Return from 



We had now spent seven days at Pittsburg, had 

 industriously examined the country around and col- 

 lected all seeds and plants that came to our notice.* 

 I should not fail to mention the courtesies and as- 

 sistance rendered us by the officers of the garrison ; 

 and I must especially acknowledge our obligations to 

 the Commander of the Fort, General Irwin, + and to 

 Colonel Bayard. We returned this afternoon, Sep- 

 tember 13, to Turkey Creek Settlement. One of the 

 old inhabitants there assured us that he had often 

 made the following experiment. If in the middle of 

 summer the water of Turkey Creek or, as he says, 

 that of most of the other mountain streams, is whipped 

 and beaten with a stick, and then if a fire-brand is 

 passed over, a mist is enkindled and a faint evanescent 

 flame runs over the entire width of the brook. But 

 the experiment did not succeed when I was by, and I 

 do not know through what chance the observation was 

 occasioned. If it is true, it may be that the abundant 

 pit-coals in the mountains, or the petroleum here and 



* But it was labor lost. We committed two chests full of 

 stones, plants, seeds &c to waggoners who promised to deliver 

 them within a fortnight at Baltimore, whither they were 

 bound. Not until after fourteen months did these boxes reach 

 Baltimore, and then plundered of everything which seemed of 

 importance to the conveyers, and the rest disordered and 

 marred. 



