31st, Our commissary went on a few miles before us, and purchased three beeves, we followed between seven and eight, in the morning; it was then so smoky, that we proceeded with difficulty. Encamped about four miles above Wheeling. Several of our men were indisposed with sore throats, owing probably to colds contracted from their frequent wettings.-Thermometer rose from 36° to 47°. November 1st, About one o'clock in the morning we had a furious gale of wind; it appeared, as if nature was making an exertion to free the atmosphere from the astonishing quantity of smoke, with which it had been filled for many days. Stopped at Wheeling and took the latitude, and then proceeded to the mouth of Grave Creek and encamped. Went to view the amazing monuments of earth, thrown up many ages ago by the aborigines of the country, for some purpose unknown to us. One of those monuments is more than 70 feet high: it has a cavity or depression on the top, in which a large oak tree was growing. The atmosphere again became smoky in the evening. The thermometer rose from 30° to 52°. 2d, Found that one of our soldiers had deserted after being detected in stealing liquor: made search for him but to no purpose. Got under way at ten o'clock, but our progress was much impeded by dragging our boats over the shoals. Encamped at five in the evening. Cloudy with an appearance of rain most of the day, but cleared off in the evening. -Thermometer rose from 29° to 50°. 3d, Got under way about 7 o'clock in the morning, and continued down the river till sun down. The large boat was impeded by a strong head wind, and did not overtake us till eight o'clock in the even C ing. ing. Cloudy in the morning but no fog, clear at night.-Thermometer rose from 36° to 55°. 4th, Set out early in the morning, but our progress was impeded by head winds. Encamped at sunset. The large boat did not overtake us. Cloudy with thick smoke all day.-Thermometer rose from 35° to 56°. 5th, Left the shore before sunrise, and proceeded down the long reach: at the lower end of it the water was so shoal, that we were two hours employed in dragging our boats over the gravel, and then encamped. The large boat still behind. The fog was so thick in the morning, that for four hours, when in the middle of the river, we could see neither shore; some appearance of rain in the evening.-Thermometer rose from 33° to 49°. 6th, Left the shore at seven o'clock in the morning.-Thermometer rose from 37° to 51° a strong head wind all day, and but little smoke or fog. 7th, Set off at sunrise, and arrived at Marietta about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. Unloaded the boats to stop the leaks, and make some repairs. Smoke as in the morning.-Thermometer rose from 25° to 56°. 8th, The men were employed in repairing the boats. Viewed the amazing works thrown up many ages ago by the Indians. They are the most regular of any I have seen. Some smoke and fog in the morning. Thermometer rose from 31° to 52°. 9th, Our men still employed in repairing the boats. Our large store boat arrived in the evening. The smoke was so thick all day that we could not see over the river.-Thermometer rose from 34° to 53°. 10th, The boats were repaired, and loaded by one o'clock in the afternoon, we then proceeded down the river. Marietta Marietta is a handsome town, standing on a high bank, on the west side of the Ohio river, just above the mouth of the Muskingum. The annual rise of the water has sometimes inundated the lower part of the town. The latitude by a mean of four good observations appeared to be 39° 24' 21'. During our stay, we were treated with great politeness by Col. Sproat, and a sensible young gentleman, by the name of Tupper, a son to the General of that name. I paid a visit to Gen. Putnam, who had lately been appointed Surveyor General of the United States, and presented him with one of my pamphlets upon the variation of the magnetic needle. He did not return the visit, neither did I hear from him afterwards. The fog and smoke was so thick till ten o'clock in the forenoon, that we could not distinguish one person from another the length of one of our boats. Encamped at sun down.-Thermometer rose from 34° to 56°. 11th, Left the shore at seven o'clock in the morning. Passed the little Kanhawa, and afterwards a miserable village by the name of Belle Prae, next a floating mill, and lastly, the mouth of little Hockhocking. The ordinary streams of water in that part of the western country, so universally fail in the summer, and beginning of autumn, that the inhabitants are under the necessity of having recourse to floating mills, or to others driven by the wind, or worked by horses to grind their corn. Those floating mills are erected upon two, or more, large canoes or boats, and anchored out in a strong current. The float-boards of the water wheels, dip their whole breadth into the stream; by which they are propelled forward, and give motion to the whole machinery. When the waters rise, and set the other mills to work, the floating ones C 2 are are towed into a safe harbour, where they remain till the next season. Although floating mills are far inferior to permanent ones driven by water, they are nevertheless more to be depended upon than wind mills, and may be considered as preferable to those worked by horses. The lessening of manual labour and that of domestic animals, is a subject at all times, and in all countries, which merits the attention of the moralist, the philosopher and legislator. The effect produced by either the wind, or water, is not attended with any expense, and while those elements are directed to the execution of some valuable purpose, manual labour, and that of domestic animals, may be employed in a manner equally beneficial to the community, and more to their ease, safety, and conveni ence. Encamped opposite to a miserable village called Belle Ville: made 24 miles this day. Fog in the morning, and smoky all day.-Thermometer rose from 37° to 66°-Water in the river 45°. 12th, Left the shore at daylight. Dragged our boats over several shoals, and encamped at sun down. Very smoky all day.-Thermometer rose from 37° to 55°. 13th, Got under way very early; had to drag our boats a considerable distance over the shoals, with which one of them was much injured. Encamped about sun down, and caught a number of fine cat fish, one of them weighed more than 48 pounds. Very smoky all day.-Thermometer rose from 27° to 52°. 14th, Were under way at daylight, and arrived in the evening at Point Pleasant, a small and indifferent village on the east side of the river, just above the mouth of the great Kanhawa. We were politely treated by Mr. Allen Proyer of that place. Near to where where the village now stands, was fought the memorable battle between a detachment of Virginia militia, (commanded by Col. Lewis,) and the Shawnee and Delaware Indians. The engagement continued several hours, and the victory was a long time doubtful, and alternately appeared to favour each party; courage, address and dexterity equally characterized both; but the Virginians remained masters of the field. We had a light shower of rain in the morning, and two in the evening. The atmosphere yet filled with smoke.-Thermometer rose from 41° to 62°. 15th, Arrived at Gallipolis about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. This village is situated on a fine high bank, on the west side of the river, and inhabited by a number of miserable French families. Many of the inhabitants that season fell victims to the yellow fever, which certainly originated in that place, and was produced by the filthiness of the inhabitants, and an unusual quantity of animal, and vegetable putrefaction in a number of small ponds, and marshes, within the village. Of all the places I have yet beheld, this was the most miserable. There are several Indian mounds of earth, or barrows, within the vicinity of the village. Detained the remainder of the day in procuring meat. yet continues.-Thermometer rose from 40° to 62°. The smoke 16th, Left Gallipolis at eight o'clock in the morning. About two in the afternoon, one of our boats went to pieces in a body of strong rough water, and it was with difficulty conveyed to the shore without sinking. Encamped at sunset. A strong north wind all day, which carried off the smoke.-Thermometer rose from 37° to 52°. 17th, Left the shore at daylight: got fast on a shoal, which extends across the river when it is low, by |