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Tuesday, October the third,
about 8 in the morning,
I with the post proceeded forward without observing
any thing remarkable; and about two, afternoon, arrived
at the post's second stage, where the western post met
him and exchanged letters. Here, having called for something
to eat, the woman brought in a twisted thing like a
cable, but something whiter; and, laying it on the board,
tugged for life to bring it into a capacity to spread;
which having with great pains accomplished, she served
in a dish of pork and cabbage, I suppose the remains
of dinner. The sauce was of a deep purple, which I thought
was boiled in her dye kettle; the bread was Indian,
and everything on the table service agreeable to these.
I, being hungry got a little down; but my stomach was
soon cloyed, and what cabbage I swallowed served me
for a cud the whole day after.
Having here discharged the ordinary
for self and guide (as I understood was the custom),
about three afternoon went on with my third guide, who
rode very hard; and having crossed Providence ferry,
we came to a river which they generally ride through.
But I dare not venture; so the post got a lad and canoe
to carry me to t'other side, and he rode through and
led my horse. The canoe was very small and shallow,
so that when we were in she seemed ready to take in
water, which greatly terrified me, and caused me to
be very circumspect, sitting with my hands fast on each
side, my eyes steady, not daring so much as to lodge
my tongue a hair's breadth more on one side of my mouth
than t'other, nor so much as think on Lot's wife, for
a wry thought would have overset our wherry; but was
soon put out of this pain, by feeling the canoe on shore,
which I as soon almost saluted with my feet; and rewarding
my sculler, again mounted and made the best of our way
forwards. . . .
Now was the glorious luminary,
with his swift coursers, arrived at his stage, leaving
poor me with the rest of this part of the lower world
in darkness, with which we were soon surrounded.
The only glimmering we now had was from the spangled
skies, whose imperfect reflections rendered every object
formidable. Each lifeless trunk, with its shattered
limbs, appeared an armed enemy; and every little stump
like a ravenous devourer. Nor could I so much as discern
my guide, when at any distance, which added to the terror.
Thus, absolutely lost in thought
and dying with the very thoughts of drowning, I came
up with the post, whom I did not see till even with
his horse: he told me he stopped for me, and we rode
on very deliberately a few paces, when we entered a
thicket of trees and shrubs, and I perceived by the
horse's going we were on the descent of a hill, which,
as we came nearer the bottom, was totally dark with
the trees that surrounded it. But I knew by the going
of the horse we had entered the water, which my guide
told me was the hazardous river he had told me of; and
he, riding up close to mv side, bid me not fear - we
should be over immediately. I now rallied all the courage
I was mistress of; knowing that I must either venture
my fate of drowning, or be left like the children in
the wood. So, as the post bid me, I gave reins to my
nag; and sitting as steady as just before in the canoe,
in a few minutes got safe to the other side, which he
told me was the Narragansett country.
Being come to Mr. Haven's, I
was very civilly received, and courteously entertained,
in a clean, comfortable house; and the good woman was
very active in helping off my riding clothes, and then
asked what I would eat. I told her I had some chocolate,
if she would prepare it; which with the help of some
milk, and a little clean brass kettle, she soon effected
to my satisfaction. I then betook me to my apartment,
which was a little room parted from the kitchen by a
single board partition; where, after I had noted the
occurrences of the past day, I went to bed, which, though
pretty hard, yet neat and handsome. But I could get
no sleep, because of the clamor of some of the town
topers in next room, who were entered into a strong
debate concerning the signification of the name of their
country; viz. Narragansett. One said it was named
so by the Indians, because there grew a brier there,
of a prodigious height and bigness, the like hardly
ever known, called by the Indians Narragansett;
and quotes an Indian of so barbarous a name for his
author, that I could not write it. His antagonist replied
no - it was from a spring it had its name, which he
well knew where it was, which was extreme cold in summer,
and as hot as could be imagined in the winter, which
was much resorted to by the natives, and by them called
Narragansett (hot and cold), and that was the
original of their place's name - with a thousand impertinences
not worth notice, which he uttered with such a roaring
voice and thundering blows with the fist of wickedness
on the table, that it pierced my very head. I heartily
fretted, and wished them tongue tied; but with as little
success as a friend of mine once, who was (as she said)
kept a whole night awake, on a journey, by a country
lieutenant and a sergeant, ensign and a deacon, contriving
how to bring a triangle into a square. They kept calling
for t'other gill, which, while they were swallowing,
was some intermission; but, presently, like oil to fire,
increased the flame. I set my candle on a chest by the
bedside, and sitting up, fell to my old way of composing
my resentments, in the following manner:
I ask thy aid, O potent Rum!
To charm these wrangling topers dumb.
Thou hast their giddy brains possest -
The man confounded with the beast -
And I, poor I, can get no rest.
Intoxicate them with thy fumes:
O still their tongues till morning comes!
And I know not but my wishes
took effect; for the dispute soon ended with t'other
dram; and so good night!
Wednesday, October 4th.
About four in the morning we set out for Kingston (for
so was the town called) with a French doctor in our
company. He and the post put on very furiously, so that
I could not keep up with them, only as now and then
they would stop till they saw me. This road was poorly
furnished with accommodations for travellers, so that
we were forced to ride twenty-two miles by the post's
account, but nearer thirty by mine, before we could
bait so much as our horses, which I exceedingly complained
of. But the post encouraged me, by saying we should
be well accommodated anon at Mr. Devil's, a few miles
further. But I questioned whether we ought to go to
the devil to be helped out of affliction. However, like
the rest of deluded souls that post to the infernal
den, we made all possible speed to this devil's habitation;
where alighting, in full assurance of good accommodation,
we were going in. But meeting his two daughters, as
I supposed twins, -- they so nearly resembled each other,
both in features and habit, and looked as old as the
devil himself; and quite as ugly, - we desired entertainment,
but could hardly get a word out of them, till with our
importunity, telling them our necessity, etc., they
called the old sophister, who was as sparing of his
words as his daughters had been, and no, or none, were
the replies he made us to our demands. He differed only
in this from the old fellow in t'other country: he let
us depart. However, I thought it proper to warn poor
travellers to endeavor to avoid falling into circumstances
like ours, which at our next stage I sat down and did
as followeth:
May all that dread the cruel
fiend of night
Keep on, and not at this cursed mansion light.
'Tis hell; 'tis hell! and devils here do dwell:
Here dwells the Devil - surely this is hell.
Nothing but wants: a drop to cool your tongue
Can't be procured these cruel fiends among.
Plenty of horrid grins and looks severe,
Hunger and thirst, but pity's banished here -
The right hand keep, if hell on earth you fear!
(Here ends our first installment
of Ms. Kimble's saga.)
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