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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. lies diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mAthode. 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 TRA PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. LONDON; VRINTEO BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, DORSET STREET. V I / BET. ' I I ./'j''df /(vii.f etii V K \ iA / /a; PERSONAL NARRATIVE OP ■^'^ (_' ., ) TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA IN 1826 WITH REMARKS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE AJMERICAN NAVY BY LIEUT. THE HON. F. FITZGERALD DE ROOS ROYAL NAVY. THIRD EDITION. LONDON WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH MDCCCXXVII. • ,• U> ,'ICft ,■. '"' ''^ ■"■':''"iLi;;i ^^^^^^^— iyJIJ^^^Y^^^*''''* •'•^^ - — •^ g 1' iR IK .!•; (' TO HIS KOYAL HIGHNESS WILLIAM HENRY DUKE OF CLARENCE, LORD HIGH ADMIRAL OF ENGLAND, &C. &C. &C. Sir, It is with great diffidence and respect- ful gratitude, that I avail myself of the gracious permission I have received to de- dicate to your Royal Highness the following Narrative. Many of the observations which it con- tains, have reference to the Maritime In- terests of Great Britain and the United VI DEDICATION. States ; and it would cause me a proud satisfaction should they appear to throw the smallest light upon any matters connected with the Service over which your Royal Highness has been called to preside, to the general satisfaction of the Country. I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your Royal Highness's most dutiful And obedient servant, Frederick Fitzgerald De Roos. jAiic-, , proud row the nnected Royal , to the CONTENTS. itiful CHAPTER I. Voyage — Block Island— Bay of New York — New York — Theatre — City hotel — New Brunswick — Trenton — The Dela- ware — ^Philadelphia — Steam-boat on the Elk River, 1 CHAPTER II. I Roos. Washington— The Capitol — The Dock-yard — Monument — Public Offices — Remarks on the Government — Church Service- Visits — Women — Indian Deputations — Speech of a Chief, 16 CHAPTER III. Departure from Washington — An itinerant mechanic — Inn at Baltimore — Deputation of Indians — Museum — Mammoth — Na- tional Monument — Town of Baltimore and surrounding scenery — Ladies — Theatre — English Consul's invitation — Ship-building at Baltimore — Society — Spot where General Ross fell — Chesa- peak Bay — Arrival at Philadelphia — Dock-yard, and ships on the stocks — Exhi\)ition of pictures — Profusion of marble in the streets — Interior of the houses — Water-works for the supply of the town — Mode of passing the evening, 38 Vlll CONTENTS. !;] CHAPTER IV. The Delaware river — Scenery of Staten Island and New Jer- sey — Arrival at New York — Theatre — K^an, the actor — So- ciety at New York — Anecdote — Environs of New York — Museum — Episcopalian church — Religion in America — Intro- duction to a celebrated beauty — Dinner party — Manners of the men and women — Phraseology, 63 CHAPTER V. Village of Hoboken — American Aldermen — Shops — Tea parties — Civility of the Americans to the English — National character — The Castle-garden — Dock-vard of New York — Fri- gate on the Stocks, peculiarity in her construction — The Ohio, a two-decker — Mistaken policy in Marine Affairs — Steam- frigate — Difficulty in Manning the American Navy, 65 CHAPTER VI. Maritime Power of Jne United States— Delusive Expectations — Mr Haliburton's Arguments against the Probability that America will ever become a great Naval Power— English North- American Colonic ' a Nursery for Seamen — Opinions maintain- ed by the Atlantic States, 78 CHAPTER VII. Scenery of the Hudson River— Island of New York— Country Villas— American JMountains— West Point— Military Academy —Scene of Andre's fate— Catskil Mountains— Newberry and Plough-keepsie— Traffic on the Hudson— Arrival at Albany- Great Canal from Albany to Lake Erie— Town of Troy— Line of hills in ^Massachusetts —Clieshi e— Sleeping arrangements of the Yankee travellers— Stage-coach, and coachman— Method of driving— The Green IMountains—Deerfield— Petersham-- Approach to Boston— Bunker's Hill, 91 CONIENTS. IX CHAPTER Vlir. New Jer- actor — So- V York — ca — Intro- lers of the 53 jops — Tea -National ork — Fri- le Ohio, a im- frigate 65 lectations ity that jh North- [naintain- 78 -Country Academy erry and Llbany — >y — Line gements -Method rsham — 91 M Boston — The State-house — Society at Boston, and Beauty of the Women — Dock-yard — Vessels on the Stocks — Houses of the Officers— State of the American Navy— Embark on board a Packet — Nautical ignorance of the Captain — Sufferings of the Passengers, 104 CHAPTER IX. Eastport — Schudick river — Forests — Public reading-room — John Randolph, the Representative of Virginia — English Steam- boat — Town of St John — Ship-building — Embark on board a coasting schooner — Her passengers and crew — Bay of Mines — Cape Split — Gale of wind ; terror of the Captain — Village of Horton — Town of Windsor, and English dinner — Departure for Halifax — ^Mode of travelling — Scenery of the neighbourhood — Arrival at Halifax — Town and Harbour — Important position of Bermuda — Government of Nova Scotia — Distant view of Que- bec — The Montmorency river, 111 CHAPTER X. Arrival of H. M. S. Jupiter at Quebec — Description of the town — Views from the Citadel, and from Point Levi — Com- merce of Quebec — Its immunities, and jealousy of the mother country — Falls of Montmorency- Saw-mills — Indian village of Lorette — Squaws — Anecdote of the Chief of the tribe, 126 CHAPTER XI. Tlie plains of Abraham — Spot on which General Wolfe ex- pired — Burke's Panegyric on the Hero^Profligate Life of the Lumberers— Embark in the Lady Sherbrooke Steam-boat for Montreal — Salute from the Citadel — Wolfe's Cove — Contested X CONTENTS. Election at Troia Rivieres — Town of Sorel — Summer Residence of the Governor-General — Shores of the St. Lawrence — Mon- treal — TTieatre — Miss Kelly — Indifferent accommodations for shipping — Establishments for ship-building, 136 CHAPTER XII. Isle of St. Helen — Bateaux— Botanical Garden — Departure from Montreal for La Chine — Scenery on the road — Embark in a Steam-boat at La Chine — Village of the Cascades — View of the Rapids — Coteaux du Lac — Williamsberg— Prescott — Scenery near the Village of Brockville — Advance of Civiliza- tion — The Lake of the Thousand Islands — Wretched aspect of a new American Settlement, called Alexandria — Moonlight Landscape, 149 CHAPTER XIII. Arrival at Kingston — The Lake Ontario — Reception at the Dock-yard — Ships on the Stocks — Use of Iron instead of Cop- per — Ice-boat ; its construction, and velocity on the Ice — Ma- rine resources — Fort Henry — Dock-yard of Sackett's Harbour, compared with that of Kingston — Embark for Niagara — Arrival at York, the Capital of Upper Canada — Wharf near Newark — Ruinf of Old Fort George — Cloud on the Western Horizon, formed by the spray of the Cataract — Vicinity of Queenston — Retrocession of the Falls — Town of Lewiston — Terrific Whirl- pool—Dreadful fate of a party of Indians, 159 CHAPTER XIV. Inn near the Falls of Niagara — Roar of the Fall heard on the Shores of Ontario — First View of the Cataract— Sensation of Melancholy produced by the Sight— Division and Height of the Falls— Houses in the Neighbourhood — Village of Manchester, il al tl ol :;inr.jfj',', SSm CONTENTS. xi ' Residence nee — Mon- detions for 136 and Inn kept by an American General — Estimation of the quantity of Water which passes the Cataract — Close Approach to the Falls — Cottage of the Guide— A Rainbow — View at Daybreak — Visit to Sir Peregrine Maitland— Moonlight View of the Cataract, 172 -Departure Embark in des — View Prescott — »f Civiliza- 1 aspect of ■Moonlight 149 ion at the ad of Cop- Ice — Ma- Harbour, . — Arrival Newark — Horizon, eenston — fie Whirl- 159 ird on the sation of ht of the nchester, CHAPTER XV. Goat Island — Bridge across the Rapids between the Village of Manchester and the Island — Method of its Construction — A Mineralogist — Thunder-storm — Expression of an American Gentleman — Degraded State of the Tuscaroras, an Indian tribe — Visit to the Cavern beneath the Fall of Niagara — Interior of the Abyss — A fine bright day mistaken for a rainy one — Vil- lage of Chippewa — Wel'and Canal — Injudicious Measure of the British Government — Phenomenon of the Burning Spring, 184 CHAPTER XVI. Departure from the Falls — Dine at the House of the Gover- nor — Embark at Newark — Gale of Wind — Lord Selkirk's un- fortunate Settlement — Anecdote — Remarks on Emigration to Canada — Irish Emigrants — Inefficiency of Emigration to check the superabundant Populati'^n of the Mother Country, 198 CHAPTER XVII. Return over the Lake of the Thousand Islands — Rapid Change of Seasons in Canada — Project for a Dry Dock — Leave Prescott in a Bateau — Description of the vessel and l < i'a crew — Shooting the Rapids — Wild Melodies sung by the Row- ers — Approach to the Longue Sault Rapid — Lake St. Francis — Miserable Accommodation at Lancaster, a Scotch village — Xll CONTENTS. Resume the voyage on Lake St. Francis—Town and Rapid of Coteau du Lac — Cedar Rapids, and terrific Passage of a FafL — Gasconade of the Natives — Village of La Chine — Arrival at Quebec— Directions for Travelling in America — Professional object of the Author in his Tour, 207 k\ tUSBSti u I Hapidof Arrival at rofessional 207 PERSONAL NARRATIVE. CHAPTER I. Voyage — Block Island— Bay of New York— New York — Theatre— City hotel — New Brunswick — Trenton — The Delaware — Philadelphia — Steam-boat on the Elk River. On the 15th of May, 1826, my kind friend Admiral Lake gave me a month's leave of absence from my ship at Hali- fax ; and, after considerable hesitation whether I should shape my course towards the Falls of Niagara, or the cities and dock- yards of the United States, I decided to proceed to the latter. I embarked in the B l\ 2 BLOCK ISLAND. Frolic Packet, having fortunately found a very agreeable companion in Major Yorke, who consented to accompany me as long as our routes lay together. As we did not sail till the sixteenth, the wind being foul, I dated my leave from that day. The only books I could find in Halifax relating to the United States, were a long statistical account by Bristed, and the tour of an American to the Falls of Niagara, begin- ning with, "I laj/ down in my Military cloak," &c. ; and until, by accident, I met with Duncan's Book, I could find no good account of that Dart of the world. After a tedious and uninteresting \oyage of a week, during which we were chiefly engaged in beating against foul winds, we reached Block-Island, about 100 miles from New York, and lanued in hopes of find- ing that the steam-boat from Boston to that city touched there. Disappointed in this expectation, we walked to the high issmtm BAY OF NEW YORK. 3 land above the Bay, which is inhabited entirely by fishermen. There are no trees on this Island ; but where the rock admits of cultivation, there are fine fields, interspersed with white cottages, which have a very gay ap- pearance. The cottage we entered was extremely neat, and the inhabitants were very civil. The two daughters of the Proprietor were somewhat shy, but gave us a most favourable idea of American beauty. We re-embarked, and, after two more days of foul winds and hazy weather, which we afterwards learned was caused by extensive fires in the woods, to our great joy a light breeze sprung up, and we made the light-house of Sandy Hook, where we took a pilot on board. Our fair wind continuing, we soon crossed the extensive Bay of which Sandy Hook forms one extremity; and about eight o'clock B 2 M 4 BAY OF NEW YORK. in the evening reached the Narrows, or entrance to the Bay of New York. This channel do : exceed a quarter of a mile in breadth. The high land and pic- turesque scenery on each side, form a fine preparation for the first view of New York. That magnificent city, which was now plainly distinguished, lies embosomed in the waters of her beautiful Bay, whence she sends forth her innumerable shipping to every quarter of the world. The banks of the Bay form one continued garden. We were becalmed in the Narrows, and night coming on, our captain manned his boat ; and, guided by the lights of the city, which were finely reflected on the glassy surface of the waters, we arrived, to our great joy, at the place of our des- tination on the 24th of May. Our voyage had consumed nine days, though it has frequently been made in three, and this W ] iijj I iiBrmrrwri i CITY HOTEL. 5 loss of time was to me, who had only leave of absence for a month, a matter of serious annoyance. I consoled myself, however, with the hope of proceeding faster during the remainder of my jour- ney. Having removed our baggage to the inn, we proceeded to the theatre, which at New York is pretty enough, but the acting reminded me very much of what I had seen at Portsmouth. The most vul- gar songs were loudly called for, and rap- turously encored between th acts and pieces. There are no private boxes, and the audience did not appear to be com- posed of the most respectable classes. We lodged at the City hotel, which is the principal inn at New York. The house is immense and was full of com- pany : but what a wretched place ! the floors were without carpets, the beds without curtains ; there was neither glass, I ? m n 6 DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY. mug, nor cup, and a miserable little rag was dignified with the name of towel. The entrance to the house is constantly obstructed by crowds of j)eople passing to and from the bar-room, where a per- son presides at a buffet formed upon the plan of a cage. This individual is en- gaged, " from morn to dewy eve," in preparing and issuing forth punch and spirits to strange-looking men, who come to the house to read the newspapers and talk politics. In this place, may be seen in turn most of the respectable inhabit- ants of the town. There is a public breakfast at half-past seven o'clock, and a dinner at two o'clock, but to get any thing in one's own room is impossible. New York is situated on the Peninsula which separates the Hudson and the East River. Though the situation is low and the streets are irregular, it is certainly a very beautiful city. The trees, which DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY. 7 were in luxuriant bloom, ai^e planted regularly along the foot pavement; the numerous fine churches, and the magni- ficent central street called the Broadway, are among its most prominent features. The houses are generally of brick, and in the Broadway are very regularly built. The streets are remarkably clean ; and, as a protection from the heat of the summer sun, each shop has an awning before it, which affords an agreeable shade to the passenger. The wharfs for shipping ex- tend nearly all round the town. The next morning, being anxious to push on, we gladly joined the messenger charged with the English mail for Wash- ington, who obligingly undertook to be our guide. At twelve o'clock we embarked in the steam-boat, which was to convey us to Philadelphia. This vessel was on a very magnificent scale. She had a deck like a frigate, and a cabin beautifully fitted up ; 8 RARITON RIVER. the seats and benches were arranged un- der an awning; and, had the day been fine, we should have greatly enjoyed this part of our expedition ; but unfortunately, the fog still continued. We saw nothing till we had crossed the Bay and entered the narrow winding channel which divides Staten Island from the New Jersey shore. Here the ground near the banks is low, and the houses are built in the Dutch style. The poplar, beech, and weeping willow, in their spring attire, had a beautiful effect. We passed, with the greatest rapidity, by numerous detached farms and houses, but saw few villages and no gentlemen's seats. The scenery, as we entered the Rariton River, continued to be of a similar description, at least as far as we could dis- tinguish objects through the odious fog, which still pursued us. This was occa- sioned by the same fires in the woods iged uii- ay been 'ed this unately, lothing entered divides shore. )w, and style. mllow, lutiful NEW BRUNSWICK. 9 which had so materially retarded our arri- val. At a quarter past four o'clock, we arrived at New Brunswick, a distance of forty-five miles. Several coaches were in readiness to convey us to Trenton. Our good friend the messenger, who was a crafty and experienced traveller, explained to us that there was a considerable advan- tage in occupying the first coach, as the dust was thereby avoided, and the single beds secured at the inn where we were to sleep. The distribution of places is ar- ranged by lottery, and so well did he con- trive to draw, that we were all three com- fortably placed in No. 1. We had several companions ; a young American, who was as rude as a bear, a vulgar old citizen, and four ladies, who were his wife, daughters, and sister-in-law. We made this interest- ing discovery by finding ourselves obliged to ask questions in self-defence. We passed over a low, flat, and highly It JO f p ■ i .' > mBARK ..N THE DiiLAH'ARis. cultivated country, containing few villager but numerous detached houses Au half-way we passed „ . '"'"* J' we passed a large college and a. heolog,eal school, and arrived at t"1 - on the Delaware at nine 0-010!: having travelled about thirf, • u ' The American 7 ^1^"'^^' ""es. - and Tve ^^r^ T ^"^^^ ;- persons inside, hLno'ou I ::: ent at a good pace: but the roid. h • ^<^-^^"% rough, and the carC^^^ iy suspended on leathern str«n ^•"'^^'J almost to diswL„"'^' ^^ ^- P^^'a^elphia steami,^?;? " ''' -a« «till foggy ,,.,'• ^^' -cather in„ *!- " prevented our spp »>g the town of Trpn* . bridge which ' ""'^ ^ '^h'l'n- *= ' ^"'ch we were tnl,l «"' attention. About I, "" """''•^ ^^ather cleared . f'^"'' ''''"' '^^ ^'eared, and the fog gave place t ^*i [E. w villages i- About ge and a at Tren- o'clock ; ht miles, e quite 3y carry icle pas- ent, and is being e mere- ^^e were ked at n the eather "r see- ?hain- orthv the 'M Is K ee s >lace I- ■ i . 1 4 m I I*- \'.^* \ V --aar:'* PHILADELPHIA. 1 1 to a most beautiful day, somewhat hot- ter than my companions liked ; but I had just returned from a good roasting at Bermuda, and did not mind it. The morning mists prevented us from seeing Joseph Buonaparte's house, which we were told was in a pretty situation. They described the owner as a complete sensualist, who had abandoned politics for the pleasures of the table. We were greatly delighted with the banks of the Delaware, which is a magnificent river. The Pensylvania side is particularly beau- tiful, alternately clothed with fine woods or decorated with rich cultivation. At ten o'clock we arrived at Philadel- phia, and, as we were to remain there only two hours, immediately proceeded to deliver our letters. The town lies very low, and has a much more antique ap- pearance than New York; it is built in regular squares, the market-place running li i \ 11 If I K I \ 12 PHILADELPHIA. through the centre. The streets are lined with trees, and several of the squares are very fine ; in one of them stands the Town-hall, where the declara- tion of Independence was signed in 1776. Philadelphia, on the whole, has the ap- pearance of a well-built old English town of the time of Queen Anne. We did not see so many Quakers as we expected, but this is in some measure to be accounted for by the great latitude allowed in dress. Indeed the Quakers here are so tolerant, that if their young ladies will confine themselves to plain ri- bands instead of flowered, and conform with some other such easy stipulations, they may wear what else they please. Re-embarking at twelve, we passed two large ships, and a number of sloops: we saw also a machine for deepening the river, which, if successful, will be applied to the bar below, where there is only a depth of J3V. ELK RIVER. 13 'eets are of the of them declara- in 1776. the ap- ^h town kers as neasure atitucle Quakers young ain ri- >nform ations, ten feet at low water. With such an incon- venience, it must appear extraordinary that Philadelphia should have been selected as a dock-yard ; out as considerable jealousy exists among the maritime states, Pen- sylvania was unwilling to be behind-hand with her neighbours in the possession of such an advantage. We landed again at Newcastle, a dis- stance of thirty-four miles, and got into the coach, in order to proceed to French- town, which, by the by, is no town at all. The country we passed over was partly cultivated and partly woodland. The oak, beech, and maple, were all in luxuriant bloom ; the fields were sowed with corn and other grain ; and the land, which was very low and flat, had every appearance of fertility. At eight we arrived, and immediately got on board the steam-boat on the Elk river. This river joins the Susquehana, m i hi ;;i 14 STEAM-BOAT ON THE ELK RIVER. which runs into the Chesapeak Bay. We supped on board; and drawing lots for our berths, my inauspicious stars placed me very near the boiler, so that between the heat of the atmosphere, and the va- pour of the steam, I was nearly suffocated. The boat was of immense size, 160 feet long, and very commodious. There were beds in it for seventy people, yet all could not be accommodated, so numerous were the passengers. At three in the morning of Saturday the 27th, we arrived at Baltimore, and found there was just room for my com- panion and myself in a coach, which was to start at half-past four. It was dark, and we were tired, so that, upon this oc- casion, we saw nothing of Baltimore. At the appointed hour we set out in the stage with every prospect of a tedious journey. The vehicle was wretched, and the roads, as they all 3 in America, rough PASS THROUGH MARYLAND. 1/3 ay. We lots for placed between the va- Focated. 60 feet re were 1 could IS were turday e, and ^ com- which 3 dark, lis oc- and dusty. The country over which we passed, (the west part of Maryland,) is hilly, and generally barren, except where an occasional field diversified the unin- teresting prospect. N m % \xt in dious ) and ough m i }'. If) WASHlNGTOxV. in dr pri In ii i % i t ii Jt CHAPTER II. Washington — The Capitol — The Dock-yard — Monu- ment — Public Offices — Remarks on the Government — Church Service — Visits — Women — Indian Depu- tations — Speech of a Chief. At length, to our great joy, we arrived at the capital of the United States, at twelve o'clock, having travelled 200 miles in forty-eight hours. On approaching Washington, the first object you encoun- ter after passing a dreary common is the Capitol, — a magnificent building, which, from its vast size and extreme whiteness, is very striking in its appearance. Its site is high, and finely commands the town. A noble avenue, three quarters of a mile ■i ■m THE CAPITOL. 17 in length, leads from it to that part of Washington wliich is ccnnpleted. We drove through this, and proceeded to the principal inn of the town, called " The Indian Queen." Having got rid of the dust which had been intolerable throughout the journey, we went to the residence of Mr. Vaughan, the English minister, to whom we had letters ; and drove from thence to the Ca- pitol. We entered the building by a magnificent portico, and saw the principal chamber of which the dome forms the roof. We were much struck with its im- mense size. The walls are destitute of ornament, if we except some pieces of sculpture representing various wars and treaties with the Indians. The artist might have selected subjects more cre- ditable to his country. The senate-room and chamber of representatives occupy the two wings of the edifice ; they are se- c I' ',1 rl : I i ■ i I i im m I ^ II) : >. 18 THE DOCK-YARD. micircular, lighted from the roof, and in their general appearance reminded me strongly of the Chamber of Deputies at Paris. There were desks, and many other conveniences for the members, unknown to our Houses of Parliament. Being Sa- turday, the person whose business it usu- ally is to show the building, was absent, and we were, consequently, disappointed of seeing the library, committee-rooms, and national pictures. Our next visit was to the dock yard, which is about a mile distant from the town, and conveniently situated on the eastern branch of the Potomac. We were admitted, without difficulty, by the sen- try, who said, with much indifference, that " He guessed we were at liberty to see any part of it we pleased." Of this permission, of course, I was delighted to avail myself, as it was the first oppor- tunity I had enjoyed of comparing the r ) , and in leH me uties at ly other nknown jing Sa- it usu- absent, •pointed 3-rooms, ?kyard, om the on the ^e were e sen- erence, erty to 3f this ted to oppor- ig the THE DOCK-YARD. 19 American dock-yards with establishments of the same nature in England. The area is about forty acres in extent, a considerable portion of which is unoc- cupied, although the gun-wharf and ord- nance stores are contained within its bounds. The commissioner, or captain, has a small house near the entrance. I could observe no other residences belong- ing to officers. The workmen being ab- sent, I was prevented from inspecting the store-houses. There were two frigates on the slips ; one, in progress of building, was to be called the Susquehana. She was constructed on the latest and most ap- proved principles of the American build- ers, and was to mount 60 guns. Her tim- bers were close together, and her shape remarkable for very full bow, and i per- fectly straight side. She had a round stern, but its rake and flatness, combined with the judicious construction of her c 2 k \i m 1: ;ij. I 20 THE DOCK- YARD. quarter-galleries, gave it quite the appear- ance of being square. The Potomac, another heavy and clum- sy-looking 60-gun frigate, was hauled up on ways, in a cradle called Commodore Porter's inclined plane ; an expedient, in- tended to save the expense and inconve- nience of dry docks, for examining the bottoms of vessels where there is little tide. She was partly suspended by cables and partly by shores : the hauling up had been easily accomplished, but the ground having afterwards given way under her stern, the inclination of the plane had been altered, and I very much doubt whe- ther she will ever be got down again. This, in the United States, where rigid economy is so much the order of the day, is likely to make the inclined plane very unpopular. I next went on board the Congress, of 38 guns ; she had been newly f I, . appear- d clum- uled up imodore lent, in- inconve- ing the is little y cables up had ground ler her ne had bt whe- again. rigid he day, le very rd the newly THE DOCK- YARD. 21 coppered, and was lying along-side the yard, having been lately hove down there. These were the only ships in or near Washington. In this place, they have a foundry of iron-tanks, for the supply of vessels not under the rank of frigates. They have likewise a machine, containing a partial application of steam to the mak- ing of blocks. The shell is formed of several pieces which are bolted together, and said to be stronger than those which are made by the famous engine at Ports- mouth. The operation is undoubtedly much less complicated. The sheds, or rather houses, under which they build their ships, are not of an approved con- struction. I visited the mast-house, and observed that the section of a made mast of their line of battle-ships does not differ materially from that of our own. My expectations had been so much rais- ' I \h I ' 11 i II 22 MONUMENT. ed by the reputation which America bears in Europe with respect to maritime af- fairs, that I left the yard with feelings of extreme disappointment. As I passed out of the gates, my attention was attracted by a monument which faces the entrance. It was erected to the memory of some officers, and bore an inscription declaring it to have been mutilated by Britons at the taking of Washington. At the capture of this city, many excesses were undoubtedly committed, but I have been assured that there are no grounds for this particular accusation. Let it however in justice be observed, that this is the only public in- scription or memorial which I saw in the United States, of a nature calculated to wound the feelings of a stranger. We extended our drive to the presi- dent's house and the different public offi- ces, which are in general very handsome buildings, but look quite solitary in this Mi .-t ;a bears ime af- lings of sed out tracted itrance. f some aring it at the ture of ibtedly d that ticular ice be lie in- n the ed to presi- c offi- Isome 1 this APPEARANCE OF WASHINGTON. 23 wilderness of a town. In planning Wash- ington, the Americans certainly reckoned without their host. A central piece of land was decreed by the States for the purpose of building an immense metro- polis. The wood was cut down, the streets were marked out, and the public buildings erected ; but it never occurred to the pro- jectors that the situation presented no facilities for commerce, and that the cir- cumjacent land was unfit for agriculture. Nobody would inhabit such a town by choice, those who are obliged by their avocations to make the capital their resi- dence, inhabit a suburb called George's Town, which is more agreeably situated on the river Potomac. On our return to the inn, we found a gentleman, at whose house we had left a letter of introduction, who was kind enough not only to ask us to dinner, but offered to take us to a party at the French Minister's that evening. m 'til t I V ' H^ t \ i I 24 DINNER PARTY. The prospect of seeing a little good com- pany was quite refreshing, and we gladly accepted his offer. During dinner, the conversation chiefly turned upon the com- mission which was then employed in set- tling the price of the slaves taken by the English during the war, and we heard a very interesting account of that affair. It appears that the Americans founded their claim on a point of grammar in a clause which they had the cunning to insert in the last treaty of peace with England. The question was referred to the arbitra- tion of the Russian cabinet, which decided in favour of America. We also heard an account of the debates and discussions in the last meeting of Congress. During the session, a period of six months, three great questions were agi- tated: — The first, a question of legisla- ture; the second, whether they should send deputies to the congress at Panama, m i wiPi lai dcom- gladly ;r, the e com- in set- by the eard a ir. It i their clause sert in gland, rbitra- ecided rd an ns in if six agi- [gisla- lould lama, ELECTION OF PRESIDENT. 25 to which a representative of each of the American Republics had been invited. The third, related to a proposed altera- tion in the constitution. The object of this latter was to vest the election of the president entirely in the peopL. By the present law, every man in the United States has a vote, but to obtain the pre- sidency, the fir* I candidate must have more voters than all the rest put together ; in default of this, the election devolves upon the representatives. Thus, though General Jackson had a considerable ma- jority of popular votes, he had not enough to outnumber all the other candidates, and the election going to the representa- tives, the weaker parties united their forces, and Adams was elected. These three questions gave rise to end- less discussions, each member thinking it necessary to deliver his own sentiments in detail. The questions were eventually re- l\' l!. 26 AMERICAN SENATE. ferred to committees, Congress being un- able, after all, to decide them. At the conclusion of the session, it was resolved that a commissioner or deputy, should be sent to the congress of Republics at Pa- nama; but it was too late, for the un- healthy season had commenced. Upon the other two questions, the committee stated, in their report, that no two individuals of their number were of the same opinion, and that it was impossible to come to any conclusion. The construction and regulations of the American senate, seem but ill adapted to the dispatch of public business. The con- flicting interests of the different states which are represented — the anxiety of the members to deliver their sentiments, and the diffuseness of their long-winded ora- tions, which wander into the most extra- neous and irrelevant matter, frequently protract the discussion of unimportant I'd THE GOVERNMENT. 27 iig un- A.t the Bsolved luld be at Pa- he un- pen the : stated, iuals of Dpinion, J to any of the Dted to le con- states of the ts, and ed ora- extra- quently portant subjects to debates of almost interminable duration. It must not, however, be sup- posed that the spirit of party, or disputes of local interest, have broken or impaired the great compact which binds them together. The slightest symptom of danger to their " Union," whether arising from internal disaffection or foreign aggression, instantly tightens the social cord, and diffuses a high feeling of patriotism throughout the vast community. That the United States have more civil and religious liberty than our- selves, there can be no doubt ; the power is more in the hands of the people, and their government approaches as near a commonwealth as any recorded in history. The experiment of a democracy upon so great a scale was a bold conception, con- sidering the fate which has hitherto inva- riably attended all systems of popular government — a conception worthy of a mighty mind, worthy of the philoso- li- I f*^ I,: f ' 'i |l ; ( 28 THE GOVERNMENT. phic statesman, who " eripuit c(ph fid- men sceptrumqne tyimnnis'' How long this vast machine will continue to work, is a matter of interesting speculation. Hitherto, the Americans have enjoyed the advantage of occupying a country where the evils of an overflowing population have not been felt ; where every man is either a farmer or a merchant ; where there are no idlers ; and, more than all, where there are no poor ; for vile indeed must be the American who cannot in some capacity earn an ample maintenance. When, how- ever, the means of carrying off a super- fluous population begin to fail, which at some period must be the case ; when the sated ambition of wealth gives place to the love of distinction and power; and when the struggle for superiority between the young and old States gives rise to dis- turbances, symptoms of which have already appeared, we may expect to see the disad- h ■ (J PARTY AT GEORGE'S TOWN. 29 vantages of a popular government. We have already observed how indecision and jealousy fetter the hands of the execu- tive power. The violence and illibe- rality of the many ; their inability to judge of most legislative acts, or to ex- tend their views beyond the question of present advantage, are to be dreaded in disturbed times, as dangerous to the se- curity of property and the stability ot the state. At eight in the evening, we went to our party in George's Town, which had all the agreeable characteristics of an Eu- ropean assembly. Singing, and finally dancing, were the amusements of the evening. Every body complained of the insufferable heat, but danced on not- withstanding ; the American young ladies holding a very respectable competition with their European entertainers, in point of dress, beauty, and conversational powers. ;■'/ / i it K 30 AN AMERICAN CLERGYMAN. The next day (Sunday) a gentleman to whom we had been introduced, was so good as to call and take us to church ; the building, which was small, was the only episcopal establishment in the city. We saw the president of the United States, and Mr. Rush, at their devotions. In manner and appearance, the clergyman bore a strong resemblance to Liston in the character of Mawworm. The Americans have altered, and I think not improved, some parts of the Liturgy. The sermon was worthy of the preacher; it treated of the oppression which the United States formerly endured while un- der the yoke of England, whose downfal, discomfiture, and damnation he confi- dently predicted. He referred to Young, whose poetry he quoted copiously, and then diverged into an impious allegory, which he fathered upon a Welsh curate. But as in no English church such allu- AMERICAN WOMEN. 31 sions would be tolerated, I strongly sus- pect that the blasphemous absurdity was the produce of his own brain. I was sorry to learn that this man was consi- dered much superior to American preach- ers in general. We afterwards paid some visits ; one to a Virginian family. The gentleman's daughter was considered a beauty and a great fortune, having nearly fifteen thou- sand dollars. From New York to the southward, the women are in general pale, with slight figures. The higher ranks resernble in manner the middling classes in England. It is long before the ear is reconciled to the nasal twang of thilr pronunciation. Politics and travelling form the usual topics of conversation, in which the ladies take an active part. The events of the last war, and the capture of Wash- ington in particular, I found to be a I < m ■ fJP 'A l»i ; li 1 1 1 I, 32 CAI'TURE OF WASHINGTON. frequent topic of conversation. The at- tention of Europe was so completely en- grossed by the mighty conflict, which de- cided its fate on the plains of Waterloo, that the Washington campaign was re- garded with comparative indifference. At any other period, this brilliant enterprize, which placed in our hands the capital of America, and humbled hei* pride, would have filled the world with its renown, and raised the hero who executed it to the highest rank of military glory. It was satisfactory to me, as a naval officer, to discover that the Americans are fully aware to whom the merit of plan- ning this daring expedition belongs. They are fully aware that the conception of the undertaking originated in the brave ad- miral, whose skilful and effective co-ope- ration so materially contributed to its success. Having amused myself by taking a I riie at- Lely en- lich de- aterloo, was re- ice. At :erprize, ipital of , would renown, ;d it to a naval pans are f plan- They of the ave ad- co-ope- to its iing a DKPLTATION OF INDIANS. 33 few rough sketches of the town, I dined with Mr. Vaughan, the English minister, and in the evening went to a tea-party, where I hiJ another opportunity of ob- serving the manners of American society. I here began to think the paleness of the ladies interesting, and the drawl of their speech became gradually less dis- agreeable. In our way home, v/e called upon one of our fellow-travellers, and during the visit the Auditor for Foreign Affairs called. He gave us a very interesting account of three deputations of Indians that had come up with petitions to Congress, and had been encamped for the last two or three months near the capital. He dwelt much upon their eloquence, and the hard- ness of their fate. One " talk" which he had himself heard delivered by the orator of the deputation of the Seminole tribe, he recommended me to get from the news- n t w , 11,:, 04 INDIAN ELOQUENCE. papers, where it was well reported. The following brief extracts will give a ge- neral notion of the style of Indian elo- quf^nce. After expr'^ssing to the Minister of War the desires of the Indians to have their territory extended to the Big Swamp, the Chief continued thus: — " You say our great father" (meaning the president of the United States) " does not wish to oppress his red children. We believe it, and that he will keep the treaty, and give us more land. Brother, you say that our great father owns a great country beyond the Big River,* towards the setting sun, and that he is willing to give us a part of it, if we will go there ; and he advises us to send some of our chiefs with the Mus- cogees to look at it, and bring us back word what sort of country it is; but 'i I ^(1 Mi ssissippi. { l. The ; a ge- ian elo- of War ^e their mp, the jay our dent of wish to lieve it, nd give lat our beyond ng sun, part of rises us e Mus- is back s; but INDIAN ELOQUENCE. 35 we have already said we did not intend to move again, and we will not go with them. " We have no friends, and the people of that country are strangers to us. We will not involve ourselves in the troubles of the Muscogees. We are a separate people, and have nothing in common with them. " Most of us were born in the land we now inhabit; and of that, we claim the undisturbed possession. In that land, our blood was first spilt ; it has sunk deep into the earth, and made the country dear to us. We have heard that the Spaniards have sold the country to the Americans. This they had no right to do, the land was not theirs but belonged to the Seminole Indians. " Brothers, we have come here to talk with our great father concerning this mat- ter, and to have it finally arranged. We D 2 h:\i I' 1 I ^ ill 1 36 INDIAN ELOQUENCE. have not yet seen our great father. We have come many days' travel to see him, and do not wish to return without shaking hands with him." After enumerating some more grievances, he went on to say : — " Brother, you tell us that our great father wishes to place a school in our nation, to teach our children to read and write. We do not wish one at all. We do not believe that the Great Spirit in- tended that we should know how to read and write ; for if he had intended this, he would have given us the knowledge as early as he gave it to the white people. Now it is too late ; the white people have gained an advantage we can never recover, and it is better for us to remain as we are, red men, and live in our own way." Here follows a curious tradition of the means by which the white people obtained * r. We ee him, shaking jvances, r great in our ;ad and [1. We irit in- to read this, he dge as people, le have ecover, we are, INDIAN ELOQUENCE. 37 this advantage, and he concluded in these words : — " Brother, the business upon which we have come here is very important to our nation, and we wish to have it settled soon, that we may return to our homes, and make the hearts of our people glad by tell- ing them what we have done." I It of the )tained I, 4 " -w 38 DEPARTURE FROM WASHINGTON CHAPTER III. I f; I i I Departure from Washinjrton — An itinerant Mechanic — Inn at Baltimore — D' putation of Indians — Museum — Mammoth — National Monument — Town of Balti- more and surrounding Scenery — Ladies — Theatre — English Consul's invitation— Ship-building at Balti- more — Society — Spot where General Ross fell — Chesa- peak Bay — Arrival at Philadelphia — Dock-yard, and Ships on the stocks — Exhibition of Pictures — Profu- sion of marble in the streets — Interior of the houses — Water- works for the supply of the town — Mode of passing the evening. Monday the 29th, at seven o'clock in the morning, we left Washington by the mail, and retraced our steps over the same uninteresting country. We had one companion in the coach, a Vermont mechanic. This man with his little wares had been down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, and having dis- ichanic — useum — )f Balti- heatre — at Balti- — Chesa- ard, and — Profu- houses — Mode of ock in by the e same 3ach, a th his lio and ngdis- ! i :U ^/' \ 51 K' <- N> ■< \ =^ .•V \ md I .:. \ V, 5. It INN AT BALTIMORE.— DEPUTATION OF INDIANS. 39 posed of them, and made some money by his speculation, was returning by the sea- coast to his home, having in six months travelled many thousand miles. He be- longed to a class frequently to be met with in all parts of the United States. At one o'clock, we arrived at Baltimore, and found, for a wonder, a very comforta- ble inn, fitted up with warm baths, and other conveniences that are luxuries sel- dom to be met with in America. Here we met the very same deputation of In- dians, the account of whom had so much interested me. They had been sent home by the way of New York, on purpose to impress them with an idea of the greatness and splendour of that city, and from thence they were to proceed to Georgia. One of them, however, falling sick, their attendant determined to embark them at this place. They were tall, athletic men, dressed most fantastically. Tucasee Mathla, ,fl \ ft I » 40 THE MUSEUM.— THE MAMMOTH. or Hicks, the chief, was as large a man as ever I beheld. We saw but little of them, as they confined themselves chiefly to their own apartment. They had an in- terpreter in their suite, who was born and bred in England, and still retained the dress of his country, though he had been naturalized an Indian. Having delivered our letters, we went to see the Museum. It is a small establish- ment, and, I believe, is private property. The Mammoth, which was the principal object of our curiosity, is indeed of won- derful size ; but, like most things which one has previously heard much of, it fell short of our expectation. It was not so much larger than the elephant, as we had anticipated. We afterwards walked round the town. In one of the squares, there is a monu- ment, of no pretension in point of size, to the memory of those who fell at the de- '^'SBHl )(8BW^'»\v**^i,. NATIONAL MONUMENT. 41 fence of Baltimore, when attacked by Ge- neral Ross after the capture of Washing- ton. We here felt the annoyance of wander- ing about a town without knowing any of its inhabitants. You picture to yourself in every house a pleasant family ; the fa- ther hospitable, the mother accomplished, and the daughters angelic, according to the style and appearance of the mansion. After a two o'clock dinner at the table d'hote, of which 150 persons partook, I walked out, and was much delighted by the view which I obtained from a sort of park, near the fine monument erected to the memory of Washington. Beyond the city, the river and distant plains were visi- ble, and the hues of a glowing sunset added much to the beauty of the scene. I think Baltimore is the prettiest city I saw in the United States. It is not so large as Philadelphia or New York ; but in neat- er i. M i ! (fl ?!l 42 LADIES.-TIIEATRE. ness, cleanliness, and reg- larity of building, it surpasses them. It is it prosperous city ; though, like Philadel})hia, its commerce has suffered from the great advantage which New York has obtained by establish- ing canal communication with the interior. Baltimore is seldom visited by English, but, I believe, frequently by French ves- sels ; the dress of the ladies is quite Pari- sian in its taste, and tends to confirm this opinion. Be it also observed that in Balti- more I saw more pretty faces than in any other town in the Union. In the evening we went to the Theatre. The house is neat and small ; the play was the " Wonder !" in which Miss Kelly (not Fanny Kelly) performed the part of Violante, and was supported by an Ame- rican actor with amazing spirit. Tuesday, 30th, the English consul call- ed on us, and obligingly invited us to an early dinner with him, previous to our CONSUL'S INVITATION. 43 departure by the steam-boat, which was fixed for that evening. He had asked Mr. Carrol to meet us, but he was unfortu- nately engaged. Mr. Carrol is the grand- father of the Marchioness of Wellesley, and one of the three surviving persons who signed the deed of Independence.* There was to be in the evening a large party at a charming villa in the neigh- bourhood, where all the beauty and fashion of Baltimore were to assemble on a strawberry-picking expedition, and our kind friend particularly urged us to at- tend it. We would fain have complied ; but, alas ! our time was limited, and we could not break through our arrange- ments. Baltimore is famous for its ship-build- ing ; and being anxious to see some spe- cimens of it, we went down to the part * Since I visited Baitiraore, two of the three are dead, and Mr. Carrol is the only survivor. 'I I. IMiU m :);, ^ i i i r ii i M ii M 44 SHIP-BUILDING.— SOCIETY. of the town where the yards are situated. There we saw a schooner building for the purpose of smuggling on the coasts of China. Every thing was sacrificed to swiftness, and I think she was the most lovely vessel 1 ever saw. We visited se- veral yards ; and 1 met with a builder who had a book of drafts of all the fastest- sailing schooners built in Baltimore, which had so much puzzled our cruisers during the war. It was the very thing I wanted ; but, after an hour spent in entreaty, I could not induce him to part with one leaf of the precious volume. Though pro- voked at his refusal, I could not help ad- miring the public spirit which dictated his conduct, for the offer I made him must have been tempting to a person in his station of life. At dinner, the conversation occasionally relaxing from graver topics, turned upon the lighter interests of society. We dis- GENERAL ROSS— CHKSAPEAK BAY. 45 covered that Baltimore was not without its share of scandal, and had additional reason to regret our inability to attend the strawberry picking. At five, we embarked in the steam-boat, on the Patapsco, and saw North Point, where General Ross landed, in 1814, to attack the town after taking Washington.' We could distinguish the ditch which was run across to defend the city. Here it was that Ross fell. The next in com- mand did not think fit to advance; and the expedition failed, to the great joy of the people of Baltimore, who do not dis- guise the fact that they were all prepared to run away at the first onset. The river, in this part, is very picturesque with its finely-wooded and verdant banks. The prospect, on entering the Chesapeak Bay, was striking to the greatest degree. The numerous ships, the stillness of the waters, the setting sun shedding its rays !, .' ^n . I * 1 1 i ; \ ! ■f 1 i ^ 1 jj 1 i 46 ARRIVAL AT PHILADELPHIA. on the surrounding beacons, and the rapid course of the steam-boat, the ample deck of which was covered with many well- dressed and some beautiful passengers, combined to produce a most enchanting effect. At twelve o'clock on that night, after a wretched drive of sixteen miles across that part of Maryland which I have before de- scribed, we reached Newcastle at four in the morning of the 31st of May. Here we again took boat, but found no beds on board ; and not having closed our eyes all the previous night, by the time we arrived at Philadelphia, which was at eight o'clock, we were " pretty considerably" tired. Hav- ing dressed and breakfasted at a very handsome hotel, we delivered our letters to the Consul, who very civilly accompa- nied us to the dock-yard, and introduced us to the captain. DOCKYARD. 47 Here we saw, on the stocks, the Penn- sylvania, a three-decker, which is said by the Americans to be the largest ship in the world. But I believe her scantling to be very nearly the same as that of our Nelson. There were not more than twen- ty people employed about her ; but every thing was in readiness, so that on an emergency she could soon be launched. The Pennsylvania has a round stern, and mounts 135 guns, including those on her gangways. There was also a round-sterned 60-gun frigate on the stocks. I was struck by the remarkable circumstance of her having a trough of rock-salt running fore and aft her kelson, and learned that this application was supposed to possess a chymical property of preserving the wood from decay. She was built on the model of the unfinished frigate at Washington, and appeared to be nearly :■ Ul il < i i t. in >ii ! 48 DOCK-YARD. completed. There were no small vessels building. The extent of this yard is less than that of Washington. The ships are obliged to take in their guns and stores below the town, on account of the bar, where there is only a depth of ten feet at low water. I saw the tanks intended for the frigate, which were made to form a perfect plat- form ; the wing tanks being fitted to the shape of the vessel. Very few people are employed in this yard, as the ships remain on the stocks until required for service. A mistaken notion has gone abroad as to the Americans calling such ships as the Pennsylvania, seventy-fours, which at first sight, and to one unacquainted with the reason, bears the appearance of intentional deception. But this is explained by the peculiar wording of the Act of Congress, by Winch a fund was voted for the gradual increase of the American Navy. In it the EXHIBITION OF PICTURES. 49 largest vessels were described as seventy- fours ; but great latitude being allowed to the Commissioners of the Navy, they built them on a much more extended scale. The only official mode of registering these is as seventy-fours, but for all purposes of comparison, they must be classed according to the guns which they actually carry, and in this light they are considered by all liberal Americans. From the Dock-yard we walked to the Exhibition of Pictures, which are arrang- ed in a very neat building. As this was about the period at which the gentlemen send their pictures to the annual exhibi- tion, we had an opportunity of judging of the American taste in that department of the fine arts. But, alas ! they have none — positively none ! There were two or three works of the old masters, belonging to Joseph Buonaparte, and a picture of Na- poleon crossing the Alps, by David ; the i J .\f r>o MARBLE IN THE STREETS. rest were wretched copies of the modern English historical school, diversified by a display of various portraits, one worse than another, chiefly of florid citizens in white neck-cloths, and coats with bright metal buttons. We were much surprised that so trumpery an exhibition should be an object of admiration in Philadelphia, which is one of the most polished and en- lightened cities in the United States. We were struck by the profusion of marble which adorned the streets: the foot-pavement, which is remarkably broad, owing to the houses having no areasj is edged with white marble ; the steps before the doors of the houses are of the same material, and decorated by wrought-iron railings, with bright plated knobs. The interior of the houses is extremely commo- dious and handsome; the apartments are large and well distributed; nor is any It , . t^LLI odern I by a worse pns in Dright prised lid be elphia, id en- ion of 5: the broad, eas; is before ; same it-iron The Dmmo- its are is any V'i I f 1 1 • "' 1 5 -: ■ • 1 • I ■ ' i I \ ^ \ ; 1; '. » i ii^i 1 is n ' -, ^ ^* iz^ 5^-'« k-d 1 fT- t--- ^ H ^ i - ■« ^* F X 1 '-< n -k ■" D ^ ^ ' ri r^ u w J p 3 1 WATER- WORKS. 51 contrivance omitted that can tend to mi- tigate the extreme heats of the summer. All the floors are covered with mats of the finest texture, and the rooms contain a quantity of handsome old furniture in the French taste. After dinner, when the heat of the day, in the course of which the thermometer had stood at 86% had in some measure subsided, we drove out about two or three miles from the town, to see the works which supply it with water. They are on the banks of the Schuylkil, and con- structed upon the simplest principles. The river is dammed up, and made to turn a wheel, to which is attached a forc- ing-pump. By this means, an elevated reservoir is filled, which supplies the whole town. The situation is deservedly cele- brated for its beauty. On our return we called on our friends E 2 h .(1, t: :• Ji l« ■ i V t I 52 PHILADELPHIA. to bid them farewell. The evening is the usual time of visiting in Philadelphia; the hour of dinner is early, and it is the fashion to sit out of doors on the steps and under the trees in front of the houses, to en^ t' '> refreshing coolness of the evening. • f- I' Is ! DELAWARE RIVER. 53 CHAPTER IV. The Delaware river — Scenery of Staten Island and Ne;\' Jersey — Arrival at New York — Theatre — Kean, he actor — Society at New York — Anecdote — Environs of New York — Museum — Episcopalian Church — Reli- gion in America — Introduction to a celebrated ■ auty — Dinner-party — Manners of the Men and Women — Phraseology. The next day (1st of June) we embark- ed in the morning on the beautiful Dela- ware ; the day was fine, and we highly enjoyed the fresh air on the water. The last six miles to Trenton we performed by land, as the tide did not permit a nearer approach. Proceeding on our journey, we crossed New Jersey through a cloud of dust, and were glad to get to dinner on JsL. \i' } 5^* ! l! 54 ARRIVAL AT NLW^ YORK. board the steam-boat at New Brunswick, which immediately started for New York. The evening was lovely, and we had an opportunity of admiring the fair and soft scenery of Staten Island and New Jersey. As I have before remarked, the charac- ter of the landscape in these parts is very Dutch, and the inhabitants adhere to their original dress and language with great te- nacity. The flatness of the country which we had traversed was remarkable : we had not passed over a single hill, up which the horses could not trot. New York rose finely on the shores of the Bay, and the haze of evening surrounding the city, gave it the appearance of standing in the midst of the waters. It reminded me of Venice. We arrived at six o'clock, and establish- ed ourselves in the City hotel, where I purposed remaining till the 6th, allowing myself ten days to get back to Halifax STAY AT NEW YORK. 55 by the way of Boston. We went to the theatre in the evening, and saw Mr. Kean perform the Stranger. He acted the part with great applause, and the audience ap- peared to be particularly respectable. Our time at New York passed very agreeably ; we had letters to persons composing the best society of the town, and, such is the kindness and hospitality that prevail, that one introduction is suf- ficient to secure to an Englishman a gene- ral and cordial reception. Most unfortu- nately, we had arrived at an unpropitious season, when the heats of the summer had driven many of the inhabitants to the North. As there was no time to be lost, we delivered our letters ; and our first introduction to a New York family was, on our parts, impudent enough. We inquired for the Lady who pre- sided over the house : she was not at home. What was to be done ? Our time ^ % ih 'm t 56 INTRODUCTION TO A LADY. was too precious to be wasted in cere- mony. We heard music. Was the young Lady at home ? Yes ! The impulse was irresistible, and in we walked. We found an extremely fine and interesting-looking girl, who was uncommonly pleasing and communicative. She said that nearly every body was out of town ; but that her family would do all in their power to render our stay at New York agreeable, and would immediately set about to arrange some parties for our amusement. We after- wards discovered that she had not the slightest conception who we were, having forwarded our letter of introduction to her sister. At New York, the character of an Englishman is a passport, and it was to this circumstance that we owed the faci- lity of our entrance, and the kindness of our reception. We went that evening to see Richard the Third. The heat of the house was AMERICAN SOCIETY. 57 suffocating, and the excellent perform- ance of Kean hardly compensated for the inconvenience. The next day we repeated our visit, and were introduced to the rest of the family, who received us with the greatest kind- ness, and invited us to return in the evening. We dined with an English merchant at his country-house, about four miles from the town. The environs are thickly interspersed with villas, the gene- rality of which are constructed upon a very paltry s(ale. Both houses and gar- dens are arranged without taste or neat- ness ; indeed, horticulture seems to be a science utterly unknown in America. Returning in the evening to our kind friends, we set out to see the Museum, where ve arrived after having refreshed ourselves frequently by the way at the shops where soda-water is the only article for sale. These shops, in the great heats, i) ? 'I ii' '* II fiRi W^ 1 } ^• |JB ill f '( iR i'< 58 MUSEUM. are places of general resort ; and during our visits to them we had constant oppor- tunities of extending the sphere of our acquaintance. The streets were biillialitly lighted, and crowds of well-dressed people paraded the avenues which line them, to enjoy the cool breezes of the evening. The Museum, which is one of the principal sights in New York, contains nothing remarkable. The natural curiosities appeared to be of a paltry description, and the pictures, chiefly of naval engagements, were wretch- edly executed and utterly regardless of historical truth. At ten we returned to our inn, delight- ed with the cordiality we had experienced from the gentlemen to whom we had been introduced and fascinated by the charms of the ladies. On Sunday, we accompaniea some friends to divine service. They took us EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH. 59 to the Episcopalian church, which is the fashionable place of worship, that they might have an apportunity of showing us the principal inhabitants. This was not the church which they generally frequent- ed ; indeed, for aught I know, they might have been of a different belief; but in America, religion, I am sorry to say, seems, as far as I hav^e observed, to form but a secondary ccjsideration. The laxity of their notions upon this subject may per- haps be attributable to the circumstance, peculiar to the United States, — that of their not having any established religion. One of the highest offices is filled by an Unitarian, and so unlimited is religious toleration in this country, that all Ameri- can citizens are eligible to that exalted station, whether Christian, Jew, or Ma- hometan. The church was a beautiful building; part of the service was chanted, and some ^f/ .1 U'l >'; ' ili ;i i I'M 1 1 < ( »■ r( 1 1 I '1 j ■ 111 j 1 1 60 AMERICAN SOCIETY. of the singing was extremely fine. The clergyman was an old man, and both read and preached better than the person I had seen officiating at Washington. With un- ceasing assiduity, our friends pointed out to us all the most remarkable persons of the town, whether beauties, heiresses, war- riors, or statesmen. Amongst the former, we remarked some of the more florid coun- tenances of the North ; for, as I have be- fore observed, the complexion of the wo- men in the southern parts of America is almost invariably pale. The upper classes appeared in general to be extremely well- dressed. In American society, there is far less formality and restraint than is found in that of Europe ; but I must observe, that notwithstanding the freedom of inter- course which is allowed, the strictest pro- priety prevails both in conversation and demeanour. It is not only permitted to AMERICAN SOCIETY. 61 young women, both married and single, to walk out in the morning without a servant, but to be accompanied by a gentleman. Walking arm-in-arm is not generally cus- tomary, so that the pleasure of the excur- sion is frequently damped, when the streets are crowded, by being compelled to walk in the gutter. I had an opportunity of witnessing an instance of the cordial and unreserved communication which exists among the upper classes of this delightful city. Du- ring the course of a walk, which I had the honour to take with a young lady, I hap- pened to express a wish to see a celebrated beauty, whose charms I had heard fre- quently quoted. My companion immedi- ately conducted me to her residence, and introduced me to her, although it was evident their acquaintance was very slight. The hour of dinner at New York is two m itki ,";ll '^i| Ssl \ i '1' \ 1 1 G2 AMEIIICAN SOCIETY. o'clock, which is convenient to mercantile habits, and suitable to the heat of their climate. The tea-parties form the j)rin- cipal and most social meal ; great import- ance is attached to them. I cannot omit this opportunity of men- tioning another singular deviation from European habits. Having received a for- mal invitation to dinner from " a citizen of credit and renown," we repaired to \m abode at the appointed hour, and sat down to dinner with a number of persons, amongst whom were some ladies. We were unac'painted witl any of the party except our entertainer, and ^ve vere beginning to make some internal reflections upon the strange appearance of things in general, when the unceremonious manner of some of the guests withdrew the veil of mystery, and informed us that we were dining at a table d'hote. We were, however, treated with the greatest civility by the promis- I at AMERICAN SrvjIETY. 63 an tile their l)rin- iport- men~ from cuous party, who drank the King's health out of compliment to our nation. The manners of the men, though they may appear rough and coarse to a fastidious observer, are cordial, frank, and open. It has been the fashion among travellers to accuse the Americans of an habitual viola- tion of veracity in conversation ; but, as far as my observation went, this accusation is without foundation. Their thirst for information might be construed, by a per- son disposed to criticise, into an inquisi- tiveness bordering upon impertinence. The manners of the women are so easy and natural, that they soon dissipate the unpleasing impression which is generally excited at first by the drawl of their pro- nunciation and the peculiarities of their idiom. Some of their expressions and me- taphors are so singular as to be nearly un- intelligible, and lead to strange misconcep- tions. ■m +t ^ ^r 64 anecdotp:. \i Upon one occasion, the conversation turned upon a lady who was described as being "quite prostrated." On inquiring what had happened to her, I learned that being " quite prostrated," was being very ill in bed. Many of their expressions are derived from their mercantile habits. A young lady, talking of the most eligible class of life from which to choose a husband, de- clared that, for her part, she was all for the commissions. This elicited from my companion, the major, one of his best bows, in the fond presumption that she alluded to the military profession — not at all ; the sequel of her conversation ex- plained but too clearly, that Commission Merchants were the fortunate objects of her prefer«^nce. VILLAGE OF HOBO KEN. 65 CHAPTER V. Village of Hoboken — American Aldermen — Shops — Tea-parties — Civility of the Americans to the Eng- lish — National Character — The Castle-jjarden — Dock- yard of New York — Frigate on the Stocks, and pe- culiarity in her construction — The Ohio, a two-decker — Mistaken policy in Marine Affairs — Steam-frigat — Difficulty in Manning the American Navy. One of the principal places of public resort is the village of Hoboken, on the New Jersey shore, where a beautiful walk, extending for two or three miles along the bank of the Hudson, is kept in the finest order, and commands a noble view of the city on the opposite shore. Ame- rican aldermen have the same predilection F H I J. IHt t !■ i f I J. '» i ' I GG SHOPS.— TEA-PARTIES. for turtle, which is supposed to charac- terize our own ; and the groves of Hobo- ken annually witness a vast consumption of green fat at the celebration of their civic festivities. Our mornings were usually occupied with visits and commissions from Halifax, for the purchase of various articles, as the shops here are famous, and second to none that I have seen, excepting those of Lon- don and Paris. In New York, the duties on importation are comparatively trifling, and the goods of every country find a ready 'viiaLe. Our evenings were generally passed at tea-parties, to which we were invited by our numerous friends. During this sea- son of the year, the heat is so excessive, that it is customary to sit out of doors on the steps that ornament the entrances of the houses. On these occasions, friends assemble in the most agreeable and unce- CIVILITY OF THE AMERICANS. G7 remonious manner. All sorts of cooling beverages and excellent confectionary are handed round, and the greatest good hu- mour and gaiety prevail. Nothing can be more unfounded than the notion which is generally entertained, that a feeling of rancour and animosity against England and Englishmen pervades tlxe United States. I am at a loss to guess by what peculiar mark we are known ; but it is certain that an Englishman is always distinguished at the very first glance by the Americans ; and I beg to subscribe a grateful ackiiowledgment that the disco- very invariably ensured to me civility, and frequently led to offices of kindness and good-will. It has been too much the fashion with our press to sneer at these hard-headed Republicans. Though vilified in our jour- nals, and ridiculed upon our stage, they will be found, upon a nearer inspection, F 2 V I.. w Jf. "1 n I '!, I f> 1 i 5 68 CASTLE-GARDEN. to be brave, intelligent, kind-hearted, and unprejudiced : though impressed with an ardent, perhaps an exag<>;erated, admira- tion of their own country, they speak of others without envy, malignity, or detrac- tion. Secure in their native strength, and intent upon the interests of the western world, they pay comparatively but little attention to Transatlantic politics ; and though they laugh to scorn the notion of European aggression, they pity and la- ment the spirit in which it is frequently menaced. On the evening of our departure, we escorted a party of ladies to the Castle garden and north battery, which form a place of amusement in the style of Vaux- hall. The battery, which is now no longer used as a point of defence, is situated on a rocky island connected with th(' town by a bridge. The illuminations, bands of mu- sic, and multitudes of people, give it the DOCK- YARD. QQ appearance of an enchanted castle. The sea breeze, with delicious coolness, breathes its freshness from the bav. Refreshments of every kind are to be obtained at mode- rate cost ; nor must a favourite American beverage called mint julep, a sort of punch, pass unnoticed in the catalogue of delicacies, with which the place abounds. At ten o'clock, the festive scene broke up. We conducted the ladies home, and shortly afterwards, the fatal hour of se- paration arriving, with sincere regret and some more poignant sensations, we bade our kind friends an affectionate fare- well. During my stay at New York, 1 went to visit the dock-yard. It is situated at Brocklyn, a considerable suburb, separat- ed from the city by the East River. The position of this dock-yard is admirably se- lected, as the water is so deep that it is accessible to the largest vessels. 4 11*', i' < ^i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.25 J3. 12.5 US "* — "2.0 U |,.6 VI 0>. /I / HioiDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y, USSO (716) S72-4503 \ iV V •s^ ^\ ^5*. ^ c> 4^ 70 DOCK-YARD. I n I had letters to Commodore Chauncey, the captain of the yard ; but as he was un- fortunately absent, an officer kindly un- dertook to be my guide. This yard is not much larger than that of Philadelphia, but in a state of far greater activity. I was struck with the confusion and disorder which prevailed in every direction, and was informed that it was in consequence of the preparations for fitting out two ships, the Brandywine sixty-gun frigate, and the Boston twenty- gun sloop of war, (both round-sterned,) which were ordered for service. I could not help reflecting that, in Portsmouth dock-yard, twenty such ships might be fitted for sea without occasioning the smallest appearance of extraordinary ex- ertion. Only one vessel, a sixty-gun frigate, was building. I went on board the Bos- ton, which was alongside the yard; her I' PECULIAR CONSTRUCTION OF A FRIGATE. 71 upper-deck had the appearance of a fri- gate, and she had a poop. In the con- struction of the lower-deck, I observed a very ingenious improvement: to avoid the weakness resalting from the break, which is always made in the after-part of the lower-decks of vessels of this de- scription, in order to give greater accom- modation to the officers, it was laid so as to form a plane inclining towards the stern, and by this method, strength was united with convenience. She was stowed with casks, but so roomy was her hold, that there was sufficient space to pass between them and the lower-deck. By this means, she was enabled to dispense with hatches, which rendered the deck additionally solid and compact. She had six months* stores embarked, and riggers were employed in fitting her out; but she had no officers nor men on board, as, according to the American regula- ■ r ! i l^i-M A ■Vi i if;; m if I H. . 1 72 THE OHIO, A TWO-DECKER. tions, neither are appointed until vessels are hauled off to their moorings, and ready for sea. I next went on board the Ohio, a two- decker, carrying 102 guns, which was ly- ing in ordinary, alongside the yard, but not housed over. A more splendid ship I never beheld; she had a poop and guns along her gangways; the guns of her lower-deck were mounted, and all her standing rigging was on board; she was wall-sided, and, like all the American ships, her bows projected aloft : this prac- tice, however, it is intended to discon- tinue in future, as it is found to render their ships extremely uneasy when at an- chor. I was filled with astonishment at the negligence which permitted so fine a ship to remain exposed to the ruinous assaults of so deleterious a climate. She has only been built seven years, and, from want of common attention and care, It ' \, MISTAKEN POLICY IN MARINE AFFAIRS. 73 is already falling rapidly into decay. I afterwards learned that this vessel was an instance of the cunning, I will not call it wisdom, which frequently actuates the policy of the Americans. They fit out one of the finest specimens of their ship- building in a most complete and expen- sive style, commanded by their best offi- cers, and manned with a war-complement of their choicest seamen. She proceeds to cruize in the Mediterranean, where she falls in with the fleets of European powers, exhibits before them her magni- ficent equipment, disp^^ys her various perfections, and leaves them impressed with exaggerated notions of the mari- time power of the country which sent her forth. She returns* to port, having effected her object ; and such is the par- simony of the marine department, that she is denied the common expenses of repair. I must, however, observe that ":: 4 1 ki 74 AMERICAN VESSELS. \- \ these expenses are very considerable from the total want of docks ; in consequence of which they are obliged to be repaired when hove down; an operation of im- mense difficulty. Another peculiarity in American vessels is the flatness of their decks, the object of which is to prevent the ship's sides from being forced out by the necessary flattening of an arched deck, in conse- quence of the weight to which it is fre- quently subjected. The lee-guns are also by this means more easily worked. I next went on board the Franklin, of eighty-six guns, the deck of which they were employed in tarring ; and, although an immense ship, she looked quite small after seeing the Ohio. There was ano- ther line-of-battle ship laid up in ordinary, without a poop (Washington). Neither of these ships was housed over. There were no small vessels building. -I ' THE FULTON STEAM FRIGATE. 75 Here I saw the Fulton steam-frigate. She was rigged, and her sails bent for the exercise of raw recruits for the navy. She is constructed on the plan of a ship cut in halves longitudinally. The two sec- tions are united by the beams of the decks, and the engine which propels her is placed in the centre. Her bow is planked round, and has a cut-water affixed to it. Jhe is fitted to go either forwards or backwards, and for this purpose has four rudders, two at each extremity. Her sides are five feet thick, and built of live oak. She is con- sidered as a complete failure; the pro- jector, Fulton, having died before the engine was completed. She is not paint- ed, and has altogether a most awkward and unnatural appearance. The machi- nery was not on board when I saw her. I am authorized by general opinion in thinking that, even had the builder lived Mil- Itl 1 t>»K- ;l ■■ 76 DIFFICULTY OF MANNING THE NAVY to terminate his work, she would never have succeeded. Here I had an opportunity of obser- ving the extreme difficulty which the Americans experience in manning their navy. A large bounty is offered by the government to seamen, but it is found inadequate to induce them to enter the service in sufficient numbers. In Eng- land, no bounty is given, and sailors are at liberty to select the ship in which they choose to serve. This was found to be impracticable in the United States, in consequence of the excessive deser- tion ; and it became necessary to fit up the Fulton as a general receiving ship, where men are entered for the service of the navy, and kept under strict sur- veillance. This vessel is commanded by a captain ; and to such straits are they reduced for seamen, that she is complete- ly fitted out for sea, with masts, yards. DIFFICULTY OF MANNING THE NAVY. 77 and sails for the purpose of drilling raw recruits from the inland states, and con- verting them into sailors. It happened, that while I was in the yard, the officer of the rendezvous brought up his report. In tne coarse of tliat day, he had procured only two men, one of whom was a landsman. I was assured that he was well satisfied with this wretcli- ed acquisition, which surprised me the more as I was aware that the Brandy- wine and Boston were fitting out, and that they were greatly in want of hands. This scarcity of men is by no means con- fined to their ships of war; American merchantmen are well known to be prin- cipally manned by foreign seamen. f ■; iM H-fl >'!' 7S UNITED 8rATES' MARITIMK l»OWKR. CHAPTER VI. Maritime Power of the United States — DeluBive Ex|iec- tations — Mr. Haliburton's Arguments against the Probability that America will ever become a great Naval Power — English North-American Colonies a Nursery for Seamen —Opinions maintained by the Atlantic States. There certainly exists a strong impres- sion among the nations of Europe, that the maritime power of the United States is rapidly augmenting, and that the day is not far distant when she may dispute with Great Britain the sovereignty of the seas. Perhaps this extraordinary notion was derived from the delusive brilliancy of certain naval successes obtained by the UNITED STATES' MARITIME POWER. 79 Americans during the last war with Eng- land. The superficial inquirer was con- tent to read in the Gazette of the capture of English by American frigates, and was filled with wonder and alarm at the rising power of the formidable Republic ; it was enough for him that a British ship was taken ; nor did he appreciate the circum- stance that what was styled in America a frigate, approached much nearer to the dimensions of a seventy-four. How ra- pidly do these flimsy apprehensions, which the vanity and policy of the Americans have so diligently encouraged, vanish on a nearer inspection ! With regard to the probabilities of America becoming a great maritime power, I cannot do better than quote the arguments so ably concentrated upon the subject by Mr. Haliburton, in a pamphlet on the Importance of the Colo- nies, which I regret to find is at present confined to private circulation. »,)' / . ; ! 80 MR. HALIBURTONS AUGUMKNT. ** It ought not to be taken for granted (as it unfortunately is by many) that America must iiievitably become a great maritime power. Many predict that she will be so, because she possesses a great extent of coast, has the means of support- ing an immense population, and abounds in rich productions, with which she can carry on an extensive foreign trade. " It must be admitted, that a country so situated may become very powerful upon the ocean ; and it is highly proba- ble that the navy of the United States will very soon be a valuable addition to the fleets of any of the European powers in future wars. But let it be recollected, that France and Spain possess all the advantages which have been enumerated, and yet their united naval force has ever been unequal to overpower that of Great Britain. And to what is it owing, that thirty millions of Frenchmen, aided by MR. HALIBURTON'S ARGUMENT. 81 ten milliors of Spaniards, are unable to equip and man fleets sufficiently power- ful to destroy the navy of an island which does not possess half that population? — Principally to this ; that the inhabitants of the inland parts of France and Spain, which form so large a portion of their population, reside in a country which af- fords them the means of subsistence, with- out obliging them to seek it abroad ; and they are therefore indisposed to encounter the hardships of a seaman's life ; whereas Great Britain is everywhere surrounded by the ocean; the most inland parts of the island are not very distant from the sea; and, as the productions of the soil would not support a very numerous po- pulation, a large proportion of its people are compelled to seek their subsistence by engaging in the fisheries, or in the coast- ing and foreign trade ; and it is from this hardy and enterprizing portion of her m ! ! tri m :n !'!r r i.s 82 MR. HALIBURTON'S ARGUMENT. subjects, that Great Britain derives the means of establishing and maintaining her superiority upon the ocean. " Now, it is evident that the United States of America, even now, resemble the countries of France and Spain in this par- ticular more than Great Britain ; and as their people recede from the ocean, and plant themselves in the valleys be- yond the Alleghany mountains, the re- semblance will be still greater. By far the greater part of the inhabitants of those dis- tant regions will live and die without ever having placed their feet upon the deck of a ship, and will consequently add nothing to the maritime population of the couii- try : the rich productions of their fertile valleys will find their way to New Or- leans,* and there provide abundant means of carrying on foreign trade : but the car- * It may be observed here that the exclusive use of steam-boats upon the Mississippi will even lessen the MR. HALIBURTONS ARGUMENT. 83 riers of these productions to the foreign market, will either be foreigners, i ^ natives of the Atlantic States. " It is to these States, then, that Ame- rica must look to provide the seamen who are to man her navy ; and among these, New York and New England will stand pre-eminent. The Southern States of Vir- ginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, it is true, carry on an extensive foreign trade ; but, independent of their being destitute of any very commodious harbours for ships of war of the larger classes, their climate, and the nature of their population, equally unfit them to produce hardy and enter- prizing mariners. They have few, if any vessels, engaged in the fisheries ; and are therefore destitute of that first great nur- sery for seamen. " The mercantile sea-ports to the south- number of fresh-water sailors which must otherwise have been employed upon that immense river. G 2 ( ^ l lU t 128 DESCRIPTION OF QUEBEC. as the vessel in which I served, .ad ex- cited great curiosity. Crowds of people covered the lines and batteries of Que- bec in every direction to witness our arrival. The masterly manner in which the ship came to an anchor, under the welcome of a salute from Cape Diamond, far above our heads, must have had a magnificent effect. Quebec is divided into two distinct parts. The Lower Town occupies a nar- row strip of land between the precipitous heights of Cape Diamond and the river. It is connected with the Upper Town by means of a steep street, built in a ra- vine, which is commanded by the guns of a strongly fortified gateway. The Lower Town is principally inhabited by merchants; and so much straitened are they for room, that many of their houses are built upon wharfs, and other artificial ground. w oi is DESCRIPTION OF QUEBEC. 129 The Government-house is a large but inelegant building, and overhangs the precipice to such a degree, that the outer wall is built upon supporters. The streets of Quebec are very narrow, and there is a general appearance of antiquity not often to be met with in an American town. The suburbs are situated on the shores of the St. Charles, without the for- tifications. The building which is now the barracks was formerly an old French convent. There is a fine Roman Catholic cathedral here. From the summit of the citadel on Cape Diamond, the fortifications and position of the town are unfolded in magnificent prospect. On the left, and forming the north bank of the river, are stretched the celebrated plains of Abraham. On the right is a tract of low country, through which the rivers Montmorency and St. Charles discharge themselves into the St. K I 1 ,» ; ^^il - I,* ,' r. 130 COMMERCE OF QUEBEC. Lawrence. In the distance rise the high mountains that form the boundary of an uncultivated and unknown waste extend- ing to the barren coast of Labrador. The view in the direction of Point Levi, on the opposite side of the river, is hardly less extensive ; nor can any thing be imagined more grand than the im- mense St. Lawrence, teeming with com- merce, and flowing rapidly round the cape, which rises 340 feet above it in per- pendicular elevation. The trade of Quebec, and the general prosperity of Lower Canada, are daily in- creasing, notwithstanding the spirit of contradiction with which the House of Representatives oppose every measure of the mother country calculated to promote them. By the original treaty of Quebec, and by subsequent acts passed by the British Parliament, the Lower Canadians have secured to themselves great and pe- i^ ; high of an xtend- Point ver, is thing e im- com- d the n per- eneral ily in- rit of ise of ire of omote uebec, y the idians id pe- <{ !iJ i til ,> X ■1.H rl e^ 3 =5 P a :H Q> FALLS OF MONTMORENCY. 13 J culiar rights, privileges, and immunities. Though perfectly loyal, a jealousy, a sus- picion, and a distrust of the mother coun- try, pervade all their discussions, and form a remarkable contrast v^rith the more rea- sonable spirit which animates the con- tented inhabitants of Nova Scotia and Nev^r Brunswick. However wise the re- gulations, or judicious the projects of the English Government for the improvement of Canada, they are invariably resisted by the Colonial Legislature ; and such is their apprehension of any encroachment upon their religion, laws, or language, that they are content to sacrifice obvious advantages to the maintenance of ancient customs and unreasonable prejudices. The road to the falls of Montmorency lies along the north shore, and exhibits a continued succession of cottages, or- chards, and gardens. It is the fashion in Canada to whitewash the houses, which K '2 ( . 'J J\v fr M 132 FALLS OF MONTMORENCY. are remarkably clean outside. I cannot say so much for the interior. At dis- tances of a quarter of a mile I observ- ed long poles erected in front of par- ticular cottages, and learned that they were considered as marks of distinction conferred on the officers of the militia, and denoted the rendezvous of their corps. The river Montmorency is crossed by a bridge a short distance above the Falls, and the placid beauty of the stream wind- ing between its steep and woody banks, forms a pleasing preparation for the gran- deur of the scene about to be disclosed. The first view I had of the Fall was from the right bank, which is crowned to the very brink with a beautiful wood. Through the verdant foliage overhanging the stream, I beheld the silvery waters precipitate themselves with a mighty crash into the depths below. Though the con- SAW-MILLS. 133 templation of so large a river falling per- pendicularly a height of two-hundred-and- twenty feet, is undoubtedly both awful and sublime, still the general impression in viewing this beautiful cataract is rather pleasing than terrific. A small branch of the stream has been diverted into a sepa- rate cascade, and in its descent turns the wheels of some great saw-mills at the foot of the precipice, in which mills are prepared vast quantities of timber for the English market. So daring is the spirit of enterprise in America, that a mill has been erected above, within a stone's throw of the very brink of the great fall. Having sated my eyes with this enchanting scene, I walked to what are called the " natural steps of the Montmorency." About a quarter of a mile above the fall the channel of the river is formed by rocky strata, which, wearing away in proportion to the softness of their m 1'^ 134 THE VILLAGE OF LORETTK ^' material, have assumed the appearance of regular steps, over which the water runs with immense rapidity. The Indian village of Lorette, about nine miles from Quebec, is considered one of the " lions" of this part of the world. We made a party to visit it. The road follows the St. Charles, and the country around is embellished by numbers of little villages, the churches of which are decora- ted with tin spires, remarkable for their brightness and tapering appearance. Lo- rette is a scattered and irregular hamlst, chiefly singular for a beautiful cascade formed in the vicinity by the St. Charles. I was informed that the natives are of an extremely quiet inoffensive character. The chief, and nearly all the men, were out hunting, but the boys amused us by shoot- ing uncommonly well with bows and ar- rows. Some of the women, or squaws as the Indians call them, were pretty. The chief Wi^ CHIEF OF THE HURONS TRIBE. 135 of this branch of the once great tribe of Hurons visited England some time ago. I afterwards saw him in Quebec, and had a good deal of conversation with him. When asked what had struck him most of all that he had seen in England, he replied without hesitation, that it was the monu- ment erected in St. Paul's to the memory of General Brock. It seemed to have im- pressed him with a high idea of the con- siderate beneficence of his great father, the King of England, that ne not only had re- membered the exploits and death of his white child, who had fallen beyond the big salt lake, but that he had even deigned to record on the marble sepulchre the sor- rows of the poor Indian, weeping over his chief, untimely slain. r \ « ' : ?■ 136 PLAINS OF ABRAHAM. CHAPTER XL The Plains of Abraham — Spot on which General Wolfe expired — Burke"'s panegyric on the hero — Profligate life of The Lumberers — Embark in the Lady Sher- brooke steam-vessel for Montreal Salute from the Citadel — Wolfe's Cove — Contesteil election at Trois Rivieres — Town of Sorel — Summer residence of the Governor-General— Shores of the St. Lawrence — Montreal — Theatre — Miss Kelly — Indifferent accom- modations for shipping — EstabHshments for ship- building. i The Plains of Abraham, on which the gate of St. Louis opens, are now thickly inhabited : a part of this tract forms the race-ground, which finely overlooks the St. Lawrence. Near this is the spot on which Wolfe expired; and, till within a few years, the stone was to be seen which SPOT ON WHICH WOLFE FELL. 137 supported him in his last moments, but the owner of the field, finding that a foot-path was formed by the feet of travellers who visited the spot where the hero fell, had the barbarous selfishness to sink the stony pillow twenty feet below the surface of the ground, and the plough has now gone over it. But, however we may regret that so interesting a monument, made sacred by the tears of xiiany jl brave and tender heart, should be destroyed, we have the satisfaction of knowing that the fame and the remembrance of the young, the gal- lant, and the generous Wolfe, depend not upon the paltry spite, or sordid Vandal- ism of one obscure individual. The cir- cumstances of his death are thus recorded by Mr. Burke in words which will ever be remembered. " The death of Wolfe was indeed griev- ous to his country, but to himself the most happy that can be imagined, and the most "i m > 1,1 i'ai ij. i m r 11 H I -i ■ -.-v'i 138 BURKE'S PANEGVllIC ON THE HERO. I J to be envied by all those who have a true relish for military glory. Unindebted to family or connections, unsupported by intrigue or faction, he had accomplished the whole business of life when others were only beginr ig i- • appear; and at the age of thirty-five, without feeling the weak- ness of age, or the vicissitude of fortune, having satisfied his honest ambition, hav- ing completed his character, having fulfil- led the expectations of his country, he fell at the head of his conquering troops, and expired in the arms of victory." It is curious that in Quebec, the only memorial of Wolfe should be a little quaint wooden figure, set up in a niche at the corner of an old French house ; but we should also recollect that Quebec was a conquered city, and but little interested in preserving the memory of its victor. The precipitous path by which our troops ascended the heights, is now a road I .11 ') ;l lave a lebted ;ed by lished others at the weak- rtune, , hav- fulfil- he fell )s, and 3 only quaint it the Lit we was a rested r. I our I road PROFLIGATE LIFE OF THE LUMBERERS. 139 to the different coves that contain the tim- ber brought down by the rafts. The river, in this part, is covered with fleets of tim- ber ships, which are in a state of constant activity. On a strip of land, under the nearly per- pendicular bank, are the wretched dwell- ings of the Lumberers, as the raftsmen, voyageurs, and others whose business it is to supply the timber trade, are called. There mode of life is peculiar : — They proceed in their canoes to the interior, and uncleared country, where they fell the timber, depending for subsistence upon the produce of the forests and rivers. When they have collected a sufficient quantity of wood, they form rafts, and float down by its various tributary streams into the St. Lawrence, which conveys them to Mon- treal and Quebec, where they sell the pro- duct of their labour. From the moment that they receive < ti \\ i\ I . I . rt ii :l I 140 EMBARK FOR MONTREAL. their money, a scene of uproar and de- bauchery commences, which concludes only when the whole of it is gone. This state of things is the more dreadful, as, from the nature of their employment, they are semi-barbarians, and their savage jubilees often lead to the perpetration of the most atrocious crimes. When their money is spent, they retire to the woods, re-commence their labours, and return to a repetition of the same dangerous and degrading excesses. A party, in which I was included, had been formed by my kind friend the Ad- miral for the purpose of visiting the Falls of Niagara, and accordingly, at ten in the morning of Wednesday, the 13th of Sep- tember, 1826, we embarked in the Lady Sherbrooke, a steam-boat of 800 tons bur- EMBARK FOR MONTREAL. 141 den, for Montreal. As we had the Earl of Dalhousie, the Governor-general of the Canadas, on board, the citadel again pour- ed forth its thunder from above ; and, as we rapidly shot round its base, the mag- nificent vibrations of the echoes seemed to give a fresh impetus to the vessel which vigorously ploughed up the water in its course. We soon passed Wolfe's Cove ; above this spot, the banks of the river are woody and steep, though not nearly so pre- cipitous as the land, which we were leav- ing. Little white houses are scattered along the shores, which were embellished at almost every interval of six miles by the appearance of a church. We had an excellent table d'hote dinner, as well as ac- commodations on board. We passed Trois Rivieres in the night, and found, by the disturbance on shore, that it had been the scene of a contested election. We \ ,'ii li ^'' ■if J ¥ iji \-: ^- ( i" 1 142 TOWN OF SOREL. were not left long in doubt as to the result of the struggle, for a man hailed us from the shore, who not only proclaim- ed the name of the successful candidate, but added the interesting information that he himself had been clerk of the poll. We crossed Lake St. Peter in the night. On the 14tli, after breakfast, whilst the steam-boat was taking in fuel, we landed at the small town of Sorel, or Prince Wil- liam Henry, thirty-five miles from Quebec. We took this opportunity of seeing the summer residence of the Governor-general, which is situated about three quarters of a mile from the town, on the river Riche- lieu. The land at this place is sandy and low, but the river takes a beautiful bend near the house, which renders the situation picturesque. The mansion itself is a neat French-built cottage, and is the usual re- ARRIVAL AT MONTREAL. I43 sidence of the Governor-General during the great heats of the summer. Through the Richelieu, the superfluous waters of Lake Champlaine empty themselves into the St. Lawrence. Having received a salute from the wooden fort, which commands the en- trance of the river, we proceeded on our course to Montreal, a distance of forty miles. The shores of the St. Law- rence in this quarter, are very low, but in a fine state of cultivation. To- wards evening we descried the mountain which gives its name to the town, and about nine o'clock we anchored within a mile of Montreal. We were unable to reach the city, in consequence of the increasing rapidity of the current, which had this day materially retarded the progress of the vessel, and therefore landed. Upon entering the town, we were agree- I i 1.1 ^ 1 ' ■' i>' ii I !' •5 ; k 'ii, 'lU I f' i«l 144 THEATRE.-MISS KELLY. ably surprised to find a magnificent hotel, the appearance of which would bear a comparison with any that I have seen in England. So many American travellers resort to this place during the summer, in the course of their northern tours to avoid the heats of the south, that it has answered very well to lay out a large sum upon the embellishments and ac- commodations of this establishment. Ad- joining the hotel is a very neat little theatre, capable of holding about 700 peo- ple, where I again had an opportunity of witnessing the performance of Miss Kelly, whom I had before seen at Philadelphia. I believe no speculation turns out more profitably to English actors in general, than to cross the Atlantic, and after mak- ing the tour of the principal towns of the United States and Canada, to return to England from Quebec. The town of Montreal is situated be- hotel, )ear a en in vellers tier, in rs to it has large id ac- Ad- little )0 peo- nity of Kelly, elphia. more eneral, : niak- of the irn to \m :ii id be- ill I t '<*-/ I p '■(, ' i'iii: tt m Vi " i. MONTEffiAL * r? MONTREAL. 145 tween the St. Lawrence and the mountain which stands behind it, at the distance of about two miles, which constitutes an ob- ject the more remarkable, from being the only high ground within many leagues. In the town no wharfs or accommo- dations for shipping are to be seen. On the contrary, ships, brigs, and steam-boats, are obliged to lay off the filthy beach between the houses and the water. To account for this is difficult, Montreal being admirably situated for commercial purposes. Quebec, it is true, may be con- sidered the principal sea-port of the pro- vince of Lower Canada, but the exclusive commerce of the back settlements, toge- ther with its proximity to the United States and Upper Canada, give to Mon- treal a decided superiority, particularly since the large steam-boats have been established, which tow the vessels to this place from Quebec in the short space of I. H:^- ! [ I ;,ii' ( j mm T^^ . \ ^ J 4*5 S!in.i'UILDING.— CANAL. three days. This voyage was formerly an operation of many weeks. At Montreal, we went to visit the dif- ferent ship-building establishments, and were happy to find that considerable im- provement had taken place in consequence of a reform in their system. The builders had fallen into such habits of negligence and dishonesty, that Canadian ships had quite lost their reputation in the market, but on the present more enlightened plan their credit is fast reviving. One builder in particular, has introduced all the admirable modern improvements of a. Sir Robert Seppings. From the lower extremity of the town we proceeded to the upper, where we saw the locks of the canal, eight miles in length, by means of which, the rapids of La Chine are avoided. This is a work •inor^K honourable to the public spirit and enterprise of the inhabitants. It was an **'''■■ . .'^'. CATHEDRAL. I47 expensive undertaking; and though the time it occupied in its execution was short, it has been completed in a most solid and satisfactory manner. We were much struck with the size and magnificence of the cathedral, which is now building in Montreal, under the direction of an able architect. When completed, it will be the largest in Ame- rica. It is built of blue granite, an im- perishable and beautiful material, applied with great propriety to the construction of a building, which will prove one of the rare instances of American good taste. It is calculated that it will cost upwards of 100,000/., to be supplied by the pro- ceeds of loans, donations, and revenues. In the centre of the town, is a monu- ment to Lord Nelson. In the progress of its erection, a failure of funds obliged the architect to "curtail its fair propor- tions;" and it is eight feet shorter than L 2 ' ^ i % i« "HI 4 .'W. 'i ! : '^ f IJ' 148 STATUE OF NELSON. was originally intended. It is painted blue and yellow, and the statue of the hero has been placed in a very unfortunate position; for his face is turned towards the gaol, and his back towards the water ! I ISLE OF ST. HELEN. 149 In :! 'II CHAPTER XII. Isle of St. Helen — Bateaux — Botanical Garden — De- parture from Montreal for La Chine — Scenery on the Road — Embark in a Steam-boat, at La Chine — Vil- lage of the Cascades — View of the Rapids — Cor- teaux du Lac — Williamsberg — Prescott — Scenery near the Village of Brockville — Advance of Civiliza- tion — The Lake of the Thousand Islands — Wretched aspect of a new American Settlement, called Alexan- dria — Moonlight Landscape. Opposite Montreal, and about half way across the stream, is the Isle of St. He- len. In crossing to see it, we acquired a notion of the difficulties encountered by the passage-boats that ply from the city to the La Prairie shore, within the Ame- rican boundaries, a distance of about three miles and a half Though the La I \ itf I. ivi f I I J ■\ ■ \ I "I 150 BATEAUX. Chine Rapids begin to subside in this place, the water rushes and foams over the numerous rocks and shoals in a truly terrific manner. It is here that we first tell in with the Bateaux, and heard the wild and melo- dious airs sung by their half-Indian half- Canadian boatmen, which have been so celebrated in Europe. I shall have oc- casion to mention them more at length in describing the descent of the St. Law- rence. The Island of St. Helen belongs to Governme^:it. Being strongly fortified, it is in charge of the Ordnance Office, and, like all places in the colonies under the care of that department, is in most per- fect order. Such is the distribution and arrangement of the grounds, that the Is- land exhibits the appearance of a beauti- ful park. We found fine fruit, and some of the best grapes I ever tasted, grow- n this over truly th the melo- h half- en so ,ve oc- length Law- igs to fied, it e, and, er the Bt per- ►n and he Is- beauti- l some grow- BOTANICAL GARDEN— LA CHINE. 151 ing in the open air. A Botanical Gar- den has been partially laid out, but I was given to understand that Govern- ment had lately reduced the salary of the principal gardener. This will be highly detrimental to the horticultural interests of the country, and diminish the resort of travellers, and of the peo- ple of Montreal, to this charming island. It was on this spot that the Marquis de Vandreuil signed the surrender of Canada to the British arms, in 1760. Early on the I6th, we left Montreal for La Chine, in two coaches, similar to those I have described in my journey through the United States. The morning was beau- tiful and we enjoyed our journey extreme- ly. Our road lay for many miles among cottages, and gardens, and orchards. As we receded from the city, its glittering tin steeples were seen to great advantage through the rich foliage, finely relieved in ;. . m ,*. L I m if , » 152 THE RAPIDS. the back-ground by the lofty and woody mountain of Montreal. We did not obtain a view of the La Chine Rapids, as the road cuts off the angle of the river which con- tains them. At the village of La Chine we embarked in a small steam-boat, and proceeded to the Cascades, a village twenty-four miles from Montreal, which derives its name from the neighbouring rapids. It is small, and is situated on the North or English shore of the St. Lawrence, During this part of the route, the scenery is not remarkable. The country is low, but in a state of high cultivation. We here left the steam-boat, and pro- ceeded in stage-coaches. Our road now ran along the banks of the St. Lawrence, and we were both astonished and delighted by our first view of the Rapids. The river, which is in most parts from one to two miles in breadth, here became like one tre- COTKAUX I)U LAC. 153 mendous sheet of foam, and suggested to me the idea of a furious current opposed by a hurricane. The thundering torrent iiif^]v contrasted with the quiet stillness of the lonely islands, now covered with their autumnal verdure, and which for ever "breast the lofty surge," inaccessible to the foot of man. The cause of this phe- nomenon suggests itself at once. Wherever the course of the river is obstructed, either by islands, shallows, or rocks, it discharges its waters below with the awful and resist- less violence which I have attempted to describe. We anxiously looked for some Bateaux, in order that we might see them descend ; but, on this occasion, our expec- tations were disappointed. We proceeded thus to Coteaux du Lac, a distance of sixteen miles, where we again embarked for Cornwall. A thick fog pre- vented our seeing much of Lake St. Fran- cis, and we arrived about eleven at night ,^i' ,' I m 1! IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 125 ■u Uii 12.2 1^ U° 12.0 M L25 iu ^^".^ ^-^ 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716) •72-4503 li I 154 WILLIAMSBERG. at the place of our destination. Here we found stages awaiting us. The cold during the night was intense, but we determined to proceed, and the next morning at six, found ourselves at Williamsberg ; where we had the pleasure of sitting down to an excellent breakfast, and recruited our spi- rits, which were somewhat depressed by the miserable night we had passed betwixt the clatter of the steam-boat and the jolt- ing of the coach. Williamsberg is I believe a township; and if the map is worthy of credit, a town; but we could see nothing around us but the inn and a few scattered cottages sepa- rated from each other by intervals of nearly hall II mile. After breakfast, we again pro- ceeded, following the course of the St. Lawrence, till we arrived at Prescott, at ten in the morning. Here we found the steam-boat which was to convey us to Kingston on Lake Ontario. It was widely Here we d during bermined g at six, ; where wn to an our spi- jssed by betwixt the jolt- wnship ; a town; us but es sepa- f nearly ain pro- the St. jcott, at ind the us to I widely BROCKVILLE. 155 different from those in which we recently journeyed, being handsomely and comfort- ably fitted up. At this spot, the scenery assumes a more interesting character; and, as we approached the little village of Brock- ville, the woody islands and rich banks of the river, whose enormous breadth con- tinues undiminished, formed a varied and delightful landscape. We landed at this village, which has a church, wharfs, and every appearance of prosperity ; though only ten years ago the forest tree reigned the undisturbed posses- sor of the soil : with such rapid strides has Civilization invaded the solitude of the wilderness ! If such has been the growth of Brockville in so short a period, what she may be ten years hence who can say ? Let it be remembered, however, in our specula- tions, that we were now in the country into which the superabundant population of Europe and America is pouring ; and that (j si m '! mW\i ' - 'lll'l- mmV^ p , i i 'm ili ''fli : li I 156 LAKE OF THE THOUSAND ISLANDS. such an extraordinary infusion of industry and vigour must naturally produce uncom- mon and unlooked-for results. In half an hour we again proceeded on our journey, and were fortunate in the state of the weather. The softness of a charming autumnal evening enhanced our enjoyment of the beauties of " The Lake of the Thousand Islands." It bears this name, but there are in reality, according to the latest surveys, 1700. The shores of these islands are very bold, and the steam-boat, shooting in and out among them, continually shifted the interesting scene. Though exhibiting an endless va- riety of shape and size, they are all re- markable for the richness of their ver- dure. The whole extent of the lake is never visible; the prospect being bounded by the islands which immediately surround you. NEW SETTLEMENT. 157 In the evening, as we passed an open- ing, we came in sight of a new settlement on the American shore. Five or six long huts formed the only habitations of the infant colony. The thick wood was cut down in its immediate vicinity, and a few wretched-looking individuals were assem- bled around the blaze of a fire which burned in the centre. Never did 1 con- template so dreary and hopeless a picture, nor a scene of such desolation: but even this place is already named Alexandria; and bids fair in a short time to become a prosperous vi^^^ge ; nor is it by any means improbable, so excellent is its situation, that it may in a few years possibly rival in size the city from which it derives its name. As the sun set below the islands, the full moon rose in all her beauty. The light evening breeze had subsided into a calm ; not a breath of air ruffled the glassy \'~l i'!' ! 158 NEW SETTLEMENT. surface of the waters. Impressed with the solemnity of the scene, I could not refrain from wishing that here at least nature might be permitted to reign unmolested ; but the solitary watch-fires of the recent settlers gave sufficient proof that though his tenure was as yet but frail, Man ! ra- pacious and indefatigable Man ! was fast establishing his usurpation. -^ 1/ r 'i,i /.A i!:!. m 163 QUEENSTON. of the Falls, which are only fifteen miles distant. As we proceeded upwards against the rapid current, at a slow rate, we noticed that the banks of the river assumed a bolder and more rugged character. Our observation was about this time attracted by the singular appearance of a white cloud, the only one in the heavens, which seemed to hang motionless on the western hori- zon. What was our astonishment to learn that it was formed by the spray of the ca- taract, at this time fifteen miles distant from us. In thf^ vicinity of Queenston, which is a small town, the face of the country sud- denly alters and rises into those abrupt and elevated ridges supposed by many to have been the banks of the river in re- mote ages. Our party, upon the whole, were inclined to attach some credit to the theory of the gradual retrocession of the 1 miles tist the noticed imed a •. Our tracted 2 cloud, seemed 1 hori- o learn the ca- distant \iich is ry sud- abrupt any to in re- whole, to the [)f the "I f iS \t 8! ' i V i ^\] IK M k V (<' %. a^ ' i '' '^ '^ «/^ I »(;.*■ ^ t, I . "■■■ ' 'sr im ^ ^- f4 t5 < .'^ c < ^ ^ f^ ^ -J? t» p^ ^ 84 «c. i it JO Vi ' LEWISTON.— TERRIFIC WHIRLPOOL. 169 Falls, and to conclude, from the peculiar character of the ground, that the river once poured its waters over the heights of Queenston. The country adjacent to the river is perfectly flat. The town of Lewiston is situated oppo- site to Queenston, on the American side ; for the river Niagara forms one of the boundary lines of the British possessions. These towns communicate by means of a ferry. 1 he width of the river is only half a mile, but the stream is so rapid that it requires a considerable time to cross, the boat having to follow the course of an eddy for nearly three quarters of a mile before it can venture upon the main current. On landing we found coaches ready to convey us to the Falls, which were now eight miles distant ; but, learning that the celebrated Whirlpool might be seen by a slight deviation from our course, we deter- ( H il A^ it II ■ I 170 TERRIFIC WHIRLPOOL. mined to visit it first. We accordingly left the main route and entered the wood which separates it from the river. At a short distance from the spot we alighted, and guided by the roar of the waters, we found our way to this mighty vortesw, though nothing was visible till we arrived upon its very brink. We then looked down from a height of three hundred feet into a terrific gulph, where the river, pre- cipitated through a deep ravine, rushes round in majestic curls, and at length, finding an outlet through another chasm, with a tumultuous uproar plunges into the recesses of the wood, " nor ceases for many a mile its sullen murmur at the rude interruption to its course." Nothing in nature caii be more aw- ful than this scene : it was with difficulty we could convince ourselves that we gazed upon reality ; no painful sensation ever experienced in a hideous dream, could Hi: igly left B wood At a lighted, ers, we vortejL, arrived looked red feet er, pre- rushes length, chasm, BS into ises for at the re aw- fficulty 3 gazed n ever could TERRIFIC WHIRLFOOL. J 71 equal Ihat which we felt upon first look- ing down into the deep and dark abyss which yawned below ; so perpendicular in many parts are the sides of the pre- cipice, that a stone may be dropped from the brink into the pool. Huge trunks of trees are constantly seen toss- ing to and fro in the giddy vortex, and writhing, as though tormented by its eddies. It is recorded, that in the last war, fifty Indians, flying through the night, were deceived by the darkness, and pre- cipitated over the bank into the abyss. One alone, whose fall had miraculously been intercepted by the boughs of a pro- jecting cedar, survived to tell the dread- ful tale. n )i r M if in A 111 172 NEIGHBOURHOOD OF NIAGARA. CHAPTER XIV. h i • 1 ( - Inn near the Falls of Niagara— Roar of the Fall heard on the shores of Ontario— First View of the Cataract — Sensation of Melancholy produced by the Sight — Division and Height of the Falls — Houses in the Neighbourhood — Village of Manchester, and Inn kept by an American General— Estimation of the quantity of Water which passes the Cataract — Close Approach to the Falls—Cottage of the Guide — A Rainbow — View at Daybreak — Visit to Sir Pere- grine Mai tland— Moonlight View of the Cataract. Leaving this grand and terrific scene, we returned to the high road, and, pass- ing through a long continuation of or- chards, gardens, and fertile fields, at length reached the inn which brought us within ^all heard Cataract e Sight— es in the and Inn >n of the ct — Close iruide — A sir Pere- iract. I scene, i, pass- of or- length within FIRST VIEW OF THE CATARACT. 173 a few hundred yards of the great object of our journey. Notwithstanding our proximity, we had not hitherto obtained a glimpse of the Falls, and were astonish- ed to find that the noise was so incon- siderable. The road runs parallel with the course of the stream ; the banks of which are precipitous, and co-operate with a strip of wood which separates them from the road, to confine and intercept the sound. Though this may in some degree ac- oount for the circumstance, it is ne\ rthe- less a most singular phenomenon, that the roar of the Fall, which, in its immediate vicinity, is not sufficiently loud to inter- rupt conversation, is occasionally to be heard distinctly on the shores of Ontario. Never shall I forget tie intense anxiety with which I expected the sight of Nia- gara, and still less the awful moment, when from the balcony of the inn, I first \i\ i i 1 >.h ' t I - /:. w I 'Vj 174 FIRST VIEW OF THE CATARACT. beheld the mighty Cataract expanded be- fore me. To enjoy this moment I had made great sacrifices and encountered some difficul- ties ; I had not only protracted my ab- sence from home, towards which I was free to return, but had increased my se- paration from it by a distance of more than twelve hundred miles. Ample, however, was my reward. I had in the course of my life beheld some of the most celebrated sights of Nature ; — Etna and Vesuvius; the Andes, al- most at their greatest elevation — Cape Horn, rugged and bleak, buffeted by the southern tempest; and, though last not least, the long swell of the Pacific; but nothing I had ever seen or imagined, could compare in grandeur with the Falls of Niagara. ? My first sensation was that of exqui- site delight at having before me the great- .,' I (led be- le great difficul- my ab- i I was my se- jf more vard. I Id some Mature ; des, al- -Cape by the ast not ic; but lagined, le Falls exqui- e great- UNRIVALLED GRANDEUR OP THE FALLS. I75 est wonder, in my opinion, of the world. Strange as it may appear, this feeling was immediately succeeded by an irresistible melancholy. Had this not continued, it might perhaps have been attributed to the satiety incident to the complete gratifica- tion of *' hope long deferred ;" but so far from diminishing, the more I gazed the stronger and deeper the feeling became. Yet this scene of sadness was strangely mingled with a kind of intoxicating fas- cination. Whether the phenomenon is peculiar to Niagara, I know not, but cer- tainly it has been generally observed, that the spirits are affected and depressed in a singular manner by the ma^ic influ- nce of this stupendous Fall. About five miles above the Cataract the river expands to the dimensions of a lake, after which it gradually narrows. The Rapids commence at the upper extremity of Goat Island, which is half a mile in s ■ I ' > '1:1 M 176 THE RAPIDS. ^^ f.*: hJ' length, and divides the river at the point of precipitation into two unequal parts ; the largest is distinguished by the several names of the Horseshoe, Crescent, and British Fall, from its semicircular form and contiguity to the Canadian shore. — The smaller is named the American Fall. A portion of this fall is divided by a rock from Goat Island, and though here insig- nificant in appearance, vvould rank high among European cascades. The accompanying sketch, to which I beg to refer the reader, will show the re- lative positions of the most remarkable features, and I shall content myself by stating the different dimensions as com- puted by the best authorities. The height of the British Fall is one hundred and seventy-five feet, and its breadth in one unbroken cascade is seven hundred yards. The extremity of Goat Island, which separates the Cataracts, is ill m I'Bi M'/ M Wm le point parts ; several nt, and ir form shore. — ;an Fall. y a rock •e insig- ik high ivhich I the re- markable yself by as corn- is one and its is seven lof Goat racts, is ' •) -'1'' i 1.' in m ■,r:/:/. v^:i ■vi f 1 Mglk.^< 'i 1 HEIGHT OF THE FALLS. 177 three hundred and twenty yards in breadth; the American Fall extends be- yond that, three hundred and seventy yards broad and one hundred and sixty feet in height, making a total breadth of nearly fourteen hundred yards. I must not omit to mention, that though the bed of the river sinks to so great a depth, the level of the circumjacent land continues the same below as above the Falls. On the Canadian side, as I have before observed, are situated two inns, and some few cottages are scattered at intervals over the country, which, in point of cultivation, resembles a garden. On the American shore, a little above the Fall, is built the manufacturing village of Manchester. Here also are to be found excellent hotels, one of which, by the by, is kept by a General of Militia, an officer who served with distinction in the last war. N fi i \ ■ k^ .; 1 '? 178 APPROACH TO THE FALLS. The quantity of water which passes the Cataract is thus computed by an American traveller. The river at the ferry, below the Falls, is seven furlongs wide, and, on an average, twenty-five feet deep. The current runs about six miles an hour ; but supposing it to be only five miles, the quantity which passes the Falls in an hour, is more than eighty-five millions of tuns avoirdupois : if we suppose it to ba six, it will be more than 102 millions; and in a day would exceed 2400 millions of tuns. Our first object was to approach as close to the Cataract as possible; and, leaving the inn, we descended a bank by a steep winding path to the narrow and marshy slip which forms the immediate margin of the river ; along this we advanced about one hundred yards, till we arrived at the very verge of precipitation. A person may place himself within an inch isses the Lmerican y, below and, on p. The ti hour ; e miles, Us in an llions of it to be nillions ; millions as close leaving a steep marshy margin dvanced arrived ion. A an inch ■J 5 , ,: PwPI ii >i*' "' I s I :i!i k ' ! I Hi 1 ■ :!J > ^Kx\ APPROACH TO THE FALLS. I79 of the Cataract. I and several of the party dipped their hands into the water. Proceeding a little farther in the direction of the stream, we came to the cottage of the guide, near which is a circular kind of corkscrew ladder, constructed round a mast, by which we descended to a path which winds along the upper part of the debris, formed by the occasional crumbling of the precipice. By means of this path, it is practicable to reach the lower part of the Cataract. From a rock near the ladder, I made a sketch of the Fall: i had previously endeavoured to take it from a large fragment of stone which is supposed to have fallen from above; but the spray was so extremely dense, that I got a complete soaking, and was obliged to retreat to a greater distance. This rock may be distinguished in the accom- panying sketch from the circumstance of two figures being placed upon it. N 2 s i! If: ■ 1 i'^l 'ft. " ./'^^ imil 180 A IIAINUOW. The day had been uncommonly fine; and the prismatic colours of the iris, delighting the eye at ever^ turn in the sunshine, was not one of the least pleas- ing varieties in this sublime prospect. A fine rainbow was visible every after- noon from our w^indows, overarching the foamy cloud which rises from the British Fall. Our inn was an immense wooden structure, and we were comfortably ac- commodated. The great rush of Ameri^ can travellers had subsided, and we had the house almost to ourselves. There is another hotel of the same dimensions, situated below the Falls; the view of them is equally fine from the windows of both. The next morning with renewed delight I beheld from my window — I may say, in- deed, from my bed — the stupendous vision. The beams of the rising sun shed over it , Hi^ VISIT SIR PEHEGRINE MAITLAND. 181 a variety of tints; a cloud of spray was ascending from the crescent; and as I viewed it from above, it appeared like the steam rising from some monstrous caul- dron. After breakfast I accompanied the Ad- miral, to call upon Sir Peregrine Mait- land, the Governor of Upper Canada, in a carriage, which, like all vehicular convey- ances in America, was without springs. Our drive was through meadow and or- chard land. The house, which is Sir Pere- grine's privav residence, is about four miles from the Falls, and built in the cottage style. The approach to it is through a thick wood, and the site of the mansion is extremely picturesque. Situ- ated on some of the highest land in the country, (which, as I mentioned before, is in general flat) it commands a fine view of Lake Ontario, and the interven- S ;i •h \r I ?; 'U 182 MOONLIGHT VIEW OF THE CATARACT. ing plains, which in point of cultiva- tion, may literally be styled a garden. It is only during the summer months that Sir Peregrine resides here; in the winter, he is obliged to attend the legis- lative proceedings at York, the seat of Government. In the evening I went down with one of our party to view the Cataract by moonlight. I took my favourite seat on the projecting rock, at a little distance from the brink of the Fall, and gazed till every sense seemed absorbed in con- templation. Although the shades of night increased the sublimity of the prospect, and it Deepened the murmur of the falling flood," the moon in placid beauty shed her soft influence upon the mind and mitigated the horrors of the scene. The thunders which bellowed from the abyss, and the CT. cultiva- garden. months in the 3 legis- 5eat of th one let by eat on istance gazed tx con- reased MOONLIGHT VIEW OF THE CATARACT. 183 loveliness of the falling element, which glittered like molten silver in the moon- light, seemed to complete in absolute per- fection the rare union of the beautiful with the sublime. . if 11 K I I ■ 1," T soft igated mders d the k'\ ^{ 184 GOAT ISLAND. CHAPTER XV. 1 Goat Isluiid — Bridge across the Rapids between the village of Manchester and the island — Method of its construction — A Mineralogist — Thunder-storm — Ex- pression of an American gentleman — Degraded state of the Tuscaroras, an Indian tribe — Visit to the Ca- vern beneath the Fall of Niagara — Interior of the abyss — Village of Chippewa — Welland Canal — Phe- nomenon of the Burning Spring. Early the next day, we set off for Goat Island, and pursuing the path which I have before mentioned, to the distance of about half a mile beyond the guide's cottage, we descended by a steep ladder-communication to the ferry. On the shore we found several artists taking ween the lod of its rm — Ex- ded state the Ca- •r of the al— Phe- )ff for path to the nd the steep . On taking } $ k P P\ i< ? i I n ^ ^ fe ^ ^ A \\H I hmi' 'M ■I s^ Ei b3 ^ H S BRIDGE ACROSS THE RAPIDS. 185 views. The American Fall, which is nearly opposite, is seen to great advan- tage from this place. We crossed over, amongst waves, cur- rents, and eddies, in a small boat; but, although the water, from its vicinity to the cataract, is in a very disturbed state, the ferry is perfectly secure, and it ap- peared to be skilfully managed. The ascent on the American side is partly contrived by zig-zag paths, and partly by ladders. About midway, the view is peculiarly splendid. Seen from this situation, the torrent has no relief, and appears as if descending from the sky. A small part of Goat Island and the British Fall are seen beyond, on the right, in magnificent perspective. Goat Island is connected with the village of Manchester, on the American shore, by a wooden bridge, constructed in the very centre of the Rapid, and not more than r f „ M v if / ,' ! I I i hH 186 METHOD OF ITS CONSTRUCTION. 400 yards above the Fall. The object of this bold enterprise was to take ad- vantage of the stream for the purpose of turning mills upon the island ; and the means used to effect it were as follows : — Huge beams, of ninety and a hundred feet in length, were projected from the shore, and from the extremity of these was suspended a wooden buttress, in the shape of a box, which, being filled with stones, was dropped into the Rapid. Hav- ing thus secured the first step of his work, the engineer proceeded in the same man- ner across the stream, and though the passage of the bridge is really awful, it is nevertheless perfectly secure. The is- land, surrounded by the Rapids, is thick- ly covered with wood, and exhibits a va- riety of striking scenery. One of the inhabitants of this singular spot is a man who sells owls, walking- object ake ad- purpose d ; and vere as lundred om the )f these , in the 3d with Hav- is work, e man- gh the ivful, it The is- thick- s a va- lingular alking- THUNDER-STORM. Igy sticks, and fossils. He calls himself a Mineralogist, but mountebank would per- haps be a more appropriate appellation. Whilst viewing the beauties of the is- land, and making some sketches, we were surprised by a shower, which was accom- panied by all the symptoms of an im- pending thunder-storm. Making a rapid retreat, we sought shelter at the ferry, where we stayed to observe the effect of the tempest, nor could we have taken up a better position. The combat be- tween the thunder and the roar of the waters was truly sublime; we could dis- tinctly trace the progress of the loudest peals running in innumerable echoes round the whole of the watery amphitheatre, and causing the ground perceptibly to tremble where we stood. While reflecting upon the inadequacy of language to express the feelings I experienced, or to describe the wonders A I.' ' a "if i :i i: ? ^'i; I • ;i p I > I 188 STATE OP THE TUSCARORAS. which I surveyed, an American gentle- man, to my great amusement, tapped me on the shoulder, and "guessed" that it was ^^ pretty droll T It was difficult to avoid laughing in his face, yet I could not help envying him his vocabulary, which had so eloquently released me from my dilemma. After a tedious search for the ferry- man in the village of Manchester, we at length discovered him and the mineral- ogist in the bar-room of the American hotel, listening attentively to the guide, who was reading the newspapers to them. This conclave of sages entertained us not a little. The rest of our party had not been so well off as ourselves ; they had gone to see a small Indian territory near Manches- ter, containing the remnant of the once powerful tribe of Tuscaroras ; and, besides being saturated with rain, their expecta- r gentle- pped me that it icult to I could pabulary, sed me le ferry- r, we at mineral- imerican e guide, o them, us not Deen so gone to Ranches- le once besides expecta- STATE OF THE TUSCARORAS. \gQ tions had been sadly disappointed in the object of their visit. They had been wit- nesses to a melancholy spectacle of hu- man degradation, very different from the flourishing colony described in the Ame- rican road-books. " We cannot help them that will not help themselves," say the Americans; but this is not the language to be used to the downcast Indian. Though sometimes deaf to the dictates of reason, the man of fallen fortunes will listen to the voice of humanity ; and if the conquered Indian pines and dies, sur- rounded by American civilization, his fate lies heavy at the door of his powerful and unfeeling neighbour. Though earnestly dissuaded from the undertaking, I had determined to employ the first fine morning in visiting the ca- vern beneath the Fall. The guide re- commended my companion and myself to set out as early ^as six o'clock, that we V , il i < iW 190 VISIT TO THE CAVERN i; :■ might have the advantage of the morn- ing sun upon the waters. We came to the guide's house at the appointed hour, and disencumbered ourselves of such gar- ments as we did not care to have wetted. Descending the circular ladder, we fol- lowed the course of the path running along the top of the debris of the pre- cipice, which I have already described. Having pursued this track for about eighty yards, in the course of which we were completely drenched, we found our- selves close to the cataract. Although enveloped in a cloud of spray, we could distinguish without difficulty the direction of our path, and the nature of the cavern we were about to enter. Our guide warned us of the difficulty in res- piration which we should encounter from the spray, and recommended us to look with exclusive attention to the security of our footing. Thus warned, we pushed BENEATH THE FALL. igj forward, blown about and buffeted by the wind, stunned by the noise, and blinded by the spray. Each successive gust pene- trated us to the very bones with cold. Determined to proceed, we toiled and struggled on, and having followed the footsteps of the guide as far as was pos- sible, consistently with safety, we sat down, and having collected our senses by degrees, the wonders of the cavern slowly developed themselves. It is impossible to describe the strange unnatural light reflected through its cry- stal wall, the roar of the waters, and the blasts of the humid hurricane, which per- petually rages in its recesses. We en- dured its fury a sufficient time to form a notion of the shape and dimensions of this dreadful place. The cavern was tolera- bly light, though the sun was unfortu- nately enveloped in clouds. His disk was invisible, but we could clearly distin- li:' f , ,H I i I \ V' ^^i: "I 'I '^ 192 INTERIOR OF THE CAVERN. guish his situation through the watery barrier. The fall of the cataract is nearly per- pendicular. The bank over which it is precipitated is of concave form, owing to its upper stratum being composed of lime- stone, and its base of soft slate-stone, which has been eaten away below by the con- stant attrition of the recoiling waters. The cavern is about one hundred and twenty feet in height, fifty in breadth, and three hundred in length. The entrance was completely invisible. By screaming in our ears, the guide con- trived to explain to us that there was one more point which we might have reached had the wind been in any other direction. Unluckily it blew full upon the sheet of the cataract, and drove it in so as to dash upon the rock over which we must have passed. A few yards beyond this, the precipice becomes perpendicular, and, s s. watery irly per- ch it is >wing to of lime- e, which the cen- ters. [red and breadth, 1. The le. By de con- was one reached irection. sheet of as to ve must d this, ar, and, INTERIOR OF THE CAVERN. 193 blending with the water, forms the ex- tremity of the cave. After a stay of nearly ten minutes in this most extraor- dinary abode, we gladly left it to its loath- some inhabitants, the eel and the water- snake, who in considerable numbers crawl about its recesses. This day we were all confined to the house in consequence of a curious error. The weather, to all appearance, was wet and stormy, the rain pattered against the windows, and we were all thrown upon our several in-door re- sources, regretting the loss of so va- luable a day ; at length, remarking that several persons called upon the admi- ral, and entered the room with cheer- ful countenances, and their clothes not indicating bad weather, we began to make inquiries, and discovered (late in the afternoon) that there never had been a more heavenly day ; but that •r \ i|! ;l.i Ii 1^ in • ' ■' Jf M ;■■*! ♦ ■ 194 VILLAGE OF CHIPPEWA. the wind happening to blow in the di- rection of the house, had driven the spray of the Fall upon the windows and occasioned our provoking mistake. The village of Chippewa and Lun- dy's Lane, both scenes of severe con- flicts in the last war, furnished inte- resting rides whilst we remained in this neighbourhood. The former is a pretty hamlet on the Niagara, above the Falls, and is the port which receives the ves- sels trading from Lake Erie to these parts. It is likely to bef^ome a place of considerable importance when the Wel- land canal, which is fed by the river Chippewa, is completed. The object of this undertaking is to connect Lakes Erie and Ontario, between which the Falls are situated, and it promises in a great measure to rival the celebrated Ameri- can canal from New York to Lake Erie, in the supply of the interior. The dis- WELLAND CANAL. 195 tance of Montreal, which is one of our great depots, from hence, is less than that of New York ; and the part of Erie, where the Welland will enter, is clear of ice five weeks earlier than Buf- falo, the mouth of the American canal, where it is accumulivted by the current and winds at the commencement of the spring. With these advantages, it is more than probable, that through the Canadas, all the back country will be supplied with merchandize ; and if this be the case, it will prove a most powerful addition to the energies of that already prosperous country. It is proposed also to form a canal which is to connect the Ottawa river with Lake Ontario, thus avoiding the naviga- tion of the St. Lawrence, in that part of the river where, one shore belonging to the United States, would subject the con- o 2 ft i ' I .'U 196 THE BURNING SPRING. W ■ tf; veyance of military stores to interruption, in the event of a war. Indeed, the Bri- tish Government appears to be taking every precaution to secure the effectual defence of Canada. The only measure considered at all injudicious which they appear to have in contemplation, is the proposed Session of Drummond*s Island to the Americans. This creates univer- sal surprise and regret, as that point is the key of all communication between Lakes Huron and Superior. There is a remarkable phenomenon, called the Burning Spring, a little above the Falls. The water, which is in a constant state of ebullition, is black and warm, emitting a large portion of sul- phurated hydrogen gas. By means of an inverted tub, with a tube fixed in the upper part of it, this gas is concen- trated, and being ignited, makes a beau- tiful flame. A mill, which stood at this THE BURNING SPRING. 197 ruption, he Bri- taking jfFectual measure ch they , is the } Island univer- point is between omenon, le above is in a ack and of sul- eans of in the concen- a beau- at this place, was furnished with light by this means during some months in the year ; but we were told, that in winter the water loses its properties. After passing a week at the Falls of Niagara, I left them with the deepest regret ; their charm had by no means subsided, and with a most painful feel- ing did I bid them adieu. i( ;t i! i'r I mm 198 DEPARTURE FROM THE FALLS. Ji^i • IRISH EMIGRANTS. 203 Canadian winter, without a human being for many miles around to break his soli- tude or assist his labours. No village, no shop of any description, no medical advice within his reach, and, worse than all, the lonely tenant of the woods is ge- nerally remote from any market where he may dispose of the hard-earned fruits of his labours. I learned with much satisfaction, that those Irish emigrants who came over last year, under the protection of Government, are doing remarkably well. A small por- tion of them crossed the frontier and tried their fortune in ti\e United States. I was somewhat surprised to hear that they were in request as domestic servants ; but, with the exception of this particular calling, Canada is considered to present greater advantages to the settler. Indeed, taxa- tion is so much lighter, and the security of property so much greater from the V:>n\ III! f .is' IH'' 'I \ I; 1 ^i'.r I' 1'! M It" : 204 EMIGRATION. rM J »: 'i more equal administration of the laws, that numbers of Americans cross over daily for the purpose of establishing them- selves in Upper Canada. I enjoyed frequent opportunities of hearing the sentiments of well-informed persons upon the subject of emigration. There seemed to be but one opinion as to the advantages resulting to America from an influx of British settlers ; but I am in- clined to agree with those who consider that, in respect to Great Britain herself, it aiFords only a temporary remedy for a continually increasing disease. The root of the evil is at home. We must look to the wise restrictions of our own legis- lature, and to our own resources, for a check to the redundancy of our popu- lation. Why does the population of America multiply in such rapid progression ? Sim- ply because the number of its inhabitants be laws, •ss over ig them- iities of nformed igration. on as to ica from [ am in- consider herself, ly for a he root st look 1 legis- 3, for a popu- Lmerica Sim- Ibitants EMIGRATION. 205 bears no proportion to its means of sub- sistence, and because population in all countries has a tendency to gravitate to the point where it meets the powers of support. If there be any truth in this principle, it must surely follow, that by encouraging emigration, we only open a door to more extensive means of subsist- ence, and hold out inducements to more active propagation. The increase of the people will always keep pace in an exact ratio with the draft of emigration ; nor must the disadvantage be overlooked, that the enterprising and industrious are al- most invariably the persons found to emi- grate, whilst the idle and dissolute remain at home. But in offering these observations, and in suggesting the inefficiency of emigra- tion as a check upon population, I speak with the greatest diffidence and humility, and leave to political economists the elu- A .1 < tl if Wi I , I V 206 EMIGRATION. cidation of a subject which involves such difficult and intricate calculations. Ex- perience will ere long establish the truth or fallacy of these views of the question. May she also, in her sure and steady course, point out a remedy for the evils of which we complain. LAKE OF THE THOUSAND ISLANDS. 207 CHAPTER XVII. f 1 ■ Return over the Lake of the Thousand Islands— Rapid change of seasons in Canada — Project for a Dry Dock — Leave Prescott in a Bateau — Description of the vessel and boat''s crew — Shooting the Rapids — Wild melodies sung by the Rowers — Approach to the Longue Sault Rapid — Lake St. Francis — Mise- rable accommodation at Lancaster, a Scotch village — Resume the voyage on Lake St. Francis — Town and Rapid of Coteau du Lac — Cedar Rapids — and ter- rific passage of a Raft — Gasconade of the Natives — Village of La Chine — Arrival at Quebec — Directions for travelling in America — Professional object of the Author in his Tour. At twelve we left Kingston in the steam-boat, and passed swiftly over the Lake of the Thousand Islands. Since we had last been here, Autumn had consi- derably altered the livery of the woods ■ / vlil < I L. II 5 I I ! h ^ 4 I ' :t .Si 208 rRo.TE(rr for a dry dock. and islands; and we had ^r: opportunity of observing the rapid ehanj^e of seasons for which the Canadas are so remarkable. We arrived at Prescott about nine in the evening, after taking in fuel at Manni- noquoi, and Grenadiers Island, in the course of the voyage. Towards the conclusion of the war, a plan was in contemplation to construct a dry dock for repairing the ships employed on the lakes, at Manninoquoi. Within a short distance of these is a lake, whose level is about 20 feet higher than that of the St. Lawrence. It was intended that a dock, one-half of which was to form a wide ledge, or platform, should be cut in the bank of the river. The vessel was to be admitted into the lower half of the en- closure, the gates shut, and sufficient wa- ter introduced from the lake to float and place her upon the mound or ledge which I have mentioned. The water from the II SHOOTING THE RAPIDS. 209 lake being let off, she would of course re- main high and dry for purposes of inspec- tion or repair. The sudden termination of the war prevented the execution of this simple and ingenious design. We passed the night at Prescott, and embarked the next morning at six o'clock in a bateau, which was to convey us down the Rapids towards Montreal. The day was rainy and damp, and the vessel af- forded but indifferent shelter from the elements. The bateau of the St. Lawrence is a flat-bottomed boat, pointed at both ends, and in general very gaily painted. Ours belonged to the Government, and was superior to the generality of them. She had five oars ; the cabin, or covered place, which contained a table, was si- tuated nearly in the centre of the boat, with three of the oars in front and two behind it. Our conductor, or pilot, was a fine old 210 BOAT SONT.S. ' i Canadian who spoke only French. He wore a bonnet rouge and a grey surtout with a scarlet sash, and showed great dex- terity in the use of the paddle with which he steered. Most of the boat's crew were dressed in the same costume as the pilot, and pulled extremely well with a short stroke. We breakfasted at Williamsberg, and on our way shot the Rapide Plat with the greatest ease. We were, I must con- fess, rather disappointed as to the diffi- culty of the descent, which we expected would have been more dangerous. In persons unaccustomed to the sea, the Ra- pids may possibly excite apprehension, but to us they certainly appeared any thing but terrific. On re-embarking, the weather cleared up, and revived the spirits of our rowers, who now commenced their boat-songs to our great delight. The conductor had previously made many apologies for not ;h. He surtout uat dex- h which ew were le pilot, a short imsberg, lat with ust con- he diffi- xpected IS. In the Ra^ ion, but y thing cleared rowers, 3ngs to or had for not BOAT SONGS. o 1 1 having any of his best singers on board, but the songs lie produced gave us a good idea of their general style. The boat-songs are joyous French airs, sung to the quick movement of the oars ; the stanza is given by the steersman, and the rowers join in chorus at the end. On a summer's eve- ning, to hear the echo of these wild melo- dies, softened by the distance, is indescri- bably pleasing. The roar of the torrents soon apprized us of our approach to the Longue Sault Rapid, which is nine miles in length. The song ceased, and the men lay on their oars, as we shot down it at a tre- mendous rate. We observed that the pilot s great object was to enter it where the water was smoothest, and consequently deepest; as, when this is effected, he is sure of going safely down with the main body of the stream. In the passage of this Rapid we took in water. A large and p2 Jt 1 '4 m l|j m i\ 212 LAKE ST. FRANCIS. broad rock lay in the middle of our course ; we were hurried over it, and the boat, as we descended on the other side, meeting the curling wave formed by the reaction of the current, was forced through it, and caused us a partial wetting. We passed the town of Cornwall, and several villages, on the Canadian side ; which exhibits a most favourable contrast with the Am 3ri- can, in point of cultivation. The rapidity of our course, rnd the ever- varying scenery, agreeably beguiled the hours till we entered Lake St. Francis, where our progress became tedious and uninteresting ; being not only deprived of the advantage of the current and the beauty of the prospect, but impeded by a head-wind, which sprung up towards even- ing. Hungry and tired, (for we had all been labouring at the oar,) we at length arrived, abciut nine o'clock, at Lancaster, a wretched Scotch village. course ; boat, as meeting Lction of it, and J passed villages, [libits a Am 3ri- he ever- led the Francis, lus and rived of nd the ed by a s even- had all length ncaster, RAPID OF COTEAU DU LAC. 213 After a bad and meagre supper, the more bitterly felt from having had no din- ner, I succeeded with difficulty in obtain- ing a bed at a neighbouring barn, miscall- ed a Public House. Monday, 2nd of October, famished and discontented — for these trans-Atlantic Scotchmen, refining upon their native abstemiousness, could afford us nothing for breakfast, — we took leave of Lancaster, and again found ourselves on the Lake of St. Francis. Two of our voyageurs, or boatmen, being knocked up, we manned their oars ourselves, which was by no means disagreeable from the coldness of the morning. We had fine weather, and a breeze at length springing up, we hoist- ed our sail, and were soon wafted to the extremity of the lake. Here we descend- ed the Coteau du Lac Rapid, which was very grand, and landed at the town about twelve o'clock. We saw from our window ■: II I ill 214 CEDAR RAPIDS. several rafts shoot the Rapid, a process which has a very striking effect from the shore. The town of Coteau du Lac is the port of entry, where the rafts are duly register- ed and taxed. As they approach it, their conductors separate them into portions of about one hundred feet square, and take in pilots to steer them through the succes- sion of Rapids, which commence at this place. On re-embarking we soon found our- selves in the Cedar Rapids. We were fol- lowed closely astern by two Indians, who had lashed their canoes together upon the principle of a double boat, in such a man- ner that it was impossible they could upset. In this descent we overtook a raft, and ob- served with intense interest the efforts of the crew, consisting of twelve men and a pilot, whose utmost strength was exerted to keep the unwieldy mass in the channel. process om the he port egister- it, their tions of id take succes- at this d our- Te fol- s, who on the I man- upset, nd ob- 3rts of and a "^erted annel. APPREHENSION OF THE NATIVES. 215 The circumference of the raft is fitted at intervals with oars, and the yells and screams with which the men flew from one to another, conscious that a single mistake would prove instantaneously fatal, were truly appalling. Such was the rush of the waters, and so powerful the attraction of the whirlpools and eddies, that at one moment we nearly touched our ponderous companion, and in the next were hurried far away. This is considered the most dangerous of the Rapids, and is with reason dreaded by the Canadians. They, however, regard them all with much apprehension, which is testified by the various invocations and signs of the cross in their approach to them, and by loud and piercing yells during the descent. In proportion to their cowardice in the hour of danger is their insolence when it has passed. They boast with the most ■'I fi I I. i ' I \ > i> ! ' I 216 ARRIVAL AT QUEBEC. shameless effronter}^ of the courage which they have displayed, loudly extolling their own heroic deeds and feats of personal prowess. We entered the Cascades Rapid about three o'clock, and sailed on quietly and smoothly from thence to the village of La Chine. There we arrived at five; and as it was too late to go down the Rapid, we took coach to Montreal, where we dined and slept. Embarking the fol- low.^ng evening in the steam-boat, we reached Quebec, after a voyage of thirty hours, at eleven o'clock on the night of the 4th of October. The ease and rapidity with which I accomplished this tour of the most in- teresting part of North America, filled me with surprise that it was not more generally visited by European travellers. The average voyage from Liverpool to REFLECTIONS ON AMERICA. 217 New York is about twenty days; be- tween which place and Niagara the dis- tance is performed in four days; from thence Quebec is reached in about a week, where, by a judicious selection of seasons, the traveller may ensure a west- erly wind, which wafts him swiftly back to England. By extending his tour an additional month, he may visit, besides, all the principal cities of the United States, with the exception of New Orleans, and return honie, having seen all that is most remarkable in North America, in the short space of three months. Though embellished by no monument of antiquity, and destitute of those charms of classical associations which present to the traveller in the old world continued sources of information and delight, Ame- rica must be admitted to exhibit to the naturalist, the philosopher, and the states- 1 ' ( s lA 218 PROFESSIONAL OBJECTS. man, a field of at least equal interest, and at least equal instruction : a field where the paths are yet untrodden, where mighty prospects open at every turn, and where experience is too young to be a guide. Every thing in America is upon a gi- gantic scale. How enormous are its re- sources ! How boundless its extent ! Its lakes vie with the ocean in magnitude, and its provinces with mighty empires. From the energies she has displayed in her infancy, to what powers may not her maturity aspire ? I leave such speculations to those who are better able to investigate them. My humble lucubrations were directed, dur- ing my tour, to points more immediately connected with my own profession ; and I took my leave of America, with the satis- factory conviction that the naval strength of the United States has been greatly nterest, a field , where ' turn, ung to PROFESSIONAL OBJECTS. 219 exaggerated— that they have neither the power nor the inclination to cope with Great Britain in maritime warfare far less to presume to dispute with her the Dominion of the Seas. [11 \l\ «l n a gi- its re- t ! Its ;nitude, mpires. yed in lot her ^1 }| )se who 1. My d, dur- idiately 1 and I e satis- :rength greatly ;i! ' ( i A NOTES. * I ■naM«M ■j ouimum ir. m it NOTE S. NOTE I. The following is the official list of the Ameri- can Navy, as it existed in the beginning of 1826, with such additions and corrections as I have been able to make. If any deviation is observed from this account, in my description of the Dock- yards, it must be borne in mind that my inspec- tion of them took place some months after this return was made. Ships of the Line, 7- Official ActuHl When Mo. of No. of Built. Guii9. Ouns. Where Built. Columbus . 74 — 1819 Washington Delaware -74 — — Norfolk Franklin . 74 86 1815 Philadelphia Independence 74 — 1814 Boston North Carolina 74 102 — Philadelphia Ohio . 74 102 1820 New York Washington 74 — 1816 Portsmouth N. H. Stalion. Boston, in ordi- nary. Norfolk, ditto. New York, do. Boston, do. Mediterranean. New York, in ordinary. New York, do. ■mi 224 NOTES. Frigates, 1st Class, 6. if official ActuBl Whm Names. No. ot No. of Buill. (iunt, Uuiis. Wlieie Built. Brandywine 44 (32 — Washington Constitution 44 50 17^7 Boston Guerriere . 44 — 1814 Philadelphia Java . 44 GO 1814 Baltimore Potomac . 44 (iO — Washington United States 44 54 1797 Philadelphia Frigates, 2nd Class, 4. Congress . 36 — 1797 Portsmouth, N. H. Constellation 36 48 1797 Baltimore Macedonian 36 48 — Fulton (Steam) — Sution. Mediterranean. Mediterranean. Norfolk, in or- dinary. Boston, do. Hauled up at Washington. Pacific. Repairing, at Washington. Gulf f.f Mexico. Repairing at Norfolk. This vessel I have men- tioned as a failure. John Adams 24 Cyane . 24 Corvettes, 2. 1799 Charleston,S.C.West Indies. — Mediterranean. t« Sloops of War, 4. Erie . 18 — 1813 Baltimore Mediterranean Hornet . . 18 20 1805 Washington West Indies. Ontario . . 18 — 1813 Baltimore Mediterranean Peacock . . 18 - 1813 New York Pacific. -mstssf NOTES. 225 ^Ution. Iiiditerraneaii. lediterninean. Torfolk, in or- dinary, oston, do. auled up at Washington, acific. ^pairing, at Washington, ilffif Mexico, pairing at Norfolk, lis vessel I have men- tioned as a failure. it Indies, literranean. iterranean. t Indies, iterranean. ic. Other Vessels. OffiriMi !iutn('S. No. of Ouui. Wlifirfl Built. Statioo. Dolphin (schooner) 12 Philadelphia Seven of these Fox ditto 3 Purchased are employed in Grampui i ditto 12 Washington. different parts of Porpoise ditto 12 Portsmouth, N. H. the world. Shark ditto 12 Washington. Spark (l>"g) 12 Purchased. Terrier (schooner) 3 Decoy (ship) 3 Alert ditto Seagull (galliot) Abstract. In CooimitMon. lu Ordiniir;. Ships of the lin( ; . 1 6 Frigates, 1st Class . 3 3 2nd Class 1 3 Corvettes 2 — Sloops of War 4 - Schooners, &c. • 7 2 It is a remarkable circumstance, that in the official returns of 1819, the ships on the Lakes are enumerated, while in those of the beginning of 1826 they are not even noticed. Seven years (by all accounts, of decay) have elapsed between the two periods. SHIPS AND VESSELS BUILDING. Duck-yard. Boston New York Norfolk Ships of Che Liue I Vermont, 102 \ Virginia 102> 1023 Fiigatrs. Sloops of War. ( Warren, 22 (Falmouth 22 {"' 6l^»''«^"'^ 102 Natchez, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 135 Rariton, Q 62 ■Mk h f] in 226 NOTES. Dock-yard. Ships of the Line. Frigates. > Alabama, 102 Santu. 62 Washington Susquehanna, 62 Sloops of War. Portsmouth, N. H. TOTAL. Ships of the Line. Built 7 Building 5 12 Frigates. 10 5 15 Sloops of War. 16 19 Grand Total — 46 Vessels of War of all de- scriptions, built and building ! IV .i r & stoops of War. )ops of War. 16 3 19 ' all de- 227 NOTE II. NAVY LIST OF THE UNITED STATES, 1825-6. Captains, 33. Senior, Commission of, dated 1799 » of Junior, dated 1825. Pay of Captains commanding ships above 32 guns, one hun- dred dollars a month, and eight rations. Pay of Captains commanding ships under 32 guns, seventy- five dollars a month, and six rations. Masters Commandants, 27. Senior, • -...mission of, dated 1814; of Junior, dated 1825. Pay sixty cljllars a month, and five rations. Lieutenants, 212. Senior, Commission of, dated 1809. Junior, dated 1825. Pay of Lieutenant commanding, fifty dollars a month and four rations. Pay of ditto, not commanding, forty dollars a month, and three rations. Sailing Masters, 43. Surgeons, 40. Mates, 35. Pursers, 42. Chaplains, 10. Midshipmen passed, 16; Midshipmen, 367. In 1819, the number of Captains was 34; Masters Commandant, 22 ; Lieutenants, 205 ; Surgeons, 50 :— so that in seven years no increase has taken place in this department. i 228 NOTE III. LIST OF SHIPS ON THE LAKES, EXTRACTED FROM THE OFFICIAL RETURNS OF 1819. t > i; t f r ,\'-^ Karnes. Guns. Station. Confiance 37 Lake Champlaine. Eagle 20 Ditto Linnet 16 Ditto, sunk. Saratoga 26 Ditto. Ticonderaga 17 Ditto. Detroit , 18 Lake Erie. Lawrence 18 Sunk. Queen Charlotte 14 Sunk. Chippewa 106 On stocks, Lake Ontario. Jefferson 22 Lake Ontario. Mohawk 56 Ditto Madison 22 Ditto Orleans 106 On stocks. Oneida 18 Decayed. Pike 28 Lake Ontario. Superior 64 Ditto. Sylph 20 Ditto. This list I have inserted merely to satisfy cu- riosity ; as, after what I have said of the decayed state of these vessels, the account of them must cease to be of any interest. INDEX. RACTED [819. [le. Ontario. sfy cu- ecayed 1 must Abraham, plains of, 129. Actors, English theatrical tours through the American towns profitable to, 144. Albany, town of, 95. America, democracy first tried upon a grand scale in, 27 ; ac- count of a sermon preached in, 30, 31 ; brief view of so- ciety, 31, 32 ; state of the art of painting in, 49, 50 ; state of religion, 59 ; of society and customs at New York, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67 ; rapidity with which books are printed there, 91,92; mountains of, diflPer in character from European, 93; short time in which the principal objects of interest in, can be visited by tourists, 216, 217; reflections upon 217 — 219. American Navy, mistake respecting, 48. — Inn, accommodations of, 97, 98, 102. Stage-coach described, 98 — 100. enterprize, instance of, 186. Andes, 174. Andr6, Major, his death alluded to, 94. Baltimore, baths at, 39 , Museum, 40 ; general appearance of, 40, 41 ; Theatre, 42 ; famous for ship-building, 43. Bateaux of St. Lawrence, manner of constructing, 209. Canadian, wild song of the boatmen of, 210. Bermuda, 125. Block Island, 2. 230 INDEX. I ' Boston, approach to, 103 ; town, 104, 105 ; dock-yard de- scribed, 106, 107, 108. Boston, The, vessel so called in New York dock-yard described, 70. Braiiclywine, The, vessel so called in New York, 70. Brock^ GeiuMal, monument to, in St. Paul's, 135 ; spot where he was buried, 107. Brouklyn, 09. Brockville, vilhige of, 155. Bunker's Hill, brieHy noticed, 103. Buonaparte, Joseph, 11, 49. Burke, his panegyric on Wolfe, 137. Burning Spring, account of, 196, 197' Canada, Summer residence of the Govenor-general of, de- scribed, 142. Canadian boatmen, gasconade of, 215; songs of, 210, 211. Carrol, Mr., one of the three surviving persons who signed the Deed or Independence, 43. Cascades, village of, 152. Cascades Rapid, 216. Catskil mountains, 94. Cedar Rap'ds described, 214. Chesapeak Bay, 14; scenery of, ^^.'- Chippewa, village of, li-)4. Coasting-schooner, comforts of, described, 115, 116. Congress, proceedings of, 24, 25 ; not calculated for the dispatch of business, 2(5. Coteaux du Lac, 153: rapid of, 213; tov/n, 214. Deerfield, village of, 101. Delaware River, 53; scenery of, 11. Democracy, first tried upon a great scale in America, 27- Drummond's Island, 196. Eastport, town of, 111 ; public reading-room, 112. Elk Kiver, 13. i 'h f' ;k-yd,rd de- 1 described, spot where ral of, de- ,211. signed the ;rie dispatch 27. INDEX. 231 Emigration, remarks on, 201 — 20G. Emigrants, Irish, state of, 30. England, the destruction of, confidently predicted by an Ameri- can preacher, 30, 31 . English dinner, comparison of with an American table d'hote, 120. Franklin, The, vessel so called, in New York dock-yard, 74. Fulton, The, steam-vessel of New York, described, 75. Fundy, Bay of, 110. George's Town, a suburb of Washington, 23 — ^29. George, Fort, ruins of, 167- Goat Island, fine view of the Falls of Niagara obtained from, 184 ; Island described, 187 i thunder-storm, ib. Green Mountains, 100. Haliburton, Mr., argument of, on the maritime power of Ame- rica, 79—88. Halifax, town of, 123; dock-yard of, 125. Hoboken, village of, 65. Horn, Cape, 174. Horton River, 1 19 ; village of Horton, fertility of the soil, ib. Hudson River, The, beautiful scenery of described, 92. Hurons, The, Indian tribe, 135 ; reply of the Chief of, ib. Jackson, General, considerable majority of popular votes for him, in the election for President, 25. Ice-boat described, 161. Inclined plane. Commodore Porter's, 20. Indians, deputation of, to Congress, and speech of the chief of, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 ; account of them, 39, 40. Jeflferson, the little importance attached by him to the maritime interests of America, 89. John, St., town of, 115. Kingston, 154, 159; harlwur of, 100; ships on the stocks at, ib. ; maritime resources at, 162; Port Henry, 163; dock-yard, 163, /y| wt Iffl y^lt t t'W 232 INDEX. La Chine Rapids, 146, 150; village of, 152. Lake of the Thousand Islands, 156, 207. Lewiston, 169. Lorrette, Indian village of, 134. Lumberers, their mode of life, 139 ; excesses committed by them, 140. Lundy's Lane, village of, 194. Maitland, Sir Peregrine, Governor of Upper Canada, summer residence of, 181, 182. Mammoth, The, at Baltimore, 40. Manchester, town of, noticed, 177- Manninoquoi, intended dry dock at, 208. INIaryland, allusion to, 15. Mawworm, American, specimen of pulpit eloquence from an, 30, 31. Mines, Bay of, described, 117, 118. Montmorency, Falls of, 127, described, 131, 132. Montreal, rapility of the current at, 143; hotel at, 144; town of described, 144, well situated for commerce, 145 ; ra- pids of La Chine at, 146 ; catJiedral of, 147; shipbuilding establishments of, 146 ; tin steeples of the churches, 151. Nelson, Lord, monument to, at Montreal, 147. Newark, 166 New York, 6 ; scenery of the bay of, 3 ; performances at the theatre, 4 ; principal inns of, described, 5 ; duties of im- portation at, trifling, 66 ; Mr. Kean there, 57 ; Society at, 37, 60, 63 ; Museum, 58 ; Episcopalian church de- rfcribeii. 59 ; Castle Garden, 68 ; Dock-yard, 69 — 75. Niitgara FaKs of, 1, 2, 140, 167, 168, 169; inn near, 172: first view of ilw cataract, 174 ; unrivalled grandeur of the falls, 175, 176, 5 77; approach to the falls, 178, 179; view of the falls at daybreak, 180 ; falls seen by moonlight, 182, 183; view of, from Goat Island, 185; bridge across INDEX. 233 emitted by da, summer ce from an. 144; town ce, 145 j ra- shipbuilding J churches. inces at the iities of im- >7; Society- church de- '-75. •,172: first of the falls, 9 ; view of moonlight, idge across the rapids, 185 ; cavern beneath the fall, 190—193; burn- ing spring near, 196, 197. Niagara River, one of the boundaries, of the British dominions, 169 ; whirlpool in, 169—171. Niagara, Fort, 167- North West Company, attack on Lord Selkirk's settlement en- couraged by the, 199. Nova Scotia, government of, 129. Ohio, The, vessel so called, in New York dock-yard, described, 72. Ontario, Lake, 194, 195 ; described, 155, 159. Ottava River, 195. Pacific Ocean, the long swell of, 174. Panama, Congress, of, 23, 24. Pennsylvania, The, vessel so called, in dock-yard at Philadelphia 47. Philadelphia, view of the tov/n, 11, 12 ; dock-yard of, 12, dock- yard, and ships there, described, 47, 48 ; exhibition of pictures, 49 ; neat appearance of the streets, 50 ; methods to mitigate the heats in summer, 51; waterworks at, 51. Potomac, The, frigate so called, 18. Prescot, 209. Patapsco, The, 45. Quakers, latitude allowed to, in America, as to dress, 12. Quebec, first view of the city of, 126 ; town of described, 128, 129, commerce of, 130. Queen ston, 168. Randolph, John, representative for Virginia, his violence and coarse oratory, 113. Rapids, shooting the, 209—216. Rariton River, 8. Ross, General, spot where he was killed, 45, Sackett's Harbour, dock-yard at, 164. R 234 INDEX. St. Francis, Lake, 212. St. Helen, Isle of, 141), 150. St. Lawrence, The, 12U, 130, 143; the Rapids of, described, 134. Sandy Hook, 3. Selkirk's, Lord, fate of his settlement, 199. Semple, Govenor, death of, 200. Settlers, new, difficulties which they have to contend with 201 -20(). Shipbuilding, improvement in the consiruction of a vessel at New York, 71 ; peculiarity of the American vessels, 74. Slaves, price of the, taken by the British, settled, 24. Stage-coaches, American, described, 10. Staten Island, scenery of, 54. Steam-boats, American, described, T, 14. Tourists, short time in which the principal objects of interest in America may be seen by, 216, Trois Rivieres, contested election at, 141. Troy, town of, 96. Tucasee IVIathla, 39. Tuscaroras, Indian tribe of, their degraded state, 189. United States, proceedings of Congress, 24, 25 ; dock-yards of, described, Philadelphia, 12, Washington, 18-21; Phi- la»kdphia, 47, 48; New York, 69—72 ; Boston, 106—108 ; Halifax, 125 ; Sackett's Harbour, 164 ; notion respecting their hostile feelings to Englishmen, without foundation, 67; parsimony of the government in the marine department, 73 ; difficulty experienced in manning their vessels, 76, 77 ; maritime power of, 78, 79 ; trade of the Southern States of, 83, 86, 87, 88 ; military academy of, noticed, 93. Vaudreuil, Marquis de, Canada surrendered by, to the British, 151. Vaughan, jMr., 2, 17, 33. Washington, his cruelty in condemning ]\Iajor Andre, 94 ; ca- pitol described, 16, 17; dock -yard of, described, 18 — 21. » % INDEX. ribed, 134. tend with X vessel at sels, 74. 235 monument at, mutilated by the British, 22; appearance of, 23 ; campaign, 31, 32. Welland Canal, for what purpose undertaken, 194, 195. Williamsberg, town of, 154. Wolfe, General, spot where he fell, 137; the stone commemo- rating his death, sunk by the selfislinuss of the proprietor of the land, ib. ; panegyric pronounced on by Burke, ib. ; memorial to in Quebec, 138. Wolfe's Cove, 141. York, the capital of Upper Canada, 166. interest in THR KND. k- yards of, 21; Phi- 06—108 ; respecting lation, 67; partment, jssels, 76, ern States 93. e British, , 94 ; ca~ , 18—21. \ I.ONL'O.V : PRINlEl) BV S. AND R. BENJLliV, DOKSET ilJtKET. m: M I 1 I 1 !• ?f if ' ] ■ 'i tl' ifl i K If j 23, Old Bund Street, August, 1827. Mr. AINSWORTH HAS JUST PUBLISHEn THE FOLLOWING WORKS. THE FUENCH COOK. By LOUIS EUSTACIIE DDE, ci-dvvnnt Cook to Louis XVI. aiul tlie Yaiv). of Sefton, and late Steward to H. R. H. tlie late Duke of York. Tlie Eighth P2dition; with Two Hundred Additional Receipts and a copious Index. 12*. " This work, which appears to be admirably arranged, consists of about fourteen hundred receipts, every one of which lias its own pecu- liar value, and is attainable throuf^h no other source. Indeed " The French Cook" may be said to be, beyond dispute, the best treatise on the subject at present in existence. " The instructions in it may be more safely followed tiuin those of the Author's amateur contemporaries, as it is manifest that an experienced practitioner must understand his business, and be better fitted to teach it, than any theoretical lady or gentleman." — New Monthly Mayazine. "Monsieur Ude is, beyond all competition, the most learned (if (jooks, even of French Cooks."— Li ierarij Gazette. " Infinitely the best institute of the best kind of Cookery."— Mnntlihj Itemcw. 238 Books Vuhhshed hi) Mr. /litisu-nrth. f rri: TT. Tin: ITALIAN CONFlXri'IONF.R; or. CompUte •ICcinioniy of IVsscrts. Coiitniiiiiiff tlu> Kli'meiits of the Art, nc- oonliriiT to the most inodf ni anil approvcil nractii'e. By (». A. JiVKIlIX, CuiiftM'tioncr, Now Bond Strt-ct. Tho Third Edition, rorrected and iMihir^od. lUfi. Of.nkisai- ('onti:nts — 1. Siif^ar TT. Candies — TIT. r'araniol Work—IV. Clion.latc— V. Syrui>s VI. M:u-iii!ilah;)bly found in nearly every library, from which 'fiction is not excluded." — New Monthly Mayazine. AN AU'J'U.MN IN GREEC^R ; comprising/ Sketches of the Charactor, ('ustoms, and Scencrv of the Country. In Letters to ('. B. Sheridan, Esq. By II. L. BULWER, Escj. Sjcond Editiu.i. i)s. " This work jireseuts an interesting picture of the manners and custoins of the modern Gi'eeks."— Orie^t^a/ Herald,