xcii life of WILSON. 
found now that I had got a very devil before my chair; the 
least sound of the whip made him spring half a rod at a leap; 
no road, however long or heavy, could tame him. Two or 
three times he had nearly broke my neck, and chair to boot; 
and at Georgetown ferry he threw one of the boatmen into the 
river. But he is an excellent traveller, and for that one quali- 
ty I forgave him all his sins, only keeping a close rein, and a 
sharp look out. 
•5S 
“ I should now give you some account of Charleston, with 
the streets of which I am as well acquainted as I was with 
those of New York and Boston; but I reserve that till we meet. 
I shall only say, that the streets cross each other at right an- 
gles — are paved on the sides — have a low bed of sand in the 
middle; and frequently are in a state fit to compare to those of 
Norfolk. The town, however, is neat — has a gay appearance 
— is full of shops; and has a market place which far surpasses 
those of Philadelphia for cleanliness, and is an honour to the 
city. Many of the buildings have two, three, and four ranges 
of piazzas, one above another, with a great deal of gingerbread 
work about them. The streets are crowded with negroes; and 
their quarrels often afford amusement to the passengers. In a 
street called Broad street, I every day see a crowd of wretch- 
edly clad blacks, huddled in a corner for sale: people handling 
them as they do black cattle. Here are female chimney 
sweeps; stalls with roasted sweet potatoes for sale; and on the 
wharves clubs of blacks, male and female, sitting round fires, 
amid heaps of oyster-shells, cooking their victuals — these seem 
the happiest mortals on earth. The finest groups for a comic 
painter might every day be found here that any country can 
produce. 
“ The ladies of Charleston are dressed with taste; but their 
pale and languid countenances by no means correspond with 
their figures. ■* * * 
“ To-morrow afternoon I shall set off for Savannah. I have 
