xviii LIFE OF WILSON. 



sedentary occupation ; and soon becoming disgusted with the place, he returned 

 to the mansion of his friend, Mr. Sullivan. 



I find from one of his journals that, in the autumn of the year 1795, he 

 travelled through the north part of the state of New Jersey, with an acquaint- 

 ance, in the capacity of a pedler, and met with tolerable success. 



His diary of this journey is interesting. It was written with so much care, 

 that one is tempted to conjecture that he spent more time in literary occupation 

 than in vending his merchandise. It contains observations on the manners of 

 the people, and remarks on the principal natural productions of New Jersey, 

 with sketches of the most noted indigenous quadrupeds and birds. In these 

 sketches one is enabled to perceive the dawning of that talent for description 

 which was afterwards revealed with so much lustre. 



On his return from this trading adventure, he opened a school on the Ox- 

 ford road, about five miles to the north of Frankford, Pennsylvania; but being 

 dissatisfied with this situation, he removed to Milestown, and taught in the 

 school-house of that village. In this latter place he continued for several 

 years, and, being deficient in the various branches of learning necessary to 

 qualify him for an instructor of youth, he applied himself to study with great 

 diligence; and acquired all his knowledge of the mathematics, which was con- 

 siderable, solely by his own exertions. To teaching he superadded the vocation 

 of surveying, and was occasionally employed by the neighboring farmers in 

 this business. 



Whilst residing at Milestown, he made a journey, on foot, to the Genesee 

 country, in the state of New York, for the purpose of visiting his nephew, 

 Mr. William Duncan, who resided upon a small farm, which was their joint- 

 property. This farm they had been enabled to purchase through the assistance 

 of Mr. Sullivan, the gentleman in whose employ Wilson had been, as before 

 stated. The object of this purchase, which some might deem an act of im- 

 prudence in those whose slender funds did not suffice without the aid of a loan, 

 was to procure an asylum for Mr. Duncan's mother and her family of small 

 children, whom poverty and misfortune had, a short time before, driven to this 

 country. This was somewhat a fatiguing journey to a pedestrian, who, in the 

 space of twenty-eight days, travelled nearly eight hundred miles. 



The life of Wilson now becomes interesting, as we are enabled, by a selection 

 from his letters, to present him to the reader as his own biographer. 



To Mr. William Duncan.* 



Milestown, July 1, 1800. 

 '' Dear Bill 



" I had the pleasure of yours by tne hands of Mr. P. this day, and about 

 four weeks ago I had another, directed to Mr. Dobson's care, both of which 

 were as welcome to me as anything, but your own self, could be. I am just as 

 you left me, only my school has been thinner this season than formerly. 



* Mr. Duncan at this time resided upon the farm mentioned above, which was situated 

 .m the 'oivnship of Ovid, Cayuga county, New York. 



