LIFE OF WILSON. 
Ixxxi 
few gruiii 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 starvation for their existence. The woods are 
swarming with pigs, pigeons, squirrels and woodpeckers. The pigs are univer- 
sally 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 almost into stone. Want of bridges is the 
greatest inconvenience to a foot traveller here. Between Sliclbyville 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 even- 
ing 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 far exceeded 
in length what I first intended. 3Iy next will be from Nashville. I shall 
then have seen a large range of Kentucky, and be more able to give you a 
correct delineation of the country and its inhabitants. In descending the 
Ohio, I amused myself with a poetical narrative of my expedition, which I 
have called ' Hie Pilgrim^' an extract from which shall close this long and I am 
afraid tiresome letter." 
To Mr. Alexander Lawson. 
"Nashville, Tennessee, April 28th, 1810. 
" My Dear Sir. 
" Before setting out on my journey through the wilderness to Natchez, I sit 
down to give you, according to promise, some account of Lexington, and of my 
adventures through the state of Kentucky. These I shall be obliged to sketch 
as rapidly as possible. Neither my time nor my situation enables me to detail 
particulars with any degree of regularity ; and you must condescend to receive 
them in the same random manner in which they occur, altogether destitute of 
fimciful embellishment; with nothing but their novelty, and the simplicity of 
truth, to recommend them. 
" I saw nothing of Lexington till I had approached within half a mile of the 
place, when the woods opening, I beheld the town before me, on an irregular 
plain, ornamented with a small white spire, and consisting of several parallel 
streets, crossed by some others ; many of the houses built of brick ; others of 
frame, neatly painted ; but a great proportion wore a more humble and inferior 
appearance. The fields around looked clean and well fenced; gently undu- 
lating, but no hills in view. In a hollow between two of these parallel streets, 
ran a considerable brook, that, uniting with a larger a little below the town, 
drives several mills. A large quarry of excellent building-stone also attracted 
my notice as I entered the town. The main street was paved with large masses 
from this quarry, the foot path neat, and guarded by wooden posts. The 
numerous shops piled with good.s, and the many well dressed females I passed 
Vol. I.— F 
