194 JOURNEY TO KATSKILL. [1753. 



fallen before I got there. Neither do I design to be in such a 

 hurry as I have been. 



TO PETER COLLINSON, ON THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE. 



[1753.] 



Dear afflicted Friend: 



As I have been once near, in some respects, in the same gloomy 7 

 disconsolate circumstance with thine, I believe I am in some mea- 

 sure qualified to sympathize with one of my dearest friends, in his 

 close and tender affliction. It seems hard to have one's dearest 

 consort, a loving spouse an affectionate wife an object that we 

 love above all terrestrial enjoyments taken from our arms. How 

 grievous is it, for one that is thus agreeable, to be torn from our 

 hearts ! Her dear sweet bosom is cold ; her tender heart the 

 centre of mutual love is motionless ; her dear arms are no more 

 extended to embrace her beloved ; the partner of his cares, and 

 sharer of his pleasures must no more sit down with her husband 

 at his table. Oh ! my dear friend, let us resign all to God Al- 

 mighty ; His will be done ! He knows what is best for our ulti- 

 mate good. 



A JOURNEY TO THE KATSKILL MOUNTAINS, WITH BILLY, 1753. 



After two weeks' sickness, being pretty well recovered, but still 

 a lurking fever hanging on me. * * * We set out the 1st of 

 September, and travelled forty miles ; the next day we travelled 

 near fifty; and the next day crossed the South Chains, being three 

 ridges of our Blue Mountain, on Jersey side, where we stayed 

 about noon, to rest ourselves, and observe the vegetables that grew 

 thereon ; which were, Mountain Chestnut Oak, Mountain or Cham- 

 pagne Red Oak, and some Spanish Oak, Sassafras, Chestnut, and 

 Maple Ash, black and white, Wild Cherry, Persimmon, and 

 three-leaved Pine. Shrubs, Sweet Fern, and, in swampy places, 

 Prinos; and very good Fox grapes. * * * * 



We continued our travelling till eleven 

 o'clock, near the river ; and then turned on our right hand along 

 a road that crossed the Blue Mountain again, being the road the 



