 240 YEARS AGO - 1748    Washington at age 16
 
Three days from Washington's Journal age 16, during his first
survey expedition, when for the first time, George saw life in the
raw.

      "Tuesday March 15th,  We returned to Penningtons we got
supper and was lighted into a room and I not being a good woodsman
as ye rest of my company stripped myself very orderly and went in
to ye bed as they called it when to my surprise I found it to be
nothing but a little straw matted together without sheets or
anything else but one thread-bear blanket with double its weight of
vermin such as lice, fleas, etc, I was glad to get up and put on my
cloth and lay as my companions.  Had we not been very tired I am
sure we should not have slept much that night, I made a promise not
to sleep, so from that time forward causing rather to sleep in ye
open air before a fire as will appear hereafter..."

     "Wednesday March 16th, We traveled up to Frederick town
(Winchester) were our baggage came to us, we cleaned ourselves to
get rid of y game we had catched the night before, we then took a
review  of y town and thence returned to our lodgings where we had
a good dinner  prepar'd for us, wine and rum punch in plenty and a
good feather bed with clean sheets which was a very agreeable
regale."


     "Saturday March 26, Traveled up ye (Patterson's) creek    to
Solomon Hedges Esqr. one of his majestys justices of ye peace for
ye county of Frederick where we camped, when we came to super there
was neither a cloth upon ye table nor a knife to eat with but

     "Monday April 4th,  We did two lots and was attended by a
great company of people, men women and children that attended us
through ye woods as  we went showing there antick tricks I really
think they seemed to be as ignorant a set of people as the indians
they would never speak english but when spoken to they speak all
dutch.."

     Washington wrote, a year later when again  in the valley
surveying, "Since last you received my letter in October, I have
not slept above three nights or four in a bed but after walking a
good deal all day lay down before the fire upon a little hay and
straw fodder or bairskin which ever is to be had with man, wife and
children like a parcel of dogs and cats and happy's he that gets
the birth nearest the fire, there's nothing would make it pass as
tolerable but a good reward, a doubbleloon is my constant ga

