478 TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA.' 
Alexandria in Virginia, a fine city on the Weft 
banks of the Patowmac, about the 26th of Decem- 
ber, having had excellent roads, and pleafant, 
moderate weather, neither fnow nor ice to be feen, 
except a flight fall of fnow from a flying cloud, the 
day before I reached this place ; but this evening it 
clouded up from the Weft, the wind North-eafl 
and cold. Next morning the fnow was eight or ten 
inches deep on the ground, and the wind fhifting to 
North- weft, cleared up intenfely cold : I however 
fat off and croffed the river juft below the falls, and 
landed at George-town in Maryland. The fnow 
was now deep every where around, the air cold to 
an extreme, and the roads deep under fnow or 
flippery with ice, rendered the travelling uncom- 
fortable. 
Being now arrived at WrightVferry, on the 
Sufquehanna, I began anxioufly to look towards 
home, but here I found almoft infuperable em- 
barraftments : the river being but half frozen over, 
there was no poflibility of crofting here ; but hear- 
ing that people crofted at Anderfon's, about five 
miles above, early next morning 1 fat off again up 
the river, in company with feverai travellers, fome 
for Philadelphia : 'arriving at the ferry, we were 
joined by a number of traders, with their pack- 
horfes loaded with leather and furs, where we all 
agreed to venture over together ; and keeping at a 
moderate diftance from each other, examining well 
our icy bridge, and being careful of our fteps, we 
landed fafe on the oppoftte fhore, got to Lancafter 
in the evening, and next morning fat forward again 
towards Philadelphia, and in two days more arrived 
at my father's houfe on the banks of the river 
Schuylkill, within four miles of the city, January 
1778. 
