it, takes a long course northward, and after being joined at
Pittsburg by the Alleghany, a river as large as itself, the two together
there, form the Ohio. From Pittsburg to where we first saw it, it had
come south more than 100 miles, and at Wheeling it is so broad and deep
as to be covered with magnificent steamers; there were five in front of
our hotel window, and most singular-looking they were, with their one
huge wheel behind, scarcely touching the water, and their two tall
funnels in front. They tower up to a great height, and are certainly
the most splendid-looking steamers we ever saw.

We here left our valued friend Mr. Tyson, who after calling on us at the
hotel in the evening, was to return at ten o'clock to Baltimore. We
certainly never enjoyed a journey more. He is the most entertaining man
you can imagine, full of anecdotes and good stories; and, as we have
said before, with such a marvellous memory, that he could repeat whole
passages of poetry by heart. His knowledge too of botany was delightful,
for there was not a plant or weed we passed of which he could not only
tell the botanical and common name, but its history and use. He has
travelled much, having been employed in mining business in the Brazils.
He has also been in the West Indies, in England, Scotland, and Ireland,
and on the Continent of Europe.

We had a pleasing variety in occasional visitors to the car; for not
only the work-people on the road, as I have said, got up behind to speak
to Mr. Tyson, and were always received by him in the most friendly
manner, being men of high calibre in point of intelligence, but we had
at different times a Dr. Orr, a physician and director of the railway,
who was on the engine with us to set our bones, if papa had capsized us
and the doctor had escaped; also a Dr. Gerbard, a German surgeon, with
a scar on his cheek from a duel at college in his youth. Dr. Orr was
accompanied by a lady, with whom I conversed a good deal, and found she
was the owner of many slaves; but I must write you a chapter on slavery
another time. All the last day of our journey from Grafton to Wheeling,
was through Virginia, and the rural population were chiefly slaves. The
two doctors I have mentioned were our visitors yesterday. To-day, we had
throughout with us Mr. Rennie (Mr. Tyson's assistant), and also Major
Barry, an agent of the Company, and an officer in the United States
service, who in the last Indian war captured with his ow