LIFE OF WILSON. Ixxxi 



few grain fields, many log houses, and those of the meaner sort. I took notice 

 of few apple orchards, but several very thriving peach ones. An appearance 

 of slovenliness is but too general about their houses, barns, and barn-yards. 

 Negroes are numerous; cattle and horses lean, particularly the former, who 

 appear as if struggling with starvation for their existence. The woods are 

 swarming with pigs, pigeons, squirrels and woodpeckers. The pigs are univer- 

 sally fat, owing to the great quantity of mast this year. Walking here in wet 

 weather is most execrable, and is like travelling on soft soap ; a few days of 

 warm weather hardens this again almost into stone. Want of bridges is the 

 greatest inconvenience to a foot traveller here. Between Shelbyville and 

 Frankfort, having gone out of my way to see a pigeon-roost, (which by-the-by 

 is the greatest curiosity I have seen since leaving home), I waded a deep creek 

 called Benson, nine or ten times. I spent several days in Frankfort, and in 

 rambling among the stupendous cliffs of Kentucky river. On Thursday even- 

 ing I entered Lexington. But I cannot do justice to these subjects at the 

 conclusion of a letter, which, in spite of all my abridgments, has far exceeded 

 in length what I first intended. My next will be from Nashville. I shall 

 then have seen a large range of Kentucky, and be more able to give you a 

 correct delineation of the country and its inhabitants. In descending the 

 Ohio, I amused myself With a poetical narrative of my expedition, which I 

 have called ' TJie Pilgrini,' an extract from which shall close this long and I am 

 afraid tiresome letter." 



To Mr. Alexander L.\wson. 



"Nashville, Tennessee, April 28th, 1810. 

 " My Dear Sir. 



" Before setting out on my journey through the wilderness to Natchez, I sit 

 down to give you, according to promise, some account of Lexington, and of my 

 adventures through the state of Kentucky. These I shall be obliged to sketch 

 as rapidly as possible. Neither my time nor my situation enables me to detail 

 particulars with any degree of regularity ; and you must condescend to receive 

 them in the same random manner in which they occur, altogether destitute of 

 fanciful embellishment; with nothing but their novelty, and the simplicity of 

 truth, to recommend them. 



" I saw nothing of Lexington till I had approached within half a mile of the 

 place, when the woods opening, I beheld the town before me, on an irregular 

 plain, ornamented with a small white spire, and consisting of several parallel 

 streets, crossed by some others ; many of the houses built of brick ; others of 

 frame, neatly painted ; but a great proportion wore a more humble and inferior 

 appearance. The fields around looked clean and well fenced; gently undu- 

 lating, but no hills in view. In a hollow between two of these parallel streets, 

 ran a considerable brook, that, uniting with a larger a little below the town, 

 drives several mills. A large quarry of excellent building-stone also attracted 

 my notice as I entered the town. The main street was paved with large masses 

 from this quarry, the fopt path neat, and guarded by wooden posts. The 

 numerous shops piled with goods, and the many well dressed females I passed 



Vol. I.— F 



