ALEXANDER WILSON. lxxix 



mile wide, with several islands interspersed ; the channel rocky, and 

 the islands heaped with driftwood. The whole fall, in two miles, 

 is less than twenty-four feet. The town of Louisville stands on a 

 high second bank, and is about as large as Frankfort, having a num- 

 ber of good brick buildings and valuable shops. The situation would 

 be as healthy as any on the river, but for the numerous swamps and 

 ponds that intersect the woods in its neighbourhood. These, from 

 their height above the river, might all be drained, and turned into 

 cultivation ; but every man here is so intent on the immediate mak- 

 ing of money, that they have neither time nor disposition for im- 

 provements, even where the article health is at stake. A man here 

 told me, that last fall he had fourteen sick in his own family. On 

 Friday the 24th, I left my baggage with a merchant of the place, to 

 be forwarded by the first waggon ; and set out on foot for Lexington, 

 seventy-two miles distant. I passed through Middleton and Shelby- 

 ville, both inconsiderable places. Nine-tenths of the country is in 

 forest, the surface undulating into gentle eminences and declivities, 

 between each of which generally runs a brook, over loose flags of 

 limestone. The soil, by appearance, is of the richest sort. I ob- 

 served immense fields of Indian corn ; high, excellent fences ; few 

 grain fields; many log-houses, and those of the meaner sort. I took 

 notice of few apple orchards, but several very thriving peach ones. 

 An appearance of slovenliness is but too general about their houses, 

 barns, and barn-yards. Negroes are numerous ; cattle and horses 

 lean, particularly the former, who appear as if struggling with star- 

 vation for their existence. The woods are swarming with pigs, 

 pigeons, squirrels, and woodpeckers. The pigs are universally fat, 

 owing to the great quantity of mast this year. Walking here in 

 wet weather is most execrable, and is like travelling on soft soap : a 

 few days of warm weather hardens this again into a stone. Want 

 of bridges is the greatest inconvenience to a foot traveller here. Be- 

 tween Shelbyville and Frankfort, having gone out of my way to see 

 a pigeon-roost (which, by the by, is the greatest curiosity I have seen 

 since leaving home), I waded a deep creek, called Benson, nine or 

 ten times. I spent several days in Frankfort, and in rambling among 

 the stupendous cliffs of Kentucky river. On Thursday evening, I 

 entered Lexington. But I cannot do justice to these subjects at the 

 conclusion of a letter, which, in spite of all my abridgments, has 



