Allegheny, the handsome seat of Mr. John Woods, a respectable lawyer;[25] and immediately after, {61} we passed Fort Fayette, a stockaded post on the right[26]—entered Pittsburgh, and put up at Wm. M'Cullough's excellent inn.
CHAPTER VIII
Unprepossessing appearance of Pittsburgh—Causes—Comfortable
situation—Abundance of coal—M'Cullough's
inn—Confinement there by indisposition—Attention
of some of the inhabitants—Memoirs of an uncommon
character—Apollonian society—Dramatick societies—Lawyers—Clergymen—State
of society injured by
politicks and other causes—Physicians.
The appearance of Pittsburgh in the winter, is by no means pleasing, notwithstanding its fine situation, as, none of the streets being paved except Market-street,[27] they are so extremely miry, that it is impossible to walk them without wading over the ankle, except during frosty weather, which rarely continues many days successively, from its lying so low, and being so well sheltered, by the surrounding hills. This, though unpleasant now, is in reality in favour of the place, as when the streets are all paved, that inconvenience will be obviated, and the advantage of shelter from the bleak wintry winds will still remain, without its being followed by an exclusion of fresh air during the summer, as the rivers, at that season act as ventilators, a refreshing breeze always drawing up or down one of them, increasing {62}