Travel diary: D. Stabler, 1823

A Journal kept by D. Stabler during a journey or religious visit in which she was accompanied by Hannah Briggs

6^th mo 1823

page 1^st 1823

6 M^o 2^d Parted with C Bentley and R Hatten, and set out with our new caretaker George Wilson, accompanied by Jesse Wickersham, Mary Farquhar, Thomas Leach, and Sarah Cook, on our western journey. 12 miles of rough but safe road, brought us over a handsome stream, call'd Mountain Creek, at Trents Gap, Holly Forge, a large establishment, within an hour or two, of casting Iron, but had no time to spare for the indulgence of curiosity, my fears had by this time entirely subsided on account of trying G Wilsons gay Horn _ rode 4 miles and cross'd the most noted stream in the fertile valley, of vast extent called Hagers Town Valley 50 miles below that Town this stream is call'd Yellow Breeches, on which stand Mills which supplied the inhabitants with bread thro'out a large tract of Country during the last dry season. Came on a few miles to Carlile a beautiful Town, situated on the plains of the Valley, a fine stream running on the East side stream near, a few miles on this side, we cross'd a noble Stream on an excellent Stone

2^nd

Bridge, Connodagwinnett, the next object of much notariety was a very large boarding House, near a Sulpher Spring which some of the compahy drank of and found it very strongly impregnated. We soon began to ascend the North mountain, and arrived at Starrets Gap. I had exchang'd my seat for a Horse and Saddle, and in company with a Man friend, left the Carriages, and find^g a tolerable looking Log Tavern, I bespoke Supper, lodging &c, which prov'd to be much better than was calculated upon from outside appearances; and left there this morning after an early breakfast with the full worth of our money in respectful attention and good provisions, made but 25 miles in all _

3^d of the M^o rode 3 miles to Shearmans Creek, forded it, from 70 to 100 yards wide, a very handsome Stream, travel'd on a very rough road and mountainous country interspers'd with Valleys, cross'd little and big Buffalo Creeks, pass'd another Iron Works, stopp'd to feed at

3^rd

the end of 13 miles having travail'd dilegently 5 1/2 hours here we found another Strong Sulpher Spring, eat our cold dinner, and again ascended what they call'd Hills and decended, into the deep vallies, sometimes secluded from any view of human abodes. We had a narrow, and often dangerous road cut on the hill sides when if any accident had happen'd to overturn us, we might have fallen 2 or 3 hundred feet, unless the trees had interupted our descent, and in many parts of it, no possibility of carriages passing each other, however we met none. We at length reach'd the River Juniata and crossed with both Carriages and 3 horses in an excellent Boat, work'd by a Man, a Boy, and a young Woman to Steer; we judg'd it to be 4 or 5 hundred yards in width, we now made a turn in our course, and very soon got upon the Turnpike leading from Erie, a Town on the Lake, down to Harrisburg on Susquehanna. This afternoons ride, brought us thro' several Villages on the River, and over several fine streams

4^th

which empties into the River, on the margin the Turnpike was often so near, and on our right hand the Ledges of Rocks so near and running up and on the mountains, it look'd awfully dangerous, and often we pass'd large ones by the road side, that has been loosen'd with the frost and had tumbled down, any discription we could give would fall very far short of the reality. _ About half past 6 oclock we reach'd our disten'd quarters for the night. The House on a good farm, stood about 3/4 of a mile from the River, our fare was liberal, a variety of good provision, and among other things a fine fresh Shad caught in the Juniatta made a part of the variety. _ We bespoke an early breakfast, which was as good as the Supper and set out about 6 oclock _ pursued our Journey along the River, with Stupendous mountains on either hand, here indeed the Rocks were piled on Rocks, and I would have liked to have had B Bates's lines which include something like this _ "In wild confusion hurl'd," some dread Storms had tumbled here "the ruins of a World" the mountains which arose on each side for many miles, on the margin of the River, (the road being cut out altogether) and we judged in many places was from 1000, to 1500 feet in height, we