and sleet, encamped near the small town of Kakiat. December 1st and 2d, passed through Paramus and Aquackanock, twenty-six miles. These towns are inhabited chiefly by Dutch people; their churches and dwelling houses are built of rough stone, one story high. There is a peculiar neatness in the appearance of their dwellings, having an airy piazza, supported by pillars in front, and their kitchens connected at the ends in the form of wings. The land is remarkably level, and the soil fertile, and being generally advantageously cultivated, the people appear to enjoy ease and happy competency. The furniture in their houses is of the most ordinary kind, and such as might be supposed to accord with the fashion of the days of Queen Ann. They despise the superfluities of life, and are ambitious to appear always neat and cleanly, and never to complain of an empty purse.

Pursued our route on the 3d, passed through Westfield, and part of Newark, a handsome village situated on a river of that name, which is navigable to New York, distance eight miles. In this village, there is a public academy and several handsome churches. This is the garden of New Jersey, it is a most delightful country, uniformly level, and every acre abundantly productive. 4th, marched through Springfield, a small but handsome English town. Encamped near the village of Scotch Plains. Here we received orders by express from head quarters to halt, in consequence of some movement of the enemy in New York. 9th, ordered to resume our march, passed through Quibbletown, and the village of Middle Brook. In this vicinity we are erecting log huts for our winter quarters.

I called at a house with Colonel Gibson and other officers to view a phenomenon in the human form-a child that has grown to an enormous size at the age of seven years; he measures three feet six inches round his breast, and three feet nine inches round his belly, his limbs and joints are proportionably large, and he weighs one hundred and thirty pounds. I was informed by the boy's mother that she discovered in him an extraordinary growth when two years old, since which he has increased very rapidly. He enjoys good health, and is not deficient in capacity.

30th. Our officers have not permitted the Christmas days to pass unnoticed, not a day without receiving invitations to dine, nor a night without amusement and dancing. I dine today with General Muhlenburg. Our soldiers are constantly employed in cutting down trees and building log huts for our

winter's accommodation, and we are obliged to live in our uncomfortable tents till they can be completed. This is appropriated as a day of Thanksgiving throughout the state. Our brigade was paraded in the field to attend divine service. Dr. Belmain, our chaplain, delivered a judicious sermon, well adapted to the occasion, adverting to the great cause in which we are engaged and enjoining a grateful reverence to the Almighty Ruler of the universe, and a faithful discharge of the duties incumbent on us in our several stations.

Middle Brook, January 1st, 1779.-Colonel Gibson made an entertainment and invited all the officers of his regiment to dine at his quarters in the country a short distance from camp. The table was amply furnished, and the guests did not separate till evening, when we were requested to resort to General Muhlenburg's quarters. Here we Here we were introduced to a number of ladies assembled to unite with the gentlemen in the ball room; a very elegant supper was provided, and not one of the company was permitted to retire till three o'clock in the morning. Thus have the gallant Virginians commenced the new year.

February. Having continued to live under cover of canvass tents most of the winter, we have suffered extremely from exposure to colds and storms. Our soldiers have been

employed six or eight weeks in constructing log huts, which at length are completed, and both officers and soldiers are now under comfortable covering for the remainder of the winter. Log houses are constructed with the trunks of trees, cut into various lengths according to the size intended, and are firmly connected by notches cut at their extremities in the manner of dovetailing. The vacancies between the logs are filled in with plastering consisting of mud and clay. The roof is formed of similar pieces of timber, and covered with hewn slabs. The chimney situated at one end of the house, is made of similar but smaller timbers, and both the inner and the outer side are covered with clay plaster, to defend the wood against the fire. The door and windows are formed by sawing away a part of the logs of a proper size, and move on wooden hinges. In this manner have our soldiers, without nails, and almost without tools, except the axe and saw, provided for their officers and for themselves comfortable and convenient quarters, with little or no expense to the public. The huts are arranged in straight lines forming a regular uniform compact village. The officers' huts are situated in front of the line, according to their rank, the

kitchens in the rear, and the whole is similar in form to a tent encampment. The ground for a considerable distance in front of the soldiers' line of huts is cleared of wood, stumps and rubbish, and is every morning swept clean for the purpose of a parade ground and roll call of the respective regiments. The officers' huts are in general divided into two apartments, and are occupied by three or four officers, who compose one mess. Those for the soldiers have but one room, and contain ten or twelve men, with their cabins placed one above another against the walls, and filled with straw, and one blanket for each man. I now occupy a hut with our field officers, Colonel Gibson, Lieutenant Colonel Brent, and Major Meriweather.

4th. A duel has lately been fought between a surgeon and an adjutant in General Scott's brigade; the former received a bad wound, and the latter escaped with honor. Who will hesitate, says one, to exchange a few shots with a friend to obtain the appellation of a gentleman of honor? If I kill my antagonist, I have the satisfaction of settling a point of honor? If I receive a ball through my own heart, I die in the glorious cause of honor. "You have offended me in a delicate point," says an officer to his friend," and I now demand of you the satisfaction of a gentleman, I have settled my affairs, and prepared myself to die, if that shall be my fate."" Then," replied the other, "we cannot fight on equal terms, for I have not had time to do either."

The anniversary of our alliance with France was celebrated in proper style a few days since near head quarters, at Pluckemin. A splendid entertainment was given by General Knox and the officers of artillery. General Washington, and his lady, with the principal officers of the army and their ladies, and a considerable number of respectable ladies and gentlemen of the state of New Jersey, formed the brilliant assembly. About four o'clock sixteen cannon were discharged, and the company collected in a large public building to partake of an elegant dinner. In the evening a very beautiful set of fire-works was exhibited, and the celebration was concluded by a splendid ball opened by his Excellency General Washington, having for his partner the lady of General Knox.

26th.-A party of the enemy made an attempt yesterday to surprise our troops, stationed at Elizabethtown, under the command of General Maxwell, but the vigilance of the general prevented their success. They sent a party to capture Governor Livingston, of New Jersey, but in this attempt

they were also frustrated. After burning and plundering a few houses, they returned to Staten Island, but were pursued by General Maxwell's brigade, which occasioned the loss of a few men on each side.

His Excellency the Commander in Chief, has long been in the practice of inviting a certain number of officers to dine at his table every day. It is not to be supposed, that his Excellency can be made acquainted with every officer by name, but the invitations are given through the medium. of general orders, in which is mentioned the brigade from which the officer is expected. Yesterday I accompanied Major Cavil to head quarters, and had the honor of being numbered among the guests at the table of his Excellency, with his lady, two young ladies from Virginia, the gentlemen who compose his family, and several other officers.

It is natural to view with keen attention the countenance of an illustrious man, with a secret hope of discovering in his features some peculiar traces of excellence, which distinguishes him from and elevates him above his fellow mortals. These expectations are realised in a peculiar manner, in viewing the person of General Washington. His tall and noble stature and just proportions, his fine, cheerful, open countenance, simple and modest deportment, are all calculated to interest every beholder in his favor, and to command veneration and respect. He is feared even when silent, and beloved even while we are unconscious of the motive. The table was elegantly furnished, and the provisions ample but not abounding in superfluities. The civilities of the table were performed by Colonel Hamilton and the other gentlemen of the family, the General and lady being seated at the side of the table. In conversation, his Excellency's expressive countenance is peculiarly interesting and pleasing; a placid smile is frequently observed on his lips, but a loud laugh, it is said, seldom if ever escapes him. He is polite and attentive to each individual at table, and retires after the compliments of a few glasses. Mrs. Washington combines in an uncommon degree, great dignity of manner with the most pleasing affability, but possesses no striking marks of beauty. I learn from the Virginia officers, that Mrs. Washington has ever been honored as a lady of distinguished goodness, possessing all the virtues which adorn her sex, amiable in her temper and deportment, full of benignity, benevolence and charity, seeking for objects of affliction and poverty, that she may extend to the sufferers the hand of

kindness and relief. These surely are the attributes which reveal a heart replete with those virtues, which are so appropriate and estimable in the female character.

April 13th.-We have passed a winter remarkably mild and moderate; since the 10th of January, we have scarcely had a fall of snow, or a frost, and no severe weather. At the beginning of this month the weather was so mild that vegetation began to appear; the fruit trees were budded on the 1st, and in full blossom on the 10th. In Virginia the peach trees were in blossom on the 14th of February, but a small frost since, has, it is feared, proved fatal to the fruit. 14th. I accompanied several gentlemen to the village of Middle Brook, where a number of horses were offered for I purchased a handsome young bay for 600 dollars. inted value of the paper money,

horse could not be valued

Virginia line, as cur

Muhlenburg, with all the othcers. guests. Our table was furnished with an amp. variety of dishes, and the choicest liquors that could be procured.

20th.-Five soldiers were conducted to the gallows according to their sentence, for the crimes of desertion and robbing the inhabitants. A detachment of troops and a concourse of people, formed a circle round the gallows, and the criminals were brought in a cart, sitting on their coffins, and halters about their necks. While in this awful situation, trembling on the verge of eternity, three of them received a pardon from the Commander in Chief, who is always tenderly disposed to spare the lives of his soldiers. They acknowledged the justice of their sentence, and expressed the warmest thankfulness and gratitude for their merciful pardon. The two others were obliged to submit to their fate; one of them was accompanied to the fatal spot by an affectionate and sympathizing brother, which rendered the scene uncommonly distressing, and forced tears of compassion from the eyes of numerous spectators. They repeatedly embraced and kissed each other, with all the fervor of brotherly love, and would not be separated till the executioner was obliged to perform his duty, when, with a flood of tears, and mournful lamentations, they bade each other an eternal adieu-the criminal, trembling under the horrors of an untimely and disgraceful death,-and the brother over