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21st. I had an entertaining six miles' walk to Harrisburg, by the side of the Susquehanna river, and a canal between that and the turnpike, a delightful valley on my left, and high rising ground on my right. There the soil is limestone, and so for a great part of the way from Philadelphia but farmers seem to know but little use for it, beside making mortar for their houses. The soil in that valley is very deep, and apparently rich. I had a good opportunity of ascertaining this by examining the carnal, and the earth cast up on the bank, as men were repairing it, and cleaning up the bottom. How well might an industrious English farmer live there. The earth bringing forth its abundance, with very little labour, and no Tythes, no poor rates, and very little tax. A poor man is a rare thing to see; and a man may travel hundreds of miles and not see a beggar. Mr. Denman, Merchant of Philadelphia advised me to have my box delivered to the care of Mr. Graydon, bookseller When I came to Harrisburg I found it come before me. I was kindly, received at Mr. Winebrener's. There I met with 'Squire Mackey, one of the Senators of the state of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg being now the seat of government for the state* instead of Philadelphia. When the latter was a city, the former was a forest. A ferry being there, a man by the name of Harris bought a parcel of land, and kept a public house by the ferry. After awhile when the neighbourhood was settled, a bridge was built there across the Susquehanna, passing over a little Island in the river. The bridge from end to end is said to be a mile and quarter long, covered, and having ninety-six sash windows, forty eight on each side. This now is the chief route from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, and also from Linglestown and the north. Lancaster and Harrisburg, as well as I could learn, contain near the same number of inhabitants; about eight thousand each.

As the Senate was then sitting, Mr. Mackey had lodgings at Mr. Winebreners, where I had been invited. Mr. W. being from home, Mr. M. with much kindness acted in his behalf, went and brought in Mr. Smedmer,

Each state has a Senate, and makes laws for itself; but not to clash with general ones.

a travelling preacher who had supplied at the chapel in Mr. W's absence, who took me to his lodgings at Mr. Lingle's a timber Merchant, where I found a kind family. In the evening I spoke at the chapel. 1

22nd. Visited some sick folks.

In the evening I again spoke at the chapel. 'Squire Mackey went out to marry a couple ; but returned to preaching. Before I had done preaching a coloured man came up towards the pulpit and fell on his knees in distress. I went down to him, and several took an active part, in imploring pardon and salvation for him and others. Mr. Mackey and Mr. Lingle went from pew to pew inviting others to come forth also, and seek redemption, It was a time to be remembered.

When we got to our lodgings I was much fatigued, and after three hours' hard labour needed some refreshment : but it is not the custom, I find, in America, to offer any thing to the preacher after tea, let his labour be as fatiguing as it may. I drank some cold water and retired to

bed.

23rd. Wrote, read, and conversed with some friends. about three o'clock James Mackey Esq. came in and conversed awhile as he was going to the Senate House. He appears a humble, zealous christian.

In the evening several joined in reading and prayer; it was a soul refreshing time.

24th. Soon after five Mr. Lingle went to market: at eight the market is considered so far over, that then the hucksters are allowed to buy: but not before. At first it seemed strange to see people going out so early to market.

Mrs Lingle brought me a lump of petrified shells mixed with petrified mud. Last winter (1832) as they were digging a cellar in order to make an Ice house, they found these shells; they were like what in England is called Limpet or Limped shells. I was informed that they were found twelve feet below the surface :-mould, or arable earth two feet, then a layer of sand, and below this, rough gravel and a rock also. In the rough gravel near the rock they found these shells. This is a subject for philosophers to contemplate. I guess Harrisburg is at least in

a straight line a hundred miles from the sea. It is well known this sort of shells grows on the rocks in the sea. There was a rock where these were found, and gravel, and sand. It seemed as if the lighter and finer sand had been washed in over the coarse or heavier sand. How can this be accounted for, being at so great a distance from where the sea now is?

In the evening some of the Society met to consult how to pay off their chapel debt, being about nine hundred dollars; the men who were present subscribed two hundred and seventy two, and the females thirty seven dollars, though all the Society was not there.

Fine mild weather; and has been for about a week past.

Lordsday 25th. In the forenoon spoke at the chapel on Psalm lxxxiv, 11. After preaching a pious German from Cumberland County six miles on the other side the river, invited me to preach at his house. His neighbour offered to come for me with his carriage. They appeared to be plain farmers.

Mr. Winebrener returned: but desired me to speak in the evening. He spoke after on Genesis xlvii, 8. Pharoah said unto Jacob how old art thou?

Weather cloudy, but mild and dry.

26th. About eleven according to appointment, I crossed the Bridge to meet Mr. Heck. He was waiting for me. It rained heavily, and I found the carriage came seasonably, being thereby carried over the mud, and sheltered from the rain. How well our heavenly Father provides for His children. The place where Mr. H-lives is called Cedar Spring, four miles from Harrisburg. I was brought to a handsom place, drove into a carriage house near the Mansion as it still rained. I was then conducted into a large well built and well furnished house, and found this was where I was to take dinner, and where my guide lived. He was a batchelor, and lived, with his brother, who owned that farm and other land beside. The Brothers dressed plain though rich. They speak both German and English.

After dinner my kind friend took me to Mr. George Rupp's where I was expected to preach in the evening,

another rich German farmer. A numerous congregation collected. Before I began a person whispered, there were two preachers come, and it I chose I might give them an opportunity to speak after me. I found one was a preacher travelling with the United Brethren in Christ, a people distinct from the Moravians who are called United Brethren; the other a farmer from Ohio, who occasionally preached with Some Dutch people settled there from Pennsylvania.

27th. Returned to Harrisburg, J. G. the young man from Ohio accompanied me. He earnestly invited me to come to Ohio, and assured me of Ministerial support.

CHAP. VI.

Journey from Harrisburg to Baltimore; Washington the seat of
Government; and Alexandria, in Columbia.

One of my daughters having in December taken a journey to the South with a female preacher, 1 purposed to go to Washington to see them.

Mach 28th. Set out, the weather fine, and got to Carlisle

about 22 miles.

As

29th. Got to a town called Shippingsburg, 20 miles on, being advised by Mr. Winebrener to take that route on account of visiting some friends. The land nearly all the way appeared rich, and in some places well cultivated. Fine springs and rivulets of water. I passed a place called Columbia Hall, a man and boy were tilling potatoes with a plow. It produced the same root last year, and now they were tilling it again without any manure. When I questioned him as to this, he replied they had as much as they wanted; thus intimating the land without manure produced as much as they could desire. The soil appeared exceeding rich. At a little town called Mechanicsburg, as I came on the day before, some men were digging a cellar for building a house; they were about five feet down, and the soil appeared just the same from top to bottom, and in some places when it is cut smooth and neat, it seemed so fine that it resembled soap, so rich is the soil. I think much of Dauphin

and Cumberland counties, can vie with Lancaster, though that is counted the richest County in the State. Mr. Heck informed me the land near him had produced a hundred bushels of Indian corn an acre. I have but seldom heard of more. About Bethany and other coarse parts, thirty or forty bushels of Indian wheat, on an average, is accounted a good crop. The weather was fine. which afforded me aid in taking a view of the country. The prospect was delightful, Passing by woods, through which a man might gallop, or drive a waggon as far as he could see,-no brush, and the trees at a distance from each other, green grass growing on the surface, similar to an English gentleman's weeded plantation, only loftier trees. In other places fine farms, with houses of various descriptions, from the hogstye to the mansion; the latter an English 'Squire might be well pleased to live in, Rarely is a cow-house or stable to be seen that is not floored with wood,

30th. I set out for Baltimore. Being informed that instead of going on the 'pike, as they call it, I could save ten miles by crossing the Blue mountain the pine way, I took the latter road. After intersecting the Chambersburg road, I stopped at an Inn for refreshment. I there learned that a preacher was wanted at a town a short distance off called Fayette, and that the neighbourhood at large was almost destitute. My bowels yearned for those who were as sheep without a Shepherd.

I slept at an Inn kept by Andrew Sterner, a German and Roman Catholic. He informed me that they had a chapel a little way off,-the priest came once in four weeks. I asked him where they went the other three? Stay at home, was the answer. I learnt that a little way from, copper had been found, and some had worked for awhile in digging after it, and then quitted it,―probably not knowing how to manage it.

31st. Passed a little town called Cashtown, and about noon came to Gattesburg. Here the roads cross, leading from Harrisburg to Washington, N. and S. About five miles west of Littlestown I came to a place called the two Taverns,-formerly called the three Taverns. The landlord told me there were formerly three Taverns.

It

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