Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/335

 And whether dear Charlie gains fortune or no, May lore for his Jennie impart A wish to return to his home and bestow Sweet peace to her wearisome heart.

These lines came from my bonnie lassie, my sweetheart Jennie. They took me between wind and water, and I at once made up my mind to return to Boston.

One of my former steamboat friends, Mr. Lane, mate of the George Washington, generously offered me a  passage on his boat up the river to Cincinnati, which I  accepted. When we arrived at Cincinnati I thanked my friend for his kindness, and took the steamer Yorktown for Wheeling, Va. From there I took a seat alongside the driver on a stage-coach over the Alleghany  Mountains to Harrisburg, Pa. It was inconceivable to  me how the driver managed to steer his four-in-hand  clear of so many obstructions while his horses were  going at full speed. The stage-coach keeled over many times where the road was steeper on one side than the  other, and each time I thought surely we should be capsized. I enjoyed the ride intensely. The dense woods, the steep hills, the frequent villages, were indeed a novel  scene. The whole trip, so full of variety, and so picturesque, greatly refreshed me. I think I must have been several pounds heavier when we arrived at Harrisburg  than when I commenced the journey.

From Harrisburg I took the steam cars for Philadelphia. Arriving there I went directly to Chestnut Street, where my cousins resided. They gave me a very cordial welcome, and during my stay were untiring in their  efforts to make my visit agreeable. I remained with