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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre film^s d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour hum reproduit en un seul cliche, !l est fiim6 A partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche A drolte, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 *\ -*.7-s' o-c\ nr) n^J^S * J U VACATION TOUK IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. BY CHARLES RICHARD WELT), BARRI9TKR.AT-I,AW. LONDON: LONGMAN. BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. 1855. London. Lor^ffman X' i*i London. Lonffman London : A. and O. A. Spottiswoodb. Ne«r.$treet.Squarp. TO MY BROTHER, ISAAC WELD, ESQ., VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY, .M.R.I.A. ETC. ETC. THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATET.Y DEDICATED, wr c CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Reasons for visiting North America.— Travelling Plans. — Ocean Steamers — The America.— Fellow Passengers.— Al- Fresco Concerts.-Bishop of Boston.-Boat Accommodation. — Ocean Currents. — Winda. — Red Fogs. — Sea-weed Meadows—Ocean Floor— Deep Sea Soundings.— Bank Weather.— Halifax— Run on Shore. — Humming Birds.— Newfoundland Dogs.-rish Trade— American Peculiarities. —Boston Harbour— Saline Tea-pot.— Bunker Hill Monu- ment—Picturesque Shipping— Arrival at Boston. Page 1 CHAP. II. Curious Vehicles— Custom House— Revere Hotel.— Break- fast. — Contrast between American and English Hotels.— Rapid Washing. -Old Boston— State House— Commerce. — Faneuil Hall.— Fresh Pond— Ice Crop and Ice Trade.— Agriculture near Boston. — Value of Land.— Wages Al- Fresco Tea. - Fire-flies. - Nahunt. - Steamboat. - Life Preservers. -Accidents.- Visit to Mr. Longfellow. - Pro- fessor Agassiz— Geology of Nahant— Salem. -Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.— Sea Coast — Visit to Mr. Prescott.— Nahant House. -The Flirtation Galleries. - Bathin* A 3 vi CONTENTS. Laura Bridgman. - Lowell. - The "Young Ladles." « Manufactures --La^^^^ ^ Mount Auburn. ^ Piano Fac- tory. -Schools.- New Theatre. - City Library.- Excite- ment respecting Slavery.- Quiney's Speech.-The "Know- nothing Movement - Tage 29 CHAP. in. LeaveBoston.-RanwayCars.-Cow.catcher.-Locomotives. Watering the Passengers. - Precocious Travelling Com- panion. - Troy. _ Saratoga. - Congress Spring. - Amuse- ments Dinner.-Black Waiters.-Promenade.~Ball.- Ladies Dresses.-Monroe.-Plank Road.-Lake George.- Squirrel ILint.-Rattlesnakes. - rj^sse Fishing. -Beautiful Scenery Last of th. '^lohicans.-Ticonderoga.-Fort.- Smoke Fog.-Forests on Fire.-Lake Champlain. -Awful Darkness. - Difficult Navigation. - Rouse's Point. - Tre- the St lTw '^"'p ^- -^ ^"^"^ '^ Difficulties. -Cros! the St. Lawrence.-Prescott.-Canadian Voyageurs.-Story lIL n ; ~~' n J"""'"'- - ^^"^^*°^- - ^'^' Henry. - Lake Ontario. - Coburg. - Butter Merchant. - Leave for a^trXT^^""^^^ '-'-'^^ Otonabee.-Arrive * " • - - Page 64 CHAP. IV. Peterborougl,. Growa of Canadian Towns. _ Excursion to the Baofcwood,._Bad E„ad,.-Saw.milb._Lumber Trade. Capafhto of American Fore.ta.-Dour„.-Maj„r Strick- tad.- Lakefield.- Agricultural Pupik- Clearing Land- Value of La„d,-L„gging.-Life in the Bush.-Deer Hunt. -The Forert.-Duck Sh„otmg.-ri.hing.-Clear Lake- CONTENTS. VU Excursion to Indian Lodge— Maakinonge.— Indians. —Pic- turesque Encampment.— Bark Canoes.— Petition of Ojibe- ways. — Keturn to Peterborough Page 98 CHAP. V. Journey to Coburg. — Rough Travelling. — The Thousand Islands. — Canadian Farms.— Eafts. —Rapids. —Descent of the Cedars. — Excitement. — Anecdote of Moore's Canadian Boat-Song— Village of the Kapids.-La Claire Fontaine.— Canadian Singing. — La Chine Rapid. — Indian Pilot.— Mortreal. — Independence. — Hoch iga. — Ci.thedral. — Supe. tition.— Artillery Barracks.— Geological Museum.— Victoiia Bridge. -Farms of the ' iiabitans." — Seignorial Rights. - - Importance of Montreal - - - Page 1 1 9 CHAP. VI. Voyage to Quebec. - Heights of Abraham. - Caliche.- Bad Hotels. — Fortifications. -Magnificent View.— Wolfe's Mo- nument. - Gray's Elegy. - Opening of Parliament. _ Lord Elgin. -Political Battles.-French Speeches. -Election of Speaker. - Place hunting. - Jobbing. - Gathering of Members. -Lower Town. - Intemperance. - Historical 7T -^;^^'''''' °f tJ^« Military. - Canadian Beauties. -Falls of Montmorenci.- Spencer Wood.- Garrison Mess. -Leave Quebec.-Emigrants.-Arrive at Toronto. Page 134 CHAP. VIL Toronto. - Cathedral. -Public Buildings. - Shipping. -Pros- perity. -Wages. - Price of Provisions. - Fugitive Slaves. -Education.-Environs.-Observatory.-GeologicalForma^ ■ • • VIU CONTENTS. t^^n_ Society.- Leave for Lewiston. - Lake Steamer. - ff T""v '' ^-gara.-Suspension Eridge.-Queens. ^7 rt r~^"'' '' ^"^*^^ House. -Voice of the Z! " i ' ^''* ^^'^' - ^^^^« K°«k- - Influence of the ^cene - The Two Cataracts. _ Vibration of the Hotel. - Grandeur of Morning Mists. -Rapids.- Burning Spring.- Ins Is and- Terrapin Tower. - Gulls. - Exquisite Cofour tTJ ~~^"^"^°^«- - Manchester. -Spirit of the Falls. --rradition^-Catastrophe-Power of the Water.-Maid of the Mist.-Termination Rock.-Water Curtain.-Whirlpool. -Sunn^e Effect on the Mist- Cloud. -Leave for Buffalo. - Last View of the Falls.-Fort Chippewa. -Lake Erie. Page 152 CHAP. VIIL Buffalo. - Gigantic Steamboat. - Bridal Chambers. - Lake Erie. -Wooded Islands. -Water-Snakes. -Detroit. -New lrance.-Vineyards.-Lawn.-New Buffalo.-Lake Michi- gan. - Chicago. - Its rapid Growth. -Value of Land - Commerce.-Prairies.-rugitive Slaves. -Popular Excite- ment.-Emigra-t,s.-Cincinnati.-Tobacco.chewing.-Bur. net House.-rormer Hotels-Rapid Changes— Commercial btatistics— Land Settlements.-Furniture Factories.-Rail- ways.-Tour of the Globe.-Germans.- Porcine Population. "-Their Habits and Peculiarities— Pork Crop.-Acreage of Pigs. - Porkopolis. - Observatory. - Catawba Grapes. - Champagne Manufactory-Mr. Longworth.-Hiram Powers- ■-His first Work.-National Theatre. -Fire.- Steam Fire- Engine. - Police Court. - « Know-nothings." - Coina '«■ REASi PL PA TO WI FLi HA FOl LU BU AR] Alt into ; the conic santl VACATION TOUR IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. CHAPTER I. REASONS FOR VISITING NORTH AMERICA TRAVELLING PLANS OCEAN STEAMERS. — THE AMERICA. — FELLOW PASSENGERS. AL-FRESCO CONCERTS. — BISHOP OF BOS- .^ TON. — BOAT ACCOMMODATION OCEAN CURRENTS. WINDS. RED FOGS. — SEA-WEED MEADOWS OCEAN FLOOR. — DEEP SEA SOUNDINGS. — BANK WEATHER HALIFAX. RUN ON SHORE. — HUMMING BIRDS NEW- FOUNDLAND DOGS. FISH TRADE AMERICAN PECU- LLA.RITIES. BOSTON HARBOUR. — SALINE TEA-POT. BUNKER HILL MONUMENT, -—PICTURESQUE SHIPPING. ARRIVAL AT BOSTON. • Although the waiters at the Liverpool hotels come into your room on the morning of the day on which the steam-ships start for America, demanding, la- conically, whether you are going " across ;" thus plea- santly dwarfing the vast Atlantic into an imaginary B Q * A VACATION TOUR. ten minutes' ferry, yet to those who have never made a voyage, the contemplation of crossing the Atlantic awakens sensations different to those experienced previous to a trip across the Channel. I confess, when the time drew near for embarking on the undertaking which forms the subject of this work, I felt, amidst the pauses and calms of London hfe and London business, feelings entirely unknown on the eve of my former numerous continental ex- cursions. It was difficult to realise the fact that I was indeed going to the New World, until the ar- rival of sundry packages committed to my care by friends for delivery in the United States (who has not friends on such occasions?) brought the truth very forcibly before me. I had not come to the determination of visiting the United States without considerable thought ; for although the desire to see that marvellous Anglo- Saxon offshoot of our little island was of ancient date, there were many circumstances to be considered. Without detailing them, I may mention the two most important,- time and expense,-because I apprehend they will have most weight with those who may be disposed to exchange the hackneyed Continent for the boundless freedom and novelty of a tour in the New World. 5i. ■ St', I REASONS FOR VISITING NORTH AMERICA. 3 On the score of time, I confess I felt somewhat dismayed; for not being master of this most necessary- item in the economy of a tour, it appeared to me, looking at the huge distances on the map, apart from the voyages, that it would require many months to see the principal objects of interest in the United States and Canada, and my furlough was limited to a few weeks. I was aware that Jonathan is a go- ahead animal, but still the distances were of a stag- gering nature, and I felt doubtful, until my kind friend Sir Charles Lyell inspired me with confidence, and an endeavour to realise my day-dream. Talking the subject over with him, he emphatically ex- claimed, " If you have only a fortnight to spend in America, go there ; " and I think my resolve to see the New World dates from the utterance of these encouraging words. But I had another motive for crossing the At- lantic, which, from its singularity, merits record. Fifty-five years ago a very remarkable book was published, entitled WeMs Travels in America, which passed through several editions. It was also translated into various European languages— twice into German ; and, in short, the book was regarded as the great authority of the period on American subjects. The travels extend over three years, 1795—7, and embrace B 2 * A VACATION TOUR. a very large portion of the United States and Canada. In fact there can be no question that the colonization of Canada was mainly promoted and influenced by this book. Accompanied by a faithful servant, Mr. Weld, sometimes on horseback, sometimes on foot, or in canoe, made his way through vast forests or along rivers or lakes ; narrowly escaped shipwreck on Lake Erie, and experienced all the adventure incident to passing through an unsettled country, while in the cities and towns he mixed in the best society, and had the honour and pleasure of knowing Washington. Now when the reader learns that the author of this celebrated work is still living, and in possession of his intellectual vigour, and moreover that I am his half-brother, it will, I venture to think, add to the interest of this book if a contrast be occasion- ally drawn between the state of things in America fifty-five years ago, and what it is at the present time. It will be seen that, within a generation, where he had to camp out and trust to friendly Indians for safe conduct through the interminable wilderness, railways are now established -« air lines," along which the traveller is borne in a straight direction for hundreds of miles through forests; and on the TKAVELUNG PLANS. 5 broad waters where he had to hire small barks to convey him to his destination, ^wift steamers, which may be called huge floating hotels, are now uni- versal. To mark and chronicle these changes had con- siderable influence in determining me to visit Ame- rica. As soon as my resolve was made, I sought and received advice respecting travelling arrangements, from friends who had been in the United States, and was soon in possession of so formidable a budget of counsels and hints, that, in my perplexity and bewilderment, I began to doubt the truth of the proverb that " in the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom ; " for while some advised one mode of pro- ceeding, others urged a totally different course ; and thus, not caring to follow the plan of the redoubtable Wouter von T wilier, I summoned my judgment to decide. In no particular did the advice of my friends clash more antagonistically than on the question of letters of introduction. « Do not take a single letter," said one friend ; " Obtain as many introductions as possible," urged another ; and as I was in favour of the latter advice, the result was that on the eve of my departure the kindness of friends put me in possession of upwards of a hundred letters of introduction ; and I deem it right to state at once I was indebted to B 3 6 A VACATION TOUR. II these friendly missives for great hospitality, and for a large store of valuabie information. Then with respect to the route, -that most im- portant consideration to the tourist in all lands, and especially in a country yet unblessed by a Murray's handbook, -^howluhyrinthme were the wanderings traced for me by kind friends I-some bent on sending me well nigh to the North Pole ; others to the Dismal Swamp and New Orleans ; while a few spirited me in imagmation across the Rocky Mountains, including a visit to California and the unholy Mormons. The result of all these counsels was hanging a large map of America upon the wall, and tracing on it a route through the United States and Canada; and I rejoice to say I have no reason to repent my decision. My remaining preparations were soon made ; and having packed a portmanteau and bag with, as usual too many articles, I left London for Manchester,' where I enjoyed the hospitality of a valued friend whose brother I purposed visiting in Canada, and from thence went to Liverpool. My short journey to that town was amusingly diversified by a party of emigrants and their friends, who passed the time by alternately reading aloud, for their mutual solace and edification, passages from a little book entitled Crumbs of Comfort, and drinking assiduously and OCEAN STEAMER8. 7 with great regularity the contents of a bottle, which gave olfactory evidence of being filled with something stronger than water. On arriving at Liverpool, I drove to St. George's landing stage, and was soon in a stream of luggage and passengers pouring down to the steam-tender. It was, indeed, a moving scene ; for, besides the throng of passengers and their friends, an army of porters continued piling wonderfully- shaped boxes, trunks, and packages on the already great mountain of luggage encumbering the fore-part of the tender, while boys and men shouted, " News for ' Meriky ' — Last news for * Meriky ! ' Papers — Papers — Morning Papers I " Having passed through the painful ordeal of parting from those most loved, I was alone amidst the strange scene, and had ample leisure to study it, until the extreme pressure of the crowd became almost intolerable. After sundry heavings to and fro, I was brought to a stand-still by being wedged between a pile of luggage and a young lady in a feminine wide-awake, seated on a trunk in a seeming state of mental anguish. At length the bell rang, and we steamed to the America, which lay a short distance up the river. As we approached her vast hull ^ -azed anxiously at what was to be my home for many days, and thought of the almost mar- B 4 r't A VACATION TOUU. vollmu skill and science whieu in.pols such a Iiuko .I"P across the Atlantic in .lefianco of adverse winds. ri.c triumph is of very modern acl.iovement On the 11th May, 1819. the following paragraph ap- peared h. Tl. Ti,„c>:-» Great E.peri„,ent : A new stcam-vesscl of .TOO tons has been built at New York for the express purpose of carrying ,asse„gcrs acres, tl.0 Atlantic. She ia to come to Liver,K,oI direct :" The name of this ship was th .Savannah, and she crossed the Atlantic in twenty-six days. Her recep- tion m Liverpool was most enthusiastic j and it ia worthy of „,e„tion that, having subsequently been navigated to Cronstadt, the Car Alexander I. went on board the vessel, examined her with great attention, and presented her captain with a handsome silver tea-kettle, which, it must be conceded, was an appro- priate gift to the skipper of a steamer. It is remarkable, bearing in mind that a prosperous and successful steam-voyago had been for the first time performed four years before the above date from Glasgow to London, on which occasion my brother steered the little steamer round the Land's End, that it should have taken ,o many years to de- velop the power of oeean steamers. Fitch, of Phila delphia, confidently predicted, half a century a^o the estabhshment of Atlantic steam navigation ; bJt it TIIK "AMKUICA." 9 was reserved for our own days to witness, and be sharers of, this great scientific achievement. The immense speed of modern ocean steamers which " Splash, 8i)lash across the sea, Against the wind, ngniust the tide," compared with the most powerful twenty years ago, is forcibly illustrated by the government steamers which ran at that time, between Falmouth and Malta, at an average speed of six miles an hour. But we cannot indulge longer in these reminii- cences, for we are alongside the America ; and, glad to ^scape from the narrow confines of the tender, we rush up the gangway, and stand on the capacious decks of the ocean steamer. Let it not be imagined, however, we arc at peace. Far from it. We have a mighty task to perform. This is, to seize our luggage as it is brought on board, and turn it aside from its impending fate of confinement in the depths of the hold. Now, as everybody is engaged in the same operation, it may be imagined the scene is rather ex- citing, as desperate attempts are made to clutch portmanteaus and bags en route to the nether regions. I was fortunate in the scramble, and, having secured my " traps," descended with the steward to store my worldly goods, and inspect the locality where I was 10 A VACATION TOUR. i! to spend many hours. And here I would ask how it comes to pass that the rarrow cell on board a ship, m which the unhappy landsman is generally confined until he has sacrificed to Neptune, is dignified by the rnagnificent title of "State Room." I confess the result of my survey was not very cheering; but, taking comfort by the fact that my quarters were better than those of my neighbours, I returned to the decK, where confusion was still in the ascendant. By degrees, however, the monstrous heap of luggacre disappeared, and a bell rang to warn friends the time for departure had arrived. And now might be seen the tear-brimming eye, the quivering lip, the agony of the last embrace of those parting, perhaps to meet no more; while others separated with as little apparent concern as if we had been going merely across the Channel. Such is life, ever made up of strange and strong contrasts. To myself, and probably to many of my com- panions, these last moments were solemn and im- pressive; and I am not ashamed to confess thoughts too deep for utterance stirred me, as I hung over the vessel's side, and saw the land rapidly recede which contained all that I held dear. How long I remained thus abstracted I know not ; but I remember being rather violently aroused to FELLOW PASSENGERS. 11 present circumstances by the ringing of a very loud and inharmonious bell, and a voice demanding whether I was " up to dinner." The bell gave notice that in half-an-hour this meal would be served, and the voice was that of a friend, who, having crossed the Atlantic several times, was stoically proof against all sensations of a sentimental nature. As we were going through smooth water, we mustered strongly at this first meal, numbering about one hundred ladies and gentlemen ; and certainly, to judge by the behaviour of the guests, it might have been assumed we were bound on a party of pleasure. It must be admitted, the bill of fare presented many inducements to join the dinner party. Animated by the spirit of rivalry existing between the Collins and Cunard line of steamers, which extends to the com- missariat department, the provisions on board the America were of an excellence and supplied with a prodigality truly amazing. And it is due to the cJiefde cuisine to state that the cooking was admirable. The attendance was also excellent, twenty-six stewards officiating under the direction of the chief steward, who had the captain's table under his more immediate superintendence ; and as I had a seat at this desirable board, I can vouch for the fact that the best dishes were not far from our commander. 12 A VACATION TOUR. U, If ' Our r&nion gave us an opportunity of seeing something of each other. Among the passengers were actors and actresses, -one of the latter a prett • woman; a Roman Catholic bishop fresh from Ital> with a brood of newly-Hedged priests; an Americ;„' ex-Mm,ster from Turkey, with his wife and niece; and a mixture of merchants, agriculturists, Cali- forman adventurers, with huge beards and strange stones ; ladies, and emigrants. When I returned to the deck, I found we had passed the bar, and were running up Channel, to make what is called the "north about" passage; hat IS, gomg round the north of Ireland. It was a lovely evening; and although the Irish Channel was not m the calmest mood, yet the great size of our sh.p prevented any unpleasant motion. So all went well with me, and I sat up until a late hour watching the Irish coast The following morning we were abreast of the Giant's Causeway. The sea continued propitious to landsmen with weak stomachs, so we mustered well at breakfast, at which meal the cook again astonished mo by the variety of dishes. At half-past ten a bell summoned us to divine service. This was reverently l-erformed by the surgeon, who, with as many office.^ and sailors as were off duty, attended in their uni- lorms. SEA-SICKNESS. 13 As the afternoon waned into evening, a streak of blue appeared far to the west, at which I gazed long and earnestly ; for it was the Atlantic. My desire to remain on deck until our keel ploughed this vast ocean was great ; but, alas ! my infirmity was greater ; and, before we reached it, I was under the necessity of descending to my state-room with no clear idea as to when I should be able to leave it. It is Matthews, I believe, who expresses his asto- nishment that poets have made no use of sea-sickness in their descriptions of the place of torment, for it might have furnished excellent hints for improving the punishments of their hells. What if Dante had derived infernal inspiration from the agonising throes of sea-sickness — should we have a more terrible Inferno ? Shakspeare, with his usual sagacity, must have had it in mind when he makes Gon;..ilo, the honest old councillor of Naples, exclaim in his agony, probably of body as well as soul, « Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground,— long heath, brown furze, any thing I" Being personally what is called a bad sailor, I looked forward with great apprehension to the voyage across the Atlantic, expecting to be continually un- well; but — and I am desirous of recording the fact for the comfort of apprehensive landsmen— I suffered 14 A VACATION TOUR. far less on my two voyages across the Atlantic than it has been my lot to endure during many passages from Folkestone to Boulogne, when it has appeared to me that nature and art combined in the most cruel and inharmonious manner to inflict as much misery as possible during the happily brief period occupied by the passage. The fact is, the motion on board a large ocean steamer of 2000 tons is totally different from that villanous stomach and brain dislocatory movement felt in the cock-boats in our uneasy Channel, being a majestic kind of heave and roll, as stupendous as the mighty Atlantic waves, highly enjoyable when sick- ness is over. Not being vexed by foul or violent winds, the pas- sengers soon began to turn up, and in the course of a day or two we had settled down into the usual occu- pations and amusements incidental to a sea life. When the evenings were long, and the weather in that amiable mood described by a poetical midship- man in the log-book as " Light airs, languishing into calms," many hours were spent on deck, where, under the leadership of the actors, glees and songs, with power- ful choruses, in which all joined, were kept up with AL-FRESCO CONCERTS. 15 great ^nirlt until a late hour : on these occasions the worthy Bishop of Boston was a tower of strength. Personally of Lablache-like proportions, he was gifted with a magnificent voice, and sang many of Dibdin's songs in a manner that called forth vociferous ap- plause ; nor, when the song was over, did his Ro- man Catholic reverence deem it inconsistent with his ecclesiastical dignity to sit among us smokiiig his " Havannah " and imbibing toddy. Those were pleasant nights, when the winds were at rest, and the moonlight bridged the heaving waves with silver bars, our ship speeding on, flinging from her bows tongues of phosphoric fire, which flickered far in her foamy wake. But as every night was not * favourable for these al-fresco concerts, they were di- versified by Shakspearian readings, admirably given by one of the actors, and occasionally by more subdued singing, in which our lady friends took part. Supper — consisting generally of anchovy toast, poached eggs, and broiled bones — followed these entertainments, after which we descended to our narrow resting-places, deeming ourselves fortunate if we had light to undress, as the steward invariably extinguished the lamps at midnight. So passed our fair-weather days ; but, as may be 16 A VACATION TOUR. ■ ml ml ' W' 1) f ^ii.-iji supposed, great and sudden changes came over the passengers wlien " The stormy wind did blow," and our efforts to walk the deck reminded me of Bentham's paulo-post-prandial vibrations. Foul weather, however, had no effect on the discipline or management of the ship, which through sun hine and storm went on with the same regularity as the pulsa- tion of the mighty engines. It was, indeed, a daily source of interest to watch the various operations in our floating hotel, the more studied as our outward world rarely presented any variety. Day succeeded day, and still our ship was alone on the great waters, not a sail being in sight. Under these circumstances,' the blowing of a whale near us, or the gambols of in- numerable porpoises, were sure to call every pas- senger on deck, and batteries of telescopes into play. The pains taken in navigating the Cunard steamers and their general excellent appointments make it the more surprising that the boat-accommodation should not be proportionate to the number of passengers. On our voyage out we numbered 170 passengers and 103 officers and crew, making a total of 2/3 persons; while our six boats, with the closest packing, could only contain 210 individuals, and two of them were OCEAN CURRENTS. 17 stowed on the deck-houses within the shrouds, bottom upwards, — the one covering vegetables, the other fodder for the cow ! On my return to England, I felt it a duty to make these facts public. This eli- cited an answer from Mr. Cunard, who stated that his steamers carried the number of boats required by the act of parliament ; but, as the number of pas- sengers is unlimited, it is evident that when the amount of boat-accommodation is exceeded, which it was in our case, there is but little hope of safety in time of peril. That terrible catastrophe, the loss of the Arctic, affords the strongest evidence of the want of due care on this most important question. There were 400 human beings on board that ship, and only boat-ac- commodation for half that number. Not only should there be a sufficient number of boats, but they should be carried in such a manner as to permit of their being almost instantaneously launched. We had been a week at sea when the fine clear weather we had enjoyed was blotted out by cold dense fogs, affording sure evidence of our vicinity to the Banks of Newfoundland and the Gulf Stream. There is something peculiarly interesting in the physical con- sideration of this current, and of that issuing from the Arctic Sea, which combine to produce a cosmical c 18 A VACATION TOUR. Wji m arrangement necessary for the comfort and existence of man. Well has it been observed, that the har- monies of the sea are beautiful and sublime. The winds, which give life and animation to the ocean, are another source of interest during a voyage Not idlj, nor without a purpose, do those breezes and tempests sweep past the voyager as he plunges through the swelling seas. It is their business to maintain a systematic circulation of the atmosphere; and the Bible, which frequently alludes to the laws of nature, tells us all this in a single sentence :-« The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits." The track pursued by steam-ships from Europe to America, unhappily for those who are sorry sailors does not lie across that ocean paradise of landsmen' denominated by th. Spaniards - M golfo de las namasr being that belt of the Atlantic situated about the thirtieth parallel of latitude, where the wind blows so equally and softly, that the waves are always low and regular. Humboldt says of this part of the Atlantic, that it is less dangerous to navigate than it IS to traverse one of the small Swiss lakes. To the north of this blfeesed region storms are rife, and are not unfrequently accompanied by those curious SEA-AVEED MEADOWS. 19 phenomena— red fogs and sea-dust, which microsco- pists inform us are composed of countless millions of organic particles. Nor, when these are absent, let the voyager imagine, as he « sweeps through the deep," he is *' Alone on the wide, wide sea, So lonely 'twas, that God himself Scarce seemeth there to be." The vast sea-weed meadows of the Atlantic, which cover a space nearly seven times as large as France, teem with life ; and deep sea>soundings, which reveal the sea-floor at the greatest depths, tell us that the bottom of the ocean is frequently paved with calcareous and siliceous shells. Thus, the study of these " sunless treasures," which are now recovered with much ingenuity by Brooke's deep sea-sounding lead, suggests new views regarding the physical economy of the ocean, as they are the atoms of which mountains are formed. For the ocean bed is full of irregularities, and I often thought, as our steamer pursued her way across the vast Atlantic, that, although her water-path was trackless, we were yet hastening from mountain to mountain, across or along valleys, over table lands, and, in short, all the ir- regularities of the ocean-floor. Recent soundings tell c 2 20 A VACATION TOUR. m us the Atlantic basin is a vast trough, bounded on the one side by America, and on the other side by Africa; and that rising out of this trough are moun- tains higher than the loftiest snow-crowned Hima- layas, from peak to peak of which huge whales hold their course with the same precision* with which eagles pass from crag to crag; and valleys deeper than any trodden by the foot of man, within whose oozy folds the great waters lie in perpetual repose. Depths have been sounded in the Atlantic greater than the elevation of any mountain above its surface, not far, moreover, from the track we are pursuing. While on the banks we had wretched weather; dense fogs wrapped our ship in gloom, and it was so cold as to cause us to cluster round the smoke-pipe. On the tenth day we caught a glimpse of Cape Race, looming dark and mysterious through the diluted mist. Fishing craft now began to appear; one of which, by the way, was very nearly run down by us during the night ; and small land birds rested their weary wings on board, allowing themselves to be caught with the gi-eatest facility. During this an- xious period of navigation our captain kept constant HI y- * It is supposed that some whales, which pursue a perfectly straight course for many miles, are guided by the mountain peaks beneath them. VIEW FROM THE CITADEL. 21 watch. About noon of the eleventh day we emerged from the gloom through which we had been voyaging, and saw before us the magnificient harbour of Hali- fax, into which we were running at full speed. The effect was enchanting. Dark-green spruce-forests, which emitted a delicious balsamic perfume, clad the coasts, which swelled into undulating hills in the distance, canopied by a sky of unclouded blue, and the bay was dotted with strange-looking boats. Pre- sently we ran along a line of wharves covered with piles of cod-fish and barrels, until we came to our moorings, where all Halifax appeared to be assembled. And now commenced a bewildering scene of confu- sion, from which I quickly escaped, being delighted to exchange the confinement of the ship for an hour's run on shore. Accompanied by some fellow-passengers, I rushed to the Citadel, where we produced great ex- citement by communicating the latest war intelligence, and then mounted the heights, from whence there is a glorious view. Every object wore a novel aspect. The trees were different, the houses unlike our own, the flowers new, and, to make the change still more striking, tiny humming-birds flashed like streaks of golden light before us. These fairy visitants from distant Florida, which have hitherto defied captivity in Europe, made me forcibly aware I was now indeed c 3 22 A VACATION TOUK. 14 far from home. Of Halifax there is but little to bo said, and that little is truly and well related by " Sam Slick," who is familiar with the town whicli he thus describes:—" A few sizeable houses, with a proper sight of small ones, like half-a-dozen old hens with their brood of young chicl.^ns." Gallantry, liowever, ought to have prompted him to add that the girls are pretty, a fact well known by officers who have been quartered here. But the great living feature of the place are the troops of noble Newfoundland dogs, with huge bushy tails and shining black hair, which are met with in all parts of the town. They are principally fed on fish ; here a drug, seeing there are annually exported from Halifax about 500,000 barrels and boxes of dried cod. Should the fish-crop fail and the inhabitants ever suffer the horrors of a siege, they might hold out a long time by subsisting on their dogs. Soon, too soon, the signal gun summoned us on board again, where we found the decks encum- bered with a chaotic heap of coals, ice, and lobsters. Anotlier gun announced the arrival of the mail; the gangway was removed, and we steamed out of the harbour as the sun was sinking in a flood of golden and purple glory beneath the western wave. The remainder of the voyage (560 miles) was most AMERICAN PECULIARITIES. 23 prosperous. The Bay of Fundy, which bears a terrible reputation for its stormy waters, was, during our passage across it, as smooth as a mirror; and thus, with the happy prospect of soon reaching our destination, even the most sallow- visaged among us wore a cheer- ful appearance. With the object, it is to be presumed, of exhibiting'the extraordinary resources of the cuisine, our last dinner eclipsed all its predecessors in excel- lence and abundance. Salmon as fresh as the day they were captured appeared at the head each table, and, after an endless succession of dishes and entremetSy wonderful artistic confectionery, displaying amicable relations between the United States and Great Britain, graced the board. As my English friends had left the ship at Halifax, I foivnd myself on the last evening of our voyage in company with some half- dozen Americans. My purpose in visiting the United States being well known, considerable anxiety was manifested to impress me with an exalted idea of the country, which, I was assured over and over again, I should find a model of earthly perfection. Whatever 1 may have thought of certain spots and blemishes in the constitution of the United States, the odds were too fearful against me to render it cither desirable or prudent to enter into political argument, and, indeed, I only allude to the matter c 4 24 A VACATION TOUR. nir" i 'Hi' -i h'fl In '" i:^ ■■'' .if it jj t i 4 because it confirms in rather an amusing manner the stories so often told of American national vanity. So, declaring I anticipated much pleasure from mv travels in their ffreat country (the double sense of this adjective is particularly serviceable to the English tourist in the United States), I, " Smiling, put the question by," and begged leave to drink to our next merry meeting, assuring them that, " Never shall my soul forget The friends I found so cordial-hearted; Bear shall be the day we met, And dear shall be the night we parted." Th litrell rence that we should be in Boston by dawi. : - ht me on ^eck in time to see the sun rise m crimoon majesty just as we were steaming into the outer harbour. Early as it was, nearly all the passengers were on the alert. A change had come over some of them which was almost ludicrous. The American ladies, with that sensitive regard for outward adornment which characterises them, had exchanged their sober sea-garments for robes of dazzling hues, in which, with bonnets of gaudy tex- W AMERICAN PECULIARITIES. 25 ture, and a super-abundance of jewellery, they pro- menaded the deck. It seemed as if we had embarked a company of gaily-dressed ladies bound on a party of pleasure ; for nothing could be greater than the contrast between our female friends as they had become familiar to us, and as they now appeared in their butterfly attire. Compared with our bold western coasts, the eastern shores of America are very tame. Low land stretches as far as the eye can reach, skirted by small islands, between which lies the sinuous passage to Boston. Faithfully remembering the picturesque cliffs of the Emerald Isle, I confess I was considerably astonished by one of the patriotic Americans passing his arm through mine, and, pointing to the thin line of coast scarcely discernible from the sky, asking at the same time whether " that was not fine?" This large and rather unceremonious demand on my admiration per- plexed me ; for, unwilling on the one hand to offend, stepping on the threshold of hi? country, I was equally unprepared to assent to his proposition. Without compromising my regard for truth, I an- awered in a manner which I trusted would relieve me from all further questions of a like nature ; but I was disappointed ; and I do not exaggerate when I 26 A VACATION TOUR. I ii; state there was scarcely an object on land or water was not called upon to admire. This distressing pertmacty to worm from me praise when really, as ■t appeared to me, none was merited, recalled to mind a story told of a similarly exacting American, who, after sundry abortive attempts to exact admiration from Lord Metcalfe, who had just arrived in Ame- rica durmg the winter season, exclaimed, « Well I guess you'll allow that this is a clever body of snow lor a younip country ? " As winter was not in the ascendant at the time of my visit, there v,: ; no snow to be lauded ; but I half expected, when my admiration hung fire, that my persecutor would have appealed to me whether the sun was not redder and hotter than in England -a proposition which would have gained my immediate assent. As it was, I fear my coldness was annoying, as, probably with the view of taking h.s revenge, he pointed to the sea on onr starboard, inform- ing me, with a triumphant tone, " There, sir, we tlirew in the tea;" an act which, though perpetrated as far bach ns 17V3, is remen.bered witl, great satis- faction by all patriotic Yankees ; and lest my know- hdeo of that transaction was insufficient to make me fMy aware of the bold independence of the American ATMOSPHERE OF BOSTON. 27 character, the republican — still linked to my arm — raised his hand from the saline tea-pot, and drew my attention to a tall, chimney-like structure, crowning North Boston heights. Conceiving the object was attached to some large factory, I ha- zarded a remark to that effect, which elicited the exclamation, and with considerable warmth, " No, sir, that is the famous Bunker-Hill monument, erected " — but I spare my readers the rest; not that they would, I feel assured, wince under the announcement that the monument is a landmark of honourable American independence, but that they have had enough of little national weaknesses. How long these would have been indul-^ed in I know not ; but happily we were now fast approaching our destination. Small, gaily- painted craft, differing in their rig from our coasting vessels, danced lightly over tlie green waters, mingling here and there with noble ships arriving and departing. The delicious purity of the atmosphere cast a charm over the scene, which increased in interest as we approached the pier. Early as was the hour, our guns, which had been fired on entering the harbour, attracted a crowd of persons to witness our arrival. After threading fleets of merchant ships, the engines 28 A VACATION TOUR. rested from their labours at the landing-place of the Ounard steamers, which is at East Boston: and as soon as the gangway was adjusted, I stepped on shore, hankful that, after many a long daydream, I was at length m the United States. 29 CHAP. II. CURIOUS VEHICLES. — CUSTOM HOUSE. — REVERE HOTEL. BREAKFAST. — CONTRAST BETWEEN AMERICAN AND ENGLISH HOTELS. — RAPID WASHING. — OLD BOSTON. — STATE HOUSE COMMERCE— FANEUIL HALL. — FRESH POND ICE CROP AND ICE TRADE. — AGRICULTURE NEAR BOSTON.— VALUE OF LAND.— WAGES.— AL-FRESCO TEA. — FIRE-FLIES — NAHANT STEAMBOAT. — LIFE PRESERVERS. — ACCIDENTS. — VISIT TO MR. LONG- FELLOW. — PROFESSOR AGASSJZ GEOLOGY OF NAHANT. — SALEM. — MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES SEA COAST. — VISIT TO MR. PRESCOTT. — NAHANT HOUSE. — THE FLIRTATION GALLERIES. — BATHING. LAURA BRIDGMAN. — LOWELL. — THE " YOUNG LADIES." MANUFACTURES LAWRENCE — MOUNT AUBURN. PIANO FACTORY. — SCHOOLS.— NEW THEATRE. — CITY LIBRARY. — EXCITEMENT RESPECTING SLAVERY QUINCY's SPEECH. — THE " KNOW-NOTHING " MOVEMENT. Kemembering the long voyage, the effects of which were manifest in the erratic motion of my legs, it was startling to hear English spoken on all sides. There were, however, some novel and strange features in the scene ; the strangest being a wonderful contriv- ance called a stage, slung on two enormous leather straps, which passed completely under it. The panels were curiously carved and painted, and the interior 30 A VACATION TOUR. ,»Hf ingeniously fitted -fixed, in Yankee phraseology-to contain nine persons seated on tlircc cross-seats. The whole affiur looked so antiquated, I thought it must have been imported from England in the days of our forefathers. There were several of these coaches waiting \Kd, before we could avail ourselves of their services, u , had to pass the ordeal of the Custom House. This, thanks to excellent management, and great civility on the part of the officials, was an easy operation. A baggage-entry certificate was placed in my hands, which I was directed to fill up; and having solemnly, sincerely, and truly declared that my luggage consisted only of wearing apparel, it was at once passed. The words « so help me God," in large typo, giy^i the declaration a solemnity which, it is presumed, impresses travellers with proper awe,' and may in some cases prevent them making a false declaration. Now came a wonderful packing scene, which in my case terminated by finding myself in one of the afore- said stages with eight Americans, with whom I drove to the Revere House, which enjoys -and justly-the reputation of being the best hotel in Boston. Much as I liad heard respecting American hotels, I confess the gigantic reality of the Revere House BILL OF FATIE. 31 greatly exceeded my expectations. Before making my toilette, 1 indulged in the luxury of a warm bath, which was ready at a moment's notice ; and, having dressed, I sought the eating saloon, a magnificent apartment, tastefully decorated with fresco paintings, where I enjoyed a breakfast, affording such abundant choice, that I transcribe the bill of fare as a specimen of the variety in the commissariat department of American hotels. Broiled.— Beef steaks— pork steaks— mutton chops — calf's liver — sausages — ham — squabs. ^ried.~ Pig's feet — veal and mutton kidneys — sausages — tripe— salt pork— hashed meat. i^isA— Cod-fish with pork—fish balls— hashed fish— fresh salmon— broiled mackerel— broiled smoked salmon— Digby herrino-— halibut— perch with pork. ^^7^/5.— Boiled— skinned— fried- scambled— dropped. Omelets.-^FMn,with par- sley, onions, and ham— kidneys -cheese. Potatoes.— Stewed-fried-baked. Bread.— Hot rolls-Graham rolls— Graham bread -brown bread -dry and dipped toast — hominy — fried Indian puddimr - cracked wheat — corn cake- girdle cake. And for beverage, tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, and iced milk. Here, I think, it will be granted, is a choice of good things sufficient to puzzle the r .st determined gastronomist ; and if the articles which I did not taste were as good 32 A VAJATION TOUR. as those of which I partook, the most fastidious person could not find fault with the cuisine of Revere House. Indeed, it is impossible to conceive a greater con- trast than is presented by an English and an Ame- rican hotel; the first comparatively small, quiet, dingy, and expensive ; the latter vast, noisy, glaring, and, for the accommodation offered, moderate in charge ; for, taking into account that a guest is pro- vided with three meals daily of infinite variety, a bedroom, and the use of handsome drawing and reading rooms, two and a-half dollars, or half-a-guinea a-day, including attendance, is clearly a moderate charge. The interior economy of these large establish- ments is extremely curious. Those fond of studying human character would find abundant occupation without stirring from the hall, as from early morn until late at night there is a perpetual coming and going of all manner of people. This constant surging human tide, ebbing and flowing in large waves through the entrance hall, is felt in even the most retired parts of the house. But what would be wearisome and harassing to an Englishman is appa- rently pleasant to our Transatlantic friends, who seem only in their element when in a noisy crowd. These huge establishments do duty as boarding-houses as AMERICAN HOTELS. 33 well as hotels, large portions being devoted to families, who rent rooms by the year, month, or week, and take their meals at the public tables. For the accom- modation of these guests, there are suites of apart- ments superbly furnished, designated the ladies' drawing-rooms, but to which gentlemen have easy access ; for the doors, in summer at least, are never closed. Here groups of ladies congregate, in wonder- fully rich and gay dresses, reclining on damask- covered sofas, or lounging in the universal rocking- chair, —a few reading, or playing the piano, but the majority passing a dolce far niente kind of existence, which would be insupportable to the thrifty and domestic English wife. I had heard so much of the American bar-room, that I felt considerable curiosity to see one of these places. The bar attached to the Revere House is a large and handsome apartment, furnished with a number of easy chairs and loungers, having a counter across one end, on which stand numerous bottles and decanters, containing the in- gredients for the infinite variety of drinks patronised by Americans. It is worthy of remark that cus- tomers are allowed to help themselves to as much spirits as they please; and although this practice might be supposed to lead to excess, such a result is not the case; the consequences being, less is 34 A VACATION TOUR. drunk at a sitting, — or rather standing, — though the bar is more frequently visited. Thus the interests of the proprietors of these dramshops are better served by their apparent liberality ; and the Bostonians, in one respect at least, follow the advice contained in the distich, — " Solid men of Boston make no long orations ; Solid men of Boston drink no strong potations." The usual charge for a drink is a dime, or ten cents, equal to sixpence ; and, when it is remembered that the bar is frequented from morning till night, it may be imagined this department of the hotel is highly profitable. Within a short distance of the bar, and generally on the same floor, is the barber's shop, without which no American hotel would be perfect. This apart- ment, conspicuous by a large barber's pole, gaily painted, over the dour, is^ fitted with especial regard to the comfort of its hahituh, comprising the ma- jority of the male guests of the hotel, who are in the habit of submitting their faces and hair daily to the practised hands of black barbers. Reclining in velvet-covered chairs, with their feet on high rests, cushioned and covered with the same material, these luxurious Americans are operated on by the negroes RAPID WASHING. 35 in a most artistic manner ; and a process which is ge- nerally unpleasant, if not positively painful, becomes, under their hands, easy and delightful. Such are a few of the more striking features in American hotel life, as first seen by me at the Revere House ; and while every provision is made to meet Jonathan's requirements, his go-ahead propensities are equally studied,— a fact of which I had early experience. Before breakfast, I left a large bundle of linen in my room, with orders that it might be washed by the following day. Happening to return to my chamber in about a couple ^f hours, I found, to my infinite astonishment, all my linen, beautifully washed, on the bed; and on expressing surprise at the quickness with which the operation had been effected, I was assured it could have been equally well accomplished in fifteen minutes. This led i-'j to cast a reproachful glance at my plethoric port- manteau, into which I had, with considerate thought- fulness for clean-linen comfort, stowed a dozen shirts, with other linen in like profusion. Why, when a wardrobe of dirty clothes can be converted into spot- less purity in a few minutes, lying in bed while a shirt is washing is no hardship. And let it not be supposed my informant exaggerated. At a subse- quent period of my travels, I had the curiosity to D 2 36 A VACATION TOUR. visit the laundry attached to a large hotel, for the purpose of seeing how this magic-like ablution is performed. The secret consists in using a variety of ingenious contrivances, and employing numerous girls, who have each a part to perform ; so that a shirt which begins its rapid journey in a state of deep mourning, speedily assumes a lighter complexion, and emerges from the hands of the active maidens and machines in a few minutes, fit to do duty in a Saratoga ball-room. This, as the Yankees say, " is a fact ;" and it is equally true that the charge for this rapid washing is a dollar per dozen articles, which is not reduced if a slower process be adopted. Impatience to sec the New -World city in which I had landed forbade my remaining longer in my hotel ; and accordingly, provided with my letters of introduction, I started to explore the town, peculiarly interesting to an Englishman, it having been founded by those sturdy Puritans who went forth from their Father Land bearing the flag of civil and religious liberty. I emerged on the common, — a large open space planted with trees, surrounded on three sides by some of the best private dwelling-houses of the citi- zens. A great charm is given to these residences — which happily are not smoke-canopied— by the rich- hued flowers of the creepers mantling the walls, and BOSTON STATE HOUSE, ETC. 87 graceful acacias, silver maples, sumachs, and other trees which cast a graceful shade before the doors. It is wortliy of remark that the public seats in the park arc covered with sheet-iron, to preserve them from the whittling propensities common in the States. At the upper end of the common is the State House, from the summit of which I enjoyed a glorious panoramic view of Boston; and in order that this varied and really fine scene may duly impress American visitors, an inscription meets the eye, enu- merating various important national events and acts, no*, omitting the drowning of the tea, and concluding with these words : — ** Americans, while from this eminence scenes of luxuriant fertility, of flourishing commerce, and the abodes of social happiness meet your view, forget not those who, by their exertions, have secured to you these blessings." Descending the slope on which Boston is built, I came to the business part of the city, and found in Washington Street nearly as much bustle as exists in one of our great London arteries. The omnibuses are particularly striking, from their gay decorations and the absence of conductors, whose functions are performed by the driver. He has full command over the door by means of a leather strap, buckled to his D 3 3d A VACATION TOUI?. right leg ; serving at the same time as a check-string. He feels a tug— the strap is slackened— the door opens — and the passenger, handing up the fare through a hole in the roof, alights and goes his way. Ihds the services of a conductor are dispensed with ; and in the case of private carriages driven by their owners, who are rarely accompanied by a servant, I observed when the carriage stopped the horse was anchored by a leather strap to a leaden weight placed on the trottoir. Continuing my explorations, I came to the streets adjoining the wharves, fringed by stately ships and numerous smaller craft. These streets are lined by huge warehouses, tlie majority of which contain piles of boots and shoes,— 37,000,000 dollars being the present annual value of these articles manufactured in Massachusetts alone. The feverish pulse of com- merce throbs in every vein of this part of Boston, which was literally encumbered by bales and boxes to such a degree, as to render passage through them extremely difficult. On my way back I visited Faneuil Hall, celebrated as the meeting-place of democrats ; and the adjoining market-house, where the various edibles, instead of being exposed to view, repose in enviable coolness in Iirge boxes filled with ice. I now delivered my letters of introduction, which FRESH POND. 39 called forth an amount of hospitality that made my sojourn at Boston highly instructive and agreeable. The breaches of courtesy which have unhappily marked the journals of travellers, who frequently re- pay kindness and courtesy by publishing private and, in many cases, confidential conversations, render me particularly desirable not to offend in this respect; and I shall, therefore, only state I had the happiness of sharing the hospitality of families well known in England for their literary attainments. I was indebted to Mr. Brown, the head of the celebrated publishing house, for a most agreeable day speht at his beautiful country seat, about ten miles from Boston. On our way we visited Fresh Pond, a lovely sheet of water, which in our little island would rank as a lake. The water, rising from springs of crystalline purity, changes under the magic hand of frost to ice of exquisite transparency. Vast store- houses, to contain this luxury, constructed of double wooden walls lined with tan, are built on the shores, some of which were still full of ice. The ice-crop has become an immense article of commerce in the United States. The trade was commenced in 1805, by Mr. Tudor, who sent a ship freighted with ice to the West Indies in that year, and soon after extended his operations to other coun- n 4 I 40 A VACATION lOUK. tries. Boston is the great seat of the ice-trade,— all the lakes and pond, near the city being put under requisition to meet the consumption ; which, however, 13 so great and increasing, that additional lakes are in course of formation. Some idea of the enormous demand for this commodity may be formed from the fact that, while the quantity shipped in 1832 was 4352 tons, m 1852 it had risen to nearly 200,000 tons. Many ingenious machines are employed for cutting the ice, which in favourable seasons attains a thick- ness of twenty-four inches. The average yield is 1000 tons per acre. It is necessary to live in an American summer temperature to .appreciate the luxury, or necessity rather, of ice. Throughout the btates It ,s as common as water. Walking through Boston at six in the morning, I saw a Large block dropped at every door. Four dollars is p.aid for a regular daily supply of ice during the five summer months. Besides the consumption for domestic pur- poses, vast quantities are used for preserving pro- visions, the price being only 16 cents for 100 lbs. Before the great ice-eommerce had been established, much inconvenience was felt by the serious ob- struetions occasioned by the sawdust cast into rivers as rubbish, from the sawmills. Now, sawdust being fonnd the very best preservative of ice, there is a AGRICULTURE NEAR BOSTON. 41 constant demand for it, and the rivers are, conse- quently, no longer obstructed. After an early dinner, at which I was introduced to the delicious Catawba champagne grown in Ohio, Mr. Brown drove me through his farms, — among the most productive in the neighbourhood of Boston. The usual crops are corn, hay, carrots, pumpkins, apples, besides cheese and butter. I heard of one farm which numbers 103 acres, 6 being under- wood, and 97 pasture and arable, where the ex- pense of cultivation for one year was 1003 dollars, and the amount arising from the sale of the produce 2760 dollars, leaving a profit of 1757 dollars. Land which, ten years ago, was only worth 40/. per acre, is now worth 200Z., and is annually increasing in value. The pay of labourers is a dollar and a quarter per day. The absence of trim hedges strikes the eye accustomed to them in England. The buckthorn (osmunda spectabilis) partly supplies the want; and when planted close, is, by its terrible armour of thorns, an effectual barrier ajainst tres- passers. The primeval forest has disappeared in this locality, but the distant hills are still clothed with ancient trees ; and only twenty years have elapsed since a wild turkey was shot in the neighbourhood of Mr. Brown's house. \ 42 A VACATION TOUR. Having made a considerable circuit, I found myself in the evening seated under the verandah of a charm- ing house, inhabited hy a relation of Mr. Brown, with a large family gathering round an al-/resco tj, at which a great variety of American fruits and pre- serves were handed round. The scene reminded me of Italy ; and the illusion was strengthened by the balmy atmosphere, a sunset of great glory, and fire- flies which played round us as we drove back to Mr. Brown's house at a late hour of the night. The following morning I returned to Boston, and embarked on board a steamer for Nahant, a fashion- able watering-place about eight miles from the city, much resorted to by the Bostonians. The object of this excursion was to spend the day with Mr. Long- fellow, who had kindly invited me to his summer residence. On this occasion I was introduced to an American coasting and river steamer. Built as lightly as pos- sible, the engine, working partly above deck, impels these boats about eighteen miles an hour. The saloons, of which there are always two, are very elegantly furnished; that devoted to the ladies abounding with every kind of luxurious seat. In strange contrast with this expensive refinement, is the closely.packed store of life-preservers, which, like the NAHANT. 43 skeleton in the Egyptian banquet-halls, reminds one of death. These life-prese . jrs, which the law compels every steamer to carry, are placed in an accessible part of the ship, and, as newspapers inform us, are unfortunately in frequent requisition. Indeed, so common are boiler explosions on board American steamers on the western waters, that it is customary for experienced passengers to assemble in the after- part of the ship when the engines are started, as it is generally at that moment boilers give way.* Nahant is a singular-looking place, consisting of a long and narrow rocky tongue projecting into the blue waters of the Atlantic. It is dotted by small cottages, built in utter defiance of all sesthetic archi- tectural principles, surrounded by tiny enclosures of sward, and carries at its extremity an hotel of such gigantic proportions, as at first sight to give rise to the idea that the superincumbent weight must sub- merge the peninsula. In one of these cottages, somewhat less ugly than its neighbours, I found Mr. and Mrs. Longfellow, and received from them a welcome corresponding in every way to their reputa- tion for amiability and hospitality. Seldom, indeed. * Official returns state that, during 1852, 292 disasters occurred among the passenger-sliips on the western riTers in America, involving a loss of 750 lives. 44 A VACATION TOUK. havo I met witli any person possessing a greater power of making t],o stranger feel at liomo than this celebratocl poet. Accompanied by Iiim, I called on Professor Agassiz, to whom I Imd a letter of intro- auction from my friend Professor Owen. This visit was highly agreeable and instructive ; for we found the enu'nent Professor at work on his cmbryological investigations, which have occupied his time during the last fifteen years. His position is admirably adapted ftu' these interesting researches, as the dispo- sition of the rocks provides hiu), at low water, with an infinite number of m/w^rm, abounding with marine animals. During the sununer months, t'le Professor, who holds a chair in Harvard University, where he habitually resides, devotes his time to this favourite braiudi of natural history,~having, at his father-in- law's cottage at Nahant cycry facility for the study. Nahant also presents a rich field to the geologist. I reuKMuber with much pleasure a walk along the cliffs with IMr. Longfellow and Professor Agassiz, during which the latter drew my attention to the curious geological features of the place, and particu- larly to the rocks of hornblende and syenite, tra- versed by veins of greenstone and basalt, exhibiting polished grooves and furrows, indicative of glacial action. MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS A.ND SHOES. 45 After an early dinner (our Transatlantic cousins have the good sense to abjure supper-hour dinners), Mr. Longfellow drove me with his wife to Lynn and Salem, about eight miles distant on the coast, famous for the prodigious number of boots and shoes manu- factured by their industrious population. In 1853, Lynn alone produced 4,952,300 pairs of boots and shoes. The materials are furnished by head manu- facturers at Boston to the shoemakers, who are paid by the piece. Full employment can always be ob- tained by competent workmen. Binders earn from 3 to 4 dollars, and workmen from 3 to 9 dollars, per week ; the amount depending on their ability and dis- position for labour. In 1853, more than seven thou- sand women were employed at Lynn binding shoes. The specimens of boots and shoes contributed to the Exhibition at New York are stated to have illustrated, in a satisfactory manner, the skill and ingenuity em- ployed in this department of industry. Great taste is displayed in ladies' shoes ; whilst the excellence of workmanship, especially in gentlemen's boots, shows how thoroughly the division of labour in this manu- facture is favourable to satisfactory results. The aptitude of Americans to turn their abilities and time to the best account, is strikingly exemplified by the circumstance that many farmers fill up their leisure 46 A VACATION TOUR. time by shoemaking and cabinet-making, especially in winter, when out-door labour cannot be per- formed. Many farmers contrive to pay their rent by the proceeds of their handicraft. The scenery of the Lynn coast reminded me strongly of that in Lincolnshire. Vast reaches of ribbed sand are covered by sea-weed,— "Ever drifting, drifting, drifting, On the shifting Currents of the restless main ; Till in sheltered coves and reaches Of sandy beaches, Here has found repose again." Marine villas occupy every desirable locality along the coast. One of these belongs to Mr. Preset I, the historian, with whom we spent the evening. Our conversation soon took a literary tun., principally in relation to the vexed question of copyright ; and it so happened, while we were deep in argument, Mr. Pres- cott received letters from England, informing him that the decision of the House of Lords being adverse to a foreigner possessing copyright in England, his bargain with a London publisher for a new historical work, for which he was to have been paid 6000/., had become void. Some men would have exhibited NAHANT HOUSE. 47 disappointment at this reverse of fortune : whatever Mr. Prescott may have felt, it is due to him to state his kind manner underwent no change on the receipt of the intelligence. The reader will be gratified to know that, although the eyesight of this eminent his- torian is dim, he can yet see sufficiently to write with the aid of a frame. It was late when we returned to Nahant, and later when I arrived at the large hotel, where I hi;d secured a bed. Here I had an opportu- nity of seeing the Bostonians to great advantage. Accompanied by Mr. Longfellow's brother-in-law, I visited the drawing-rooms, — superbly furnished apart- ments, — where some 200 ladies and gentlemen were assembled. The change was startling. A few minutes before,'! had been creeping, through the dark night, along the edge of the rugged cliffs, and now I was in the midst of a gay ball, which had this pecu- liarity, that while the ladies, who were young and pretty, were dressed as assuredly only American ladies dress, the men, for the most part, were attired in morning garments. The saloons were brilliantly illuminated ; and some idea of the scale and economy of these American hotels may be formed from the fact, that gas is specially manufactured for Nahant House, and laid on in every bedroom. While an excellent band set many feet in motion. 48 A VACATION TOUR. the outer galleries were occupied by parties, including numerous couples, who, by their demeanour, showed these convenient localities are not inappropriately named 'Hhe flirtation galleries:' I was greatly amused, the following morning, observing the ladies bathing ; for as they are attired for the double pur- pose, as I presume, of bathing and being seen, there is no impropriety whatever in looking at the fair creatures in the water. The garments worn on these occasions are of the gpyest colours, consisting of a Bloomer kind of costume, in which the upper part contrasts strongly with the lower. The head is ge- nerally surmounted by a quaintly-shaped white cap, which seems to have made a deep impression on the author of a poem on Nahant, who says,— " Still where the sea beats on the shore, I sit and drink its music in— . The music of its thunder-roar, And watch the white caps swirling o'er, The blue waves restless evermore." In truth, it is a strange scene ; and does not abate in interest when the ladies emerge from the water, in their gaudy costumes, exhibiting trowsers of all colours, and countless pairs of little white feet, twin- kling on the sand. This early bathing must be as ill LAURA BRIDGMAN. 49 conducive to health as it is to an exhilaration of spirits ; for, during my travels, I saw no ladies with such glowing complexions as those at Nahant. In the words of an American enthusiast, — " They come down to breakfast after their bath, freshened up, looking as sweet and dewy as an avalanche of roses." The tourist, not pressed for time, may spend a few days most pleasantly at Nahant. From its position, it is constantly fanned by cool sea-breezes, which modify the great summer heats. Inclination prompted me to remain another day, particularly as I received a pressing invitation to dine with Mr. Prescott. My plans, however, obliged me to return to Boston where I had yet to see some celebrities. Among these, were Laura Bridgman, and that nearly equal wonder, Oliver Caswell. The asylum for the blind, where the triumph of educating these persons has been achieved, is about two miles from Boston. I found Laura and her companion seated on a sofa, conversing' with a rapidity perfectly bewildering, the process being carried on by simply pressing the fingers on the palm of the hand. Laura, who is now twenty-f six years of age, manifests so high an amount of intellectuality that considerable apprehension is en- tertained respecting her health, which is not very E 60 A VACATION TOUR. good. Her frame is slight, and when excited during conversation the convulsive twitchings of the mus- cles in her forehead are most painful to witness. Strong exercise tends to tranquillise her, and fortu- nately she is not unwilling to walk several hours daily. She purposes writing her life. The dawnings of intellectual consciousness will doubtless form a singular psychological feature. The task of edu- cating Oliver Caswell, who is younger than Laura, was very arduous. The latter is far quicker; as an instance of which she wrote her name in my note- book in half the time occupied by Oliver in the same operation. Furnished with letters from Mr. Abbott Lawrence, I visited Lowell, famous for its factories belonging to a corporation, and for its factory girls, better known by the more elegant title of the " young ladies " of Lowell. About an hour's railway drive brought me to that phenomenon to an Englishman, a smoke- less factory town canopied by an Italian sky. Here, water, pure, sparkling, and mighty in strength, from the Merrimack river, does the duty of steam-en- gines, driving huge wheels and turbines attached to enormous factories. To describe these is unnecessary, as they differ but little in their internal economy from those in our manufacturing districts. There LOWELL. 51 are eight manufacturiiig corporations and thirty-five mills, which produce 2,139,000 yards of piece-goods weekly, consisting of sheetings, shirtings, drillings, and printing cloths. These are fully equal in quality to similar goods maimfactured in England. Not being in the trade, the " young ladies " interested me more than the spinning-jennies or looms ; and, before I had gone through one mill, I was ready to admit that the difference between a Manchester factory girl and a Lowell " young lady," is great indeed. The latter is generally good-looking, often pretty, dresses fashionably, wears her hair a Vlmpdratrice, or ci la Chinoise, and takes delight in finery, and flowers, which give a gay appearance to the factory rooms. But it would be unfair to institute a comparison between the Manchester and Lowell factory girl ; as the former is born in that hard school where work is a life-long taskmaster, while the latter is generally the daughter or relative of a substantial farmer, who enters the mills for the purpose of gaining a little independence, and seldom remains there more than a few years. Thus the employment takes higher rank than with us, and the "young ladies" live in a manner that would greatly astonish an liinglish factory girl. Requesting permission to see one of the Lowell boarding-houses, where the " young E 2 62 A VACATION TOUR. Ibl ladies " reside, I was directed to the establishment usually shown to visitors; but, conceiving it desirable to step aside from the beaten track, I knocked at the door of a different house. The residences of the "young ladies" are excellent, forming rows separated by wide streets, shaded by a profusion of trees, and bright with flowers. My request to be permitted to see the house did not meet with ready assent. After some parley with the servant, the mistress appeared, and made particular inquiries respecting the object of .ny visit, adding, it was not her custom to show her house to strangers. This made me the more desirous of gaining admission ; and having succeeded in satisfying the lady I was merely a curious Englishman, she allowed me to enter, and took great pains in showing me her establishment, assuring me had she been aware of my visit she would have put her house in order. But it needed no preparation to convince me the " young ladies " are admirably provided for. A large sitting-room occupied a considerable portion of the basement floor, beyond which was the refectory; above were airy bedrooms, well furnished, containing from two to four beds. The provisions, which my conductress insisted I should taste, were excellent; and when I add the "young ladies" arc waited on, and have their clothes THE " YOUNG LADIES." 53 washed, with the exception of their laces, &c., which they prefer washing themselves, it will be seen they are very comfortable. For their board and lodging they pay six dollars a month, one-sixth of which is paid by the corporation ; and as their average earn- ings are about three and a half dollars a week, it is evi- dent that, if not extravagant in their dress, they have it in their power to sa a considerable sum yearly. But I fear, from the number of gay bonnets, parasols, and dresses which I saw in tiie " young ladies' " apartments, a large proportion of the weekly wages is spent on these objects. At the same time it is right to add that the strictest propriety reigns throughout their community, comprising 1870 females; and it was gratifying to hear that, although the famous Lowell Offering periodical has been discontinued, the books borrowed from the town library, for the use of which half a dollar is paid yearly, are of a healthy literary nature. The toial number of operatives at Lowell when I visited it was nearly 10,000, and their savings invested in the bank of deposit 1,104,000 dollars. Mr. Lawrence informed me that the corporation purpose building additional factories for weaving coarse cloths, which can be sold cheaper than those imported from England. At Lawrence, a new scat £ 3 54 A VACATION TO UK. of cotton manufacture, also situated on the Merri- mack, it is intended to erect vast mills on the most improved system. The Atlantic cotton mills, already in operation at that place, turn out 300,000 yards of cotton oloth weekly. The total capital invested in the manufacture of cotton goods in Massachusetts, amounts to 30,000,000 of dollars. Among the lovely resting-places of the dead. Mount Auburn, near Boston, eminently merits men- tion ; and I cherish, with great pleasure, the remem- brance of an evening spent there. On my way to it I visited 3 -.rvard University at Cambridge, and Longfellow's house, — historically interesting, as having been the residence of Washington in 1775, when he commanded the American army. The drive to Mount Auburn is peculiarly English : fine elm- trees, two centuries old, cast their graceful branches across the road ; and villas, with trim gardens and lawns, carry thoughts back to the old country. The cemetery, about 300 acres in extent, is remarkable for the picturesque disposition of the ground and variety of trees: unhappily, however, man has greatly marred these beauties by the frightful monu- ments, cenotaphs, and obelisks raised over the tombs, — sufficient to convict the American nation of being, as yet, sadly ignc nt of artistic taste. It was rcallv MOUNT AUBUKX. 55 a relief to turn from these wretched productions into the cool glades, where lovely flowers blossomed beneath the shade of cedars and cypresses, peopled by shrill cicalas. Had the monuments been less painful to the eye I should have dwelt longer among them ; for some stand upon ground occupied by the remains of men of whom America has reason to be proud. Honour, too, is rendered to those who have laboured in the cause of humanity ; and I was greatly pleased that, in my hurry, I did not miss a monu- ment bearing the following soul-stirring inscrip- tion : — " To the Memory of the Rev. Charles Torrey, who died in the Penitentiary of Baltimore. He was arrested for aiding slaves to regain their liberty. For this humane act he was indicted as a criminal, con- victed by the Baltimore City Court, and sentenced to the Penitentiary for six years. While on his death- bed he was refused a pardon by the governor of Maryland ; and died of consumption, after two years' confinement, a victim to his sufferings." Nearly in the centre of the cemetery, and on the summit of the mount, rises a tower, connnanding a fine panoramic view, from which the silent abode of death wears a beautiful appearance, for the re- pulsive monumeuts arc shrouded by the thick woods. E 4 56 A VACATION TOUR. Undulating country, dotted by jflourisliing villages, stretches far to the west ; gleaming lakes, which produce the famous ice-crop, lying in the richly- wooded hollows ; while on the east, Boston, with its wide-spreading suburbs, and its restless tide of human life, extends to the verge of the cemetery within which the weary are at rest. Gazing on this picture, flooded by the golden light of the setting sun, thought recurred to that period, not far distant, when the country fringing the Atlantic, where now mighty cities throb with the energy of millions, was little better than a trackless wilderness. In 1700, the population of Boston was 7000; in 1840,83,000; and in 1850, it had risen to 270,000. All the establishments in this city are on a very extensive scale. The educational institutions are models of excellence. It is highly honourable to the citizens that, in proportion to the population, a larger sum is expended on education than by any other city in the Union. In 1853, 1,200,000 dollars were in- vested in schoolhouses ; and 300,000 dollars are annually spent on educatior. But the returns for the entire state of Massachusetts are more striking ; as they show that, with a population of one nn'llion, tiiere wore, in 1851, 3G87 schools, or one for every two square miles, and an annual expenditure BOSTON NEW TIIEATUE. 57 of 1,500,000 dollars for educational purposes. In all the public institutions and private commercial esta- blishments, great activity is very conspicuous. The busy piano manufactory of the Chickerings, which has been recently built on a scale to turn out sixty pianos weekly, may be instanced as a specimen of the gigantic nature of American enterprise. This building occupies five acres ; 400 workmen are em- ployed ; and the concern is so managed that, in the figurative language of a publication describing it, ** forests enter at one end of the building, and come out perfect pianofortes at the other ; " to which, how- ever, should be added a little metal ; for, clever as the Yankees are in the use of wood, it is to be appre- hended that all their forests, with only their native ** brass," would make but a sorry piano. The reproach which long attached to Boston, with respect to its poor theatre, is now removed by the erection of a magnificent structure, capable of con- taining 4000 persons. I examined this building in detail, and was much struck by the method em- ployed to render it as perfect as possible. The seats are disposed in such a manner that each commands the stage ; and the latter embraces all modern im- provements, including a curtain of sheet-iron to cut off connniinication with the audience. Here my 58 A VACATION TO UK. ■ti^' friends, the actors, with whom I had crossed the Atlantic, were engaged to perform. To the numerous literary institutions already ex- isting in Boston, a public library has recently been added, which is supported by city funds. The esta- blishment is free to all inhabitants of Boston above sixteen years of age, who are permitted to take books from the library for home use. This great privilege is duly valued. During three months in the spring of 1854, 5000 persons were supplied with books. The only guarantee required for their safety is a cer- tificate from a householder, to the effect that the party borrowing the book « is a fit person to enjoy the privileges of the public library.*' Before closing my experiences of this most pleasant city, I must add, in justice to the Bostonians, that I heard slavery frequently discussed and denounced with great vehemence, in consequence of a recent successful appeal to the authorities, requiring them to restore a fugitive slave to his master. A slave, superior to his fellows, had taken refuge in Boston. His master, a southern planter, being apprised of the circumstance, went to the city, and called upon the mayor to restore his property to him. The latter demurred, and the case was tried. Meanwhile, the slave-owner lodging at the Revere House, Lnivc out he EXCITEMENT RESPECTING SLAVERY. 59 was armed to the teeth, — which was the case, — and that he would not leave Boston without his slave. The citizens soon evinced their feeling in the matter ; and when at last the law ordered the restitution of the slave, a large armed force was obliged to be called upon to protect the master. Meetings quickly followed, for the purpose of expressing sentiments and passing resolutions condemnatory of slavery in every shape and form. At one of them the veteran Quincy was present, and made a speech (for a copy of which I am indebted to the Hon. Mr. Everett), which pro- duced a powerful effect on the excited assemblage. " 1 am here," he said, " as one who has now in this world little to hope, and, I thank God, nothing to fear ; who has behind him only the memory of the past, and before him the opening grave. From such an individual you have a right to expect words of truth, duty, and soberness. What has been seen? what has been felt, by every man, woman, and child in this metropolis ? Wo have seen our Court House in chains ; two battalions of dragoons, eight regiments of artillery, twelve companies of infantry, the whole constabulary force of the city police, the entire dis- posable marine of the United States, with its artillery loaded for action, all marching in support of a pr£e- torian band, consisting of one hundred and twenty 60 A VACATION TOUK. friends and associates of the United States Marshal, with loaded pistols and drawn swords, and in military costume and array,— and for what purpose? To escort and conduct a poor trembling slave from a Boston Court House to the fetters and lash of his master." The peroration of the speech may be con- ceived. I was assured the excitement was intense, and the general impulse was to dissolve the union with the Slave States at once. The Bostonians have long been inimical to slavery. As far back as 1645, the Court of Boston passed a resolution, by which they "held themselves bound to bear witness against the liaynus and crying sinne of man-stealing, as also to prescribe such timely re- dresses for what is past, and such a law for the future as may deter others belonging to us to have to do in such vile and most odious courses, justly abhorred of all good and just men. And we do order that the negro, with all others unlawfully taken, be, by the first opportunity, at the charge of the country, sent to his native country of Ginny, and a letter with him of the iivlignation of the Corte thereabouts, and we desire that our honored Governor will please put this order in execution."* * Copied from tlio oarly records of Massiichusctts. THE " KNOW-NOTHING " MOVEMENT. 61 Throughout the Tew England States the public voice is yearly heard louder in denunciation of slavery. With so strong a feeling, the fine lines of America's chief poet have peculiar significance : — • " Go on until this land revokes The old and chartered Lie, The feudal curse, whose whips and yokes Insult humanity. " Write ! and tell out this bloody tale ; Record this dire eclipse, This day of wrath, this endless wail. This dread apocalypse ! " Next to slavery, the new and curious " Know- nothing " party was most frequently discussed. This latest creation of American politicians, which I saw described as '' moving in a mysterious way Its wondei's to pei'forni," is "'now, despite its title, pretty well known. The birth of yesterday, the party has acquired a strength and power absolutely startling. Their professed object is to oppose the election of Koman Catholics, and all who are not native Americans, into any office in the States, and by every means in their power to promote feelings of hatred and animosity against 62 A VACATION TOUR. Popery. The immense preponderance of Protestants over Papists in the United States, gives this in- tolerance a mysterious character ; for as there we ;e only 1112 Roman Catholic chapels in 1850 in the States, and 35,711 Protestant churches, it is evident Fopc^vy need not be dreaded. Indeed, Mr. Everett assured me, religion was a secondary consideration in " Know-nothingism." The party have three newspaper organs. The principal one is called " The Know-nothing and American Crusader," and has for its motto " God and our country ! — Deeds not words ! " surmounted by a youth, extending his right hand to a star, and trampling the Papal tiara under foot. The second is styled " The Mystery, pub- lished nowhere, sold everywhere, edited by Nobody and Know-nothing." Underneath are a large eye, a nose, and the cypher 0. The third is entitled " The Wide-awake and the Spirit of Washington," with the motto " God forbid, that we, their pos- terity, should be recreant to their trust." These publications are full of coarse and low invectives against Roman Catholics, who are denounced as enemies to the country of their adoption. Notice of all elections is given, with directions who should be supported. The movement is not confined to the lower orders. A Boston gentleman told me that, THE "know-nothing" movement. 63 having expressed opinions supposed to be in favour of '* Know-nothingism," he was drawn aside by an acquaintance, and informed if he desired to join the party he might do so by going to a ho^ise which he described on a certain night ; but he must bear in mind that the oaths enjoining secrecy would have to be taken. In the course of my tour, I had opportu- nities of seeing the results of the " Know-nothing " movement, which has penetrated to tho far west, and, if I am not greatly mistaken, the Americans have breathed life into a Frankenstein which will occasion them much trouble. 64 A VACATION TOUlt. CHAP. III. Sift If '..c. i mi LEAVE BOSTON. — RAILWAY CARS. — COW-CATCHER. — LOCOMOTIVES. — WATERING THE PASSENGERS. — PRECO- CIOUS TRAVELLING COMPANION. — TROY SARATOGA. — CONGRESS SPRING. — AMUSEMENTS. DINNER. — BLACK WAITERS. — I'ROMENADE. — BALL. — LADIES* DRESSES. MONROE. PLANK ROAD. — LAKE GEORGE. — SQUIRREL HUNT. — RATTLESNAKES. — BASSE PISHING. — BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. — LAST OF TlIE MOHICANS. — TICONDEROGA FORT SMOKE FOG. — FORESTS ON FIRE. — LAKE CHAM- PLAIN. — AWFUL DARKNESS. — DIFFICULT NAVIGATION. — rouse's point. — TREMENDOUS FIRES RAILWAY DRIVE THROUGH THE BUPtNING FORESTS. — OGDENSBURG. — A FRIEND IN 'iFFICULTIES. — CROSS THE ST. LAWRENCE. PRESCOTT. — CANADIAN VOYAGEURS. — STORY OP A RAFT. — LEAVE PRESCOTT. — KINGSTON. — FORT HENRY. — LAKE ONTARIO. — COBURG. — BUTTER MERCHANT. — LEAVE FOR PETERBOROUGH. — HOUSELESS TOAVN. — THE OTONA- BEE. — ARRIVE AT PETERBOROUGH. Bearing in mind that a traveller, to his vexation, has often to wait for his bill at an English hotel, I applied for mine early on the morning of my departure from the Revere. But I now learned that, with the universal desire to economise time, hotel bills are dispensed with in the States. The bar-keeper informed me I had to pay so many dollars, and, the payment being made, I was free to depart. COW-CATCIIKU. — LOCOMOTIVES. 65 Mv ^b'.ihation was Saratoga, to wliicli I travelled b} i'SLih^r/f passing through the picturesque district of ; *i( «1 'een Mountains. The American railway car, as is ^ erally known, is about forty feet long, eight aiif' - JuJf wide, and six and a half high, having seats, with reversible backs, for sixty passengers. The weight of a car of these dimensions is eleven tons, and the cost about 4001. It is supported at each end on four wheeled trucks, ingeniously mounted on swivel axles, enabling it to whisk round curves at the sight of which an English railway engineer would stand aghast. The locomotive is very unlike ours, being an uncouth-looking machine, with a prodigious bottle- nose chimney, and an iron-barred vizor-like affair in front, called a cow-catcher, though, as I can attest from observation, it is not at all particular as to the kind of animal it catches, or kills ; for, as may be imagined, when an unfortunate beast is struck by the pointed guard, the chances are it is killed. As the railways, with few exceptions, are unprovided with fences, the herds and flocks turned into the forests are at liberty to roam on the track ; sheep especially are fond of resorting to the line at night, which they find drier than the damp clearings. These animals, however, are not deemed formidable obstacles. An engine cleverly dashed through a flock of one hundred and F 66 A VACATION TOUIl. eighty, the greater portion of which were summarily converted into mutton. Diflfering in outward form, the American engine differs also in its interior economy from our locomotive, feeding on wood, for which it has an insatiable appetite, instead of coal, which may ac- count for the unearthly sound it emits, comparable only to the simultaneous braying of a dozen donkeys labouring under oppressive asthma. The English first- class railway traveller, accustomed to tlie courtesy of guards and the servility of porters, will seek in vain for their representatives in America. A conductor, un- marked by any badge of distinction beyond n small plate, which he only displays when the train is m motion (for up to that period he is an independent gentle- man), shouts to the engine-driver, " All o' board ; " a bell, attached to the engine, is rung violentlv, not to summon indolent or tardy passengers "on board," for they are supposed to be in the cars—- but to warn people in the streets of the approach of the locomotive, and the train is off. Thus, the traveller has to look out for himself, and he is early made aware of the important fact, that if he trusts to others he will in all probability pay the penalty by being left behind. Through streets, across thronged roads, speeds the train, the only warning being a conspi- cuous notice—" Look out for the locomotive when the WATEIIING TFIE PASSENGERS. 67 bell rings." The conductor's labours commence with the journey. Here again the value of time in Ame- rica is made appare^it ; for as the functionary pro- ceeds through the cars, calling out " Tickets," it will be noticed very few passengers are provided with checks. The conductor is, therefore, empowered to sell tickets, and this, with receiving them at the end of the journey, constitutes his principal occupation. When the train reaches its destination, the conductor removes his official badge, and retires into private life. The process of watering the passengers, as it is called, is another feature peculiar to American rail- way travelling. A man or boy, often a negro, carry- ing a tin can, and tumblers in a frame, passes fre- quently through the cars dispensing iced water to the numerous applicants for that indispensable refresh- ment during an American summer, which is provided at the expense of the railway company. The rate of travelling is about twenty-four miles an hour. The stoppages are frequent, to take in wood, which burns more rapidly than coke. At these wooding stations, anfortunate horses may be seen toiling up an endless incline, which retrogrades beneath their feet, and sets machinery in motion to saw logs for the locomotives. F '2 68 A VACATION TOUR. if if' There being no distinction of cars, excepting those for emigrants and coloured persons, tlie adage that travelling makes us acquainted with strange com- panions has more than usual force in the States, where an honourable judge, a senator, or the Presi- dent himself, may be seen seated next to a rouc^h and unwashed mechanic. On the present occasion, my neighbours were of a very heterogeneous nature, con- sisting of every variety of American society. Ele- gantly dressed ladies were, as usual, not wantintr ; and, under the circumstances, I considered myself particu- larly fortunate in having next to me an exceedingly pretty girl, who entered the car at a station about twenty miles from Boston. The day was oppressively warm, and so by way of commencing a conversation I offered the young lady the use of a bottle of eau de Cologne. If, thought I, she accepts my offer, she will not be disinclined to engage in conversation. I was not wrong. The perfume was freely used. Thanks were returned in a sweet voice, happily untainted by a nasal twang, and, however antagonistic to romance, truth compels me to state we were soon entangled in the intricacies of an argument on Slavery. She was a strenuous advocate of bondage, and regarded all Abolitionists with particular horror and aversion. As her words swelled in violence, the warm blood FliECOCIOUS TllAVELLING COMrANION. 69 of the south — for she was a southern — crimsoned her cheeks. The lady's range of information was astounding, and she talked with a masculine deter- mination and assurance strangely at variance with her yoi^'' ful appearance. As she was going to Ballston Spi ' jjs, near Saratoga, we spent the greater part of the day together ; and when we drew near her desti- nation, I expressed my regret that she was not going to Saratoga. " Well, if you remain at Saratoga we may meet again." " But," added the lady, '• I shall be only a short time at the Springs, for school re-opens in three weeks ! " So my heroine was only a school- girl ! — Young I knew her to be, but I did not imagine I had been talking to a precocious " bread and butter Miss," as Byron styles young ladies in a transition state between the nursery and drawing-room. As- suredly, had that poet's experience of scliool-girls been derived from those " raised " in America, he would have come to the conclusion that the ].>ahulum of seminaries in the model republic is of more mascu- line stuff than bread and butter. la the course of the journey we passed within viuw of Albany, on the right bank of the Hudson, near t • e heud of the tidal navigation. This city wa*^ : . luided in 1612 by the Dutch, and, next to Jame^j Town in \ irginia (now in ruins), is the most ancieni Earo- 1- 3 f 70 A VACATION TOUK I's I'll I'll* pean settlement within the thirteen original states. On the capture of New York by the English in 1664, Albany received its present name in honour of James, Duke of York and Albany. Following the left bank of the river we arrived at Troy, celebrated as the great dep6t of the lumber trade, from whence enormous quantities of timber are sent down the Hudson. The Americans are proud of their Troy. The classical visitor will, however, seeing it is a busy manufacturing town, exclaim, Alas, for Ilium et ingem gloria Tencrorum ! ar:- he will be the more inclined to sigh over past and present associations, when he hears that two small hills in the vicinity of the town bear the high- sounding titles of Ida and Olympus. The traveller has an excellent opportunity of seeing the principal streets, as the railway passes directly through them before crossing the Hudson, and thus passengers are conveniently dropped at the doors of the hotels. It was dark when we arrived at Saratoga. Fol- lowing a train of passengers who were going to the United States Hotel, I found myself among a crowd of eager applicants for rooms. Having obtained an apartment, I was seized by four negroes, who, with prodigiously large whisks, commenced a vigorous attack on the dust covering my clothes and hair. CONGRESS SPRING. 71 After this operation I indulged in a luxurious bath, iind, having changed my dress, mingled with the numerous and gay company promenading the corri- dors. The vastness of the hotel was amazing. In comparison with its halls, those at the Revere House sink into insignificance. After supper, strains of music drew me upstairs, where, in a large and handsome ball-room, about two hundred ladies and gentlemen were dancing and promenading, the former en grande toilette, while the latter, as at Nahant, wore their morning costume. The following morning I rose early, and went to the ' rated Congress Spring, which rises in a smai .rk at the end cf the main street. The bub- bling fountain, enclosed by a temple, was surrounded by a crowd of both sexes, drinking the curative clement out of glasses handed to them by boys. The ladies were dressed in loose morning robes, and wore on their heads a kind of fringed hood of crochet work. An advertisement suspended in the temple, set forth that Congress Spring was dis- covered in 1792 by a member of Congress. The water is a purely natural acidulous or carbonated saline aperient, and is pronounced peculiarly bene- ficial in stomach complaints, and diseases of the blood. F 4 72 A VACATION TOUK. m i?m 'i So fair a promise of restoring healtli, combined with fashionable amusements, draws a large concourse of invalids and pleasure-seekers to Saratoga. Such, indeed, are its real or imaginary attractions, that as many as 2000 visitors have arrived in a week. Exercise being enjoined in the interval between drinking the requisite large number of glasses, an ingenious contrivance has been devised combining exercise and locomotion. Not far from the spring is an extensive circular railway, on which run gaily- painted miniature cars holding two persons, who turn the wheels for themselves. A number of these cars were careering round at a great rate on the morning of my visit, the amusement consisting in the different parties running races with each other, the ladies helping their partners most vigorously in propelling the machines. Besides this, bowls, and nine, or ten-pins as they are called in America, were in vogue, the ladies joining heartily in the game. At a short distance from the spring is an establishment where the water is bottled, and despatched to all parts of the Union, for the Americans implicitly believe it is the best mineral water of its kind, and the consumption is conse- quently very large.* It was difficult to recognise * As it is possible that some invalid reader may feel inclined ladies' dresses. 73 the ladies at the spring as the same I had met at the breakfast table, so great was the change in their dress. Remembering that the majority pur- posed passing through two more transformations, for dinner and the nightly ball, and that to appear in a different dress on every occasion is the height of fashion, I no longer doubted the story of some ladies travelling with fifty dresses. It is also said, that when ladies have exhibited their wardrobe, they depart, the great object of their visit being accomplished. Independently of the attractions of Saratoga as the most fashionable watering-place in the United States, its historical associations are interesting. Not far from it, and on an elevation about a mile from the Hudson, is the celebrated battle-field, claimed by Americans as the locality where the advancing wave which threatened to overwhelm their liberty was arrested. It cannot be denied that the English army under Burgoyne suffered a reverse at this spot, which had great influence in depriving us of a splendid heritage. After a struggle during six days, the British army to visit Saratoga, I subjuin the analysis of the Congress Spring water made by Sir H. Davy and Professor Faraday : —Chloride of sodium 385-44 grains ; hydriodate of soda 4-02 ; carbonate of lime 116-00; carbonate of magnesia 56*80; oxide of iron -64; carbonate of soda -56 ; hydro-bromate of potash, a trace ; solid contents in a gallon 563-46 grains. 74 A VACATION TOUR. liere yielded themselves prisoners to General Gates, and America was fropi that moment a nation. The kindness of the Americans to their prisoners on this occasion forms a bright feature of that memorable battle: an affecting incident preserves this noble trait. Major Ackland, of the English army, who had been severely wounded, was on the point of being shot by a boy, when his life was saved by an American general from whom he received the most tender care. Subsequently, when in England, hearing the Ame- ricans on some public occasion traduced as cowards, he boldly contradicted the libeller, whom he chal- lenged, and a duel ensuing, the noble soldier fell a victim to his chivalric zeal. - The great event of the day at " the Springs " is dinner, which takes place at half-past three. This, at the United States Hotel, is a tremendous under- taking. Conceive sitting down in an enormous saloon, or, rather, four saloons at right angles to each other, with some 600 guests, waited upon by 150 negroes, commanded by a black maitre d'hotel. The operation of finding places for such a multitude — in itself no trifling task — being over, the waiters, dressed in spotless white jackets, extend their hands over the covers, and at a signal from their chief, stationed in the centre of the saloons, remove them DINNER AT THE UNITED STATES HOTEL. 75 simultaneously. Then arises a clatter of knives, plates, and forks perfectly bewildering, in the sharp rattling fire of which conversation is drowned and confusion seems established. But a glance at the commander-in-chief shows that, although his black troops are rushing hither and thither in hot haste at the bidding of impetuous Southerners or less iras- cible Northerners, he has not lost his authority. At a clap of his hands they fall into their places, and at another all the dishes are removed. Bearing these dexterously on their extended arm, they march in step to the side-doors, through which they disappear. Scarcely, however, are they out of sight when, like Harlequin in the pantomime, in they come again, each with three fresh dishes, with which they march to their appointed places. Then, with their eye on the commander, they hold a dish over the table, and pop it down at the first signal. With clap two the second dish descends ; and at the third signal the tables are covered. So through the dinner ; for even in the changing of knives, forks, and spoons the same regularity is observed. The whole thing is exces- sively entertaining ; and, what between looking at the various manoeuvres, and at the ladies' dresses, 1 fared badly in the way of eating. The fault, how- ever, lay entirely with myself, for the abundance of ^Twa w nc B fljMraarg Miff 76 A VACATION TOITR. mil dishes was almost overpowering. This admirable organisation is, of course, a great economy of time ; for, although no counting-houses are near, the guests, without any display of quick eating, were evidently desirous not to remain longer at table than necessary ; and in less than an hour the rooms were deserted. At a German hrunneti the move would now have been in the direction of the hills, over which numerous donkeys or ponies would be found ready to bear the visitors. But they order matters differently at Saratoga, where to see each other and to be seen is evidently the main object. Accordingly, the ladies, in their gay attire, with their beautiful hair uncovered by bonnet or cap, promenade in the galleries and through the main street from hotel to hotel ; some of the gentlemen, meantime, being seated in very re- markable attitudes in the verandahs, from whence they enjo}' commanding views of the ladies ; while others seek the billiard-rooms or shooting-galleries. As evening closes the promenaders return, and at seven a loud gong summons to tea. After this repast the drawing-rooms fill, and some of the ladies play and sing. Later there is generally « a hop," as the negro waiters call it. Such is a sketch of the life I saw at Saratoga, — highly amusing to contemplate for a short time, but Ijglr, y. -. ..Hi I 1 MONROE. TLANK ROAD. 77 presenting no temptation to the stranger to mix in for more than a couple of days. It would, liowever, have been easy had I desired to make many ac- quaintances, for several gentlemen offered to introduce me to their friends. Leaving the gay and glittering scene, in the af- ternoon I took the railway ars to Monroe, and proceeded by stage over a plank road to Lake George, a distance of eighteen miles. I was the only passenger, and for some minutes it seemed doT btful whether the driver would proceed with so nnremunerative a load. However, I insisted on his starting, having been assured at Saratoga that a stage invariably communicated with the trains at Monroe ; anu, after a little growling, he mounted his box and we set off. The road was wretched. The planks had not been renewed for many years, and we floundered about in a manner more ludicrous than pleasant. When we had accomplished about half the distance, and the night had set in, we came to a wooden bridge, at the approach to which the driver paused. "Wl-it is the matter?" I demanded. *' Why, I guess there's a darn'd holvj in this V^-e bridge," was his reply. At this intelligence I suggested, as it was very dark, he should get out and lead his horses. This, however, did not meet his appro- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // A5^ ^^o ^-^ fc 1.0 t^m. I.I 1.25 2.0 1.8 lA IIIIII.6 v] <^ ^/. /A #3 PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 O"^ ^W^^ ' O ^^^ 4^^^ V '*?) 78 A VACATION TOUR. bation; and before I could alight he whipped the animals furiously, and over we went, clearing hole and bridge at a bound. As this was my first intro- duction to American disregard of life and limb, it made a considerable impression on me. Subsequent adventures tended greatly, however, to harden me. At ten I arrived at the hotel, situated at the southern extremity of Lake George, and soon after forgot my fatigues in a comfortable bed. I had made a detour for the express purpose of seeing this lake ; and the scenery which burst upon me the following morning was so lovely I resolved on devoting a day to its varied beauties. I was confirmed in my determination by hearing at breakfast there was to be a grand squirrel-hunt in the neighbouring woods, and all the farming population were to take part in it. These hunts, or, as they are called, « Squirrel Bees," take place at the close of harvest, and are generally attended with a terrible destruction of squirrels and other animals ; for, al- though squirrels are the principal objects of pursuit, no quadruped or bird comes amiss to the hunter. A recent battue in the woods to the east of Lake Cham- plain had yielded 1 wild cat, 7 red foxes, 29 racoons, 76 woodchucks, 101 rabbits, 21 owls, 42 hawks, 103 partridges, 14 quails, 39 crows, 4497 grey, red, black, SQUIRREL-nUNT. — RATTLESNAKES. 79 and striped squirrels, 25 wild ducks, besides unnum- bered pigeons, jays, woodpeckers, &c. It is customary to count by tails, — a bear reckon- ing as 50 tails, a fox as 20, and so on ; thus when so many tails are mentioned it does not follow the same number of squirrels is comprehended. These pretty little animals, which, according to the farmers, are sadly mischievous, abound in the woods around Lake George, in proof of which I was assured that, a few years ago, as many as 32,000 were killed when the harvest was over. On the present occasion only 4300 fell, of which about 200 were black. I shot one of these, and eight red squirrels, and might have easily added to the number, but from a circum- stance which paralysed my t;nergies, and kept me in a state of constant apprehension. This was the un- welcome information that the woods swarm with rattlesnakes, rendering it highly dangerous to tra- verse them without having the feet and legs protected by stout boots. Now, as I wore shoes which left my ankles entirely unprotected, I confess I felt very uncomfortable, and was particularly carefi 1 not to stray from the beaten track in my pursuit of game. These terrible reptiles are not, however, shunned by the hunters. Some men are particularly dexterous in capturing them for the sake of their oil 80 A VACATION TOUR. and gall, which are reputed to be valuable specifics for certain diseases ; and my friend, Mr. Lanman of Washington, who is well acquainted with Lake George, says that the principal amusement of the girls residing in a small hamlef on the shores of the lake is rattlesnake-hunting. Their favourite play- ground is the sunny side of Tongue Mountain, near Rattlesnake Island, where they pull the reptiles from between the rocks by their tails, and, snapping them to death, carry them off in baskets as trophies of their skill. In this manner he was told they had killed, in one day, the incredible number of 1100. While the mountains and forests are tenanted by a variety of game and reptiles, the angler will be glad to hear that the waters of this beautiful lake are famous for the number and variety of trout, and particularly for black basse, which, like trout, seem to be partial to romantic places. This fine fish is a genuine natwe American, and justly takes high rank among the game fish of the country. The true angler will respect it the more for its love for gaudy flies, which it seizes with the avidity of a salmon- trout. I was informed that in the vicinity of the nume- rous islands, dozens of basse of from two to six pounds weight may be taken in the courseof a few hours; so the angler may reckon on excellent fishing should he LAKE GEORGE. 81 feel disposed to remain some time on the shores of this lake, and should he tire of sport, he will have abundant opportunities of studying herpetology if he be inclined. Let the Americans praise Lake George as much as they please, its great beauties cannot be exag- gerated. Its Indian name is Horicon, a musical and appropriate word, signifying " pure water," and it is to be regretted this was exchanged for the more common-place name which it now bears, It is thirty-four miles long (Murray is not yet in America, so a tourist may occasionally render good service by a little description), from two to four wide, and reflects upwards of 300 islands on its clear bosom. It is completely surrounded by elevations, the most prominent of which are Black and Tongue Moun- tains, famous for their dens of rattlesnakes. French Mountain, which rises picturesquely at the south extremity, is memorable as having been the camping ground of the French during the Revolutionary War. I had half determined to ascend this mountain in the evening, but gave up the idea on being told that the undertaking requires several hours. Ame- ricans, however, if we may judge by the following lines transcribed from the Hotel Album, would not have been so easily deterred ; o mmm 82 A VACATION TOUR. " Though before you mountains rise, Go-ahead ; Scale them certainly you can : Let them proudly dare the skies, What are mountains to a man ? Go-ahead." Instead of ascending the mountain, I visited the remains of Fort George, and Fort William Henry, celebrated as the scene of the terrible massacre of the English army by the Indians in 1757. The shores of Lake George abound with interesting localities in connection with the struggle for dominion in the New World between the English and French ; and the admirer of Cooper will not forget that the scene of " The Last of the Mohicans " is laid here and in the im»nediate neighbourhood. The following morning I embarked in a small steamer for the head of the lake. The day was lovely, and the trip most beautiful. An old fellow belonging to the boat pointed to all the objects of intercr.. ; and when we came abreast of Tongue Mountain, confirmed its unenviable reputation for rattlesnakes, by producing a large box containing about a dozen of these reptiles which he had caught on the slopes. It is his yearly habit to catch, at the beginning of the season, a number of these snakes, TICONDEROGA FORT. 83 which he keeps without food, and at the end of the year kills them, and sells t'.ieir oil. Those which he had were extremely large, and in a furious state of excitement. At the head of the lake rude stages were waiting to convey us to Ticonderoga, five miles distant. This drive introduced me to a corduroy road, over the irregularities of which our vehicle rose and fell with a violence of motion threatening every moment to hurl me from my outside seat. On our way we passed several log huts. Altogether the drive was of the wildest nature. At Ticonderoga, or, as it is called, " old Ty," we had to wait some hours for the Lake Champlain steamer, during which time I explored the extensive ruins of the fortress. This was built by the French in 1756, and called Carillon. The Indian name was Cheonderoga, signifying sounding water, on account of the rushing waters at the outlet of Lake George at the Falls. The place is identi- fied with the most deadly strife between the English and French, and subsequently between the former and the Americans. The ruins are situated on a peninsula, comprising about 500 acres, and are at an elevation of about 100 feet above Lake Champlain. It was a very strong fortress, and the numerous relics of war, in the form of bullets and arrow-heads Q 2 84 A VACATION TOUR. which arc still found, attest how fiercely buttles must have raged about its walls. While seated on an eminence, contemplating the varied features of land and water, and musing on the past eventful history of the rain, I noticed that the charming scenery was gradually becoming dim. Conceiving my eyes might be in fault, I rubbed them, but on gazing forth again, the same dimness prevailed. Portion after portion of cape, headland, mountain, and water were blotted out, and the sun loomed lurid through the opaque atmosphere. The cause now flashed upon me. The forests were on fire, and I was destined to see a spectacle of unusual magnificence. The heat had been exceedingly great for several weeks before I landed in America, and this, with a drought of extraordinary duration, had parched the ground. Thus the forests and under- wood were in a particularly favourable condition for burning, and the fires made by settlers and hunters spread with fearful rapidity. While waiting for the steamer, which was detained two hours by the smoke, portions of charred leaves fell thickly upon us, giving evidence of the approach of the conflagration. As we steamed up this noble lake, matters became worse, and long before reaching Rouse's Point the shores were veiled by supernatural darkness. Having TREMENDOUS FIRES. 85 no compass on board, the captain was obliged to navigate his vessel by sounding; and when we reached our port about eight o'clock, it was so dark, that torches of pine-wood were in requisition to enable us to land. Here we heard the surrounding country was on fire, and that the communication by railway to Ogdensburg on the St. Lawrence was suspended. The hotel, a huge barrack-like place, was full of travellers, who told fearful stories of the march of flame through the land, and the papers teemed with ac- counts of what was styled " the terrible calamity."* These were confirmed by the awful spectacle which the heavens presented at night, appearing like a mighty furnace. The oppressive heat was sickening, and the smoke so acrid as to cause excessive smart- ing pain to my eyes. I went to bed, but sleep was out of the question ; and when morning dawned, it WHS only to reveal a dreary spectacle of dense smoke, through which objects a few yards distant could not be distinguished. I rose undetermined what to do ; anxious to pursue my journey to my friend's house in Canada, with whom I planned visiting Quebec ; but apprehensive that by going to Ogdensburg and * The estimated loss by the fires in August was 4,277,000 dollars. In Troy alone, "lumber" valued at 1,000,000 dollars was burnt. G 3 86 A VACATION TOUR. plunging farther into the forests to the north-west, which were also on fire, I might be worse off than at present. My indecision was terminated by the in- telligence that the fire having passe.: nearly, if not quite, across the railway to Ogdensburg, a train would start for that place in a couple of hours, and believing that when on the St. Lawrence all danger of being stopped would be at an end, I determined to go on. That railway drive will long live in my memory. During the entire distance (120 miles), with the exception of clearings, where the black ruins of the settler's homestead told how fiercely the fire had blazed, we passed between burnt brushwood and charred trees, upon the noble stems of many of which the fire was still flickering. At every station where we stopped, crowds of terrified men and women made anxious inquiries respecting the progress of the conflagration. The march of the fire seemed endless, for when we came to localities where it was almost extinct, a few yards farther long tongues of flame played among the trees and almost licked the sides of the cars. The smoke, meanwhile, was most distressing, blinding in its effects, and shrouding every object in its dismal folds. At three in the afternoon we arrived at Ogdensburg; but, instead of finding the atmo- 0GDEN8BURG. 87 sphere clearer, it was, if possible, more opaque. The steamboats had ceased running; two were aground on sand-bars off the town ; and, to complete my mis- fortunes, a telegraphic message had arrived, announc- ing that no boats would be despatched from Montreal until the atmosphere was clearer. Tliis was most disappointing; and my spirits were still more de- pressed when I entered a small tavern, — the best in the place, — which promised to be my home for many days. There, indeed, I mourned over my solitude ; for a companion, under such circumstances, would have been most cheering. My tour, by these un- looked-for eventfi, seemed prematurely terminated. The magnificent St. Lawrence rolled within a few yards of me, and I could not see a trace of its blue waters. The whole country was wrapped in flames and smoke, — gloom and despair were on every face. I sat down to deliberate, prudence whispering return ; while an excessive disinclination to retrace my steps urged me to persevere. I was in a state of miserable indecision, when a man entered my narrow apartment, and, announcing himself as the landlord, stated that, having heard I was very desirous of ascending the St. Lawrence, he had come to tell me my best chance of getting on was to cross to Prescott, on the opposite G 4 88 A VACATION TOUR. side of the river, where I might catch the British mail-boat, which would continue running, if possible. "You see," he added, "it would be my interest to keep you on tliis side, for it is my opinion you would stop an almiglity long time ; but I would scorn to take advantage of a Britisher, and so you jist come with me, and I'll see you across the river and into good quarters on t'other side." Here was a gleam of sunsliine. Thanking the landlord, whose disinter- ested kindness raised him very high in my opinion among the Boniface fraternity, I placed myself under his guidance, and was soon crossing the river, which we effected in safety, being directed by bells tolled on the Canadian shore. Passing through a couple of streets, the opposite sides of which were invisible, we arrived at a small inn. The two landlords were friends of long standing. Strict injunctions were given that I should be well cared for. The mail boat, due in the morning, had not yet arrived ; and, being now late, it was not expected that day. So I made up my mind to remain where I was for the night. The bar was crowded by Canadian voyageurs, whose occupation was temporarily suspended in con- sequence of the smoke. From them I heai'd the forests to the north of the river were on fire for many 8TORY OF A RAFV. 89 miles, and the conflagration fast spreading towards Prescott. Many cf the inhabitants in the outskirts had taken alarm and packed up portions of their fur- niture, with the view of carrying it down to the river in case the fire entered the town. fortune, or misfortune, introduced me to a gentle- man whom I found in the sitting-room, detained, like myself, by the smoke. He was waiting for his raft, which was due at Prescott four days before, and on which he purposed proceeding to Montreal. The de- tention of his property caused him great uneasiness, as may be conceived when I state it was worth 5000Z. The raft consisted of nine " drams " of timber, each dram containing 14,000 cubic feet, valued at nine- pence a foot. The raftS are towed down the St. Lawrence as far as Prescott, and then navigated through the rapids by the voyageursy about twenty being requisite to manage each raft. Great skill is necessary to accomplish this safely ; but, such is the dexterity of the voyageurs, accidents are of rare oc- currence. My informant had often descended the rapids on his rafts. He represented the adventure as full of pleasant excitement, in proof of which he stated, when he married he took bis bride down by way of a wedding-trip. Having myself since descended these raging waters, I must say the lady, who, I was 1 90 assured, A VACATION TOUR. , joyed the run, is qualified to be the wife of the wildest backwoodsman in Canada. In consequence of heavy rain, which fell some miles from Prescott during the night, the following morning dawned on a brighter state of things. The smoke was not so dense, and glimpses of the St. Lawrence were visible. But there were no tidings of the mail-boat. All we could learn from the telegraph carried along the banks of the river was, that she had left Montreal the previous morning. There was nothing for it but to wait patiently, which I did imtil mid-day, when the joyful intelligence was an- nounced that the boat was off Prescott. I imme- diately we.it down to the pier, and in a few minutes descried the steamer looming through the smoke-fog, while above, — " All in a hot and copper sky, TliG bloody sun at r^on Right up above the mast did stand, No bigger than the moon." As soon as the ship had taken in her supply of wood we started on our upward voyage. There were only a few cabin-passengers, but the lower decks were crowded by emigrants on their way to the far west. The majority M'ere Norwegians, — fine stalwart men KINGSTON. FORT HENRY. 91 and healthy-looking women, with a plentiful allow- ance of children. Of course Paddy was not missing, but this year he seems to be in a minority among the emigrant ranks. We steamed at half-speed through the Lake of the Thousand Islands. It was tantalising to be hi the midst of this beautiful scenery and only obtain tran- sient glimpses of it. I should have felt the disap- pointment more keenly had it not been my intention to descend the St. Lawrence to Quebec. At ten at night we arrived at Kingston, where I was obliged to remain until three the following day. On rising in the morning it was most cheering to find the atmo- sphere considerably clearer, though the smoke-haze still hung heavily over lake and land. How vast an extent of country had been shrouded, may be con- ceived by the circumstance that I was now 400 miles from the locality where I first fell in with the fires. I occupied the morning rambling about Kingston, and visiting Fort Henry, for which an order from the Town Major is necessary. The town has rather a dreary appearance in consequence of the great width of the streets, many of which are overrun with grass. The public buildings are fine, but entirely disproportioned to the requirements of the place, which presents no sign of that gi'eat activity and J 92 A VACATION TOUR. progress charnctcristic of other Canadian communities. The removal of the scat of government from King- ston lias had a most injurious effect on the town, and yet it is admirably situated for commerce, being on the verge of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. The abundance of game in the vicinity renders Kingston a desirable residence for those fond of shooting and fishing, but, apart from this, it possesses scarcely any attractions; and the absence of the ^ military, who, with the exception of a small garrison, have lately been removed, must render it even duller than it was at the time of my visit. The boat in which I resumed my voyage to Co- burg combined all the comforts of the river steamers with the strength of an ocean ship. For Ontario in its angry moods diflfers in no respect from the sea when vexed by storms. In consequence, however, of its great depth, it is not so easily aifected by tem- pests as Lake Erie which is much sliallower. Some interesting observations have been made on Lake Ontario, by which it appears that from May to September there is a gradual diminution of tempe- rature from the shore towards the middle of the lake, and while the navigation is suspended on Lake Erie by ice, the waters of Lake Ontario are rarely lowered to the point of congelation. COIIURG. — BUTTER-MERCHANT. 93 After passing across the entrance to the Bay of Quinte, whose shores are clotted with flourishino- settlements, we lost sight of land. Shortly after, the night closed, and we were summoned to supper. Happily the lake was tranquil, and consequently the supper-tables were attended by all the passengers; for as meals on board the British mail-boats are included in the fare, they are generally patronised by the company. We arrived at Coburg about midnight, and after a hazardous scramble over logs and merchandise encumbering the pier, I found my- self in a tavern with a Yankee, in the joint occu- pancy of a small bedroom just rendered endurable by there being two beds. The accommodation, which was the best at the disposal of the landlord, did not im- press me very favourably with the capabilities of Coburg, but I was not aware at the time that the town possesses a large and excellent hotel. As the beds presented no inducement to be at the trouble of undressing, my companion and myself lay down in our clothes, and, before attempting to sleep, com- municated to each other so much of our histories as was connected with our meeting. He was an enter- prising butter-merchant, bound on a journey of exploration througli the backwoods, for the purpose of purchasing butter from the settlers to sell in the Jl 94 A VACATION TOUR. States. He had heard a large harvest was to be gathered in the country between Coburg and Peter- boroughj and was ready to buy every pound of butter that was to be had, provided, of course, the price were such as to enable him to realise a profit. Having satisfied our curiosity respecting each other's aifairs, we made desperate attempts to sleep, but were baffled by two trumpet-throated cocks which crowed at each other from early dawn with terrible energy and determination. So after tossing to and fro for some hours, I rose, and made up in some measure for want of rest by bathing in the lake. "With intense delight I hailed the rising sun undimmed by smoke or haze, and drank in the dewy freshness of the morn. After breakfasting on venison steaks, I started by a railway intended to connect Coburg with Peterborough, but which at the time of my visit did not extend beyond Rice Lake, a dis- tance of twelve miles. I had every reason to con- gratulate myself on this state of things, as the trip across the lake and up the Otonabee river was most enjoyable. Immediately after leaving Coburg we plunged into the forest, through which the railway is carried to the lake. Here we found a tiny steamer, with high- pressure engines, whicli snorted and splashed across LEAVE FOR PETERBOROUGH. 95 the water to the discomfort of ducks and other birds feeding on the wild rice. This plant, which gives its name to the lake, grows in such profusion as to make the water appear in many places like green pastures. Steering through these we drew near the wooded shore and entered the mouth of the Otonabee, a lazy river about a hundred yards wide, lined by the dense and dark primeval forest. The sail up this stream is extremely wild and romantic. As the steamer puffed round each bend, flights of scared water-fowl made the river " Vocal in its wooded walls," and passed away into the wilderness yet undisturbed by man. For, with rare exceptions, the forest is in a state of nature ; and, even where the settler has broken in, his labours have made but little impres- sion. " Captain," said the butter-merchant, " be sure you put me out at Campbell Town." Shortly after this injunction the little steamer paused abreast of a small clearing, provided with a rude landing-place con- structed of unhewn logs. " Now then, who's for Campbell Town?" exclaimed the captain, as he threw an attenuated leathern bag lettered " Iler Majesty's Mail " to a lad in waiting with a cart. At 96 A VACATION TOUR. these words the butter-merchant, valise in hand, came forward and begged to know where Campbell Town was, as no houses were visible. The question was not irrelevant. Town in the shape of houses there was none ; a few scattered log-huts and shan- ties formed the embryo of what, doubtless, will be ere long a flourishing community. Beyond these there was nothing in sight but the interminable forest. The Yankee's countenance fell as his vision of a thriving agricultural settlement was dispelled by the reality ; and as he stepped on shore to seek his fortune we heard him muttering, " Wall, I'm darn'd if I ever see sich a town," Near Peterborough the settlements increased in number and extent, and were of all ages, from the first stage where the prostrate trees or unsightly stumps told how fiercely war had been waged against the forest, to the period of glorious victory proclaimed by the snug house and homestead standing amidst green pastures or corn-fields, whose golden waves awaited the sickle, or stood gathered into banded sheaves, " Like armies of prosperity." As the steamer drew near Peterborough, and the captain pointed to the residence of my friend^ I felt AURIVE AT PETERHOROUGU. 97 strange emotions ; for it had been a day-dream of many years' duration to visit him and liis sister in their Canadian home. Now, it was on the eve of realisation ; and those who have enjoyed the warm welcome of affectionate friendship in a far distant land, will conceive my feelings of joy when I passed under their roof. One purpose of my tour was accomplished ; and, casting off the cares and anxie- ties of travel, I gave myself up for a season to quiet repose. H 98 A VACATION TOUn. CHAP. IV. PETERBOROUGH GROWTH OF CANADIAN TOWNS. — EX- CURSION TO THE BACKWOODS. — BAD ROADS SAW- MILLS. — LUMBER TRADE. — CAPABILITIES OF AMERICAN FORESTS. — DOURO. — MAJOR STRICKLAND. — LAKEFIELD. — AGRICULTURAL PUPILS. — CLEARING LAND. — VALUE OF LAND. — LOGGING. — LIFE IN THE BUSH. — DEER HUNT. — THE FOREST. — DUCK SHOOTING. — FISHING. — CLEAR LAKE. — EXCURSION TO INDIAN LODGE MASKI- NONGE. — INDIANS. — PICTURESQUE ENCAMPMENT. — BARK CANOES. — PETITION OF OJIBEWAYS. — RETURN TO PETERBOROUGH. Independently of my limited time, plans had been made for an excursion into the back-woods, so my season of rest was necessarily brief. Before starting to see bush-life, let me say a few words respecting Peterborough, one of the most rising towns in Canada. A few years ago its site was a wilderness, — now the population numbers 2500, and is rapidly increasing. New and large stores and shops are springing up, and several public buildings and villas are scattered through the township. Between these stumps are still visible. I had the pleasure of dining with the owner of one of the largest farms near Peterborough, on which occasion I met a numerous PETERBOROUGH. 99 party. The handsome house, grounds, and elegant entertainment recalled England. Flocks of sheep were feeding on the rich pastures. The owner of this charming residence informed me that he had tried the experiment of introducing Merino-sheep, which, however, did not thrive, though every care was taken of them. The common Leicester and Southdowns are very numerous. In 1851, there were 1,597,849 of these animals in Canada, beino- nearly one to every inhabitant. In the same year, 3,338,508 yards of fulled cloth and flannel were manufactured in the farmhouses of the two provinces. It is much to be regretted, that in Canada, as well as in the United States, so little consideration has been shown for the preservation of open places for recrea- tion within the towns. It seems as if the desire were to shut out the free wilderness by every means. In the infancy of a settlement, when a few log -huts con- tained the population, this was natural ; but when these swelled into large and flourishing communities, the importance of securing parks unfortunately re- mained unheeded. War to extermination against the forest is the settler's rule ; and thus the instances are very rare of groves of the primeval woods amid the rising town. A curious feature in the growth of Canadian towns ii 2 I 100 A VACATION TOUR. merits notice. This is the progress which, with scarcely an exception, the houses make westward; thus following the course of the great human wave, which, breaking on the eastern shores of North America, advances across the western wilderness at the rate of seventeen miles yearly. Accompanied by two friends I left Peterborough early on a glorious morning for the backwoods. We travelled in a buggy, the vehicle generally used in Canada, which, although extremely light, successfully resists the terrible concussions arising from the wretched roads. Our destination was the township of Douro, about twelve miles from Peterborough, where I was promised a hearty welcome from Major Strick- land, brother of the authoress of tiie " Queens of England," who has long been settled in the above township. Our route lay up the left bank of the Otonabee, the stream not being navigable higher than Peterborough. Its dashing waters are, however, used for floating down logs for the lumber trade, and driving saw-mills. We visited the largest of these establishments, about three miles from Peterborouo-h. The machinery is on a gigantic scale. One hundred and thirty-six saws were working with tremendous velocity, reducing huge logs to planks at the rate of nearly fifty an hour. Instead of using files to SAW-MILLS. 101 sharpen the saws, a powerful punching machine is employed, which cuts fresh faces on the teeth ; a process combif^'ng greater efficiency with saving of time. A portion of the machinery is employed for making laths, besides plank-sawing. This mill, in common with others in Canada, works day and night, devour- ing 70,000 logs in the season of nine months ; but, though the quantity of planks produced is prodigious, the demand generally exceeds the supply. Indeed, such is the ihcrease of the lumber trade, that new mills on a gigantic scale are being erected, not only on the Otonabee, but on other rivers favourably situated for the purpose. During last summer a block of mills was com- pleted on the St. Francis river, in Canada East, exclusively for the lumber trade. At a low estimate, these mills will saw in a season 20,000,000 feet of long lumber, and two trains will be in requisition to carry the planks to Portland, from whence they will be shipped to all parts of the world. To feed such establishments from the northern forests, involves an enormous amount of capital and labour. The firm of Egan and Co., who uxe at the head of the lumber trade on the Ottawa, employ in the forests through which that noble river H 3 102 A VACATION TOUlt. passes, 1,700 horses, 200 bullocks, besides 400 double teams on the road, engaged in the conveyance of food and forage. During the winter 1854-5 (th3 timber is cut in this season), they had 3,800 men in their scvyice, and 100 lumbering establishments in various parts of the country. Their consumption of pork amounts to lOOu barrels annually, with other provisions in proportion. The cash transac- tions to keep this enormous machinery in motion exceed 2,000,000 dollars a year. The returns of the exports of white pine alone from Quebec during the last six years show a vast increase; 17,400,000 cubic feet having been ex- ported in 1853, and only 9,626,000 cubic feet in 1847. The question naturally arises, how long will the Canadian forests continue to meet the enormous demand for timber. With a view of obtaining some information on this point, Government recently in- stituted an inquiry as to the probable duration of the supply in various districts; and it was ascer- tained M-t in the Ottawa forest-region alone there was timber s ifficient lu feed the mills on that noble river, at their present rate of consumption, for 600 years. A glance at the map of North America shows how small a portion of that vast country is included in BAD llOADS. 103 this survey; so that, although new channels of com- munication >vill be opened into the interior with the extension of commerce, it is not unreasonable to regard the supply of timber as almost inex'ianstible. Resuming our drive we entered the ...sh, now unenlivened by settlements, their absence being made painfully sensible to us by the terrible condition of the road. Holes masked by mud were of constant occurrence. Into these our vehicle plunged with a crash, threatening to reduce it to atoms ; but, much to my surprise, it was on each occasion dragged out by the willing horses, apparently uninjured. Worse, however, than the holes, was the dreadful corduroy composed of large logs, over which we bumped with a dislocatory motion, rendering it difficult to keep one's seat. To avoid these bad places, we frequently turned aside into the bush, preferring to rough it through the tangled underwood; and occasionally drove in the bed of the river when it afforded an easier route. So bad, in short, was this road, that although we had only a dozen miles to drive, we were five hours on the way. But as our bones out-lasted the jolting, the varied incidents were highly diverting. As we approached Douro, the forest gave place to clearings, affording charming views of the scenery of this favoured township. H 104 A VACATION TOUIl. Presently v.e came to small houses and log-huts sown broadcast upon the land : the commenc jment of a town to which the name of Lakefield has been given, as the sheet of water from whence the Otonabee issues is within a short distance. Hastening on- wards, for an ominous black cloud threatened a storm, we at length arrived at Major Strickland's settlement, and had just time to get under shelter, when the thunder-cloud discharged its contents in torrents of rain, imparting a delicious coolness to the atmosphere. It has been said everything is on a larger scale in the New World than in the old. That the thunder is louder, and the rain heavier in Canada, than in England is certain ; at least, if what I heard and saw on this occasion were fair specimens of these phenomena. Fortunately the Major was at home, and as soon as the weather permitted we crossed the yard to his house, where we received a warm welcome. Dinner was immediately ordered, and as impromptu repasts are of constant occurrence in the bush, where even stage-coaches are unknown, we were soon seated before fare which, if a little rough, had the advantage of being highly appreciated by the zest of keen hunger. But it would have ill accorded with my expectation or desire to have found luxuries in the AGRICULTURAL PUPILS. 105 bush, for I had come to see the life led by the bold settler who makes his home in the wilderness. As we sat down, the Major's son stepped out into the verandah, and blew a long and loud blast upon a horn, which was answered by the arrival of half-a- dozen fine young men wearing loose trousers and red flannel hunting-shirts secured round the waist by a leather belt, from whence formidable knives depended. In a few minutes, another party of young men made their appearance similarly attired. I was somewhat puzzled ; for although I knew the Major Lad more than one son, I had not heard that his children were as numerous as those vouchsafed to the patriarchs of old. The mystery was explained by the Major telling me the young gentlemen were his pupils, whom he received into his house for a term of years, and in- structed In various agricultural pursuits and matters relating to a settler's life. Thus a young man dis- posed to settle in the backwoods, by the payment of a small annual sum, has an opportunity of ac- quiring the Information requisite fo^ the successful pursuit of his proposed career, with the soundest practical advice in the selection of cleared or un- cleared land ; for Major Strickland Is an old settler, and moreover agent to the Canada Land Company. 106 A VACATION TOUR. And should the roughing which he has to submit to during his probation cause him to turn aside from his intention, he has the satisfaction of not losing his capital, which is too frequently sacrificed n the pur- chase of experience. As my friends had to return to Peterborough, and had no desire to be permanently engulphed in a mud hole, or wrecked on the ribs of a corduroy during night hours, they departed in the afternoon, leaving me in the care of my kind host. Under his guidance I took a walk through a portion of the township, and was initiated into the mysteries of clearing land, the first business of a settler's life. This is a tedious pro- cess, nine or ten years being required to get rid of most stumps. Hard wood stumps, such as beech, maple, oak, iron-wood, elm, &c., rot out in that period, but pine stumps remain sound much longer, and require to be either burnt out or extracted by the aid of oxen or horses. It is, however, when the stumps are in the ground, that the heaviest crops are obtained from the virgin soil, which for some years requires no manure. At the same time, no wise farmer will exhaust the vegetable supersoil by taxing its wonderful producing properties too severely. In the course of our ramble, we came upon a small clearing, where a newly-arrived settler was preparing LOG IIOUSF'^ 107 a site for a log house. Squared timber was ready for the humble edifice ; and according to custom, the emigrant was to be assisted by his neighbours in " raising " his future home. Here, as elsewhere, in Canada, excellent fellowship prevails among the settlers; though, as Major Strickland observed, it frequently happens that the numerous wants of recent arrivals press heavily on the generosity of old settlers. In the township of Douro, uncleared land sells from 2s. to 7s. an acre, and the cost of clearing, fencing and preparing this acre for sowing is about 3^., the expense varying according to the nature of the timber. The value of cleared land has risen enor- mously : desirable farms, which a few years ago were worth only 4Z. an acre, now sell for 10^. Lord Elgin states in his last report to Government, dated Dec, 1854, " The upset price of Government Wild Land in Canada, varies from Is. to 7s. Qd. currency an acre, according to quality ; and by the rules of the Crown Land Department now in force, it is conceded at these rates, except in special cases, in lots of not m^re than 200 acres, on condition of actual settlement, of erecting a dwelling house, and clearing one-fourth of the lot before the patent can be obtained." I may add that log-houses cost from 51. to 50/., and frame-houses from 75/. to 300/. 108 A VACATION TOUR. It was pleasant to find that, with the growing prosperity of Lakefield, the public worship of God has not been forgotten. A small stone church has been erected, and a clergyman who has lately taken up his residence at Douro has undertaken to do duty. Hitherto the little community had assembled as op- portunity offered, sometimes in each other's houses, and occasionally, when the weather was propitious, in Nature's temple of prayer, — •' Pillar'd with the grand old forests, Roof d with broad expansive blue ; Flowers springing up for carpets Bathed in pearly hanging dew ; " for the wilderness yet closely wraps the young set- tlement in its sylvan folds. On our way home, we visited some of the oldest settlers in Douro, who occupy pleasant houses, com- manding charming views of Clear Lake and the Otonabee. To those who have been educated in a school of formal conventionalities, the freedom of bush-life appears strange. Without further warning than was given by a dog, we walked from the verandah into drawing-rooms, the tenants of which did not seem at all disconcerted by our presence ; but, on the contrary, gave us a most cordial welcome, and SCENERY NEAR DOURO. 109 pressed us to take refreshments. The interior of these houses is most comfortable ; and, were it not that the bush shuts out the distant view, it would require no great effort to imagine the scenery Eng- lish. Returning by the lake-shore, we passed through clumps of cedar bushes, which, after the re- freshing thunder-shower, loaded the air with delicious balsamic perfume. It was a lovely evenino-. A magnificent sunset flooded the west with crimson glory, bridging the lake with bars of gold ; and, as my eyes rested on the fair landscape and prosperous settlement — so different to the city, with " The crowd, the hum, the shock of men," — I thought that, after all, the life of a settler amidst such scenes, " With one fair spirit for his minister," must have many peaceful pleasures, when the battle with the wilderness is over, and the earth brings forth her increase. On our return we found the young gentlemen putting their rifles in order, and eagerly planning a deer-hunt for the following morning. The woods abound with these animals, which are started by dogs and driven towards the lake; the sport consisting in either shooting them as they 110 A VACATION TOUR. bound across openings in the forest, or capturing them in the water. A locality is assigned to every person joining the sport, wliere he is enjoined to remain until he has either the good fortune to shoot the deer, or is apprised that the game has gone off in another direction. The necessary preliminaries having been arrano-ed to the satisfaction of all parties, we sat down to supper, after which songs were sung with fortissimo choruses ; for, at the time of my visit, Major Strick- land's domestic establishment had not the advantage of a lady at its head. At the same time, I must say, social conviviality never degenerated to coarseness ; and though the red hunting-shirts, looming through tobacco-smoke, gave the company a brigandish ap- pearance, gentlemanly conduct was as strongly maintained as if the scene of our merrimeni had been a London drawing-room. As the deer-hunt was fixed for an early hour, we soon retired to rest; and, thanks to fatigue and a good bed, I was in a few minutes in the land of dreams, from whence I did not emerge until roused by the hunting party. The scene of the sport was about two miles from the iiouse. The dogs wore sent into the forest, and the hunters repaired to their places. Faithful to thei" instructions, they remained A DEEll-IIUNT. Ill at their post a long time, with their 3yes " peel'cl," as tlie Yankees say, and their ears alive to the faintest sound. But it was not my fortune either to shoot the deer or see it; for although one was started, it took a course towards the interior of the bush, into which it was pursued by the dogs. The preconcerted signal, a blast from a horn, set the hunters free; but, before turning homewards, I could not resist the desire of penetrating alone into the forest. Carefully noting conspicuous trees I went on, until wrapped by the mazy folds of innumerable stems, between which daylight and gloom struggled for mastery. The silence, broken only by the occasional scream of a wild bird or the hum of insects, was painfully op- pressive ; and, as the spirit of the scene grew upon me, I felt how truly Goldsmith has pictured the lost wanderer in an American wilderness : — " Where beasts with man divided empire claim, And the brown Indian takes a deadly aim ; There, while above the giddy tempest flies, And all around distressful yells arise, The pensive exile, bending with his wo, To stop too fearful, and too faint to go. Casts a fond look where England's glories shine, And bids his bosom sympathise with mine." A duck-shooting and fishing expedition, on which we started after breakfast, was attended with greater 112 A VACATION TOUR. success than the deer-hunt. These birds in autumn are numerous, and easy of approach, as the sportsmen are masked by the rice-beds among which they feed. It would, indeed, have been easy to shoot dozens of these fowl ; but we were content with a moderate bag, and relinquishing our guns, prepared our tackle for basse fishing. Stout rods and lines are requisite for this sporting and heavy fish, which on this occasion, I am sorry to say, we captured with bait. No flies were to be had; so the tourist who may be tempted to visit the backwoods on a sporting expedition, will do well to bring a supply with him. The piscatorial wealth of the water was amazing. Standing on a raft constructed expressly for fishing, moored in favourable localities, we caught in the course of a few hours several basse, weighing from two to four pounds each, besides numerous goodiy perch and sun-fish, glorious in their golden splendour, which eagerly struggled for the bait with their finny brethren. But pleasant as are my associations witli Lake Clear, — its beauteous wooded isles, around which the basse love to lead *' A cold, sweet, silver life, wrapped in round waves, Quickened with touches of transporting fear,"— TROLLING FOR MASKINONGE. H3 more undying memories attach to an excursion, on the last (lay of my brief sojourn at Lakefield, to visit some Indians in their lodge on an island in an upper lake. Major Strickland paddled me in his log canoe ; giving me, before starting, strict injunctions to main- tain as perfect an equilibrium as possible, as the slightest swerve would in all probability result in precipitating us into the lake ; a difficulty which promised to be increased, as part of our plan was to troll for maskinonge. Now, as these fish are noted for their great size and strength, it was evi- dent no small care would be requisite, should I capture one of these monsters, to keep the canoe steady ; for matters were so arranged that, while half-reclined at one end, the Major, squatted on his hams, paddled at the other; and a stout troll- ing-line was towed astern, one extremity of which was secured to my right arm. The bait used for maskinonge is curious ; being a large spoon of po- lished metal, generally copper or brass, within the concavity of which a strong hook is soldered. A swivel attached to the head of the spoon allows it to rotate when drawn rapidly through the water; and whether it be that maskinonge are spoon-fed during their infancy, or other reason, I cannot say ; but it is 114 A VACATION TOUR. certain they have a groat fondness for this glittering bait. But the reader will, perhaps, want to know what a maskinongc is like. Similar to the pike in shape (Esox estor of Cuvicr), it is generally much larger ; and though the weight of a fish is often its only title to fame, the maskinonge has the merit of being good as well as great. In common with the pickerel, which occupies a position somewhere between the trout and perch, it is peculiar to the United States, and especially to the great lakes and the northern waters, where it is very abundant. This 1 can confirm ; for we had not made much progress before I felt a sharp twitch at my arm, quickly succeeded by a pull which arrested the skiflTs pro- gress. Taking the line in my hand, I played the fish as well as I could, and succeeded eventually in drawing him alongside. To secure him was, how- ever, quite beyond my skill, for he was of prodigious size. Handing the tackle to the Major, he dex- terously swung our prize into the canoe, where he was speedily reduced to tranquillity by a well-ad- ministered blow on the back of his head from a small mallet. He weifrhed 22 lbs. ; and those who have captured large and strong pike will conceive the exciting work it was to battle with such a fellow from the narrow confines of a log canoe. We afterwards caught two more ; and might have REACH AT CLEAR LAKE. II5 swelled the number to almost any amount, had we felt inclined. But wo could not fish and visit the Indians ; so we wound up our lines and paddled swiftly through the bright waters. The trip was delightful. At the head of Clear Lake, a reach, not unlike that separating the upper and middle Kil- larney lakes, occurs, studded by wooded islands. On one of these the Indians were camped ; but there was no sign of life, nor could we detect amidst the dense foliage a landing-place. A wild whoop from my companion was answered by an Indian, who burst through the bush and motioned us to a little creek, where we disem- barked. Following our swarthy guide, we came suddenly on a small clearing, in the centre of which was the lodge. A more picturesque spot could not well be conceived,, The ground, mantled by a va- riety of wild flowers, sloped gently towards the Lake. Lofty trees shut out the oppressive sun, and a tiny brook gurgled sweetly as it leaped into daylight from the gloom of the forest. The lodge was constructed of birch-bark, open at the top for the egress of smoke. Around were various hunting and fishing implements. Portly fish, with strips of bear-flesh and venison hanging on poles in process of curing, attested how efficiently these had been used. I 2 116 A VACATION TOUR. Pushing aside the buffalo-skin serving as a door, we entered the lodge, from which, however, I was nearly driven by the dense and acrid smoke. The family consisted of the Indian's wife, mother-in-law, and two girls, who were squatted round the fire superintending a save- £y mess of boiled ducks, fish, and squirrels. The women and girls could not speak a word of English. The excessive natural simplicity of the girls and the freedom of their limbs were remarkable. With their naked feet, which were beautifully formed, they seized fragments of wood and cast them on the fire with the same ease as we should perform the operation with our hands. The whole scene was sufficiently wild and novel to be very interesting ; and I sincerely recommend the tourist to turn aside from the beaten track to visit the Indians in the bush. He must not, however, expect to see the wild savage in this part of North America. The white man has driven him into the far west beyond the Mississippi. But though the Ojibeways residing in Upper Canada pass a consider- able portion of the year in the outskirts of towns, their hunting spirit breaks forth in the autumn, when, casting off the trammels of civilisation, at all times galling and perplexing, they seek the wilder- DECREASE OF 0JIBEWAY8. 117 ness, erect their lodges by the side of a lake or stream, and spend their days hunting and fishing; while their squaws make Indian ornaments, or sew the seams of birch-bark canoes, for which they have a constant demand from settlers. The Indian whom I visited had several of these graceful boats in hand, for each of which he was to receive six dollars. Tlie Ojibeways inhabiting this portion of Canada number about 1200. They are, however, like other tribes, decreasing. In an address which they pre- sented to Loru Metcalfe in 1843, they touchingly remark : — « Great Father I We are feebly at- tempting to walk in the footsteps of your people : we see them increase while we wither and perish like the autumn leaf; but we, also, will cease to be hunters, and seek in the bosom of the earth that food for our wives and children for whicli we vainly toil in our rapidly disappearing forests." Notwitlistanding these words, the Ojibeways are not proof against the pleasures of the chase. The game and fish in the forests and lakes north of Peterborough draw many Indians into those regions. Numerous varieties of wild fowl swarm. A few weeks before my visit to Douro a pelican was shot by an Indian. We returned to Lakefield in the evening ; and the I 8 I 118 A VACATION TOUR. following day my kind host drove me to Peter- borough. On our way he frequently expatiated on the state of the road, which I thouglit wretched, but which he contrasted with the condition of things to when it took him an entire day to journey from Peterborough to his home in the bush. 119 CHAP. V. JOURNEY TO COBURG.-— ROUGH TRAVELLING Tllli THOU- SAND ISLANDS. — CANADIAN FARMS RAFTS. — RAPIDS. — DESCENT OF THE CEDARS'. — EXCITEMENT. — ANEC- DOTE OF MOORE's CANADIAN BOAT-SONG VILLAGE OF THE RAPIDS. — LA CLAIRE FONTAINE. — CANADIAN SINGING. — LA CHINE RAPID. — INDIAN PILOT. — MON- TREAL. — INDEPENDENCE. —HOCHELAG A. — CATHEDRAL. — SUPERSTITION ARTILLERY BARRACKS GEOLO- GICAL MUSEUM VICTORIA BRIDGE. — FARMS OF THE " HABITANS." SEIGNORIAL RIGHTS. — IMPORTANCE OF MONTREAL. Had an aristocratic English M. P. seen our party, consisting of tlio Member of Parliament for Peter- borough, a New York merchant, and myself journeying to Coburg, he would, I apprehend, have formed rather a strange idea of his colonial legislative brethren. For, the day being very warm, we divested ourselves of coat and waistcoat, and, using our umbrellas as parasols, jogged along pleasantly enough ; flourishing settlements and good roads alter- nating with the forest and « corduroy ;" which, if not so smooth, gave at least variety to the drive. We arrived at Coburg in the afternoon, dined at the 1 4 120 A VACATION TOUR. Globe Hotel,— a large establishment conducted on the United States system, — and at six were on our way to Kingston in the mail steamer. Here we changed boats, and at five in the morning commenced our descent of the St. Lawrence. The hazy veil of smoke which had dimmed the river on my previous visit to King- ston had entirely disappeared, and the glorious river gleamed among the thousand isles like molten silver in the morning sun. Our passage among these was most picturesque; now winding through laby- rinthine channels scarcely wider than tho breadth of the steamboat, now crossing broad reaches of the river as large as our English lakes. The grand scale of nature in this country, always striking, is here almost overwhelming. Well did Moore write of this scenery, as on a scale " which man, Caged in the hounds of Europe's pigmy plan, Can scarcely dream of; which his eye must see, To know how beautiful this world can be ! " The variety of wood, rock, and water is endless, and if the islands, which are of all dimensions, and considerably exceed one thousand in number, were not so uniform in height, the scenery would be per- fect. Looking into the future, which in this part of Canada unfolds visions of boundless prosperity, I THE RAPIDS. 121 thought the time, probably, not far distant, when these islands will be the summer homes of merchant princes whose fleets will cover the St. Lawrence. Tlie contrast between the American and Canadian shores of this mighty river is very remarkable. On tlie left bank extensive farms, rivalling those in the old country are of frequent occurrence, while the right bank is clothed by the unbroken primeval forest, which comes down to the water's edge. We passed numerous ships and smaller craft, besides rafts of enormous dimensions, on which curious plank structures were erected to catch the favouring breeze. A short distance below Prescott, the current, which above that town flows with majestic smoothness, becomes broken, aff"ording evidence of the vicinity of the rapids. Happily the day was most propitious, for sunshine is essential to the enjoyment of the wonderful spectacle. Presently a long line of foam-crested waves appeared on the water horizon, and dashing on, for our speed was now excessive, we were soon battling with the first rapid. The might and majesty of the lordly St. Lawrence is deeply impressed on the mind by tlie rushing waters ; which, however, neither here, nor at the two next rapids, attain the fulness of their strength ; for, grand as they are, the « Calars " far surpasses tliem in 122 A VACATION TOUR. I sublimity. Here, the river, confined between islands, seems to gather strength for its mightiest effort. The huge breakers roaring madly over the rocks, the delicious 'green tint of the water crested by snow- white foam,, the surging tide dashing evermore against the shore, form a picture set in a frame of magni- ficent cedars clothing the banks, alike unequalled and wonderful. How the steamer lives in the strife is amazing. Standing at the bow, I saw and felt her plunge into the boiling caldron amidst rocks, colli- sion with which would involve instant destruction ; then, bounding upwards she rushed with reelinp- motion down for miles. The excitement is consider- ably enhanced by a sense of risk which cannot be cast off. At the lower extremity of Lake St. Francis— a magnificent expanse of the river forty miles long — a stone monument marks the boundary between Upper and Lower Canada. The neat houses of the French Canadians, with their red roofs and trim gardens, occu])y both banks of the river. After running more formidable rapids, we arrived at the mouth of the magnificent Ottawa, whose dark tide rolls on un- mixed with the clear waters of the St. Lawrence. Here is the scene of Moore's undying "Canadian Boat Song," which he wrote on the fifth day of his *'LA CLAIRE FONTAINE." 123 descent of the St. Lawrence from Kingston.* Now the passage is made in one day ; but the romance of the voyage is in a great measure destroyed by the mode of transport being a puffing steamer instead of a bark canoe. On arriving opposite the Iroquois settlement of Caughnawaga, or « The Village of the Rapids " (in allusion to those a short distance below), we caught snatches of « La Claire Fontaine," the national air of the Canadian inhabitants. The voices proceeded from voyageurs navigating a huge raft. As they dashed the ponderous oars in the water, they enlivened their toils by singing their favourite song. I procured a copy of it at Quebec. The following stanzas will sufficiently describe its nature : " A la claire fontaine, M'en allant promener, * Thirty-three years after he wrote this song I had the l.loasure of showing Moore the original MS., which he had en- tirely forgotten. He had pencilled the lines, nearly as they stand in his works, in the blank page of a book which happened to be in his canoe, from whence he transcribed them at night. The sight of the original copy of these famous lines, recalHng youthful days and happy associations, produced a great effect on the poet, who alluded, in a touching manner, to his passage down the rajjids of life. 124 A VACATION TOUU. J'ai trouvc I'eau si belle Que je me suis baigne. II y a long- temps que je t'aime, Jamais je ne t'oublierai. " Chante, rossignol chante, Toi qui as le coeur gai ; Tu as le cocui' a rire, Moi je I'ai a pleurer ; II y a, &c. " Tu as le coeur a rire, Moi je I'ai h, pleurer ; J'ai perdu ma maitresse, Sans pouvoir la trouver ; II y a, &c." We were now approaching " La Chine," the head- quarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, from whence the voyageurs start in the spring, up the Ottawa, to the Company's hunting-grounds. La Chine derives its name from a curious circumstance, related by Charlevoix. The unfortunate De Sales, who was murdered by his countrymen, was firmly persuaded a passage to China existed by the St. Lawrence ; but having been arrested in his progress at this place, his companions gave it the name which it retains. An- other instance of the strong belief formerly entertained of the existence of a passage to India through the North American continent. RUNNING LA CHINE. As our captain decided there was 125 IS sufficient day- light to run La Chine, the most dangerous of all the rapids, we slackened our speed in order to re- ceive an Indian pilot, whose business it is to navigate the steamer to Montreal. Our signal was quickly answered by a canoe darting across the waters bear- ing a stalwart Indian, a noble specimen of his race. His stern features were in keeping with his onerous task, as the slightest error would be fatal. The excitement and danger in shooting this tre- mendous rapid consists in its tortuous channel, about eight feet deep, ..nd avoiding a terrible black rock in the midst of the raging waters. Before coming to it, each passenger was desired to remain quiet in his allotted place. Eight men were at the wheel directed by the Indian pilot. Onward sweeps our steamer, reeling amidst the mad waters ; but just as collision seemed inevitable, the current and judi- cious steering whirled her round and swept her clear of the danger. It is not always, however, that ships are so fortunate, as fearful collisions have occurred. The possibility of naming this fierce and awful rapid in a steamer was discovered by accident,— a ship having gone down safely against the will of the crew, who considered their days numbered when they were drawn within the whelming waters. 126 A VACATION TOUll. i The rays of the setting sun struck the briglit metal roofs of the cathedral and cluirchcs of Mon- treal, giving them the appearance of huge lamps in the sky, as we glided over the lake-like expanse of the St. Lawrence below the rapids ; and so swift is the transition from sunset to night in these latitudes, that it was nearly dark when the steamer paused abreast of the noble quays at IMontreal. Here a scene of great confusion ensued. I had my lujicafre conveyed on shore, and waited patiently until the crowd and bustle had subsided, thinking a porter or cabman would appear. All the public carriages, here called Cuckoos, had, however, departed, and the offer of handsome payment to a group of labouring men to carry my portmanteau to a coach-stand met with a direct refusal. A gentlemen kindly extricated me from my little difficulty by sending a coach to me ; and I only mention the circumstance as con- firmatory of the fact, that the only article wanted in prosperous Canada is man. After a long day of intense excitement and enjoy- ment, I was extremely glad to rest in Donncgana's hotel, which is bv far the most comfortable house in Canada. Standing at an early hour the following morning on the summit of the mountain at the back of the VJLLE MARIE. 127 city, I tliought of the emotions Jacques Cartier must liave experienced wlicn he first beheld tlie magni- ficent prospect disclosed from this elevation, to wlitcli, in honour of liis royal master, he gave the name of Mont Royal. At that period (1535) the Indian village of Ilochelaga stood on the site of Montreal. For many miles above and below the St. Lawrence is seen flowing majestically through a richly-culti- vated country, expanding frequently into .akesof vast proportions. A century after the discovery of Iloclie- hga, the French, with much solemnity, founded a city on the site, to which they gave the name of Ville Marie; and although, in common with all other French settlements in North America, it subsequently came into the possession of Great Britain, the original French features remain singularly unaltered. The streets in the old parts of the city retain their ancient saintly names ; French is heard in all quarters, parti- cularly in the markets ; and the vast Roman Catholic cathedral, calculated to contain 10,000 persons, with its convents, nunneries, and other ecclesiastical esta- blishments, attest the former sway of the French and the abiding influence of the Roman Catholic religion. The cathedral presents evidence of superstition rivals ling the most priest-ridden parts of Italy. A large glass case near the entrance contains a disgusting re- 1 1 II 1 128 A VACAnON TOUU. presentation in wax of a herd of swine devouring children, witli the following explanation and appeal to tlie pockets of the faithful : — "It is in this manner the unhappy children of China perish every day, eaten by dogs and swine. Put in a trifle for tlie sal- vation of your souls." Numerous coins on the floor of the miniature chapel in front of the revolting exhi- bition show that the priests have hit on an ingenious device for filling their coffers, and that here, as well as elsewhere, the sordid schemes of all priestcraft end in four words, — ubl panis ibi deus. I had letters to artillery officers at Montreal, from whom I received much hospitable kindness. Considerable bustle and excitement stirred the generally quiet military circle, in consequence of the troops having been ordered to England. The fine artillery horses were sold by auction, and realised about 80Z. each. The geological tourist will be much interested by a visit to the museum recently formed by Mr. Logan, direcior of the Geological Survey of Canada. Here, arranged in admirable order, are a series of fossils from the Ottawa and St. Lawrence, besides innu- merable specimens illustrating the geology of the two Canadas. Among the many bold and gigantic structural designs for which North America is celebrated, the THE VICTORIA BRIDGE. 129 Victoria Railway Bridge at Montreal takes high rank. Mr. Stephenson's success in building tlio Britannia Bridge justified him in adopting the same plan for the Victoria Bridge, which will be con- structed on 24 piers, with spaces for navigation exclusive of the two abutments, whence the tubes spring on either side. The centre span will be 330 feet, and each of the others 220 feet wide. The length of the bridge will be 10,284 feet, or about 50 yards less than two English miles. The clear distance between the under surface of the centre tube and the average summer level of the river will be 60 feet, diminis.iing towards each side. Two hundred and ten thousand tons of stone will be used in the construction of the piers, and 10,400 tons of iron on the tube, girders, &c. It is proposed to complete the bridge in 1860. At the present rate of progress, the expenditure will averr-e 250,000/. annually. The Colossus of Rhodes, under which the pigmy shallops of former ages sailed, was esteemed a wonder of the Old V^orld. But an iron bridge, spanning a river two miles in width, giving safe passage to burdens of hundreds of tons on its rivetted floor, and permitting ships of large tonnage to sail be- neath it, is an achievement still more remarkable for the New World, and is worthy of the young K 130 A VACATION TOUR. ! II r giant rising in the West. The great enemy with wliicii the structure will have to contend is ice, which in spring ruslics down tlie river in vast masses with a force a[)i)arently irresistible. Mr. Steplienson has of course designed the piers of his bridge in sucli a manner as to resist enormous pressure ; and in his report to the Directors of the Great Trunk Railway, ho says, that although all the modifications of forces are clearly beyond the reach of calculation, he has been careful to provide against an amount of pressure fai* greater than what the best authorities describe as existing in the severest seisons. The estimated cost of this undertaking is 1,400,000/. ; doubtless a largo amount, but the commercial ad- vantages will be proportionately great. For with- out this bridge, the vast and rapidly increasing commerce of Canada would be sealed up during six months of the year ; whereas by an uninterrupted communication across the St. Lawrence, the traffic of the North American colonies will be brought at all seasons into direct and easy access with all the ports on the Atlantic, from Halifax to Boston and New York, and consequently through these ports nearer to Europe. In the course of a drive throuo-h the environs of Montreal, I saw the farms of some of the habltans, MONTREAL. 131 clcscondants of the original French settlers. These .settlements arc interesting, as being relics of the ancient feudal tenure which was transplanted to the New World when the system was in full force m Europe. The kings of France, as feudal lords, gave to noblemen and officers titles to lands, deno- minated seigniories, held from the sovereign en/ief, on condition of their rendering fealty or homage for the same. The kings of Great Britain becoming suc- cessors to the claims of the kings of France, the custom was continued, and the gifts were ex- tended. The extent of these grants may be judg-^d from the fact that Quebec, including Anticosti nnd other islands, held 79 seigniories, comprising 5,656,^99 acres; Montreal and three islands, 63 seigniories, comprising 2,786,011 acres. Three Rivers: and St. Francis, 63 seigniories, comprising 1,039,707 acres; Gaspe and other isles, 25 seigniories, of 1,318,117 acres; in all 167 seigniories, and nearly 11,000,000 acres. A seventh part of the waste land, given up by royal decree to be distributed among all sects excepting Roman Catholics, consti- tuted the celebrated Clergy Reserves, the secular- isation of which has now happily been settled by the Provincial government. The seigniorial privileges, at one time oppressive, R 2 132 A VACATION TOUR. arc now very mild, so much so indeed, that although laws have been passed enabling tenants, or censitaires as they are called, to commute their seigneurs pri- vileges for a small paymen' , *hey prefer remaining in the condition of their forefathers. But a controversy has arisen respecting the sale of seigniorial lands which threatens serious consequences unless equitably adjusted. Certain jurists contend that by the custom of the country established before its conquest by Great Britain, the seigniors are bound to sell their lands in lots of 100 acres to the first applicant, in consideration of the payment of certain dues, and a rent not exceeding one penny an acre. The seig- niors, on the other hand, maintain their right to receive such rents as they can obtain. Great prosperity existed among thj farms which I visited. Orchards, famous for their delicious apples, abounded, and the variety of other fruits and vege- tables shows that the land is highly prolific, and cultivation successfully practised. Indeed, it is a pleasant sight to see these French settlers on their prcperous little farms. There are many charming villas In the neighbour- hood of Montreal commanding lovely views. Some of these belong to merchants engaged in extensive business operations in the city. Montreal, from its MONTREAL. 133 population (60,000) and situation, may be regarded as the capital of Canada, though no longer enjoying the honour of being the seat of government. The outrageous conduct of certain parties, followed by the destruction of the parliament houses, caused Lord Elgin to remove to Quebec. Lord Metcalfe, how- ever, who was a clear-sighted governor, at the close of his administration expressed himself thus strongly in favour of Montreal : — " It is not only the principal place in population, wealth, and commerce, but is also the only place where the English and French races can amalgamate. Kingston is a foreign land to the French Canadians ; except the few gentlemen who, as office-holders, are drawn by their duties to the seat of government, it scarcely contains a single inhabitant of that race." Besides its importance as a great commercial em- porium, Montreal is celebrated for its extensive financial operations. The tourist whose exchequer needs replenishing will do well to remember he can obtain all descriptions of coin in this city; and it may be worth mentioning that the English shilling bears the rather perplexing value of fifteen pence, and the English sovereign of twenty-four shillings and four pence. K 3 I i' I ! 134 A VACATION TOUU. CHAP. VI. VOi'AGE TO QUEUEC. — HEIGHTS OF AURAIIAJI. — CALECHE. — BAD HOTELS. — EOUTHaCATlO.NS. MAGNIFICENT VIEW. — Wolfe's monument. — okay's elegy. — open- ing OF parliament. — loud ELGIN. — POLITICAL iiATTLUS FRENCH SPEECHES. — ELECTION OF SPEAKER. PLACE HUNTING JOBBING. GATHERING OF MEM- BERS. — LOWER TOWN. — INTEMPEIIANCE. — HiSTORICAL SOCIETY. — DEPARTURE OF THE MILITARY. — CANADIAN BEAUTIES. — FALLS OF MONTMORENCI SPENCER WOOD. — GARRISON MESS. — LEAVE QUEBEC. EMIGRANTS. — ARRIVE AT TORONTO. The distance by water from Montreal to Quebec (180 miles), by the great comfort and elegance of the mode of transit, is almost annihilated. Larf'-e steamboats leave Montreal every evening at seven o'clock, and arrive at Quebec at the same hour the following morning. The vessel ii . which I voyaged was unusually crowded, upwards of 300 passengers being on board ; fortunately I secured a state-room in the morning— a wise precaution — and thus suf- fered no inconvenience. The saloon at supper-time, with its 300 occupants, presented a singular appear- ance ; but, though there was an extraordinary run on HEIGHTS OF ABRAHAM. 135 the provisions, and stewards were in great request, tlic utmost regularity and order prevailed. This was the more surprising as the company was very mixed, consisting of all political grades and parties, who dis- cussed with great warmth the probable fall of the reigning administration. At a late hour I retired to my state-room, where I enjoyed perfect privacy and an excellent bed. When I rose in the morning the steamer was passing under high cliffs, which for a considerable distance above Quebec confine the St. Lawrence in a narrow channel. The cold was intense ; and was the more felt as at Montreal the temperature was uncomfortably warm. Large ships lined the left bank of the river, moored amidst enormous rafts. Presently the celebrated heights of Abraham appeared, beyond which Quebec was visible, with its picturesque church steeples. Gliding through a fleet of timber-ships our steamer took a sweep round, and, as the clocks were'strikino- seven, came to rest opposite a pier projecting from the lower town. On landing my cars were assailed by cries of « calash, calash," the old French calkhe being still the favourite public carriage of Quebec. In one of these I proceeded through, or rather ^/p, the lower to the higher town,— for the road is almost precipitous, — and was set down at Husscirs Hotel, K 4 136 A VACATION TOUR. where a friend had secured a room for me. At all seasons the Quebec hotels are bad ; but when I was there, in consequence of the opening of parliament having brought crowds of people into the city, they were peculiarly wretched. My room was one of a suite improvised for the occasion out of a dining- room, and bore very great resemblance to a wooden box of rather large proportions with two small holes serving for door and window. There was, however, nothing better to be had ; and I was told to consider myself fortunate, having my box to myself. After a wonderful scrambling breakfast I set out to explore the city, and bent my steps in the first instance to the citadel. This, thanks to an officer of the engineers, to whom I had a letter of introduction, I saw in detail, — passing through the underground communi- cations and over bastions bristling with heavy cannon, which are not accessible to the public. The circuit of the fortifications enclosing the upper town is two miles and three-quarters ; the total cir- cumference, outside the ditches and space reserved by government, on which no house can be built on the west side, is about three miles. The upper town may be said to be entirely surrounded by a lofty and strong wall of hewn stone. The castellated appear- ance produced by the battlements, ditches, embra- MAGNIFICENT VIEW. 137 sures, round towers and gates, adds much to tlie grand ai; i imposing effect of the place. But although the fortifications, with all their complicated war ma- chinery, are exceedingly interesting, and should not be left unvisited, the view from the flag-staff tower, three hundred and sixty feet above the river, is the great feature lingering pleasantly in the remembrance of the traveller. This is admitted to be one of the finest in the world, presenting a rare combination of mountains, valleys and plains, watered by the St. Lawrence and St. Charles Rivers, and if the scene be lighted by a September sun, its magnificence and rich variety are the more impressive. Few cities have had so fair a cradle as Quebec, wliich was founded on the site of an Indian village, called Stadacona, signifying, in the Algonquin lan- guage, the Place of a Strait. Gazing on it, we cannot wonder at the French striking a medal with the words, " Francia in Novo orbe victrix, Kebeca liberata 1690 ; " when in that year success crowned their arms ; nor that proportionate sorrow was felt, when, in a little more than half a century afterwards, the daring prowess and judgment of Wolfe transferred it to the British Crown. 138 A VACATION TOUK. 1 Having preparea myself, by an examination of the very interesting original plan of the Battle of Quebec, preserved in the citadel, I went to the plains of Abraham, which commence a short distance from the fortifications. Here the fate of Canada was decided; and when we look at the scene, and re- member how fearful the odds were against Wolfe, we are lost in admiration of his courage and military strategy. For it must not be forgotten that, a short time before this event, he had experienced a sad reverse at Montmorenci, which struck despair into his troops, and inspired the brave Montcalm with fresh energy. The grey dawn of morn, however, saw Wolfe's army undismayed on the heights of Abraham, which had been scaled in the face of frightful difficulties, and before the sun went down Quebec had fallen. The mortality and number of wounded were very great. An account of the battle by an eye-witness, pre- served in the Seminary, and lately printed by the Historical Society of Quebec, states that, although five hundred beds were set up in that convent, as many more were required. Among the wounded were seventy-two ofricers,of whom thirty-three died. Lint and linen were sadly deficient. The nuns, however, gave all their available Hnen, and tended the wounded "Wolfe's monument. 139 with great tenderness. The spot where Wolfe re- ceived liis mortal wound is marked by a column surmounted by a helmet and sword. The base bears the simple inscription — " Here died "Wolfe victorious." The chivalrous Montcalm was also slain. A monu- mental pillar erected to these heroes, by Lord Aylmer on Cape Diamond, bears this well-merited tribute to Wolfe's gallant enemy : " Honneur k Mont- calm : Le Destin, en lui derobant la victoire, I'a recompense par une mort glorieuse." It adds consi- derably to the interest of the scene of this victory, to learn that scarcely any alteration has been made in the disposition of the battle-field, which is still rugged and barren. Among the chronicles of warriors who have died in the arms of victory, there is none, perhaps, to which an Englishman clings with greater interest than the story of Wolfe's brilliant career and im- mortal end.* And yet it would seem that when on Wlien II inotioii was inude in Parliimieut for a monument to Wolfe, Pitt spoke thus : — " The^orror of the night, the precipice scaled by Wolfe, the empire he, Avith a handful of men, added to England, and the glorious catastrophe of con- tentedly terminating life where his fame began, — ancient story may be ransacked, and ostentatious philosophy thrown into the account, before an episode can be found to rank vvith Wolfe's." I .1 140 A VACATION TOUR. the eve of his desperate enterprise, peaceful thoughts occupied his mind. Drifting slowly down the river on the night before the battle, when silence was strictly imposed on all in the ships, Wolfe repeated to his officers surrounding him, the whole of Gray's undying Elegy, adding, when he had concluded, " I would rather have written this poem than take Quebec." Had he a dark fore-shadowing of the truth, — " The paths of glory lead but to the grave," or did his spirit yearn for peace ? The tourist will rejoice that there are no dis- tracting guides on the plains of Abraham ; and should he not have the misfortune to visit them at the season of the Quebec races, which are held in an adjoining enclosure, he will be able to meditate over the past unmolested. At least, I was left alone ; and, indeed, so little are the people in the neighbourhood alive to the interest of the place, that a small public-house near the plains bears an erroneous designation of the hero of Quebec. Great was the contrast between the peaceful country and the city, which, when I re-entered it in the afternoon, was roaring with tumult; bands playing, cannon hring, crowds surging and rushing wildly to and fru. A great event was at hand. The OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. 141 Governor-general was on his way to ope?- the Pro- vincial Parliament. A fatality seems to attend this body. They have been ousted by fire from their legitimate places of meeting at Montreal and Quebec. In the present uncertainty respecting the permanent seat of Government, no attempt is made to erect a house fitting to receive the legislature, and ac- cordingly, the members meet in the Music Hall. The galleries accommodate a limited number of spectators, admitted by tickets. Attended by a glittering staff of officers, and preceded by the civil functionaries, the Governor (Lord Elgin), in a military uniform, marched up the body of the house, and having taken his seat on the "Throne," read his speech to the assembled members, who mustered numerously. It was listened to throughout with great attention ; at its conclusion the Governor bowed, and withdrew. The ceremony was conducted with solemnity, and was a reflex on a modest scale of the opening of the British Parliament. The galleries too, though not filled by England's aristocratic daughters, contained a fair array of lovely faces, who regarded the scene with great interest. To all, however, it was not equally gratifying. For some republican spirits of the sterner sex seated near me, were loud in their denunciations of the " singer- 142 A VACATION TOUR. bread absurdity," as they styled it, of the whole affair. The Mace was particularly offensive to them ; and whatever may have been their historical know- ledge of the old country, they at least knew that a sturdy republican had once turned the Mace of the British Parliament out of doors. I am bound, how- ever, to say these little ebullitions of feeling were confined to narrow circles, for the majority of the spectators behaved with a decorum in harmony with the solemnity of the proceedings. When the Governor had departed, a murmur arose throughout the hall which swelled to loud con- versation. The political fight was on the eve of commencing. A speaker was to be elected. Both parties were sanguine of success. Ministerialists and the Opposition were ranged on opposite sides of the house, each member having before him a small desk with writing materials. Presently silence was re- stored. The clerk read the Governor's speech ; and the order of the day for the election of speaker was announced. Then followed ten specimens of oratory, seven in French and three in English. Among the speakers were Mackenzie, the celebrated leader of the rebel movement at Toronto, whose lancuajie and action abounded wath excitement and violence ; Papineau — the O'Conncll of Canada — Hincks, and POLITICAL BATTLES. 143 M^Nab. The Frcncli Canadians, were, however, far more eloquent and energetic tlian the English members. Bearing in mind the diversity of political opinions and parties in Canada, and the great difficulty in harmonising conflicting interests, it was a mistake to have permitted the French language to be retained in Parliament and legislative affairs. At present few persons in Upper Canada are conversant with French, and consequently Members of Parliament hear long speeches which they do not comprehend. The tedium of this infliction was exemplified by the im- patience manifested by several honourable members who, by various mocking tones and noises, more ingenious than gentlemanly, endeavoured to put down French orators. Political intrigue, the bane of all good govern- ment, is unhappily very prevalent in Canada. The alleged misdoings of Mr. Hincks formed the subject of the opposition speeches, and it was evident a strong combination had been formed to cause him to resign. This result was obtained, to the great joy of his opponents. The struggle for place is, of course, the moving power among all parties. Extraordinary efforts are made to obtain government employment, which is the more surprising when the unbounded 144 A VACATION TOUR. ii field for enterprise in Canada is l)orne in mind.* But, unhappily, the plethoric prosperity of the country offers many temptations to abuse power. I was gratified, however, to find that, with few excep- tions, a loyal and affectionate spirit exists towards England. I had a good opportunity of forming a judgment on this point, as I was in the company of upwards of fifty Members of Parliament, at my hotel, after the adjournment of the House. We assembled in the reading-room, which soon became an arena of fierce political discussion ; in which. Upper Canada Conservatives, and Reformers, and French Cana- dians of all political shades, took part. As the night advanced, arguments waxed hotter, until at length so many personalities were exchanged, that I fully expected to see blows taking the place of words : and Ions after I retired, the voluble strife of the excited combatants, interspersed by snatches of loud songs and louder choruses, rang through the house, and effectually banished sleep. I was, indeed, so worn out in the morning by want of rest, that having no * Lord Durham observes, in his report on Canada, "The general inclination to jobbing results in a perfect scramble in the House of Assembly for each to get as much as he can for his consiltuents and himself." I fear matters are not much im- proved in this respect since Lord Durham's mission. I.OWKU TOWN. 145 hope of greater peace during the ensuing night, I resolved on leaving Quebec, and relinquishing the pleasure of dining with the garrison officers. With this intention, I called on my friend at the citadel, and begged he would excuse my presence at the mess ; but on explaining the circumstances which led me to ask his indulgenre, he most kindly insisted on my occupying a room in his bachelor house, the quiet comforts of which contrasted very agreeably with my wretched quarters in Russell's Hotel, I devoted the morning to a ramble through the lower town, which extends along the base of the precipice on the summit of which the upper town is built. The site has been gained by excavation in the cliffs, or redeemed from the river. The wooden houses are huddled together, and divided by narrow streets, disgracefully dirty. Here the emigrants land ; and, in the absence of commodious dwellings to receive them, it is not surprising that fever and cholera make sad ravages. Extensive wharves, fringed by serried ranks of stately ships, extend opposite and consider- ably above the lower town, and are carried more than two hundred yards into the water. The St. Law- rence is here a mile broad, and about one hundred and eighty feet deep ; and yet we are nearly four hundred miles from the mouth of this majestic river. I! 146 A VACATION TOUR. 1 Tlie two towns are connected by a tortuous passage, popularly known a3 Breakneck Stairs, only used by foot-passengers. The population of Quebec (65,000) has a very French appearance. The hahitans in their ancient costume, consisting of a fur cap, loose coat gathered round the waist by a red or green sash, and large boots, are seen in all the streets ; and, occasionally, Indians are met in their more picturesque dress. I saw one under the influence of fire-icater reeling along, whooping, and brandishing his tomahawk. The present race of Indians are as fond of this beverage as their forefathers, who, according to an old missionary chronicle, \vere in the habit, when they obtained a portion of fire-water only sufficient to make one of the party drunk, of drawing lots to decide who should enjoy the extreme bliss, as they deemed It, of becoming Intoxicated. Charlevoix, however, states that the Huron tribes near Quebec abjured all intoxicating liquors. Unfortunately the extremely low price of whisky in Canada, a quart cost- hif less than the same measure of beer in England, leads to much intemperance among the lower classes. I visited the Historical Society of Quebec, one of the oldest literary institutions in Canada. It has rendered good service by the publication (in French) HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 147 of curious and important documents, relating to the early history of the country. Among the MSS. are nine original volumes of the Journals of the English House of Commons for the year 1642. I could not learn how they came into the Society's possession. Kalm, the Swedish traveller, observes that in his time (1749) there was a far greater taste for science and literature in Canada than in the adjoining English colonies, where it was everybor^y's sole care and em- ployment to scrape a fortune together. Canada happily retains her love for science and literature, though her present rulers have as strong a desire to make fortunes as their American fore- fathers. The stranger visiting Quebec during the summer months cannot fail to be struck by the steep flight of steps to the houses. The height of the entrance^from the ground is the measure of the depth of snow, which covers Lower Canada during six months of the year. When the earth has received its winter mantle, the steps disappear, as the snow is then on a level with the door-sills. The cold at Quebec is terribly severe. Lieutenant Noble, of the Artillery, who kept a meteorological register during the winter of 1853-4, informed me that during fifty days the ^^-mometor was below xcro ; and on one day only, h 2 ther I tl) 143 A VACATION lOUR. between November 15th and April 26th, did the mercury rise above 32°. Yet the Canadians enjoy excellent health. In my wanderings I came upon some excavations in progress near the Esplanade, in tlie course of which a monument had been recently discovered bearing a Latin inscription on a copper plate, com- memorating the success of the French arms, under the command of the Count of Frontenac, against the " rebellibus Novae Anglian incolis." The dinner to which I was invited at the garrison mess gave me an opportunity of meeting several agreeable officers, whose spu-its ran high at the pros- pect of returning soon to England and taking part in the great war drama in the East. For here, as at Montreal, all the troops, with the exception of those absolutely necessary to garrison the citadel, had been recalled, to the great sorrow of the fair ladies of Quebec, who have always been celebrated for their military enthusiasm. I was assured, however, that the grief was not all their own, for many officers felt the truth of the old song, " Nous ainions la Canadienne Pour ses beaux yeux doux ;" for the sake of whom some were about to rxchano-e the sword for a Canndinn f; irm. FALLS OF MONTMORENCL 149 Unless the tourist be sadly pressed for time, he should not omit visiting the Falls of Montmorenci about six miles from Quebec. They are grand and beautiful, tumbling over a precipice of sandstone 250 feet high, remarkable for containing boulders of enormous size, which Sir C. Lyell states are the largest he has seen in any ancient stratified rock. The finest view of the waterfall is obtained from the bottom, which can be reached with some little difiiculty. There the celebrated ice-cone is formed from the freezing of the spray, down the steep sides of which parties slide in winter. Xn 1829 the cone attained a height of 126 feet. It serves as an annual illustration of the formation of glaciers ; for it is manifest that if the supply of frozen spray were never interrupted by the occurrence of sumn^er, the dimen- sions of the cone would increase. It grew to the height of 126 feet in 1829; and if it rested on an inclined plane, the increasing bulk would cause its descent, and a glacier would be created. My kind host drove me to Spencer Woud, about three miles from Quebec, the governor's residence, charmingly situated on the summit oi the banks overlooking the St. Lawrence. Though only the 7th of September, the woods were dashed bv the L 3 ii h I I I 150 A VACATION TOUR. gorgeous scarlet hues which fire American forests in autumn. On our return we ascended the citadel heights, and saw a glorious sunset pouring floods of golden light on the varied landscape. Let not the tourist fail to add a sunset view to his impressions of Quebec. I felt really sorry when the time for my departure from this picturesque city arrived. I entered it a stranger. Friends were around me when I left it. So is it ever in our pilgrimage through life. Bright spots alternate with gloom and darkness. I had now a long journey, or voyage rather, before me, my destination being Toronto, about 500 miles from Quebec. In my brother's time this distance could not have been overcome by water under two or three weeks. Now, by the aid of swift steamers, the voyage may be made in fifty.four hours, and when the Great Trunk Railway is finished the time will be further lessened. My fellow-passengers in the saloon were not numerous, but the lower decks swarmed with 600 emigrants, including numerous Irish, who contrived to do credit to Quebec whisky by getting up periodical rows during the night- watches, which were only put an end to by a general confiscation of shillelaghs. It was curious to note the difference between these ARRIVE AT TORONTO. 151 excitable Celts and the staid and sober Norwegians, who always form a large party in the continuous stream of emigration flowing to the West. I conversed with several Irish emigrants, and found, with scarcely an exception, they had crossed the Atlantic on the recommendation and by the as- sistance of their relations and friends. The amount remitted to the Old World by settlers is startling. There is every reason to believe, from the published returns, that during the eight years ending 1852, upwards of 600,000/. has been sent to Europe for emigration purposes. The individual sums are also very large, amounting in some instances to 30/. Favoured by remarkably fine weather, the voyage throughout was pleasant. Ontario preserved a lake- like placidity ; and as the rising sun was crimsoning its broad waters our steamer entered the harbour of Toronto. In a short time we were alongside the pier, and soon after I was a guest in Beverley House, the elegant and hospitable abode of Sir John Robin- son, Bart., Chief Justice of Upper Canada. I J, -I 152 A VACATION TOIK. CHAP. VII. I I TORONTO. —CATHEDRAL. — PUBLIC BUILDINGS. — SHIP- PING.— -PROSPERITY. —WAGES PRICE OF PROVISIONS. — FUGITIVE SLAVES. — EDUCATION. — ENVIRO ,S. — < B- SERVATORT GEOLOGICAL FORMATION SOCIETY LEAVE FOR LEWISTON.— LAKE STEAMER.— HIGH WaVES. — THE NIAGARA. — SUSPENSION BRIDGE. — QUEENSTON. FINE VIEW DRIVIO TO CLIFTON HOUSE. - VOICE OF THE FALLS.— THE FIRST VIEW. — TABLE ROCK. — INFLUENCE OF THE SCENE. — THE TWO CATARACTS. — VIBRATION OF THE HOTEL. — GRANDEUR OF MORNING MISTS. — RAPIDS. — BURNING f.PRING. — IRIS ISLAND.— TERRAPIN TOWER.— GULLS.— EXQUISITE COLOUR OP WATER. — RAINBOWS. — " MANCHESTER." — SPIRIT OF THE FALLS. — TRADITION. — CATASTROPHE. — POWER OF THE WATER. — MAID OF THE MIST. — TERMINATION ROCK. — WATER CURTAIN. — WHIKLPOOL. — SUNRISE EFFECT ON THE MIST -CLOUD. —LEAVE FOR BUFFALO. — LAST VIEW OF THE FALLS. — FORT CHIPPEWA LAKE ERIE. Toronto is par excellence the show-city of Canada. I had heard much of its wonderful rise and prosperity ; but the reality far exceeded my expectations. It is the growth of this century. In 1793 Governor Simcoe founded the town then called Little York. In 1813 the Americans burnt it ; and, when rebuilt, TORONTO. — CATHEiniAL. 1.53 file name, with great good taste, was changed to " Toronto," the original Indian appeHation, signifying place of meeting. At that time the site was a bushy wilderness, which might have been purchased for a few dollars ; now the value of the assessed property is upwards of 4,000,000/., and the population numbers 45,000. The day I arrived, which was Sunday, I attended divine service m the catliedral, — a vast building of good architectural design, possessing an organ, built at Montreal, of great power and sweetness. The numerous congregation had a very English appear- ance I and, indeed, but for a general use of fans, the scene might have been in the old country. It was apprehended that when Toronto ceased to be the seat of Government its prosperity would suffer ; but the contrary is the fact. -Besides the large public buildings already erected, others are in pro- cess of construction : busy streets are stretching their long arms into the bush, and the wharves exhibit the vigorous activity of a thriving maritime port. Ships of 900 tons are built for the corn-trade, which pro- ceed direct to Europe; and railways will shortly connect the city with Montreal and Quebec to the east, and with Lake Huron to the west. Lines al- 154 A VACATION TOUR. i. i: ready extend to Lake Simcoe, and through Hamil- ton to Detroit and Chicago. Thus Toronto will soon enjoy the advantage of quick and direct communication with the Atlantic cities during the winter as well as summer seasons. It is interesting to contrast this progress with the state of things little more than half a century ago. Tlie Upper Canada Gazette, under the date of Jan. 5. 1799, congratulates its readers on being able thus early to inform them of Nelson's naval victory of the preceding 2nd of August. The shops in King Street, the main thoroughfare, already upwards of two miles long, are equal to any in the largest of our country towns, and contain an endless variety of goods. With this plethora of pros- perity, — for it ib worthy of mention that the mer- chants and traders of Toronto enjoy a solvency not generally shared by their United States' neighbours, — property, and particularly land, has increased enormously in value. Houses command rents as high as are obtained in the States. The rector of the principal parish church, who is paid by a land endowment, a short time since worth only a few pounds a-year, now receives 1600/, yearly. Labour is proportionately well paid. Last autumn bricklayers received 1 1^-. 3(/. daily, masons lOs., carpenters 8s. del, II i WAGES. — PRICE OF PROVISIONS. 155 tailors 6s. 3c/., shoemakers 7s. 6d., railway-labourers 66". Provisions, as might be expected, were dear, but still not so dear as in England. Flour averaged 29s. per bag of 196 lbs., beef 5d. to 6d. per lb., pork 4J., butter 8d. Labour was in great request, so much so, that it was almost impossible to procure farm or house servants, unless at enormous wages. During my stay at Sir J. Robinson's, his butler gave notice of his intention to leave him, as he had procured a situation as messenger in a bank with lOOl. a-year wages. Toronto is a favourite resort of fugitive slaves, many of whom have considerable property in and about the city. It is pleasant to see, amidst so much vigorous acti- vity, how large a place England holds in the memory of the citizens of Toronto. In every street inns, with familiar household names, meet the eye, recalling as- sociations dear to the native of the British isles. Pleasant, too, is it to find that the engrossing pursuits of commerce have not blighted a taste for literature and science. Besides the two colleges, which bear a high cha- racter for their system of instruction, and enjoy ninety scholarships of 30/. annual value, there are excellent grammar-schools and literary and scientific esta- I 156 A VACATION TOUK. blishments. Tlie observatory is celebrated for the magnetic observations lately made under the direc- tion of Captain Lefroy, and is now reorganised for permanent meteorological and astronomical observ- ations. I was highly pleased by several drives in the neigh- bourhood of Toronto. The country is very beautiful. Charming villas, surrounded by well-kept gardens, remind one continually of England. The cemetery, wisely placed at some distance from the town, is a most picturesque spot, happily undeformed by hideous monuments. Altogether it is impossible to conceive a more vigorous or healthy Anglo-Saxon offspring than Toronto. Its situation, climate, and soil are all favourable ; but probably much of its sound pros- perity is due to the circumstance of the whole pro- vince having been settled by American royalists, who found here a refuge and a home. With such materials we can scarcely paint the future of Toronto too brightly. The geological tourist will be much interested by the very uncommon series of ridges or terraces near Toronto. Of these curious phenomena Sir Charles Lyell observes, — " With the exception of the parallel roads or shelves in Glen Roy, and some neighbouring glens of the GKOLOGICAL FORMATION. — SOCIKTY. 157 Western Highlands in Scotland, I never saw so re- markable an examf ' ^ of banks, terraces, and accumu- lation of stratified gravel, sand, and clay, maintaining, over wide areas, so perfect a horizontality, as in this district north of Toronto." The natural mole of sand stretching above two miles into the lake, and forming the capacious bay, is a singular object, being very narrow ; in some places only half a dozen feet across. Scattered trees grc w upon it, which at a distance have the appearance of growing in the water. Here the Indians were in the habit of bringing tl\eir sick during the summer heat for the sake of the cool lake breeze ; and the place is still a favourite resort of the citizens, who find easy access to it hy a steam ferry. The society of Toronto is highly intellectual. In- deed, it would be difficult to find any town in Canada possessing so many desirable features for a residence as Toronto. No wonder that, with so many advan- tages, the loyal residents refused to listen to the dark whisperings of unprincipled demagogues, who were desirous, for their own purposes, of severing the bonds binding them to the British crown. Quaintly con- structed block-houses in the vicinity of the town, which were fortified during the rebellion, attest the severity of the struggle; but their peaceful occupancy II 158 A VACATION TOUR. i at present by farmers, and an entire absence of military, equally attest how completely all revrl'i- tionary feelings havo passed away. And when t ''• remembered that Canada is entirely exempt tnrr direct taxation, and enjoys the protection of Englai; d for her commerce, now greatly benefited by the Reciprocity Treaty, it is impossible to predict too brilliant a future for her rapidly increasing popu- lation. That Canada will always remain under the British crown is far from probable; but it is now equally improbable that American " sympathisers " will win her to annexation with the States. A hiixher and more independent destiny is reserved for her. And should she determine to march alone, our chil- dren may live to see in Canada, — " all that else the years will show, The poet-forms of stronger hours, The vast Republics that may grow ' The Federations and the Powers ; Titanic forces taking birth In divers seasons, divers climes ; For we are ancients of the earth, And in the morning of the times." It was difficult to break the hospitable ties which, had I been inclined, might have bound me long to Toronto, but my motto was, Onwards ; and bidding my very kind friends farewell, I departed at seven in LEAVE FOU LEWISTON. 159 seven in tlic morning for Lewiston in the Feerlessy a large and swift steamer elegantly fitted up, and of the same con- struction as ocean steamers, the engines being below tlic deck. This was significant of rough water, and I had soon an opportunity of verifying the fact that Ontario is not always smooth. Great cyclones had swept over the lake during the last few days; but the well- protected bay gave no indication of the state of things outside. My fellow-passengers and myself were doing justice to an excellent breakfast in the elegant saloon, when I was somewhat surprised by the captain observing that in all probability we should be very ill in a few minutes. This intelligence acted as a damper to my appetite ; but I was more discon- certed when a sudden heave of the ship which nearly swept the tables clean, gave evidence we had passed the bar. Kushing up stairs I beheld the waters rolling with white foaming waves of great magnitude. My fate was decided. It may seem, as it decidedly was, unromantic — Niagara being the goal ; but I have rarely suffered more from sea-sickness than I did during the happily brief voyage from Toronto to Lewiston, which, although the distance is forty miles, is accomplished in three hours. As we approached the mouth of the Niagara river the lake became calmer, and I was emancipated from my agony in IfiO A VAOATJON TOlJli. sufficient time to enjoy tlie tranquil passage up to Lewiston, severi miles from the lake. Here I landed, and engaging a " ^uggy," drove over the grand suspension bridge to Queenston, and ascended the heights above the town, from whence I enjoyed a fine panoramic prospect of the surrounding country and Lake Ontario. All tourists should do this, as, independently of the pleasure of gazing on a magni- ficent view, it is desirable to receive a correct im- pression of the features of the district in which that great wonder of the world — the Falls of Niagara — is set. The scene towards the Falls is very remarkable, consisting principally of a boundless expanse of table- land covered by dense forest, through which the river has cut a passage. Of the falls themselves, seven miles distant, not a trace is visible ; and the dark-blue waters of the great river flow so smoothly at the bottom of the deep gorge, as to give no idea of their having passed over a mighty pre- cipice. A glance at the nature of the ravine, and the general features of the country, cannot fail to lead to the conclusion that the falls were once situated at Queenston, from whence they have gra- dually receded to their present po-ition. But when the mind attempts to grapple with the enormous THE FIRST VIEW. 161 snorinous length of time involved in this change, calculated at 35,000 years, we are bewildered by the computation, and cake refuge in the knowledge, sufficient for our finite understanding, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years. The heights of Queenston possess an historical interest as the scene of the battle in 1812, when General Brock fell. A substantial monument to liis memory is now in course of erection, to replace the pillar destroyed by some Americans during the Canadian rebellion. Resuming my seat, I drove along a sandy road tlirough the partially- cleared bush, my excitement increasing as the distance to the falls diminished. When about three miles from them, I ordered the driver to stop; and as soon as the carriage ceased to move, a deep booming noise was heard, issuing from the depth of the forest. It was the eternal voice of the falls. My impatience increased, but it found no sympathy in my youn^ Yankee driver, who, "guessing" he had driven hundreds of people to Clifton House, treated my proceedings with perfect indifference. As all things liowever, come to an end, so did the drive. At the end of seven miles the road, liitherto level, suddenly dipped, and I beheld immediately before me the mighty cataracts, illuminated by brilliant sunshine. M 162 A VACATION TOUR. I- jl To the question " Were you disappointed by the first view ? " which is generally asked, I answer " No ; " but it is right to add, I had been careful not to raise my expectations too high. Indeed, remembering how many persons have expressed themselves disappo'V- d by the height of the falls appearing so insignific '.it in proportion to their great breadth, I had dwarfed my ideal view too much; and now, when the reahty was before me, it exceeded my expectations. This was a pleasing disappointment. A few yards below the brow of the hill, and in full view of the two falls, stands the Clifton House Hotel. Here I secured a most comfortable bedroom, commanding the Horse- shoe Fall, and then, with an alacrity which made the numerous drivers surrounding the hotel aware I had just arrived, hastened to the Table Rock. To my surprise, beyond the mere offer of their vehicles, I was left to pursue my way unmolested ; and I have to add, that during my abode at the falls, I was never annoyed in any way by guides ; nor, indeed, did I see any persons practising the generally officious and to the tourist distressing office of showman. I menilon this, because I have frequently seen and hsarc^ it asserted, that the visitor at Niagara is sorely ^Ja^aed by guides, who start up at all points to the distraction of his peace and enjoyment. A v>allv or rather a INFLUENCE OF THE SCENE. 163 run— of a few minutes brouglit mo to the Table Rock; from whence I gazed on the descending sea before me witli feelings of awe and wonder, tempered by a feehng of gratitude that I was permitted to look upon a scene whose stupendous majesty is identified with my earliest knowledge of the wonders fo the world. Seen from the Table Rock, no disappointm >nt can be felt. For my part, so entirely was I unprepared for the enormous volume of water, that in tie weak- ness of my comprehension and inability to grasp the scene, I was unwilling to turn my aching eyes from the glorious spectacle, apprehending it could only endure for a season, and that the overwhelming rush of water must speedily cease. But as I gazed with trembling anxiety, and marked no change beyond the masses of spray clouds, swayed by the wind across the migl:ty sheet, which ever retai.ied its sublime proportions, the truth began to force itself upon me, tliat for thousands of years the waters had been falling, by day and by night, at all times and seasons, ever sounding, in a voi..: which once heard can never be forgotten, the pia; o of Him who bp ^e them flow.* Here, indeed, u.j be felt the beaucy of * Tho alternation of seasons causes no appreciable difTe^enee n t .e body of water passing ove. a.e falls. But a prevalence Tvestcrly ga.es greatly -noreases the quantity; and the M 2 'Ik* A * 164 A VACATION TOUR. the words In our canticle, " O ye seas and floods, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever ; " and it was probably with feelings of deep awe that the Indian of olden time, worshipping the Great Spirit, gave the peculiarly appropriate name 0-Ni-aw-ga-rah, the Thunder of Waters, to this matchless scene. It is indeed eloquent " as with the voice of a great multitude — the voice of many waters — the voice of many thunderings, saying, ' Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.' " How long I remained spell-bound to the spot where I had seated myself, I know not ; but a.*- proof of the entire concentration of all senses on scene, I was entirely ignorant of the fact that 1 had been sitting some time in a pool of water formed by the spray. remarkable periodical rise of the great American lakes, which are supposed to attain a maximum height every seven years, also influences the amount of water. According to a very interesting paper published in the Canadian Journal, (July, 1854,) Lake^ Erie was at its minimum height in 1846; had attained its sixth observed maximum height in 1853 ; and was also very high in 1854. But the observations are neither sufficiently exact nor continuous to warrant the deduction that this extraordinary pheiiomenon, during which the level of the lake is raised more than five feet, ci jars at regular intervals; the sulyect of lake-disturbances being one of great difficulty. Hennepin's description of the falls. 165 The power of Niagara over the spectator within its influence is extraordinary. Many instances are on record, but none more striking than that of Father Hennepin, vho in his book publislied in 1G98, giving an account of discoveries in America, thus writes : " Betwixt the Lakes Ontario and Eric there is a vast and prodigious cadence of water, which falls down after a surprising and astonishing manner, insomucli that tlie universe does not afford its parallel. The river is so rapid above the descent, that it violently hurries down the wild beasts while endeavouring to pass it to feed on the other side ; they not being able to withstand the force of its cur- rent, which inevitably casts them headlong above six hundred foot high. The waters which flill from this horrible precipice do foam and boil after the most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrao-eous noise, more terrible than that of thunder. 1 could not conceive how it came to pass that four great lakes, the least of which is 400 leagues in compass, should empty themselves one into another, and then all centre and discharge themselves at this great fall, and yet not drown good part of America," In another place the awe-stricken Father mentions the stupendous height of the falls,—" over six hundred foot," — and supposes that the loquois, who used to M a 166 A VACATION TOUR. I! pitch tLeir wigwams at tlie base for the sake of obtain- ing the wild animals cast over the falls, left the locality " lest they should become deaf." The reader need scarcely be told that even in Hennepin's time, when the falls were slightly higher than they are now, they were far below his estimated height, being about 170 feet; but the worthy Jesuit will stand excused of any desire to mislead, as he was doubtless bewildered by the astounding spectacle, for which no description had prepared him. And be it remembered that, while we have been gazing on the Horseshoe Fall, we have only to turn our head to behold another scarcely inferior to it in grandeur. Sweeping down in a mighty sheet of white, broken by dark lines as the waters open and close, a large portion of the river descends on the American side of Goat Island, over a precipice 164 feet high, which is six feet higher than the Horseshoe Fall. The two cataracts are perfectly distinct, and although a distant view from below embraces both, each presents to the spectator when near but one picture. That the other, though not seen is at the same time heard, adds greatly to the overwhelmino- effect of Niagara. The Horseshoe Fall is the finer ; for while the American cataract is grandly impressive, the graceful I GRANDEUR OF MORNING MISTS. 167 curve of the waters on the Canadian side, the broad sapphire gems which they wear on tlieir brow, and the everlasting halo of glory with which they are crowned, give them the supremacy. Day had faded into the gloom of eve, through which the cataracts loomed mysteriously, when I regained the hotel ; for I need scarcely say the dinner hour had no charms for me on that day ; and after a hurried supper I went forth again, and saw the marvellous scene by the light of a waning moon. It was very late when I retired to bed. The mighty cataracts were ever before me, while their continual roar, and the throbbing of the windows and doors from the concussion of the air, made my night full of wild and startling dreams. The following morning the scene had changed. Enormous volumes of mist rose from the falls, blot- ting their outline and magnifying their proportions. The temperature was only 47°, which being con- siderfibly below that of the river, occasioned this phenomenon. But though tlieir glory Avas thus (I'mmed, the play of the vapours, as they boiled up " Like foam from the roused ocean of deep hell," gave them a particularly awful appearance. Hoping the mists would disperse as the day ad- M 4 I 168 A VACATION TOUR. I 1 I III vanced, I dcvotecl the morning to tlie rapids. I had letters of introduction to Mr. Street, who occupies a charminff residence two miles above the falls. The private grounds extend to the river; and it is from the banks, here about thirty feet high, that the best views of the rapids are obtained. Sublime, indeed, is the spectacle of the floods which, rolling down in mighty waves, seem to gather strength for the dreadful leap. The breadth of the Niagara is here about three-quarters of a mile, the entire expanse beinir iv. a state of continual violent agitation. Huge mounds of water— smooth, transparent, and gleaming like emeralds — bound over enormous rocks, and then break into foam. I visited the burning spring a little distance above jMr. Street's house. The gas rises throun;h a stream diverted from the river. An old man guards the curiosity, and for a small fee lights the vapour, which at the time of my visit burned fitfully. In the absence of visitors, " old Jake," the name of the cusiode, spends his time catching black basse, which, according to his account, abound near the banks of the river ; thouo;h how thev can live in such a tumult of waters is perplexing. I soon returned to the fiills, deeming all time misspent which was devoted to anght beside. The VIEW FROM TnE TERRAPIN TOWER. 169 strong sun liacl dispersed the mists, and tlic waters leaped in unslirouded glory; save where the ever- lasting cloud of vapour went up like " incense " in the centre of the Horseshoe Cataract. The remainder of this and nearly the whole of the four succeeding days were devoted to the examination in detail of this great world wonder, which grows in majesty the longer it is contemplated. I spent an entire day on Goat Island, happily left in its primeval state of wildness. From this lovely isle " full of noises — S(Hinds that give delight, and hurt not," ei?dless views of the two falls are obtained. That of the Horseshoe Cataract from the gallery of the Terr;ipin Tower is the most imposing. Here you look upon the long water-curve of exquisite green, forming the lip of the fall, which in the most concave part is said to be twenty feet thick, and down into the abyss boiling with mist and foam. The solemn and slow majesty of the descent of the water is very remarkable, presenting vast green curtain-like folds, from which burst globes of compressed air. The prodigious quantity of mist and spray renders the bottom invisible, and gives infinite variety to the scene, which, when lighted by the play of innu- -sr*^ MOW 170 A VACATION TOUR. I mcrable vivid rainbows, possesses a witching beauty unsurpassed and unequalled. A flock of large gulls were sporting amidst these quivering hues, rejoicing in their power; now dashing downwards until lost in the blinding spray, now soaring aloft in the deep blue heavens. Amidst such sights and sounds, it was an inexpressible relief to find the horrible American creation of " Manchester," with its cotton mills, does not yet destroy the magnificence of the American cataract. The present buildings arc far above the fall ; but it may be, that triumphing over all difficulties — for there are none too formidab ■ ) to cLeck Yarkee enterprise — the rapids on the verge of the descent may be made to do cotton-spinning duty, and the fall itself be diverted into innumerable mill-dams. Already numerous daring projects are contemplated to " use up the almighty water privi- lege " of Niagara, which is stated to exceed in power the entire steam force employed to drive machinery in Great Britain ; but as half the falls belong to England, it is to be hoped the Horseshoe Cataract is not included in the scheme. 1 could not help wishing that the influence which will, I trust, prevent any attempt to perpetrate sucii barbarity, would sweep away the frippery curiosity-shops and museums now deforming; the Canadian side of the river. TRADITION.— CATASTKOPHE. 171 Far different was the vicinity of Niagara at the time of my brotlier's visit. Dense woods then oc- cupied the banks. Not a house was near ; and on one occasion the provisions wliich his party had concealed were stok^n by tlie Indians, wlio resided at Niagara for tlie sake of feeding on the wihl animals ^^ .ich were precipitated over the falls. The Indians have a tradition that the spij-it of Niagara exacts an annual sacrifice of two human victims; and it is a curious fact, that since the white man has known the falls, the average number has exceeded two. I was shown the scene of the last catastrophe, just above the American fall. It is a small ror>ky islet to which an unfortunate man clung with terrible tenacity for three days. He had been drawn into tlie rapids, and was on the point of being swept over the falls, when his course was arrested by the little island. Far better would it have been for him had he not met wit a this obstruction; for his agony during those three long days and nights was fearful. All attempts to save him were abortive ; and at the close of the third day, being unable to cling longer to the rocks, he was carried over the cataract. An American daguerreotypist reaped a rich harvest by taking impressions of the poor fellow during his agony. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V' O S^. ^ *^ /. < ^ i^ ^ ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 6" *^ Ih 12.2 ■" '- IIM U IIIIII.6 % e n ^/: ' '*i 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 145S0 (716) 872-4503 5? .^ '^r^ yf>. **s* 172 A VACATION TOUR. The terrific power of the rapids was made very apparent by a circumstance wliich happened a short time previous to my visit. A large barge, used for navigating Lake Erie, had, by some miscalculation or mismanagement, been allowed to come within the influence of the current of the Niagara, about six miles above the talis. Powerful horses were attached to the towing line; but as their strength was unequal to resist the rapids, the people on board, four in number, wisely fastened themselves to the rope, and, severing it, allowed the barge to drift down while they were dragged on shore. Contrary to all expectation the ship did not go over the falls, but was stranded on a ledge of rocks about loO yards above Goat Island. Tiicre I saw her, and I certainly imagined it would be easy to reach her, for the water did not seem very rapid or deep; but, although the cargo presented great tempt- ation to enterprising voyageurs accustomed to navi- gate canoes in tumultuous waters, one man alone was sufficiently bold to make an attempt to secure them: this was a person named llobinson, better known as the « Champion of the Rapids." Launching his canoe a considerable distance above Goat Island, he steered for the barge, and was suc- cessful in reaching it ; but to the surprise of the EXCITING ADVENTURE. 173 spectators, who were anxiously watching his proceed- ings, he declared he did not think it possible he could regain the shore. The greatest excitement prevailed. Innumerable suggestions were proffered: at length, Robinson found his only chance of escape was to em- bark in his canoe, and drifting down the rapids, endea- vour to reach a rocky islet within a few yards of Goat Island, and fearfully contiguous to the edge of the Great Fall. Failing this, certain destruction was inevitable. It was a moment of terrible suspense. Battling with the fierce rapids, amidst which the tiny canoe was a speck, Robinson struggled with the energy of despair ; and watching his opportunity, succeeded by an almost superhuman effort in bringing his canoe sufficiently near the rock to permit him to spring upon it. Here he was safe, being drawn to shore by ropes, but his canoe was of course speedily preci- pitated over the cataract. A poor dog, left in the barge, had been seen for several days on the deck, howling piteously ; but on the morning of Robinson's venture it was gone. The extremely insecure state of the banks above and below both falls, have led to several deplorable accidents. While I sat sketching at the base of the Horse-shoe Fall near Biddle Stairs, large fragments of rock and gravel fell near me, from the summit of 174 A VACATION TOUR. the cliffs bounding Goat Island, affording practical demonstration of the erosive process in constant operation. Table Rock, as is well known, is not as broad as it was. Huge debris at the base show how powerfully the water acts upon the . ft shale formation underlying the limestone of which the upper part of the precipice is composed. The last great fall occurred in June^ 1850; the noise occa- sioned by the crash was heard at the distance of three miles, and is said to have shaken the country like an earthquake. I accompanied parties on two occasions in the Maid of the Mist, a tiny steamboat, strongly built, and provided with two engines of 100 horse power, which steams gallantly along the base of the American fall into the mist of the Great Fall, careering over waves of oceanic proportions, until the vast sheet of water seems on the point of whelming the little ship. Oil-skin dresses are provided for this excursion, without which the passengers would be drenched ; for the explorer of Niagara will soon find, if he be at all adventurous, that a little spray, coming as it does in fitful gusts, goes a long way. I went into the Cave of the Winds, under the Crescent Fall, where I saw the rare and beautiful phenomena of concentric circular rainbows ; and, taking advantage TERMINATION ROCK. —WATER-CURTAIN. 175 of brilliant sunshine, I performed the crowning feat of passing within the veil of Niagara's temple, or, in other words, going under the great cataract, as far as Termination Rock, 240 feet from the entrance. This requires firm nerves. A gentleman who ac- companied me gave in when about half way. On my return from the goal, I found him bending over a rock, to which he was clinging tenaciously, appre- hending, in the bewildered state of his senses, that the masses of water which came tumbling down would sweep him into the gulf beneatli. But the hurricane, raging as it does with a violence which almost taV-3 the breath away, has a tendency to impel one against the wall of rock behind the sheet of water ; and if the instructions of the guide, who is a stout negro, be followed, and his hand held, no danger attends the adventure; while the extra- ordinary spectacle, accompanied by a chorus of thunder, and the throbbing of the rocks beneath the feet, repay the toil and fatigue. I need scarcely say that the visitor has to undress and put on a water-proof suit before taking his colossal shower bath. The effect of the huge water-curtain, and of the sun seen through it, is very singular. The tourist should select a day when the sun is shining for the I 176 A VACATION TOUR. I ■ I expedition, and if accompanied by a friend, two guides should be taken. I did not omit visiting the whirlpool, which bears on its writhing waters fragments of torn timber pre- cipitated over the falls; nor the suspension bridge, for the sake of the magnificent view which it affords of the Niagara, lowing solemnly through the gorge backed by the two falls. Here the water is of a dark -blue colour flecked by foam. Fabulous statements are made respecting the depth of the river at this place; but 1 have the authority of a scientific friend, who sounded it, fur saying it does not exceed 120 feet. This, however, is a great body of water. It is intended to carry a branch of the railway from Albany to Buffalo over this bridge, hanging the rails to chains above the present roadway for carriages and foot-passengers. This is a bold scheme, worthy of American enterprise ; but fears are entertained for the safety of this pro- posed aerial rcilvvp^'. Mr. Stephenson says, " Great skill has been sliusvn in designing means for neu- tralising the tendency to flexibility; but I am of opinion that no system of trussing applicable to a platform suspended from chains will prove either desirable or eflicient, unless it be carried to such an extent as to approach ir, dimensions a tube itself fit SUNRISE effj:ct on the mist-cloud. i?7 for the passage of railway trains." When this link is completed, Canada West will be brought into direct railway communication with New York. The electric telegraph already exists at Niagara. The wires are brought into Clifton House, and the tourist, without leaving his hotel, may flash a message to the Atlantic cities or New Orleans. On the last morning of my sojourn at the falls, anxious to see as much of them as possible, I rose before the sun. On looking out, the landscape was still dim, but towering high above the Great Fall rose the column of mist, crested by a roseate hue. The effect was enchanting. Not a cloud obscured the heavens ; and so tranquil was the air, that the vapour-pillar seemed like a gigantic shaft of white marble surmounted by a rose-coloured capital. A friend, whom I called to witness the beautiful spec- tacle, agreed with me that the column was at least 800 feet high. I no longer doubted that a faint cloud to which my attention had been drawn when standing on the roof of the Court House at Toronto, was the mist over Niagara. The distance is fifty miles, but it has been seen farther oii. As the sun ascended, the pillar became more rose- hued : presently the crest of the falls caught the N 178 A VACATION TOUR. glowing tints, and the rushing waters were a sheet of burnished gold. The time had now arrived for bidding adieu to Niagara ; but — " There can be no adieu to scenes Uke thine ; " for as I pen these lines, the mighty cataracts appear rolling down their everlasting waters, and I hear the thunder of their voice. This mental daguerreotyping is a glorious privilege of travel. But to carry away lasting imi)ressions of the falls, several days should be devoted to them. I cannot suppose the tourist will be contented by a visit of a few hours, which, according to my experience, seems to satisfy Ame- ricans, who arrive at night and depart the following afternoon ; and I strongly recommend him to make his plans harmonise, if possible, with a residence of a week. He will find the falls increase in sublimity and vastness the longer they are contemplated. Their mysterious grandeur, veiled as it is in mist, cannot be comprehended in a day. Let me further advise him to take up his quarters at the Clifton House, which has the great advantage of being within sight of both cataracts. There is constant communication by means of ferry-boats with the LAST VIEW OF THE FALLS. 179 American side, to the summit of which the indolent tourist can be conveyed by an inclined railway, in cars worked by water-power derived from the fall. The American hotels are noisy, and possess no views beyond a glimpse of the rapids, seen only from a few of the back windows. A brisk trade in Indian ornaments and curiosities is carried on at Niagara. Daguerreotypes of the American fall are in great request; the proper thino-, according to Yankee notions, being for the purchaser to stand prominently in the foreground while the impression is taken. Until I visited Niagara, I was at a loss to understand why all daguerreotype views should generally represent the American fall ; but the ground is so violently agitated on the Canadian side as to render the operation of the camera extremely unsatisfactory, -at least all the results I saw were very poor. Recent improvements in photography will, however, I .ave no doubt, give better effects. My destination was Chicago, to which I had the choice of two routes, one by rail to Detroit, the other by Lake Erie. I chose the latter. Leaving Clifton House in the afternoon I proceeded by rail to Chip, pewa, six miles from Niagara. The line passes withm a few yards of the Great Fall ; so my last view of the cataracts was from the window of a railway N 2 ' 180 A VACATION TOUR. carriage. At Chippewa I found a steamer, in whicli I ascended the Niagara to Buffalo. We passed Navy and Grand Island, the former celebrated as the head-quarters of the leaders of the Canadian insur- rection ; the latter, from an attempt made by a mad- brained individual named Major Noah to gatlier within its precincts the lost tribes of Israel. Shortly before entering Lake Erie we saw nu- merous ships which had passed through the Welland Canal, and were now spreading their sails to navigate the ocean-like lake. The resemblance to the sea was further increased when we arrived at Buffalo, where the harbour presented all the activity of a thriving maritime city. !l! 181 CHAP. yiif. BUFFALO. -GIGANTIC STEAM! OAT.- BRIDAL CHAMBERS — LAKE ERIE WOODED ISLANDS. — WATER-SNAKES — DETROIT. — NEW FRANCE. — VINEYARDS. — DAWN — NEW BUFFALO. — LAKE MICHIGAN. — CHICAGO —ITS RAPID GROWTH. - VALUE OF LAND, - COMMERCE. - PRAIRIES.— FUGITIVE SLAVES. -POPULAR EXCITEMENT EMIGRANTS. - CINCINNATL — TOBACCO-CHET^ WG. _ BUR- N-T HOUSE.— FORMER HOTELS RAPID CHANGES — COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. — LAMD SETTLEMENTS FUR- NITURE FACTORIES.-RAILWAYS.-TOUR OF THE GLOBE. —GERMANS.— PORCINE POPULATION.— THEIR HABITS AND PECULIARITIES. — PORK CROP. — ACREAGE OF PIGS — PORKOPOLIS. — OBSERVATORY. — CATAWBA GRAPES CHAMPAGNE MANUFACTORY. — MR. L0N6W0RTH — HIRAM POWERS. — HIS FIRST WORK. - NATIONAL THE- ATRE.— FIRE.— STEAM FIRE-ENGINE.— POLICE COURT — «' KNOW-NOTHINGS."— COINAGE. — COUNTERFEIT NOTES —KENTUCKY.— SPRING GROVE CEMETERY NARROW ESCAPE THUNDERSTORM. — LEAVE CINCINNATI. As the steamer to Detroit was advertised to depart at nine p. m., I had ample time to explore Buffalo, one of tlie most remarkable examples of the rapid growth of American cities. Founded in 1801, destroyed by fire in 1813, it now contains a population of above 60,000; and official returns show that its commerce, N 3 182 A VACATION TOUR. valued in 1850 at 67,000,000 dollars, had increased in 1851 to 76,000,000 dollars. This extraordinary prosperity is due principally to its being the great natural gateway, between the marts of the East and the producing regions of the West, for the passage of the lake commerce. The movement on the St. Law- rence and Welland Canals communicating with Lake Erie, increased 331 per cent, between 1848 and 1853. The tonnage of the port was composed in 1851 of 107 steamers, and 607 sailing vessels. It is a significant fact, that out of nearly 7000 tons of ships building at Buffalo, in January 1852, there was but one sailing vessel, the remainder consisting of steamers. The principal business streets contain an endless variety of stores full of pedlars' goods and *' Yai .ee notions." I walked into the Clarendon Hotel, where I supped in the company of about three hundred persons, the majority of whom boarded in the house. The ladies were very gaily dressed, prismatic colours being greatly in vogue. If, thought I, these are the Buffalo girls to whom the song applies, no wonder there should be a desire to see them " out," Much as I had been astonished by the steamboats on the St. Lawrence, they sink into insignificance compared with those plying between Buffalo and GIGANTIC bTEAMBOAT. inr Detroit. Indeed, my determination in favour of the ]t»ke route resulted principally from mj desire to make a trip in one of these mammoth ships. There are four on the station, similar in size and appointments. That in which I voyaged was The Western World: an official docume»-.t suspended in the cabin, "By order of Congress," set forth that this ship is 2300 tons burthen, 364 feet long, has engines of 1000 horse power, which can be worked up to 1500 horse, and is provided with 116 state rooms, il3 permanent borths, and las additional sleeping accommodation for 1000 passengers. She has three boilers, each 37 feet in length, ordinarily subjected to a pressure of 56 lbs to the square inch. The officers of the ship are forbidden by law to touch the safety-vjilve. The diameter of the paddle-wheels is 64 feet ; tliere are 6 life-boats, 75 buckets, 1000 life-preservers, and 700 feet of hose in constant readiness. The saloons are fitted up in a style of extraordinary magnifi- cence, with rich carpets, luxurious sofas, lounging chairs and settees covered with costly velvet, pianos, marble tables., and enormous mirrors. At one end there is a large dome of painted glass, from which elegant chandeliers are suspended. The engines? are visible from the saloon, being enclosed by plate-glass. H 4 I 184 A VACATION TOUR. 1 1 11 Tlie portions exposed to view are highly polished and adorned by artificial flowers. The doors of the state-rooms are elegantly painted, and provided with cut glass handles. These apart- ments are equally handsomely fitted up. Two, called bridal-chambers, are decorated in a style of regal splendour; as they were not occupied, the stewardess permitted me to see them. The beds are covered with white satin, trimmed with gold lace ; painted Cupids are suspended from the ceiling ; the toilet furniture is of the finest china ; hot and cold water are laid on, and flow by pressing ivory knobs ; the chairs and sofas are covered with the richest velvet ; the carpets are of the softest pile ; and the walls display beautiful floral designs. Everythino- was new and fresh, for the ship had only been recently launched, and the apartments had never been occupied. The charge for each is five dollars. Remembering the stormy character which Lake Erie bears, it is frightful to contemplate the destruction which would in all probability ensue, if one of these splendid and gaudy chambers were occupied on a rough night by a loving but suffering couple; for, I was assured by the stewardess, that ladies are frequently very ill during the voyage to Detroit. Fortunately, I have no experience of this lake in an angry mood. ARRANGEMENTS ON BOARD. 18.5 We steamed out of the harbour at nine o'clock ; and, but for a slight tremulous motion, and the noise of the huge paddle-wheels striking the water, it would have been easy to have imagined the saloon in which we were seated belonging to a large hotel. Indeed, these huge steamers are hotels on a vast scale, comprising, not only the accommodation I have mentioned, but also commodious bar and smoking rooms; and barbers' shops, where black barbers perform tonsorial operations from morning to night. We numbered about six hundred cabin passengers, and five hundred emigrants, who occupied the lower deck ; so great, however, was the space, no crowding or inconvenience was felt; and the meals were served with the regularity and order of a first-class liotel. It was an extraordinary sight to see the breakfast-tables covered with a profusion of dishes, to which all the passengers did ample justice. My companions were principally commercial men. A few were curious to know my calling and pursuits ; when satisfied, they volunteered to enlighten me respecting their own occupations; one gentleman was even so obliging as to favour me with his card, notifying that the blasting gunpowder he was com- missioned to sell was the best in the world. With a few exceptions, the male passengers were 186 A VACATION TOUR. extremely well behaved ; and it is worthy of remark that the Bibles, 6f which there were many copies on board, were in constant use throughout the voyage. On looking out in the morning, water only was in sight, dotted here and tliere by ships, some of which were of large size. About noon, we were running up Detroit River, the shores of which, like those of Lake Erie, are exceedingly tame. The wooded islands at the head of the lake tend to relieve the monotony of the scene. These are fringed by beds of large lilies, a favourite basking-place for the water-snakes : alluded to by Moore, — " O'er the bed of Erie's lake Slumbers many a water-snake, Basking in the web of leaves Which the weeping lily weaves." Detroit, originally a little French village of wooden-houses, is now a flourishing city possessinj^ large public buildings, huge stores and hotels, and long quays lined with shipping. It is doubtless greatly indebted to position for its prosperity ; but an Englishman may reflect with some pride that this is also in some measure due to the Anglo-Saxon cha- racter.* " Les Francois ne savent pas coloniser," * The energy of the Anglo-Saxon race made a great im- pression on the Indians in the early days of colonisation. On DAWN. 187 was said by a wise politician ; but we must not forget that New France was attempted to be colonised by a government ; New England by a people. Charlevoix tells us, that " Cartier eut beau vanter le pays qu'il avoit decouvert; on insista qu'il ne seroit jamais d'aucune utilite a la France, car il n'y avait aucune apparence de mines." A hundred years later, the fisheries alone were found sufficient to enrich France. At Detroit the American and British flags wave in close proximity, as the opposite side of the river is British grounds The small town of Windsor on the English bank of the river is about half a mile from Detroit. This is the ardently desired goal of fugitive slaves, who ha-e arrived in such vast numbers as to have founded a settlement called Dawn, a short distance from the river, where I was told they are thriving. The climate here is very mild, as proof of which vines grow on the islands in the lake. I found the heat so great in comparison to what it had been at Niagara, that I was glad to be able to travel by night to Chicago. I left Detroit at nine o'clock by the Michigan Railway, one occasion, being exasperated by acts of oppression, they buried some Englislimen, saying, "You English, since you came here, you have grown considerably above ground; let us now see how you will grow under." 188 A VACATION TOUR. which traverses the peninsula between Lakes Huron and Michigan to New Buffalo, where I arrived at six in the morning, and from thence crossed the lake to Chicago, which occupied two hours. This was a most fatiguing journey ; and I was extremely glad to come to rest in the comfortable hotel. Independently of the interest in contemplating the rapid spread of civilisation in the western states, nowhere more apparent than in Illinois, it is worth while going there for the purpose of seeing the prairies near Cliicago ; at least I thought so, for although they are not the prairies of the far west, where the herbage rolls in long waves under the passing winds, they yet are prairies covered by wiry grass and a profusion of wild flowers. Here and there clumps of scrubby trees appear like islands on the plain ; but excepting these, there is nothing to arrest the eye, which takes exceeding delight in boundless vision after a long confinement in dense forests. It expands the mind too, to know that one may walk without a check westward across Illinois, which consists principally of prairie land. The summer had been so dry and hot that the surface was more than usually parched. Some miles to the west it had taken fire, and bui .t over a large area. In CHICAGO. — ITS RAPID GROWTH. 189 the course of my ramble I started some prairie-hens, which afford excellent shooting. The history of Chicago is startling. In 1829, when it was laid out, a solitary log-tavern sufficed to supply the wants of the scanty population. Wolves out-numbered the white men, and the wigwam of the painted savage dotted the prairie on every side. In 1840, the population was 4479; in 1854, 75,000! Tiie oldest inhabitant horn in the town is a lady, who according to our authority was only twenty- two years old in 1853. Spacious stores, fine ecclesiastical establishments, ~ including a Swedish church, to which Jenny Lind contributed largely when she visited Chicago, - large public buildings, and fine houses now meet the eye on all sides. All is new, excepting a block-house built thirty-eight years ago when the country was peopled by savage°Indians, prior to the laying out of the town. The inhabitants of Chicago are proud of this relic of antiquity. In a journal advocating its preservation it is urged : '* Let it be surrounded by a neat iron fence thlt we may be able to illustrate to our children the nature of the defences which the early settlers of Chicago were obliged to adopt. Let the giant arm of modern improvement sweep away, if necessary, every other vestige of Fort Dearborn ; but let the shrill scream 190 A VACATION TOUR. !| I : of the locomotive, as it brings up its long train of cars from the Gulf of Mexico, or rests from its labours after the mighty race of a thousand miles from the Atlantic seaboard, age after age echo around this humble but significant monument of the past." The increase in the value of land has kept pace with the growth of the town. In 1810 the entire township might have been purchased for 500 dollars; now it is worth many millions. A New York clerk who came here to improve his fortune last year with 4000 dollars, laid it out upon land, which he sold, six weeks after purcliasing it, for forty thousand. The commercial statistics are equally remarkable. In 1847 the imports were valued at 2,640,000 dollars; in 1851 they had risen to 24,500,000. During that year 21,806 head of cattle were slaughtered for Ame- rican and English markets. In 1853, 14,000,000 bushels of grain, 1,086,944 lbs. of wool, 3,042,000 lbs. of lard, and various other commodities on an equally extensive scale were exported. In 1854 the exports of grain and flour exceeded those from New York. The shipping arrivals in 1851 comprised 845 steamers, 1182 schooners, 239 brigs, and 13 barques. On the 13th September 1854, 35 ships entered, and 2 1 cleared from the port. The failure of the wheat-crop in Northern Illinois during past years CURIOUS ADVEaTISEMEKTS. 191 has turned the attention of farmers to grazing and wool- grownig, for which the prairie-lands are admirably adapted; and. as these are almost boundless, enor- mous produce may be confidently expected. The newspapers teem with advertisements illustrative of the " Go.aheadism " of this busy and thriving com- munity. Excessive speed in every act seems to be the ruhng passion. Under the head " Rapid Mar- riages," I observed several advertisements setting forth that parties were very desirous of " a rapid union with, &c.'' Nor, as . Ul be seen by the fol- lowing extract, does bereavement cause the hymeneal torch to remain long extinguished :_" Married on the 10th July Mr. Patrick Welch to Miss Sarah E Davis. Died July 24. Mr. Patrick Welch. xMarried August 12. Mr. Thomas Collins to Sarah E. Davis relict of the late Mr. Patrick Welch. It appears, however, that some ladies are too im- patient to wait for a natural release from their bondage to enable them to marry „gaii,, for divorces are easily obtained; and here is an advertisement .naicative of another mode of severing the nuptial tie: --."Foe Sale. A good husband, warranted sound and kind in any kind of harness, especially the matrimonial. He is of handsome figure and action, stands to the cradle without tying, and can trot his 192 A VACATION TOUE. babies an hour easily. He is also a smart traveller, and in every respect a good family beast. The present owner being about to emigrate to California, the above property will be sold without delay." This is of course a jeu (Tesprit, but is not the less significant on thfit account. At the time of my visit, Chicago had scarcely subsided from an uproar arising from a fugitive slave case. The slave belonged to a person in St. Louis, who despatched three men armed to the teeth to recover him. They waited until the inhabitants had gone to church, and, watching their opportunity, made a desperate attempt to seize the negro. Being a powerful man, he broke away, and while in the act of running was shot in the arm. The slave-catchers were ar- rested, and bound over in the sum of eight hundred dollars, to take their trial for the crime of assault and battery, with intent to commit murder. The excite- ment was intense, and further increased by an order being made to deliver the slave to his master, while the slave-hunters escaped with a nominal fine. The judges acted in conformity with the law, but the people took a very different view of the case, and, as at Boston, made a strong demonstration against slavery. The press kept up the excitement by violent POPULAR EXCITEMENT. I93 articles denouncing slavery, and particularly the Fugitive Slave Law. These called forth rejoinders from journals in favour of slavery, couched, if possible, in more scurrilous language. Here, as an example, is a letter addressed to the editor of the Chicago Tnbune, which is a strong anti-slavery organ. The document was published in a Kentucky paper : — " Sir, ' Frankfort, Kentucky, " September rth, 1854. The term ' Dear Sir,' is not in my vocabulary for one of your degraded stamp. Your hellish course of late m encouraging the abduction of slaves from their masters' and your general disorganising course, will wrap the flames' of the infernal regions around your cowardly craven form with tenfold fiendish heat, when, in the course of J>Zl aence you shall take passage upon the under-ground rail- road to his Satanic Mnjesty the Devil. You take great dehght in obeying the mandates of the devil hei^e on earth, in exulting over the success of a negro-stealer, in he publication of inflammatory hand-bills that smell of hell Itself. But be assured that a day of rich reward ^s near at hand, when all the furies in maddened black- ness shall fan the already intolerable flames of Tartarus jnto tenfold their usual heat around that body tinat now has enough villany attached thereto to sink it through he slight crust that is represented to divide the eanh irom the country where negro abductors go. But if in o 194 A VACATION TOUR. the meantime you should like to smell a little of that country before finally removing there, just cross the Mason and Dixon line, or, in other words, come to Ken- tucky, and we will promise you a warm reception, a good berth, and a free ticket. If your health should require it, after the summer months are over, pay our or any southern State a visit, and let it be known that you are the villanous editor of the Chicago Tribune, and it won't cost much to put you through on the over-ground rail- road^ preparatory to a final, safe, and sure ride on the under-ground railroad. " With high appreciation for your capacity in executing the devil's designs, and your unscrupulous activity therein, I am not, nor ever will be, your obedient servant, <* LYNCH LAW." This it must be confessed is hot writing. It does not, however, appear to have discomposed the editor of the Tribune, who thus comments on the letter : — «'We will bet our hat that the writer of the above epistle is a blood (or bloody') relation of Mat Ward. However, we are going to Kentucky, and several other Slave States, this winter, as is our custom to do, and we will be prepared to receive our friend at Frankfort with open arms. We do not entertain any fears of the reccp* tion which we might meet with in Kentucky or any other southern State. Our correspondent, Lynch Law, may be, and doubtless is, a blackguard ; but the generality of the people of Kentucky and of Frankfort are gentlemen" EMIGRANTS. 195 It is not difficult to foresee that, with sucli fierce partisanship, the slave question is destined to be a source of infinite trouble aH intestine warfare between the Northern and Southern States. There are a great many free blacks in Chicago, who obtain h.gli wages in the stores and hotels. Emigrants from various European countries resort to the city in vast "umbers, attracted by the flourishing accounts-not exaggerated-of plans matured, labours performed victories achieved, and hopes in full fruition. Witli sucli prospects before him, the emigrant " Leaves his home with a bounding hearf, For the world is all before him ; And he scarcely feels it a pain to part, Such sun-bright hopes come o'er him." The prosperity of Chicago is the more remarkable as It IS not happily situated, being built almost on a level with the lake, from the waters of which the houses are only divided by piles. The drainage is very imperfect, and the odour arising from decayed matter is extremely oppressive during the summer ^eats. Not inappropriately was the city named Chicago, which signifies Skunk^s Hole; the skunk being an anim-^ bearing an unenviable notorietv for Its power .. uischarging a foul-smelling fluid. I was pleased to find, amidst the feverish bustle of o 2 196 A VACATION TOUR. commerce, the claims of education and literature are not overlooked. Numerous institutions for these objects exist, and others on a larger scale are in course of erection. I spent an evening in some gardens kept by a German about two miles from the town, where the inhabitants resort for recreation. They comprise about five acres of prairie-land, which seems pecu- liarly well adapted to the growth of English flowers. It was very pleasant to look upon old favourites 4000 miles from home. Here I saw a sunset of wondrous glory ; " The clouds hung \i\ the purple skie?, At anchor like great argosies ;" and as the sun went down among them they as- sumed the most brilliant colours, until all hues blended in vast caverns of fire which lighted up the West. Fatiguing as was my journey to Chicago, that to Cincinnati, a distance of 300 miles, was much more distressing. The railway is or ivas execrable, and what between the tcrr'lyle jolting, frequently render- ing it necessar / Iv. Iioi 1 on, the great heat, and the tobacco-chewing with its sickening results, I had a sorry time of it. The passengers were ai rough as the road. The usual courteous prefix of f/entle was BURNET HOUSE. 197 iterature are IS for these scale are in I kept by a 1, where the By comprise seems pecu- jlish flowers, d favourites a sunset of e?, ■m tliey as- til all hues >htecl up the ago, that to much more crable, and ntly render- sat, and the its, I had a li rough as ' gentle was dropped, and I was addressed as " man." Those were signs that the " aristocracy of soul," as a lady described it, which reigns at Boston has not yet reached the Western States. Tlie rude familiarity, had it not been attended by perpetual expectorations which flooded the floor of the cars, would have been amusing. The dinner in the middle of the day was a won- d.-rful scramble, and though fully half-an- hour was allowed for the meal, it was bolted in five minutes. There was just sufiicient light to see the vines clothing the picturesque hills, as, in the evening, we drew near Cincinnati. We passed through vast subu.bs composed of wooden houses; and after a long drive in a wonderful omnibus calculated to contain any number of people, I was put down at tiie Burnet House, one of the largest and best hotels 111 the States, where I shpt off my fatigue, though the heat, and angry hum of baflled musquitoes, happily outside the net, were sad enemies to sound slumber. Endeavouring the following morning to find my way to the gentlemen's saloon.-somewhat bewildered by numerous long galleries, and the existence of four staircases all alike,^I thought of that period in the history of Cincinnati, no farther back than 1817, when, according to a traveller, the tavern most re- O 3 I WMHtiil 198 A VACATION TOUR. Sorted to possessed only one sleeping-room, — a large apartment, furnished v.Ith several shake-downs, ,ii which this notice was suspended : — "No gentleman shall take the saddle, bridle, or harness of another gentleman without his consent." — Journeying in those days was effected on horseback (a mode of locomotion still practised in those parts of Ohio where railways do not exist), and it was customary to use the saddle as a pillow, which explains the device contained in the notice. Now huge hotels replete with every luxury abound, — the Burnet House makes up above 1000 beds, and there is another establishment in the city nearly as large. Two dinners are provided daily at the Burnet House, served in different saloons. The guests at each repast averaged 300 persons. Printed bills of fare, including a great variety of entremets and dishes for both tables, are prepared every day.* The * The consumption of provisions at these huge hotels is amazing. On the morning after my arrival at Cincinnati, I was roused from my slumber at dawn by the convulsive-liko cackling of fowl : the noise continued so long (above two hours), that I got up and looked out of my window com- manding the back-yard. Immediately beneath were two long carts covered by netting, from beneath which a man dex- terously drew unfortunate fowls by means of a stick pi-ovided with a hook. Seizing each fowl, he swung it swiftly round by the head, which he wrenched off, and dropped the body into a RAPID CHANGES. 199 taciturnity at tliesi; large gatherings is remarkable. But here, as well as elsewhere in the States, people sit clown to eat and not to talk. Some Americans affirm that America does not commence until the Alleghanies are crossed, all to the east of that chain of mountains being old and worn-out, while the Western States are full of bustle and prosperity. Making due allowance for this burst of western patriotism, the couplet " The Eastern States be full of men, The Western full of woods, Sir." no longer holds good, for the forests are fast disap- pearing, and cities, towns, and villages are as quickly springing up. The rapidity of these changes is marvellous. But little more than half a century ago there was not a single Anglo-American settle- ment in Ohio, — now the population amounts to up- wards of 2,000,000, nearly all of whom are Anglo- Saxons.* Cincinnati in 1800 was a hamlet of 750 large cask, which was nearly full of the decapitated birds. The operation, which I was informed was repeated every mornin- on the same extensive scale, continued until the vessel was full; but I cannot vouch for the amount of murder on other days, as I changed my quarters to a front room after breakfast. " Official returns show, that during the year ending June 30, 1854, there were 23,238,313 acres of land sold, located by land O 4 200 A VACATION TOUR. inhabitants; by the last census, in I80O, it contained 115,435 persons. Enjoying the advantage of a beautiful situation on a series of terraces on the rUAit bank of the Ohio, it is fairly entitled from its locali / and prosperity to be called the *• Queen of the West." In the year ending August 31. 1854, there were 3887 steamboat arrivals; the value of the imports during the same period was 66,000,000 dollars, and that of the exports 46,000,000, being an increase over the preceding year of nearly 50 per cent. A walk through the business part of the city is sufficient to show that these figures are not mythical. The stores occupy a vast frontage on the river, and extend back over a large area,— each a hive of industry. They are filled with almost every con- ceivable description of goods, for Cincinnati is at present the great emporium for supplying the count- less thousands of emigrants settling in the West. Here domestic furniture is manufiictured to an extent that would be almost incredible were we not made aware that the demand extends as far west as California. I visited establishments where, by the warrants, granted for improvements, &c., being an increase of 5,600,000 over the precedin' year. But large as are these figures, they do not much aflect the entire quantity of land still available, amounting to 1367 millions of acres. FURNITURE FACTORIES. £01 aid of ingenious machinery, 500 dozen chairs were made weekly; the price of the plainest being five- and-a-half dollars, or 1/. 3.. ^d. per dozen. Other factories are devoted to the manufacture of bedsteads babj-rockers, chests of drawers, churns, cupboards,' &c., which are produced in the same abundance. Mountains of these domestic articles were piled up on the quays, ready to be shipped as soon as the Ohio was sufficiently high to permit the steamers to run. The workmen in these factories are paid by the piece, and, by constant application to one particular branch of labour, acquire such dexterity as to be able to earn in many instances twelve dollars a-week. Boys employed to paint and varnish the furniture, earn on an average seven dollars a-week. Besides the vast cabinet factories, there are numerous extensive establishments for the manufticture of agricultural implements, machinery, and iron ware. Boots and shoes arc also made in enormous quantities. In short, it seems as if Cincinnati had set herself the task of furnishing and clothing the whole world, and was determined to accomplish it. The manu- flicturing power is, indeed, almost unlimited; for besides an abundant supply of water, Ohio possesses 11,900 square miles of coal-field, which is one-third of the area of the State; and has direct communication I 202 I A VACATION TOUR. with the west and south by means of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Tlie city is also connected by railways with all the Eastern States; and extensive lines, extending over 2100 miles, are in course of formation throughout the State. When the great central railway to St. Louis shall be completed, Cin- cinnati will become the thoroughfare to the far west ; for it is proposed to continue the railway from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Already a considerable portion of the line between St. Louis and the frontier of Missouri is under contract, and will probably be finished in the course of tw^o years. If this route be completed, — and who can set bounds to American] enterprise ? — and a communication esta- blished westward by steamship to Calcutta, the time required for the circuit of the globe would be ninety- three days according to the following estimate : — From New York to San Francisco - - 4 San Francisco to Hong Kong - - 25 Hong Kong to Calcutta - - - - 6 Calcutta to Bombay - - . - 13 Bombay to England - . - - 35 London to New York - - - - 10 Total time required for tbe journey round the world 93 So that the barrister, a few years hence, may spend TOUR OF THE GLOBE. — GERMANS. 203 hi's lo"^ vacation circum-railing and naviVatIng the globe with greater facility and less toil than^ his fore- fathers experienced in making a continental tour. This is no wild daj-dreani : many persons at Cincinnati assured me a railway to the Pacific would be con- structed in a few years, and unless some extraordinary commercial reaction withdraws capital from Ohio, I believe such a line will be made ; at all events, it will not be left undone for want of enterprise.* Contem- plating the restless fever pervading all classes in Cincinnati (for although upwards of 30,000 of the population are Germans, the phlegmatic temperament of that people, as seen in their own country, disap- pears in the New World), I was at no loss to account for the shortness of life in America. The entire want of rest and peace must be fatal to longevity. Had Wordsworth been a citizen of the United States, he would have written a stronger remonstrance than — •' The world is too much with us ; soon and late, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers ; " * On the 1st January 1855, the length of railways in the United States was 19,438 miles, being an increase of 3927 miles during 1854. It is estimated that there are about 7500 miles of additional railway now in course of construction, which will be completed within four years. 204 A VACATION TOUR. wliich, if applicable to Englishmen, holds with greater force in America. I had not been many hours — minutes, indeed, I may say— in Cincinnati, before the swinish multitude, for which that city is famous, made personal ac- quaintance witli me. I first saw them in the market, to which I went early in the morning ; not, however, like decent pigs, doing justice to good care and feed- ing by exhibiting fair and fat carcases; but, with taper noses and tucked-up bellies, running perversely hither and thither, against and between one's legs, as impelled by inclination and hunger; for the Cincinnati pigs are both lanky and lean, and evi- dently find it hard work to keep life within their emaciated bodies. The greater part of the vegetables and fruits is exposed for sale in the carts in which they are brought to market, tilted up, to show their contents ; and as the refuse is thrown away, the pif^s congregate in swarms under and around the carts, contending for the scraps, and occasionally for a honne louche in the shape of a succulent vegetable or fruit which accidentally falls to the ground. But although the market Is the head-quarters of the Cincinnati pigs, they are met with all over the city. Indeed, there is scarcely a street in which some dozen may not be seen poking their noses into PORK CROP. -- ACREAGE OF PIGS. 205 the dirt-heaps, or acting as dams to the gutters, in wliich thej repose during the heat of tlie day. They perform an important part in the social economy of the city, as scavengers. The picture given by Mrs. Trollope of the condition of the streets at the period of her residence in Cincinnati in 1828 holds good now. Inquiring from her landlord iu what manner the house refuse was to be disposed of she was answered, " Your help will just have to fix it all mto the middle of the street ; but you must mind old woman, that it is in the middle. I expect you don't know as we have got a law whicli forbids throwing such things at tlie sides of the streets ; tliey must jus" all be cast right into the middle, and the pigs soon takes them off." In truth, the pigs are constantly seen domg Herculean service in this way, through every quarter of the city. Not the least curious part of this pig story, is, that the animals own no master, being waifs and strays of the prodigious hog crop,' extending over many acres around the city ; for it is a peculiarity with the farmers of Ohio, to calculate their pigs by the acre. And when we learn that the last annual return gave 528,679 hogs killed in Cincinnati, valuer^ at upwards of ten millions of dollars, we must admit that " pig acreage " is pardon- able. It must not be supposed, however, that the 206 A VACATION TOUR. Cincinnati pigs are allowed to lead a long life of vagabondism. When their numbers increase by births and immigration to about six thousand, they are collected and sold by auction for the benefit of the city. Prior to this event, any person may capture a pig, if he can, — for the Cincinnati pigs have a wonderful facility of locomotion,— and kill it pro bono familias : hear this, ye natives of the Emerald Isle, whose height of ambition and fortune is the posses- sion of one porker. I could not learn that such a liberty was taken with the Cincinnati pigs, and I must say it would require even an Irishman to be very badly off for meat to dine on one of the ctreet scaveno-ers. The pig-trade of Cincinnati employs 2500 hands. Large establishments around the city are devoted to the killing and preparing of pigs for the market, some of which are so contrived that the animals walk up an inclined plane as swine, and by the time they descend to the ground, passing en route through a series of stages, are comfortably pickled and barrelled. With these facts, can we wonder that Cincinnati rejoices in the title of Porkopolis as well as the Queen of the West. Seated high on a hill overlooking the city and the silver windings of the Ohio, is an establislnnent alike honourable to the citizens and the gentleman more eman more OBSERVATORV. — CATAWBA GRAPES. 207 immediately connected with it. I allude to the ob- servatorj, containing a magnificent refractor, hy Fraunhofer, which has rendered good service to astronomy. Professor Mitchell is at the head of the establishment, which is partly supported by the Astro- nomical Society of Cincinnati. The view from the observatory is very striking, extending over a series of vme-clad hills, dotted by countless villas. Being desirous of gaining some information respecting the cultivation of the Catawba grape, I called on\Mr Longworth, who has the merit of having introduced the manufacture of champagne into Cincinnati. He occupies a charming residence in the upper part of the city, standing in the midst of a large garden full of vines and flowers. The lower part of the house IS devoted to business offices,-for even here the omnipresence of American commerce is apparent. I found Mr. Longworth in his office, surrounded by small boxes containing samples of grapes sent for his approval. He is an original character. Commencing hfe with little more than unbounded energy and en- terprise, he has accumulated a fortune of 10,000 000 of dollars, which he dispenses liberally and judi- ciously. Conceiving that the Catawba grape was capable of producing good wine, he imported French- men from Champagne to cultivate the vines ; and 208 A VACATION TOUR. has succeeded so well that last year he made 150,000 dozen of wine, superior, judging by the sample which I tasted, to the champagne supplied at hotels, one half of which is spurious. Mr. Longworth's manu- facture is the honest and unadulterated juice of the Catawba grape, — a luscious fruit, endowed with a peculiar aromatic odour. While we were conversing, two formers entered the office desirous of sellino- their vintage, for which Mr. Longworth agreed to give 75 cents a gallon. He encourages the agriculturists to cultivate vines, and lends them casks to contain the juice, which they express by cider-mills. The aver- age produce is three gallons per bushel. The vines grow on low trellises. Hitherto they have escaped the blight so prevalent among the vines in Europe and Madeira. Mr. Longworth's cellars, with the ex- ception of not being so large as those in France, in other respects resemble them. The same stowage of casks and bottles is observed ; and the delicate ope- ration of removing the sediment, filling up with liqueur and sugar-candy, and corking, is identical with the practice in Epernay. Indeed all the men employed in the cellars are from that neighbourhood. The quantity of Catawba champagne manufactured does not as yet meet the home demand; but, at the rate of increase during recent years, it is probable it llIIiAM rOWERS. — HIS FIRST WORK. 209 may be eventually exported. At present it com- mands a price equal to Moet's champagne. " Now," said Mr. Longworth, when he had ex- iiausted his information concerning champagne, made pleasantly practical by frequent tastings of luscious bunches of grapes depending from mantling vines in tlie garden ; '^ now I will show you Hiram Powers' first work." Accordingly he conducted me into his house to a suite of handsome drawing-rooms, where in a place of honour was a bust of Ginevra, con- ceived from Rogers's poem, which describes her as " So lovely, yet so arch, so full of mirth, She was all gentleness, all gaiety." The work is exceedingly beautiful, and full of that promise of perfection which the more recent hibours of the sculptor have realised. Powers is a native of Cincinnati. Mr. Longworth was one of his earliest patrons, ar I takes great pleasure in showing his countryman's sculptures which he possesses, as° well as several fine pictures including West's celebrated painfing of Ophelia and Hamlet. I availed myself of the National Theatre being open to witness a performance ; the spectators bein^° liowever, more an object of curiosity to me than the' actors. The building, which is very large, was 210 A VACATION TOUR. H ■ i iwiji "I BB ; . 1 i ■ cramnieil, with the exception of tlio gallery for coloured persons occupied by about a score of blacks. The acting was vile, but it gave great satisfaction to the audience, who manifested their approbation by yelling furiously. The great applause emanated from the pittites, who sat in their s\irt-sleeves chewintr and spitting with proper republican liberty. The boxes were occupied by a superior grade, but I observed few ladies or gentlemen. The prices of admission were : boxes 75 cents, pit 35 cents, gallery for coloured persons 25 cents. The performance consisted of a grand military drama representing the capture of Algiers, in which, by a slight historical myth, the American fleet was made to render good service to the French. On the announcement that victory was now certain, as the fleet bearing the star- spangled banner was in sight, I really thought the audience would have gone into fits, so savagely did they yell their delight. Just as I was entering my hotel for. the night, I was startled by the quick tolling of bells, the clatter of engines, and the shouts of men and boys. Looking up, I beheld above the summit of a lofty tower, situated on the highest ground in the city, four red balls. These indicated that a fire had broken out in the fourth ward. Cincinnati is divided into twelve STEAM FIRE-ENGINE. 211 wards, and when a fire is observed hy the watchman on the summit of the fire-tower, he gives notice by ringing a bell and showing balls ~ red at nicrht ^ corresponding with the number of the ward where the conflagration occurs. Though I was desperately tired, I felt it a duty to turn out again; and as Cincinnati is built, like most American cities, in uniform blocks, I had no difficulty m finding the locality of the fire, though a long ^vay off. I had reason to concrratulate myself on my energy; for besides the speciacle, alwavs grand and impressive, of a vast conflagration, I* saw the celebrated steam fire-engine in operation which was invented in Cincinnati, and at the period of my visit confined to that city; though I believe one has since been introduced in Boston. The volume or volumes rather, of water,- for there are six jetl of various sizes thrown by this engine,-were enormous; and although the fire raged furiously, it was soon subdued by the torrents poured on the flames. Nu- merous hand and horse-engines were also in at- tendance, admirably worked by the fire companies; but their united efforts seemed as nothing compared to the performance of the steam-engine. The building, a large coach factory, was partlv saved from the flames. The following morning iVent to p 2 \ 212 A VACATION TOUE. see this engine. I found it under a shed, in the upper part of the city, ready at a moment's warning to set out. The fireman on duty, who, with the usual courtesy I always received from officials in the States, answered my questions, informed me the time required to get up the steam is only four minutes. Horses are in the first instance attached, which draw the engine until it becomes a locomotive, for it is con- structed with locomotive machinery as well as to throw water. In size and form it very much resembles a railway engine, but has only three wheels. The chief engineer of the Cincinnati Fire Brigade, in his last annual report says : *' The steam fire-engine ha5 been in use over sixteen months ; and if any doubt remained, at the date of my last report, of the prac- ft'noT-i*'.- of this invention, it must now be removed. l:s triu: nhant success has so completely satisfied eve;;,: "ho has stt.i the engine in operation, that when a second row building is completed, the city will be able to dispense with several horse and hand- engines, and thereby save a large annual sum." From what I learned, it appears probable these steam fire-engines will be used in all the large towns in the States. The great number of wooden build- ings, and the excessive dryness of the materials, render fires very prevalent and destructive during POLICE COURT. 213 the summer months : many originate from incendiaries. During 1853 there were 160 fires in Cincinnati, involving a loss of property worth nearly a million dollars. I spent an hour in the principal police court, which was crowded by ^^ loafers " and gamins, watching the proceedings with reference to several of their companions, who were brought up for using obscene language in public places. There were ten cases of this nature, each of which was punished by a fine of ten dollars. Besides tliese, tliere were assault cases and petty felonies. The judicial pro- ceedings were conducted with decorum ; so that matters have improved in this respect since Mrs. Trollope sketched a Cincinnati court of justice. The magistrates did not chew ; in whicli, however, they were singular, as the practice, with its usual disgusting accompaniment, was otherwise general. Indeed, it would be impossible to draw too foul a picture of tobacco-chewing in Cincinnati. The handsome hall and steps of the Burnet House ^^■ero seas of filth; numerous spittoons, placed in con- venient places to receive tlie pollutions, were un- heeded; groups seated round the columns preferred fining the concavities of the flutings, whicli they did with great dexterity, or hittins loro «tant olijccts r 3 214 A VACATION TOUR. This mass of nastiness was made very apparent every morning by a lavatory process, effected by a hose dis- charging a powerful and copious stream of water, which caused a brown cataract to rush down the hotel steps. Americans west of the AUeghanies might, indeed, as has been observed, pass for a cud-chewing people; with, however, this important and disagreeable difference, that whereas quadrupeds swallow their cud, the bipeds in question pursue a totally different course. I found the " Know-nothings " in great force at Cincinnati. The cart-horses were decked with rosettes of coloured tissue paper, emblematic of the party, and children wore wreaths of the same material. The animus against Irishmen and Roman Catholics was excessive ; but the movement here was marked by an extension of illiberality to all foreigners. A Cincinnati paper advocating the Know-nothing cause, published this strong philippic : " Foreigners claim too much when they come to this country. They are unjust, impertinent, insulting, and outrageous in their demands. It is enough that we give homes to those who visit our shores; that we protect property, and shield them from bodily harm ; that men and women are allowed to worship as they may, if done in decency and morality ; that our common schools and many other educational r ^i KNOW-NOTHINGS. 215 institutions are made free to all. We think this should satisfy. It is a great deal. It is a hundred-fold more than any government on the face of the earth gives. The making and administering of our laws ; the filling our offices from the highest to the humblest; the entire management of national, state, and local affairs, political, educational, &c., should be in the hands of native Americans. It is a right that Ame- ricans claim; it is a wrong, and a gross wrong, that the claim is infringed upon, as it notoriously is." With such agitation on the part of the press, and secret workings in all quarters, it is no wonder that the strongest freesoil places have been carried by Know-nothing votes. In fact, all who vote against the party are ostracised ; implicit and unquestioned obedience is their rule, to which no exception is per- mitted. And it is a remarkable fact, that so eager are they to obtain power for native Americans, and none besides, that the question of slavery was at first excluded from the Know-nothing platform. Here, however, as elsewhere, a counter-agitation is springing up, which will have the effect of weakening this formi- dable party. This agitation, and the universal desire for political distinction among Americans, calls to mind De Tocqueville's pertinent observation that, while in old aristocratic countries parties tnjoy power V 4 216 A VACATIOX TOUR. *, and influence by their rank, the American " est sans cesse tourmente dii besoin, d'y acqu(5rir de I'impor- tance, et il sent un ddsir petulant d'y mettre a tous moments ses idees au grand jour." With few exceptions, all the labour in and near Cincinnati is performed by Irish. Though the river Ohio only divides the city from Kentucky, which is a Slave State, there were not more than 3237 free blacks in Cincinnati in 1850. They occupy a quarter of the city near the river called " Buckeye," and are principally engaged in occupations connected with the shipping. Apprehending that my stock of gold eagles and dollars might run short before arriving at Washington, I called on the agents of Messrs. Coutts, whose letters of credit I held, for the purpose of obtaining a fresh supply. Much to ipy surprise I was informed a large premium would be required for gold, which I declined paying, and consequently left the counting-house without transacting any business. I mention this in order to show how scarce specie is in the States, although California pours millions of dollars annually into her treasury. The solution of this apparent paradox is easy. A financial pressure has long been felt throughout the Union, and particularly in the Western States, which have been obliged to send all COINAGE. — COUNTERFEIT NOTES. 217 the specie procurable to Europe to meet obligations; and thus gold was sent out of the country when it was wanted at home for the basis of circulation. The tourist in the States must take especial care to be provided with gold : otherwise he will not only be subjected to certain loss, but terrible inconvenience nnd annoyance. The wretched bank-notes, of wortliless paper commonly called shin plasters, are so frequently imitated that, unless the traveller is provided with a « Bank-Note Reporter," published monthly, and continually consults it, he is sure to be imposed upon. In a recent copy of this period- ical, out of 1283 banks by far the largest propor- tion have had their notes imitated. In several in- stances ten distinct forgeries are described. One bank figures with a tail of thirty imitations. The words "dangerous affair," "very well executed," '' good imitation of genuine," « well done," « dose imitation," &c., are frequently attached, showing how cleverly the forgers have operated, and therefore how difficult is detection. On the other hand, many imi- tations are stated to be exceedingly poor. The effect of this miserable state of things is to cast suspicion on every note ; for it appears there are almost as many forgeries in circulation as genuine bank bills. I was constantly witness to disputes between railway 218 A VACATION TOUR. conductors and passengers, which, however, invari- ably ended by the conductors refusing to receive tlie doubtful notes. This wholesale system of forgery, pervading every part of the Union, is a sad blot on the national cha- ract T I am well aware that the facility of passing spurious notes is a great temptation to commit the crime which is so frequently practised, and to so alarming an extent as to be productive of the very worst consequences to the community. Whether the keen and greedy appetite for gain may not be in some n;ieasure instrumental in thus warping the minds of men is questionable ; for " Conscience, truth, and honesty are made To rise and fall, like other wares of trade ; " and Montesquieu wisely observes, — " Nous voyons que, dans les pays ou Ton n'est affecte que de I'esprit de commerce, on trafique de toutes les actions hu- maines, et de toutes les vertus morales."* Besides forgeries, many genuine notes are worth- less in consequence of the insolvent condition of the banks ; and, independently of the 1283 banks men- tioned above, 383 more are specified as broken or closed, 53 of which are in Ohio. * De I'Esprit des Lois, liv. xx. chap. 2. KENTUCKY. — SPRING GROVE CEMETERY. 219 The tourist will therefore see how essential it is for his comfort to avoid American bank-notes. Eng- lish sovereigns will be generally tpJ.en ; but the best gold coins are eagles, half-eagles, and dollars, which may be obtained without a pr^miium in the principal Canadian towns and sea-board eastern cities. I availed myself of one of the numerous ferries continually plying across the Ohio, to visit Covington, in Kentucky, wliich geographically may be regarded as one of the suburbs of Cincinnati. But although so near this bustling city, and having all the advan- tages of being on the banks of the river, Covington is a dull place, showing no sign of activity. This strange fact is explained by the influence of slavery, which oppresses as well as depresses Kentucky. Thus while 26-88 per cent, of the population of Ohio are engaged in commerce, trade, manufactures, &c., only 19-15 per cent of the population of Kentucky follow tliese occupations. When I was at Toronto, a gentleman of that place, hearing I purposed going to Cincinnati,, requested me to do him the favour to visit Spring Grove Cemetery, about six miles from the clly, and report to him whether a tombstone he had ordered was placed over the grave of his onl- .on, whom he had the misfor- tune to lose at Cincinnati. The gentleman added. 220 A VACATION TOUR. that altliougli he had remitted the money for the tombstone, and Written numerous letters desiring to know if it had been erected, he could not elicit m answer. Of course I willingly acceded to his request ; and accordingly, on the evening preceding my depar- ture from Cincinnati, I went to the cemetery. But the trip was well nigh terminating my travels, and making me a subject for permanent residence among the tombs. Acting on the instructions I received from the landlord of the Burnet House, I took an omnibus to a place about a mile from Spring Grove, where buggies were waiting to convey parties to the cemetery. " Here Tom," said the driver, at whose side 1 was seated, " take this man to the cemetery, and bring him back at seven for the last 'bus." These words were addressed to a youth in charge of a buggy, who replied by nodding assent, and dis- charging a cataract of brown saliva among a lot of hens. As there was no time to lose, I was soon en route, " Tom " urging his horse at the top of his speed. I am not a nervous man, so, although we went at a break -neck rate, careering over stones and through deep ruts, I made no remonstrance, having faith in the springs. But when, on turning a corner, we came suddenly in sight of a board, with the well-known notice, " Look out for the locomotive NARROW ESCAPE. 221 when the hell rings;' which was made more impressive by liearing the signal, and seeing the line of steam announcing the proximity of a train, I was some- what anxious, as my driver did not manifest the slightest disposition to stop. As usual, the road and railway crossed on the same level, which did not lessen my anxiety. « Hold hard ! stop, stop ! " I cried ; and as these words received no attention, I rose from my seat and grasped the driver's arm, for the purpose of arresting our progress ; but in vain. Lashing the horse with redoubled energy, he replied to my entreaties to stop, by the assurance he would go a- head of the en-gine; and to my horror, on we went, buggy and train approximating rapidly at right angles ; the locomotive's bell meanwhile ringing fiTri- ously what seemed to be my death knell. Finding all my efforts to avert an anticipated collision were futile, I resumed my seat, and resigned myself to my fate! What I did or said during the next few moments I know not ; but I remember a feeling of sickness came over me as we dashed across the line, and I beheld the iron horse rushing onwards, and almost felt the hot blast of its steam-jets. " There, I told you I'd clear the darn'd thing," said my driver, chuckling over the achievement; " but 'twas a close shave." I 222 A VACATION TOUR. Dl This little adventure added to my experience of the extraordinary disregard of human life in America; but a more striking example was in store for me, as will be seen hereafter. It is indeed impossible to travel far or long without meeting with cases illustrating the fact, and the traveller should deem himself fortunate if he be not included in the list of killed or wounded. I heard a pithy anecdote bearing on this subject, which we must hope is only ti'uthful in its moral. " Jack," said a man to a lad just entering his teens, "your father's drowned." " Darn it," replied the young hopeful; "and he's got my knife in his pocket." We arrived at Spring Grove without further in- cident. Like all American cemeteries, this is a scene of great natural beauty, contrasting strangely, but delightfully, in its hushed repose with the clamour and restlessness of the city, many of whose inhabitants rest here from their labours. Havino; executed my comm'ssion, I entrusted myself again to the mercies of my wild driver, who, true to his trust, brought the maii back in time for the last omnibus to Cincinnati. When within a couple of miles of the city we encountered a terrific thunderstorm. The sun was sinking in a flood of crimson glory, which changed to purple darkness. Then the flood-gates of heaven opened, and with a running accompaniment of THL'NDERSTORM. — LEAVE CINCINNATI. 223 roaring tliunder, and Hazing fire of blinding intensity, rain descended in such torrents as to turn the roads ahuost instantaneously into rivers. Meteorological phenomena in America are on a scale of grandeur commensurate with the vastness of the country. The brief duration of this agony of the elements was as startling as its violence. In less than an hour from the commencement, the heavy masses of inky clouds were scattered before the storm-blast, and nothing obscured the deep blue sky. Had the rain that I witnessed been general and con- tmuous, the Ohio would have speedily risen. This river, which during spring months is sixty feet deep at Cincinnati, had now only eighteen inches of water m its channel ; thus I was disappointed in my liopes of being able to proceed to Pittsburg by water. The large steamers were laid up, and the s°mall boats' propelled by a paddle fixed to the stern, only .an for short distances; so I was obliged to leave Cincinnati by railway. 224 A VACATION TOUR. CHAP. IX. COLUMUt:S. — UNCIVIL LANDLORD. — ZANESVILLE. — OHIO COAL-FIELD. — CAMBRIDGE. — DOUBLING-UP. — OHIO FARMS. — VILLAGE LITERATURE. — STAGE-COACH. — INDIAN CORN. — WHEAT CROP. — MAPLE TREES. — WILD VINES. — INDE- PENDENT DRIVERS. — ORCHARD-RODBING. — MORRISTOWN. — NEGRESS FANNERS. — BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. — TELE- GRAPH. — WHEELING. — WIRE BRIDGE. — RAILWAY TO CUM- BERLAND. — CROSS THE ALLEGHANIES.— STUPENDOUS EN- GINEERING. — CAMEL-ENGINES. — MAGNIFICENT FORESTS. — PRECIPICES. — TRAIN OFF THE LINE. — MIDNIGHx ARRIVAL. — CUMBERLAND. — CHURCH BELLS. — RAMBLE IN FOREST. — COAL-FIELD. — RATTLESNAKES. — IRREGU- LARITY OF TRAIN. — MESSENGER-TRAIN. — FRIGHTFUL SPEED. — RECKLESSNESS OF CONDUCTOR. — ACCIDENT. — NARROW ESCAPE. — IMPROMPTU PIC-NIC. THE PO- TOMAC. — INSECURE STATE OF RAILS. — LONG DETEN- TION. — harper's FERRY. — RELAY HOUSE. — ARRIVE AT WASHINGTON. My route lay over the AUeghanies ; and as these mountains are crossed by two railways, it became a consideration which line I should take. One starts from Pittsburg, and passes through the heart of Pennsylvania ; the other, commencing at Wheeling, traverses Maryland, crosses the AUeghanies at an ekvation of 2400 feet, and follows the picturesque COLUMBUS. —UNCIVIL LANDLOHD. 225 winaings of the Potomac to Baltimore. I liad heard so mucli of tlie grandeur of the scenery on tliis line and of the engineering difficulties which have been overcome, that I decided in its favour; not bcin.. at the time aware of its reputation for frequent Tcci- dents, of which I was destined to liave a practical illustration. It is a great convenience in America to be enabled to take a through ticket for a lone, journey involving change of railways. In the present case Washington, 680 miles from Cincinnati, was my destmation : and although I had to travel over line^ belonging to different companies, one ticket carried n^-c through. Besides the saving of much trouble by thjs plan, it is a little less exi^ensive. I left Cincinnati in the afternoon, and arrived at Columbus, 120 miles distant, at ten o'clock. Here I slept; and for the first and only time in the States expenen.^ed incivility at an hotel. The landlord refused to give me any refreshment, of which I stood greatly in need, alleging that the eatinc saloon was closed for the night and could not be re! opened ; so I was obliged to retire to my room sup- Perless. This early closing movement was the more remarkable, as the hotel was full of a confederation of raihvay directors engaged in adjusting a scale of fares for their various railways. The following morning I Q I 226 A VACATION TOUR. resumed my joiirnev to Zanesville, where I had to remain six hours, until a train on another line pro- ceeded to Cambridge. I did not, however, regret this delay, as it gave me an opportunity nf seeing in detail the very interesting and remarkable coal-beds of this part of Ohio. The town stands on the sandstone formation near the falls of the Muskingum, in a most picturesque and beautiful region. Overlying the sandstone in tlie adjacent hills, which rise about 200 feet above the river, are beds of bituminous coal which almost crop out at the summit and sides of the hills. These beds are on the verge of the great Pittsburg coal- field, which extends over portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia, occupying an elliptical area 225 miles in its longest diameter, and about 100 at its .maximum breadth ; its superficial extent being about 14,000 square miles. Of the Ohio division of this coal-field Mr. Taylor observes, in his valuable work " Statistics of Coal,"—" The physical features of the country are favourable to the working of these hori- zontal coal strati, by the simple means of adit levels; and it will be long ere the wants of the community call for another system of working, either by steam- power, deep shafts, or costly machinery. Probably a mean thickness of si.\ feet of coal, capable of being OHIO COAL-FIELD. 227 ible coal-beds worked over 5000 square miles, is a moderate esti- mate of our coal resources in this part of the States. According to certain data, there are now beneath the surface qf these 5000 square miles, tlu'rty thousand millions of tons of coal. In the ordinary method of computation in these cases, we may safely estimate that at least twenty-three thousand millions of tons are available. Could we contemplate a demand for Ohio coal as large as five millions of tons per annum, there will be an annual supply unexhausted until the termination of four thousand six hundred years." Prodigious as this is, subsequent investigations not only confirm the calculation, but justify Tts enlarge- raent ; for it has been proved that in some counties the coal-bed is from twenty to thirty feet thick. So that, when the comparatively small coal area of Great Britain, comprising 8139 square miles, is exhausted, the inhabitants of our islands may be warmed by the coal-fields of America, which extend over an area of 133,132 square miles. ^ I was much pleased by my ramble round Zanes- ville. The country has an English aspect, undulating like portions of Staffordsliiro ; and is covered by clumps of trees, mostly American oaks of great J3eauty. The town is named after Ebenezer Zane, one of the earliest and most enterprising pioneers of Q 2 228 A VACATIOX TOUR. the West. The town-plot, a mile square, was granted to him by Congress in 1796, in consideration of his surveying and laying out a road on the most eligible route between Wheeling in Virginia, and Limestone in Kentucky. The perfect knowledge of the country obtained in his hunting excursions enabled him to do this in the most satisfactory manner. The town was laid out in 1800, and three years afterwards con- tained only ten families. It has now a population of 8000, and its vast deposits of coal and iron, with almost unlimited water power, give it superior fa- cilities in many kinds of manufactures. The inha- bitants have improved these advantages, and iron- works, flour-mills, &c. are in full operation. The price of coal is 90 cents, less than four shillings, per ton. At seven in the evening I resumed my journey, proceeding in the first instance to Cambridge, where the Baltimore and Ohio Railway terminated, as the works between that village and Wheeling were not completed. We arrived at Cambridge in a couple of hours, and found stages waiting to take us on to Wheeling. Although the distance is only forty miles, twelve hours are spent on the road. I looked forward to this night's journey with particular dread ; for besides being myself very tired, the weather was CAMBRIDGE. 229 hot, and terrible prospects of tobacco-chewing and ex- pectoration rose before me. My apprehensions were in some degree confirmed, being obliged to occupy a middle seat between two foul-smelling men whose restless jaws indicated what was going on within, and what would pass without. I had to put up with this bad seat in consequence of having to act as porter to my luggage, which delayed my movements, so that when I was ready to start, the best places were taken ;— another practical lesson of the inconvenience of much baggage. We had a mile to drive to Cambridge, which gave me anything but a pleasant idea of what the journey would be in extenso ; and I was speculating on its miseries, positive and probable, when a fellow-pas- senger, who had previously expressed his hatred of the contemplated journey, declared if he could wait for the morning stages he would « be darn'd if he'd travel at night." This was the first intimation I received of the possibility of proceeding to Wheeling by day; and I need scarcely say that when I found that the journey could be resumed the following morning, I quickly vacated my seat on arriving at Cambridge. This, one of the many places of the same name in the States, is a small village containing a few humble taverns, in one of Q3 230 A VACATION TOUR. In which I procured a bed, but noL a room, to myself. Anything, however, was better than journeying in the stage at night, and I was fortunate in having for my nocturnal companion an intelligent farmer, who gave me a considerable amount of interesting information. His fatlier was a Scotchman who had emigrated to Oliio at the beginning of the century, bringing nothing with him but energy, determination, good health, and a thrifty wife. With these elements of success prosperity crowned his labours ; and he had the satisfaction of seeing his children, of whom my informant was the eldest, settled on good farms with every prospect of flourishing. The principal crop raised is Indian corn, for which the State is celebrated. My companion gave me a graphic account of the great change he had witnessed in Ohio. The settler in liis father's days had a very limited market for his agricultural produce. Without variety of industrial pursuits, and without commerce, no amount of surplus could add much to his wealth or means of enjoyment. But on the completion of canals, and the development of steam navigation, an instantaneous and mighty impulse was imparted to agriculture as well as to commerce, under the influence of which all their interests have moved forward with constantly accele- rating pace to the present time. So that the song, — VILLAGE LITERATURE. 231 '' 'Tls I can delve and plough, love, And you can lin and sew, And we'll settie on the banks Of the pleasant Ohio," is ba«ed on no fabulous agricultural paradise. When I woke in the morning, I found myself alone, the farmer having departed. While dressing, I ob- served a small library of about a couple of hundred volumes, the appearance and titles of which were con- siderably at variance with the furniture of the room. Among them were the works of Bacon, Spenser, Dryden, Shakspeare, and other old English celebrities, besides many modern books, including « An Essay on Newton," which was an appropriate work to find in " Cambridge." The booko belonged to the landlord's only son, who had received a high education In the Philadelphia common schools. After a breakfast, more notable for its rouoh abundance than elegance, consisting of beef-steaks two inches thick, Indian corn-bread, molasses, and very sedimentary coffee, I set out on a stage to Wheeling. The morning was delightful, the air was crisp, and the great heat of the past week had subsided. Although the large and ponderous stage on which I rode had only two passengers, a second Q 4 232 A VACATION TOUR. vehicle of the same imwieldly construction accom- panied us, in order to keep up the supply at Wheeling. An American stage-coach is nearly as great a curiosity as one of our old four-horse stages ; so I was not sorry to have an opportunity of travelling during the day by one of these vehicles. I was fortunate too in having an outside seat, for the country is extremely beautiful between Cambridge and Wheeling. We passed a succession of fine farms, situated in sheltered hollows, surrounded by fields of stately maize, whose flowing tassels waved in the breeze, orchards filled with ripe apples, and occasional vineyards. But the maize was the ])revailing crop, and I saw it in all its glorv. " Now the strong foliage bears the standard high, And shoots the tall top-gallants to the sky ; The suckling ears their silky fringes bend, And pregnant green their swelling coats distend : The loaded stalk, while still the burthen grows, O'erhangs the space that runs between the rows ; High as a hop-field waves the silent grove, A safe retreat for little thefts of love." The quantity of Indian corn grown in the States is enormous. There are six varieties of yellow, nine of white, and two of blood-red. It is a favourite edible among all classes, being made into an infinite variety of bread, cakes, puddings, and dishes, most of which WHEAT CROP. 233 are eaten with molasses, for « omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci;'' and the American by his practice subscribes to the physical moral of the quotation. If the inhabitants of the States depended for their supply of bread on the wheat crop alone, it would fall very short. An interesting table, compiled at the close of the past year from official returns, discloses the following curious facts. Nineteen States (out of thirty-one) do not raise wheat enough for their own consumption. Eight States only raise a substantial surplus; the other four producing only a nominal surplus. Eight principal manufacturing States, ten planting States, and one mining State, do not raise their own bread. California will probably grow sufficient wheat for its own consumption; and New York is nearly balanced. The fifteen Slave States do not quite raise their own bread, although Virginia and Maryland export largely. Ohio grovvs as much wheat (on the average) as all the other North-western States combined, and her surplus is nearly the whole surplus of the country. The crop in 1852, according to the State assessor's return, was 24,000,000 bushels ; but this is three millions below the averatre. Maize possesses the good quality of being highly 234 A VACATION TOUR. nutritions, as its botanical name Zea Mays signifies. Schoolcraft says the warriors of the six nations were in the habit of undertaking long journeys of thousands of miles, carrying no other food than a little meal, one table-spoonful of which, mixed with sugar and water, sustained an Indian twenty-four hours without meat. Alternating with the fiirms were patches of forest, fringing the road-side, already dashed by those brilliant hues which give such a charm to American foliage in the autumn. The maples are the first to assume their gaudy colours, and here these trees are abundant, for they are highly valuable to the agri- cultural settler. A favourite song runs, — " The maple tree's a precious one, 'Tis fuel, food, and timber ; And when your stiff day's work is done, Its juice will make you limber : Then flow away, my sweety sap, \ And I will make you boily ; Nor catch a woodman's hasty nap, For fear you should get roily." "Wild vines garlanded the branches and wreathed the stems of the trees, and a profusion of wild flowers carpeted the ground. I had so often heard of the cool independence of American stage-drivers that I was curious to witness DRIVING. — ORCHARD-ROBBING. 235 a specimen of their manners. The first two— for we changed them with our horses — were not remark- able, but the tliird would certainly have astonished an English coachman on the north road. His dress was peculiar, consisting of a queer head-piece, neither hat nor cap, a light green coat very short in the waist and very long-tailed, bright brown trowsers terminating at his ancles, and boots with red legs. Like his brethren of the whip, he grasped the reins in both hands, leaning forward, and urged his team by voice and lash in a manner that would have horrified a member of the Four-in-Hand Club. We were opposite an orchard full of tempting-looking fruit, when the driver above described suddenly pulled up, and, handing me the reins, bade me hold them while he went to get some apples. It happened that the second coach was close behind us ; so when my coachman had filled his pockets, he took it into his head to sit by the side of his friend, desiring me, as he mounted the box, to drive on. I obeyed orders, and drove about two miles, passing various vehicles, two of which I nearly fouled; forgetting that our habit of taking the left side of the road is reversed in America. As the horses, however, were steady, and I am not altogether ignorant of the art of driving, I acquitted myself on the whole very respectably, as \ 236 A VACATION TOUR. m I 11 the driver allowed, when it pleased hlin to resume his scat. In the middle of tlio day we stopped to dine at a small place called ^lorristown, — passengers, drivers, and conductors sitting down together. The repast was abundant, though coarse, including the sempi- ternal ham and eggs, and enormous crocks of mo- lasses. These attracted clouds of flies, which were kept in an unsettled state bj a company of grinning nogresscs waving peacocks' tails over the table. Strolling about after dinner, while the horses were putting to, I came upon a kind of van, inscribed Daguekuean Car, in which facilities were given to the villagers and country people to have daguerreotypes of themselves and friends for 25 cents each. The performances were really very good. I observed these cars in many small towns. The Americans are great patronisers of daguerreo- types. An extensive trade is carried on in the manu- facture of the plates and metal mountings, or trim- mings as they are called, which are all made of British copper. During the day we passed numerous riding parties, mounted on excellent horses. The equestrians were BEAUTIFUL SCENERF. — TELEOnAni. 237 ])rincipally farmers with their wives and daughters, who evinced, by the manner in which they rode, that tliey were accustomed to this deliglitful and inde- pendent mode of locomotion. Tlic scenery continued to be of the same charmino- character as I have described, all the way to Wheeling. Occasionally beds of coal darkened the hill sides, enabling the proprietors to procure this valuable combustible by the mere trouble of carting it from the surface. Although the railway was not completed, an electric telegraph communication existed between Zanesville and Wheeling. Those accustomed to the trim and regular lines of wire forming our electric telegraphs, will be astonished by the rough and simple mode in which the American telegraph is constructed. It consists of a single wire dangling between poles or trees,— for the line is frequently carried tlirough forests, —and costs only 251. per mile. I cannot, however, state that this small cost insures efficiency ; for in the only two cases when I had occasion to use the telegraph in the States, I was told it was not in working order ; and I observed the papers were frequently loud in their complaints concerning the non-arrival of their telegraphic de- spatches. The fault lies with the exceedingly im- perfect nature of the insulation, and the frequent 238 A VACATION TOUR. displacement of the wire by storms.* A gentleman told me that on one occasion, when riding along a road hy the side of which the telegraph was carried, his horse's feet became entangled in the wire which lay in folds on the ground, and inflicted severe wounds on its legs, as the animal plunged in efforts to extri- cate itself. Doubtless, as the couniry becomes more settled, this pioneei of civilisation will be improved. As the evening was closing we came in sight of Wheeling, celebrated for its manufactures of glass and iron, and for its wire bridge spanning the Ohio. Tlic distance between the piers is 1010 feet; and the struc- ture is so slight that a storm a few months ago perma- nently injured one carriage track. It is contemplated to rebuild it, so as to allow the railway to be carried across the river. My impressions of Wheeling are not fav'ourable. The hotel to which I was driven was dirty and poor. My bed was straw stuffed into a coarse ticking, and the furniture of the room was of the meanest kind. I had the companionship of the driver and conductor at supper, who were * Great heat is also found to prevent the passage of the electric current through non-galvanised wires. The wires stretched across the great Missouri prairies do not act between two and six o'clock in the day during the hot months of July and August. CROSS THE ALLEGHANIES. 239 treated with more deference by the waiters than other guests. It was strange, after being so long accustomed to the dehcious purity of the atmosphere in the towns as well as country through which I had passed — hitherto dimmed only by the smoke of the memorable forest fires— to wake up beneatl a pall of dense coal smoke that would have done honour to Man- chester or Sheffield. Indeed, for the moment, I fancied I had been spirited away during the night hours to a Lancashire manufacturing town. As this glimpse of Virginia was far from pleasing, I was not sorry when the time arrived for the departure of the train to Cumberland at the foot of the Alleghanies. As the scenery on this line of railway is extremely fine, I obtained permission from the manager at the station to sit in the ladies' car, which, being the last carriage of the train, gave me an opportunity of seeing every- thing very well from the end windows and^xterior platform. As far as Fairmont, seventy-seven miles from Wheeling, the country continued pretty level : here, however, we struck the roots of the Alleghanies, and commenced the ascent of the Appalachian chain of mountains. Few persons in these day-^ of travel have not seen an Alpine road zig-zagging up the face 240 A VACATION TOUR. of a mountain. Convert the road into a railway ; dwarf the height to 2400 feet, whi^h, however, is a very respectable elevation ; substitute cars for lum- bering diligences, and an iron horse for animals of blood and bone, and a very good idea may be formed of the passage of the Alleghanies via the Baltimore and Ohio Railway. The engineering difficulties in the construction of this line were terrible. They have, however, not only been surmounted, but trains composed of five cars, — each, be it remembered, sixty feet long, — and a baggage- waggon, are drawn up inclines, with a gradient of 118 to a mile, at the rate of twenty miles an hour. This is a fact to which I can bear per- sonal testimony. As may be supposed, no common engine could perform this Herculean task. The locomotives used for the purpose are colossal machines, called " camels," and enormously power- fuL The weight of the engine in running order is thirty tons, and its length twenty-eight feet. It has ten wheels, six of which are driving-wheels, connected together, and bearing a burden of 45,000 lbs., distri- buted among them by means ef levers and springs. The cylinders are nineteen inches in diameter, with a twenty-inch stroke of piston, and a "cut-off" for working steam expansively. We were three hours, MAGNIFICENT FORESTS. 241 including long stoppages, ascending to the summit- level. During the whole of this time I was stationed on the platform outside the last car, which, according to a notice hung up inside, is a very dangerous place; a fact I now subscribe to in its most emphatic sense. But I was so much interested by the mag- nificent scenery, and in watching the progress of the cars as they zig-zagg. : up the mountain,- the engine sometimes taking a different direction to the car in which I was riding,-that I was totally unconscious of the risk I ran of being shot off and down a pre- cipice, had any accident occurred to the train. The forests clothing this superb mountain region are very grand, consisting of glorious cedars, hem- locks, beeches, pines, elms, and maples; the latter being easily distinguished by their brilliant hues. Luxuriant rhododendrons fringe the cliffs, and the tropical-leaved sumach, with its clusters of bright berries, shows conspicuous among a dense undergrowth of evergreens. From the summit of the ridges I looked down upon vast amphitheatres of dense wood, and sometimes upon valleys over which I seemed to be suspended perpendicularly. The precipices on the crest of which the railway is carried are fearful, and reminded me of parts of the Pyrenees. At five o'clock we were on the highest ridge, consisting of a B 242 A VACATION TOUR. I m I kind of tablc-lund, devoid of trees, in the middle of ■which is a small station called " Crest Line Summit." Here we paused for a short time, and then com- menced descending the mountain to Cumberland. Wc were within half-a-dozen miles of our destination when our engine sent forth a terrific shriek, the a^onisino; throes of which reverberated anion o; the ro- cs o o cesses of the mountains, and as the sounds died away we came to a stand-still. A coal train had gone off the line before us, and, although a large force M'as employed to clear the rails, we were detained four hours, and did n- arrive at Cumberland until near midnight. There I was fortunate in finding an excellent hotel, the landlord of which, late as it was, put a capital supper before me, during which I was waited on by slaves ; Cumberland being in INIaryland, a Slave State. I was not aware of this fact at the time, or perhaps I should not have eaten my meal witli equal gusto. As it was, I tliought my sable at- tendants merry fellows. I had so arranged my plans as to spend the following day, which was Sunday, at Cumberland. The town lies on the slope of the Alleghanies, where the moun- tain barriers turn the water-courses towards the east. Swelling hills rise around, among which the beautiful Potomac winds. The whole scene has an EnoHsh as- CHURCH BELLS. 243 pect, similar to cur lake scenerj, and the resemblance IS n^creased by a charming Gothic church, built of fawn-coloured stone, which crowns a hill in the upper part of the town. Other resemblances, awakeninc. memories of the dear old countrj, were detected as I gazed on the lovely landscape, when mj day-dreams were rudely dispelled by a most inharmonious bell, not •' Swinging slow, with solemn roar, Over some wide watered shore," but sending forth ear-torturing sounds, alike disagree- able and distressing. There is a story told of Frank- bn, who, when the inhabitants of some small town in the States requested him to aid them in the purchase of bells for their chapel, sent a collection of books ^vith a letter stating that « Sense is preferable to sound." Judging by the paucity of church bells in America, and the miserable tone of those in use it might be supposed Franklin's hint is so far observed bjhis countrymen that at least they do not spend their money on harmonious peals. Yet who that has lieard the scul-stirring tones of a musical bell huiifr ' " in some time-worn tower, Reading great sermons with its iron tongue," I p 244 A VACATION TOUR. has not felt there is deep sense and meaning in the sound. Harsh as was the Cumberland church invitation to prayer, I attended the service, which was episcopal. It was performed with great reverence, but the male portion of the congregation, who bore as usual a very small proportion to the female, conducted themselves in a manner ill according with the ceremony. I may have been unfortunate, but this remark applies to all the male congregations I saw in the States. It ap- peared to me there was a positive impossibility to remain quiet. Legs and arms were thrown violently about, and frequently I expected to see feet sur- mounting pews. The almost universal use of fans, with which every pew is provided, and which are passed from hand to hand and freely used, has a very disturbing effect. In the afternoon I enjoyed a pleasant ramble In the woods round Cumberland. The sketching tourist will find numerous subjects for his pencil in the neighbourhood. Let him, however, beware of rattle- snakes, which swarm in the woods. A gentleman at my hotel engaged in some engineering works told me he had killed several enormous ones, and showed me a pair of slippers made from the skin of a monster. The country abounds with coal, which is brought CUMBERLAND COAL. 245 down from the hil!-sides. Families are pe.aiitled to cart as much of this fuel as they please for their own consumption, by paying 50 cents a month. Analyses of Cumberland coal show that it contains 82 per cent, of carbon, which places it in the very highest rank in the list of American coal. I purposed proceeding to Washington by a train due at Cumberland on Moiiday morning at eight o'clock, and was in readiness with fourteen other passengers at the proper time. An hour having passed without any sign of th;. train, I inquired the cause of the delay; but, as the telegraph was not in working order, no certain answer could be given. It was surmised that an accident had happened, and I was told if the train did not arrive in another hour, we should be sent on by a messenger train. Ten arrived, but no train ; accordingly three cars and a baggage-waggon were prepared for our conveyance. The first car was set apart for the coloured portion of our party, consisting of three women and two men- slaves. The second car was allotted to gentlemen, and the third and last to ladies. As we were fa- voured by the companionship of only four of the latter, no objection was made to all the gentlemen occupying seats with them. Thus, the train was very light, the R 3 246 A VACATION TOUR. I i only heavy carriage being the baggage-waggon, whicli, besides our luggage, contained a large quantity of ice packed in sawdust. As soon as we had taken our seats, the bell rang, and we dashed off. In a few minutes the conductor made his appearance ; guess'd we were very late in starting, and guess'd, again, t'would be smartish work to pull up the time. To effect this required additional speed, which I had every reason to believe could not be maintained without serious danger. The conductor, however, was a determined man ; and as he evidently attached little value to his own life, it was not to oe expected his passengers would be much cared for. The line, after leaving Cumberland, follows the windings of the Potomac, describing sharp curves which no English railway train could keep. Round these the engine darted with rocket-like impe- tuosity, the car in which we were seated swaying in a manner I'endering it necessary to hold on. A more sig- nificant hint of the impending catastrophe was given by the fall of a ponderous lamp-glass on my head, with, however, happily no worse result than inflicting a rather smart blow. Presently another glass was jerked out of its socket and precipitated into the lap of a lady ; the oscillations of the car meanwhile in- creasing in violence. Affairs now assumed a serious RAILWAY ACCIDENT. 247 aspect; I felt certain we were on the eve of a smash. Tills was the opinion of a gentl -man who had the care of two ladio ; for he proceeded, witli a coohiess deserving a better cause, to instruct us how to place ourselves, laying great stress on the importance of sitting diagonally, in order not to receive the shock directly on the knees. We were also advised to hold tlio backs of the seats before us. He strengthened liis advice by assuring us he was experienced in rail- way accidents, and added that, as there was far less danger in tho middle than in the end car, it would be prudrnt to change our seats at the next station. During this trying time the conduct of the ladies was admirable, and when their courage was far more severely tested, they exhibited equal fortitude. For, as we expected, an accident did occur, the results of which, had we retained our seats in the last car, would have been in all probability most disastrous. In vain was the conductor urged to slacken the excessive speed. With blind, if not wilful recklessness, it was maintained ; and at length, when about six miles from the station where we had changed our places, a terrific crash, the crushing noise of which rang in my ears for days, and a series of dislocatory heavings and collisions, terminating in deathlike silence and the overthrow of the car which we occupied, gave B 4 248 A VACATION TOUR. certain evidence that we had gone off the line. I have no distinct recollection how I crawled out of the car, for I was half stunned; but I remember being highly delighted when I found my limbs sound. On looking round, the spectacle was extra- ordinary. With the exception of about half the middle car and engine, there was scarcely a portion of the train that was not more or less broken. The wheels were whirled to great distances, and the rails for the length of many yards either wholly wrenched from the sleepers or converted into snake-heads. The poor slaves were considerably bruised ; and the baggage-waggon presented a curious mixture of portmanteaus, bags, boxes, and ice. The nature of the accident was precisely as we had anticipated; the excessive speed at which we had been going, combined with defective rails, threw us off a sharp curve, on one side of which was a precipice dipping into the Potomar, and on the other a vertical face of rock, against which the cars had been thrown. I confess, when I saw the state of things, I was extremely indignant, for, by the wilful conduct of the conductor, we had not only been placed in imminent peril of our lives, but had every prospect of being detained^ several hours. But when, with that social feeling engendered by misfortune, I spoke in strong ifWi 'f-;|; cle was extra- AMERICAN INDIFFERENCE TO ACCIDENTS. 249 terms of him to my fellow-passengers, urging that we ought to report him to the directors of the line I found my feelings were not only unshared, but! with one exception, all rather approved than other- wise his exertions to get us on. In short, I was so entirely unsupported, that I saw the prudent course was to hold my tongue, though I determined not to let the matter drop. The exceptional case to ^vlHch I allude, was a gentleman who, as soon as he had extricated himself from the ruined cars, sought tlie shade of a sumach-tree, and, lighting a cl^ar smoked with an apparent philosophical indifference to his fate. He was an Englishman, settled for some years m Wisconsin, to which State he had gone to enjoy the sporting it affords ; and as he had experi- enced numerous railway accidents, nearly all of which resulted from the carelessness of officiafs, he was not disposed to be lenient in his judgment on the present occasion. But, as he said, accidents, whether on railways or in steam-boats, are thought so little of in ■ America, it is useless to remonstrate ; certainly the behaviour of our party confirmed his words. As It was evident we should have to remain many hours at the scene of the accident, the negro who acted as water-purveyor to the train, was despatched to foracre among the neighbouring farm-houses. Presently he 250 A VACATIOX TOUR. returnecl with a large basket filled with hams, fowls, delicious bread, butter, and various fruit preserves. Selecting a locality shaded hy a cluster of gaudy sumach-trees, and within a few feet of the clear Potomac, we set up a rude table and seats, con- structed from the disjecta memhra of the cars, and I aui certain, had any one seen our impromptu pic-nic, he would not have supposed we were a set of wrecked passengers who had just escaped deadly periL The ladies, who had exhibited a stern stoicism worthy of their country, cast aside the frigidity of manners characterising their sex at table dlwte re- loiions, and aided greatly, by their conversation and vivacity, in causing us to forget our mishap. One went so far as to indulge in flashes of wit, and what were, doubtless, thought clever repartees. A gen- tleman observing, if he were a fish he would go ahead, as the river was so near, the lady in question de- clared, for her part, she would rather be a Jonah, if the Potomac would obligingly furnish a whale, as she would then go ahead without any trouble. It was fortunate we had an abundance of ice to cool our water and provisions, for the sun was scorching. During our repast, which was prolonged pour passer le temps, the poor slaves sat apart, unheeded by all but myself. It would, indeed, IMPROMnU PIC-NIC. 251 iiave given me great satisfaction to have Iiacl it in my power to gather them witl. i our circle ; but this I knew was impossible, for there were slave- owners among our party, who gave unequivocal tes- timony of their feelings for their black brethren. I succeeded, however, in causing our party to break up sooner than it would otherwise have done, in order that the slaves might have the remains of our repast, fortunately sufficiently ample to satisfy their wants. The reader, who may have had practical experience of the solicitude shown to passengers by railway officials in England on the occasion of an accident, will probably be as surprised to hear, as I was to find, that no attempts were made to send us forward. A camel-engine was despatched from the nearest station to remove our cars from the line, which they effectually blocked. This it did in a very summary manner; but, when the line was clear, we had still to wait the arrival of the train from Baltimore, in cars detached from which we were to be forwarded. Under the circumstances, it was fortunate our abid- ing-place presented many features of great natural beauty ; for the Potomac waters a lovely country. I spent some time examining the rails over which we had passed. They were worn in many places to 252 A VACATION TOUR. a mere ribbon by the crushing weight of the huge camel-engines employed to draw coal-trains. It was no longer surprising we had gone oflf the line ; the wonder was how we had kept on so long. The con- ductor, indeed, admitted they did get ott' the rails pretty frequently; but added they rarely killed people. At length, after a detention of five hours, we re- sumed our journey ; and, as it was no longer possible to pull up the lost time, our speed was not excessive. The wretched state of the line kept us in a continual state of apprehension ; but we fortunately reached Harper's Ferry without further accident. Here the beauties of the Potomac centre, forming a scene which Jefferson declared worth going across the Atlantic to see, as being " one of the most stupendous in nature." The main features consist in the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, which pass through a gorge in the Blue Ridge Mountains, here upwards of 1200 feet high. In the distance, looking up the river, the mountains gradually blend their wooded summits, and, glancing outward, the country spreads in a soft, rich, cultivated landscape; — this is the viev; so highly praised by Jefferson. There was happily sufficient light to see it while the train stopped, but RELAY HOUSE. 253 the rest of my journey to Relay House was performed .n '..e dark. Had all gone well I sl.ould have r-.ched Washington in the evening; as it was, in c nsequence of the accident, and being obliged to lie -.y at sulings to allow trains to pass, I did not get to •telay House until two hours after nndnight,_of course too late for the Washington trains. With some difficulty I obtained entrance into the hotel, where I was glad to rest after a long day of more than usual fat,g„e and excitement. The following morning I took a tram after breakfast to Washington. The country IS picturesque, but not being favourable for acri- cuiture, the curious spectacle of large tracts of land bnsthng with stumps meets the eye to the verge of the capital. When liberated from the ears, I fell into the hands, or arms rather, of a ravenous host of hotel touters and cabmen, whose conduct did not give me a very favourable idea of the police regulations of the United States metropolis. At length I was rescued by the agent of the hotel to which I pur- posed going, and, after a long drive through sandy streets, I came to a pause for some days in the Marble House. 254 A VACATION TOUR. f CHAP. X. THE MARBLE HOUSE. — INTERVIEW WITH EDITOR OF STAR NEWSPAPER. — PRESS MORALITV. — THE CA- PITOL. — ROME. — POLITICAL SITUATION OF WASHING- TON. — HOUSES OF LEGISLATURE. — THE BALD EAGLE. — PLAGUE OF aNTS. — PATENT OFFICE. — MUSEUM. — TANNED NEGRO SKIN. — FRANKLIn'S PRINTING PRESS. HAIR OF PRESIDENTS. — STATE-PAPER OFFICE. — OBSERVATORY. — COAST SURVEY. — INSTRUMENTS. — SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. — GUTTA-1 _ ,HA STEREO- TYPE PRINTING. — THE PRESIDENT. — COURTEOUS RE- CEPTION. — REPUBLICAN SERVANTS. — AHSIT TO MOUNT VERNON. — ALEXANDRIA. — FORT WASHINGTON. — WASH- INGTON'S TOMB. — DISGRACEFUL CONDITION OF MOUNT VERNON. — DINNER PARTY. — MEETING OP KNOW- NOTHINGS. — WASHINGTON AND SECRET SOCIETIES. — NATIONAL MONUMENT. SLAVES. — NEGRO BALL. — LEAVE WASHINGTON. I I HAD numerous Introductions to parties in Washing- ton ; but, before delivering them, or satisfying my curiosity in seeing the city, I wrote an account of the railway accident, with the view of having it pub- lished in the leading Washington paper. When I had finished my letter, I went to the bar of the hotel, and requested the gentleman in the office to give me the name of the principal journal. He declared EDITOR OF THE STAR. 255 tlie Stew to be the chief, and enjoying tlie largest cu'culation. Accordingly, informing myself of the locale of that journal, I set off with my letter. On reaching the office, I handed the communication to a person in attendance, requesting he would pre- sent my compliments to the editor, and ask him to publish the letter. I was on the point of going away, when I was desired to wait a few minutesr Pre- sently an individual in the cool costume of shirt- sleeves and open collar entered from an inner room, with my letter in his hand, and, announcing himself as The Editor, demanded whether I desired to have the communication published in the Star. On answering in the affirmative, I was not a little asto- nished by being informed I should have to pay for the insertion, as they ahxays expected payment for pub- lislung such communications. This was so entirely opposed to my idea of what was right, that I imme- diately declared I would not pay a cent ; a.id, more- over, having a vivid idea of the independent and honourable conduct of the English press, which is always willing and anxious to make abuses public, with the view to their correction, I expressed mv opinion that it would only be a public benefit to publish my letter, which, as it bore my signature, could not implicate the paper. Upon this the editor re-pcrused the document. 256 A VACATION TOUR. He did not deny it deserved publication, — that the railway was insecure, — that the public should be made aware of the fact, — but it was their custom to be paid for inserting such articles ; — a gentleman had paid handsomely for the insertion of a letter, very si- milar to my own, concerning another railway accident the week before, — in short, payment must be made. More than once I was tempted to declare my country, and tell the sordid editor how differently we ma- naged such matters in England ; but I refrained, and contented myself by sturdily resisting payment, at the same time demanding the return of my letter. " I am not a citizen of AYashington," I said ; " but there are gentlemen here who will, I have no doubt, procure the admission of my complaint in some other paper ; and, therefore, be so good as to let me have it." At these words the editor's tone changed ; and, after another futile attempt to extort money, he de- clared he would for once depart from the established rule, and print my letter without fee or reward- I bowed, and left the office. The next day my communication appeared, with this tail-piece : — Cl We shall remark, in reference to the above, that ice learn the railroad company are using Iheir best ex- ertions to have the road in the best possible condif'nn. The repairs needed icill, no doubt, be speedily maae. - Ed. Star." PRESS MORALITY. 257 This little transaction did not, I confess, impress me with verj exalted ideas of the American press. ihe Star, though the government organ, and en- J0)ung the largest circulation, is, as I was informed r^-^t the most respectable Washington paper. Its ^ank and position, however, are such as to astonish me that its conductors should resort to such wretched modes of gaining money as I have described. Nu- mcrous gentlemen of high standing, to whom I told tiie story, assured me the editors of other paper, would not have acted in this manner. I hope iioi • and I am sorry there is even one editor who has so low an estimate of his calling. ^ly first sight-seeing act in Washington was to ascend the Capitol, from the summit of which the <^^^^ of - magnificent distances " is seen to great ad- vantage. Moore's lines on this meti. polls, written JiaJt a century ago, hold good now :- " This fumed metropolis, where Fancy ,,ees Siinares in morasses, obelisks in trees .;es Which travelling fools and gazetteers adorn, With shrines unbuilt and heroes yet -.nborn.'" i^or, with the exception of the heart of the city traversed by the great arteiy Pennsylvania Avenue, which is lined by fine blocks of public and s 258 A. VACATION TOUR. private buildings, the greater portion consists of streets made up of houses alternating with groves, which, as the eve follows their shadowy outline, are swallowed up in the forest. Bearing in mind the ambitious prognostications entertained by the founders of Washington, originally called Rome, — Goose Creek having been at the same time raised to the dignity of The Tiber, — the Federal metropolis must be considered a signal failure ; for while almost every other town and city in the States has been and is increasing in a manner setting all calculations at defiance, the population of Washington still remains beneath that of fourth-rate towns, and her commerce is scarcely worth mentioning. Had the extraordinary growth of the States been imagined, it is probable a more western locality would have been selected for the seat of government. My brother, who may be said to have been present at the birth of the city, as it was laid out in 1792 and he visited it in 1795, observes with respect to the site : — '* In the choice of the spot there were two principal considerations : first, that it should be as central as possible, in respect to every State in the Union ; secondly, that it should be advantageously situated for commerce, without which it could not he POLITICAL SITUATION OF WASHINGTON. 259 expected that the city would ever be distinguislied for size or for splendour ; and it was to be supposed that the people of the United States would be desirous of having the metropolis :.f the countrj as magnificent as it possibly could be. These two essential points are most happily combined in the spot which has been chosen." * When, in antagonism to these flourishing com- mercial prospects, the statistics of Cincinnati then undreamt of, are examined, we cannot f\xil to be struck by the short-sightedness of the projectors of 'Wp'sl'ington. A X locality for government, it, however, enjoys a. stages possessed by no other city in the States being in the neutral district of Columbia, which, by an act of Congress, possesses no political privilecres, and therefore cannot be regarded with jealousy^by any State. That discord would result from the establishment of the legislature in any State city, is evident by antecedents. My brother observes •- " Shortly after the close of the American war considerable numbers of the Pennsylvanian line, or of the militia with arms in their hands, surrounded the hall in which Congress was assembled at Phila- * Travels, Letter IV. s 2 260 A VACATIOX TOUR. (lelphia, and with vehement menaces insisted upon immediate appropriations of money being made to discharge the large arrears due to them for their past services. The members, alarmed at such an outrage, resolved to quit a State in which they met with insult instead of protection, and quickly adjourned to New York, where the session was terminated. A short time afterwards, the propriety w^as strongly urged in Congress of fixing on some place for the meet- ins of the legislature, and for the seat of the General Government, wdiich should be subject to the laws and regulations of the Congress alone, in order that the members in future might not have to depend for their personal safety, and for their freedom of deliberation, upon the good or bad policy of any individual State. This idea of making the place which should be chosen for the meeting of the legislature independent of the particular State to which it might belong, was further corroborated by the following argument : — That, as the several States in the Union were in some degree rivals to each other, although connected together by certain ties, if any one of these was fixed upon for the seat of the General Government in pre- ference, and thus raised to a state of pre-eminence, it might perhaps be the occasion of great jealousy amongst the others. Every person was convinced THE CAPITOL. 261 of the expediency of preserving the union of the States entire; it was apparent therefore, tliat the greatest precautions ought to be taken to remove every source of jealousy from amongst them, which might tend, thougli remotely, to produce a separa- tion. In fine, it was absolutely necessary that the seat of Government should be made permanent, as the removal of the public offices and archives from place to place could not but be attended with many and very great inconveniences."* If Washington were in keeping with the Capitol, it would indeed be a magnificent city. This building, constructed of white marble, with its imposing fa9ade and immense wings, for these are nearly completed, is a remarkably fine object. With a liberality worthy of European imitation, the visitor is allowed to ramble freely through the interior ; and although Congress was not sitting, the Houses of Legislature were open. These are on the east and west of the Rotunda The House of Representatives, which is much larger than the Senate Chamber, is also more handsomely decorated, the ubiquitous American eagle figuring largely in gilt effigies. By the way, Franklin was right in his objections to this * Letter lY. 8 3 262 A VACATION TOUR. bird, which, being the bald eagle, is not an honour- able emblem of i^.merica. In one of his letters he observes : — " I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country ; he is a bird of bad moral character; he does not get his living honestly ; you may see him perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labour of the fishing-hawk ; and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the bald eagle pursues and takes it from him. With all this injustice, he is never in good case ; but, like those among men who live by sharp- ing and robbing, he is generally very poor, and often very lousy. Besides, he is a rank coward ; the little king-bird, not bigger than a sparrow, attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. I am, on this account, not displeased that the figure is not known as a bald eagle, but looks more like a turkey. For, in truth, the turkey is in comparison a more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America He is besides (though a little vain and silly, it is true, but not the worse emblem for that) a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards, who should presume to invade his farm-yard with a red coat on." COLOSSAL FIGURE OF WASHINGTON. 263 The original design of placing an equestrian statue of Washington near the Capitol lias been abandoned, and a colossal seated figure substituted. The work is by Greenough, who has erred by repre- senting the hero in the half-naked garb of a Roman general, with his right arm extended in the direction of the Patent Office. This attitude led a witty member of the United States Legislature to observe, that Washington doubtless points to that building because it contains his uniform, which he very naturally desires to put on. In the cool of the evening I delivered a few letters of introduction, and then strolled down to the Potomac, ill whose radiant wave " The dying sun prepared his golden grave." The view of this river and of the country beyond, as seen from the Navy Yard, is extremely beautiful, fully realising Moore's praise, — " Oh great Potomac ! oh you banks of shade ! You mighty scenes, in Nature's morning made, While still in rich magnificence of prime, Slie poured her wonders, lavishly sublime." I was somewhat startled when, on sitting down in my room to write before going to bed, I found my port- S 4 204 A VACATION TOUR. li^: folio literally covered by inmimcrabl'.' tiny red ants. Further examination showed that these animals had taken possession of every available spot. In mv alarm at this plague of insects, I rushed down stairs, and begged to have another room. My wish was immediately gratified, but the change was not pro- ductive of any benefit. The little insects were fully as numerous in my new apartment ; and it seems the entire city of Washington sufll'rs under a formific plague. Happily, however, the ants are not of a stinging species. On the following morning, I found my letters had called forth many friends, who, with the usual kind- ness characteristic of Americans, were anxious to make uiy abode in Washington pleasant and instruc- tive. Accompanied by two gentlemen connected with government, I visited the Patent Office, a hand- some white marble building, resembling the Par- thenon, having a frontage of 413 feet, with a depth of 280. Besides various offices for the transaction of " patent " business, large rooms are appropriated to the reception of models, now amounting to nearly 25,000, arranged in glass-cases. The number of applications for patents has greatly increased during late years. In 1842, 761 were filed; in 1852, they had risen to 2639. These figures show the inventive PATENT OFrrcE. 26J genius of America; and the multitude of "notions" in the sliape of models of flying machines, and otiier possible and impossible mechanical adaptations for locomotive purposes, are convincing proofs of Jonathan's desire to economise time. The greater portion of these are consigned to the basement, Avherc they are stowed in < ses, without any attempt at arrangement. This, perhaps, is of- little conse- quence ; but it is to be regretted that no catalogue exists of the models — in many instances highly intc- sting and instructive-preserved in theuppor rooms, illustrating inventions for v.liich patents have been granted. The number of patents issued is always less than the applications,— the returns being 517 i^atents granted in 1842 out of 761 applicatioirs, and 1020 in 1852 out of 2639 applications. Of these, more than ten per cent, were for locomotive and en- gineering inventions. It is worthy of remark, that ninety per cent, of the patents were taken out by the Free States. An original inventor only is entitled to apply for a patent ; the introducer of an invention ha. no claim whatever. The fees payable by a citizen amount to 6/. These are increased in thf; case of all foreigners, not natives of Great Britain or Ireland, to 63Z., and to a native of these islands to 105/. This exorbitant increase appears the more IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT.3) V. ^. ^ K m 1.0 I.I m us lit IM IL25 i 1.4 IM 18 1.6 i^ ^' 0-, / ^^. !• / Pnotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (''16) 872-4S03 iV '^ s-*- \\ ^ ■^^\ ^\ ^\ >^ >^ . — SLAVKRY. — AUMOURY — VIRGINIAN STATE GUARD. — JEFI-ERSON's CANNON GORGEOUS SUNSET. — RECOVER LUGGAGE. — AFRICAN CHURCH.— EXCELLENT SINGING.— PRESS OF NEGRESSES. — AIHJLT IJArnSM OF SLAVES SLAVE MARKET.— MODE OF SELLING SLAVES. — tJUADROON. — REAUTIFUL CHILDREN. SLAVE ADVERTISEMENTS REFLECTIONS ON SLAVERY. — DEPORTATION OF SLAVES. TOHACCO FACTORY. — INCENDIARISM. — SLAVE LAROUR COTTON FACTORIES. — AVHlTi: LABOUR. — RENDITION OF FUGITIVE Si-AVES.— I'AUFERISM.- CAIMTOI HOUDON's STATUE OF ■WASHINGTON. — STATE PENITENTIARY. — THEATRE. — RICHMOND HOTELS, PAST AND PRESENT. — LEAVE RICHMOND. I LEFT Waslungton at six in the morning by tlic steainor for Acquia Creek, on tlie Potomac. Not being well, I omitted the necessary precaution of looking after my luggage. The consequence was that, although it had been carried in the ba ehildre, ' Moreshewould not divulge; nor would she answT; quesfons relative to her occupation. AH attenp at extracting fiu- .. :„f„r,„,,.„„ ,^^ " '^^ -n;^. rerusa. to divulge ought of L:-^;; :i Tn w^iitt;'? ""^ ^"^- -- -- wmcli ho. infant was reposing, her eves flW re, and! sincere., believe, had a'tnifehTe : f7"T ''' '™""' ■'-« '"-sod '•' in U, iieaits of Iier tormentors. Followed hv i. . >'"'; e-uhlren, who clung to herrlte ^^ -bs, shrinking from the ga.e of the rougl opessed round them, she ascended the pfatfor,: w et ::t"t, "'""'"'''"'' '"-^ •'-•-ess VVhethei he dreaded a scene, or that he deemed it iiad a fine young woman to offer with I, o^-Hren. who would not be sold separate,:dd;:: " » ^«- yoars the boys would be fit for work. wC 304 A VACATION TOUR. could lie say of her, whose heart's finest affections were perhaps at that moment lacerated to satisfy the greed of a man ? He set a high price on the woman and her children, declaring he expected at least 2500 dollars for the lot. The first bid was 800 ; languid biddings succeeded, until the amount reached 900 dollars. The woman was then ordered down, and followed by her little children, was made to walk up and down the room. On resuming her place on the platform, the biddings became a little brisker ; but as no eloquence on the part of the auctioneer could raise them above 1100 dollars, the lot was with- drawn. I was informed the woman alone would have realised more than this amount, but there is a stronfr o aversion against purchasing white children. It is unnecessary to carry the reader to the other slave marts. I visited both, and saw slaves sold under circumstances similar to those described. I conversed with most of the slaves, a few expressed great sorrow at leaving their late home and masters, and gazed inquiringly on those who examined them with the view of purchasing; but the majority exhibited a dogged apathy, as if their hearts were callous to all sensations. The spectacle I had witnessed the previous day was, however, fresh in Sr,AVK ADVKItTISEMEMS. 305 my remembrance; and I well know the black man lias strong feelings. Many masters, as I was informed, have a great dis- I.ke to pass slaves whom they desire to sell through the degrading ordeal of public auction. To avoid th^ they dispose of them by private contract, or provide them with papers of sale, authorising them to sell themselves, on the understanding that they bring the price asked to their masters. Thus the business transacted in the Richmond slave-market, does not represent the total number of slaves sold. It falls also far short of supplying the demand. The newspapers contain numerous slave advertise- ments, of which the following are specimens : _ "SLAVES WANTED. " m are at all times purchadug shves, pa,jiug the I'Vhest eash ^riees. Person, ^klung to sell uitl please call at 243. Pratt Street. Communicathn, addressed " B- L- & W. L. Campbell." "WANTS NEGROES. " The subscribers are at all times in the market "^'"^ »fam, pairing the highest cash prices. " J. M. Wilson. " a N. Duke." 306 A VACATION TOUR. "5000 NEGROES WANTED. (( / will pay the highest price in cash for 5000 negroes, with good titles, slaves for life or for a term of years. Persons having slaves for sale, ivill please call and see me, as I am always in the market with the cash. « J. N. Denning, " 18. South Trcderick Street. tt Trees in front of the door.^^ Linked to these acV/ertisenients are others, headed by little figures of slaves, representing them running away, with bundles over their shoulders. Here are a couple of examples : — IIIA. 355 bnt the uproar in the liotel, from a fraternising demonstration between a Baltimore and Philadelphia fire company, terminated my slumbers sooner than was agreeable. The interchange of visits between fire companies in various towns is a peculiar feature of America. The companies entertain each other, during which all kinds of amusements prevail. It is usual on these occasions to walk through the cities and towns preceded by a band, which some- times does not confine its brassy harmony to the streets. On my way to the water-works, I passed through the more modern portion of Philadelphia, which stretches as far as the Schuylkill, where Twenty- fourth street is reached. The stranger will do well to remember, that the principal streets, which run at right angles to the rivers, are named after different trees. There is a local distich- receives " Chestnut, Walnut, Spruce, and Pine, Cedar, Cherry, Plum, and Vine," denoting leading avenues parallel to each other. Beyond the river the city, under the name o. West Philadelphia, recommences, and is fast overspreading the country. Thanks to the general use of anthra- cite coal, the houses, with their plate-glass windows, A A 2 I i 356 A VACATION TOUR. and white marble steps, are unstained by smoke ; and other impurities are daily removed by copious washings, which have the additional advantage of cooling the air. A water-pipe terminates under the trottoir opposite each house ; thus, by merely attach- ing a hose, and turning on the water,which is at high pressure, a copious stream may be thrown on any part of the premises. The water-works are very simple. Immediately above them the entire breadth of the Schuylkill is crossed by a dam 1600 feet long. Powerful hydraulic machinery is set in motion, which raises 8000 gallons of water per minute to reservoirs 100 feet high, occupying an area of six acres, from whence, after being filtered, it is distributed by cast- iron pipes through the city. Advantage has been taken of the picturesque situation of Fairmount to lay it out in pleasure-grounds, adorned by statues and fountains, — a favourite resort of the citizens in the summer evenings. My final pilgrimage in Philadelphia was to the grave of Franklin, in the cemetery of Christ Church, the oldest ecclesiastical edifice in the city. A plain slab covers the remains of this great man and his wife, bearing the simple inscription : — VISIT franklin's grave. 357 Bknjamin and Deborah -Franklin. 1790. Franklin, as is well known, wrote a very humorous epitaph on himself; but the discretion must be commended which substituted the above plain record for light and jesting words, which are out of place on the threshold of eternity. I was so much nleased with Philadelphia, that I regretted my war mg vacation necessarily made my sojourn there v.ry brief. The magnificence of the buildings, composed of beautiful marbles, — the splendid interiors of the houses of the wealthy classes,— -the elegance and refinement of their occu- pants contrasting curiously with the stern simplicity of Penn and his immediate successors,— render it a most charming and desirable residence. I left the flourishing city by the New Jersey railway, and four hours after my departure, stepped on the crowded New York landing-wharf from the Jersey city steam-ferry. A A. 3 358 A VACATION TOUR. CHAP. XIII. THE SAINT NICHOLAS HOTEL. — CONDUCT OF ITS GUESTS. — TRIAL OF DR. GRAHAM. — DELMONICO's HOTEL HOW TO SEE NEW YORK. — THE HUDSON. — GREAT HOSriTALITY.— MR. GRINNELL COMMERCIAL QUARTER OF NEW YORK. — ITS PHYSICAL PECULIARITIES BROADWAY. — FASHION. — SPLENDID MANSIONS. — REPUB- LICAN LUXURY. — ARISTOCRATIC DESIRES. — ORDER OF THE CINCINNATL — LOVE FOR TITLES. — FRANKLIN's COAT OP ARMS. — JEFFERSON's PREDICTION.— CRYSTAL PALACE. — BARNUM's SPEECH. — RAILWAY OMNIBUSES. — CROTON RESERVOIR. — ASTOR LIBRARY NEW OPERA HOUSE.— GRISI AND MARIO — NEW YORK CRITICISM. METROPOLITAN THEATRE CHRISTy's MINSTRELS.— SUPPER ROOMS.— DEFERENCE PAID TO LADIES. BAR- ROOMS. — ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. — VOLUNTEER AND MILITIA CORPS. — RECRUITING SERVICE PAY OF ARMY. — NAVY. — EMIGRANTS AMERICAN PARTY MANIFESTO. — STATEN ISLAND. — FAREWELL LMPRESSIONS.— .TOURNEY TO BOSTON MR. TICKNOR LOSS OP ARCTIC. — DEPARTURE. — FUNERAL AT Si V. — ARRIVE AT LIVER- POOL. — CONCLUSION. "Be sure," said all my friends, "to go o the St. Nicholas Hotel at New York." Without casting any reflections on the accommodations of that mag- nificent hotel, which I believe are excellent, I resolved before entering New York not to follow this advice, because the said hotel had recently TRIAL OF DR. GRAHAM. 359 acquired clisagreeablo notoriety, by a New Orleans physician of large practice killing a fellow guest in the house, and by an outrage perpetrated by another Southerner on a friend of mine, who, with no further ])rovocation than merely looking at him, had practical evidence of fiery southern blood, by receiving an ugly blow from a fork, which was hurled at his face across the public dinner table. The ruffian who committed this outrage was of course quickly taken out of the room ; not, however, before he gave ex- pression to horrible impreca ions, to which anxious desires for a pistol or bowie .nife were added. During the summer months, when these events occurred, the large hotels in New York are thronged by Southerners, who not un." jquently exhibit a little outbreak of manners, more characteristic of society in the Southern than in the Northern States. On the trial of Doctor Graham for killing Col. Loring in the St. Nicholas Hotel, to which I have alluded, it came out in evidence, that he was in the habit of leaving New Orleans annually for what he called " a spree," on which occasions he carried a sword-cane, with which he killed Col. Loring. The trial took place while I was in New York, and although the evidence was such as in my opinion ought to have convicted Dr. Graham of murder, he was only found A A 4 i i,ii? IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) h // {/ ^ w^.. & Qr A U. I/VJ % s 1.0 I.I |50 l"™= L25 III 1.4 2.5 2.2 M 1.6 V] .^¥ '^'^W "# oy^^ /A Hhol ^ Scioices Corporation m iV # :\ \ ^^ ^%1^ o^,.^ ^..°>^ ^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^4'^ & Qr % ^ 360 A VACATION TOUR. guilty of manslaughter in the second degree, to which the punishment of imprisonment for four years is attached. It will be seen, however, by the following extract from the judge's charge, that a human being may be killed in the United States with an impunity which the English law does not re^.ognise. " Killing," said Judge Mitchell, " is excusable when committed, first, by accident and misfortune ; second, in the heat of passion ; third, upon a sudden combat ; fourth, with- out any undue acl vantages being taken ; fifth, without any dangerous weapon being used; sixth, and not done in a cruel and unusual manner." The reader is now in possession of my reasons for not going to the St. Nichohs Hotel ; for although the founders of New Amsterdam swore by that saint, under whose benign influence and protection their settlement increased in magnitude and prosperity, I had no reason to believe that the guests of the afore- said hotel were equally protected. So I went to Delmonico's, near the lower end of Broadway,— an excellent house, kept on the English system of charging only for the meals eaten. Having secured a room, for which I paid a dollar per day, I made a general acquaintance with New York, by walking up Broadway, until I exchanged the crashing bustle and now TO SEE NEW YORK. 361 tumult of the business portion of the city for the stillness of untenanted streets. Thanks to the singular formation of the ground on which New York is built, which confines it in breadth to an average space of two miles, allowing extension only in a longitudinal direction, the city may be soon seen. Take an omnibus up Broadway, continue your explorations to the Croton reservoir, return by Fifth Avenue ; sweep round the south-east portion of the city, taking care not to be annihilated by boxes, bales, and packages flung recklessly about in the vicinity of the stores j pause at the Battery, beneath the trees ; ascend the spire of Trinity Church ; and terminate your explo- ration by a ramble among the wharves crowded by throbbing steamers, departing or arriving from the North River, Jers^ey City, and Hoboken: all this may be done in three or four hours. And, though the New Yorkers doubtless consider their great and flourishing city requires and merits a much larger portion of the tourist's time, I am bound to declare it may be well seen and understood in the course of a mor iig, particularly if the ascent of Trinity Church be included in the programme I have sketched. The fact is, there are very few public buildings in New York to arrest attention. The tourist hlasd by church, palace, and picture sights. 362 A VACATION TOUR. Will rejoice at this fact. But though New York may be " done " in a few hours, I do not advise so summary a dismissal of that great city. I spent three days in it, and all my time was pleasantly occupied. A trip up the Hudson i. of course a duty on the part of the English tourist, and its performance will be remembered with much pleasure. The scenery of this river has been so frequently described, that I feel it would be superfluous to add to its praises. Americans are very solicitous to obtain assent to their assertion, that the beauty of the Hudson exceeds that of the Rhine. Both rivers mirror lovely scenery on their broad breasts, but the castled crags overlooking the Rh ixe, with their charming lichen hues crown that river, in my opinion, with superior beauty. I know that manv Americans consider the white villas on the Hudson, with their cockney architec- ture, far more eye-pleasing than crumbling towers. To this I can only reply, tastes differ ; and I for one would rather see the Hudson as it was when the " gallant squadron of Pavonia " ascended its waters. Then says their own Washington Irving, " No signs of human thrift appeared to check the delicious wildness of nature, who here revelled in all her luxuriant variety. Those hills now bristling like THE HUDSON. 363 the fretful porcupine, with rows of poplars, (vain, upstart plants! minions of wealth and fashion!) were then adorned with the vigorous natives of the soil. The lordly oak, the generous chestnut, the graceful elm ; while here and tliere the tulip tree reared his majestic head, the giant of the forest ; where now are seen the gay retreats of luxury, villas half buried in twilight bowers, whence the amorous flute oft breathes the sighings of some city swain; there the fish-hawk built his solitary nest on some dry tree that overlooked his watery domain. The timid deer fed undisturbed along those shores, now hallowed by the lover's moonlight walk, and printed by the slender foot of beauty ; and a savage solitude extended over those happy regions where now aro reared the stately towers of the Joneses." Had I not seen the wonderful steam-boats on Lake Erie, I should have been amazed by the size of those on the Hudson. The great boats on that river, sixteen to a mile, steam at the rate of twenty-two miles an hour. They are incited to outdo all former go-ahead performances, by the opposition of the Albany and New York Railway, which runs along the east bank of the river, frequently within sight of the most beautiful scenery. I returned to New York by this line. 364 A VACATION TOUR. As elsewhere, I was indebted to the great kind- ness and hospitality of warm, though new friends, for many pleasant hours in New York. I had the happiness of making Mr. Grinnell's acquaintance, who is known wherever the sad story of the Franklin expedition has penetrated, for his munificent endea- vour to rescue our gallant countrymen. Mr. Grinnell's retiring modesty harmonises with his actions, in which the reputation of others has always been more con- sidered than his own. He was so kind as to introduce me to the Exchange, and point out many of the nota- bilities in the commercial part of New York, where stock and other jobbing have reared altars to mammon. The fiery fever of speculation — a besetting sin of all great cities — rages in New York. At the time of my visit, many failures had taken place in conse- quence of over and unsound trading, and Wall Street was in dismay at the gloomy prospect of no dividends. It is said New 'York merchants toil in their stores to sleep in palaces. The ceaseless bustle in the business part of the city in some measure confirms this. Within and without the vast stores a continual ebbing and flowing of goods goes on from early morn till eve, and stately ships discharge their varied cargoes on the crowded wharves. The tortuous nature of the business streets contrasts ■ TUE BROADWAY. 365 curiously with the general formal plan of the city. This arises from the circumstance that the founders of « New Amsterdam » built without any settled design. « The sage council," says the immortal Knickerbocker, " not being able to determine upon any plan for the building of their city; the cows, in a laudable fit of patriotism, took it under their par- ticular charge, and as they went to and from pasture, established paths through the bushes, on each side of which the good folks built their houses ; which is one cause of the rambling and picturesque turns and labyrinths which distinguish certain -streets of New York at this very day." Emerging from these commercial purlieus, which would be greatly improved by a few judicious police regulations, we entered Broadway. The throng of people and vehicles in this great artery is on^.- paralleled by the Strand or Cheapside, which not- able streets it somewhat resembles in width, for it would be more appropriate to call it Longway, as it is much more remarkable for its length than breadth. The variety of characters streaming through this channel is very striking. Our Regent Street and City blend. But the commercial portion of the community hurry along with a rapidity unknown in 366 A VACATION TOUR. Cheapside, and the ladies dress in a manner which would attract considerable attention at the West End of London. Glaring colours prevail, and harmony- is set at defiance. Every article of dress is of a different colour. Pink bonnets, green robes, yellow gloves, and blue silk boots, are not uncommon phe- nomena. The best time for seeing Broadway in all its feminine glory is on Sundays when the churches and chapels pour forth their motley con- gregations. A few years ago Trinity Church was a fashionable place of worship. Now, the fashionable world must be sought higher up the town ; for as commerce engrosses the streets in the neighbourhood of the Park, wealth and fashion seek more distant localities. The New York belle will not, therefore, be seen in Trinity Church. I attended service in that building, and during my walk at the conclusion of service, I was much struck by the more dashing dresses and style of the women as I advanced up Broadway. The answer of a New York girl to a friend who asked her to go to Trinity Church is well known : " I am not dressed for Trinity." So it is — as every church and chapel have their religions, so have they their standing in the New York world of fashion. It would, I apprehend, be impossible to find a KEPUBLICAN LUXUIIY. 367 greater contrast than the wealthy and poor quarters of the city. The mansions in the neighbourhood of the Fifth Avenue are of the most magnificent de- scription ; furnished regardless of cost. The power of wealth is here abundantly conspicuous. Every quarter of the globe has been subsidised to minister to the gratification of the merchant prince, who, despite his professions, is no longer the simple re- publican trader. Observe the equipages in Broad- way. The majority bear coats of arms; strange devices for the most part, which would send Garter, Rouge, and Dragon, into fits. But they have their meaning. They show that wealth cannot and will not be satisfied by the mere accumulation of dollars. Rank is the coveted object. To claim kinship with an ancient and honourable English family is an American's great boast. He may rave as he will against monarchical and aristocratical institutions and families, —his worship of a lord and love of titles is greater than an Englishman's. New York abounds with shops where vanity may be fitted with coats of arms at small cost. The love for these things is not new. Seventy years ago Americans were lashed by Franklin and Jefferson for their desire to establish an order of hereditary knights, in direct opposition to the solemnly declared sense of 11 368 A VACATION TOUR. their country. It was then contemplated to found an order of the Cincinnati. " If people," says Franklin, " can be pleased with small matters, it is a pity but they should have them ; but I greatly wonder, that when thr united wisdom of our nation had, in the articles of confederation, manifested their dislike of establishing ranks of nobility, by authority either of the Congress or of any particular state, a number of private persons should think proper to distinguish themselves and their posterity from their fellow-citizens." * The Knighthood of Cincinnatus has no existence, but the spirit and desire for the order, or one of a similar nature, remain. And it is wor- thy of remark, that while Franklin was rebuking this love for worldly honours and distinction among his republican countrymen, he himself bore a coat of arms of which he made habitual use. Nume- rous letters, preserved in the archives of the Royal Society, written by Franklin to various scientific persons in Europe, are sealed with his arms. The crest, a Jislis head in pale, or, erased gules, between two sprigs vert, is identical with that of the L'ncoln- shire Franklins. It further appears that Dr. * The order was so far established, that a person was despatched to France to procure ribands and medals to decorate the Cincinnati. ARISTOCRATIC PROPENSITIES. 369 Franklin was at much pains to search out the history of his immediate ancestors. He traced them back four generations, and was gratified that the name of Franklin was anciently the common designation of famihes of substance in England. Talking one evemng with an American lady not unknown among the English aristocracy, I happened to say that I wondered at her frequent allusions to English lords ladies, and Sirs, as I thought such people were held in uo greater respect by Americans than their fellows. Upon which the lady desired the servant to bring a certain "picture " from the library, which was placed in my hands. « There," said she, drawing my attention to the design, which was an emblazoned coat of arms, appertaining to her husband's English ancestry, « this is the way we honour aristocracy in America." Titles as high-sounding and empty as those which puff up the vanity of Germans are already common, and it is not unreasonable to infer that with the growth of wealth the desire will in- crease to make their distinctions hereditary. Jeffer- son partly predicts this : writing to Washington, he says : ~- « Though the day may be at some distance, beyond the reach of our lives perhaps, yet it will certainly come, when a single fibre left of this in- stitution (the order of the Cincinnati), will produce B B 370 A VACATION TOUR. an hereditary aristocracy, which will change the form of our government from tlio best to the worst in the world." The admiration and desire for social distinctions is not confined to the man of wealth. A learned American Professor, describing his recent visit to London, when he attended a meeting of a scientific society in Somerset House, states that he was some- what overpowered by the circumstance of his being in the ancient palace of English kings (which, by the way, the Professor was not, as Somerset ITouse never was a royal palace). And more recently, a well-known New England savant has considerably sv.artled English aristocratic propriety, by distribut- ing among scientific societies a quarto volume, ela- borately illustrated, and filled with glowing panegyrics of an ancient English ramily, to which he desires to be linked. Let me not be misunderstood. I do not blame Americans for these aristocratic propensities. To rise above our fellows is natural to humanity. Social equality is an impossibility ; and without ambition a nation cannot become great. But knowing by experience how dearly aristocracy is prized by most American?, it is not unreasonable to ask them to be more consistent ; and whilst they paint their coach THE CRYSTAL PALACE- •t I panels with cunning devices, which would ^uzzlo Garter himself to decipher; let them not, though secretly loving the pride of birth and long descent, openly revile English aristocracy. An energetic attempt had been made a short time before I visited New York, to infuse new life into the Crystal Palace. It had been re-inaugurated, under the presidency of Mr. Barnum, when, as the report sets forth, surrounded by « bright faces of beauty and mtelligence, shining amid the gay colours of the present fashion of ladies dresses," the great showman delivered a wonderful speech, in which after promising all conceivable and inconceivable' benefits to those supporting the Exhibition, he added : « We hope to bring forth our new race of heroes - heroe. in art - conquerors upon the battle- field of labour -victors in the sublime struggle of handicraft and intellect, with ignorance and inertia. We hope to make such heroes of you industrials, who listen to me, to immortalise you m the immor- talisation of our age and nation. And if we cannot have you canonised in Notre Dame or St. Paul's, we shall find you a resting-place in the calhed-al cloisters of the human heart, wherever genius may be known, or science may win a hopeful idolater." B B 2 it' 4 372 A VACATION TOUR. But neither Mr. Barnum's speech, nor the prize ode which commenced : — "Lo! the transitory darkness From our palace floats away ; Lo ! the glorious gems of genius, Glitter in the rising day," — had any vivifying effect. The New York Crystal Palace was a commercial failure in the first instance, and continued a failure to the end of its career. It has not been, however, destitute of utility. The British commissioners appointed to visit it report, — " In its general character the Exhibition at New York may he said to be successful. The lessons conveyed in the contributions from Europe cannot, we believe, fail to exercise a beneficial influence over the taste, skill, and industry of the United States." Though I did not expect to be much gratified, I conceived it to be my duty to visit the Exhibition. It is situated in Reservoir Square, between the Sixth Avenue and ^he Croton distributing reservoir, four miles from the Battery. Forty-two streets, or blocks, occupy this space ; but the city is fast growing to much more lengthy proportions, and already the one hundred and eightieth street is laid down on the plans. Railway omnibuses obviate some of the in- conveniences arising from this rapid expansion, and THE CKYSTAL PALACE. 373 are delightful modes of locomotion. They consist of huge cars with roomy seats, drawn by two horses, and are of course devoid of that dislocatory motion, for which omnibuses generally are celebrated. I was informed, however, that the rails running along the streets are a great inconvenience to carriages and horses. I availed myself of one of these railway omnibuses to go to the Jrystal Palace. The building is in the form of a Greek cross, surmounted by a dome 100 feet in diameter. The materials employed to construct it, show its relation- ship to our first Crystal Palace at Hyde Park. On entering I beheld a huge mountain-like object swelling beneath the dome. It proved to be a balloon in a semi-collapsed state, typical of the fortunes of the Exhibition. The objects on view were principally of American manufacture. In the department of Machinery there were several curious and interesting o inventions. The number and variety of machines for econo- mising human labour were very remarkable ; among them I observed an ingenious contrivance for clean- ing vaults and cesspools, used by the New York Pneumatic Draining Company. It is worked by steam, and empties a cesspool in a few minutes without occasioning any disagreeable effluvium. It u 8 374 A VACATION TOUR. The great advantages arising from division of labour are nowhere better understood than in America. The manufacture of umbrellas and para- sols in New York is an instructive example how fully this is carried out. The production of these articles is chiefly confined to seven firms, who by the aid of very curious and ingenious machinery, manu- facture annually about 1,500,000 dollars worth. One establishment employs 325 persons, including 250 girls. During a considerable portion of the year, from 1200 to 1500 umbrellas and parasols are turned out daily. Each umbrella consist of 112 different parts, and in the course of construction passes through near!} as many hands. A large collection of pictures occupied one of the galleries ; these were contributed by various countries. I observe the British commissioners express an opinion that the art of landscape-painting bids fair to flourish in North America. At present the distance between mediocrity and excellence in this department of art is very great. On leaving the Exhibition I visited the Croton Reservoir, which is certainly a noble monument to Hygeia. No city in the world is more abundantly supplied with pure water than New York, and it is estimated that the quantity is equal to supply a THE ASTOR LIBRARY. 375 population five times larger than that at present existing. The great number of fires in the city renders it absolutely necessary to have mains through all the streets. The city fire companies employ 4515 men. During the year ending October, 1854, there were 385 fires in New York, involvinrr a loss of 827,012 dollars. One half of the fires are attri- buted to incendiaries. On my way back I visited the Astor Library, recently completed. The building is of Byzantine architecture. The interior consists of a noble apart- ment 100 feet long, 64 wide, and 50 high, at present containing 80,000 volumes. This number will soon be increased to 1 00,000. The books are '-sry accessible. Any person above fourteen years of age is allowed to visit the library daily (excepting Sundays) between 10 and 5. There are other public libraries, but that founded by the munificence of Mr. Astor bids fair to become the largest in the city. New York has the character of being the gayest city in the Union after New Orleans. Certainly there is no want of public amusements. I took advantage of the new opera-house being open to see it, and hear Grisi and Mario. This building is not as large as Co vent Garden, and it appears even smaller than it is on account of the heavy ornaments with u u 4 376 A VACATION TOUR. which it is decorated. There are only twelve private boxes. The audience consisted as usual of a great diversity of people. Ladies in elegant and rich toilettes were seated next to others in their morning dresses and bonnets, while gentlemen in coloured costumes made a pleasant variety. But grander toilettes preponderated, and I have no doubt that when "cod aristocracy" is exchanged for something better, we shall see coloured trowsers as strictly excluded from the Opera at New York as they are from that in London. Grisi and Mario have not excited the furore in America that was expected. They, however, laboured under the dis- advantage of not being Barnumised. Yet trumpets sounded loud paeans in their praise. Here is a specimen of these blasts from the press. " Per- sonally Madame Grisi is an eye-filling woman, a sumptuous creature, who should be brought in upon a silver-gilt salver, as Jael brought forth butter upon a lordly dish. Her brow broadens beautifully over her ox-like eyes, and her head is set upon her neck like Juno's." On the night of my visit to the Opera, when Norma was performed, the house was about two-thirds full. Mario sang charmingly, but Grisi's voice was not in the best condition. The encores were favf. It NEW YORK THEATKES. 377 would seem that the New Yorkers are fond of music, for an English troupe were about to perform a series of operas while the Italian Opera was open. I observed that although the theatres are closed for scenic performances on Sundays, concerts are held in them. An advertisement that would do honour to Barnum, and which perhaps emanated from him, informed the public that, " The managers of the splendid new Metropolitan Theatre have decided to open it on Sunday evenings for the execution of sacred music, vocal and instrumental. Thus per- sons who have religious scruples against theatrical performances, will have an opportunity of enjoy- ing a sight of the theatre, and at the same time listening to the best works of the great sacred com- posers." I saw Forrest at this house ; but it is right to add, I went to see the theatre and audience, which crammed the building to suifocation, and not the actor. An hour was amply sufficient to satisfy me that he has not improved since his visit to London. I was much more entertained by Christy's minstrels, who sing negro melodies very sweetly, and are inimitable buffoons. On leaving this very popular resort, which the tourist should on no account omit visiting, I went with u friend to Taylor's Ke- 378 A VACATION TOUR. staurant, where some three or four hundred persons were supping ; it is an enormous establishment, fitted up like a Parisian caf4 ; but far larger than any place of the kind in Paris. Ladies were partaking of refreshments unattended by gentlemen; this is not at all uncommon in New York. One day that I dined at the magnificent and sumptuous Brevoort House with a friend, ladies came into the coffee- room, ordered recherchd dinners, which they eat a little too speedily for English taste, and departed, without attracting the slightest notice from any one, I believe, but myself. The great deference and respect paid to the fair sex in America, is no where more conspicuous than in New York. A lady, young, pretty, and dressed in the gayest costume, may walk through the streets at all hours of the day and night, without running the slightest risk of being annoyed. This is a fact highly honour- able to New York ; and it is equally honourable that she will not see those humihating and sad spectacles of an erring sister's shame, which stamp our streets with disgraceful singularity. Let it not be ima- gined, however, that New York is a virtuous city ; I believe, from all I heard, it is far otherwise; but there, as at Paris, profligacy docs not offend the eye. CLEVER YANKEE BAIT. 379 Besides Taylor's Restaurant, there are a great variety of supper rooms of all grades, in Broadway and the adjoining streets. A glance at these places, some of which are called " Retreats," is sufficient to reveal their character. The Maine law has not penetrated their depths ; an infinite variety of liquors are sold : I read on one placard that "Charles's celebrated London cordial gin, is upon the sideboard of the family and the bar of every well-regulated hotel ; by the bedside of the sick as well as the companion of the healthy. Free from intoxicating qualities, it is harmless in its adop- tion. The inebriate by its use, finds it a slight stimulant, which, while it feeds the ai)petite, gradually weans him from the horrors of delirium, and restores a shattered constitution I " The bar-rooms of the St. Nicholas and other large hotels are great curiosities. At the Astor House, a large screen stands near the bar, on which telegraphic despatches are posted. They are re- newed, every few minutes, and attract a great immber of persons, who step out of the human current flowing through tlie Broadway, to see the latest news,— and "to liquor." This is a clever device, which succeeds well; for I observed that the bar, with its tempting array of bottles and lumps of 3«0 A VACATION TOUR. sparkling ice, possessed as much attraction as the screen. The extraordinary development of the electric telegraph in the United States may be seen to great perfection in New York. The nine leading news- papers, under the designation of the New York Associated Press, although differing greatly in politics, combine to pay for daily telegraphic com- munications. The annual sum paid averages 8000/. European intelligence is telegraphed from Halifax, by the mail steamers touching at that port, and transmitted in the first instance to New York, and thence throughout the States. Thus, my name as a passenger in the America, appeared in the New York papers before I landed in the States, and the arrival of the steamer at Halifax was known at New Orleans before she entered Boston harbour. The length of the telegraph between Halifax and New York is 700 miles. The principal commercial houses expend about fourteen pounds a month for telegraphic messages be- tween Boston and New York. There are two sepa- rate lines, connecting New York with New Orleans, one running along the sea board, the other through the interior to the Mississippi, each about 2000 miles long. Messages have been transmitted this distance, and THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. 381 answers received, in the space of three hours, though they had necessarily to be written several times in the course of transmission. When the contemplated lines connecting California with New York and Newfoundland are completed, San Francisco will be in direct communication with St. John's ; and if the proposed submarine telegraph from Cape Race to Ireland, which has received the approval of several, leading New York merchants, be laid down, intelli- gence may be conveyed from the Pacific to Europe in a few hours. The average cost of erecting telegraph lines in America is 35/. per mile. The tariff for despatches is about two shillings per 200 miles for ten words. In 1854 the aggregate length of the telegraph lines in the United States was 16,735 miles. An interesting adaptation of the electric telegraph has been recently made, for the purpose of conveying signals of alarm and intelligence in the case of fire. The system has been very completely developed at Boston, and is thus described: " The city is divided into seven districts, each provided with a powerful alarm bell. Every district contains several stations, varying in number according to its size and popu- lation. There are altogether forty-two stations. These are connected with a chief central office, to 382 ▲ VACATION TOUR. which intelligence of fire is conveyed, and from which the alarm is given ; two telegraph wires are employed, a return wire being used to complete the circuit, and provide as completely as possible against accidental interruption or confusion." " At each of the 42 stations, which are placed at intervals of 100 rods throughout the city, there is erected in some conspicuous position a cast-iron box, containing the apparatus for conveying intelligence to the central office ; the box is kept locked, but the key is always to be found in the custody of some person in the neighbourhood, whose address is painted on the box-door. On opening this door, access is gained to a handle, which is directed, by a notice painted above it, to be turned slowly several times ; the handle turns a wheel that carries a certain number of teeth, arranged in two groups, the number of teeth in one representing the district, in the other the station : these teeth act upon a signal key closing £;nd breaking the circuit connected with the central office as many times as there are teeth in the wheel. Signals are thus conveyed to the central office, and, by striking the signal bell a certain number of times, the district and station from which the signal is made is indicated. An attendant is always on the watch at the central office, and on his attention being car^^vi TELEGRAPHIC EMrLOY^.8. 383 to the signals by the striking of a large call bell, he immediately sets in motion his alarm apparatus, and by depressing his telegraph key, causes all the alarm bells of the seven districts to toll as many times in quictt. succession, as will indicate the district rt'here the fire h.ns occurred." Morse's telegraph is in general use throughout the States ; fourteen thousand miles were worked on his system in 1854. The cost of a Morse register is forty dollars. Many of the telegraphic employes are so expert that they understand messages by the mere click of the armature. Women are frequently em- ployed in the telegraphic offices, a practice which I am happy to say has been imitated in England. It is surely a wise measure to allow females in humble life to participate in such offices of light labour, for which they may be physically adapted ; for besides enabling them to earn an honourable independence by useful occupations, a larger proportion of men are at liberty to pursue callings for which the weaker sex are unfitted. Nations are benefited by this judicious division of labour; and I have often thought, when contemplating troops of men employed in our shops, on the unmanly, and — for men — unseemly, work of unrolling silks and displaying muslins, how far better it would be were they to resign their 384 V VACATION TOUR. effeminate occupation into the hands of women, for whom it seems specially designed, and make their physical and moral energies available on more masculine pursuits ; if not in England, at all events new countries, where men are much wanted. There are 44| per cent, of the female population of Great Britain unmarried, and, if we except the generally wretched occupation of governess, it would be difTicult to point out roads to honourable indepen- dence for the many thousands of young females; well educated, it may be, and even accomplished, who are heavy burdens to their parents, and whose exist- ence, for the want of occupation, is alike miserable and objectless. Among the sights with which I was most struck at New York, was the perpetual marchings of the volunteer and militia corps ; con^panies of these forces are in the habit of going to neighbouring localities for drill and rifle practice, on which occa- sions they are accompanied by a band and two or three black men, who act as servants during the dinner which generally follows. The uniform of some of these volunteers is very droll, but the most fantastical is that of the Harlequin Corps, in which every member is permitted to wear whatever costume UNITED STATES ARMY. 385 women, id iiitike lablo on ;land, at re much opulation xcept the it would indepen- females ; hed, who )se exist- 'able and 5t struck s of the )f these ibouring :ch occa- L two or ring the iform of the most n which costume ho fancies. I saw this corps march down Broadway, preceded by their captain mounted on a scraggy Rozinante. No two uniforms were alike, while all were of the most extraordinary shape and hues. It is not a little remarkable that a people so eminently commercial as are the American, should be so fond of military pursuits. The standing army of the United States consists of 10,243 officers and privates ; the militia of 2,259,037 men. But with this military spirit, which extends through every State, the people seeming to be " playing at soldiers*," so habitual is drill and parade among them, it is difficult to recruit for the standing army, although the pay has lately been raised. The walls of New York were covered with advertisements to the following eflfect : *' Wanted for tlie United States Army, able-bodied, unmarried men, between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five ; not less than 5ft. 4in. high, and of good character. The term of service is five years ; and if a soldier re-enlists at the expiration of that time, his pay will be increased two dollars per month for the first re-enlistment, and he will receive a further addition of owe dollar p^r month * The love for titles may be doubtless adduced as one reason for the popularity of ihe militia service in the United States. C 386 A VACATION TOUR. for all subsequent re-enlistments. By good conduct and attention to duty a ^.oldier will certainly rise to the position of a non-co nmissioned officer, and from this class the law provides that meritorious men may be selected for promotion to the rank of commissioned officers of the army." The present scale of pay is, infantry privates eleven dollars, and dragoons twelve dollars per month, exclu- sive of one ration daily, clothing, quarters, fuel, and medical attendance. If a soldier becomes disabled in the performance of his duties, he is accorded a pension ; or he may, if he prefer it, obtain admission into the Military Asylum, which will afford him a comfortable home. Active measures were also being taken to procure seamen for the na^y at the different naval ports. With this view the pay had been raised to fourteen dollars a month. Among the sights of New York, the advent of emigrants must not be forgotten. At all hours of the day troops of newly- landed foreigners may be seen in the lower part of the city, wandering through the streets, tlie prey of designing parties, who reap a rich harvest by them. The preponderance of Germans is remarkable; in 1854,460,474 emigrants arrived in the United States ; of whom 49,000 were I AMERICAN PARTY MANIFESTO. 387 from Great Britain; 101,600 from Ireland; and 206,000 from Germany. It is doubtful whether these high numbers will be maintained. For, besides the serious diminution in the population of Ireland, which has hitherto yielded a large supply of emigrants, the Know-Nothings, or American Party as they now call themselves, are labouring hard af New York to check the tide of emigration among Roman Catholics from Ireland, and apparently with some success, as the number of Irish who landed at New York in March, 1855, was considerably less than the arrivals in March of the preceding year. A manifesto, couched in the usual " tall " language of American national documents, has been recently issued by this party ; and as it has been adopted by all their councils in the State of New York, we may accept it as the exponent of their principles. After insisting on native Americans taking the government of their country into their own hands to the entire exclusion of all foreigners, and particularly of Roman Catholics, they condemn in the strongest language the policy of Congress, wiiich proclaims the public lands to be the heritage of foreigners, " at a time when nearly half-a-million of persons in each year are pouring the flood of ignorance, vice, and crime. c C 2 388 A VACATION TOUR, and, in its best ingredients, of distinct and ungenial nationalities, into the heart of the United States." Alhision is then made to Roman Catholics, and a strong determination is xpressed to take a decided stand against the political action of the Church of Rome. In taking leave of this very curious party, who bid fair to control the destinies of the vast country throughout which their influence is felt, it is evident that if intolerance be practised, emigration will bo checked ; and tliough we must admire the desire ex- pressed to recur to the original constitution of the United States, it is impossible to avoid apprehending that a party avowedly " more or less secret in action, and almost altogether secret in the source from which it derives its counsel and design," may act, if en- dowed with power, in a manner totally opposed to Christian principles. To shut the gates of the New World against emigrants would be to stay the march of civilisation, which must ever be preceded by the sturdy pioneers who with great toil and privation obey the scriptural precept, which bids man replenish the earth and subdue it. Unless tlie tourist be sorely pressed for time, he should not omit making an excursion to Staten Island six miles from New York. It is a favourite STATEN ISLAND. 389 resort of merchants, who occupy charming villas on its wooded heights. I spent an afternoon and even- ing in one of these pleasant abodes. A huge steam- ferrj, constructed to carry 2000 people, besides ve- hicles, plies frequently between the Battery and the Island. The trip on a fine day in autumn, when the air is balmy and the sun silvers the bay, is delightful. In half-an-hour we reach the island. A short walk from the landing-stage up the hill brought me to my friend's house. Seldom have I seen a more lovely view than that from the verandah. Beyond a rich foreground of luxuriant foliage lay Long Island, from which Staten Island is separated by the Narrows. The bay was alive with vessels, from stately sailing-ships and magnificent steamers, to spruce pilot-boats and tiny fishing-craft. West- ward, the great city, fringed by forests of masts, lay on the waters with outstretched arms, receiving contributions from all parts of the globe. Seen from this point, her claim to the title of the Empire City with the motto Excelsior cannot be disputed. It was pleasant to close my impressions of America with so fair a scene, which, as the evening deepened, shone in golden splendour beneath the glare of the setting sun. For the time had now arrived for me to bid farewell to the New World, and, as I sat with my I 390 A VACATION TOUR. friends until a late hour, fanned by the night breeze, which " Curl'd the still waters, bright with stars," and watched the darting lights from the numerous steam ferries, I thought how soon I. should be on the wide Atlantic, speeding to my fatherland. I had determined, on landing in America, to return to Europe by the Collins line. But circumstances caused me to change my plans, and I had an additional inducement to voyage home by a Cunard steamer, as the America was appointed to sail at the time I proposed leaving, and the friends with whom I had crossed the Atlantic were returning home in that ship. This change mvolved a journey to Boston. Accordingly, after a farewell walk up Broadway, I left New York in the afternoon of the 10th October, and arrived at my old quarters at the Revere House in Boston at midnight. The following morning I called on Mr. Ticknor. While wc were at breakfast, a servant placed a telegraphic despatch in his hand, announcing the loss of the Arctic, under circumstances fresh in the remembrance of my readers. The news almost overpowered me ; for I had a vivid remembrance of Capo Race, wrapped in its foggy shroud, off which SAIL FOR ENGLAND. 391 the Arctic was engulfed. And I was to be on those dark waters in a few hours. There *vas no time, however, for brooding over the catastrophe, as my departure was near at hand. On returning to the Revere, I was accosted by a gentlemanly person, who shook me warmly by the hand, and expressed a hope I was not going away so soon. It was the landlord, who remembered me, though, since I had been at Boston, he must have seen many hundreds of fresh faces. Once more I found myself in the quaint old carriage, rumbling through the streets to East Boston. Again I crossed the ferry, and there, where last I saw her, lay the America, her steam up, and the round faces of the jolly sailors peering over the bulwarks. Shall I be deemed w eak, if I confess my heart swelled with joy when I saw the flag of dear old England waving above me. The fate of the Arctic was a terrible reality, which, considered in connection with accidents to other ships of the Collins line of a less ruinous nature, made me feel glad I was in an English steamer. Nor had I any reason to regret returning home in the America. We sailed at noon on the Uth October, with a fine steady breeze from the west, and I believe, with the exception of the few hours we were in Halifax harbour, we did not take in sail until we were off Holyhead. The voyage was 392 A VACATION TOUR. most prosperous. One incident alone occurred worthy of mention. A female passenger, who was very ill when she em'oarked, died on the second day of the voyage. I was not aware of the circumstance. We had just finished dinner, when the captain, next to whom I was sitting, suddenly rose, stating he was obliged to leave us to attend a funeral. It was a startling announcement. We followed him. A rude coffin, partly shrouded by the folds of the Union Jack, rested on a plank. The surgeon, a few saJlors, and ourselves stood around. The former read the funeral service,— solemn on all occasions, but more impressive at sea than on land. At the words « we commit her body to the deep," a splash was heard, and all was over. Yet no, for " Not one life shall be deatroy'd, Or cast as rubbish to the void;" and, suggestive of the bright hope of immortality, as the coffin plunged into the sea, the dark clouds which obscured the west were momentarily lifted above the horizon, and broad beams of golden light illumined the heaving w. ters. On Sunday, October 22nd, as we were running up the Irish Channel, a squall sprung up, which carried CONCLUSION 393 away two of our sails, and made a "hurricane of harps" through the shrouds. The damage was quickly repaired; and the wind continuing favour- able, we were soon off Holyhead, where we took in a pilot. The ship pitched so violently, that few passengers appeared at breakfast, or attended divine service, which appropriately included the impressive Psalm, " They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters, these men see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep." Under the lee of the Welsh coast the sea was smoother. Onwards sped our gallant ship until we arrived in the Mersey : — " Oh dream of joy ! is this indeed The lighthouse top I see ? Is this the hill, is this the kirk ? Is this mine own countree ? " My pilgrimage was now nearly over. A few hours restored me to my London home, after an absence of exactly twelve weeks; during which time I had voyaged and travelled 10,700 miles. Before parting with the reader, who may feel inclined to devote a vacation to such a tour as I enjoyed, I wish to impress him with the fact that America is not a D D 394 A VACATION TOUR. country " for sheathing nerves worn bare by anxiety/' or "uncrumpling a soul wrinkled by crosses." So, if he be weak in spirit or body— for travel in the United States, particularly in summer time, is not as easy as continental touring,— I cannot advise him to cross the Atlantic ; but if, on the other hand, he be blest with a strong constitution and a placid temper, he will not regret devoting a few months to North America, where he will see «a mighty people triumphing in the splendour of immeasurable habitation, and haughty with hope of endless progress and irresistible V power." ■ THE END. London : A. and G. A. Spotti8Woodb, New-strcet-Sqnare.