LIFE OF WILSON. 
XCIX 
and tliey absolutely devour their meals tliat they may return the sooner to their 
business. Their manners correspond with their features. 
"Good country this for lazy fellows : they plaut corn, turn their pigs into 
the woods, and in the autumn feed upon corn and pork — tliey lounge about 
the rest of the year. 
" March 24.— Weather cool. Walked to Sholbyville to breakfast. Passed 
some miserable log-houses in the midst of rich fields. Called at a 'Squire C.'s, 
who was rolling logs. Sat down beside him, but was not invited in, though it 
was about noon. 
" iMarch 29^ — Finding my baggage not likely to come on, I set out from 
Frankfort for Lexington. The woods swarm with pigs, squirrels, and wood- 
peckers. Arrive exceedingly fatigued. 
"Wherever you go you hear people talking of buying and selling land; no 
readers, all traders. The Yankees, wherever you find them, are all traders. 
Found one here, a house carpenter, who came from Massachusetts, and brought 
some barrels of apples down the river from Pennsylvania to this town, where 
he employs the negro women to hawk them about the streets, at thirty-seven 
and a half cents per dozen. 
" Restless, speculating set of mortals here, full of lawsuits, no great readers, 
even of politics or newspapers. 
" The sweet courtesies of life, the innumerable civilities in deeds and con- 
versation, which cost one so little, are seldom found here. Every man you 
meet with has either some land to bay or sell, some lawsuit, some coarse hemp 
or corn to dispose of ; and if the conversation do not lead to any of these he 
will force it. Strangers here receive less civilities than in any place I have 
ever been in. The respect due to the fatigues and privations of travellers is 
nowhere given, because every one has met with as much, and thinks he has 
seen more than any other. No one listens to the adventures of another, with- 
out interrupting the narrative with his own ; so that, instead of an auditor, he 
becomes a competitor in adventure-telling. So many adventurers, also, con- 
tinually wandering about here, injure the manners of the people, for avarice 
and knavery prey most freely and safely upon passengers whom they may never 
meet again. 
" These few observations are written in Salter White's garret, with little or 
no fire, wood being a scarce aj-ticle here — the forests being a full ludf mile 
distant. 
"April 9. — Court held to-day, large concourse of people ; not less than one 
thousand horses in town, hitched to the side-posts — no food for them all day. 
Horses selling by auction. Negro woman sold same'way : my reflections while 
standing by and hearing her cried, 'three hundred and twenty-five dollars for 
this woman and boy ! going ! going !' Woman and boy afterwards weep. 
Damned, damned slavery! this is one infernal custom which the Virginians 
have brought into this country. Rude and barbarous appearance of the 
crowd. Hopkins's double cutters much wanted here. 
"April 10. — Was introduced to several young ladies this afternoon, whose 
agreeable society formed a most welcome contrast to that of the lower orders 
of the other sex. Mrs. * * an amiable, excellent lady; think that savage 
