with the elevation of the sun until noon, and then gradually subsiding into a calm towards sunset; while at a little distance from those air conductors (the rivers) even in high situations, an oppressive heat not rarified by the most gentle zephyr, prevails during the same time.
Another cause of the unprepossessing appearance of Pittsburgh, proceeds from the effect of one of the must useful conveniences and necessaries of life, which it enjoys in a pre-eminent degree; namely, fuel, consisting of as fine coal as any in the world, in such plenty, so easily wrought, and so near the town, that it is delivered in wagons drawn by four horses, at the doors of the inhabitants, at the rate of five cents per bushel.
A load of forty bushels which costs only two dollars, will keep two fires in a house a month, and in consequence, there are few houses, even amongst the poorest of the inhabitants, where at least two fires are not used—one for cooking, and another for the family to sit at. This great consumption of a coal abounding in sulphur, and its smoke condensing into a vast quantity of lampblack, gives the outside of the houses a dirty and disagreeable appearance—even more so than in the most populous towns of Great Britain, where a proportionably great quantity of coal is used; which must be caused by a difference of quality, which appears in the grate to be in favour of the coal of this country.
The winter being too far advanced for boats to descend the Ohio, I preferred remaining in Pittsburgh, until I should have an opportunity of continuing my journey to the west-*ward by water, to going on immediately by land, as I wished to see the banks of that celebrated river, as far as it lay in my route.
I therefore became a weekly boarder and lodger at M'Cullough's, which though an inn much frequented by travellers, I found to be as quiet, as regular, {63} and as orderly, as any
