(seq. 166)

May 1st.

Pass Mocassin gap, a pass thro' the Mountains, which afford some
very bold and magnificent views - a little fort called Andross, built
in 1753 but now in ruins is situated on the left hand as you come
out of the Mountain near which we fell into a Waggon road, &
shortly after were accosted by Mr. Maddison, a Gentleman of a liberal
way of thinking, who received us with genuine hospitality and gave
us such a welcome as we could not have expected from one whose
life and property were in continual danger from the Indians who had
made inroads much further into the country than his habitation -

The sight of a pretty cultivated farm, well cropped, with a large
garden orchard & convenient buildings, set off by the lofty & rugged
Mountains we had just passed, formed a pleasing contrast to
our late situation - the cheerfull conversation of a very agreeable old man,
with a plentyfull meal, (what we had long been strangers to) rest
after our fatigues, and a very clean bed to conclude were real luxuries,
to people who had not lain in sheets for 7 months -

2d - 3.d Our kind host accompanyed us to General Lewis's, where Major Hay
and I were accommodated with beds - we had stopped at Major McBeans -

3d. We lay at Major Bletsoe's farm, where we were told the country
people had designed to assemble & knock us on the head - Tho we
considerd this as only meant to prevent our having any conversation with
them, we thought it advisable to stay within - we breakfasted at
Colonel Shelby's plantation, where we were very frankly entertained -
The farm in extraordinary good order and condition, we were shown
a black stallion one of the finest creatures of his sort I ever saw -
at night we slept at a Captain Thompsons, whose riches could not
keep penury out of doors, we did not get our dinner till eleven at night,
and this made us see æconomy in a favorable light -