Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/111

 where the elements, earth, air, and water, swarm with all that is noxious. At 11, a. m., we got under weigh in the good packet General Wade Hampton, Captain Baker, commander. I paid 30 dollars for my passage in the cabin, full of genteel and agreeable passengers, male and female, of the first rank and quality, all bound to the city of Philadelphia. I left letters of thanks behind me for the many civilities received from Messrs. Prescot and Bishop, N. Russel, Esq., (now no more) and several other gentlemen, to whom may this page carry my grateful regards. So great was the difference in exchange between north and south, that I had to pay my banker 4l. per cent, for New York paper, and 7l. per cent, for specie, silver dollars. Southern paper is somewhat ragged in reputation at New York. Our good captain, who is an honest gentlemanly man, {91} knows, in Carolina, a poor master-builder from England, who landed without money, but who in the course of a few weeks, by jobbing about among the planters, saved money enough to send over for his large family, now all with him, flourishing together to all their hearts' desire. As surely as the sun shines, so will industry prosper in any almost untaxed community.

30th.—In the gulf-stream all last night, and passed, unseen, Cape Hatteras, having sailed 400 miles since Monday. J. W. Ancrum, Esq. with his lady and family, and six black servants, are on board. Mr. Ancrum's lady is a branch of the Washington family, a niece of the late General,[14] and he a senator of Carolina, to whose civilities I acknowledge myself indebted. "At a recent contested election," says he, "I saw a candidate soliciting the vote of a gentleman freeholder in our state, where freehold-*