Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/171

 in a fine rich valley, which yields the finest Indian corn yet seen, and is the best wheat land in America, being a part of or bordering on, the extensive fertile valley before mentioned, which stretches through Virginia, {163} Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and shows the best farms and farmers in the land. My agreeable companion, the colonel, says that no land is here selling by forced sales, nor any under 100 dollars an acre, and that few or no persons within his knowledge complain of hard times, but those whose pride or imprudent speculations have involved them. We supped and slept at Hager's-town, a market town, with three Dutch gothic churches, adorned with tall spires, and a good court house. This town is highly delightful, and almost surrounded by small mountains; the scenery is beautiful, and both in and around an air of grandeur prevails; except, indeed, at our tavern, where, though it is Sunday, all is smoke and fire, and Bacchus is the god.

4th.—Early this morning we commenced a perilous journey, ascending and descending the Allegany mountains all day. All here is wild, awfully precipitous, and darkly umbrageous, high as the heavens, or low as perdition. I almost resolved on not returning this way by mail, which carries and keeps one in constant alarm, unless the traveller has nerves of iron or brass. Such, however, is the expertness of the drivers here, that there is no ground for real apprehension. Kennedy, Esq. and the high sheriff, both highly intelligent men, deem the western country the best for the employment of capital, because, say they, we, if there, could send our surplus {164} produce to New Orleans, at a less expense than the Hager's-town people can send theirs to Baltimore. We think that in time to come, when merchants of capital settle in Orleans, all western produce will find a good market there; and that