XXXIV LIFE OF 



rible gale of wind blowing all night from the shore, it was Sunday 

 before we had again the satisfaction of seeing it, scarcely perceptible 

 through the fog ; but a pilot coming on board, and the sun rising, 

 we found ourselves within the Capes of the Delaware, the shore on 

 land having the appearance of being quite flat, and only a complete 

 forest of trees. About seven at night, having had a good breeze all 

 day, we cast anchor at a place called Reedy Island, where one of the 

 cabin passengers and the first man who leapt ashore in the long 

 boat was drowned in returning to the ship. We arrived at New- 

 castle next day about mid-day, where we were all as happy as mor- 

 tals could be ; and being told that Wilmington was only five miles 

 up the river, we set out on foot through a flat woody country, that 

 looked in every respect like a new world to us from the great pro- 

 fusion of fruit that everywhere overhung our heads, the strange birds, 

 shrubs, &c, and came at length to Wilmington, which lies on the 

 side of a hill, about a mile from the Delaware, and may be about 

 as large as Renfrew, or perhaps larger. We could hear of no em- 

 ployment here in our business, though I saw two silk looms going, 

 and some jennies preparing for establishing some manufactory of 

 cotton cloth ; but they proceed with so little spirit, that I believe 

 it may be some years before half-a-dozen of looms can be employed. 

 From Wilmington we proceeded to Philadelphia, twenty-nine miles 

 distant, where very little of the ground is cleared ; the only houses 

 we saw were made of large logs of wood, laid one over another ; 

 and what crops we could see consisted of Indian corn, potatoes, 

 and some excellent oats. We made free to go in to a good many 

 farm-houses on the road, but saw none of that kindness and hospi- 

 tality so often told of them. We met with three weavers by the 

 way, who live very quiet and well enough, but had no place for any 

 of us. At length we came within sight of Philadelphia, which lies 

 something like Glasgow, but on a much natter piece of ground, 

 extending in breadth along the Delaware for near three miles. 

 Here we made a more vigorous search than ever for weavers, and 

 found, to our astonishment, that, though the city contains be- 

 tween forty and fifty thousand people, there is not twenty weavers 

 among the whole, and these had no conveniences for journeymen, 

 nor seemed to wish for any ; so, after we had spent every farthing 

 we had, and saw no hopes of anything being done that way, we 



