Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, Volume XII Part 12

_Sunday_, 20th, four A. M. Land at length seen on starboard quarter, which proved to be Long Island: the sun arose and brought with it a day and breezes the most favorable, under which we ranged along the coast of the Island, at about seven miles' distance, having a view of it which imagination made delightful. Various schooners, brigs, and other shipping are in view, working {17} different ways, and our recent alarms are forgotten in the beauty and grandeur of the scene.

Before night we pa.s.sed Sandy Hook, were boarded by a pilot, who took us up the Bay about six miles and then cast anchor for the night: once more then surrounded by land, the outline of which was indistinctly seen by the aid of an azure sky thickly studded with stars, we at length retired to rest, and undisturbed by noise slept profoundly.

21st. The ship dropped anchor again opposite the Quarantine ground, where it was necessary to undergo an examination of the births previous to obtaining permission to gain the much desired Port. A party of us took this opportunity to go on sh.o.r.e, and after seven weeks' confinement to enjoy again a walk on land. We procured clams, oysters, milk, new bread, &c. loaded with which we returned well pleased on board. The houses here are chiefly frames covered with boards, having lean-to sheds roofed like the houses with shingles, the best being made of cedar; under these sheds the inhabitants sit and enjoy the cool breezes, unannoyed by the scorching rays of the sun: cherry and peach are the princ.i.p.al trees around these dwellings, except the weeping-willow and formal Lombardy poplar; these last one would suppose the least likely {18} to be cultivated in a country where shade is more a necessary comfort than to be called a luxury.

This morning in working up to the Quarantine ground, we pa.s.sed a schooner, or rather the remains of one (for it was a mere wreck,) which had suffered in one of those black squalls that had pa.s.sed over us; she had only a stump of a mast left, to which her remaining sail was tied.

22d. After some difficulty in obtaining the permit for our departure from the Quarantine hospital, (which the filthy state of several of the steerage births amply justified,) we at length weighed anchor for the last time, with a favourable and light breeze, affording leisure to admire the beautiful surrounding scenery of the Bay, and soon brought-to off the city of NEW YORK;--an officer of the customs came on board; he appeared a very respectable man, and behaved very politely to the pa.s.sengers; at the same time was strict in his duty and superior to a bribe.[4] Our fees at the custom-house on clearing were altogether half a dollar and twenty {19} cents: on leaving England we had paid the Captain for doing the same for us three pounds. This was probably _good pay_ for the trouble, and indeed I should recommend every pa.s.senger not to be above managing this affair for himself, if he values money.

23d. The heat of the weather in the city is so oppressive to English const.i.tutions, that we have established ourselves across the river, on the Jersey sh.o.r.e, at a very pleasant place called Hoboken;--here we pay 7$ per week each, for board and lodging, and have a quick and pleasant communication with New York by steam ferry-boats every hour during the day to and from it.

On entering our present boarding-house to inquire their terms, &c. we encountered the first striking specimen of the effects of freedom without refinement; upon asking for the Landlord, a young woman who was sweeping the floor slip-shod, desired us to walk into a room she pointed to; where, she said, we might wait for further orders!! We did as we were ordered, reflecting on this contrast to a good English inn where, upon the traveller's arrival, from the Landlord down to "Boots,"[5] all are immediately {20} upon the alert ready and willing to attend to your wishes.

One reason for this want of attention in the American servants is, that they are paid wholly by their employers, and expect no compensation from their guests; though, I have since seen enough to convince me that this praiseworthy custom is gradually wearing away, and that in general the servants will not refuse a fee when offered.

Called at a working cutler's near the post-office, to purchase a pocket knife; he asked two dollars for one which in London would be sold for about four shillings; said he paid rent for his shop alone 400$, and that fuel cost him during the winter seven shillings sterling per week.

The Americans at New York have not made a favourable impression upon me: almost every face expresses the game of desperate speculation. I am told that this is owing to the general distress of mercantile affairs consequent to the late war with England; and also the effects of the French revolution, felt upon both continents, but in a much higher degree in America, as that country was less able to bear up against it;--the people here like those of England were beyond measure extravagant under the deceitful prosperity, and they now doubly feel the dreadful re-action. Besides, like ancient Rome, here is the asylum of {21} the desperate and discontented of all nations:--Will the period arrive when, like the former, this modern Rome shall rule mistress of the globe? It is, if I may venture to judge, at all events very distant; they must first gain the necessary qualities for the attainment of such an elevation; at present, of these they are nearly dest.i.tute. But to return to my journal.

Business here, with the exception of a few respectable houses, is conducted on an apparently slovenly plan; clerks at their banks look like our tavern waiters in deshabille, and the bankers themselves not in appearance so respectable as our clerks.

The town is handsomely built, and several things constantly remind one that here the people rule, and their convenience and comfort are studied: the footways for example are in general twice as broad as ours, in some instances taking up at least as much of the street as that set apart for the carriages; and the hackney coaches are not only neat but _elegant_ in our sense of the word, and both drivers and horses equally superior. In a late publication,[6] it is observed that the goods in the stores are set out in a slovenly manner; {22} my own observation is that their shops or stores are apparently as good, and the stock as well shewn as in many good houses in London: their coffee-houses and dinner-rooms in the best lodging-houses are even superbly fitted up, very much in the French style: the Tontine, the City, and the Bank-coffeehouses are three of the first; and a person may now dine at any one of them, I believe, for three dollars and a half per week, and fare sumptuously upon turtle, &c. every day;--wine is but little drank, or any other liquor indeed, either at or immediately after dinner by Americans; the reason for this, as given to me by an American, seems good--"We consider dinner as a sufficient stimulus" says he "without adding wine or spirits to it."

The business of the courts of justice during the summer is done in the evenings and nights; the great heat of the weather in the day time absolutely preventing any number of people from collecting together without danger of fevers, particularly such persons as compose the witnesses, auditors, and attendants in a law court.

Mr. Fearon states, that forgery of bank notes is unknown here, for, that the execution of them is so excellent (I write the sense of his words from memory) it renders it too difficult to attempt.--I can affirm that there was scarcely a store I {23} went into at New York, but they could shew me several; and so well executed, it was impossible for me to see any difference between the valid and the forged note.

A DRIVE TO THE FALLS OF THE Pa.s.sAIC RIVER, JERSEY STATE

Leaving Hoboken on the Delaware, we proceed along a good road with some romantic scenery of rock, wood, and water, through the town of Hackensac to the village of Paterson; where we found a good tavern and an attentive Landlord, a very remarkable character in the United States: after dining at the table d'hote, which was very well provided, we set out to walk to the falls, a mile distant, under a burning sun, which made it appear at least two. The beautiful clear stream of the gentle Pa.s.saic here suddenly rushes down two perpendicular fissures in the granite rock; making a grand fall at each, of about one hundred feet, into a capacious basin beneath; from thence recovering, it murmurs along a stony bed a mile or two, when resuming {24} a placid course it winds through a country thickly settled, the inhabitants chiefly Dutch and Germans; and gliding by the towns of Belville and Newark finally mingles its waters with the Delaware. The views near Belville, and on the road to it on the banks of the Pa.s.saic, are very fine: but the whole way the black population were so numerous as to be quite oppressive to the eye unaccustomed to it; every house we pa.s.sed presented a group of black heads huddled together glaring at us:--But the beautiful Pa.s.saic has floated us away from its falls too soon; we must just return thither to say that we ascended by steps made for the purpose to the top of the rocks, from whence the river is precipitated. Here are some wide yawning clefts of great depth, and one of them occasioned a dreadful catastrophe not long before our coming: a new-married couple accompanied a party to the falls, and after admiring the tremendous broken and precipitous rocks and chasms, were returning in order to descend; when the bride ran back, as she said, to take a last view, and heedlessly going too near to the edge of the yawning cleft fell into it in sight of her husband, who in vain rushed to save her--she was seen no more!

On returning to the tavern at Paterson, I asked the little shabby bare-footed boy, our guide, {25} whether he worked at a wool manufactory we were pa.s.sing, "No," said he, rather bluntly; "I go to school; my father's a 'squire:" thinking I did not hear correctly, I repeated the question and received the same answer. "And pray what is a 'squire, what does he do?" "Oh, he attends sessions, trials, and hears causes." "And what may your father do at other times?" "He _a.s.sists_ Mr. ******* at the tavern there, in the bar!"

We returned to Hoboken by the town of Belville; day departed long before we got back, and night came on, its darkness beautifully relieved by the novel effect of the fire-fly, myriads of which were darting in perpetual motion; and in all directions filling the air and the surface of the low grounds with brilliant illumination.

We met on the road many small light waggons drawn by two horses harnessed to a pole, which are here by the country people used generally: in these the farmer and his family travel at a brisk pace and very commodiously;--at a distance I at first fancied a handsome Phaeton approaching, as they drove towards us; indeed, away from the city every one seems comfortable and independent; we see no misery, no disgusting army of paupers, not even a beggar to be seen:[7] we have, however, {26} already discovered that this country is not ent.i.tled to a character for cheap living; for many articles, particularly those of luxury, you pay at least as much as in England, the difference consisting in this, (a very material one to the seller,) that here, the whole price of the commodity goes into the pocket; there, a heavy tax is paid in some shape or other out of every article sold: for example, the hire of a gig and horse for the day is here thirteen shillings and sixpence sterling; the owner puts the whole of this into his pocket, for there is no duty to government; whereas in England we all know too well that there is an enormous one, besides an a.s.sessed tax for both carriage and horse. Wine here, though of course to be bought much cheaper by the private consumer, is charged at least a dollar and a half per bottle at a public boarding-house, though the duty on importation is trifling; in England the price is the same, notwithstanding the high duties. As another instance, washing is done here from three shillings and sixpence to four shillings and sixpence sterling per dozen, of everything indiscriminately; though soap is not half the price it is in England, where the same quant.i.ty may be washed for two shillings.

From the above examples, and many more I could mention, it would appear that the man who should emigrate to this country to _spend_ an income, {27} might not gain by the change; it is equally evident that the individual who goes to _make money_ may be benefited.

4th. Sunday here presents a most pleasing contemplation; the people before united in trade and political government, are now seen shedding out quietly and in utmost harmony, repairing to the places of worship of their several persuasions: the English protestant establishment seems to be well attended; the service with a few alterations, and the (perhaps) well-judged omission of our frequent repet.i.tions, was very impressively read to an attentive congregation. The places for worship are generally strongly and, though plainly, handsomely constructed; yet not perhaps, strictly according with the best rules of architecture.

We cannot but observe a very striking flatness or insipidity of character pervading the population, which is not perhaps to be attributed to bad times, but to various other causes: I am apt to believe that a large portion bear expatriation with a sort of melancholy feeling--America is not yet their home,--they talk little of it, but much of Europe.

The United States is a theatre on which are met all nations of Europe, each at present attached to the customs they have left there, and agreeing {28} only in the support of religious and political liberty: time alone can wear down their heterogeneous habits into a national character, which many other causes, besides those now enumerated, may at present unite to oppose: the effect is an evident want of energy, of heart and soul in every thing animating to other nations. I am just returned from witnessing the celebration of the anniversary of their Liberty,--such a festival might well be expected to call forth every spark of enthusiasm; but, even then, not an eye either of spectators or actors glistened with joy or animation, the latter seemed walking to a funeral; the others contemplating the melancholy ceremony! Nothing could dispel the illusion but the gay clothes of the female spectators, to which their countenances in general bore a strong contrast.

Notwithstanding these unfavourable impressions however, one could not but at intervals feel gratified;--it was the a.s.sembly of a people to commemorate the epoch of their liberty, and _we wished_ to discover an elevation of character deserving of the blessing, and to hail them as brothers.

_July 6th._ Took leave of New York, of which city, perhaps I may have said more than necessary, so much having been published before. By steam boat and land carriage we were conveyed {29} to Bordentown, a beautiful elevated situation, commanding most extensive views, where Joseph Buonaparte at present resides.[8] He lives quietly and hospitably, and, by accommodating himself to the people, exists amongst them undisturbed:--on his arrival he received a mark of attention as uncommon as it was unexpected; a mob at Philadelphia collected to see and welcome him; a compliment he mistook, for not aware of their intention, and supposing it might be to seize and deliver him up, he was with difficulty at length prevailed upon to shew himself and receive their friendly greetings. He is fond of shooting and finds plenty of sport: in the widely spread low grounds covered with brush wood, the Wood-c.o.c.k and Snipe abound; and the Partridge or Quail is plentiful in the high country. At a little distance from Bordentown, on the edge of a precipitous cliff, and surrounded by wood, forming a pleasing retreat, stands his house.[9]

7th. Much pleased with the scenery during the pa.s.sage down the Delaware; on its beautiful Pensilvania side many of the houses appeared to be placed in delightful situations: as we floated {30} along the Sturgeon was seen frequently darting upwards at the insects on the surface; he is a fish but little valued here, either because his flavour is not so good as it is with us, or perhaps a _royal_ fish suits not republican palates. The spot where Penn first landed in search of a site for his intended city was pointed out as we pa.s.sed; and soon after came in view PHILADELPHIA, presenting by no means so favourable a coup d'oeil as New York had done.

PHILADELPHIA

Of this city I shall say little at present, but hasten the western journey. Having both read and been told of streets with clear water running along the channels, and of trees planted on each side, affording a pleasing shade during the heat of summer, I confess a great disappointment at finding but very few trees, and no water but green stinking puddles! Indeed, for the credit of New York, I must say that their Board of Health is more active, or the people themselves are more cleanly; for, there no stinks a.s.saulted our noses equal to those we met with here: walking in these streets under the influence of a hot burning sun I have {31} met with the putrifying carca.s.s of a dead dog; from the stench of which I have ran off, while the natives were pa.s.sing it without notice! We need not then be at a loss to account for their fevers.

Away from the wharfs the streets are in general good, well paved, and laid with fine broad causeways of brick: the handsome flights of marble steps to the doors would look still better if well polished; the marble is white with blue veins, of a good kind, and comes by water about sixty miles, at a cheap rate.

During the hot season, mineral waters, (chiefly soda,) sometimes mixed with syrups, are drank in great abundance;--the first thing every American who can afford five cents (about threepence) takes, on rising in the morning, is a gla.s.s of soda water: many houses are open for the sale of it, and some of them are fitted up with Parisian elegance.

Being so attached to water potations it is not surprising that these people should stand in more than usual dread of canine madness; they are dog-mad without being bit: such is the rage against the canine species that carts are sent round the town both here and at New York every two or three days, attended by fellows armed with bludgeons and spears, with which they kill every dog they meet, and receive I am informed a dollar for each. I had a fine Bull-dog put an {32} end to in this manner, for which fifty dollars had been offered since my arrival; the cold blooded wretches first enticed him, as I heard, towards them, and when he, not knowing fear, came up to be caressed, they despatched him with spears and bludgeons. For this I obtained no redress.

Accompanied Mr. ******* to the handsome public library presented to Philadelphia by Dr. Franklin;[10] and of which his ungrateful countrymen make use, while they are as silent as his statue over the entrance if the worthy donor is mentioned, or if they do speak of him, it is generally slightly;--the fact is, he was too good and too shrewd for them to understand. I inquired respecting his philanthropic bequest of money laid out at compound interest in aid of young tradesmen, and heard it was properly attended to; though my informer added that several who had been a.s.sisted from the fund had not subsequently been fortunate in trade: that is probably according to the old adage "lightly come lightly go," they had spent it instead of attending to business: the original sum was four thousand dollars, and it has now increased to sixteen thousand.[11]

14th. Visited the Penitentiary: this inst.i.tution has been so fully described by others that it is not necessary to give more than an additional testimony to the truth of its admirable {33} plan; unfortunately, the prison is at this time so full, (five hundred are in confinement,) that it is impossible to lock up, separately at night, those whose crimes are trifling from culprits of greater magnitude; but a new prison is building which will enable them, when finished, to correct this evil: the utmost cleanliness prevails, with order and industry; indeed, the whole had the appearance of a well-regulated manufactory, in which a regular debtor and creditor account is kept with each individual, who receives, at the termination of his confinement, the balance of his earnings, with which he may be enabled to maintain himself while he seeks honest employment: an excellent regulation. We afterwards viewed the Hospital for Lunatics, where the same, or more attention to cleanliness and every thing conducive to the health and recovery of the patients pervade every part; no appearance of gloom in the building, but all calculated to inspire the mind with ease and comfort. There is a good garden which, besides providing fruits and vegetables to the house, affords a pleasant walk to the convalescent; and in front of the building, encircled by a beautiful collection of trees, lemon, orange, pomegranate, &c., stands the statue of William Penn, holding in his hand the Charter of Liberties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Little Brandywine, Pennsylvania]

This is not a cheap country for the _stranger_: {34} either boarding-houses or taverns he must be in, (private lodgings being unknown;) and in such establishments the charges are high: but the _inhabitant_ must, it would seem, live at a very reasonable rate, as the following prices will shew, and the lowest are not stated:--Meat, good at six cents[12] a lb., excellent Tea for one dollar a lb., Sugar (loaf) for eleven cents a lb., Soap at ten or eleven cents a lb., and other groceries cheap in proportion. Of Wines, Port we buy for two dollars the gallon, Claret one and a half the gallon, Sherry two and a half.

Spirits,--good Brandy for two dollars, Rum and Hollands the same.

But we will take leave of Philadelphia for the present--a future opportunity may occur for further observations; and to that chance we will leave it for the more important view of the Western country.

21st. With a strong but light carriage, called here a Dearborn waggon, for myself and party, and a light covered baggage waggon driven by my servant, I left the City about noon of such a day of heat as we had never until lately experienced: in consequence of which my dog, the fine animal above alluded to, ran off in a high fever, and I {35} never saw him again; but he recovered, and came back to the house I had left in search of me, and was taken care of for a few days, when the dog butchers destroyed him. Not to mention the breaking of a three gallon Demijon bottle of good liquor in rattling over the pavement, another cross adventure happened, which made the commencement of so long a journey ominous;--having sent the baggage waggon forward the first stage, and there happening to be two roads and two inns with the same sign at about the same distance, my man unluckily took the wrong way--we slept the first night therefore ignorant of what had happened to him; however he crossed over, and to our mutual satisfaction joined us the following day. On requesting the ostler to call me early next morning, the drunken old beast told me I might "call myself and be d.a.m.ned." Oh, the blessings of independence!--But I will say this for the Americans, that if during my stay one other oath was uttered it is the most I heard.

24th. At Lancaster, Pensilvania.[13] We left Philadelphia on the 21st, and have travelled through a country well cultivated and still improving as we advanced, until, near this town, it breaks into hill and dale, woodland and pasture, forming the most beautiful scenery, and wanting nothing to the eye but water; actually {36} it is, we are told, exceedingly well-watered. We admired the state of cultivation, observing good crops of red clover-seed, and the wheat stubbles clearly showing that heavy crops had been carried;--the beautiful Indian corn just shooting into ear, green and luxuriant, greatly relieved the eye; the oats alone (not yet harvested) looked short in the straw and bad, owing we were told to their quick ripening and want of rain. The clumsy zig-zag rail fence of the first settlers is giving way to strong post and rail, and in a few spots to the live hedge, which looked beautiful.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bridge at Columbia, Pennsylvania]

Thus we have pa.s.sed along the centre of a fine valley of cultivated land, grandly skirted by the primeval forest the whole way; the houses and other buildings in general are excellent, bespeaking the inhabitants to be at least rich in comforts; which are after all true riches. The horses of Pensilvania have been frequently praised: they are indeed excellent; uniting strength of frame with activity, and coming nearest in form to the old English charger as seen in paintings; they are by no means generally castrated as in England. The roads as yet we do not feel inclined to praise, for they are abominably stony and jolting; yet they seem to have been formed at some cost, in some parts, I am told, at least twenty dollars {37} per rod; but no carriage except of the strongest kind (and their construction here is admirable for the purpose,) could last long against the perpetual concussions they receive. It is much to be regretted that in laying out the roads of this new country, the s.p.a.ce allotted for them had not been thrice their present width, which would have left an ample summer road on each side of the princ.i.p.al one, rendering it better both for convenience and ornament; but in this and too many more instances the Americans, instead of adopting better plans, and improving by our errors, have servilely copied those of the old country.

To the same lounging idleness remarked by Mr. Birkbeck we too must bear testimony: added to which may be observed a most unconciliating manner of studiously avoiding common civility, arising we suppose from a vulgar idea of shewing their independence. The black population of all shades, from the deepest to nearly white, still appears considerable as we proceed.

Lancaster is a very respectable town, with a handsome court-house, &c.

Slaymaker's inn or tavern excellent. A large manufactory of rifle barrels is carried on here, much cheaper than they can be produced in Europe; a very good rifle may be had complete for twelve or {38} fourteen dollars, clumsy in appearance, but throwing a ball with astonishing exactness. It was market day, and horses, carriages, &c., were among other things put up to auction; the auctioneer, riding or driving up and down the streets, with stentorian lungs proclaiming the qualities of the horse or carriage on sale, and receiving the biddings as he went on: a ranting preacher's exertions are nothing compared with this man's.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Susquehannah River at Columbia]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Place of Worship and Burial Ground at Ligonier Town, Pennsylvania]

29th. At Chambersburgh. From Lancaster, by Columbia pa.s.sing over the beautiful Susquehannah by a close bridge of one mile and a quarter long, to this town the roads are at present wretched, even dangerous; and the settlers, German and Dutch boors, as abominable. Having broke a buckle of one of the traces, we applied to a blacksmith to mend it, which he refused to do. Night with a thunder-storm approaching, we tied up the harness as well as we could, wasting plenty of hearty bad wishes upon the cursed smith which some poor Irishmen working on the road joined us in, though they could not a.s.sist us; and proceeded some distance, the storm still lowering, to a tavern kept by one of the above wretches where we were absolutely refused admittance: obliged to drive on we just got to the door of another, when the thunder in tremendeous peals burst over us {39} accompanied with torrents of rain; here we bolted in determined to be received, and found ourselves in the midst of parties of ill-looking people drinking whiskey and smoking. It was the bar or tap-room, and as no offer was made of a better or safer place for ourselves and luggage, and a little disapprobation being consequently shewn by some of my party, the brute landlord, notwithstanding the storm, told us we had better drive on to the next town, if we disliked his accommodations.--Not chusing to be drenched in rain for his ill humour we were obliged to remain during pleasure; until at length I got mine host into better humour, and he gave us a tolerable good supper and beds, though with the usual company of bugs and fleas, and without water for washing, which they positively refused to let us have; observing, we might wash out of doors. This man boasted of being possessed of thirty-five thousand dollars in property, and said, that land now worth one hundred dollars per acre was bought by his father for four dollars.

Tired of such abominable inns and the keepers of them, we have now twice boiled the kettle in the woods and breakfasted upon the contents {40} of our canteen, a plan we have much enjoyed, and recommend to all travellers in this country whose convenience it may suit. The scenery is beautiful, the land pretty well cultivated and finely interspersed with woodland; the harvest, except Indian corn or maize, is nearly got in, and seems to have been abundant. Man alone here stands an object of disgust. How strangely to our circ.u.mscribed views does Providence work its purposes! To a rough untutored set of naked savages, another race of little less than savages (clothed savages) has succeeded; who, in all probability, will in their turn give place to a third of some intellect and refinement; themselves driven from their paternal hearths by the insolence of an aristocracy, the intolerance of a state religion, or the craving demands of an extravagant government: these, seeking for themselves and their posterity relief from such evils, will bring into this fine portion of the earth, the letters and refined manners, which alone it wants to make it perhaps one of the most desirable countries of the globe.

We are now ascending the first range of mountains separating the eastern from the western part of the continent. The grand and ancient monarchs of the forest have only been removed where the road is opened for the pa.s.sage of the {41} traveller. The Oak, the Chestnut, the Locust and various other trees tower aloft in their prime, while some lie fallen with age, and others, inclining from their aged roots, ready to follow,--emblems these of the lot of humanity!