New York to Texas 45 



"as light as day." Overloaded, and with top-heavy 

 coaches, as our hind wheels would keep slipping 

 first on one side, then on the other, to see what the 

 front ones were doing, it was most extraordinary 

 we did not capsize, all of us; but no accident 

 occurred, and at eight next morning we had 

 descended Laurel Hill on a run, and were slowly 

 winding the lanes of a more civilized country. 



As it was Sunday, many cheerful groups, gaily 

 dressed, ornamented the stoops and sunny sides of 

 the houses and barns of the contented farmers of 

 western Pennsylvania, as we passed on to Browns- 

 ville, where we arrived at noon, glad enough to 

 be safely landed on the banks of the Monongahela. 

 We reached Pittsburgh at nine the same evening, 

 went to the Monongahela House and had a com- 

 fortable supper, but as most of our luggage was on 

 the steamer for Cincinnati, I went on board and 

 took my berth. 



Morning came, and after a few kind words from 

 my relations at Pittsburgh, we left, and had one of 

 the hundreds of monotonous voyages down the 

 Ohio that are yearly performed by the steamers. 

 At Cincinnati I was met by two additional volun- 

 teers, engaged by Col. Webb, and was much 

 pleased by their appearance, though I should have 

 preferred seeing backwoodsmen and men who 

 knew more of the life we were going to lead, but 

 we must hope on, and trust to Providence. 



