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THE GREAT PINE SWAMP. 



I LEFT Philadelphia, at four of the morning, by the coach, with no other 

 accoutrements than I knew to be absolutely necessary for the jaunt which 

 I intended to make. These consisted of a wooden box, containing a small 

 stock of linen, drawing paper, my journal, colours and pencils, together 

 with S5 povmds of shot, some flints, the due quantum of cash, my gun 

 Tear-jacket, and a heart as trvie to nature as ever. 



Our coaches are none of the best, nor do they move with the velocity 

 of those of some other countries. It was eight, and a dark night, when I 

 reached Mauch Chunk, now so celebrated in the Union for its rich coal 

 mines, and eighty-eight miles distant from Philadelphia. I had passed 

 through a very diversified covmtry, part of which was highly cultivated, 

 while the rest was yet in a state of nature, and consequently much more 

 agreeable to me. On alighting, I was shewn to the travellers'' room, and 

 on asking for the landlord, saw coming towards me a fine-looking yoimg 

 man, to whom I made known my wishes. He spoke kindly, and offered 

 to lodge and board me at a mvich lower rate than travellers who go there 

 for the very simple pleasure of being dragged on the railway. In a word, 

 I was fixed in four minutes, and that most comfortably. 



No sooner had the approach of day been announced by the cocks of 

 the little village, than I marched out with my gun and note-book, to 

 judge for myself of the wealth of the country. After traversing much 

 ground, and crossing many steep hills, I returned, if not wearied, at least 

 much disappointed at the extraordinary scarcity of birds. So I bargained 

 to be carried in a cart to the central parts of the Great Pine Swamp, and, 

 although a heavy storm was rising, ordered my conductor to proceed. 

 We winded rovmd many a mountain, and at last crossed the highest. 

 The weather had become tremendous, and we were thoroughly drenched, 

 but my resolution being fixed, the boy was obliged to continue his driv- 

 ing. Having already travelled about fifteen miles or so, we left the turn- 

 pike, and struck up a narrow and bad road, that seemed merely cut out 

 to enable the people of the Swamp to receive the necessary supplies from 

 the village which I had left. Some mistakes were made, and it was al- 

 most dark, when a post directed us to the habitation of a IVIr Jediah 

 Irish, to whom I had been recommended. We now rattled down a steep 

 declivity, edged on one side by almost perpendicular rocks, and on the 



