Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/114

 Bridges of singular beauty, and roofed over, stretch across this pure, transparent river, on the banks of which birds have planted many cherry-trees, now of prodigious size, and from which we and others wantonly broke off large boughs, full of ripe cherries, and laid them across our saddles, that we might eat them as we rode along. In every direction, fruit is ready to fall into the mouths of passengers. At German's Town, I called upon and talked with an old countryman, long settled here, Mr. Pysley, once of my native Isle of Ely, who says that the day for emigration is gone by. "I," said he, "came here in the best of times, but I have had to work hard on my stall, and have known no rest, from the clamour of my awl, and my lapstone and hammer. Let those who will come, expect to work all their days, as I have done, and then only just live." He talked and thought kindly of all he left behind, but particularly of his dear native land, which he can never behold more.

Sunday, 4th.—Introduced to Mr. Maginnis, an Irish lecturer on elocution, and to an English gentleman, Mr. Hobson. Europeans, so far from {95} home, meet and mix sweetly like milk and honey. Attended Dr. Storton's chapel, an immense, elegant rotundity, like Rowland Hill's, in the Surrey road. The Doctor's pulpit was supplied by an American preacher of much saucy simplicity of manner. I visited a noble mansion-house in this city, erected purposely for and presented by the citizens to General Washington, which he refused, and which now stands a goodly monument of his unequalled magnanimity.

The negroes in this state and city, are all free and independent. A slave, thanks be given to William Penn! cannot live here. That they are free and happy, need not be told: it is known by only looking into their faces,