Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/63



Another traveller—The middle mountain—Fannetsburgh—Good effect of hunger in destroying fastidiousness—Tuscarora mountain and fine view—Ramsey's—Change my mode of travelling—Hull's—Fall from my horse—Sideling hill—Coyle's good tavern—Curious scene at another tavern—Ray's hill—River Juniata—Bloody run—Bedford.

On the morning of the 27th January, I took leave of my friendly host Skinner, and passing his brothers about a mile distant, I was joined by another pedestrian traveller, who had left Strasburgh that morning, and had stopped here to rest previous to ascending the middle mountain. He walked on stoutly, and I limped after him, my foot paining me very much. He was a plain countryman from Down-*patrick in the north of Ireland, who had formerly {40} resided near Carlisle, from whence he had removed to the western part of the state, where his health having suffered through a general debility, he had returned two hundred miles to his former residence for medical aid, had remained there since the fall under a course of medicine and diet, and his health being now re-established, he was again going to the western country.

When on the top of the middle mountain about two miles from Skinner's, our eyes were regaled with a charming birds-*eye view of some fine cultivated farms in Path valley just below us, with the village of Fannetsburgh of thirty houses in the midst, watered by a fine mill stream called the Conogo-*cheaque in its southerly course towards the Potomack.

The scenery here reminded me of some of the vales of Switzerland, but appetite for breakfast urging me on towards the village below, I did not bestow much time in contemplating it.