Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-02-02

liiey dhi moi embark at pittsh,.,
hey travelled through the inIc ~,S =
1t was i" Tie winter cf l8l6-,- Il
Rush Greek, a little town that l,. az
the name of the stream it stanJ %Vals
the writer met With them. Mr., N On H.
ph,laae'phia' Mr.. d. of Zane ,vi 81
and Mr.. G. of Cincinnati, We're >' n'
at the time. We had put up at tho "' ct
y tavern in the place for the MI nis OH
Upon being told of the Pilgrims bSian.
In town, We all went to see them "s
We were led to a one-story frano
log house: Upon entering it we %os Or j,
confused noise. Passing tbropsI '"Iu
vacant room We entered another lo "''e
and narrow. 1t was nine at n;n ,TtS
he Pilgrims were performing 1'";
evening dctotions: a motley SIGHT Ho'.
were. One side Of the room. il, a rsm%'
from the farthest end was strewed u;T
dirty blankets upon which some law
sleep. A few men that seemed 70 hoo
h"ut retiring, were standing, here ana
there. IN different positions, with thsr
eyes shut. mutteling in a cadence tIat
correspondent with The see.saw mnt tSa'
OF the body, but which was wholly M
lntel'iglble. Around fire, which Woo n
the only light afforded, sat perhans .
dozen females in tattered dresses spma
nursing their little sgualid, half.naErI
children. Then looks were Of the
m. most "retcled and disgusting flthintss.
hose who were not silent and scratch.
ing their heads, were humming somc
incoherent and tuneless hymn.
Just behind this disagrecablc circle.
stood a middle-aged, Short, but re.
markably robust man, with course, mat.
ted, black hair, and thick, sIo,enIy
grizzly beard, Which he wore long.
lie was profusely loaded With every
colour and every kind of rotten gar.
ms"ts. lie leaned. as if oppressed By
infirmity, though his countcnance and
person belied it, upon a crooked staff.
Before hin stood a thin looking man,
dressed genteely and like methodist
Him he Was about to address when we
entered. The old prophet was then
grooming a M---0--OH! M--O...OHl.
with All emphatic motion of the right
hand and body, and which came from
his loud, hoarSe throat like the below.
ing Of bull. 1t was hard to decide
whether the ugly looks of the prophctr
his solemn nasal grOans, were most ul-
pleasant.
At length he began to speak Ad. I
dressing himself to this man, he told
him in an animated. coarse and hollow
voice, 'that if lie did not Immediately
leave the world and walk with him,
dreadful misfortuDes would sOOu hap.
pen to himself and family, which would
forever render him miserable y 1hel
poor infatuated wretch trrmblcd at The
dennnciations, and humbly answered
"thai he was aware they were the onIyI
true children of The Lord, and that on.
ly one consideration deferred hImE
from following their holy example"
" What's that :" asked the prophet. /
He replied that his delicate constIla'
ton required something 1oarm in the
morning.
It seems that these pilgrims lived on
ly on bran cakes and other as simple
fare! The prophet assured him that
the Lord would not require what he
was unable to perform and promised
to grant him the indulgence he needed
During this discourse the women
often Joined with the prophet in his ex-
and one of them in partlcn"
lar, young female with a child at her
breast, and whose features and CouI'
tenance were very good, frequently
spoke in manner elegant and eloque0!
beyond her rags. We were told thai
she came from New York. had lett nus
band and friends and domestic COM
fort, to accompany these wretched Dc
lngs! ,,
The man whom they were endea'O'
in to con, ert, leaving the room 500
after, we also were requested to depar
and we left the whole tribe to retire.
gether. like so many swine huddleu
one heap. r,,
| have since been informed, indIrecr
Nv. that this man and his vile il",'
Joined the fanatics, abandoning lSuI
" of Young children and a Handsome (