The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

418 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [APPENDIX.
"26th. -Travelled up to Solomon Hedge's, Esquire, one of his
Majesty'sjustices of the peace in the county of Frederic, where we
camped. When we came to supper, there was neither a knife on the
table, nor a fork to eat with; but, as good luck would have it, we
had knives of our own.
"28th. -Travelled up the South Branch (having come to that
river yesterday), about thirty miles to Mr. J. R.'s (horse-jockey), and
about seventy miles from the mouth of the river.
" 29th. - This morning, went out and surveyed five hundred acres
of land. Shot two wild turkeys.
"30th. - Began our intended business of laying off lots.
"April 2d. -A blowing, rainy night. Our straw, upon which
we were lying, took fire, but I was luckily preserved by one of our
men awaking when it was in a flame. We have run off four lots
this day.
"4th. -This morning Mr. Fairfax left us, with the intention to
go down to the mouth of the river. We surveyed two lots, and were
attended with a great company of people, men, women, and children,
who followed us through the woods, showing their antic tricks.
They seem to be as ignorant a set of people as the Indians. They
would never speak English; but when spoken to they all spoke
Dutch. This day our tent was blown down by the violence of the
wind.
" 6th. -The last night was so intolerably smoky, that we were
obliged to leave our tent to the mercy of the wind and fire. Attended
this day by the aforesaid company.
" 7th. - This morning one of our men killed a wild turkey, that
weighed twenty pounds. We surveyed fifteen hundred acres of land,
and returned to Vanmeter's about one o'clock. I took my horse and
went up to see Mr. Fairfax. We slept in Cassey's house, which was
the first night I had slept in a house since we came to the Branch.
" 8t. - We breakfasted at Cassey's, and rode down to Vanmeter's
to get our company together, which when we had accomplished, we
rode down below the Trough to lay off lots there. The Trough is a
couple of ledges of mountains impassable, running side by side for
seven or eight miles, and the river between them. You must ride
round the back of the mountains to get below them. We camped in
the woods, and after we had pitched our tent, and made a large fire,
we pulled out our knapsack to recruit ourselves. Every one was his
own cook. Our spits were forked sticks; our plates were large
chips. As for dishes we had none.
" 10th. - We took our farewell of the Branch and travelled over