Fine and highly descriptive autograph letter signed, written from Eaglesmere, Pennsylvania, July 26, 1854, offering a vivid account of summer travel, hunting, fishing, storms, and resort life in the Pennsylvania mountains during the mid-19th century. The writer recounts an arduous journey from Philadelphia to the mountain retreat, including a dramatic incident in which the packet boat ran aground and passengers were forced to use ropes and horses to free it. Once at Eaglesmere, the correspondent describes fishing excursions, thunderstorms, plentiful deer, and sightings of “a very large Buck in the new grounds.” The letter also references local entertainment and the excitement surrounding “Barnum’s Museum,” whose attractions drew large crowds and drunken revelry in nearby Muncy. Of particular interest are the detailed observations of rural sporting culture and resort recreation in northern Pennsylvania during the antebellum period. The writer comments on hunting parties, weather patterns, social visits, mail disruptions, and the rhythms of summer life in the mountains. A charming and content-rich Pennsylvania recreational letter with excellent travel, sporting, and social-history content. Condition: Very good overall. Fold lines, light toning, and minor handling wear. Ink remains dark and highly legible throughout.
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Dear Estella You must make up your mind to peruse a wiser ably written letter. Hunting, fishing, hay making and all the other ings which are generally followed here, are but poor aids toward forming a steady handwriting, unless they are followed always, then they serve to steady the hand, but when a person comes up here, and stays for about a month, he finds the change anything but benefi cial, as regards his chirography. I left Philadelphia two days after I left Beverly, and reached this Packet with safety. The sun, when on board the Boat, was intensely hot, and umbrellas were resorted to from necessity. About 9 o’clock in the evening, our boat (while we were attempting to pass another) ran aground, and we found that our horses were unable to move us, either backward or forward. Captain Murphy was the person who commanded our boat, so we felt no fear of any detention, for the reason that he is a remarkably energetic person. Finally we got two ropes to work, one manned by the passengers the other at- tached to horses. By these means we were enabled to go on, after nearly two hours delay. We arrived at Muncy at about 11 o’clock, and found everything and especially everybody, in a state of excitement. Barnums Mu- seum, was exhibiting there, curiosities were displayed which to Muncey eyes were well worth 25 cents a sight; but to persons who have heard of the many tricks practiced in such shows, they would have been considerably beneath notice. Most persons were drunk, whilst those who were not pos- itively tipsy were in a peculiarly foolish state, which led them into fights. Thinking Muncy under such circumstances, rather a disagreeable place, we set off about quarter past 12 o’clock and drove slowly up to Eaglesmere, which place we reached at about 1/2 after seven. We went fishing one day since we were up, and caught over 9 dozen trout. While out we were caught by a thunder gust, but we got into Sowers old house, and thus escaped a drenching. Deer seem to be remarkably plentiful. Sunday evening some of the boys saw one at Uncle’s chopping. Monday morning three of us saw a very large Buck in the new grounds, he was close to us, but as usual we had not a gun among us all. Harry came up from Lewisburg last Wednesday evening and stayed with us until yesterday morning. He will come up again in his vacation in August. There was a large deer shot in the Lake a few days before I came up. Benj’n Cheney from Laporte killed it, and when shot, as the Boat leaked, there was no way of bringing it to shore from where he shot it. Tony finally was sent in after it & he swam to it and pushed it in in front of him. The weather for the last few days has been dull cloudy & rainy. Early in the morning blows over the Mountain and about 11 o’clock the sun comes out and it remains hot until four, when we are visited by a thunder storm. This is our general programme, every piece mentioned in it being enacted, or repeated every day. The Mail Contractor is bothering us or somehow we had no mail on Saturday. I really have not much more to write to you at pres ent. How is George Chassard jr? Decidedly I hope. If you see any of our family, give them my love, and tell father to bring me up a few cigars — remember me kindly to Mr. Beylin — I hope you will both come up soon. Please write and tell me anything worth knowing. Your affectionate cousin H. Hay
