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I made with Major Davenport an excursion into the country, 
to the very respectable country-seat. Locust Grove, six miles from 
Louisville, belonging to Dr. Croghan and a younger brother, and 
inherited from their father. Close by the town we crossed a 
small stream, which falls here into the Ohio, and is called Bear 
Grass creek. This serves the keel and flat boats as a very safe 
harbour. From the bridge over this, the road goes several miles 
through a handsome wood on the banks of the Ohio, past coun¬ 
try-seats, and well cultivated fields, behind which fine looking 
hills arose. The wood consisted mostly of sycamores. We 
observed five that sprung from one root; two are quite com¬ 
mon. The trees are very thick. We measured the bulk of the 
thickest sycamore, and found it twenty-seven feet four inches 
in circumference. I never recollect to have seen such a mam¬ 
moth tree. Locust Grove itself lies about a mile from the river, 
and is, as appears from its name, surrounded by those trees. 
We found here the doctor, his brother William Croghan, with 
his young wife, a native of Pittsburgh, and a fat, lovely little boy, 
who strikingly reminded me of my sons. 
At a party in the house of Mr. Use, a rich merchant and pre¬ 
sident of the branch of the United States Bank here, we met a 
very numerous and splendid society. Cotillions and reels were 
danced to the music of a single violin, and every thing went off 
pleasantly. We remained till midnight, and the company were 
still keeping up the dance, when we left them. 
Dr. Ferguson was very much occupied in vaccination. The 
natural small-pox had made its appearance within a few days, 
under a very malignant form, in the tow T n. On this account every 
one had their children vaccinated as speedily as possible; even 
those who were prejudiced against vaccination. In the evening, 
I went with Major and Mrs. Davenport to the house of Mrs. 
Wilson, to tea, whose daughter, fifteen years of age, had been 
married above a month. The young females marry much too 
early here, quite as early as in Louisiana. 
There were two pieces represented at the theatre for the be¬ 
nefit of a Mrs. Drake; Man and Wife, a favourite English drama, 
and a farce called Three Weeks after Marriage. We were pre¬ 
sent on this occasion. The proscenium is very small; a confined 
pit, a single row of boxes, and a gallery. It was well filled; 
as Mrs. Drake was very much a favourite with the ladies here, 
all the boxes were full of the fashionables of the place. The 
dramatic corps was very ordinary with the exception of Mrs. 
Drake. Most of the actors were dressed very badly, had not 
committed their parts, and played in a vulgar style. One actor 
was so intoxicated, that he was hardly able to keep his legs. 
I was furthermore witness to a revolting spectacle in Louis- 
