, but the supposed value
about $200 per acre. The eyes of the traveler light on this part of the
country with rapture. He would even venture to barter all his fair
prospects in the west country, collected from travelers, for one of
those beautiful farms to be seen every mile.

Thursday, Oct. 7.--Left Little York 6 o'clock a. m., traveled
twenty-nine miles and arrived at Gettysburg, a small village, at 5
o'clock p. m. The inhabitants very religious. Bad roads, owing to their
making a new turnpike. Nineteen miles to be finished in six weeks.
About 300 hands employed, principally Irishmen. Delightful weather for
traveling.

Friday, Oct. 8.--Left Gettysburg 5 o'clock a. m. Overtook and passed
many travelers bound to the east and west. The lands only tolerable.
Here we had the first view of the mountains, which present a romantic
and novel scene to all who have never traveled out of the confines of
large cities--or have never seen an object higher than a lamp-post or
lower than a gutter. Traveled fifteen miles to breakfast on the top of
the mountain. The landlord drunk, the fare bad and the house filled with
company who had more the appearance of penitentiary society than
gentlemen. Hard scuffle for breakfast. Ran an old hen down. "Moll" cut
off the head with an ax. An old sow and a starved dog made a grab before
the feathers were stripped. One got the head, the other the body. Then
all hands were mustered to join in the chase, landlord and "Moll" with
the broom, the hostler with his spade and all the boys with sticks and
stones. In about ten minutes after hard fighting, the materials for
breakfast were recovered, and in fifteen minutes the old hen made her
appearance on the breakfast table, large as life. Bad appetite. Made a
light breakfast and set out on our journey from the tavern at 10
o'clock a. m. Traveled over a rough, barren, mountainous and poor
country to McDowell's, a distance of thirty-six miles. Every traveler
must be astonished to find persons settled on a barren and mountainous
country, whilst there are in the United States so many million acres of
land of the first quality unoccupied and for sale at so low a rate that
a day laborer can in one year with prudence lay up enough to purchase
one quarter-section--160 acres.

Saturday, Oct. 9.--Left McDowell's 7 o'clock a. m. Traveled over an
extremely rugged, high and uneven range of mountains. The lands
generally so poor not worth cultivating. Arrived at