Travels Through North America Part 2

In Marazion we stopped at the Star Inn, and immediately took a boat to reach the mountain, which is a short distance from the sh.o.r.e. The rock, which at low water joins the sh.o.r.e, consists of granite, is a mile in circ.u.mference at its base, and is two hundred and fifty feet high. At its foot there is a small fishing village of about thirty houses, with a harbour formed by two new piers. By means of very inconvenient steps which are cut out of the rock, we reached an old castle, standing at the highest point, and belonging to the family St. Aubyn. This is the same family, whose chief, Sir John St. Aubyn, owns almost all the houses in Devonport, and a large portion of the ground of the dock-yard. In former times, St. Michael's Mount was a cloister. Adapted by its isolated situation for a fortress, art has contributed but little to its strength, and added merely a pair of bastions, and platforms, on which a few small cannon belonging to the owner of the mount, are at present standing. It sustained several sieges in former times. We were conducted to a Gothic chapel with ancient, painted window-gla.s.ses, after which we examined the castle. In this, however, we found nothing remarkable, except the old refectory of the cloister, called the _chevy-chace-room_, with strange bas-reliefs, representing ancient hunting scenes. In this hall are very old pieces of furniture; one chair is said to be three hundred, another five hundred years old.

The windows of the castle command a very fine prospect towards Mountbay and its sh.o.r.es, in which Marazion and Penzance, which are three miles distant from each other, appear to very great advantage. Not far from the latter place, the Thetis lay at anchor. I regretted extremely that my time would not allow me to visit my gallant friend, Sir John Phillimore. A steeple rises above the church of the castle, which I, however, did not ascend, being fatigued, and the steps in a neglected state. We rode back to Marazion, which was formerly called Marketzew, and has eleven hundred inhabitants, and pa.s.sing by Helstone, we arrived about one o'clock at night, much fatigued, at Falmouth. Penryn, to which I made several excursions, contains a row of newly-built, elegant houses, with handsome gardens and a catholic church. The beautiful terrace on which the new houses stand with their gardens, is called the Green Bank, and is a very agreeable promenade.

CHAPTER III.

_Voyage from Falmouth to Boston._

[The Pallas sailed from Falmouth Bay on the 18th of June, and arrived on the 26th of July. During the voyage a midshipman was lost overboard, and the American ship Schuylkill, in distress for water and provisions, was spoken and relieved. The other incidents of the voyage are not sufficiently interesting to need a particular description.

The following is the duke's account of his landing at Boston:--

It was ten o'clock, on the morning of the 26th of July, when I first placed my foot in America, upon a broad piece of granite! It is impossible to describe what I felt at that instant. Heretofore, but two moments of my life had left a delightful remembrance; the first was, when at seventeen years of age, I received the Cross of the Legion of Honour, after the battle of Wagram--the second, when my son William was born. My landing in America, that country which, from my early youth, had been the object of my warmest wishes, will, throughout life, remain a subject of pleasing recollection!]

CHAPTER IV.

_Boston._

On our arrival in Boston we took lodgings at the Exchange Coffee-house, where I received a visit from Mr. Andrew Ritchie, whose acquaintance I made in England two years ago. I was much pleased to see this worthy man again, who eighteen months since married the daughter of Mr. Otis, formerly a senator of the United States and leader of the federal party; both these gentlemen are highly esteemed here. I dined at the inn at two o'clock, according to the custom of the place; my seat was at the head of the table, by the side of the host, Mr. Hamilton. He had served in the last war as a volunteer colonel, and still retained his t.i.tle. He exhibited much politeness, and indeed I cannot sufficiently praise the politeness of the guests, with many of whom I became acquainted. The dishes were very good, and even had this not been the case I should still have enjoyed them, having so long been without fresh provisions; this was the case with the fruit, which though small and bad, was still agreeable. On account of the excessive heat, which had been greater than at any time during the last twenty years, fruit in general had matured too early. Wine was served up in coolers with ice, and into every gla.s.s of beer, a piece of ice was thrown.

Adjoining the large dining room is a parlour and two sitting rooms, where strangers who have nothing to do pa.s.s the day. At a sideboard, wine, lemonade, soda water, &c. with ice, may be obtained. Eight newspapers were lying on a large table, all of which had the form of English papers, and were chiefly filled with mercantile and other advertis.e.m.e.nts. The house itself is arranged much like an English inn.

The servants of both colours were civil and attentive. At four o'clock, Mr. Ritchie with his father-in-law, and the son of the latter, lately returned from a tour in Europe, came to show us the city.

There are many elegant stores in Cornhill, one of the princ.i.p.al streets.

We saw a new building, intended as a branch of the United States Bank, the front of which is plain, with two Doric columns, each consisting of a single piece of granite, eighteen feet high, and almost five feet in diameter. The first popular a.s.semblies at the commencement of the American revolution, were held in the old court-house. A large hall, in which the aldermen meet, contains a full length portrait of WASHINGTON, by Stuart, and also a bust of ADAMS, father of the present president.

The bust is encircled by a wreath of stars. The names of all the citizens who distinguished themselves by great services during the revolution, are engraved on four columns. The beef and vegetable markets are under the court-house; but as this place was justly considered unsuitable for such a purpose, a new market was built not far from the water. The corporation began to fill up a ditch, and erect upon it a long building, the foundation of which is granite, and the three stories of brick, which was sold to the merchants as a warehouse. This sale was made on such favourable terms, that from the profits a new market was built, parallel with this warehouse, entirely of granite. It is five hundred and twenty-five feet long, fifty feet wide, and one story high.

On the other side of this market, and parallel with it, a new row of warehouses, similar to the former are building. Mr. Ritchie led us through several wide and elegant streets to his house, one of the largest in Boston, and situated on Beacon-hill, a public promenade. Many frame houses are still to be observed; no new houses can be built of wood. Most of them are of brick; granite, which is found in abundance about twenty miles from Boston, is used frequently for foundations, particularly for those of stores. The _mall_, as it is called, consists of a large meadow, sparingly planted with trees, and extending down the hill to the water. On the highest part of the hill stands the state-house or capitol, with a large dome, covered with copper. The building is of brick, decorated with a facade of ten columns. These are of wood, and impart to the whole an air of weakness. Mr. Ritchie's house is furnished with much splendour and taste, and decorated by some paintings which he obtained during his travels. Among these I remarked a very successful copy of Madonna _della sedia_ of Raphael, another Madonna of Sa.s.soferrato, and a scene from the deluge of Poussin. We spent the evening with Mr. Ritchie, and became acquainted with his lady, and also with the widow of General Humphreys, adjutant of General Washington, and formerly amba.s.sador of the United States to Lisbon and Madrid. Mrs. Humphreys is descended from an English family, was born in Lisbon, and must have been very handsome in her youth. Mr. Otis and his son were also present. When we departed at nine o'clock, it was still very warm, and the full moon looked like a glowing coal in the heated atmosphere. The Pallas arrived at Boston towards evening, and cast anchor near Long-wharf. In pa.s.sing she saluted Fort Independence with seventeen guns, and was answered by eighteen.

I had imagined that no one would take the least notice of me in America, but I soon found myself agreeably disappointed. The morning after my arrival I received an invitation to dine the next day with Mr. Otis, and was visited at the same time by several gentlemen. Captain Henderson and Mr. Dixon, among others, called upon me; the latter introduced me to his wife and his father-in-law, Mr. Homer. This gentleman inhabits a large and handsome house on Beacon-hill, and has two amiable daughters. I was much pleased with the arrangement of this house, and indeed the houses and chambers in general are larger and better adapted for convenience and ease than the English.

In company with Mr. Ritchie I paid a visit to Mrs. Humphreys, whose house is really splendidly furnished. In the evening I visited Mr. De Wallenstein, attached to the Russian emba.s.sy at Washington, who resides here during the summer, on account of his health. He is an agreeable and reflecting man. Afterwards I visited Mr. Edward Everett, professor of the Greek language in Harvard University. Mr. Everett had previously written me a German letter, and offered me his services in an extremely friendly manner. He has pa.s.sed five years in Europe, during two of which he studied at Goettingen, and also visited Weimar. He remembered this with much pleasure, and was particularly pleased with the acquaintance of St. M. v. Goethe. Having been elected a member of congress he resigned his professorship.

Mr. Everett called for me the next day to take me to Harvard University, at Cambridge, three miles distant from Boston. At twelve o'clock we left Boston, though the heat was extreme, and rode over the wooden bridge which connects both towns, and is three thousand four hundred feet long.

Cambridge is by no means compactly built, but occupies a large extent of ground. The houses are generally frame, a few of brick, and very few entirely of granite; they are however painted with bright colours and are very pleasing to the eye. Every house has a garden. Many meadows, like those in England, are enclosed with three rails, lying one above the other; Indian corn is cultivated in the fields; the gra.s.s was dry and withered.

Harvard University, one of the oldest colleges in the United States, was founded in 1638, by a clergyman named Harvard, who bequeathed it about eight hundred pounds sterling. By means of bequests made since that period, it has now a very large income. The state of Ma.s.sachusetts supplies the deficiencies without however making any fixed contribution.

The university has eight buildings, chiefly of brick, and only one of granite. The Unitarian chapel is in the latter, in which, besides the usual services on Sunday, morning and evening prayers are held, which all the students must attend. In front of the buildings is a large s.p.a.ce, surrounded with trees, where the students may amuse themselves.

The students are about three hundred and fifty in number, and princ.i.p.ally board and lodge in the buildings of the university; a number, however, who cannot find room, or are recommended to families, live in private houses. They are in other respects, as in the universities of England, subjected to a very rigid discipline. The library, which occupies two halls, contains about eighteen thousand volumes. It contains the first edition of the large work on Egypt; a Polyglot bible from the collection of Lord Clarendon; a splendid edition of the Lusiad, by Camoens, with plates from the designs of Gerard, edited by the Marquis de Souza, and printed by Didot at Paris.

Only two hundred and fifty copies of this edition were printed, and this copy was given to the university by the Marquis himself. Of ma.n.u.scripts I saw but few, and these were Greek, which Mr. Everett bought at Constantinople during his travels, and another containing the aphorisms of Hippocrates, which an English schoolmaster copied with so much skill, that it appears to have been printed.[I-4] In the mathematical lecture room I did not observe a very complete apparatus. They have also but few astronomical instruments, and in one observatory there are none. A new electrical machine with a gla.s.s globe had but lately arrived from England. The mineralogical collection is under obligations to Mr.

Ritchie for most of its finest specimens, which he bought during his travels at Dresden, and presented to the university. A piece of basalt found under ground in this neighbourhood, bears some similarity to the profile of a human face. It is not known whether it be a lusus naturae or the work of human hands. Does this belong to the remains of an earlier race of men which has vanished from the earth, but which has, not without reason, been supposed by many to have once existed? The other natural collections were of slight importance; there are no collections of insects and b.u.t.terflies. I saw there also the antlers of two stags, which had become so completely entangled in fighting, that they could not be separated, and in this state they were killed. The chemical laboratory is arranged in a separate house, strongly resembling a chapel. The anatomical theatre has been removed for want of room, from Cambridge to Boston. In the former lecture room, however, there are still several handsome wax preparations made in Florence, among which are two fine full length figures, male and female. The latter represents a pregnant woman, and is separable. Near the chapel is the a.s.sembly room of the academical senate, where there are some very handsome engravings.

I was surprised to find among these engravings the defence of Gibraltar, by Elliot, and one which represented Admiral Dewinter taken prisoner by Admiral Duncan. I gave the attendant who conducted us two dollars, and he seemed to be so much gratified by my generosity, that when we were in the chapel he whispered to the organist, who immediately played "G.o.d save the king," at which I was much surprised. We were escorted through the botanic garden by Professor Nuttall, an Englishman, who has made several scientific journeys in the western parts of the United States.

Among the green-house plants I observed a strelitzia, which had been raised from seed in this country, and also a blooming and handsome Inua gloriosa, and a Hedychium longifolium. The green-house and the garden are both small; in the latter I remarked no extraordinary shrubs or flowers, on the contrary, however, I saw many beetles, which were new to me, with bright colours, and extremely beautiful b.u.t.terflies. A son of President Adams is one of the students of the university, and also Mr.

Jerome Bonaparte, a legitimate son of the former king of Westphalia, by his marriage with Miss Patterson of Baltimore, which marriage, as is well known, was dissolved by the Emperor Napoleon. This young man, who is about twenty years old, bears an excellent character.

[Footnote I-4: [This ma.n.u.script is perhaps one of the most curious specimens of calligraphy extant. Without the aid of a microscope it is almost impossible to discover that it is not a printed work, so extremely uniform and accurate is every letter. We believe it was originally prepared for the celebrated Dr. Richard Meade of London.]--TRANS.]

My acquaintances increased in number, and I received visits from many distinguished men. Among those who paid me this honour on the third day after my arrival, I must mention the Danish amba.s.sador, Mr. Pedersen, who was travelling with his family in the northern parts of the United States, and was introduced to me by Mr. Ritchie; Mr. Josiah Quincy, mayor of the city, was also present, a worthy and extremely agreeable man, to whom I am under great obligations.

After the gentlemen had withdrawn, I visited the New England Museum, a very pompous description of which had fallen into my hands. This museum is a private establishment, and consists of a mixture of wax figures, musical clocks, stuffed animals, portraits, French caricatures, b.u.t.terflies, &c. Two articles alone interested me, namely, two living rattlesnakes, and three Egyptian mummies. The snakes, caught near Lake Erie, were lying in a box covered with gla.s.s, and received no nourishment but water. They are ugly creatures, of a dark gray colour, with large sharp scales and yellow bellies. Large thick heads, prominent black eyes, and forked tongues. One of them, which was engaged in casting its skin, was for the time blind; it had four rattles, and was receiving a fifth. The attendant irritated it, but we did not hear it rattle. Spirit of hartshorn is said to be very effectual against their bite. The mummies were brought last year in an American vessel from Egypt. One was in the same condition in which it had been when in the coffin, except that the cloth had been taken from the face. The two others were more or less uncovered; their coffins were well preserved.

I was astonished to see the fresh colours of the figures painted on them. One of the mummies had two coffins, whence it is inferred that she was a person of high rank. I saw also a Chinese painting, representing all the tortures and modes of death common in China; a shocking and disgusting sight. Finally, I observed a good model of the old bastile of Paris, made of a stone from this building.

The mayor, Mr. Quincy, had the politeness to show us the state prison.

This is situated in Charlestown, is of granite, and was built about twenty years ago at the expense of the state of Ma.s.sachusetts. It consists of a centre building, containing the dwelling and offices of the superintendant, as well as the watchroom, and of two wings, where the prisoners are lodged. Behind the building is a large yard where the prisoners work. It is enclosed by a high wall, with palisades, which is guarded day and night by several sentinels. The prisoners are chiefly employed in cutting and polishing blocks of granite, which are used in Boston and its vicinity. The punishment of every prisoner who is sufficiently robust, commences with this hard labour, which, however, is changed if his conduct merits it, or if he exhibits abilities for some other employment. As stone-cutter, a daily task is a.s.signed to him, which, if not finished, or badly done, is followed by solitary confinement. If he performs more than his task, he is paid for the surplus. Of this sum he can dispose as he pleases when discharged.

Newly-arrived prisoners, and those who have conducted themselves badly, are dressed in green and blue, when, however, they conduct themselves properly again, they are freed from this distinguishing habit. Other prisoners work at various trades; supplying at the same time their mutual wants, as shoes, &c. An engraver who was imprisoned for counterfeiting Nova Scotia bank notes, worked in a separate room, and engraved very neat maps. Four prisoners sleep in one cell, which are all tolerably well ventilated, and every prisoner has his own hammock. Black bread and soup const.i.tute the food of the prisoners, who receive besides for breakfast and supper, a portion of syrup and flour, forming a kind of pudding. Besides the usual service on Sunday, they have prayers daily.

A report of the state of the prison from September 30, 1823, to September 30, 1824, which was published by the warden, Mr. Thomas Harris, contains the following results:--

The whole number of prisoners from 1805 to September 30, 1824, was one thousand eight hundred and sixteen; of these there were thirteen hundred and three dismissed, after the period of their punishment had expired; two hundred and ninety-eight were pardoned; fifteen escaped; one hundred and two died; two hundred and ninety-eight remained; of the thirteen hundred and three who were dismissed, two hundred and thirteen were a second time in prison for new crimes, and among these two hundred and thirteen there were twenty-four who had been pardoned.

On the 30th of September, 1823, there were three hundred and eight prisoners; of these eighty were dismissed, ten pardoned, six died, and, consequently, two hundred and twelve remained. To these eighty-six had been added, so that the number of prisoners amounted, September 30th, 1824, to two hundred and ninety-eight, as was mentioned above. Among these there were only three females.

Of these two hundred and ninety-eight, there were fifty-four black or coloured people, and fifty-nine white foreigners, viz. thirteen Englishmen, seventeen Irishmen, eight Scotchmen, four from Nova Scotia, two Canadians, one from the Cape of Good Hope, three West Indians, four Frenchmen, two Swedes, two Italians, one from Green Cape, one Portuguese, one German.

Two hundred and twenty-two were sentenced for stealing, twenty-six for pa.s.sing counterfeit money, sixteen for burglary, seven for attempted rape, six for attempting to murder, five for being incendiaries, eleven for forgery, and five, among whom were the three females, for robbery.

The prisoners are employed in different occupations; one hundred and twenty-one were stone-cutters, twenty-seven for removing the stone, thirty joiners, eleven brush makers, eight weavers, six shoemakers, ten tailors, &c. There were eleven in the hospital, four in solitary confinement, and three invalids.

The expenses of the prison amounted to forty-one thousand six hundred and ninety-five dollars for the maintenance of the prisoners, clothes, beds, medicine, and materials employed in the labours of the prisoners; and fifteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-six dollars for the officers, &c. Total of expenses, fifty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-two dollars.

The income derived from the labours of the prisoners amounted to fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and thirty-four dollars, and thus the prison was not only of no expense to the state, but produced a profit of twelve hundred and twelve dollars!

After leaving this remarkable building, the mayor accompanied us to Cambridge. A company of volunteers from Boston, the Washington Rangers, were training. The company were already departing when we arrived, but had the politeness to halt and repeat their exercise again. They exhibited much skill. They are somewhat fantastically dressed in green, and armed with long rifles. I became acquainted with the officers, who were all young men of the best families. I also spoke with several Cambridge students, some of whom were dressed in a uniform, belonging to a volunteer company, consisting of students alone.

We then went to Bunker's Hill, near Charlestown. The s.p.a.ce is small, but of great importance in American history. Connected with the main land by a bridge, this field of battle lies on a small island and has two hills, the higher and most northern of which is called Bunker's Hill; the southern, Breed's Hill, commands Charlestown and the Boston Roads.

In the year 1775, the Americans occupied this hill, and with their artillery, which was placed in a redoubt hastily thrown up, hara.s.sed the English garrison in Boston, and the fleet. On the morning of the 17th of June, the English made a sally, left Boston, landed on a point east of the redoubt, where the Americans had left too weak a defence, formed their columns, whilst the artillery in Boston set Charlestown on fire, and attacked the redoubt. This was so well defended, that the English were twice obliged to retreat with very great loss. In one of these unsuccessful attacks, the English Major Pitcairn, who shortly before had commanded the English advance guard at the affair of Lexington, was shot by an American sharp shooter, who still lives, at the moment when he shouted to his soldiers not to be "afraid of these d----d rebels, which were nothing but a crowd of gra.s.shoppers."

But the English received reinforcements, and renewed the attack. The Americans, on the contrary, had expended their ammunition, and the shot sent to them from Cambridge, the headquarters of General Lee, were too large for the calibre of their pieces. They could obtain no a.s.sistance, as an English man of war kept up a fierce fire upon the bridge, the only means of communication with the main land. They determined, therefore, to evacuate the redoubt, and they effected it, though with great loss.

At this time an English officer shot Dr. WARREN, one of the most distinguished American patriots, who shortly before had been appointed general, by congress. The English did not pursue the Americans farther than Bunker's Hill, but returned during the night to Boston. The remains of the redoubt are still seen, and on the 17th of June last, the corner stone of a monument was laid, which is to be an obelisk two hundred and ten feet high. One hundred and thirty veterans were present at this ceremony, the last of the seventeen hundred Americans who had partic.i.p.ated in this affair.

Finally, Mr. Quincy introduced us, in Charlestown, to a major of militia, who devotes much of his attention to rural economy, and to the breeding of cattle and horses. His whole establishment was interesting.

The major showed us, particularly, a n.o.ble English bull, from which he had raised very handsome and strong calves, and also a fine English stallion, ten years old.

In these peregrinations I made inquiries after Miss Wright, who, some years ago, published letters on America, which excited much attention in Europe, as well as in America. I was told that this _lady_ with her sister, unattended by a male protector, had roved through the country, in steam-boats and stages, that she constantly tagged about after General La Fayette, and whenever the general arrived at any place, Miss Wright was sure to follow next day, as but little notice had been taken of this _lady_ in Boston, a literary attack was expected from her pen.

She is no longer young, and is of tall stature and masculine manners. In general, her letters are not much esteemed, and the flattering terms in which she speaks of Americans and all their inst.i.tutions, are regarded as overstrained.[I-5]

[Footnote I-5: [This "_lady_" is now one of the editors of a newspaper, published in the western country, devoted to the especial debas.e.m.e.nt of the human race. She has kindly undertaken to enlighten the Americans by endeavouring to convince them that _religion_ is a cheat, _chast.i.ty_ a dream, and all who adhere to the pure precept of the gospel of our Saviour, fools!]--TRANS.]

On the 30th of July I went on board the Pallas to attend to the unloading of my baggage. I remained there a few hours, as I found it cooler on board than on sh.o.r.e. The vessel was as they said, full of visitors all day, for Captain Ryk, with his usual liberality, denied access to no one of genteel appearance. Citizens are by no means allowed to visit American vessels of war, unless they are known to an officer, and on this account the curiosity of the inhabitants of this place to see a foreign vessel of war is great.

When I returned to the city, I visited Mr. Quincy, who took me to the Court-house to see the a.r.s.enal of the thirteen volunteer companies of this place. One of these companies has been organized ever since 1638; all of these consist of young men of good families, who do not wish to serve in the same companies with the common crowd, but have united, and, in elegant uniforms, compose the flank companies of the battalions of militia. A large hall in the Court-house is appropriated for their exercises, when the weather is inclement. Every company consists of about sixty men. The greater number of the companies are armed like infantry, with bayonets according to the English mode, and the riflemen alone with rifles. Not only the arms of the company, but the swords of the officers are kept in the chambers of the Court-house.

From the Court-house, Mr. Quincy took me to the Athenaeum, where the princ.i.p.al journals of the United States are found, and a library of about twenty thousand volumes, which were partly presented and partly purchased. A regular librarian showed us every thing; we noticed particularly several interesting medals, and the collection made by Thoma.s.son in Birmingham, which represents the Elgin marbles. In the vestibule of the house, and in the large reading room, are plaster busts, which Lawyer Thorndike brought from Rome and presented to the Athenaeum. The handsome house itself, which is valued at twenty thousand dollars, was given to the society by Mr. Perkins, a brother of the celebrated mechanician in London.