o use every
means of inflaming the public mind, by the most flagrant exaggerations of
the late captures, &c.: and so successful have they been in their
misrepresentations, that a war with England would at this time be very
popular.

_Aug. 30th_.--You can conceive nothing more beautifully romantic,
than the appearance of the country during the latter part of this day's
journey. The hills, bold, rounding, and lofty, are covered with wood to
their very summit. In the midst of this wild scenery is the mighty
_Susquana_, above a mile wide, dashing over rocks and precipices,
seventy or eighty miles distant from the flow of the tide. A similar body
of running water, perfectly clear and transparent, with so many hundred
cascades as beautify the Susquana, is perhaps no where else to be met
with. Unfortunately these very beauties render the navigation of this
noble river impracticable.

_Aug. 31st_.--Arrived at Lancaster, a prettily situate town, of about
nine hundred houses. It is reckoned the largest inland town south of New
England, and indeed the only large town without some kind of navigation;
to remedy this inconvenience as much as possible, a turnpike road (very
superiour to any thing of the kind in America, and which will cost three
thousand dollars per mile,) is forming from Philadelphia, through
Lancaster, to the Susquana. I before told you this river, owing to the
rocks and falls, was not navigable; but I forgot to inform you, that the
inhabitants of the back country contrive to waft the produce of their
plantations down the river on floats, during the floods, in spring and
fall; which will be conveyed by means of this new road to Philadelphia,
whence it will be exported to the west indian or european markets.

The only manufactory in Lancaster is one of rifles; they have contracted
to supply the continental army with these _"mortal engines."_

I have heard a hundred improbable stories relative to what was done with
the rifle by famous marksmen in America, such as shooting an apple from a
child's head, &c; to which I could not give credit: but, I have no reason
to doubt the following feat: as it was actually performed before many
hundred inhabitants of this borough, and the adjacent country.--During the
late war, in the year 1775, a company of riflemen, formed from the back
woodsmen of Virginia, were quartered here for some time: two of them
_alternately_ held a board only nine inches square between his knees,
whil