take a fortnight's provisions, a change of raiment, a hammock, and a cloak to sleep in. Our present intention is to make the site of York our head-quarters, and to proceed from that central point four day's march up the river, the same in the opposite direction down, and the same distance eastward to the interior.
From Guildford to York is, I suppose, 50 miles; from York to Beverley 20 miles; near the latter place is my grant; so that I shall have an opportunity of seeing it, as well as so much of the interior. Expeditions, however, of this kind in perspective arrangement, are often attended with serious difficulties in actual execution. In the present case, thirty persons must be supplied for eleven days with gunpowder, shot, and clothes; and we can only muster three horses for us all. Thunder and rain—a good dramatic conclusion to one day's diary.
29th.—Worked hard in the garden, planting Indian corn transplanting mangel-wurzel, and preparing beds for rock and water melons, cucumbers and pumpkins, and sowing five different kinds of strawberry seeds, and as many sorts of gooseberry, which latter seeds will not, probably, succeed in this climate.
Letty has been preparing striped cotton shirts for my expedition, these being more suited than linen ones to our climate.
30th.—The pigs, confound them! are gone astray again.
