The 17th of September visited General Clarke. I handed him the Letters from the Minister and informed him of the object of my Mission. He told me that he was very eager for the Undertaking but that, although he had written so long ago, he had received no answer and thought it had been abandoned." I told him that his Letter had fallen into other hands and that the Minister had received it only indirectly after his arrival in Philadelphia. He informed me that a fresh circumstance seemed to oppose an obstacle to it.40

The 18th remained at Louisville and herborised. The 19th returned to visit General Clarke The 20th started from Louisville, passed by General Clarke's" and passed on to sleep near Salt river.

The 21st passed by Beardstown. Evonimus ramulis quadrangulis capsulis muricatis.12

Sunday September 22nd arrived once more at Danville at 5 o'clock in the evening. Wrote to Minister Genet the same day by the Philadelphia Post."

The 23rd I rested.

The 24th started for Lexington and slept at the Kentuckey river crossing.

The 25th found that my horse had wandered away. I slept at an inn where there was no Stable; my horse

39 For the letters of Genet and Clark, see American Historical Association Report, 1896, pp. 967, 986.— ED.

40 In Clark's letter to Genet, he seems to indicate that this obstacle was the leaking out of the secret, by which intimations might reach the Spaniards. Possibly he refers to the Spanish mission which caused Logan's hesitation; see ante, note 33; also American Historical Association Report, 1896, p. 10071009.-ED.

"The home of Clark's father, with whom he resided, was known as "Mulberry Hill," situated in the environs of Louisville.- ED.

E. Americanus, L.— C. S. S.

"On the early mail routes, see Speed, Wilderness Road, pp. 65-68.— Ed.

jumped over the fence and I spent the whole day looking for him.

taria

While so engaged I saw on the sandy beaches: Iresine celosioides; Mollugo verticillata; On the rocks; Heuchera Americana; Asplenium rhyzophorum; Pteris nova; Parie; Hydrangea arborescens. On the limestone mountains: Serratula 2 unknown species; Cuphea viscosa; Didynamia gymnosperma novum genus; Didynamia angiosperma novum genus. On the bank of the Dickson river, Dirca palustris; Sophora floribus coerulis. In the shady forests etc: Acer foliis argenteis an rubrum? Acer saccharum; Fraxinus foliolis subintegris, Fraxinus foliolis serratis ramis quadrangularis; Gleditsia triacanthos; Guilandina dioica, Robinia pseudo-acacia; Evonimus ramulis subrotundis, capsulis laevibus.

The 26th of September 1793, Rained all day; slept at a mile from Kentuckey river at the house of Hogan" who was kind enough to lend me a horse for nothing to go in search of mine.

The 27th arrived at Lexington distant only 20 Miles from the crossing of Kentuckey river called Hickman junction.15 The 5th of October started from Lexington.

Sunday the 6th of the same arrived at Danville. The same day wrote to Citizen Minister Genet.

The 7th took lodgings at Puvit's" and received my baggage.

"James Hogan was a pioneer of Kentucky who settled at Bryan's Station before 1779, and took a leading part in its defense against Indians (1781). He was granted (1785) by the Virginia legislature the right to maintain a ferry across the Kentucky River.- Ed.

45 The principal ferry on the road from Danville to Lexington was at the mouth of Hickman's Creek, so named in honor of the first Baptist preacher in Kentucky, Rev. William Hickman.- ED.

48 See letter of this date, written by Michaux to Clark (American Historical Association Report, 1896, p. 1010), in which he gives his address at "Mte Isham Prewitt, Jefferson County, near Danville."— ED.

The 10th Sent a Messenger to Louisville.""

The 13th Sunday returned to Lexington and came back on Sunday the 20th, to Danville. Not having received general Clark's answer I was unable to take advantage of the Post to write to the Minister at Philadelphia.

The 21st received General Clark's answer.48

The 10th of November 1793, Year 2 of the French Republic, left Danville for Philadelphia after visiting Colonel George Nicholas" near Danville. He laid stress upon the plan he had proposed to me the previous day regarding the Navigation of the Mississipi. Namely: That the Naval Forces of the Republic should seize the Mouth of the Mississipi, declare that the Country belonged to them by right of Conquest and invite the Americans of the Western Country to take advantage of the freedom of Navigation. Then, if the Spaniards situated higher up the river molested the Vessels carrying the provisions conveyed by the Americans, the latter would have the right to repel Constraint and force by force.

47 The original letter sent by this messenger is in the Wisconsin Historical Library (Draper MSS., 55 J 5), and is printed in American Historical Association Report, 1896, p. 1013.— ED.

48 This reply is given in American Historical Association Report, 1896, pp. 1007-1009. The break in the manuscript of Michaux's diary is occasioned by the completion of one blank book and the commencement of another.-ED.

40 Nicholas was one of a famous coterie of Virginia constitutional lawyers. Born in 1743, the son of a distinguished lawyer, Robert Cary Nicholas, he served as captain in the Revolution, and at its close qualified for the bar. His services in the Virginia convention which adopted the federal constitution, were important. Shortly after its close he removed to Kentucky, and there aided in the adoption of its state constitution, which is reputed to have been drawn up by his hand. Upon the formation of the state government, he was chosen first attorney general. Nicholas adopted a moderate position in regard to Western politics; the scheme here outlined, seems characteristic. In 1799 he was appointed law professor in Transylvania University, but died during the same year.- ED.

Thus the Spanish Government would have no reason to complain of the United States having broken through inasmuch as the country would be reputed in the possession of the French Republic.

Slept at Crab orchard distant from Danville 22 Miles. The 11th of November 1793, started from Crab Orchard in company with 12 persons who had assembled at that place to pass through the Woods inhabited and frequented by the Savages. The tract between Crab orchard and Houlston settlement is 130 Miles wide and is called The Wilderness." Slept at Longford Station. 10 Miles.

The 12th slept at Modnell Station 28 Miles.

The 13th slept at Middleton station. 28 Miles.

The 14th crossed low, swampy places where the water was brown and stagnant. Six miles from Middleton Post and 18 miles before reaching the top of Cumberland Gap, saw a climbing fern covering an area of over six acres of ground near the road.51 At this season when the Frost had produced ice from 3 to 4 lines thick, this plant was not at all injured by it. In this territory are two places, one called Flat lick and the other Stinking Creek. Saw near the Carcass of a Stag the (Corvus corax). Davissas station 2 miles to the52 Cumberland Gap" 26 Miles.

Raven

County - until enough had gath

50 Michaux returned to Philadelphia by the well-known "Wilderness Road,'' the chief means of exit from Kentucky. Parties frequently waited at Crab Orchard the western terminus in Lincoln ered to act as protection against the Indians. Filson Club Publications, No. 2 (Louisville, 1886); also Hulbert, Historic Highways of America, vol. vi.— ED.

61 Lygodium palmatum, Swz.-C. S. S.

See Speed, "Wilderness Road,"

52 Three words are here frayed away in the manuscript of the Journal.— C. S. S.

63 Cumberland Gap, in southeastern Kentucky, emerging into Tennessee, was explored in 1750 by Dr. Thomas Walker, who named both mountains and river in honor of the Duke of Cumberland, son of George II.—ED.

The 15th of November traveled through parts of very high Mountains in the midst of which we crossed Clinch river and slept at Houlston Station in the house of one 27 Miles.

The 16th followed the bank of the Houlston river and slept at the house of. Amis Esquire, three Miles

from Hawkin Court house.55 26 Miles.

Sunday the 17th the Rain compelled me to remain in a a small Cabin near the North fork of Houlston 25 Miles.

The 18th my horse was so tired owing to the rapidity of the journey and the bad roads across the Wilderness that I was obliged to stop after a Journey of only eleven Miles. II Miles.

The 19th started at daybreak. At the foot of the house where I lodged, the Kentuckey road divides," the right one leads to Burke court house in North Carolina passing by the Mouth of Wataga river; the other leads to Abington court house, the first town of Virginia. As my horse was still tired, I made only 20 miles.

The 20th I made 15 Miles; arrived at Abington."7

The 21st I slept 22 Miles from Abington near Seven Miles Ford, the middle Branch of the Houlston.

"The Clinch and Holston rivers are upper waters of the Tennessee, in southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee. The settlements in these valleys were among the first on the west-flowing streams. See map in Turner, "State Making in the Revolutionary Era,” in American Historical Review, i, p. 74.— Ed.

55 Both of these stations are mentioned in an early journal; see Speed, Wilderness Road, p. 21. The first was the seat for Hawkins County, Tennessee.— ED.

The forks of the road was at the junction of the north and south forks of the Holston River, near the present town of Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee.- ED.

67 Abingdon, originally known as Wolf Hills, was one of the earliest settlements in the Valley of Virginia, and the seat of Washington County. It was established as a town in 1778. It is still the county seat, and a station on the Norfolk & Western Railway.- ED.