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All othar original coplaa ara fNniad bo(<'nnlng on tho first paga with a printad or Nhiatratad h npra a alon. and anding on tho laat paga wMi a printad or lllustratad Iwp r aa s lon. Las SKsmplalraa orlglnaiix dont la couvartura an papiar aat Nnprlmoo aont fNmaa an commonoant per la pra ml a r plat at an tamilnont soM par la damMio paga ^tu ooniporta una anipralnia djrapraaaion ou dlliiatratlonf aolt par la aaoond plat, aalon lo caa. Toua laa autraa axamplalraa orlghMNUf aont faniaa an commonoant par Is p ram l Ara paga iqul compoKo una amprainta dl m praas l ow ou dHhiatratlon ot an tarminant par la da n dita paga qui oomporto uno taNa Tha last racordod frama on oach mieroflcho Shan contain tha symbol -^ (moaning "CON- TINUiD"), or tho symbol ▼ (mooning "END"), whichovar appllaa. Un daa aymbolaa auhfants apparaltra sur la darnMra Imaga da chaqua mieroflcho. colon lo ces: Is symbdo -^ slgnHIo "A 9IUIVRE", lo symbolo ▼ slgnHio "PIN". Maps, plataa, charts, ate., may be fHmed at different reduction retloa. Thoee too lerge to bo entirely inchided in one eiipoeure ere filmed beginning In the upper left hend comer, left to right end top to bottom, ee meny f re me s es required. The foHowving diegreme Nhistrete the method: Lee certee. plenches. tablaeum. etc.. peuvent Atre fHmAe A dee teux do rAduct i on dKf Arents. Lorsque le document eet trap grend pour Atre reproiduit en un eeul cNehA. H eet fNmA A pertir do rengJe eupArleur geu c h e, do gauche A drdte, ot do heut en bee. en prenent le nombre d'Imegee nAceeeelre. Les diogremmes suhrents INustrent le mAthode. 1 2 3 4 6 6 •m- '■-s& i:«. ^ CO '* % '^■i NOTES OF A TOUE ifr ■^i' AMERICA, 'Ur- AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 186.5 JB¥ A. MITCHELL, JUN. f GLASGOW: PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 1868. L? ^\(oS- nioS 5 .a c o ,«>, ':f:i o o I (i o- ^ c o ^ PREFACE. Regarding the folloAving pages, I am well aware they bave no literary merit. This could scarcely be expected, from the object and the circumstances in which they were written. I did not see how I could remodel them without bestowing more time than I had at my disposal. There is also much that can have little interest, except to myself; at the same time, I think there is some interesting information. • My immediate object in printing them is, that I engaged to give a lecture to a Christian Institute, on " i>fotes of my Tour in America," and I thought I could more easily cull the best parts to read when put into this form. Besides this, I believed my trip would have a more permanent interest to myself and family. If a copy should fall into the hands of a few personal friends, I hope they will not be critical. v A. M., JuN. *.;S March, 1968. ^'V .- ffq %.. JOURNAL OF A TOUR At six in the evening of Saturday, August 5th, 1865, we were slowly steaming down the Frith of Clyde. The tug left us about five, and we found ourselves alone on the sea, bound for America. My travelling companion remarked, " Here we are, two orphan lads, cast abroad on the wide world." Our steamship, the Britannia, is one of the " Anchor Line," and about 1,300 tons. Captain Campbell says there are six small boats on board, which, in case of an accident, if not a gale, might hold 150 persons; but we have with us 370 steerage passengers, 18 intermediate, 30 cabin and about 50 of a ci>y»7, or about 470 souls in all. The captain remarked, that in case of requiring to i-esort to the boats, he knows he would be left behind — a sufficient inducement to take as much care as possible. Most of our steerage passengers were from Ireland; many of the children had bare heads and feet. I noticed one family of eleven members, of whom all the boys had sticks lately cut from the tree — evidently all the property they had acquired to remind them of their native land. On board ship the time is divided into watches of B '.fM four hours each. The bell is struck twice at twelve o'clock, four times at one o'clock, six times at two o'clock, eight times at three o'clock, and so on every four hours. The captain and second mate take a watch of four hours; the first and third mate take the following four hours. This gives each officer about equal duty both day and night. We had no minister on board. We had Professors Rogers and Nichol of the Glasgow University; the latter read service to us once on the Sabbath days. I confess I did not sleep very well the first night; I sometimes awoke, wondering where I was, and what brought me on board. ' ' * ■ ' v' - < The first complete day I spent at sea was the Lord's day; and to most the difficulty seemed to be how to pass it. I confess, when the evening came, I did not feel I had passed a very profitable time. But one day the time will come when the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the channel of the deep. y . t- The weather for the first week was what I would call pretty rough — the Britannia pitched a good deal; but one of the officers said to me, " It's not bad yet; wait till you see her nose fairly in it." And soon it proved so, for her bowsprit seemed digging the sea. Standing at the stern and looking forward, you might see the vessel swinging like a plank with a boy at each end. Here is the place in which to realize that there is but a step between you and death — not a mile, not a furlong, I;.. .'1 mm^ ■ ■riS^SSjlBb'^i' m not a yard, but a step ! At sea you realize this more at night, in your berth, when you hear the *' sough" of the sea, the dashing of the waveg, the engine working, the screw squeaking^ and you swinging : I minded the Psalmist's description : — ** They reel and stagger like one drunk, At their wit's end they be: . So to the haven He them brings, Which they desired to see. " When it is rough at sea, things are never improved l)y speaking about storms : for example, the captain will generally have a story about some former storm. He told us he had once seen the waves so high, that if they fell on the ship they would reach from the bow to the stern. We were told of a boat that had left the Clyde for New York, which was never after heard of; another was lost about Newfoundland; and Captain Campbell remembered that on one occasion Captain Judkins crossed, and saw neither sun, moon, nor stars, all the time, and yet found himself, at his journey's end, not a yard out of his reckoning. This was running, as they call it at sea, a dead reckoning, or taking the position from charts, compass, and log. This reminds us of Paul's shipwreck ^ (Acts xxvii. 20) : " And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." The usual and safest way is to take the exact hour from the sun. It is done by a small instrument called the sextant, through • 6 which you look at the sun: an index on it gives the oun's position, and from this you get the latitude and longitude. A good many of our passengers were sick for a few days at first, but afterwards most of them came on deck. Heard one poor man complain to the doctor, after a day or two, that he would not put through long, he felt so weak, as he was not able to eat; but the only comfort he got was, that he might be glad if he ate any thing for the next four or five days. I am glad to say, the sickness did not trouble me the least. At meal times we had generally some discussion on general subjects — the merits of America and Britain was a common one. The sky at sea is often very beau- tiful; but if seen in a landscape, it would be thought ridiculous. The clouds are bright and transparent, and the sky a fine clear light blue; while round the horizon the former stand up like columns and pillars, and it did not require a great stretch of imagination to fancy them all chariots and horsemen. Sometimes we see a ship plodding along, but it is merely a small speck. The porpoises gambol about occasionally, and even whales. We often had birds following the ship — the com- monest of these is the stormy petrel, or Mother Carey's chickens. Just let the scraps of the dinner be thrown overboard, and they collect from all quarters. How, it may be asked, do these birds, who are always out on the salt sea, get their thirst quenched 1 Their instinct causes them to look heavenward for it. When a shower or dew falls, they open their bills and look up. Is not this 41' i I what we ought to be more in the habit of doing, to look up for all our need. In our own Frith of Clyde we sometimes have fine sunsets; but both suniise and sunset are seen to the greatest advantage at sea. Some days the sky is cloudless, and it is grand to watch the sun. Yonder it is ! that glorious, dazzling orb : it looks as if it were going to have a bath in the sea. You almost expect to hear the noise a great burning mass would make on sinking into water.* As we neared New York, there was almost no twilight; for in about a quar'er of an hour after the sun sets it is almost total darkness. I never beheld more stars than we sometimes saw. At the horizon they appeared so low as to be almost dipping in the sea. • " In Reason's ear they all rejoice, ^ And utter forth a glorious voice; For ever singing, as they shine, * The hand that made us is divine.'" ?•. We noticed a marked change in the air as we neared America; it felt balmy and warm. The speed of the vessel is taken in rather an ingenious way:— A small canvas bag is thrown into the sea, to whicn a thin rope is attached; when a marked * The sunrise in the morning is equally fine. Half an hour before the monarch's appearance, he is heralded by the clouds having a crimson and gold appearance; and then he rises in the east, viho set last uight in the west, and has since traversed the opposite half of our globe— wherever he goes imparting light, life, and gladness. ^_] M «? 8 given length of this thin rope has run out, one of the sailors turns a sand-glass which he holds in his hand, while, at the same time, the rope is still running out at the stem. Whenever the glass runs out, the sailor cries " Hold !" and the quantity of cord, which is knotted at intervals to tell the length, tells the speed or knots the vessel is going at. There is another plan, by a patent log, which indicates by a screw; but every day at twelve o'clock the position was taken when there was any sun, and our position accurately determined from it; and this, taken from the position we were in the day before, determined the miles run in twenty-four hours. For the most of our voyage we averaged about eight knots an hour. The sailors don't seem to be able to get on without relieving themselves by different curious cries : " Yo I hi ho! come away; hi ho!" &c. , , The passengers sometimes amused themselves by playing at the game of skittles. This is very good exercise: it is played on deck, and is something like billiards. The distance from New York to the Clyde is said to be 3,200 miles. We took fourteen days. This shows an average of 207 knots, or 230 miles per twenty-four hours. I believe in every nine knots there are ten miles. Some days all our sails were set, and it was a fine sight. We expected to see the Hibemia (the Britannia's consort) pass us; but she must have done so during the night. u 9 i n Some days were fine, some stormy. I supposed that the stiffest breeze we had during the passage would be entered in the log-book as a "gale;" but I found it was only entered as a " strong breeze," and one of the officers told me I might go to bed without any anxiety. . I spoke to some of the steerage passengers as to their prospects on reaching New York. One was a plough- man from Dumfries, going to join his friends. Another was a farmer, who had got tired of the high rents, and thought if he bought land in America it would be like an entailed estate to him. Another family, from England, were going out to join their father; but most were from Ireland. Fancy from three to four hundred people leaving the Clyde once a fortnight for altogether; and it is only one port, and not the largest. When emigrants arrive at New York, there is a good plan for them instituted there. They are all landed at a place called Castle Gardens, where they find bed and lodging for a few nights, and where every information is given them as to how to proceed. Formerly there was quite a system of robbery and deception practised by a set of crimps, who lived by robbing the poor emigrants, many of whom became the same in their turn, and never left the low haunts in the worst parts of New York city. . -^ ^ One day we had a burial at sea. On a Saturday night an old woman, one of the emigrants, died. She had been ill since she came on board, and was well advanced in life. Soon after she died, her body had 10 v.#'-.- been sewn up in canvas; and on Sunday, at twelve o'clock, the Union Jack was rolled round her, a short prayer read over her remains, and she was slid into the deep. We know nothing of the history of this poor woman. She had a son-in-law on board, who did not turn up till after her death — ^likely no one mourned much for her ; but what a sad burial ! How many griefs and cares, and joys too, she must have passed throiigh ! But here was her closing scene in this life ! But, after all, what matters it where we die and are buried? Is the question not rather. Is Christ the resurrection and the life to me? for if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him ; for the day wUl come when the sea will give up the dead which are in it. There being no clergyman on board, every thing was done in the most practical manner. We did not see many icebergs going out; we saw more coming home. At some periods of the year they are to be seen as high as the mast of a ship, and a mile long; and some say that the proportion of ice below the water is twelve times as great as that above. The wonderful Gulf Stream floats them in the direc- tion they go. A vessel has been known to go right through an iceberg; but this is a great risk. Sailors carefully avoid them, as it would destroy a vessel to run up against ona Their vicinity is generally best detected by the thermometer, which always fells sud- denly two or three degrees as you approach one. When the aun shines upon an iceberg, it is a beautiful sight. ,'!■*- P,':; \ I tSiJ 11 I ! "We expect, to-morrow, to come upon Cape Eace. It is curious, steaming so far without sight of land, and then arriving at the very spot you desire. We do not actually cross the banks of Newfoundland, which are shallow, but go round the northern part of them. It is generally very foggy about this bank, and the fog whistle sounded all the time. There are always a great many fishermen with their smacks, fishing. They remain out for about a month together, and then take a run home to discharge their take, which is mostly cod-fish. The French, American, British, and other countries, have each a part; and, to prevent quarrels, there is generally a war vessel or two cruising about. The Glasgow steamers, in going to New York, keep, in summer, a more northerly route than the Liverpool boats; but in winter they keep farther south, for fear of the icebergs. When we came near Cape Race, the officers had carefully sounded the depth; and, early in the morn- ing, we were awoke by the information, " Land in sight!" And when we turned out, sure enough there was good old land again, being about the most easterly part of America, but still about 1,000 miles from New York, and called the Island of Newfoundland. In half an hour's time we were alongside the light- house. A small rowing boat, with four men in her, was waiting for us. One of the four stepped on board, and spoke to the captain for five minutes. There is a telegraph from this station to New York. This coast 12 is a very dangerous one, and here a good many wrecks take place. Almost immediately after we left the Cape, we sighted a large steamer, which, as we came nearer, we saw had a red funnel, the mark of the " Cunard " steamers; and (as we did opposite the light- house, so also here) we ran up our signals, by which one vessel can read the other's name at sea. This plan is in universal use now, and is called Captain Marryat's System of Signals; besides this, the Union Jack (or the flag of whatever nation the vessel belongs to) is lowered, which means "How do you do?" then raised, and again lowered, which means " Good-bye ; a safe voyage to you." On the same evening we sighted another steamer ahead, which brought us all to the deck; and there, looming in the distance, we saw a vessel bearing lights, and fast approaching us. - All was stir and bustle to be ready to exchange signals. It was quite dark, and one could scarcely help thinking what a terrible thing a collision would be. However, soon she came on. We put up our lights — viz., a red and white lamp — at the mast-head, to show who we were. ^- ' ' - '-. ';.--^^ As we neared one another, she threw up several beautiful rockets, showing us a fine large steamer belonging to the "Inraan" line. We burned several blue Roman candles, then the lamps were dipped twice, and we saw her no more. It was a fine sight to see those fireworks on the wide ocean. We sighted a German steamer bound for Bremen. Soon after we could see her coming up; but what gives *■ t ir 13 us a feeling of safety from collision, is to see our oaptain on the gangway watching her, and an officer beside him, to whom he gave his orders, and who shouted these to a man between decks, and who again gave them to the man at the helm. " Steady! steady! steady!" or "Starbonrd! starboard! starboard !" and as I stood beside the ^vheel, I saw the orders instantly obeyed. I think we might learn a lesson here. The Christian is often afraid and fearful of some calamity; but One is above who knows and directs all for our good — it is ours to trust Him, and keep our lights burning, and do our duty. A poor swallow that had been driven to sea flut- tered above us one afternoon, and sometimes rested herself; but she dreaded to fall into the hands of man. One night we had an alarm of fire, but it was only some steam that had been sent through a pipe to heat the vessel. There was great consternation for a few minutes. What an awful thing, an emigrant vessel especially, being on fire at sea ! There would be little chance of escape, because sometimes for days we never saw a sail. One evening we saw what looked like a vessel on fire. The captain ordered our ship round towards it; but it turned out to be only a tar barrel which some one had set fire to for a trick. » -r. A few days before we reached New York, it was pretty hot; but this was not to be wondered at, as we were now ten degrees farther south than we were in Glasgow. Observed a deputation of steerage passen- gers to the captain, complaining that their beef was I 14 too salt, and their duff sour^ The captain tasted both, and said he had himself fed on worse many a time, and that the Government officer had examined all the provisions before leaving (all for their special benefit), and had pronounced them good; but he pro- mised that the beef would be steeped a little more, and would try to prevent any of the duff being sour; but reminded them they were not bound to give any soft bread, only biscuit. During the voyage we passed one or two shoals of whales, and one day saw a large turtle passing. Sometimes we pass sea weed, which must be far travelled, as it is gener&,lly floated by the Gulf Stream. I procured a little bit, but it is not at all pretty. Some of our more go-ahee-d passengers had great speculation and betting as to when our pilot would come on board, what kind of hat he would wear, the colour of his hair, if he would have a beard, and every conceivable thing. I don't know how the bets resulted, but he came on board this morning, and is now master of the vessel till we arrive at New York. He is not like a seafaring man at all, but (dressed quite jauntily, with a hat) more like a well-to-do Cockney than any other I could think of. At last we sailed into New York; and, as you may imagine, we were both pleased and interested. We passed a good many vessels before arriving, and we were in sight of land all afternoon. Then we came to what is called the Narrows, being a narrow pass we have to go through — on the one side New York Island, and on the other Long Island, both sides strongly ■4 16 i I fortified. The names of these forts are Fort Hamilton and Fort Lafayette ; and quite near there is a small island, called Government Island, also fortified. How interesting and how novel it was to sail up to New York that afternoon: every thing we saw was new. Strange -looking steamers, painted white, with what looks like a house built on them, would pass us; and some one from on board of them would cry out, "How are you?" — one of our officers replying, " Pretty well; how are you?" I daresay we would be rather a sight ourselves, with five hundred on board. The first scenery we saw was that of Staten Island, which is certainly very fine. The whole scene re- minded me of pictures I have seen of tropical countries. The foliage about the banks as you enter is extremely rich — many of the trees are of the palm tree and weeping willow species — ^the land at this point finely undulating, and studded in every other nook with picturesque houses, although many of them seemed to be of wood. From some of these residences the children waved their handkerchiefs to us : the air was soft and warm, the sun bright ; and all presented a scene one cannot readily forget. As it was late in the afternoon of Saturday, it was doubtful if we could land till Monday; but we resolved to try. The doctor came on board to see if the passengers were healthy; then came two or three custom-house officers, and they gave my travelling companion, another friend, and myself, leave to land; so we jumped on the bulwa^'^is, and we had to descend )M 16 a long way on rope steps, and the river was a little rough. However, we got all safe into the small boat. The custom-house officers landed with us, and kept bawling in our ears to remember the boatmen, and I suppose they meant themselves too, as there is a great deal of bribery goes on in this department. Their time is short, for with every change of a President they lose their places ; so their principle seems to be to do what they can while they can, Captain Campbell told me he has always to bribe them to get his cargo quickly discharged. We soon bumped against a quay, aiid stood upon American soil ! We started from the Clyde about six p.m. on August 5th, and arrived in New York about the same time of day, August 19th; thus taking exactly fourteen days of twenty-four hours. The "Cunard" steamers generally take only from ten to eleven days. A quicker passage is always made coming home, as the wind is almost uniformly in that direc- tion, and so is the current of the Gulf Stream. A parting word about our officers. We found them all very pleasant. The first mate (Mr. Greig) and second mate (Mr. Smith) were excellent seamen. We had a good deal of conversation with them. Professor Rogers said he had not met with a captain who had the same knowledge of currents and winds as Captain Campbell. Poor fellow ! he was washed overboard on the 22nd of December of the same year. He perished like a brave man, at the post of duty, at the age of twenty-six. He had gained a distinguished name in his profession, short as his career had been. The 17 following is the tribute the passengers on board at the time paid to his memory : — "At a meeting of the passengers on board the steamship Britannia, held after divine service on Sabbath, the 31st December, 1865, the following pre- amble and resolutions, relative to the loss of Captain John Campbell, were unanimously adopted, viz. : — " Whereas it has pleased God, in his inscrutable Providence, to take away from us our noble Captain, John Campbell, who was swept overboard in the fear- ful gale of Friday, the 22nd instant, and, by this sad calamity, to deprive us of the services of an officer who had gained our highest esteem and confidence, therefore, Resolved — 1st, That while we bow with submission to this sudden and severe stroke, we, the passengers on board the steamship Britannia, regard it as our duty to express ovc deep and unaffected grief in this sore bereavement, and to pay this humble tribute to the memory of one who fell at his post of duty — sacrificing his life for our safety, who was endeared to us all by his gallant conduct as an officer, by his true-hearted kindness and civility in all his intercourse with us, by the gentleness ari simplicity of his manners, and by every quality that adorns the officer and the gentleman. Resolved — 2nd, That we deeply sympathize with the surviving officers in the great loss they have sustained, and tender to them our thanks for the intrepidity, fidelity, and skill with which they have discharged their duties and responsibility since the loss of their brave and beloved 18 commander. Resolved — 3rd, That we tender to the widow, and other relatives of our departed Captain, our sincere condolence with them in their great grief, which this sad calamity has occasioned, assuring them that, from our personal knowledge of the good qualities of Captain Campbell, we can appreciate, to some ex- tent, the greatness of their loss, and commending them to the grace of Him who giveth and taketh away, and who scourgeth every son and daughter whom He loveth. Resolved — 4th, That we asaui e Messrs. Handyside and Henderson of our sympathy with them in the loss of an officer so valuable and efficient as Captain Campbell proved himself, on all occasions, to be, and also of our entire satisfaction with the good and faithful conduct of the other officers since his removal. Resolved — 5th, That a copy of these resolutions, signed by the chairman and secretary of this meeting, be sent to the widow of the late Captain Campbell, Messrs. Handy- side and Henderson, and the other surviving officers. . " In behalf of the passengers, ^ . ] " Arthur Burtis, Buffalo, New York, *' Chairman. " John Murray, Coney Hill, Bridge of • "Allan, Secretary.'* Before lauding, let us glance for a very brief interval at the origin of this countiy, almost entirely copied from Bancroft's History of America. In the year 1492, Columbus discovered America. A few years after this, a Bristol merchant, called John V Cabot, obtained from Henry VII. a patent giving him and his three sons leave to search for regions hitherto unseen by Christian people, and thereon to fix the banner of England^ and, as vassals, to occupy the teni- tories. The only stipulation the King made was, tha,t he was to get the fifth part of the profits. The Cabots did land very far north, and come home again ; and Cabot's son, Sebastian, sailed again, and this time is said to have sailed into Hudson's Bay. In 1524 the French sailed to the coast of North Carolina, and were welcomed by the aborigines, whose dress was of skins, and their ornaments garlands of feathers. These men brought home word that the appearance of the earth argued abundance of gold. The harbour of New York ' especially attracted notice for its convenience and pleasantness. The name of the man who headed this expedition was Verazzami. About this period it was quite common for French fishermen to sail over to Newfoundland. About 1536, Cartier, a Frenchman, took possession of part of the continent in the name of the King of France, and built a fort near Quebec ; but at this date Francis I. was too busy putting down the Huguenots and planning the massacre of St. Bartho- lomew. It was not till about the year 1 608 that the French managed to plant a settlement near Quebec, and also near the present State of Maine. I observed, during my visit, that Quebec and some other Canadian towns have still as many French as British inhabitants; and that in Quebec especially most of the streets have French names. c iv«i^«.V4c-tTi-..-Lil-,\ if> • \'y-i^ti f^-i^{ 20 V ■ The Spaniards seem to claim the discovery of Flo- rida; and after for many years trying to take posses- sion, they ^ore unsuccessful, although at this time in possession of Mexico and Cuba. Soto was the name of the principal adventurer; but the natives seem steadily to have repulsed them. After wandering about the continent in search of golden regions, they arrived, enfeebled and dispirited, at the Mississippi; and to them we are indebted for its first discovery. "When I visited "Washington, I saw in the Capitol a fine painting of this scene. Here Soto died, upon learning that all the region about was only full of swamps. A few years after this, France began to colonize Florida as a refuge for the Protestants; but Spain could not bear this, and sent Melendez against them with a force of 2,500. When he arrived, the French demanded his name. He replied, " I am Melendez of Spain, sent with strict orders to gibbet all the Protest- ants in these regions!" After a short contest, most of the French were massacred; but Spanish supremacy did not lawst long. England now came in to supplant the Spaniard. The gallant Sir "Walter Kaleigh stands foremost amongst Englishmen for his endeavours to colonize America. During his lifetime, from about the year 1550 to 1601, he made various attempts, more or. less successful, to colonize what is now the State of Virginia. He spent above £40,000 of his private fortune endeavouring to do this, and met with but little encouragement from either Queen Elizabeth or King James; and at his death little progress had ■1 21 been made, for many of the colonists that had gone out had \^a L • Massachusetts was colonized by a band of suffering yet resolute e:Hles. Carolina was settled under the auspices of the nobility, and its laws framed by the most profound philosophers in England. In times of peace, Shaftesbury was too passionate for success ; but when the storm came, he was daring and successful. At a time when John Locke was unknown to the world, the sagacity of Shaftesbury had detected the deep niches of his mind, and selected him for a bosom friend and adviser in the work of legislation for Caro- lina. Its constitution was the only continued attempt within the United States to connect political power with hereditary wealth. The tenants holding ten acres at a rent were without political frinchises, and to remain so to all generations. It is said that William Penn employed the L cov of African slaves ; and it is not surprising that John Locke proposed that every freeman in Carolina should have absolute power and authority over his negro slaves. The law courts were placed far beyolid popular influence. There were four estates appointed — ^the 38 landgraves, the caciques, the proprietaries, and the commons. None but large proprietors were eligible to the Parliament. The Church of England was de- clared to be the only true and national religion. This constitution was signed in 1670, and was the theme of extravagant applause. The nature of the colonists rendered this constitution impossible, and they rejected it. Many of tl m were Quakers; and George Fox visited them, and found them generally "tender and open;" and the presence of such emi- grants made oppression difficult, ' - The Navigation Act was the cause of great discontent, which was, that all their exports must go to England, or if to any of the States of New England, they must pay an unreasonable duty, such as a penny on every pound of tobacco sent to New England. In South Carolina, the first settlement was founded by the proprietaries, and resembled an investment of capital by a company of land-jobbers, who furnished the emigrants with the means. Success did not attend it; and there was a scene of turbulence till the constitu- tion was abandoned. , ,. . The character of the emigrants sent was not so high as in the other States ; and negro slq,very was in- stituted from the first. The State of South Caro- lina was, from the first, a planting State, with slave labour. The negro race multiplied so rapidly that, in a few years, the blacks were to the whites in the proportion of 22 to 12. A colony of Irish were lured by the fame of the fertility, and received a welcome; so ■ir 39 that they were soon merged among, the colonists. Scotland planned a colony in South Carolina, and thirty-six noblemen and gentlemen arranged to go; but it was never executed fully, for it got mixed with the Monmouth conspiracy, and only ten families sailed, of whom some returned to Scotland, as the Spaniards claimed where they settled down, and the rest mingled with the earlier planters. Every great European event affected the fortunes of America. If England gave America the idea of popu- lar representation, Holland originated for them the idea of federal union. Amsterdam was at this time (1590) esteemed, beyond dispute, the first commercial city in the world. At this time Hudson sailed in the hope of getting a northern passage to Asia; but, instead, he landed at what is now New York, and ever since gave his name to the noble river which he then descended. Everywhere was fertility; and silence was only broken by the flapping of the wild-fowl and the deer roaming about, Man was wild as all else — ^the bark of the bii'ch his canoe; strings of shells his ornaments, his record, and his coin; and roots his food. Hudson returned home; but started again by the northern passage. He got embayed in the bay that bears his name, and had to spend the winter there ; and when at last the spring burst forth, provisions were done. He divided his last bread among his men, and wept, and turned his bow home. But a mutiny ensued. Hudson was put into a smaJl boat, and never was heard of again. As Hudson \ ■•'■' 40 was the agent of the Dutch, they claimed the country about New York, and adopted the political institutions of the Dutch of that day. Cities were to be governed by patrons. There was no provision for schoolmaster or minister. Monopoly forbade the colonists to make any woollen, linen, or cotton fabric — ^not a shuttle to be thrown, on penalty of exile. The Company undertook to provide the manor with negroes ; but this monopoly could not be enforced. Manhattan began to prosper when its mer- chants obtained freedom to follow the impulses of their own enterprise. - , I have given a hurried and necessarily imperfect account of the origin and history of some of the earlier States of America, which I think is interesting and instructive, and will now resume my own diary. I am rather ashamed to confess that the first roof we were under in America was that of a public-house, as one or two of our newly-acquired friends, who had got us on shore, would not part without the civility of treating us. However, my cousin and I stuck to lemonade, as we had done before. In this place we saw real live Yankees sitting with their legs on the table, and in various other positions. v We landed at one of the low parts of New York, and had to find out the way to our hotel. After coming ofi" the clean fresh sea, one is not inclined to think favourably of the poorer part of a large town, especially at night. I remember of thinking that the streets were poorly lighted. We stepped into 41 i^f: a street car that our friend Mr. S. brought tis to, that would take us to our hotel; but after we were in we recollected we had no American money, so had to bor- row a little before parting with our fellow-passenger. The first thing that amused us was to see the car pas- sengers handling a bunch of notes, and paying their fare with a twopence halfpenny note. We arrived at the Brevoort Hotel, about Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street. "We could not do much in seeing New York that night, all the more as we were warned to keep out of Broadway at night, as, since the army was disbanded, a good many dangerous charac- ters were going about; so we took the hint, and soon retired. But after this we traversed Broadway often enough, and met with no adventure or loss. The first morning we rose in New York, it was very warm; indeed, I may say I never knew what warm weather was till in America. Some said, very deci- dedly, that even for America it was an extra hot time while we were there; others said, as decidedly, it was not unusual heat. All the time I was there, I never slept with more clothes than the sheet -,. night, and always with the window well open. ;■ v We salUed out to church, and, as we did not know any more celebrated man to go and hear, we directed our course to Ward Beecher. On going along the streets, I was impressed most with the idea that New York was like London on Sunday. A great many people were in the streets; a great many not like church-goers; and a good many reading newspapers in i 42 the omnibus and street cars. Crossed the river to Brooklyn, which, although a separate city, may be said to be a part of New York, just like Glasgow and Gorbals. Found Mr. Beecher's chiu*ch a large, plain building of brick, with no architectural pretensions outside. We were politely shown a seat. The appear- ance inside reminded me of Dr. Calderwood's in Glas- gow; but Mr. Beecher's must be larger, as it is said to hold 3,000 people. It is painted white inside; but where we would look for the pulpit, you have an organ, and beside it room for a choir, where there were eight female singers, and eight male. Three hymns were sung during service, from a large hymn- book arranged by Mr. Beecher, and each page of which was set to music at the top. The tunes I did not know, but they were well sung, only the congre- gation did not join much. The pews were very comfortable, and all the doors and windows were open, and a sun-blind on each window; and, what was novel to a stranger, in almost every pew there was a fan or two, which were vigorously in use both before and during service. The kind of fan most in use is a dried palmetto leaf; but the ladies generally had finer fans of their own. ;■ ^^ - The order of the service was, the organ played a verse, during which the clergyman appeared : he was Dr. Burton, of Hartford, as Mr. Beecher was from home. Dr. Burton was a plain but thoughtful-looking man, as like a Catholic priest as a Protestant minister : no gown on, and no white to be seen but his collar. ,f V 'ir,hU 43 ^ • ' .. I A blessing was first invoked, in two or three sentences; then a hymn ; then was read about half of the third chapter of John's gospel ; then a few intimations con- nected with the church, such as the Sabbath school teachers would meet to ask a blessing on the opening of the school ; ano^ her, that a telegram had been re- ceived from the Rev. Mr. Beecher, saying that hia physician had advised him not to preach to-day. After this there was a prayer of about eight minutes, full of thought and confession, delivered in a low but not melodious voice. His reading of the chapter, tho- roughly American in style, but well emphasized; next a hymn sung ; then the sermon ; after that a hymn ; then the blessing. What the sermon lacked in deli- very — for it was closely read, and without much action or emphasis — it fully made up in matter ; it was full of striking thought and able reasoning, but it had not much of invitation in it. His text was, " Ye must be bom again." The division was easily remembered : — 1st, Must; 2nd, Bom; 3rd, Consequences if not. 1st. If a fellow-mortal said, "must" do this or that, he could afford to despise his command ; if an angel said it, he could make a respectable resistance; but God said it, and how vain to fight our Maker! 2nd. "Bom" was illustrated by what was meant to be bom. If conversion meant education, development, &c., then the term " bom" would not be used. But conceive where any of us v/ere before we were bom. We couldn't think, because we were a nonentity : in- deed, a personal pronoun could ^ot be used about us 44 at all; because, search heaven or hell, earth or sea, and we had no existence. But after birth, what a change ! and if the Bible did not mean a great change, it would not have used the word " bom." The nearest idea he could give to this change was that of a bad angel annihilated and a good one created, with this difference, that in being bom there was no annihila- tion. 3rd. Perhaps some may say. What if I do not enter the kingdom of God 1 I may be a great artist, a social man, go to Congress, stand to be President. All very good in their right place. Will a dinner satisfy a man's soul? Would you give a string of diamonds to a mother that had lost her only child? His description of the "consequences" was very solemn. After this service, went back to our hotel, a dis- tance of some miles. We traversed New York a good deal that day, as we went to another part of the town to service in the evening. I confess the appisar- ance of the people in general did not impress me as to their Sabbath-keeping. But what large city looks as one would desire it on that day! The fact is. New York is quite a cosmopolitan city, made up of Americans, Germans, Dutch, Jews, and Irish. The latter rule it. These are the largest elements. In the evening there were a great many about their doors, it was so hot. The cigar shops mostly all open, also the lager or German beer saloons, but not those that sell strong intoxicating drinks. In passing along in the evening, my companion remarked how often we came upon Broadway, which ^i ,A '■ 49 M ^ j''Le principal thoroughfare. Ho thought there must be a dozen Broadways. I said I thought so too ; but I had in my mind ' ' the time another Broadwa.y than the one he alluded to. "We looked about for any Protestant church we could find open, and stumbled upon a Baptist chapel in Bloomfield district (Rev. Mr. "West Park's). I think the arrangement inside was the same as in Mr. Beecher's. The ministers speak from below the organ. This chapel was altogether lighted from the roof in three cupola spaces, and in each about fourteen gas jets and reflectors. "We were not edified here at all — perhaps our own fault, that. The appearance and manner of some at least of the congregation not at all devotional Saw a good deal of smiling and talking while the service was going on. "What I liked worst of all was the behaviour of the choir, which consisted of about five male and five female singers. They chatted and smiled to one another the whole time, even during prayer. Both at praise and prayer, the congregation kept their seats. The sitting during prayer seems to be the rule in the churches in America. On Monday, August 21st, was astir early. I found all bustle, bustle, bustle, after spending a fortnight quietly at sea. The stir, noise, and crowds of a large and strange city formed a great contrast; and, for a day or two, I had the feeling in my mind that God made the country and man the town ; and how to begin to describe New York in a short space, and with only a short visit, is more than I can undertake. i'^ 46 I remark first — New York is mostly built of brick. Many of the houses ar(^ very tasteful. In the lower part of the city, some of the houses are built of wood ; and in the better parts some are built of imitation stone, others of real stone, and some of marble. The general appearance of the streets reminds me more of London than any other city ; but the outside of the houses are cleaner, because there is not so much smoke. Broadway, the principal thoroughfare, has a lively appearance, from its very irregularity — here a high house, next a low one — here a grand marble building, next a brick one; but, on the whole, the effect is plea: ing. The general appearance is much more tropical-like than any of our cities, chiefly from the numerous trees growing in the streets, that would not grow in our colder climate. All the house windows have Venetian sun-blinds to keep out the heat. These are mostly fixed outside the window. As I said before. New York is built on an island ^ but, at one point, it is so near being joined to the main- land that the rails run across. On the one side the East E/iver flows, and on the other side the Hudson. The narrowest of these is the East River, which is four or five times the breadth of the Clyde at the Broomielaw. In the harbour is an almost endless variety of vessels, and of all descriptions. These lie with their bows to the land, and their sterns out to the river. The American steamers are the most novel to a Britisher. They seem all built on the lona style of deck; but instead of a saloon above the 47 II deck, they look more like as if there were a house built on a boat, and out of the roof of said house the engine beam works quite lively. There are no bridges across the rivers, principally because it would hurt the navigation; instead, they have steam ferry- boats constantly plying from various stated parts of the river. These ferry-boats are quite a curiosity. The first time I stepped into one, I had no idea I was in a vessel. Imagine yourself walking on to the wooden pier at the Glasgow Broomielaw — but only suppose that it stretches a good deal further out into the river ; a bell rings, and you soon discover that what you are standing on is a steamboat; and you are started across the river. Walk forward a little bit and you find this ferry steamboat is very broad. At each side is a long cabin, the one marked for gentlemen, and the other for ladies ; and in the middle a broad space for horses and vehicles of all descriptions. The engine works in a narrow space in the centre. The only difference between the ladies' and the gentle- men's cabins seems to be, that gentlemen are not allowed to smoke or spit in the ladies' cabin. There is generally an intimation up to that effect, such as, "It is requested that, out of respect to the ladies, gentlemen will not spit upon the floor." There is at the top, at each end, a round open box, with a roof over it, for the pilot; and in the centre, at the top, above all, the walking-beam works. Altogether, they have quite a colossal appearance, and often carry from two to three hundred people, besides a lot of earth or 48 carriages. You never have to wait above a minute or two till one starts; and most of them ply both day and night. The fare is two cents, which, at the present value of American money, is worth about three farthings. Another remarkable feature of New York, and in fact all the principal American cities, is their street cars, which run upon rails laid down on many of their streets. They serve the purposes of our omnibuses, and fly about in all directions. Their fare is six cents, or about twopence halfpenny; and if you require to go a long distance, you can go six or seven miles for that. You do not see the usual omnibus, except in Broadway, which is the principal street, and which runs through New York like a backbone. The Broadway shopkeepers objected to have their street cut up. There is no doubt the laying down of the rails, and the constant running of horses in exactly the same track, cuts up the streets, and makes it very difficult for ordinary conveyances to get on so well. They are drawn by two horses, and a driver stands in front ; and when the car comes to its destination, they are just yoked to the other end of the car, and start again. It makes a much smoother ride than the usual omni- bus, and is wider, and you get on faster. I observed a newspaper paragraph saying there was a disease going about, said to be got in these cars. The rail is formed of a higher and lower ridge, and the wheel the same; and the car wheel runs on this rail, being formed on the same principle. I think these cars 49 .1 might be an improyement in our own city. They could not run up and down the hill at Buchanan Street very easily, and they are the better of wide streets; but difficulties might be overcome. It must be easier upon the poor horses. There is a very simple little plan adopted on all railways, street cars, and omnibuses in America, which we might adopt with profit. It is a leather strap or coixl running from door to door, or from door to driver, or from engine to end of car. It is placed near the roof, and any one can pull when they require; and, by doiixg so, it rings a bell like what is on our 'buses. In the case of the street car, passengers use it when they rise; in the case of the omnibus, it saves a guard. The driver has a thin strap attached to the door, and the other end about his hand, and you cannot get out or in without him opening the door for you. When one comes in, you go up to a little hole near where the driver sits, and hand through your fare. If you don't, he very soon rings his bell to tell you of it. In the case of the railway, it runs along the inside of the roof of the whole train; and I never saw any one touch it except the conductor, whom I have seen stop the train between stations to let the passengers out. We put up at the Brevoort Hotel — not one of the largest, but comparatively a quiet placb. The large hotels are quite an American institution. The people travel so much, they are always crowded. The Astor House is one of the most cele'brated; it is built of 50 granite, and has room for six hundred people. The Metropolitan Hotel cost about £160,000 for the building alone. The St. Nicholas is built of marble, and cost over a million of dollars, or about £200,000. The dining-rooms easily hold six hundred people, and bedrooms as many. The dining -hall in our hotel seemed about the size of our Trades' Hall, very showily painted and decorated, with large mirrors between each window. It is fitted with small tables, of which there are three rows up and down, and about ten to each row. There are always a number of waiters flying about. They seem mostly tc be Irish- men ; and I have no doubt if you or I could just enter that room at this moment, they would be running about as usual, would offer you a seat, which you would not require even to draw in, for they would push it in for you. The next thing they always do for you is to run and bring you a tumbler of half water and half ice, which in the hot weather is splen- did ; then, perhaps, " What will you have for dinner?" A bill of fare is presented to you, with the date of the day printed on it, and you may have a good deal to choose from. I counted from one of these bills nine kinds of soup, ten of fish, twelve of hot animal food, six of cold, nineteen kinds of vegetables, eight of game, SIX of salad, seven of relishes, eleven of pastry, twelve of ices, and ten varieties of fruit. The great difficulty is to make a selection. Green corn is quite an American vegetable; it is about six inches loni:, and sliaped like a carrot, and 51 on this stump grows the com, shaped something like peas, which you eat off. Another novelty to us was sweet potatoes ; they are largely used. Then we had peaches, which are in great abundance over the country, and are in size from a plum to an orange, and sell from a penny to twopence halfpenny each ; but I con- fess I would not give either our gooseberries or straw- berries for them. Melons also were in abundance, but upon the whole rather insipid. Dry goods stores^ — ^that is, where dresses and all kinds of soft goods are sold — I found large buildings, generally one room from the front to the back, and varying in size according to the business of the house. The larger firms, like Stewart's, have a splendid marble house, of great length and breadth, and five or six stories high. The impression the proprietors of these establishments made on me, after making their ac- quaintance, was, that after a while you could get quite well on with them. I foimd them rather inclined at first to a Uttle banter, but that soon wore off. Two or three times the question came out, " What do you think of America?" Another remark, often made, was, that we at home have no idea of the extent of their country, or of their progression. One gentleman, each time I saw him, said, " We don't build our ware- houses and houses here like fortresses, as you do, as if they were to last till time was to be no longer : we build them light and airy." This gentleman had been in Glasgow in former times, and remembered some of the older manufacturers. He said, *< All Scotchmen E 52 snuff;" and imitated a manufacturer, still living, selling his goods and snuffing hard at the same time. I thought afterwards I should have retaliated by telling him that Scotchmen had almost given up snuffing, but that Americans had not given up chewing. Another gentleman said, " Now, I suppose you have not been long in this country. I will give you an advice — a good advice : don't eat too much water-melon ; it's dangerous — very dangerous." There is no doubt the people of the New England States have a dbort, abrupt, independent manner. - Americans seem very much given to sensatiojL.l advertisements. As an instance, there was one y' carded all over New York while I was there, heaa.;ci, "Ten thousand dollars reward! stop them!" all about a story publishing in the New York Herald. This paper has by far the largest circulation in America, and is edited by a Scotchman, James Gordon Bennet, whose main purpose is to make money, and who does not hesitate, by the most unscrupulous means, to increase the circulation of his paper. One of his most successful hits is, pandering to the Irish ; and he does what he can to foment dispeace between Great Britain and America; and yet almost everybody must have a Herald, bec4iuse it contains all the town news. As a contrast to the foregoing, I attended the Ful- ton Street prayer meeting, held every day between twelve and one. This is a place now celebrated all over the world for the means of grace it has been to many. The hall is C^uite unpretending, and will hold '.•\ ' H n .'■Hi "■ ■■■« . I ';-\ K ):■: 'U/ ! ■ 53 from about 150 to 200. There are various printed notices round the room, such as that brethren are earnestly requested not to be above five minutes engaged in prayer and exhortation, and that there are not to be more than two of either of these succeeding one another without praise. Another notice is the date the meeting commenced (1857), and that it is intended to be a permanent institution. Another gives the names of missionaries, and commencement and place of work, of the Dutch Reformed Presbyterian Church. The chairman, or leader, as they call him, seems to be generally a layman, although there are generally several ministers present. He gives out, to begin, a hymn from a hymn-book got up for this meeting, then reads a chapter from the Bible, upon which he says a few words, or not, as he chooses; but the leader finishes by ten minutes or at most a quarter past the hour. He then reads out the requests for prayer which have come in (there were about a dozen of these the days I was there); then it is intimated the meeting is open for any one to speak — strangers specially invited — and to remember in prayer the requests that have been made ; then, till two o'clock, there is a succession of prayers and short exhortations, with, between every two, or sometimes between every one of these, two or three verses of a hymn sung. I heard various stirring exhortations and prayers, but once or twice bordering on debatable ground, although on one of the notices, printed and put up, it is said no controverted point is to be touched. What I refer to is,^ that one or two speakers 54 spoke strongly against the use of tobacco; others, more legitimately, on the evils of drinking. One young man gave an account of his conversion very affectingly, concluding by saying he would praise God while he had breath; and there were exclamations from various in the meeting during this address, as there is at any thing stirring — "Hallelujah! hallelujah! praise the Lord!" Another man spoke of the evils of sin. He said he had been a fireman for seven years ; and they knew what sort of life that was. No man could say a word against him since he was converted. Before, he drank, swore, and stole ; but now, no man could bring the breath of slander against him. But, oh ! before God, how guilty still : but that was the old man still power- ful ; and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. The most interesting of all was an address from Mr. Stewart, of Philadelphia, who happened to be present. He said he never spent such sweet hours on earth as he had spent at these meetings in former times; but when he had been to the army lately, the meetings he had with the soldiers surpassed them. He recollected, one day, bein^; engaged in a prayer meeting with a lot of hopefvlly converted young soldiers, and the cry came to the door, " Forward to the front !" They had just time to clasp one another, and but a few minutes passed, and fifteen of these lads were either stretched in their blood or dead. "What America wanted now was Christian associations and such like institutions. Now that the war was over, they would be apt to run into temptation. He added. 1 1?- 56 that in Philadelphia, where he stayed, they had also their prayer meeting, and he asked them to pray for it. I remember another of the subjects for prayer was, that as the United States had been spared to come through a time of deadly war, she might be spared from falling into mortal sin. I saw no such signs of life anywhere as in the Fulton Street prayer meeting. The attendance, I would suppose, is about one hundred people. Thursday, August 24th. — ^Travelled from New York for Niagara Falls. It is not true, in an important sense, that America is a young coimtry. These large boulders and immense forests — ^that rock strata and those magnificent rivers — the everlasting hills and valleys — all proclaim that it is not the countiy that is new, but that it is comparatively newly peopled by a civilized race. The old race could or would not become civilized, and are now reduced to a miserable handful. The scenery of the Hudson river, along which I travelled, is said to be amongst the finest in America. The railway skirts it all the way to Albany. It seems to be about half a mile broad. This of itself is a noble object to see, enhanced by a schooner or steamer sailing past every now and again. The banks are often flat. Here and there we pass a village in some picturesque spot, white and clean-like. In this district, there seemed to be no high hills till we came near Albany; and then there are the Catskill hills, which seemed to look rather higher than our ordinary- ph.':- ijtiiiii MiiJiii 56 sized Highland hills. Although the scenery of the Hudson is not hilly, it is a fine undulating country, well wooded, principally with fir trees, and every here and there a pleasant-looking dwelling. As a rule, all the. houses along this line are huilt of wood, the best of them plastered and lathed inside, and sometimes lined with brick. It looks a little odd at first to see regular two and three-story houses built of wood. The scenery, upon the whole, reminded me of the Rhine. The roads, as a rule, are very poor; and such a thing as a hedge, I never saw all the time I was in America. Wooden fences, hurdle fences, snake fences, are what is used. The commonest of all is the snake fence : it is just young trees, or any kind of wood, twined round stobs in a snake fashion. I never saw the nicely-kept garden so common in our country, although I was told there was such a thing. No doubt the reason of this and of slovenly farming is, that the ground is so cheap and so extensive, that proper attention cannot be given to it all. • The railway carriages and cars are very different from what they are with us. They hold from fifty to sixty people: they seem to be broader than our car- riages, have doors at the two ends lengthwise, and a passage up the middle. The seats right and left of the passage are made to hold two. These seats all look the one way; but if a party of four wish to be together, the back of the seat turns round. Some of these carriages are so fine, they remind you of sitting t M m 57 t in a drawing-room. Others are ordinary. There is a small private room at the end of each carriage ; and in the comer a large round cistern of iced water. The guard or conductor is often moving about, and you can either pay your fare to him or at the station. The conduct© I ,ve generally between their fingers a bunch of notes, and at night a lamp attached to their arm. On my first experience of this style of carriage, I thought it was a great improvement over ours; but I think they have also disadvantages. The strap to stop the train is one advantage; then there is no fear of being alone : besides, it is sociable. You can also pass from one carriage to another, for every one pays the same, and you can land in the smoking saloon. There is constantly passing up and down the passages news- paper boys and people selling all sorts of things. There are patent ventilators on the roof, and the seats and backs all nicely stuffed and covered with red velveteen, which altogether gives them a nice, cheerful appear- ance. There are one or two objections to them which at least do not make them quite so comfortable to travel in as our first-class carriages, if you have to go a distance. One is, it is not very easy to get a sleep in them ; then, again, among so many passengers there are often some tipsy or rough-speaising persons. The first night I travelled, there were two or three fellows the worse of drink : there was a lady and her boy just sat beside them, to whom, as to the rest of us, their talk must have been disgusting. Then these long 58 carriages are fully worse for a draught than ours ; you can only have control of one window. I intended travelling direct to Niagara; but I found out, the night before starting, that, by breaking my journey about mid-way, at a place called Fundy, I might visit an aunt of my wife, who had emigrated to America about forty years ago. At this station I had to take a coach for five miles. I thought it was human nature to suppose the old lady would like to see one from her native land, and tell her about her friends. I got up beside the driver on an old-fashioned- looking coach ; but I found there was little use attempt- ing conversation, for on my first attempt I was almost jolted out of my seat. The driver seemed rather a rough Yankee Jehu. He said to his horses on startr ing, " Now, if you don't go right, I'll break your necks !" and he looked like as if he tried it at times ; but, to be fair, he had about the worst road possible : it was the first I had seen of a plank road, which is just a series of planks laid down close to one another, about a foot broad ; part of the road is taken up with this, the other pai*t is just an ill-made country road. Without much difficulty I found out the old lady I was in search of; and I got a Scotch welcome. She had visited Scotland only once since she and her hus- band emigrated. She has six sons, all in business in America : they are all married and have families, but the youngest ; and notwithstanding all these ties, she said she still called Scotland home, and would like to die in it. I was well repaid for my visit, for, on 1 .' 59 I i parting, she told me she thought seeing me would make her live two or three years longer; and she would not let me away without what she called the old Scotch fashion of kissing at parting. I w^ pressed to stay two or three days, but as I had another engage- ment I could not. The village where she resides is called Johnstoune : the making of gloves seemed to be its principal manufacture. I was shown the whole process, from the raw bide to the finished hide, by her son James, who drove me back to the railway. In this village there were three thousand inhabitants and eight churches. Mr. J. M. remarked that he thought the war would have been ended sooner if there had not been so many interested in its continuance. I remarked what a fine climate they seemed to have ; his reply was, that ours was an evener climate, as they had it very hot in summer and very cold in winter, the snow then lying generally a foot or two thick. Niagara Falls is the finest sight I have yet seen. 1 was afraid I might be disappointed; but I had not realized its greatness. The feelings that came into my mind on looking at them pouring over were grandeur, power, awe. On looking down from the top, as I did into the fall of the American Cataract — just take two steps, and farewell to time. They say bodies even are rarely recovered; and if they are, without a vestige of clothing. There are two great falls, the American and the Horse-shoe Fall, which is half American and half Canadian. The Horse-shoe Fall is broadest, but both are grand in the extreme. Looking down the 60 Ameiican Fall first, I saw the spray nishing like most beautiful white smoke, or like fine clouds in a gale, and the water below splendidly churned, while the roar of the water is grand. I feel it is quite impossible to give another an idea of it. All around is a grand panorama of roaring cataract. At the bottom of the American Fall, a great boulder lies, which is just seen at times when the smoke or fine spray clears. Passing from this spot on the way to the next, there are a number of small bazaars selling curiosities; some, they say, made by Indians. You then pass the rapids above the American Fall. The descent of the water here is, I believe, fifty feet in three quarters of a mile. It comes down bubbling and foaming, and has the appearance as if a great gale was blowing on it, though the day on which I saw it was very still and hot. The road leads you to a small island called Goat's Island, where you get a fine view of the Horse-shoe Fall. But if I said I cannot give an idea of the fall from the point I was first at, it is more difficult from this point, as it is grander. The purest masses of white are seen rushing over at your right hand and at your left; for I stood at a point which separates the fall. Masses of water, like the most gorgeous silver are rushing past ; while, look down to the bottom, and you see a most beauti- ful and perfect rainbow. But the event of the day to me was the going down below the part of the American Fall that was to my left, and called the Cave of the Winds : which, till I accomplished, I had 61 I i i no idea what it was. In pasBing the guide's door, I asked him what was his charge. Ho said two dollars. I said I would not go. He said people grudged it at first; but after going, they would not have missed it for twenty dollars. This roused my curiosity ; and as he said three hundred ladies had done it las- year, I thought it would be safe enough, so I consented. When I went to the guide's smrai house, to my surprise I was directed to take off overy stitch of my clothes, and put on a bathing dress, t^nd my guide did the same. I had on an oil cap and paats and jacket, and flannel n trer blingly ; and after endur- ing for a while, your Guid*" lOiaes and encourages you, and says you have no+ endured moi" than is common to others. Look around aid look up. Did you ever, in all the world, see such a prospect? "T^; him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and will give him a white stono, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." And now you are not afraid to return. You are now prepared and strengthened to resist all floods from wherever they come. You know your Guide is st :I .lose to you: He has led you safe there all the way, and will not leave you till you are safely landed on the shining shore of heaven. I was told that this American Fall was four feet higher than the Horse-shoe Fall ; but the latter is the grandest sight of all. High up, and within a few feet of the fall, is a tower erected, from which you look down on the foaming water ; look up the river, and you see the i*apids coming down as before described ; and then look to your other side, and you see the grand to 1 Horse-sho'? Fall, and the great mass of water falling over is a sight perfectly indescribable in grandeur and sublimity — ^the awful torrents rushing down in the semicircular shape, and within and beyond that semi- circle a great cloud of spray, which has almost the appearance as if there was a grand conflagration below. The water below this is more thoroughly churned than even at the American Fall — in fact, there looks like a crust of snow over the water; and down, down, down, the water pours everlastingly, and will continue to do so long after we are gathered to our fathers. The view from the Canada side of the Table- rock is also very fine. A large portion of this rock broke away a few years ago; indeed, the rgcks of the falls themselves are supposed to be receding from time to time. I returned to the hotel, across the ferry, going down a very steiep descent in a wooden carriage, drawn up and down with an engine. Clifton House Hotel is rather a noted place. It is very large; and, being close to the American side, a good many Southern men, dur- ing the late war, stayed at it, and had interviews with politicians from America. All the waiters are negroes — some of them powerful-looking fellows. One of them looked to me like seven feet high; and they are a little high in another way, for they are rather saucy. In travelling, I seldom heard any favourable expression of feeling towards the blacks. About New York and New England generally, they are tolerated and allowed to travel where and with what conveyance they please; »^'> m f&Si.'^- ■■'!^^'>i 65 .1 but, south of New York, I have noticed the conductors of railway cars tell them to go forward into the smok- ing saloon. One man, I remember, said to me, in arguing with him, " Niggers are just like lice, apd have to be endured as such ;" and he said he would as soon have a ferret near him as a nigger. The evening I spent in the Clifton House Hotel, I observed a notice that there would be a "hop" in the house that night, but I hopped to my bed. About half-past one in the morning, I was awakened with the music below my window, and the applause fairly aroused me. Then, to wind up the ball, the band played exquisitely " Home, sweet home !" and I thought this was very cruel. I mused that it would be five weeks before I could pos- sibly be there, and had to cross much sea and land first. I wished that I was nearer it. No wonder, I thought, that the Swiss used to desert the army, when they heard the plaintive "i?aw» des Vaches" or the High- landman's " Lochaber no more." I slept, and dreamed of the soldier lying in the battle-field, and in his dream fancying he was home again, embracing his wife, and his children all running to kiss him. A short journey from Niagara by rail brought me to the town of Hamilton, Canada West, where two married cousins reside. Mr. J. T. was waiting for me at the station, and drove me home in his buggy. I was soon introduced to his amiable wife and family, none of whom I had ever seen before. I found Ham- ilton a very pretty, pleasant place; and, of course, having had relations staying here for twenty years, it V- ■M K 66 made it all the more interesting. My first cousin, who left Glasgow for Hamilton, died here; and the day after I arrived we went to see his grave in the beautiful burying-ground. He was very much re- spected. On Sunday afternoon, heard Mr. Inglis of the Free Church; and in the evening went with my younger cousin and his newly-married wife to the Established Church. This church is about as fine as any to be found in Glasgow. The hours of service here are eleven morning and half-past six evening, and the Sabbath school between. I observ^ed that both here and in America the children of the house I stayed in went to the Sabbath school. In Scotland our Sabbath schools do not get the same chance. On Monday, my cousin from Glasgow (who rejoined me here) and I got possession of the buggy, and Jerry, the old but excellent horse, and went a drive up the mountain, as it is called. This is a low range of hills that runs above Hamilton, and goes along^ the country for about five hundred miles. From here we have a fine view of the pretty town of Hamilton, with its 25,000 inhabitants, lying at the foot of Lake Ontario. "We drove for a few hours through numerous roads cut through the forest, and one time we found our- selves landed at the end of the road, and in the middle of the forest. We thqught that Jerry would rather not carry " old country" men, as we were called, both on account of our weight and curious driving. Lake Ontario is a favourite resort, for rowing-boats and 6T yachts, witli Hamiltonians. I was sorry I did not get a sail in a yacht on Saturday afternoon, having just arrived rather late for a party that started. From Hamilton fine steamers start almost evbry day for Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec. Hamilton is laid off for a larger town than it has yet become. Ten years ago it was growing very fast, and it is probable it may still be a very populous city. As it is, there are a considerable number of respectable and flourishing citizens, and those of them we met we found very kind and hospitable. Some of the build- ings are very good. M'Kinnis's dry goods store is one of the largest. Many of the dwelling-houses are built up by the mountain, and are elegant and tasteful. While in New York, my cousin, hearing of our arrival, indted us to join him in a trip. He and some other gentlemen from Hamilton were going to Chicago. The Hamilton Board of Trade had been invited to send a deputation there, to celebrate the opening, of a new Board of Trade in Chicago. "We gladly accepted. We spent the whole of the following week on this trip; and we found all of our Canadian friends as friendly and lively a band as we could wish to meet. The first arrangement we made was, that we should leave Hamilton at ten p.m.; but we did not start till two a.m. The deputation met at the house of one of the friends (Mr. R. B.), where we were handsomely entertained. We sallied forth into a large *bus, and in the train sleeping-berths had been secured ; so, throwing off* boots, coat, and test, we tumbled in, and slept pretty F BS soundly till next morning. About breakfast time we came to Windsor, where we cross the river St. Clair, and leave the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada for the American side. Across the river is Detroit, a flourish- ing American town. From there we proceeded by the Michigan Central Railway straight on to Chicago. On crossing the river, we made an excellent breakfast, got up in fine style. During the day our deputation enjoyed themselves amazingly, and kept the railway car travellers in good spirits by their liveliness. We arrived at Chicago late on Tuesday evening, and were there met by members of the Board of Trade, who represented that part of the committee who were to look after the comfort of the Canadian delegates. And here we must say that the attention of these gentlemen was most exemplary. The head committee had issued circulars, impressing upon the others this attention, and suggesting how to do it ; so a Mr. Watson came to our hotel two and three times every day to escort us to the various entertainments. The first meeting was on Wednesday morning, and it was intended to be a formal opening of the new Board of Trade Rooms. The members had sent invitations to all the other Boards of Trade in America and Canada, and many had sent deputations. They intended to give a series of entertainments, which I was told was to cost twenty-five thousand dollars, but which was said to have cost much more. Fancy our good town of Glasgow doing such a thiug ! On arriving at the building, we observed that three sides of it were built '4' *1%>II«8^|>^,_ ^ 9- m of marble. This is not so fine as the marble we are accustomed to see, but a coarser quality, got in America, and very pretty. The fourth side, which is not so much seen, is built of brick. The style of architecture is modem Italian. Below the large hall is a floor devoted to merchants' offices, banks, &c., and which seemed well let already. The hall itself is very large, 1 43 feet long by 87 feet broad. It has the appear- ance of being a good deal larger than our City Hail ; but, being well proportioned, it does not look so large as it really is. There are ten windows in each side and five in front, each of them 25 feet high. The ceiling is painted, representing scenes connected with commerce; and, between the ceiling and the walls, are also large fresco designs, which help to give the hall an imposing appearance; but this painting is of no great merit. The proceedings commenced about eleven o'clock — the Rev. Dr. Tifiany asked the Divine blessing, after which the president, Mr. Randolph, gave an excellent inau- gural address. He welcomed the various States and cities, and hoped that, by a free interchange of civilities, the interests and pleasure of all might be promoted. He said, in 1830, Chicago had only a population of 70 individuals ; now it has above 200,000. It was about the year 1840 before it began to be of any importance. But now the exportation of grain is prodigious. In 1864 it was 47 millions of bushels, and more than 1^ millions of hogs and cattle. After the chairman's address, delegates were heard. New England had re- presentatives frotQ Boston, Portland, Philadelphia, and 70 Pittsburg; there were also delegates from Bathville, New York, Albany, BuflSilo, Cleveland, Detroit, Cin- cinnati, Toledo, Troy, Oswego, St. Louis, Louisville, Cairo, Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, &o., &c. Several complimentary allusions were made to Great Britain and Canada ; and Mr. Adam Brown, one of our depu- tation, replied. He said that '^ Canadians felt, and, he believed, Americans also, that the best way to the sea was by Canada, through the mighty St. Lawrence, and that the Government of Canada was pledged to widen their canals, which was all that was needed.** During the evening, a photographer took off various views of the meeting. Tickets were presented to each delegate for the various entertainments. The first evening there was to be a grand concert; next day, an excursion on the lake, and in the evening a banquet. The day after that, an excursion to see a large cattle-pen, and to wind up with a ball in the evening. Chicago seems to be the most remarkable city of modem times. It is placed in the State of Illinois — a prairie State, that is quite flat, and has no trees; and into Chicago the produce of the Great West flows. We drove along the river, and saw the shipping in the docks. There are also many large warehouses, built substantial and tasteful, and not the least blackened by smoke — a pleasing feature in most of the Ajnerican cities. We noticed several large distilleries. One was pointed out to us, and beside it still remained the small wooden shed where the proprietor first started, and which he refused to take down. .; n , Elevators are large buildings for holding grain, built on the bank of the water. They very soon load and unload a ship's cargo. The farmers send their grain to one of these elevators, and the quality is decided by a sworn valuator, whether it is first, second, third, or fourth class, and it is sold according to its cla^ Large pork -packing establishments are also notable places in Chicago. The period we were there was not the time the hogs were killed ; but we saw through one work. This establishment killed 1,200 hogs a day during the season ; but there are some places whicl^ could put through nearly double of that number. We asked how long it took for a pig to go through the whole process of being killed, cut up, cured, and packed. The answer was, " Three minutes ! " Poor grumphy has not time to give a single squeak. This supposed no delay in packing, but there is delay required before they are packed. Another scheme in this town is, that the river which flows past is to be made to change its course, and flow into a canal instead, and the waters of the lake are to flow into the course of the river in its place. Three to four hundred thousand pounds are to be spent in this, and ought to improve the health of the city, although we were told it was by no means an un- healthy place at present. We went to see where they are boring a tunnel below the lake, two miles out into the water, so that water for the city may be got as pure as possible. We saw an Artesian well two or three mile3 out of the ,"■.41 72 city. This place had been bored for oil, but water was got instead. It was ridiculous to see round the walls here plates of the different strata gone through before the water was come to, and the knowledge of this strata of shells and rocks got by clairvoyance. Some of the best houses in Chicago are built close by the lake, and are very handsome and tasteful-like. The leading streets have fully a more regular appearance than those of New York. The Opera House, where the concert was held in the evening, was large and grand; there was a large organ on the stage. The performers at this concert were all first-class. Among other airs we had " God Save the Queen!" Next forenoon was the excursion on the lake, and it was a stirring affair. The swiftest steamer was engaged; and, in token of its being so, she carried a broom topmast high, to show she could sweep all before her. A large number of ladies and gentlemen assembled; and the tout efn^emhle of the whole was rather remarkable. The manners, dress, and appear- ance are very various. There was a large and good band on board; and sailing, in the extremely hot weather we had, was the greatest luxury. The ther- mometer all the time we were away was fully 80 ** in the shade, and we had very little rain. We took a turn round the large steamer, and we were struck with the appearance in the large saloon for a lavish hospitality. Large barrels of punch were placed at the top and bottom of the table; and scattered around were bunches of cigars, a great variety of wines, with nu- M :k U^ 79 / i n I merous delicacies. We kept at first on the i ^>per deck, enjoying the sail of Lake Michigan. From this point we had a general view of the lake; and we stopped at the point, where we saw the ** Crib," as it is called, which commences the tunnel to supply the town with water. On looking down into the saloon, by -and -by, we found affairs had changed. The grand charge had been made, and nothing could be heard save the rattle of plates, the drawing of corks, and the noise of voices, all likely to proceed from a crowd who were intent on being supplied, and who could not all get room, and were each doing the best for themselves. Not one was seated. We thought all had been eaten and drunk — and no doubt a good deal had; but it was surprping to see what the liberality of our hosts had provided; for, as the desires of the guests showed themselves, fresh supplies were produced. "When people were tired of eatables, literally large barrels of ice-cream turned up, which in hot weather was very acceptable. I did not notice any teetotallers. Champagne, Ca- tawba (a favourite American wine), port, sherry, brandy, gin, and whisky, were all supplied I took a careless count of the empty bottles in the main saloon, and the number was over one hundred, and many were pitched overboard. The scene after- wards was picturesque : tongues all of a sudden seemed to be loosed ; there was a perfect Babel of noise, and no end of gesticulailion. 74 ^ The tables were still crowded; there must have been several hundred people present. We question if a scene like it could be found anywhere but in America. No doubt a good many were affected by the liquor they had taken, but we did not see any staggering, or what we call drunk. We sauntered into a side-room, which was crowded, and in the centre stood half a dozen young men singing American songs. "Old John Brown lies mouldering in his grave" was sung with great animation, with heads uncovered. Other similar scenes were to be seen in other parts. One old man was prominent on the upper deck making speeches, and proposing votes of thanks to all and sundry. We all agreed that it was a scene the like of which would not be easily seen again. On arriving again at Chicago, we had scarcely time to rest ourselves till it was time to start for the even- ing banquet. Two banquets in one day was rather much, but the one at night was intended to be the grand one. The delegates from each State of country were first put into a small room, and the citizens of Chicago were oflScially requested to " sandwich" (rather an Americanism) in with the delegates. Accordingly, in our room we were visited and introduced to some of the Chicago merchants. The chairman, Mr. Kan- dolph, came to us, and took away two Canadians to sit with him on the platform. One of these was the Honourable Mr. M'Murrich, a member of the Upper House of Canadian delegates, and a partner of Messrs. Playfair, Bryce, and Company, of this city. It was past I f^^*^' • ■sr 76 t nine before we were requested to go into the banquet. The Canadians entered first. On entering the haJl, the Hoene was quite imposing. Each guest had a glass of flowers at his side. I tried to preserve mine, but they bred a whole colony of insects in i y portmanteau. Each had Jso a list of toasts, and an envelope in which was enclosed a bill of fare, printed on silk. On the table were lots of peaches, grapes, and other fruita We noticed, done up in confectionery, the model of a steamboat, and a large model of the building we were in. During my sojourn in America, I never met with a% thing but respect for this country. As one proof of this I give the first three toasts proposed. First was, **Our Country, one and indivisible: Chicago wel- comes to this spacious hall the representatives of a reunited land.*' Second was, " The President of the United States." Third, "The Queen of Great Britain" — music, " God Save the Queen." Fourth, " The Army of the United States." Fifth, « The Provinces of Canada " — ^music, " Kule Britannia." After this fol- lowed the toasts of each of the States represented at the convention. The Canadians stood up at the toast of the President, as well as at that of the Queen, although this is not usual in America. During the evening, there was a little bunkum talked. For in- stance, Mr. Colbaugh, of Chicago, said, "That he believed there were those there — or, if not, their chil- dren or children's children — would see the flag, the old flag of the country, with all its stars and stripes, float over every foot of land in this whole North .^t I 76 American continent : that flag will yet wave from the halls of the Montezumas. The waiters were all black ; and they make very good ones, though a little slow. One custom was new : as soon as dinner was over, the company began to smoke cigars, which were plentifully supplied. The chairman himself showed the example ; and in giving out the toasts gave an occasional whiff. After the first speech, the banquet might be called a failure. It was then seen that scarcely ahy voice could be heard over the whole hall ; and we suspect speeches were not in favour. The Americans seem almost too restless and excitable to sit and listen, even althoiljjh each speaker was limited to ten minutes. A. number we saw here you would take to be more French than American, on account of their manner. Fun was now the order of the evening. A member of committee offended the reporters, and they left. A crash would be heard in one corner; in another, a lot of young men began to sing; others, to shout to the speakers. We noticed some peaches thrown at the head of one orator. However, we heard some excellent speaking. The chairman, who had great energy and an excellent voice, tried to do his best, but without avail. ITie delegate who replied on behalf of Canada, spoke of the Cana- dians' desire to renew the reciprocity treaty, but was afraid the States were going to withhold it from them, in order to starve them into annexation. But Canada would not be coerced ; they would rather take a leaf out of their own book, and while widening their canals, and thus temporarily closing their navigation, would issue paper notes. ' T7 > It would be nearly twelve when we returned. We met several offshoots coming fpom the banquet, singing . the popular songs of their own State. The songs of our national but unfortunate poet, Robert Bums, seem well known over the length and breadth of this great continent. "Should auld acquaintance be for- got?" 1 heard repeatedly sung by Americans. We sat in one of the large rooms of the hotel for some time, taken up with the novelty of the scene. Whole bands of young Americans arrived at intervals, arm in arm, two deep, and marched round the room, singing some stirring melody; and then concluded by standing in the middle of the room, and, facing one another, singing vigorously a verse or two. Next morning there was an excursion by train, to see one or two of the great cattle stock-yards ; but I did not go. I went for a few hours and introduced myself to the leading wholesale dry goods merchants, from whom I received great civility. They in the meantime send for all their goods to New York ; but they seemed to think it was high time they imported their goods direct from Great .Britain. To show the clannishness of Scotchmen, one gentleman I called on told me, as I was a Scotchman and so was he, he would give me the names of all the very best houses in Chicago. Another warehouse I called at, the pro- prietor said, "Ah ! we have a countryman of yours here," and introduced me to a Mr. M*Pherson from Inverness. The festivities at the Board of Trade finished with a ball in the evQ^oing, to which I did not go. I left 78 for Canada that night, leaving my friends to follow next day. I was told the ball went off very well. It was advertised that no drink would be sold, or im- proper characters admitted. I understand the style of dancing at balls in America is, that a master of cere- monies bawls out every thing that is to be done, such as " Advance," " Retire," &c. The citizens of the Far West are not the least fasti- dious about dress on such occasions. It was not at all necessary to go to either ball or banquet in a black suit. I had nothing but one suit with me. I was told some of the ladies at the ball were dressed in bright scarlet and other such colours. The foregoing is an imperfect sketch of what I saw in Chicago. In saying adieu to Mr. Watson, who had been so attentive, I expressed the favourable impres- sion the citizens of the West had given us. He said we came under very favourable auspices ; at another time they might be too busy to speak to us. He added, " You may tell them at home that for the last ten days we have received into Chicago each day half a million bushels of grain." In the last twenty years there must have been an immense money both made and spent in Chicago. But let it be remembered, that even here it is the few who get the prizes. We met more than one Scotchman who had been in Chicago for years, and who, we believe, would be fully as well off if he had remained at home. We left Chicago with a lively sense of the liberality and kindness of its merchants. Since I left, I notice / i ^^i**-. 79 .1 by the papers that there is a grand new building of the Young Men's Christian Association of Chicago. It is called the Farrell Hall, after Mr. Farrell, one of the gentlemen I called upon. He is the dry goods prince of the city, and a prince in Christian liberality. This hall holds 3,500 people, and Mr. Farrell subscribed about £6,000 to it. Mr. D. L. Moody has been the working man of the institution; and to his earnestness, more than to any other human agency, is the erection of this great structure owing. A mission Sabbath school, of nearly a thousand scholars, is held in what is popu- larly called Moody's Church — the fruit of this man's zeal. Hundreds of the most abandoned people have been reclaimed by his labours. " Are you a Christian 1 " he asked of a strange young man one day. " None of your business," was the reply. " But it is my busi- ness," said Moody. "Excuse me,'* said the young man, "your name mitst be Moody." On one occasion a tract distributor asked a woman if she was a Catholic. "Yes; but not much of a one, for I know Moody." One of the first things debated in the new structure was the vexed one of amusements. Mr. Moody thinks that no other amusement is needed than working for Jesus; but every one is not constituted with such muscles and a two hundred horse-power of character. He met those who argued for an amusement room by asking if any body had ever been converted in the amusement rooms of those societies who had them. But the account went on to say that Mr. M. is form- ing a brass band in ^ connection with the association, ■ill 80. and that he will hardly be able to confine tbem to " Old Hundred." With one more anecdote about Mr. Moody I conclude. As the church he is con- nected with is in an Irish Catholic neighbourhood, and the windows were broken by the juveniles of that faith, he determined to apply to head-quarters to have them stopped. He was refused admittance by the bishop's porter, but was at last admitted by the right reverend's express order. He announced who he was, and his errand; expressed his confidence that both he and the bishop were labouring for the same end, though one or the other of them was wrong about the means; and declared that he wanted the bishop to do nothing for him "that he would not gladly do for the bishop. The bishop said he did right in coming to him, and that he would see that the mischief was put an end to (and he kept his word). The conversation was then turned to other topics, and finally to the efficacy of prayer. ** Well," says Moody, •* I visit a great many kinds of people in Chicago, and I always pray with them before leaving them. So let us pray." And before the bishop could say him nay, he was on his knees, pour- ing out his soul to God, beseeching all spiritual bless- ings upon the bishop and his flock. I tell this as it was told me. I returned on Monday to my cousin's at Hamilton by the railway, a distance of six hundred miles. The rail at the American side ends at Detroit, and on the Canadian side at Windsor; the former a fine flourishing town, the latter but a quiet village, and yet 81 only the river between them. This starts the question, is Canada as prosperous as the United States) and if not, why? There can be little doubt that Canada has been with difficulty holding its "own, while the United States have been going ahead. Canadians often speak among themselves of the advantages of annexation; and I believe the majority think it would be for their interest, especially in raising the value of their pro- perty, but, as loyal subjects of Queen Victoria, they shrink from saying so. The late war gave an irapulse to many branches of trade in the United States, as all their great armies had to be fed and clothed. I do not intend to go into this subject further here, especially as I was warned in Canada that when I went home I was not to fancy I understood the subject thoroughly. When an emigrant buys ground in a wood country," which is not. cleared of the trees, he first cuts them down; but tht getting out of the roots is very trouble- some. I beV.eve it often takes them twenty years before they are cleared away. After some years, the stumps are burnt, which takes away all life, and by- and-by they rot away. The country has a singuJnr appearance in this state, and no proper crop can be got till these are all rooted out. In a prairie State, like Illinois, you can raise a crop the first year, as there is nothing but long grass; but it is often hot and swampy. We had planned to go for a day to shoot prairie chickens^ which are very abundant, and like our grouse; but the weather was tr ^' '/ Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SM (716) 173-4303 ■/J 00 scenery I had yet seen in America. The town is situated beautifully. There is an upper and a lower city. From the upper you have a lovely view. Quebec is fbiiiified, I believe, very strongly, and is being further strengthened. The citadel or fortress on the summit crowns all The whole is not unlike Edinburgh Castle; but the high ground there is not carried so far as in Quebec. This town looks like an island, the St. Lawrence surrounds it so much; but it is a pro- montoiy, like New York. After breakfast, started to see the city, and met with two old Glasgow friends. In conversation with an influential French Canadian, whom I met, he said that it was the case that annexa- tion with the United States would improve Canada in a business point of view; but he hoped it would not be in his day. In pressing him for the cause, he said most of the population in Lower Canada were French, and had their own customs, religion, &c., and Britain had treated them pretty well, and they wei*e not so sure about America. " But," he added, ** I have thought for the labC ten years that America is the greatest country in the world." He said that the French Canadians were not an ambitious, money-making people, and did not live expensively, and that in these respects they were quite different from the Anglo-Saxon race in Upper Canada I went in a car to visit the Falls of Montmorenci, six miles out of town. My driver turned out to be a north of Ireland man, and he made himself very use- ful and obliging. These falls are considered the finest J )*■ II in Canada. Passed, by the way, a number of burned houses — a not unusual sight in Quebec. A whole street was burned down lately; and one of the bridges we crossed over had been only opened that day, as it had been burned too. Passed a large lunatic asylum, which holds six hundred patients ; observed a number of priests going in to visit it. I believe the Roman Catholic population of Quebec is in the proportion of five to one of the Protestant. The road to the falls was mostly lined with houses of a small size, nicely whitewashed, with wooden slates, a small garden before each, and inhabited by the French Canadians. There is a fine view of Quebec to be obtained from this road. It is truly a city built on a hilL My car- man was never done praising the scenery. I told him it was hard to convince one, when abroad, that the scenery was better than at home. He even relented himself when I reminded hitn of the fine scenery in Ireland. Opposite Quebec is the island of Orleans, twenty-five miles long and seven broad. In it are seven parishes and seven churches. Noticed on it at the distance, the white tents of soldiers' camps, where they are bivouacking for the summer, to practise rifle- shooting. Was not disappointed with the falls : they come second to Niagara of any thing I have seen. It is curious that, notwithstanding the immense body of water that falls over, a few yards below the fall there is 1.0 water to be seen. It goes away to the St. Law- ence subterraneously. It is fathomless at the foot. There was a bridge once spanned over this fall ; but just as it was finished the fixings gave way, precipitat- ing a man, woman, and child, who were crossing in a car. The man was saved, but the woman and child, and horse and car, were never seen again. An Indian once undertook, for a wager, to go over the falls, but he was lost too. There is an Indian village a few miles from Quebec; but I undei'stand they are now a good deal inter- married with the French Canadians. I went in and had a look at the Roman Catholic cathedral. There was a grand altar and some very fine paintings, espe- cially one of the Saviour on the Cross. The only others present were two priests : they took no notice of us, they seemed so intently praying. Is this not a lesson to Protestants 1 Went next to see the plains of Abraham, where the immortal Wolfe fell. Observed best here the fortifica- tions — large cannons bristling on the high city, placed everywhere to command the river and all around. The old town of Quebec is walled. On the plains of Abraham there is nothing special to be seen, but simply the site of the battle which decided the fate of Canada, w> Her it should be in the hands of the British or jnch. There is a monument, simple and plain, saying, "Here died Wolfe victorious." It must have been a severe struggle : both generals fell. The last words Wolfe said were, when it was said, « They flee," " Whol" " The French." " Thank God ! I die content, a young man." The present Emperor Napoleon has raised a m monument where the French are buried, and for Montcalm, their general. Saw next a small public park or garden, where is another monimient to Wolfe. Close to this there is a wooden esplanade, where the town's-people promenade, and you can look down on the old city, with its tin-covered roofs, and the grand river — it is quite beautiful. The English cathedral is veiy large, and I was told very nice inside, but it is only open on Sundays. I last visited the House of Assemblies, and saw through them. Architectumlly, there was nothing imposing. Inside I saw a spacious library, a smoking- room, and a number of committee rooms. I asked to get through the rooms where the members sat, which was at once granted. The senior or head body have Honourable affixed to their name. This is a hand- some room, with a gallery for strangers. At the head of the hall there is a throne for the Governor-General, as the Queen's representative. The cloth of the throne and the other furniture is all scarlet colour. I do not think there were chairs for above sixty or seventy members. Before each chair was a small handsome desk, and a square table before the throne. The Speaker sat at the head of the chamber, with lavender gloves, and patent-leather boots on. The other cham- ber was not so grand, but still very nice : there was a double desk before each two members, on the wall a fine painting of the Queen, and in both chambers there were some nice paintings of former members. I was told if I came back in an hour I would then u see both Houses met. I did so, and easily gained admittance. The Upper House was merely met for some routine business ; one bill passed a second read- ing, which was about some mining business. The members had all a gentlemanly look. Some one moved the House to be adjourned, which the Speaker did till half-past seven. Loud cries of ** Till eight!" were kept up, laughingly, for two or three minutes. The Speaker at last replied, " The rules of the House cannot be changed without my consent; but I agree that half-past seven should mean eight." All retired laughing; and the Speaker lefb, with an old official carrying the mace before him. In the other House there was quite a lively debate going on; a little Frenchman was speaking, and show- ing all his teeth. Some Opposition members had said that Lower Canada had got more than their due pro- portion of money grants for their higher class schools, and Lower Canada is mostly Roman Catholic. The member that was addressing the House strenu- ously denied this; but others on the opposite side as strenuously maintained it : so it went on from side to side. But the main tactics I saw was a party or Oppo- sition dodge. The grand speech before I left was from a Mr. Brown, the finance minister, whose grant the Opposition was snarling at. He said he was surprised at the last speech. (To be intelligible, I must explain what I gathered, that in order to carry or attempt to carry certain great measures for the weal of the counUy, three members had crossed from the Opposition M l: 98 and joined the ministry.) The speaker, Mr. Brown, was one of these; and he insisted that he and the other two had been pressed by his own party to do so, and now he was grieved to think, after being so pressed^ they should twit him so. They knew, he continued, if he had his own way, he would sweep away all sectarian grants; but what could three members do in twelve. But it was for a great purpose he came there; and if he succeeded, Canada would owe him a debt of gratitude. He had nothing to ask forgiveness for, either from the House or country. It was not of his own will he joined the ministry, and he didn't wish to stay from the way he was treated; but after the last speaker being the man that carried the vote for him to go against his will, he expected bett«r treatment. The minister of finance was really elo- quent, and very demonstrative, and, I thought, sincere. The member, so attacked, replied, that he believed the honourable senator wished to get into of&ce; and if somebody must join the party in office for their side, better the like of the honourable senator than the rank and file. He did not see the use of the honourable senator galvanizing himself so much. On leaving Quebec, I was told at the hotel that there was a ticket agent would sell me a railway ticket to where I was going. It seems usual for rail- way companies to give out tickets for agents to sell : I suppose because the competing lines are so numerous. Besides this, you can pay your fare in an American railway either before you start, or after, to the guard 96 or conductor on the journey. Both of these plans are bad. As an illustration of the first, on the ticket agent coming to me, I said to him this was not a usual plan at home; he replied the railway managers gave agents a chance. On reading the ticket he offered me, I saw part of it expired before the present date. I pointed this out to him, but was refen'ed to an almost illegible stamp on the top of it, which, he said, rescinded the time of its expiry. I said I wouldn't have it. He hurried to the train before me to try to get it right; but I told him I would have none of it. The plan of the guards taking the fares leads to peculation, as there is no check. I heard of a company who wanted a new conductor.; and on one applying, a director asked him, "Have you a ring?" "Oh no!" "Have you a diamond pin?" "No!" "Have you a fast horse?" " Oh no! these sort of things are not for one in my position." But the director told him he would not do, as he would be better to employ one who had these things; for one who had them not would require to get them at the expense of the company. Started on my road to New York again, taking Lowell in my way. The first stage is from Quebec to Portland by the coast, and then Boston, and main line to Lowell. This took the whole of a night and the whole of a day. The only time, while I was away, that I felt the least shadow of being unwell, was on this night. ■' Not feeling hungry in the evening, I had taken only peaches, and lying down in the railway sleeping- car, which the heat makes very oppressive, and the ?1 «r part of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada we travelled being very rough, it fairly churned my stomach; and to add to my discomfort, we had to change trains about one in the morning. This was done at a junction called Richmond (not the celebrated Richmond); and although the days were excessively hot — about eighty-five degrees in the shade — at this time in the morning it was rather cold and frosty. Here we stayed more than an hour ; and although I was half sleeping and unwell, I had to march out every ten minutes to see if my train had not come. I confess I felt quite miserable. I thought that now, if I take any deadly complaint in this out-of-the-world place, how sad for my family and friends at home; but a kind Providence had brought me scatheless to this point, and indeed — God's name be praised ! — brought me home without a scratch. The road all next day was tiresome enough. We got a sight in the distance of the White Mountains, said to vie in height and grandeur witL the Swiss ones; but although they did look high, I doubt if they are as high as the latter. Much of the scenery I passed through this day was fine. I could sometimes have fancied myself in the Highlands — not that the hills are very high, but well wooded. As far as my observation went, I do not think the soil of America is rich, and I believe, as a rule, just yields one crop in the year. * " - On arriving at Lowell, I presented my card at the Merrimac Works, and was told to walk in. These are .m~. H^ very extensive, the property of a corporation, or, as we would call them, a joint-stock company, consisting of a number of partners or shareholders, who appoint an agent or manager to manage, and a treasurer, who seems at the works to be in the position of master; as, for instance, I was told that the treasurer fixed to stop the works when trade was dull, and on a new treasurer being appointed, he ordered them on again. I found that most of the works at Lowell are on the joint-stock principle, which easily accounts for them being mostly all on a large scale. These Men-imac Works are really handsome. Be- sides smaller buildings, there are three large mills; one of these is behind the other two, and in the middle. I would say they are built regardless of expense. As one said to me, they spend on ornament here what would be a profit at home. The quality of the spinning machinery seemed to be about the same as at home, where the works were about ten years old, as in this case. Indeed, I believe mostly all the spinning machinery comes from England. The looms also looked like similar ones at home which have run ten or twelve years, and seemed to be going as well. Many of them had wooden frames and iron sides. Lowell, during the war, sufiered a good deal, as the cotton districts in this country did, on account of the scarcity of cotton. Many of them in America had to stop ; and it is only now they are starting again, and they find workers scarce. They are obliged to give the weavers four or even six looms to mind, but it is mostly 99 simple calico they make — no coloured work — and this makes the work easier. On account of the scarcity of hands, they are better paid than they have been. Be- fore the war, they had quite a surplus of hands. As to the wages weavers are making, I cannot pretend to say decidedly, for, although I took some jottings at the time as to this, on comparing two different statements I had, they did not agree; but, without speaking posi- tively, I think weavers will be earning from six to seven dollars a week, and, as there are six dollars at present to the pound, this gives one pound to twenty- three and fourpence a week. The workers mostly all live in lodgings, of which I will speak again. These cost them, on an average, three dollars a week, of which they pay two and a quarter dollars to two and a half dollars themselves, and the mistresses of the boarding-house get half a dollar at the counting- house of the mill. I calculate that, after they have paid their board and lodging, they may have ten shillings a week over. This surplus will go partly to provide clothes; wnd, like some other friends I know in the old world, they spend a good deal in this way. Clothes in America are more than double the cost they are with us. One said to me they would pay from ten to fifteen dollars — that is, thirty -five to fifty-five shillings — for an ordinary dress; sixteen dol- lars, or two pounds thirteen shillings, for a pair of trowsers; and fifty dollara, or more than eight pounds,- for a suit of clothes. I was told men got about three dollars a day; foremen, four dollars. 100 I On asking wheru the worken^ were mostly natives of, I found a little variety of opinion; but all agreed the numbers from Ireland were much more numerous than they used to be. One said, '' One half of his workers were from Ireland ;" another said, he had not above two or three in his charge that were not from there, or descended from Irish parents; but this was in spinning. I understand the Merrimac works are in best order of any in Lowell. Every thing about them was spotlessly clean; but if the weather was not very fine and dry, the stairs and floors would not be so clean. One of the special reasons for this is, that the weather is so hot that insects would be very numer- ous and disagreeable, if cleanliness were not particu- larly attended to. The passes between the looms and other machinery were very lurge. I did not observe any of the girl's bonnets or shawls lying about the flats : they must have had some place to put them in. I noticed that the wash-hand basins, and such like conveniences, were very complete and commodious. The workers' hours in Lowell are eleven per day — an hour longer than with us, which is decidedly too long. In summer, they start at six and stop at half- past six evening. In winter, start at seven and stop at half- past seven evening. They stop from one to two for dinner; but have their breakfast before start- ing, which to us looks curious. I do not think it can be very healthy. Some of the flats were very hot; and what would add to this, I noticed the weaving • 101 flats had small open pipes of steam, I suppose to keep the air moist. I did not think the general appearance of the girls was superior to our own; some of them not so smart-like, but many of them very tidy and smart. I observed there were very careful aiTangements made as to fire. There was a large fire-hose on every stair, and a water-pipe to apply it to, and ready alongside a pinch and an axe, and printed rules hung up showing how to act. One of these, I observed, was, that the party in charge was to inspect once a week that the hose was all right. The stairs themselves were very nice and wide. All walls about the works were nicely whitewashed, and all wood- work oil-painted. Went next and visited the Hamilton Works, where I saw calico-printing, wool-spinning, and cotton-weav- ing. The manager of the works was a Mr. Hunter, whom I found very obliging: 1 think he was a Scotch- man, but had been most of his time in America. I asked him a few questions, of which I will give a speci- men : — "Are the American workers pleasant in the work?'* "They are haughty, and think they know everything." "Do the workers, as a rule, save?" "No, not much." "Are the American workers edu- cated?" "They might be, but are not particularly so." " Can you manufacture as cheap as we can?" "No, both labour and coals are dearer." "Do girls employed in the work play the piano?" "Oh yes: a few of them club together, and hire one.'* "Are some of the American girls you have daughters of 102 farmers 1" "Yes, often they are: they come to the works to make a little." "Are four looms not too many, especially as I see some of them are twilling]" "Yes, they are; but this will be changed when hands get more plentiful." Mr. H. added, that he sometimes tells the American hands that their disposition is to put all they have on the outside, so as to make an appearance, although they should have little besides that; whereas, English and Scotch live well ; but the Americans axe all for appearance. He said he found the workers very indej)endent at present. Their market is New York and Boston. After I had been some time with Mr. H., I was handed over to a foreman, who had come from Bradford about fourteen months before. He said he would not be sorry if he was back. " No doubt," he said, " I get high wages, but I get that at home ; but then, here, clothes, coals, and house-rent are very high." His house cost him eight dollars a month. On noticing wash-hand basins and other con- veniences in the flat we were in, he said, " There is no doubt more accommodation in that way for workers here." Was astonished, after I had gone round the Merri- mac Works, to see one of our own old workers coming up to speak to me. In going through, I thought it was not unlikely that some of the girls might know my face, and I was very well pleased to see one of them coming up to me. Theresa M'Guire was her name. She had only been in the Merrimac Works seven weeks. She could not believe it was me, she lu 103 said ; and was very glad to see me. She was learning warping. I asked her, amongst other things, if it was the case that some of the girls played the piano. She said, " Oh, yes ; you would hear plenty of pianos played on, by going past their houses of an evening;" and one girl in the boarding-house where she was, she saw coming up to the door on horseback the other evening. She thought Lowell was a nice place; still, slie would like as well to be at home. I asked her if she felt the work hard. She said, " No. Did I think the work looked harder than at home V I said, " No ; but that it was working for eleven hours I referred to." She looked clean and tidy-like. The boarding-houses where the girls stay are a great institution in Lowell. I said I would like to see one. Every company, besides their works, have houses in which their employes may stay, for I suppose there is no compulsion. The houses belonging to the Mer rimac Company, I was told, were the best ; so I was taken to one of these first. The company let out their houses to a responsible party— perhaps to a married man and his wife, or a wife alone — and they take in to board from thirty to thirty-six girls, who pay most of their board themselves, except half a dollar, which the company retain, and pay it to the boarding-housekeeper. On arriving at one of these houses, and explaining my object, the mistress frankly allowed me to go in ; and it was a house I would be glad to stay in myself I was first shown into a parlour, very nicely furnished 104 with sofa, bookcase, &o. A nice Bible, a book entitled ** Scripture Stories," another, " Tales of the War," and other books, were lying on the table. The next room I was shown into was the room where meals were taken, and which was plainly furnished, but clean. The mistress said she had thirty-six girls. I next saw. one or two of the bedrooms. I think in this house tliere was just one bed in each room, and two girls slept in each. There were nice white covers over the beds, and a few cheap framed engravings on the walls. I forget whether the floors were carpeted or not, but I think they were, in this house. I recollect distinctly of nice waxcloth being on the lobbies. The mistress told me they were all bound to keep the rules of the house, such as to be in at a certain hour ; and I was told that in many of the houses it was the custom to have worship, and to ask a blessing at meals — that, in fact, the companies themselves sometimes made this a stipulation. I believe some of the houses were mostly confined to American girls, others to Irish, and others to Scotch. Outside, the houses looked very neat, and built of brick, as most of houses are in America that are not wood. It was a terrace, and looked a quiet and genteel place. I thought I would like to see another boarding- house ; and as I had seen one of the best, I asked to be shown one not so fine. This I managed, and cer- tainly it was not so nice-looking, or quite so clean. I remember the bedrooms had two beds in them, or for four girls to sleep in. As I entered this house, noticed 105 two boys playing at cards. It was near the dinner hour, and I felt the smell of roast beef — ^rather a tempting smell to a hungry man. I asked the mistress here if rules were strictly adhered to. She said the- girls must be in at ten at night, unless leave was given to them to be out longer, just as she would like to be treated herself. I asked her if she had any rules about their going to worship. She said yes ; if, for instance, the girls were Catholics, she saw they went to that Church. I thought from this she likely be- longed to that perauasion herself I said to her we had no boarding-houses in this style in Scotland. She replied, some girls from Scotland, and from Ireland too, did not like the boarding-houses, as (pointing over the way) she added, both Scotch and Irish girls reside there to the extent of three hundred, when American girls would not have above twenty. I suggested that probably they would feel more inde- pendent, and have no mistress. She replied, "Yes; likely. That's so." The man who had come from Bradford said to me he would not like to have a daughter of his in these boarding-houses. There is a place called Laurence, near Low^ell, which I passed. It has the largest mill in America : there is said to be eleven hundred acres of flooring. Before leaving this subject, I may add, that since I visited Lowell there has been a reduction of wages. On my way to New York from this district, I passed through the celebrated town of Boston, but did not spend more than an hour or two in it. It seemed a 106 beautiful city. Noticed some . very fine stone build- ings, and all the streets were very busy-like. Arrived safe at New York at eleven p.m., September 9th. Went on an average from Boston at the rate of thirty miles an hour. Found our old hotel easily, and were glad to see an old face again. Next morning (Sunday), went to "Ward Beecher*s church again, but was again disappointed. I heard a young man, who read a very good sermon. Was told, at the conclu- sion, that Ward Beecher was really to preach next Sunday, so I resolved to be present. Was told the Sab- bath school would meet at three o'clock, and was invited to come and see it. Went at two to a Sabbath school in Fulton Street, but there I saw nothing particular. There were about a hundred children present. They first sung "Rest for the weary;" then the superin- tendent read the hundred and twenty -third Psalm; then prayer; then the superintendent read again, the eighth chapter of Proverbs, first seventeen verses; then a hymn. A friend from Troy next addressed them : he gave a good illustration from the stormy petrel look- ing up for its drink to the heavens; so should Sabbath school scholars look up to God, and look upon Sabbath schools and all ordinances as water from God. After this a dismission hynm. Exactly an hour in. In this school there was no regular lesson for that day. Went next to Ward Beecher's school. It was a fine sight on entering. Suppose a house the size of Lyon Street Free Church, but not with an open roof, large galleries, not high, and not much sloped; an organ at ' t- I I ■ 107 the head, and a platform round it, just the style of the Glasgow City HalL The whole place was painted white, and the floor carpeted. In the middle of the hall was a tasteful fountain throwing up water. The seats were all fixed, of a semicircular shape, and not high. On the right hand side of the organ, a large red flag was placed, and on it emblazoned ''Plymouth Street Sabbath Schools, formed 1847." On the other siHe of the organ was hung a large oil-painted land- scape. On the walls all around were Scripture mottoes — ^the words looked like as if they were cut out in grass — such texts as, "The Lord is my Shepherd," " Seek the Lord." Beside every class was a small flag of silk, some of red colour, some blue, some white, and some half red and half blue. Each had inscribed a Scrip- ture motto, such as, " Love one another," "Forgive one another," " Love your enemies." These, I was told, were only used on opening days or anniversaries, or when they went on an excursion. This large place was quite filled; but there were far more grown-up people than scholars. I could fancy there might be a thousand persons present, counting all. It was an exhilarating sight. • , This being opening day, after the summer vacation, the usual routine of lessons was not gone through. " Rest for the weary " was sung by a choir, and the chorus by the whole school. The superintendent said they needed a reviving : he felt for himself he needed it He then introduced the Rev. Mr. Gallacher, who spoke, in a style to attract attention, for fully an hour. rTri^-''fX ■ S U V 108 ■% I remember a few of his illustrations : Sir Ohristopher Wren's monument was the great St. Paul's, London ; so the banners around the room were the superinten- dent's. His leading idea was, ** What the children were as boys, so they would be as men.'' To illustrate this, he related a number of anecdotes, such as the well-known one about Washington's father and the favourite cherry-tree ; a similar one about the late Sir Robert Peel ; and also about Abraham Lincoln. An- other division was, "Be contented" — illustrated by a story of a lad who wished he was a lord, and, being metamorphosed into that, at once found his trials, sncL as finding himself on the back of a wild horse, and being summoned to fight a duel, so that he desired soon to be his old self again ; and he questioned if they were not happier in their position than their great generals, such as Bumside, Sherman, or Grant. " Be polite," was another division — illustrated, rather in an ironical manner, as to the sweet expression and deportment taught in some boarding-schools, and the jH'etty words that they were there taught to say, such as prism, sour prunes, when you wished to show a small mouth, and such words as cabbage, to show a large mouth. But suppose he was to give any of the gentlemen on the platform a "jag" with a pin, what would they do? They would jump immediately. That would be real sentiment ; so the right place to be polite was from the heart. People never reform after twenty. Cunninghame, whom he saw lately in the condemned cell, told him he first disobeyed his mother 109 )» by refusing to go to the Sunday school. America was the place for boys. In England, they were boys till they were forty. He would be a boy there yet In America, a lad of twenty-one says (and let it be done with all respect), "Father, mother, I am going to leave you." He would not speak to them at all, unless he believed that God heard prayer. God is more ready to hear than they to pray. His boy lately was in a fever, He was very ill — had not shown symptoms of life scarcely for days ; but, as he sat watching by his bed-side, he asked for a drink : and God was as ready to hear them as he was to give his son this drink. After this address was done there was a hymn; and then the superintendent spoke a little, chiefly about a teacher who hud died — ^their first one who had died in harness; but their society had scores now in the upper world. He was sure they had all the deepest sym- pathy with her relatives, and would attend her funeral. Intimated that the teachers' meeting was held on Saturday evenings, and instead of seventy-five teachers present out of ninety, there generally were only twenty to twenty-five. The meeting was the life of the Sabbath school : they got to know and sympathize with one another; they never would get acquainted at church. Let all the teachers say, "I'm engaged for Saturday night." Some will let rain prevent them; but have known people go to concerts and tea parties although it did rain. It might happen to be a poor leader sometimes ; but then one could see his fault, and do better himself. Some teachers never came, and #i f» ■ 1 . T . I ■ 1 , 1 , |. , I', jYf^l 110 others came a long distance. What do you think, Brother Leel The brother referred to said that he thought the teachers' meeting the very life of the Sabbath school. At the end, I was asked if I would not go and speak to the superintendent, who was a Scotchman I was proud to think that this Une school had at its head one from Scotland. Tried to get a church to go to in the evening, but did not succeed. Went to Dr. Cheever's, and was told it would not be open till last Sabbath of Septem- ber. I don't understand the New York churches : this is their summer season, and it appears to me as if they met at this time of the year only once a day. Their usual hours are from ten to eleven for opening in the fore part of the day, and at half-past seven in the evening. The appearance of New York on Sunday is not encouraging. You see every doorstep crowded; every yard of the pavement has its loiterers; all lager-beer saloons are packed; multitudes have pipes, and more with cigars, in theii* mouths, and that from the aged man down to the mere child — for it is quite common to see the youngest boy smoke. One is almost tempted to think, with Elijah, " Lord, they have forsaken Thy covenant, and thrown down thine altars." But I know the answer to Elijah would apply to New York; for I know there are many of God's people there. I thought of Scotland's Sabbaths, as compared to this; but then I rem^bered, with shame, what was said of us — ^the most religious and the most drunken people on the -»V-.'5»--^- - Ill face of the earth — and I suspect the latter has some truth in it. I did not see many tipsy people in America. As to New York, the fact is, it is a conglomeration of different populations. On the afternoon of this day, I went into a large Episcopal Church, in the very busiest part of New York, beside the Astor House. I found it large and chaste. This day they were celebrating the communion. There might be a hundred and fifty people present. I never saw the sacrad rite administered before in the Anglican form. I knew the laity received the sacred emblems at the altkr, and thither they all went. I must say, I thought all looked devout and solemnized. I thought it looked curious for the priest to give it to the members, and for them not to take the cup into their own hands. Here, amid busy life — street cars rushing past, with bells tinkling — ^hotel bars, quite near, doing a large trade, and the busy stream of life passing, all bent on their own business — ^was another scene : a party in hushed silence, and solemnly com- memorating the death of our Lord. Such is life I Entered into conversation with an assistant at our hotel, as he happened to be in my room. I observed him reading the address of a letter ready for home. I said, "Were you ever in that country." Answer. — **No; but I've served the Scotch, and like them very well. When I was in Cork, it was a Scotch landlord I had." <' And what brought you over herel" Answer. — "To better myself, to be sure." "And are you really better'?" Answer. — "Yes, and no mistake. This 112 is the couDtry for the poor man ; and we haven't to work so hard here." To show this, he went into some details as to hotel life in New York, as compared with home, which I did not follow. "Besides," he added, ** at home, in hotels, they charge their servants in the bill," and he thought they had as much right to do that in shops. ''Here," he continued, "they make lots of money, and they spend it, and often end with a burst." Question. — " Is that generally the end." Answer. — " Oh, very often, and he is thought a clever man too. But let a man lose money, and fail — if he hasn't cut a dash he is thought nothing of." "Are you really richer at the end of a week here than at home ?" An- swer. — " Yes. We live more comfortably, and spend a great deal more. We live as well as giBntlemen ; and when we die, we have a society which gives us a musical funeral, costing from thirty to forty dollars." I was too vexed at this last to make any reply ; but I thought to myself, " What good will that do you V* " Ay," he continued, with his eye sparkling, " they don't think much here of a dead man or a dead horse. In the old country a thousand would be round a dead horse, but here no one turns to look at it." I said, " I would rather be in the old country than lose my kindly feelings." " That's so," he said ; " but it's the case." I said, "Wasn't living very dear here?" He said, " Oh, yes ; we get freely and spend freely." I remarked, *' There was no such thing as a cab to be had, and I grudged to take a two-horse conveyance to the station." He said, " The poorest, on special occa- 113 M Hions, must have their carnage, and pay seven or eight dollars for it." He added, " Emigrants generally, for a year or two, till they get acquainted with the coun- try and the people, are very home- sick, and would Jf» give any thing to return; but they get over it." He ^^ believed there were no mechanics like the old country mechanics in America : in the latter place the}' could only do one thing. An American line of boats across the Atlantic would never pay : nobody would trust an American captain like the British. Another sub- ject we spoke of as illustrating another phase of American life : — He said, " In a week or two this hotel will be filled with families coming from the coast." I said, " Do you mean to say that New York fitmilies stay in the hotel all winter?" ** To be sure. * They have no idea of the trouble of housekeeping; and here they have no responsibility. They have meals at any hour they like, and in their bedroom, private room, or public room ; and a fire at six in the morning in their bedroom, if they wish it." The wind-up of our chat was, that Americans are improving. They are getting more like the British ; and, now that the war is over, hundreds of them are going over to see the old country. I remember his remark, that he thought our population must be get- ting very thin. I laughed, and said, " The population was as great as ever." Of course these are the sentiments, not of an in- fluential man — still, they may not be the worse of being the opinion of an humble individual, and it would 'A 114 betray great simplicity to take your opinion from one source, or believe every thing you hear. I believe there is a great deal of truth in the main ideas here 3zpressed, with a class which I would call the unprin- cipled, worldly class, which, I daresay, in New York, are I'epresented by fully as large a class as in most cities of the world. In all countries, cities, villages, and families, are to be found different styles of charac- ter, that will readily occur — the religious, the worldly, the polite, the rude, the excitable, the gentleman, and the bully; and it is this distinction that makes it diffi- cult to say, off-hand, as I am often asked to do, "What did you think of the Americans'!" Why, I met repre- sentatives of all the classes I have mentioned, and a great many more; and, besides, I was too short a time in the country to go down very deep into the social fabric. I saw the manners of the Americans to a greater ex- tent in their hotels than other places — the place where, at our Saviour's birth, little room was found for His entertainment, and, generally speaking, there is as little yet. I also met them a good deal in railways, and got introduced to a good many business people ; and, judg- ing as well as I can, I remark, that Americans are a little more self-possessed than we are — more excitable, more conceited — tasteful in execution, full of enterprise — often designated by the now common phrase of " go- ahead" — kind at heart, though often gruff at first ap- proach. I would not like to venture further in this strain; for the fact is, as I said at first, I am no very « ..s^ 116 competent autlioHty. Tliey have a good many slang phrases in commou use. One of the most frequent is, "That's so." If you remark on any orfUnary topic, the answer after is simply "That's so." There is, no doubt, a great deal of speaking through their nose — a real Yankee, when saying any thing decided, speaks with quite a '* snivel." I recollect of hearing a lady saying, very loudly, at an hotel table one day, in answer to a remark, " I know — I see,'* with a very strong "snivel" indeed. September 11, 1865, Monday. — Started from New York to see Washington and Richmond. It took the whole day to reach Washington — from eight in the morning till six at night It was a rich and pretty country all the way. Was struck with the ingenuity of the Yankees; for instance, at one place, the railroad seemed to have ended, and we were on the banks of a large lake. We were only detained a minute or two, and then off we started across the lake, which was some miles. The train had got shunted on to a steamboat, and was just joined to the rails again on the opposite side. At other places, we crossed lakes for miles, where the rails had been laid across; but the ground was banked up, and the water shallow. Passed through Baltimore, which seems a large and thriving place. The manner the trains pass through this town is rather novel and picturesque. The steam engine does not go through, but each railway caniage is yoked to five horses, on which one or two black fellows ride postillion, and another mounted darkie 116 riding in front, with a horn, ready to blow lustily, when any obstruction comes in the way. Was amused at a sign I observed in Baltimore — "Bleeding and blistering, drawing of teeth, shaving and hair-cutting, done here." On entering Washington, saw many soldiers at their barracks, most of them very young-like. Poor fellows ! the majority were not over twenty ; some of them didn't look more than fifteen or sixteen years of age. Extraordinary din and noise at the station with the hacks and opposition 'buses. As I had only an hour before it was dark, set out to see the Capitol, the most imposing building in Washington. Found it a very grand place, but too late to see it properly that night. It is in this building the American Parliament is held. Stayed at Willard's Hotel, the largest in Wash- ington, and where many of the members of Congress put up all winter. After dark, walked up to the Treasury, another fine Grovernment building. I walked in here, and asked for the President's residence, as I was anxious to see it and him. I was most politely directed to it. Was asked here if I was from Scotland. A disabled soldier present said he had been in Glasgow for two days, and added, it was a pretty place. I went on a little bit further, and found the elegant mansion where the Presidents stay. I did not think of going inside the gate ; but on asking at an open door near, I was told to go right up and ring tb bell of the President's house, and that there was no impro- priety in it, for there was a man there for the purpose 117 of answering questions. I accordingly did so, and was told that next day was the day for a Cabinet meeting, and that, consequently, there could be no presentarion, but that there would be one on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I then resolved to go down ne:i:t to Richmond, and be back on Thursday morning. Hotel fares I found very dear in America. For instance, for last night's tea, bed, and breakfast, I paid three and a half dollars ; and counting a dollar worth three and fourpence, as it is at present, that shows three and elevenpence charged for each of those items. In many of the American hotels the way they charge is by the day — usual charge four dollars ; that is, for bed and three meals, which shows three and fourpence for each. Railway travelling is also rather dearer than at home : the usual charge is three cents a mile, or about a penny farthing. We got our cheap newspaper press from America ; but there is scarcely such a thing there at present as a penny paper, the usual charge being five cents, or equal to our twopence. The Americans are said to eat very fast. I never noticed this so much as last night at tea : the whole company were not seated above ten minutes; I found myself almost alone at the table. But I cannot say I have noticed this feature prominently. In travelling by the railway between Washington and Richmond, I observed a man in sergeant's uniform, who, I supposed, was a guard on the railway, order two or three blacks into the smoking carriage. I saw 118 and heard more of the blacks down about this quarter. Heard one man say, he didn't see the use of taking the oath more than once, but he had to take it twice. He said the fashion of the blacks was to work one day and steal ten. He added, " The blacks get the preference in Washington, and they wanted to ride on the cars here about now. Another said, " He heard two or three blacks say yesterday, * See these white trash ! they better look out !' In their country they used to be amiable, working, good-natured; but all changed now. They will never learn the negro. Sending through to see the state of the negro ! Far better, and more necessary, to see the state of the white men." Another said to me, " He didn't believe in giving the black man a vote, and putting the niggers on an equality with the white, as the logical result of that would be, as one put it to a great aboli- tionist, ' Would you give your daughter in marriage to a nigger?' " I found this feeling very common. Arrived in Richmond (Tuesday, September 12), after a long and hot ride on the railway, mostly through wood. Richmond does not seem to be fortified close to the city, except a few odd forts here and there. On arriving, secured the aid of a darkie driver, to show me the city. We sat together on the front. There was no actual battle in the city of Richmond, so there are no marks of balls or shot. First went to see the celebrated Libby Prison, where the Confederates con- fined the Federal prisoners; and the great cruelties perpetrated there startled the world. It is just a large 119 brick building, with iron bars on the windows. It did not look very strong ; hnt, no doubt, during the war, it would be well guarded. I took a peep into a part of it (it is now being used as a store), and there was nothing particular to be seen about it. Saw, a a little bit further on, Castle Thunder, another cele- brated prison, where the Confederates confined their own people who would not join the army. To appear- ance, it resembled Libby Prison. Farther up the town, saw whole streets, which the Confederates had burned down on the Sunday morning before they left. Hundreds and hundreds of horses were consumed, and street after street. I observed several banks thus de- stroye{\j and all the bridges. The destruction was very complete, and all done in a few hours. Quantities of gunpowder must have been used to blow them up; and the fire from those so destroyed would communicate to the others. On asking my nigger if there was much suffering, he said " Yes. It was all they could do to get bread, and butcher-meat was twenty or thirty dol- lars a pound, or three to five pounds sterling. All the population left that could leave. The inhabitants had no idea the Northerners were coming in that morning. He was busy working for Confederate money all night, and found it worth nothing in the morning." But I said to him, " You got your freedom that day." He answered, quickly, *' Yes. All the coloured population in Virginia were slaves : indeed, it was the worst slave state in the Union ; but all of us were freed from that day." I remarked that, *'I had heard it said that 120 they did not work now — that they wrought one and took ten days." He replied, "That they were accus- tomed to work ; and they know now, that, if they didn't work, there was no one to give them any thing. He thought they had wrought long enough for their freedom." He took me to the street where, formerly, they bought and sold slaves — called Franklin Street He said, " Up to the day before the Yankees came in, they were buying and selling as usual, and there were sales every day in the year." Saw, levelled to the ground, the gaols where the slaves were confined before they were brought up for sale. The State of Virginia, of which Richmond is the capital, was called a breeding State, that is, a State whicL did not employ the labour of the nigger so much as they made money by rearing of slaves. I must say a great many of the niggers are better developed, stronger, and more muscular-like than the whites. =i ? - On passing a man, my driver remarked, " That man was 8 nigger-seller; he sold my sister." I said, "I suppose they were not very particular about separat- ing husband and wife." '* Oh, no!" he said, "they often sold the little children before they were able to take care of themselves ;" and added, " I know of wives coming back to their husbands at present that have been separated for twenty years." Went round by a square or park, in the centre of which was the Confederate Senate. Sambo remarked here, "Before the Yankees came in, black people dared not enter this 121 park; but now," he added with a chuckle, "we may go in as much as we like." He told me he was a Baptist, and till the Yanks came into Richmond a black preacher dare not ascend a pulpit to preach; but now black ministers were coming from the North to be placed. I ran into the Senate House, but only- got entrance to the outer courts and stairs. Saw a statue of Washington; but every thing looked dila- pidated and forsaken. A few young men lounged about, after some business of their own. Here were the head-quarters of the rebellion, now sad apd silent- like. No doubt, many a time, in these very premises the future weal or woe of the South as a kingdom was anxiously debated. If the South had no other sin but; slavery, it was enough to sink it as low as it has sunk. Next went round and saw the house where Davis stayed. My man said he was " a wee, sprawly man," and rode or drove about the town every afternoon; but always looked sickly-like. He was thought a great deal of once, but is now thought nothing of. The people of Richmond now all profess to like the Yankee rule; but a good many had left from the day they arrived. That day, as the Federals hoisted the stripes and stars flag on the Senate House of Richmond, what a shaking of hands ; but could almost see no faces round the victorious Yankees but black ones. Davis got a present of his house. It is a nice large mansion; at the back of it a plot of ground, and before it a summer- house, and a view of the country for a few miles in 122 extent. I also observed rather an unusual plan, the stables at the front. Round the pillars of the porch crape was displayed, which, I was told, had been there ever since Lincoln's death. Every thing about the house had a deserted and forsaken look. Some United States soldiers were in possession, and at the back some young men were playing at a game resembling crocquet. I daresay Davis little thought, when dwell- ing here with his wife and family, of the future before him. My guide pointed out with glee two or three nigger-sellers' houses, evidently the finest in the town. Saw at the windows of one of them some nice-looking ladies sitting. The old slave wondered what trade his old enemies would turn to. The destroyed houses are being fast rebuilt; but it will be a while before Rich- mond is itself again, although people say they have been very busy since the Yankees took possession. I saw nothing interesting about the town of Richmond, except in connection with its history. Next morning, started down the celebrated James River in steamboat. Seemed all Americans on board. I found them quite ready to give information when asked. Almost every one you speak to has been con- nected with the war. In conversation, I must say the Yankees seem generally intelligent, kind, and polite to one another ; but I am inclined, from my limited observation, to believe that the cause of true religion is not making much progress at present. In many mouths, in com- mon converaation, the name of God is very often taken 123 in vain. I also saw a good deal of sensation novel reading ; and about their bars, especially in their steamboats, a good many licentious prints. No doubt you see much energy ; but a nation may progress in prosperity and material wealth for a while; but be sure, unless they take God as their guide and ruler, a judgment will come some day. But we hope better things for America. I have often heard of the Ameri- can steamers working high-pressure steam, but have observed none above thirty pounds, according to the gauge. Every few yards' distance are placed some large spittoons in all the steamboat's and other public places. I observed the noted chewing propensities of the Yankees much more in this part of the country than about New York. In sailing down this river, heard a man say to his neighbour, " Let's get nearer the spittoon!" and he rose and sat down with his back to the view ; but, to be sure, he was fairly in front of the spittoon. In sailing down this same James Eiver, September 13th, passed three or four bridges broken down in the centre, nd also here and there boats sunk. In passing Fort Darling, a great stronghold of the Confederates, the river was blocked right across with steamboats and steam rams sunk. A passage had been cleared to allow vessels to pass. It looked strange to see some of these boats sunk, and part of their machinery exposed to view, and staring out of the water; it gave a weird-like view to the scene. Passed a high tower, called Butler's Sight-tower. The General had it erected to watch the proceedings of the 124 enemy. Down the banks of this river are to be seen numerous earthworks; but these have not much ap- pearance, as the less exposed the better; but they were found very efficient, and very difficult to capture. Passed a place also in the river called Dutch Qap, which is also associated with the name of Butler. This was a canal cut across a piece of land, which shortened the winding of the river seven miles, and escaped a fort. This James River is in many parts broader than the Clyde, and is very muddy ; and when I sailed down there was a haze over the water, which, I belieye, is very usual. I recollect of passing Harrison's Landing, where M'Clellan encamped, and where a great many wooden tents still remained. AH this quarter is the battle-ground of many bloody fights. For the first twenty miles of the river, it is all very interesting, and, from the now celebrated war, will ever remain so. I confess I saw nothing very large in the way of fortifications or strong points ; but, no doubt, the strongest point was the number of the enemy. I was told that the battle of Petersburgh was about the longest fought about here ; but a man I asked went over a string of battles fought up and down the banks, near the city. The extent of the base of this war is perfectly marvellous. I do not see how a general could easily make his plans with forces so scattered, and so many points of defence. It was remarked to me, "It will be very difficult to write a history of this war;" and I believe it will. After we descend the river twenty miles, it widens to ten times the extent it is at 125 Richmond, before it reaches the Atlantic. The banks, . generally speaking, are low, and sometimes muddy, but covered with trees. The water is yellow — I suppose, with the sand being washed down. It is interesting to see the blacks. There are a great many of them about this district — about one half of the whole population. Their features are as various, and their characters as different, as the whites'. It is interesting to look on them — some of them are old, care-worn, grey-headed men. Some infants gambol- ling, just like any other infants. The love of mimicry is evidently considerable. You see it in the youngest. Some of them too, are, to our ideas, almost good look- ing, with well-proportioned bodies. Others, as like apes as possible, with their mouth a foot in advance of their nose. Mostly all their mouths are large, and their lips very broad and full. Some of them seem bold and forward ; but, in this part especially, they mostly seem subdued and patient-like. I hope their future will be brighter than their former history. As to this great rebellion, I believe it is about as dead as it can possibly be. Not that, as far as I could see, the Secessionists are quite pleased; but I think the senti- ment I heard a man express is the general feeling. He said, *' I believe there was never a stronger Seces- sionist bom than I was. I was the worst man for it in our country ; but now, I believe, I*m the greatest man for union, just because we tried by the sword, and failed; and now, our best policy is to take the crutches of the Government and stand up lawfully for our rights. 126 as well as we can, and return men to the Senate that will speak for our interests, and not make a great noiso." I heard this sort of feeling expressed various ways, and none appeared to dream of further resist- ance ; and the man I have already quoted concluded with a sentiment which is also an extensive one, viz., "and we will be the strongest Government in the world.'* All the Americans I have seen seem to be strong politicians. Universal suffrage, I have no doubt, leads to this result very much ; and no do-ubt it is a good thing, if kept in bounds, for all citiaens to be interested in the policy of their Government. I confess the people are likely to get more independent, and to stand up, in the hour of trial, for their country's honour. But this subject is a delicate one, although there is little doubt it has worked well in America, and been at least one of the means, under Providence, of making this a great and free country. The Americans are full of fun, are independent, out- spoken, and manly. I quite fancy from what I have seen, that, after a quarrel, if you ask a Yankee to be quits, I believe he would do it frankly. They are fond of female society, kind and affectionate to their chil- dren, and are polite, especially to the female sex. It is an important question, What is to be done with a disbanded armyl Wherever I went, but especially towards the south of New York, these disbanded soldiers and sailors met me. I would almost be inclined to say that one half of the men I met, both white and coloured, had on the uniform of the States, which con- 127 sists mostly of light-blue trowsers, dark-blue frock coat, and brass buttons ; and, as I have said before, many of them were boys. It will be a great loss to these young men and the country if they go about idle. I was told that many preferred to get a disbanded soldier for a clerk or other use — I suppose from patriotic views — but I heard, also, that many of them are not in- clined to work, after a few years' soldiering. Some energetic means should be tried at once to prevent this feeling. I copied the following about a wounded young soldier: — #■ ■K^ " Now, Charley, on the knapsacks you'll And an easy bed ; Our blankets we have folded, and smooth above them spread. The train will soon be starting— here, drink this cup of wine ; ^ The captain just now sent it — and ere the morning shine, Away by blue Monadnoc, and where the hill-brooks foam, Tou will be done with travel, and rest in peace at home. •' boys, you're very good to me, I feel so tired and weak. That though I love to listen, I scarce can bear to speak ; But I'm surely growing better, and if at early dawn I see our blue Monadnoc, my pain will all be gone. And when I hear my mother's voice, and sit within the door .' That opens by the brook-side, I shall be strong once more. •' How much I have to tell her 1— my letters were not long ; I could not write while on the march, nor in the camp-fire's throng; But when I sit beside her, how sweet 'twill be to say. Now, mother, list the story of what befell that day. 0, she shall hear of every fight, and count each weary mile I've trod since, faint, through silent tears I saw her parting smile. '•Good night, boys I I shall sleep now— what Joy it is to feel We're drawing nearer home with each revolving wheeL Good night! at dawn you'll wake me, when round the bend we go, For there, beside the station, my mother'Jl wait, I know ; And if she does not see me— the first to leave the train — She'll think upon some nameless field her boy at last was slain. 128 " Slow turned away his comrade* to match an hour's repose, f.- Or talk of siege and battle, while clear the moon uprose ; Bat when the swift train halted, baclc to his side they crept, ' . And saw that on his narrow couch all peacefully he slept. . So night wore on to morning, and day began to dye With floating rosa and amber tba mellow eastern sky. " A league, and then the station— Ho, Charley I blythe they caU. Here looms the mountain — yonder the church spire rises tall. ' ' y No sound! They bend above him— his brow is cold and white; He does not heed their voices — he stirs not for the light; Away by blue Monadnoc, and where the hill-brooks foam, The boy was done with travel— the soldier had gone home." *' ■ . ■ ■ ■' '' Many a like sad home the recent war made in America. I met with soldiers sometimes who had been through the war. One, who was a major, told me that out of one thousand of his regiment, only fifty returned home. One of the worst things he felt all the time was the want of water: sometimes he would have given all he possessed for a drink. Had often to take up their quarters for the night in a swamp; and perhaps all they had to eat was parched corn, though, taken as a rule, they had plenty. He had been in twenty-seven pitched battles, besides skir- mishes. His pay for the first year of the war was thirteen dollars a month, but latterly sixteen dollars. Their bounty the first year of the war, on joining, was a hundred dollars; but latterly recruits got as high as a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars, and sometimes without drawing a weapon. Every one has heard of mosquitoes, so had I; but never experienced their effect till I went to America. T was not greatly annoyed by them, although I was l¥if!Hf''^*'''f!tf¥^'^'^*'^*fS 129 told they had a special liking for "old country" blood; but Bome days I bore on my forehead and temples very decided indications that they had been busy. I cannot say I felt their bite painful ; it swells slightly, and their effects last about twenty-four hours. The best plan to avoid them is to have mosquito curtains, which entirely cover the bed. I had these at Chicago, and, before leaping into bed, swept all the curtains down with a towel. To me the most disagreeable feeling connected with the mosquitoes was the sing- ing noise they made — a more wicked sort of sound than a blue-bottle fly, but something very like it, and they only appear in the dark; so that when you hear that sound just singing over your fn ;e, you know they are going to have a dig at you, and it annoys you. I found the best way at last was j'lst to let them bite away; for really, after all, their bite was very insignificant, at least I thought so. Ice is another great institution of this wonderful country, and I don't know, in this hot climate, how they could get on without it. Water without ice is actually sickening, because lukewarm; but how refresh- ing, when overcome with the heat, to get a drink of ice-water! In every railway car, steamboat, hotel — everywhere is ice, ice ; and very enjoyable it is. All their drinks are made up of ice; and the lemonade, in which I mostly indulged, is worth describing. If you ask for lemonade, they keep none ready-made in bottles, as we do : they halve a lemon, squeeze it with a wooden lever into a tumbler, put in a lot of soft 130 ■- I white sugar, a little water, and the half of the tumbler is filled with ice ; and that makes excellent lemonade. The plan of checking luggage in railways and steamboats in America is very perfect. Suppose you are making a journey with a trunk — in going into a railway station, a brass ticket with a leather string attached is fastened on your trunk; on the brass ticket is a number, and you get a duplicate ticket. The description of the trunk is written down ; and when- ever you want your luggage, you show this ticket, and you get the trunk ; and the company are responsible for it. This plan is universally iu practice in all con- veyances over the States. I had a very pleasant sail from Norfolk down to Baltimore. Norfolk is about half-way from Richmond. Chesapeake Bay is a very extensive one ; it averages fully thirty miles broad. The steamboat went all the time at the average rate of fifteen miles an hour. We arrived in Baltimore before six in the morning. Was pointed out the place, near Fortress Munro, where the Merrimac sunk the United States man-of-war Cum- berland. But the most interesting place we stopped at was Fortress Munro, the place where Jefferson Davis is confined. We stopped at the pier for nearly an hour. The pier was .swarming with soldiery, either discharged or on their furlough. It seemed to be a small thriving-looking place, built on a peninsula almost surrounded by the sea ; and it is the furthest south of Chesapeake Bay, looking out to the Atlantic. But the most interesting part is that large fortress. 131 from which for miles away you see flying the United States flag. This place is not high — indeed, very little above the height of the ground ; but it is a very large fort, and must cover a great many acres. In scanning its extent, the easiest way is by counting the cannons : for every yard you observe a cannon pointed outwards; and these occupied a large space, before you got round, as far as you could, see. At the bottom of the wall, perhaps six feet below the ramparts, are also another row of " bull-dogs." I was told there was a canal or moat inside this wall ; and I presume there will be some dwelling-house or barracks in the centre, where the late President of the Confederate States is con- fined; and yonder is a horseman galloping round the outside — no doubt a guard for safety. When the cap- tive hears the waves dashing on the shore, or the sea-birds cry, or the winds roar, from his fortified prison, doubtless he will meditate on the vanity of human life — that he who not long ago was the head of what seemed to be a successful and brave nation, is now forsaken and despised, no one seeming to care much what comes of him. Sailed on to Baltimore during the night; and early in the morning, crossed over to Washington. Arrived t^iere before nine, on Thursday, September 14, 1865. Went to the hotel, and dressed myself as carefully as the limited wardrobe I carried would allow me. I put on the only white shirt I had ready, in honour of the President, and walked away straight to the Presidential Mansion — no doubt showing by my bearing, and feel- 132 \ ing with due responsibility, the very important mission I was bound on. On arriving at the White House, I found a number there before me ; but I ^as told, by one of two or three young men who were there to keep visitors right, and introduce them, that the best time to see the Pre- sident was about one o'clock, but that I had better just walk up stairs and wait. I went up to a larp^e square lobby, very plainly furnished, and sat down on a table, for here there were no chairs; but I observed that off another small lobby there was a small drawing-room for any ladies who were waiting. There would be at this time thirty or forty people waiting, mostly gentle- men. These, I found out afterwards, were mostly all from the South, expecting to see the President about pardons. Some were standing, some were seated on the window sills. After all, I do recollect there were three or four chairs, which were occupied, and some seated on the table, like myself. In one corner was the never-failing and ever-welcome ice-water. It would be impossible to get on without it in such hot weather : to use a Scotch phrase, " I drank even on at it." I think the Americans deserve credit for the liberal way they keep this ice- water in almost every corner : I think it must save a great deal of drinking of stimulants. In other two prominent parts of the lobby, at different ends, stood two ornamental iron vases, larger than basins : these were almost the only things in the lobby, except an odd desk or two. I soon perceived, by observation as to a certain process, 133 that these two large vases were spittoons. After waiting for half an hour, I saw there wasn't much chance of my seeing the President for a while ; so I said I would come back aboutrone, when usually there was a general presentation. I went a|jd posted a letter or two, and saw the Post Office, which is a very fine and large white stone or marble building. Every thing seems very complete, with separate rooms of enquiry for ladies. Another decided institution in America. Generally in every railway train is a carriage set apart for ladies, or for gentlemen who have ladies in their charge. I next went to see the Capitol, under a burning sun (I could scarcely tell what degree of heat it would be in the sun, but it was ninety degrees in the shade) ; and I couldn't move without perspiring. The Capitol is the grandest building, and also the most interesting one, in Washington. As I said before, the dome gives it an appearance like St. Paul's in London, but the latter is black and smoky-like. The Capitol is white marble ; and it stands by itself, as if proudly looking over the whole of America ; and standing on the top of the dome, above all, is a statue of Washington. On entering the Rotunda, which is the bottom of the dome, there are some fine paintings of an historical character, and also some fine pieces of statuary. One large statue, " The Dying Indian Chief," is very fine. Walked into the House of Congress — a very suitable room, I would suppose, for the purpose, without being either over fine or over plain; had galleries all round. 134 I sat down in the chair at the head of the room. I went also to the Senate House, and did the same. In both these rooms many remarkable addresses have been delivered, and laws enacted; and, I doubt not, will yet be. These buildings are so extensive, that simply to walk through them would hav^ taken all day. I especially noticed a beautiful cartoon of the discovery of the Mississippi. The animated features of young and old, men and women, all toiling up the ascent, with their children and baggage drawn by oxen, to see the noble river, is very grand. Went away back to try and gain what I considered my principal object to-day — that of seeing the President. I wished to see the remarkable man that Providence had raised up from an humble beginning to be chief of this great nation, and that, too, at such a critical time — a man who had been much criticised, and who already had passed through some remarkable scenes ; and besides satisfying what I confess to be my curio- sity, I felt it to be quite right, if the President chooses to receive strangers, to take the opportunity. " Honour to whom honour is due." I certainly think that the chief magistrate of the United States of America is as well entitled to respect ais most of the heads or sovereigns of other countries — more than some. On returning to the lobby, I found it as crowded as before. The President was still engaged, holding pri- vate interviews with Southerners and others. Amongst those who came out were two Sisters of Mercy. But ' 135 . as he usually had a reception for strangers on Thurs- days, between one and two o'clock, I determined to wait on ; however, two came, then half-past two, and still no signs; at last, all the ladies waiting were sum- moned in, and I thought the gentlemen's turn would be next. Mostly all these ladies were waiting for pardons for themselves or for their husbands. At last, about half- past three, the last of the ladies came out ; and, after an interval of a couple of minutes, the door was thrown open, and every gentleman waiting went into the room. There was nothing particular to be seen in the room, as a room. It was a good-sized apartment — fitted up, at one side, with one or two table-desks; the only ornament was a fine painting of Washington, above the mantelpiece. Besides the President, there were a few young men, seemingly clerks. I observed the President himself — the photograph I have is very like him, but scarcely does him justice. In his expres- sion, I thought there was a sort of unpretending com- mon-sense — kind, but, at the same time, I would say, if annoyed, could be very sharp. He has a keen eye, but otherwise plain-looking. His hair is iron-grey. He was dressed very plainly, in a black suit of a light sort of merino material. He spoke pretty often when I was in the room, quite in a quiet, unpretending way, and more giving an explanation ,or two. I would be inclined to guess the number present at about one hundred and fifty, and the great bulk were Southerners wanting pardon. The foremost began addressing the President, and I heard him refuse the -i; 136 request ; and then another one or two stood forward, hut the President said to a young man near, that he had better read out the names of those for whom there were pardons granted. Accordingly, the young man began an alphabetical list, to which those who were present answered to their names, and they filed off to another part of the room. This comprised about two thirds of the company, and they were mostly from the States of Virginia and Alabama. A good many of those that remained were applicants for pardon. Parties had to go to the President both on applying for pardon, and again on receiving it. After the names had been exhausted for whom there were par- dons, the President told them they would receive them next day at the State Office; and they then retired. The rule for those applying for pardon seemed to be, just to leave their cards, stating on them their object in presenting them. I read the party's card who was before me. It was, "Mr. So-and-So, Virginia, appli- cant for pardon," and the date. I was, at this time, quite close to the President. I heard him cut short two or three who wished to make a statement, by tell- ing them just to send in their application. One British officer (I took him to be so) passed, who had come seemingly just as I ht«d, to pay his respects to the Pre- sident. The applicant immediately before me I heard say, that he "wished to make a brief statement;" but, before he had got further than a few sentences, I heard the President say, "That's sufficient," and added, "You 137 can*t suppose but that I will have some judgment on these matters." I also heard him say, in answer to another, who didn't seem quite sure if his statement would be believed, **0f course they took his word as the word of a gentleman." My turn came on immediately aftei those who had received their pardons, and was a very simple aifair. I presented my card to the President, and said I wished to have the honour of being presented to him. He kept my card after reading it, shook me slightly by the hand ; said he was " very glad to make my acquaintance." I bowed and passed on. I might have ventured on a little conversation ; but it would have been altogether out of place, and so many wait- ing. I confess I came away quite pleased. I was afraid I would require to have gone away without seeing him, and I now had the feeling that it was an accomplished fact. I had a few hours to stay in Washington after this, and I employed them in look- ing at a few more of the public buildings. I forgot to state that the eventful fact I have just recorded happened, according to Washington time, at seventeen minutes to four, or, Glasgow time, about nine p.m., on the 14th day of September, 1865. The public building I was most interested in, after the Capitol, was the Patent Office, which is a fine large building of white marble, and which contains a small model of every patent taken out in the United States, though this no doubt takes up more room than our plan of giving drawings ; but I think it must be 138 plainer, and lead to fewer quarrels. Here you see models of every thing you can fancy, in every depart- ment of art and science. India rubber goods, steam- boats, railway appliances, looms, fire-arms (large and smaU), crinoline, corsets, artificial limbs, and many other artificial things, &c. In passing the latter cases, the young man who was showing me round asked me if I thought he had an artificial leg on. I said, "No." All I noticed was, that he halted a little; but he said he had one. The national Washington Monument doesn't seem to be above half-way up. It is intended to be very high, and is twenty -five feet across the base; and is to have contributions of large blocks of stone from all parts of America. I observed a large block of granite carted along the streets of Washington by twelve great strong bullocks. Another curiosity, that I have only seen about Washington, are United States haggage waggons, intended for the wounded, driven by a nigger, who rode postillion, and manages six mules. These useful animals are quite plentiful, especially about the district of Washington. Left Washington for Philadelphia at half-past seven; and arrived there about two in the morning. When about half-way, the ti-ain stopped a few minutes for refreshments, and I stepped into the wrong train in re- turning, and I was within an ace of being carried away back to Washington again, and without my traps ; but a man cried out, "This is the train for Washington!" so I stepped across the train, and jumped upon the ■ ',i^ 139 right one, which " .^ already in motion — another quar- ter of a minute, and I would have heen left behind. Arrived safely at the Continental I " ' ♦^el, one of the largest of the American hotels I have been in. It has at least five hundred bedrooms, but can accommodate far more. On the opposite side of the street is another hotel as large ; and both of them were just crowded. These American hotels are very complete establish- ments — barbers* shops, bath-rooms, rooms for washing in, reading and smoking-room, stationer's shop, cigar shop, hosier's shop, telegraph station, bar-room, and a hall or large lobby at the entrance, which is always crowded. In mostly all these places smoking is quite general; so that, in the veiy hot weather I expe- rienced, every place was pretty oppressive. Near the doors there are generally a number of niggers seated to answer the bells of those who ring. The bells are managed on a very ingenious plan. When a bell is rung, it detaches a small lever from a board placed above the hotel clerk, and which has paiuted on it the number of every room in the house. This small lever being detached, exposes the number of the room that rang the bell, and the party in charge hears a ring ; he looks this board, and cries out the number, and away one of these black men goes to see what is wanted. I thought a great deal of Philadelphi» as a city. It is one of the oldest cities of the Union. If I mind right, it was here that Benjamin Franklin first saw his wife, as he was eating a roll, going up the street. 140 It was in this town, too, that the first Deoiaration of Independence was made, and I went to yee the hall where this was done: it is quite a plain building. The old bell is shoAvn inside as a curiosity: it was rung immediately after the Declaration was signed, and has cast on it : — *' The motto of our Father.^ and , «. Circled the world in its embrace; 'Twas liberty throughout the land, ' And good to all their brother race. Long here within the Pilgrim's bell Had lingered, tho' it often pealed These treasured to ues that eke should tell V'^hen freedojn's proudest scroll was sealed." I admired the taste, cleanliness, and, I would say, grandeur, of some of the leading streets, which are named after different trees, such as Cedar Street, Pine Street, Chesnut Street, and Walnut Street. I thought Cedar Street the finest. The population of Philadelphia is very large — I be- lieve, about 700,000; but I think this includes the country round in which it is situated. It has ever taken a leading part in social and moral improvements ; and there are a great many churches and good people here* The American Sunday School Union have a nice building; and I saw various other buildings of a similar kind. The Young Men's Christian Associa- tion have also a fine building, containing, besides other rooms, a good reading-room, and, at the door, a printed invitation, inviting strangers to attend. Here, 141 also, from twelve to one, is held a daily prayer meeting, which I attended. There were only between thirty to foi-ty present ; and the chairman's opening remarks was regretting this. He said, "During the revival of 1859, three thousand people were to be seen at this meeting, and many ministers ; but a spirit of worldliness had crept over them, and this was the result." There were two or three short and earnest addresses. The singing to me was the most interest- ing. They sing from a hymn-book, and, I believe, sing six or seven hymns during the hour, in a more lively style than those sung at our meetings. Mr. George H. Stuart, an excellent man, and who has been privileged to do a great deal of good in America (the same gentlen:u,n I referred to as seeing in New York), takes a great interest in this meeting. I asked if it was with him Dr. Duff stayed while in America. He said it was, and that his son had been staying with him lately. T made another call on a gentleman from Glasgow, to whom I had a letter of introduction, but found him from home. I had been told there were some good coloured goods works in Philadelphia; so I thought I would sally away in the direction I was told they were, pre- sent my card, and, if I got in, well and good. • I did so j and the first I came to I was told they had rules, but still I was welcome to see what they had. The manager here told me that in Philadelphia the mills worked ten hours ; that their wages would be about seven dollars a week, which, at the then value of 142 three shillings and foiirpence, would be equal to twenty-three shillings and fourpence ; but that before the war the wages would be four and a half dollars. I found this work an old place for making grey goods ; so I beat a hasty retreat. I did not think the workers as strong or well-put-on-like as at Lowell. I was referred to a work near the first, where there were check looms working; so I presented my card to a gentleman seated on the steps, smoking and reading a newspaper, and who turned out to be the employer. He said I was welcome to ^o anywhere ; and, opening the door, said, *' It don't matter where you go ; step into anywhere you have a mind to." It was a small dirty work, where they had some cotton-spinning, and had two flats of weaving at the top ; so I thought to myself, " If this was all Philadelphia had to show, I need not take up my time looking." I told Mr. Greer, when I came down, that I had nothing to learn there; and then we had a chat. He said his father and mother were from Glasgow, and his partner a Scotchman. He said just now weavers sometimes ran as high as nine dollars a week, but only about five dollars before the war. I got the same information here about the working hours in Philadelphia as in the last place — viz., ten hours. Here they have no boarding-houses, as in Lowell, except in one work; but Mr. Greer acknowledged it would be an improvement. They liad got in a few new looms, two and three shuttles; cost, one hundred and forty dollars (about twenty-three pounds). Mr. G. said they could lick us in looms. 143 but not in spinning. The shuttles were regulated by a pattern chain with pins (but I did not catch the details). They seemed to be going well enough; they had wooden frames, except the sides. The fabric they made was heavy ginghams only. They starch the warp in hank, and, in winding the weft, first wind it on to bobbins, and then from bobbins to pirns : indeed, they are quite behind. Had a conversation with a Mr. M 'Donald, connected with the iron trade. He resided in Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania. He said, "In their town, there were twenty- five rolling mills, which make all sorts of iron, and, besides these mills, there were a number of foundries." He did not think that, in the making of iron, the United States covild compete with Great Britain; be- cause, even if things were as convenient, labour is much dearer, and their coal-pits and iron-pits were not very near to one another. " Before the war," he said, " wages were about double what they -were at home. When men were paid by the day they generally got two dollars. He thought it was just about as easy to get into work in the United States as at home.'* They have quite a different system of the hours of working as compared with home : one set begins about four in the morning, and finish off their day's work Iby one or two in the afternoon; and there are hands appointed to keep the furnaces right till the next shift starts — about three or four; and they again work on till about twelve, and then have a good night's rest ; and this way was liked by some better than the old way. He said 144 there was a good deal of drinking went on in their trade, but there was less of it about the works than at home (meaning Scotland), as it would not be allowed. There were a great many steady church-going men an'ong them; but he would not say more than were to I b found at home. He thought a steady church-going man was as well off in the old country as in America. In the latter, the climate was better, but it was often very hot, and the men had to take a great deal of iced water. He could get his cliildren educated free. Every ^ citizen had to pay a school-tax. He had about four shillings a year to pay, and those that had property had to pay more ; but there was no compulsory education. In their State of Pennsylvania, there was no liquor sold on Sundays. Indeed, the Maine liquor law nearly passed, which prohibits the sale of all intoxicating drinks. "In Pittsburg," he said, "there were plenty of churches, and the Sabbath day was kept very strictly. If a man went into the work on that day for two minutes, under pretence of working, he would be dis- charged at once." Among their population they had a good many Eoman Catholics, who are far more anxious for the franchise than any other class — ^but the priest urges them to this ; but, upon the whole, elections were kept very quiet. Mr. M'Donald had left Ayrshire a number of years ago, when trade was very slack. He invested in some Government land, at one and a quarter dollars per acre, and which was now worth ten dollars; and he looked to this as a back door if he was thrown out of work again. U5 Went and saw the Park, at the other side of the town ; it is large and attractive-like, and beside the river. Saw a good many pleasure parties on foot and driving about ; but it was so hot in the sun, that I couldn't enjoy it Went in the evening to see Blind Tom perform — a nigger boy — the only public enter- tainment I had gone to except the concert in Chicago. The room was called the Concert Hall, and I think larger than our City Hall, but no galleries; and besides this place there are four or five theatres : so the city which the Quakers originally founded, and in which there are still a great many, does not seem to keep up its strict Puritan principles. The performance was really a great treat. The blind nigger boy seemed about twenty, and besides being a musical genius, seemed quite a character. He said at the beginning, in a loud comical voice, " He didn't know why God Almighty had given him, a poor uneducated nigger boy, this talent for the pianoforte." Theoretically, he did not know about music. He then played selections from " La Sonnambula," and other two pieces, very well indeed. He gave us exactly an imitation of a railway train starting, the conductor's " All aboard ! " to the close imitation of the steam and the railway whistle; also played on the piano an exact imita- tion of a musical box. The most complete musical genius I ever saw or heard of. It was most amusing to see him going about on one leg and dancing as the gentleman was playing on the violin ; and he always applauded his own performances by clapping his hands 146 whenever he finished plajring. He was a musical composer too : he gave us an imitation of the battle of Man asses. Arrived safe in New York again, in the afbemoon — ^thankful to the Giver of all good that, amidst all these joumeyings by steam, by rail, by night, and by day, I had met with no accident. Went, in the afternoon, to see the Central Park, New York. It is most extensive. I didn't get over it all. Saturday afternoon is the best day to see it, as the people turn well out. There are a great number of driving machines -of all descriptions, but the equi- pages are not nearly so imposing as in London. There are not many of the coachmen in livery, and the car- riages are not so fine, but many of the horses are nice- looking animals. Went, in the evening, to Sabbath School Teachers' Meeting, in Ward Beecher's congregation, but did not get any new ideas. The first quarter of an hour is spent in familiar and cheerful intercourse — ^the subject was "Moses." The superintendent remarked that, " During the time Moses was in the wildnemess he did not do much, except getting married." One of the teachers asked if that was not much. He thought it was a great deal. In reference to the babe Moses " weeping," one remarked, " What heart would an infant's tears not reach." Another said, "There were plenty;" and many a mother, on seeing its tears, would call it all manner of bad names. I heard Ward Beecher next day. I did not admire 147 his style of preaching the gospel. He came up to the platform with his wide-awake in hand, a black tie, and white vest. The man who sat next me, in conversation acknowledged Mr. Beecher did not preach salvation much. The text was 1 Cor. i. 30: " But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wibdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." He said, " Wisdom always means, in Paul's writings, that quality which springs from the moral nature : it is never knowing — it is always being." Kighteousness he considered as that integrity of mind and character that has especial regard to the laws and conditions ' nder which one is educated: sanctification, when a man's conscience is harmonized with his inward rela- tions. Went fully into the meaning of Christ being made unto us, &c. Not meant that God takes a moral truth and puts it in us by a process of transfer, such as that by which we take a gift and bestow it on another; but that God, who treats all the wide, outlying men as His children, and who is continually educating them, is made unto them wisdom, drink at dinner. My next neighbour was a Mr. Brown, whose acquaintance I had made in New York. There were several Mr. Browns on board. Another sat opposite me, who every day made the most curious salad one could imagine : every thing he could lay his hands on was thrown into a tureen, and then called salad — a bottle of pickles, of capers, potatoes, lettuce, oil, pepper, large doses of mustard, and I forget what all. He was partial to champagne, and was very anxious that Griffin, a teetotaller, should taste with him. " Griffin, this is my birth-day ; you'll not deny me to-day." Indeed, during the passage, it was the anniversary of his marriage — of his son's birth-day — all to entice Mr. Griffin to taste with him. He said he would tell him a story about two men quarrelling, who called one another most offensive names, but each received them with the greatest coolness. At last the one called the other a fish, at which there was a violent altercation. Oi asking an explanation how other more offensive names were borne quietly, but when "fish " was used he was so angry, he explained, that he could bear a good deal, but to be called a fish ! — one of those creatures that drank nothing but water! — he wouldn't stand that ! Mr. Griffin quietly replied, that whales grew large, and thrived, and drank nothing but water. One morning, a very extraordinary-look- ing fish was caught by the paddles. It had a number of suckera hanging from its head, and inside of these were teeth ; on looking into its mouth, was seen a bill like a parrot's ; it had a tail like a screw, and would be about three feet long. U \ I 151 Had a fine passage on the whole — about twenty-four to thirty- six hours was rough, that was all. We were afraid of the equinoctial gales coming on, as it was about the time; but we got over without any bad gales. We f- 7 two icebergs one morning — one of them lovy.. d v like the shape c *\- iarm-house floating in the distance, with, at one side of the house, more room for a yard or garden — the other was more un- shapely ; but at this time of the year they get smaller and more rounded. We left New York on Wednesday, say by eleven, and arrived in Liverpool on Saturday week, by six or seven in the morning. A few of the passengers went off at Queenstown, where the mails also were dis- patched. This was on Friday forenoon. There was not much difficulty in passing the custom-house officers. Just as a stranger was apt to be taken in on the other side, at first, about the charges for small matters, I observed that the Yankees were paying sixpence for a newspaper, with the idea that their names, as passen- gers, were published, when a penny would have done, «,nd their names weren't there either. Thought Liverpool, especially coming up the Mersey, very black and smoky-like, after the bright skies o^' America ; indeed, I thought the same of Glasgow for a little after I returned. Was sorry, on arriving at Liverpool, also, to see the number of poor childr'^^n running about and begging, and tumbling heads-over- heels to win favour. I did think that things looked a little slower-like altogether, on returning to the old 162 country, as they style it on the other side. One thing I was much more charmed with, than in America, and that was our pretty country, the beautiful green grass, the trim hedges, and the pretty gardens. I think our country, in its views, its general beauty, its tasteful farm-houses, and general snugness, far outstrips the appearance of American 'country. But, as a rule, I like the appearance of the American towns more than our own — the atmosphere is so much clearer, and the manufactures are not extensive : it gives them a fresh and cheerful appearance. The " sweet vision" I saw the night I slept at the Falls of Niagara was now soon realized ; and , the pleasure then enjoyed made up for a good deal of my trouble. Vv ■;5 1 T ^ . -'■ W ■':/:i->l\-:^i^V '■■i'' ■W-'i I ,» t h'' Ss^Sn