THE GREAT PINE SWAMP. 163 



twenty-five pounds of shot, some flints, a due quaiitum of cash, 

 iay gun, ' Tear Jacket,' and a heart as true 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 eighty 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 diversified 

 country, 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 shown to the travellers' room, and on 

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

 young man, to whom I made known my wishes. He spokd 

 kindly, and offered to lodge and board me at a much 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 groimd, and crossing many steep hiUs, I returned, if not 

 we^ied, 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. The 

 weather had become tremendous, and we were thoroughly 

 drenched. We winded round many a mountain, and at last 

 crossed the highest* But my resolution being fixed, the boy 

 was obliged to continue his driving. Having already travelled 

 fifteen miles or so, we left the turnpike 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 almost 

 dark when a post directed us to the habitation of a Mr. Jedediah 

 Irish, to T^hom I had been recommended. We now rattled 

 down a steep declivity, edged on one side by almost perpen- 

 dicular roqks, and on the other by a noisy stream, which Seemed 

 grumbling at the approach of strangers. The ground was so 

 overgrown by laurels and tall pines of different kinds, that 

 the whole presented only a mass of darkness. 



M 2 



