t. After supper we ate some Maryland or Virginia oysters
which he had brought up with him. We found them good, but the Gouanes
oysters at New York are better.

_11th, Monday._ We left there after breakfast, the man conducting us
to the path which led to the plantation of Mr. Stabley, whose address
we had from Mr. Moll, but he was sick. We were here a little while,
but nothing was offered us to eat, and we only asked to drink. We
wished to be put across the Sassafras River here, but could not
accomplish it, although we were upon the bank of the river. We were
directed to the ferry at the court house, which was about two miles
west, but difficult to find through the woods. A person gave us a
letter to take to the Manathans, who put us in the path leading to the
ferry, where we arrived about two o'clock, and called out to them to
come and take us over. Although the weather was perfectly still and
they could easily hear us, we were not taken over, though we continued
calling out to them until sundown. As no one came for us, we intended
to go back to the plantation of Mr. Stabley, or one of those lying
before us, and to proceed there along the strand, but a creek
prevented us, and we had to search for the road by which we came. We
missed this road, although we were upon it, and could not find that or
any other plantation, and meanwhile it became dark. Although the moon
shone we could not go straight, for it shone above, and did not give
us light enough to see through the trees any houses or plantations at
a distance, several of which we passed as the result proved. We were
utterly perplexed and astray. We followed the roads as we found them,
now easterly and then westerly, now a little more on one side, and
then a little more on the other, until we were completely tired out,
and wished ourselves back again upon the strand. We had to keep on,
however, or remain in the woods, and as the latter did not suit us, we
chose the former, fatigued as we were, and uncertain as was the issue.
I plucked up courage and went singing along, which resounded through
the woods, although I was short of breath through weariness. My
comrade having taken his compass out of his sack in order to see how
we were going, had put it back again, and we were walking on, when he
discovered he had by that means lost his sword; though we had gone
some distance, we returned again to look for it, and I found it at
last. We continued on westerly again, but as w