FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

ecause the current was so rapid and our Noah’s Arks so difficult to manage that it is
impossible to cross from one side to another without being diverted at least a mile. Mrs.
Linton being sick, we stopped for 24 hours in Limestone. <strong>The</strong>y went to get a doctor for
her in Washington, another small town, 4 miles further in the interior.
Whereas you are [huddled near] the corner of your fireplace, in fog, we are enjoying here
the purest sky and a temperature as mild as that of May in England. If the vegetation
were not so dead, one would think it spring, but earth and sky don’t correspond at this
time. It is impossible to see Nature more hibernal. Not a sprig of grass, not a green leaf,
of any sort.
Tuesday, 29 th [November 1808]. We left Limestone at noon. <strong>The</strong> weather is still mild
and lovelier than yesterday. <strong>The</strong> evening is superb and the sky is more beautiful than any
I have ever seen in Europe in its setting sun of Autumn. <strong>The</strong> clouds [p 3] are alight with
the most vivid reds and greys, and are scattered over a heaven of the most beautiful azure
over our heads and taking on, towards the horizon, mixed hues of yellow, orange, and
tender green. <strong>The</strong> Ohio reflects them on the tranquil surface of its waters, which spreads
like a carpet about three quarters of a mile wide and fifteen miles long. Tuesday
morning, 7 a.m. We are passing in front of Cincinnati, a fairly considerable town of 4 or
500 homes, a bank, and many factories. Cincinnati is 524 miles from Pittsburgh,
following the turns of the river. At two o’clock in the afternoon we passed the mouth of
the great Miami River. It is about 200 yards wide and they go up it by boat for more than
100 miles. It connects by portage of land of 5 miles, with another Miami River which
empties into Lake Erie. We will pass during the night in front of Big Bone Lick Creek,
the place where one finds in abundance the teeth and tusks of those enormous animals
which they call Mammoths.
Thursday [31 November 1808] 8 o’clock. We are in front of Port William, a little river
village at the mouth of the Kentucky River, distance from Pittsburgh of 628 miles. Thus
we have made 104 miles since 7 o’clock yesterday morning and that without perceiving
the least motion. <strong>The</strong> Kentucky River is not as large as the Miami, but it is navigable by
boat as far as 200 miles above its confluence with the Ohio. <strong>The</strong> weather is still beautiful
and mild enough. <strong>The</strong> farther we advance the less we shall feel winter. We shall arrive
during the night at Louisville, situated on the rapids, in the waterfalls of the Ohio. We
are supposed to stop there and I will mail this letter from there. This will be the last
chance that I shall have to write you before reaching Natchez or New Orleans. Louisville
is situated about 700 miles from Pittsburgh, and from there to the mouth of the ______
we still have more than 400 miles.
I would like now, my dear friends, to speak two words about my quarters aboard, which
may be useful to either on the sea or on this river, if you take the same route some day in
the future. I had made a folding seat of very heavy coarse cloth, and a light pallet on
which I put a bear skin, well sewed, which cost me 2 piasters at Pittsburgh. For the
cover, I purchased a Buffalo skin, prepared by Indians (and which they call here a
Buffalo Robe) which cost me 6 piasters. When it’s cold, I cover myself, the hair on the
inside, otherwise, I use the other side, which is as soft and supple as a deerskin. We drink
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