rns from attending to the purchase of
western lands to find that Col. Bassett, his wife and children, have
arrived during his absence, 'Billy and Nancy and Mr. Warner Washington
being here also.' The next day the gentlemen go a-hunting together, Mr.
Bryan Fairfax having joined them for the hunt and the dinner that
followed."

Again, we find Mrs. Washington writing, with her usual unique spelling
and sentence structure, to her sister:

"Mt. Vernon Aug 28 1762.

"MY DEAR NANCY,--I had the pleasure to receive your kind letter
of the 25 of July just as I was setting out on a visit to Mr.
Washington in Westmoreland where I spent a weak very agreabley. I
carried my little patt with me and left Jackey at home for a
trial to see how well I could stay without him though we ware
gone but won fortnight I was quite impatient to get home. If I at
aney time heard the doggs barke or a noise out, I thought thair
was a person sent for me....

"We are daly expect(ing) the kind laydes of Maryland to visit us.
I must begg you will not lett the fright you had given you
prevent you comeing to see me again--If I coud leave my children
in as good Care as you can I would never let Mr. W----n come down
without me--Please to give my love to Miss Judy and your little
babys and make my best compliments to Mr. Bassett and Mrs.
Dawson.

"I am with sincere regard
"dear sister
"yours most affectionately
"MARTHA WASHINGTON."[163]

Because of the lack of good roads and the apparently great distances,
the mere matter of travelling was far more important in social
activities than is the case in our day of break-neck speed. A
ridiculously small number of miles could be covered in a day; there were
frequent stops for rest and refreshment; and the occupants of the heavy,
rumbling coaches had ample opportunity for observing the scenery and the
peculiarities of the territory traversed. Martha Washington's grandson
has left an account of her journey from Virginia to New York, and
recounts how one team proved balky, delayed the travellers two hours,
and thus upset all their calculations. But the kindness of those they
met easily offset such petty irritations as stubborn horses and slow
coaches. Note these lines from the account:

"We again set out for Major Snowden's where we arrived at 4
o'c