p21 1817 Journal Thomas Dean

about 10 A. M. and passed down the river. There were but few houses, all small log cabins, and the inhabitants ap- peared to live by hunting, fishing, and the few shillings they could get from the pockets of the travelers. Lee, the landlord where we took breakfast, informed me that there were large settlements in the country back from the river, but there was but very little grain raised; that the land had a very good appearance, but did not produce well after two or three crops. He said that the frost had injured their crops very much for some time back. After the rain stopped we went on down the river with the current, helped by our oars, to a place called Millerls Eddy, about fifty-eight miles, and put up at an unfinished house.

june 22d. Started about half past 4 A. M., ran down the river, procured some bread on shore, took breakfast, con- tinued on down, and passed Armstrong, a small village on the south side of the river. It is the county seat of that county, forty-iive miles above Pittsburgh. We put into shore and stopped at a house two miles below Freeport. From there, passed on down to a place called Mechanics- burg, on the south side of the river. It consisted of several small houses, most of them abandoned by the inhabitants, four families only living there, and they so poor they could afford us no relief or lodging. It rained very hard. We crossed over the river and found poor lodging on the oppo- site shore, where we put up, having come about seventy~two miles. We were now within about ten miles of Pittsburgh. june 23d. We started about half past 4`A. M. and ran down the river, passing three arks with families going down the river; arrived in Pittsburgh about 6 A. M., where we