miles below Mil-ton, standing in the point between the west and thenortheast branches of the Susquehanna, which wepassed through just before we crossed the northeastbranch and about two miles above Sunbury. Hadit not been that the situation of my mare and walk-ing on foot occasioned some unpleasant sensations, itwould have been a very pleasant day's travel down the river through a good deal of good land prettywell improved. I believe each of those three towns