84 FREDERICK. 



ghany mountains, to Wheelin. From the lat 

 ter town to New Orleans, the distance is about 

 2000 miles, down the Ohio and Mississippi, 

 and it is accomplished by steam-boats in an 

 incredibly short time. 



At one p. M. I left Wheelin by stage to 

 which I had become somewhat reconciled 

 for Frederick, distant 224 miles. 



For the first forty or fifty miles, the coun 

 try was in some degree open and cultivated, 

 but after that we got into forest, and gradual 

 ly into the depths of the Alleghany moun 

 tains. The road was still sound and good, but the 

 hills may without exaggeration be described 

 as tremendous, the ascents not only being ex 

 cessively steep, but continuing so for many 

 miles on end. 



Notwithstanding their great elevation, these 

 mountains are clothed to the top with fine 

 timber, occasionally interspersed with patches 

 of cleared land ; and as in this quarter im 

 mense tracts, formerly Congress land, are now 

 the property of individuals, cultivation will 

 doubtless be rapidly extended. 



