Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/128

 120 Southern Historical Society Papers.

25th. Left Mr. Reveson's early after an excellent breakfast, and struck out for Germantown, which he reported to be eleven, but which proved to be twelve miles distant. We reached it without any adventure of note about 10 o'clock, six of us stopping at Mr. Rodney's. This place was formerly the courthouse of Stokes County, but when Forsythe was formed out of the latter, the county seat was moved to Danbury, a more central position. It contains about three times as many dwellings as the latter place, a few of which are very pretty; the majority of them, however, have an old and seedy appearance. Left here immediately after dinner and arrived at Bethania, or Housetown, as it is more commonly called, at about six o'clock. Four of our party we left at Mr. Jones' , four at Mr. Samuel Stanbers, outside the town, while the remaining four obtained accommodations in the town. The first two parties fared exceedingly well, the last had rather poor accommodations. The town is settled by Moravians, some of whose doctrines, as we learned, are most singular. They are not allowed to furnish sleep- ing accommodations to a stranger within the same house in which any of their family or sect are sleeping. No man, however wealthy, is allowed to be without a daily occupation. They seem to be an honest, industrious, sober minded, intelligent people. At Salem they have a "Female Institute" in progress, which is said to be the finest conducted of its class in the South. We slept in a very neat little school house, and ate at different houses.

26th. Crossed the Yadkin River today at Glenn's Ferry, about nine miles from Bethania and marched on to Yadkinsville, fifteen miles distant. After passing the river about two miles, we reached the residence of Mr. Glenn, a most beautiful place. Here we obtained three canteens full of "sorghum beer," which was very little more than sweetened water; it was, however, quite cooling and refreshing. We obtained dinner when within eight miles of Yadkinsville, and then continued on our way* When nearly a mile north of the town, we left six of the boys at Mr. Tom Philips', and carried the other six on; two of the latter we left at Mr. Nicholson's, two at Dr. Wilson's, two somewhere else in the town. We were treated well, but the others fared badly.

27th. Started off for Olin early this morning; after going a short distance met a party of North Carolinians, who represented themselves as recently members of Johnston's army. According to their statement, they had been disbanded and told to go home and