190 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



wild-animal hunting in the mountains, and assured us that there 

 were many beasts in the surrounding woods. Leaving the sum- 

 mit in the stage, we continued for some distance, but the jolt- 

 ing, rolling and swaying was so frightful that we decided to 

 descend on foot. The three miles down the mountain was cov- 

 ered quickly, but we were utterly worn out with fatigue when 

 we reached McConnelsburg; this village lies in a valley, has 

 few houses and but little of interest ; we made forty miles dur- 

 ing the day. Leaving early on the next morning, after travel- 

 ing thirty-two miles, over better roads, we spent the night at 

 the tavern of B. Mastin. 



Having breakfasted at an early hour, we were again on 

 our way by sunrise, and after driving two miles came to the 

 Juniata River, which was crossed in a leaky flatboat. Eight 

 miles beyond this point we saw a very fine and stately mansion 

 which was said to belong to a Mrs. Haily. Finally after a 

 hard and tiresome day we arrived at Bedford. The Juniata 

 River flows along Bedford in a narrow bed, between high moun- 

 tain walls ; the village is situated in the valley, and boasts many 

 fine stores and residences. We were told that about fourteen 

 miles farther on there were mineral springs, the waters of which 

 possessed great curative properties, and that many people 

 visited them each season; time, however, did not permit us to 

 visit this resort. 



Six horses were hitched to our stage when we departed the 

 next morning. The mountain roads ascended more gradually, 

 and were less rough ; the weather being exceptionally fine, forty 

 miles were easily made before reaching our destination at a 

 village called Somerset, which contained a courthouse that 

 marked it at once as the county seat. At four o'clock of the 

 morning following we were again on our way, and left Somerset 

 in a heavy fog, which at that early hour sharply accentuated 

 the chill in the air. At the end of the day we found ourselves 

 at Laurel Hill, where we passed the night at the tavern of John 

 Arranats. 



Again at four in the morning we resumed our journey, and 

 after crossing Laurel Creek once more encountered rough 



