,illustration3 ,w4 ,h4 ,,bartlett4 ,handsigned3 ,yours truly ,w4 ,h4 ,bartlett4 ,,american ,,scenery2 ,,or1 ,,land1 ,,lake1 ,,and ,,river ,,illustrations ,,of ,,transatlantic ,,nature4 ,,from ,,drawings ,,by ,w4 ,h4 ,,bartlett1 ,,engraved ,,in ,,the ,,first ,,style ,,of ,,the ,,art1 ,,by ,r4 ,,wallis1 ,j4 ,,cousen1 ,,willmore1 ,,brandard1 ,,adlard1 ,,richardson1 c4 ,,the ,,literary ,,department ,,by ,n4 ,p4 ,,willis1 ,,esq4 ,,author ,,of 8,,pencillings ,,by ,,the ,,way10 8,,inklings ,,of ,,adventure10 ,,etc4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,london3 ,g ,e ,o ,r ,g ,e ,v ,i ,r ,t ,u ,e1 #bf1 ,i ,v ,y ,l ,a ,n ,e4 ,,mdcccxl4 ,,london3 ,,richard ,,clay1 ,,printer4 ,,bread ,,street ,,hill4 ,,preface4 99 99 99 99 99 ,either ,nature has wrought with a bolder hand in ,america1 or the effect of long continued cultivation on scenery1 as exemplified in ,europe1 is greater than is usually supposed4 ,certain it is that the rivers1 the forests1 the unshorn mountain-sides and unbridged chasms of that vast country1 are of a character peculiar to ,america alone--a lavish and large-featured sublimity1 7if we may so express it17 quite dissimilar to the picturesque of all other countries4 ,to compare the sublime of the ,western ,continent with the sublime of ,switzerland--the vales and rivers1 lakes and waterfalls1 of the ,new ,world with those of the ,old--to note their differences1 and admire or appreciate each by contrast with the other1 was a privilege hitherto confined to the far-wandering traveller4 ,in the class of works1 of which this is a specimen1 however1 that enviable enjoyment is brought to the fire-side of the home-keeping and secluded as well2 and1 sitting by the social hearth1 those whose lot is domestic and retired1 can1 with small cost1 lay side by side upon the evening table the wild scenery of ,america1 and the bold passes of the ,alps--the leafy ,susquehanna with its rude raft1 and the palace-gemmed ,bosphorus with its slender caque4 ,so great a gratification is seldom enjoyed at so little cost and pains4 ,in the ,letter-press1 it has been the ,writer's aim to assemble as much as possible of that part of ,american story which history has not yet found leisure to put into form1 and which romance and poetry have not yet appropriated--the legendary traditions and anecdotes1 events of the trying times of the ,revolution1 ,indian history1 c4 c4 ,it is confidently hoped1 that the attempt to assemble a mass of interesting matter under this design1 has not failed2 and that1 in the value of the intellectual portion1 as well as in the beauty and finish of the embellishments1 the ,work will be thought worthy of the patronage of the public4 ,,contents ,,and ,,list ,,of ,,engravings ,,to ,,volume ,i4 99 99 99 99 99 ,ch4 ,page ,,portrait of ,mr4 ,bartlett4 7,autographed7 #j #a ,,map of the ,,north-,,eastern ,parts of the ,,united ,,states #a #b ,niagara ,falls1 from the ,ferry #d #c ,view from ,west ,point #f #d ,trenton ,falls1 ,view down the ,ravine #h #e ,view from ,mount ,holyoke #aj #f ,the ,outlet of ,niagara ,river #ab #g ,the ,palisades1 ,hudson ,river #ad #h ,the ,rapids above the ,falls of ,niagara #af #i ,saratoga ,lake #ah #aj ,the ,colonnade of ,congress ,hall1 ,saratoga ,springs #bj #aa ,albany #bb #ab ,crow's ,nest1 from ,bull ,hill1 ,west ,point #bd #ac ,view below ,table ,rock #bf #ad ,lake ,winipiseogee #bh #ae ,kosciusko's ,monument #cj #af ,the ,horseshoe ,falls at ,niagara1 with the ,tower #cb #ag ,the ,narrows1 at ,staten ,island #cd #ah ,view of the ,capitol at ,washington #cf #ai ,view of the ,ruins of ,fort ,ticonderoga #ch #bj ,view from ,fort ,putnam #dj #ba ,view of ,state ,street1 ,boston #db #bb ,niagara ,falls1 from ,clifton ,house #de #bc ,view from ,hyde ,park #dg #bd ,village of ,sing-,sing #di #be ,view from ,ruggle's ,house1 ,newburgh #ea #bf ,descent into the ,valley of ,wyoming #ec #bg ,boston1 from ,dorchester ,heights #ee #bh ,view of ,faneuil ,hall1 ,boston #eg #bi ,new ,york ,bay1 from the ,telegraph ,station #ei #cj ,peekskill ,landing #fa #ca ,lighthouse near ,caldwell ,landing #fc #cb ,harper's ,ferry1 from the ,potomac side #fe #cc ,caldwell1 ,lake ,george #fi #cd ,centre ,harbour1 ,lake ,winipiseogee #ga #ce ,yale ,college1 at ,new ,haven #gd #cf ,willey ,house--,white ,mountains #gf #cg ,battle ,monument1 ,baltimore #gh #ch ,forest ,scene on ,lake ,ontario #hj #ci ,viaduct on the ,baltimore and ,washington ,rail-road #hb #dj ,the ,indian ,falls near ,coldspring #he #da ,columbia ,bridge1 over the ,susquehanna #hg #db ,the ,genessee ,falls1 ,rochester #hi #dc ,the ,ferry at ,brooklyn1 ,new ,york #ia #dd ,rail-road to ,utica1 ,little ,falls #ic #de ,utica #if #df ,the ,landing1 on the ,american side1 ,falls of ,niagara #ig #dg ,view ,from ,mount ,washington #ii #dh ,mount ,washington1 and the ,white ,hills #aja #di ,the ,park and ,city ,hall1 ,new ,york #ajc #ej ,the ,two ,lakes1 and the ,mountain ,house on the ,catskills #aje #ea ,trenton ,high ,falls #ajf #eb ,the ,valley of the ,shenandoah1 from ,jefferson's ,rock #ajh #ec ,lockport1 ,erie ,canal #aaj #ed ,the ,tomb of ,washington1 ,mount ,vernon #aac #ee ,black ,mountain1 ,lake ,george #aae #ef ,valley of the ,connecticut1 from ,mount ,holyoke #aag #eg ,view on the ,erie ,canal1 near ,little ,falls #aai #eh ,hudson ,highlands1 from ,bull ,hill #aba #ei ,villa on the ,hudson1 near ,weehawken #abc #fj ,view of ,meredith1 ,new ,hampshire #abe #fa ,ballston ,springs #abh #fb ,the ,narrows1 from ,fort ,hamilton #acj #fc ,the ,notch ,house1 ,white ,mountains #acb #fd ,wilkesbarre1 ,vale of ,wyoming #acd #fe ,squawm ,lake1 ,new ,hampshire #acf #ff ,sabbath-,day ,point1 ,lake ,george #ach ,illustration3 ,,the ,,north ,,eastern ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,,american ,,scenery4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it strikes the ,european traveller1 at the first burst of the scenery of ,america on his eye1 that the ,new ,world of ,columbus is also a new world from the hand of the ,creator4 ,in comparison with the old countries of ,europe1 the vegetation is so wondrously lavish1 the outlines and minor features struck out with so bold a freshness1 and the lakes and rivers so even in their fulness and flow1 yet so vast and powerful1 that he may well imagine it an ,eden newly sprung from the ocean4 ,the ,minerva-like birth of the republic of the ,united ,states1 its sudden rise to independence1 wealth1 and power1 and its continued and marvellous increase in population and prosperity1 strike him with the same surprise1 and leave the same impression of a new scale of existence1 and a fresher and faster law of growth and accomplishment4 ,the interest1 with regard to both the natural and civilized features of ,america1 has very much increased within a few years2 and travellers1 who have exhausted the unchanging countries of ,europe1 now turn their steps in great numbers to the novel scenery1 and ever-shifting aspects of this4 ,the picturesque views of the ,united ,states suggest a train of thought directly opposite to that of similar objects of interest in other lands4 ,there1 the soul and centre of attraction in every picture is some ruin of the past4 ,the wandering artist avoids every thing that is modern1 and selects his point of view so as to bring prominently into his sketch1 the castle1 or the cathedral1 which history or antiquity has hallowed4 ,the traveller visits each spot in the same spirit--ridding himself1 as far as possible1 of common and present associations1 to feed his mind on the historical and legendary4 ,the objects and habits of reflection in both traveller and artist undergo in ,america a direct revolution4 ,he who journeys here1 if he would not have the eternal succession of lovely natural objects-- 8,lie like a load on the weary eye10 must feed his imagination on the future4 ,the ,american does so4 ,his mind1 as he tracks the broad rivers of his own country1 is perpetually reaching forward4 ,instead of looking through a valley1 which has presented the same aspect for hundreds of years--in which live lords and tenants1 whose hearths have been surrounded by the same names through ages of tranquil descent1 and whose fields have never changed landmark or mode of culture since the memory of man1 he sees a valley laden down like a harvest waggon with a virgin vegetation1 untrodden and luxuriant2 and his first thought is of the villages that will soon sparkle on the hill-sides1 the axes that will ring from the woodlands1 and the mills1 bridges1 canals1 and rail-roads1 that will span and border the stream that now runs through sedge and wild-flowers4 ,the towns he passes through on his route are not recognizable by prints done by artists long ago dead1 with houses of low-browed architecture1 and immemorial trees2 but a town which has perhaps doubled its inhabitants and dwellings since he last saw it1 and will again double them before he returns4 ,instead of inquiring into its antiquity1 he sits over the fire with his paper and pencil1 and calculates what the population will be in ten years1 how far they will spread1 what the value of the neighbouring land will become1 and whether the stock of some canal or rail-road that seems more visionary than ,symmes's expedition to the centre of the earth1 will1 in consequence1 be a good investment4 ,he looks upon all external objects as exponents of the future4 ,in ,europe they are only exponents of the past4 ,there is a field for the artist in this country 7of which this publication reaps almost the first-fruits7 which surpasses every other in richness of picturesque4 ,the great difficulty at present is1 where to choose4 ,every mile upon the rivers1 every hollow in the landscape1 every turn in the innumerable mountain streams1 arrests the painter's eye1 and offers him some untouched and peculiar variety of an exhaustless nature4 ,it is in river scenery1 however1 that ,america excels all other lands3 and here the artist's labour is not1 as in ,europe1 to embellish and idealise the reality2 he finds it difficult to come up to it4 ,how represent the excessive richness of the foliage6 ,how draw the vanishing lines which mark the swells in the forest-ground1 the round heaps of the chestnut-tops1 the greener belts through the wilderness which betray the wanderings of the water-courses6 ,how give in so small a space the evasive swiftness of the rapid1 the terrific plunge of the precipice1 or the airy wheel of the eagle1 as his diminished form shoots off from the sharp line of the summit1 and cuts a circle on the sky6 ,the general architecture of the ,united ,states cannot pretend1 of course1 to vie with that of older countries2 yet1 taken in connexion with the beautiful position of the towns1 no drawing will be found deficient in beauty1 while many of the public buildings especially are1 as works of art1 well worthy the draughtman's notice4 ,the curiosity now generally excited with regard to this country1 by its own progress1 and by the late numerous books of travels1 will throw a sufficient interest around every point that the pencil could present4 ----8,the green land of groves1 the beautiful waste1 ,nurse of full streams1 and lifter up of proud ,sky-mingling mountains that o'erlook the cloud4 ,erewhile1 where yon gay spires their brightness rear1 ,trees waved1 and the brown hunter's shouts were loud ,amid the forest2 and the bounding deer ,fled at the glancing plume1 and the gaunt wolf yell'd near4 8,and where his willing waves yon bright blue bay ,sends up1 to kiss his decorated brim1 ,and cradles1 in his soft embrace1 the gay ,young group of grassy islands born of him1 ,and1 crowding nigh1 or in the distance dim1 ,lifts the white throng of sails1 that bear or bring ,the commerce of the world2--with tawny limb1 ,and belt and beads in sunlight glistening1 ,the savage urged his skiff like wild bird on the wing4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 8,look now abroad--another race has fill'd ,these populous borders--wide the wood recedes1 ,and towns shoot up1 and fertile realms are till'd2 ,the land is full of harvests and green meads2 ,streams numberless1 that many a fountain feeds1 ,shine1 disembower'd1 and give to sun and breeze ,their virgin waters2 the full region leads ,new colonies forth1 that toward the western seas ,spread1 like a rapid flame1 among the autumnal trees4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 8,but thou1 my country1 thou shalt never fall1 ,but with thy children--thy maternal care1 ,thy lavish love1 thy blessing shower'd on all-- ,these are thy fetters--seas and stormy air ,are the wide barrier of thy borders1 where ,among thy gallant sons that guard thee well1 ,thou laugh'st at enemies3 who shall then declare ,the date of thy deep-founded strength1 or tell ,how happy1 in thy lap1 the sons of men shall dwell40--,,bryant4 ,illustration ,,niagara ,,falls1 ,,from ,,the ,,ferry4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the best way to approach ,niagara is to come up on the ,american shore1 and cross at the ferry4 ,the descent of about two hundred feet by the staircase1 brings the traveller directly under the shoulder and edge of the ,american fall--the most imposing scene1 for a single object1 that he will ever have witnessed4 ,the long column of sparkling water seems1 as he stands near it1 to descend to an immeasurable depth1 and the bright sea-green curve above has the appearance of being let into the sky4 ,the tremendous power of the ,fall1 as well as the height1 realizes here his utmost expectations4 ,he descends to the water's edge1 and embarks in a ferry-boat1 which tosses like an egg-shell on the heaving and convulsed water2 and in a minute or two he finds himself in the face of the vast line of the ,falls1 and sees with surprise that he has expended his fullest admiration and astonishment upon a mere thread of ,niagara--the thousandth part of its wondrous volume and grandeur4 ,from the point where he crosses1 to ,table ,rock1 the line of the ,falls is measurable at three quarters of a mile2 and it is this immense extent which1 more than any other feature1 takes the traveller by surprise4 ,the tide at the ,ferry sets very strongly down1 and the athletic men who are employed here1 keep the boat up against it with difficulty4 ,arrived near the opposite landing1 however1 there is a slight counter-current1 and the large rocks near the shore serve as a breakwater1 behind which the boat runs smoothly to her moorings4 ,it may be remarked1 that the well-known stanzas on the 8,fall of ,terni10 in the fourth canto of 8,childe ,harold10 are1 in many respects1 singularly and powerfully descriptive of ,niagara4 8,the roar of waters6--from the headlong height ,velino cleaves the wave-worn precipice2 ,the fall of waters6 rapid as the light ,the flashing mass foams shaking the abyss2 ,the hell of waters6 where they howl and hiss1 ,and boil in endless torture2 while the sweat ,of their great agony1 wrung out from this ,their ,phlegethon1 curls round the rocks of jet ,that gird the gulf around1 in pitiless horror set1 8,and mounts in spray the skies1 and thence again ,returns in an unceasing shower1 which round1 ,with its unemptied cloud of gentle rain1 ,is an eternal ,april to the ground1 ,making it all one emerald3--how profound ,the gulph6 and how the giant element ,from rock to rock leaps with delirious bound1 ,crushing the cliffs1 which1 downward worn and rent ,with his fierce footsteps1 yield in chasms a fearful vent1 8,to the broad column which rolls on1 and shows ,more like the fountain of an infant sea ,torn from the womb of mountains by the throes ,of a new world1 than only thus to be ,parent of rivers1 which flow gushingly1 ,with many windings through the vale3--,look back ,lo6 where it comes like an eternity1 ,as if to sweep down all things in its track1 ,charming the eye with dread1--a matchless cataract1 8,horribly beautiful6 but on the verge1 ,from side to side1 beneath the glittering morn1 ,an ,iris sits1 amidst the infernal surge1 ,like ,hope upon a death-bed1 and1 unworn ,its steady dyes1 while all around is torn ,by the distracted waters1 bears serene ,its brilliant hues with all their beams unshorn3 ,resembling1 'mid the torture of the scene1 ,love watching ,madness with unalterable mien40--,,byron4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,west ,,point4 99 99 99 99 99 ,of the river scenery of ,america1 the ,hudson1 at ,west ,point1 is doubtless the boldest and most beautiful4 ,this powerful river writhes through the highlands in abrupt curves1 reminding one1 when the tide runs strongly down1 of ,laocoon in the enlacing folds of the serpent4 ,the different spurs of mountain ranges which meet here1 abut upon the river in bold precipices from five to fifteen hundred feet from the water's edge2 the foliage hangs to them1 from base to summit1 with the tenacity and bright verdure of moss2 and the stream below1 deprived of the slant lights which brighten its depths elsewhere1 flows on with a sombre and dark green shadow in its bosom1 as if frowning at the narrow gorge into which its broad-breasted waters are driven4 ,back from the bluff of ,west ,point extends a natural platform of near half a mile square1 high1 level1 and beautifully amphitheatred with wood and rock4 ,this is the site of the ,military ,academy1 and a splendid natural parade4 ,when the tents of the summer camp are shining on the field--the flag1 with its blood-bright stripes1 waving against the foliage of the hills--the trumpet echoing from bluff to bluff1 and the compact batallion cutting its trim line across the greensward--there are few more fairy spots in this working-day world4 ,on the extreme edge of the summit1 overlooking the river1 stands a marble shaft1 pointing like a bright finger to glory1 the tomb of the soldier and patriot ,kosciusko4 ,the military colleges and other buildings skirt the parade on the side of the mountain2 and forward1 toward the river1 on the western edge1 stands a spacious hotel1 from the verandahs of which the traveller gets a view through the highlands1 that he remembers till he dies4 ,right up before him1 with the smooth curve of an eagle's ascent1 rises the 8old cro' nest0 of the culprit ,fay1 a bright green mountain1 that thrusts its topmost pine into the sky2 the ,donderbarrak1 or 7if it is not sacrilege to translate so fine a name for a mountain17 the ,thunder-chamber1 heaves its round shoulder beyond2 back from the opposite shore1 as if it recoiled from these1 leans the bold cliff of ,breknock2 and then looking out1 as if from a cavern1 into the sunlight1 the eye drops beyond upon a sheet of wide-spreading water1 with an emerald island in its bosom2 the white buildings of ,newburgh creeping back to the plains beyond1 and in the far1 far distance1 the wavy and blue line of the ,kattskills1 as if it were the dim-seen edge of an outer horizon4 ,the passage through the highlands at ,west ,point still bears the old name of ,wey-gat1 or ,wind-gate2 and one of the prettiest moving dioramas conceivable1 is the working through the gorge of the myriad sailing-craft of the river4 ,the sloops which ply upon the ,hudson1 by the way1 are remarkable for their picturesque beauty1 and for the enormous quantity of sail they carry on in all weathers2 and nothing is more beautiful than the little fleets of from six to a dozen1 all tacking or scudding together1 like so many white sea-birds on the wing4 ,up they come1 with a dashing breeze1 under ,anthony's ,nose1 and the ,sugar-,loaf1 and giving the rocky toe of ,west ,point a wide berth1 all down helm1 and round into the bay2 when--just as the peak of ,crow ,nest slides its shadow over the mainsail--slap comes the wind aback1 and the whole fleet is in a flutter4 ,the channel is narrow and serpentine1 the wind baffling1 and small room to beat2 but the little craft are worked merrily and well2 and dodging about1 as if to escape some invisible imp in the air1 they gain point after point1 till at last they get the ,donderbarrak behind them1 and fall once more into the regular current of the wind4 ,illustration ,,trenton ,,falls4 7,,view ,,down ,,the ,,ravine47 99 99 99 99 99 ,trenton ,falls 7called ,cayoharie by the ,indians7 are formed by the descent of a considerable stream1 known by the name of ,west ,canada ,creek1 through a mountainous ravine of singular formation and beauty4 ,the ,creek1 which is swollen to a tremendous torrent by rains in the mountains1 or by the spring thaws1 has evidently worn through the strata which now enclose it1 and runs at present over a succession of flat platforms1 descending by leaps of forty or fifty feet from one to the other1 and forming the most lovely chain of cascades for a length of three or four hundred miles4 ,the walls that shut it in are either perpendicular1 or overhanging it in broad table ledges2 the wild vegetation of the forest above1 leaning over the chasm with an effect like foliage of a bright translucent green1 painted on the sky4 ,although but fourteen miles distant from a town containing twelve or fourteen thousand inhabitants1 ,trenton ,falls were unknown till within a very few years4 ,they were discovered by an artist in search of the picturesque1 and are now visited1 like ,niagara and ,terni4 ,a quiet but excellent inn1 which contrasts strongly1 by its respectful service1 and its neat and secluded air1 with the noisy and carelessly kept hotels of the country1 stands on the edge of the pine forest1 a little back from the brink of the chasm2 and being off the business line of travel1 and requiring a little time and expense to reach1 it is frequented principally by the better class of travellers1 and forms a most agreeable loitering-place1 either for the invalid1 or the lover of quiet leisure4 ,in company with the artist to whom the public is indebted for these admirable drawings1 ,i lately visited the ravine by moonlight4 ,we had passed the day in rambling up and down the creek1 7a term1 by the way1 that1 differing from its use in ,england1 describes usually in ,america the finer class of streams27 and ,i had already made myself familiar by many visits in former years with every turn and phase of its matchless waters1 as seen by the light of day4 ,the moon rose about ten1 and lifted her perfect orb1 without a mist or a cloud1 over the shoulder of the mountain which turns the outlet of the ravine4 ,the fine and majestic wood1 through which winds the narrow footpath to the ,falls1 let in the white light in silvery and broken masses--sometimes sliding a long argent line down the dark body of a pine1 sometimes pouring in upon the horizontal branches of the hemlock1 like an open hand sprinkled with snow2 and here and there lighting up a broad circle upon the carpet of tassels and dead leaves1 which1 in contrast with the heavy shadows of the surrounding wood1 looked illuminated with the special brightness of a fairy ring4 ,we descended the long ladder leading into the ravine1 and were soon below the reach of the moonlight1 which came slant as yet1 and only rimmed the black wall above us with a long strip of white1 which1 where the wavy line of moss and creepers ran into it1 resembled the edging of lace upon a velvet coat in a dark old ,flemish picture4 ,the water in this part of the gulf quite fills up the chasm1 and rolls1 even by day-light1 in a black and sullen stream between the bare cliffs which frown over it4 ,the only path here is a giddy ledge1 half way up the precipice1 which is passed with the aid of a chain run along the rock2 and1 as we stood on this1 looking over into the uncertain darkness below1 with the murmur of the far-down and invisible current ascending faintly to our ears1 and the light of heaven ceasing so far above us1 it seemed to us not an inapt image of the infernal river4 ,we crept on till we came to the foot of the principal ,fall1 and sat down on the platform below1 to wait the gradual descent of the moon4 ,the mist over the ,fall began to show like a film of gauze waving in the air2 the sharp angles and crevices in the precipice caught the light one by one1 and soon the whole upper ravine was illuminated1 while through the gorge below the stream still made its way darkly and solemnly to the outlet4 ,no pencil1 no language1 can describe the splendour with which the moon drew her light across the face of the ,fall4 ,the other objects in the ravine drank her beams soberly1 and gave back only their own calm outlines to the eye2 but1 from this wall of waters1 every spray-drop gave back a diamond--every column of the descending element1 a pillar of silver4 ,if there were gates to fairy-land opening from this world of ours1 and times when they are visible and recognizable by the chance passing eye of man1 ,i should have believed that we had fallen on the hour1 and that some inner and slowly opening portal was letting the brightness of a fairy world through these curtains of crystal4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,mount ,,holyoke4 99 99 99 99 99 ,probably the richest view in ,america1 in point of cultivation and fertile beauty1 is that from ,mount ,holyoke4 ,the bald face of this mountain1 which is turned towards ,northampton1 is about one thousand one hundred feet above the level of the ,connecticut river1 7or ,quonnecticut1 as pronounced by the ,indians17 and commands a radius of about sixty miles4 ,the ascent at the side is easy2 and it is a fashionable climb for tourists1 whose patronage of ginger-beer and sunrises maintains a shanty and a hermit on the top1 and keeps in repair a series of scrambling but convenient ladders at the difficult points of the enterprise4 ,the view immediately below presents a singular phase of the scenery of the river1 which seems here to possess a soul for beauty1 and loiters1 enamoured and unwilling to flow on1 in the bosom of a meadow which has no parallel in ,new ,england for loveliness and fertility4 ,four times the amorous stream turns to the west1 and thrice to the east1 threading its silver tide through the tender verdure as capriciously as a vein in the neck of beauty1 and cheating twelve miles of direct course into twenty-four of coil and current4 ,the meadow is almost entirely unfenced1 and the river is fringed in all its windings with weeping elms1 wild flowers and shrubs1 while up toward the town the fields rise in slightly swelling terraces--forming a foreground to one of the most sunny and cheerful villages in ,massachusetts4 ,the more extended view embraces a great variety of mountain range--,monadhoe in the north-east1 ,saddle ,mountain in the north-west1 ,mount ,tom 7between which and ,mount ,holyoke the ,connecticut seems to have broken with the outlet waters of an immense lake7 close on the south-west1 and spurs of the ,green ,mountains advancing and receding in the course of the ,connecticut in the north4 ,geologists speculate extensively on the lakes that once existed in the bosoms formed by these mountains--but we have not time to go back to the deluge4 ,there is a small hamlet at the foot of ,mount ,holyoke1 on the eastern side of the river1 called by the ,indian name ,hoccanum1 and another at the foot of ,mount ,tom1 on the western side1 called ,pascommuc1 both of which were burnt by the savages in the early settlement of the country1 and the inhabitants killed or taken captive4 ,the early history of all these towns on the ,connecticut river is filled with events of ,indian warfare4 ,northampton1 by its rich alluvial land allured the first settlers of ,massachusetts long before most of the country between it and the sea-coast possessed an inhabitant4 ,these adventurous pilgrims seated themselves in the midst of an unprotected wilderness1 and surrounded by populous ,indian tribes2 and1 first purchasing the land at the ,indians' valuation1 they defended themselves afterwards as they might from the aggressions of these and others4 ,the township of ,northampton 7called ,nonotuc by the aborigines7 was first bought in #afec4 ,it was conveyed to ,john ,pyncheon for the planters by ,wawdillowa1 ,nenessahalant1 ,nassicochee1 and four others 7one of whom was a married woman71 who were styled the 8chief and proper owners40 ,the price was 8one hundred fathom of wampum by tale1 and ten coats10 to which was added an agreement to plough for the ,indians1 in the ensuing summer1 sixteen acres of land on the east side of ,quonnecticut ,river4 ,these 8all bargained for themselves1 or the other owners by their consent40 ,all the aborigines of this country1 observes a correct writer on this subject1 are owners of the lands on which they dwell--men and women alike4 ,this property in lands1 held by the ,indian women1 is a singular fact in the history of the savage nations4 ,three years after1 a rich interval near ,northampton1 called ,capawanke1 and containing eight or nine hundred acres1 was sold to these same planters by an ,indian1 named ,lampancho1 for fifty shillings1 at two payments1 8to his entire satisfaction40 ,these two purchases give a very fair idea of the ,indian purchases made by our forefathers4 ,in the former1 ninety square miles were sold for a hundred fathom of wampum and ten coats6 ,within this tract were near five thousand acres of interval land1 worth at the present time perhaps eight or nine hundred thousand dollars4 ,unjust as the transaction seems1 however1 the price was ample to the ,indian1 who could not have got so much by keeping it1 and for whom there was no other purchaser4 ,the settlers of ,nonotuc lived in comparative harmony with the tribe about them2 but in the subsequent ,indian wars they lived in perpetual fear and agitation4 ,the town was surrounded with palisades1 8the meeting-house0 was fortified1 as were most of the private houses1 and several forts were built within the town4 ,still their dwellings were often burnt1 their women and children carried into captivity1 and their time was divided between war and agriculture4 ,illustration ,,outlet ,,of ,,niagara ,,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this view is taken from the ,american side1 and presents the debouchure of the waters of ,niagara into ,lake ,ontario1 from a point of great advantage4 ,the vastness of the lake beyond1 the tremendous agony which the still foaming waters have just escaped at ,niagara1 and the remoter journey of three thousand miles by which they have sought the sea from their fountains in the west1 form a back-ground of imagination to this view1 which1 realised on the spot1 give it a very thrilling interest4 ,it is in itself1 however1 a landscape of unusually bold character2 and the lofty and curving banks of the river are in keeping with its powerful flow1 and the immense volume it pours into the lake4 ,fort ,niagara1 on the opposite side1 was erected by the ,french so late as #agea1 and was looked upon by them as the key to all these inland seas4 ,they had possession of it about eight years4 ,in the beginning of ,july1 #agei1 ,general ,prideaux1 with his troops1 reinforced by the ,indian auxiliaries under ,sir ,william ,johnson1 advanced to ,niagara without the least hinderance--the enemy here not being in sufficient force to throw any impediments in the way4 ,about the middle of ,july he commenced the siege1 which he carried on with great vigour till the twentieth1 when he was killed in the trenches4 ,sir ,william ,johnson1 who succeeded him1 pressed the siege with great vigour4 ,the enemy1 alarmed with the apprehension of losing a place of such importance1 resolved to make a last effort for its relief4 ,for this purpose1 they assembled about twelve hundred men1 drawn from ,venango1 ,presque ,isle1 and ,detroit2 and these1 with some ,indian auxiliaries1 were detached1 under the command of ,m4 d',aubry1 on an attempt to reinforce the garrison4 ,sir ,william ,johnson having received intelligence of their design1 made a disposition to intercept them in their march4 ,he accordingly detached a considerable body of troops for this service1 who1 falling in with the enemy very near the lines of the besiegers1 a battle was fought1 which resulted in the entire defeat of the ,french1 with the capture of their commander1 and most of his officers4 ,this battle happened the twenty-fourth of ,july1 and was fought in sight of the ,french garrison at ,niagara4 ,sir ,william ,johnson immediately after sent ,major ,harvey to the commandant of the fort1 with an order1 exhorting him to surrender1 which being complied with1 the garrison1 consisting of about six hundred men1 surrendered prisoners of war40 ,the following letter from ,sir ,william ,johnson1 reporting his victory1 is preserved in the ,historical ,journal kept by ,captain ,knox1 and printed at the time3-- 8,i have the honour to acquaint you1 by ,lieutenant ,moncrief1 that ,niagara surrendered to his ,majesty's arms1 on the twenty-fifth instant4 ,a detachment of twelve hundred men1 with a number of ,indians1 under the command of ,messieurs ,aubry and ,signery1 collected from ,detroit1 ,venango1 and ,presqu',isle1 made an attempt to reinforce the garrison1 the twenty-fourth in the morning2 but as ,i had intelligence of them1 ,i made a disposition to intercept them4 ,the evening before1 ,i ordered the light infantry and piquets to take post on the road upon our left1 leading from ,niagara ,falls to the fort2 in the morning1 ,i reinforced these with two companies of grenadiers1 and part of the forty-sixth regiment4 ,the action began about half an hour after nine2 but they were so well received by the troops in front1 and the ,indians on their flank1 that1 in an hour's time1 the whole was completely ruined1 and all their officers made prisoners1 among whom are ,m4 d',aubry1 de ,signery1 ,marin1 ,repentini1 to the number of seventeen4 ,i cannot ascertain the number killed1 they are so dispersed among the woods2 but their loss is great4 ,as this happened under the eyes of the garrison1 ,i thought proper to send my last summons to the commanding officer1 for his surrendering1 which he listened to4 ,i inclose you the capitulation3 ,m4 ,moncrief will inform you of the state of our ammunition and provisions2 ,i hope care will be taken to forward an immediate supply of both to ,oswego4 ,as the troops that were defeated yesterday were drawn from those posts which lie in ,general ,stanwig's route1 ,i am in hopes it will be of the utmost consequence to the success of his expedition4 ,the public stores of the garrison1 that can be saved from the ,indians1 ,i shall order the ,assistant ,quarter-,master ,general1 and the ,clerk of the stores1 to take an account of1 as soon as possible4 ,as all my attention at present is taken up with the ,indians1 that the capitulation ,i have agreed to may be observed1 your ,excellency will excuse my not being more particular4 ,permit me to assure you1 in the whole progress of the siege1 which was severe and painful1 the officers and men behaved with the utmost cheerfulness and bravery4 ,i have only to regret the loss of ,general ,prideaux and ,colonel ,johnson2 ,i endeavoured to pursue the late ,general's vigorous measures1 the good effects of which he deserved to enjoy40 ,illustration ,,the ,,palisades--,,hudson ,,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the first feature of the celebrated banks of the ,hudson1 which arrests the eye of the traveller after leaving ,new ,york1 is this singular wall of rock1 extending as far onward as he can see1 and forming a bold barricade against the river on the side of ,new ,jersey4 ,this singular precipice varies in height from fifty to two hundred feet1 and presents a naked front of columnar strata1 which gives it its descriptive name4 ,the small sloops which lie along under the shore1 loading with building stone from its base1 and an occasional shed1 diminished to the size of a dog-kennel1 across the breadth of the river1 are the only marks of life and habitation it presents to the traveller's eye4 ,with most persons1 to mention the ,palisades is to recall only the confusion of a steamer's deck1 just off from the wharf1 with a freight of seven or eight hundred souls hoping to 8take tea0 in ,albany4 ,the scene is one of inextricable confusion1 and it is not till the twenty miles of the ,palisades are well passed1 that the bewildered passenger knows rightly whether his wife1 child1 or baggage1 whichever may be his tender care1 is not being left behind at the rate of fifteen miles in the hour4 ,i have often1 when travelling alone1 7for 8reflection with folded arms0 consorts only with the childless and baggageless bachelor71 ,i have often flung my valise into a corner1 and sure that the whole of my person and personal effects was under way1 watched the maniform embarrassments and troubles that beset the uninitiated voyager on the ,hudson4 ,fifteen minutes before the starting of the boat1 there is not a passenger on board2 8time is moving10 and the ,american counting it as part of the expense1 determines to pay only 8on demand40 ,he arrives on the narrow pier at the same instant with seven hundred men1 ladies1 and children1 besides lapdogs1 crammed baskets1 uncut novels1 and baggage for the whole4 ,no commissioner in the world would guarantee to get all this freight on board in the given time1 and yet it is done1 to the daily astonishment of newspaper hawkers1 orange-women1 and penny-a-liners watching for dreadful accidents4 ,the plank is drawn in1 the wheels begin to paw like foaming steeds impatient to be off1 the bell rings as if it was letting down the steps of the last hackney-coach1 and away darts the boat1 like half a town suddenly slipping off and taking a walk on the water4 ,the 8hands10 7who follow their nomenclature literally1 and have neither eyes nor bowels7 trip up all the little children and astonished maids1 in coiling up the hawser2 the black head-waiter rings a hand-bell as if he were crazy1 exhorting 8them passengers as hasn't settled to step to the ,cap'n's office1 and settle10 and angry people who have lost sight of their portmanteaus1 and selfish people who will not get up to let the young gentleman see if his penny trumpet is not under them1 play in a real-life farce better than ,keeley or ,liston4 ,a painted notice and a very fat black woman in the door-way1 inform the gentleman who has not seen his wife since the boat started1 and is not at all sure that she is on board1 that 8no gentleman is permitted to enter the ladies' cabin10 and spite of his dreadful uncertainty1 he is obliged to trust to this dark ,hebe to find her1 among three hundred ladies1 by description1 and amuses all the listeners with his inventory of her dress1 features1 and general appearance4 ,the negress disappears1 is called twenty ways in twenty seconds1 and an hour after1 the patient husband sees the faithless messenger pass with a glass of lemonade1 having utterly forgotten him and the lady in the black bonnet and grey eyes1 who may be1 for ought he knows to the contrary1 wringing her hands at that moment on the wharf at ,new ,york4 ,by this time1 the young ladies are tired of looking at the ,palisades1 and have taken out their novels1 the old gentlemen are poring over their damp newspapers1 and the captain has received his fourteen hundred or two thousand dollars1 locked up his office1 and gone up to smoke with the black funnel and the engineer4 ,the broad waters of the ,tappan ,sea open before the flying cut-water2 those who have never been up the river before1 think of poor ,andr as they pass ,tappan and ,parrytown1 and those who love gentle worth and true genius begin to look out for ,sleepy ,hollow1 and the house of ,washington ,irving4 ,it is a quiet little spot1 buried in trees1 and marked with an old ,dutch vane4 ,may his latter days1 when they shall come1 find there the reverence and repose which are his due6 ,illustration ,,the ,,rapids ,,above ,,the ,,falls ,,of ,,niagara4 99 99 99 99 99 ,during the last ,canadian war1 ,general ,putnam1 the famous partisan soldier1 made the first descent upon ,goat ,island4 ,a wager had been laid1 that no man in the army would dare to cross the ,rapids from the ,american side2 and with the personal daring for which he was remarkable1 above all the men of that trying period1 he undertook the feat4 ,selecting the four stoutest and most resolute men in his corps1 he embarked in a batteau just above the island1 and with a rope attached to the ring-bolt1 which was held by as many muscular fellows on the shore1 he succeeded by desperate rowing in reaching his mark4 ,he most easily towed back1 and the feat has since been rendered unnecessary by the construction of the bridge from which the accompanying view is taken4 ,many years since1 a ,tonemanta chief1 after a violent quarrel with his squaw1 lay down to sleep in his canoe4 ,the little bark was moored just out of the tide of ,niagara river1 at the inlet to the creek which takes its name from his tribe1 and the half-drunken chief1 with his bottle of rum in his bosom1 was soon fast asleep among the sedges4 ,the enraged squaw1 finding1 after several attempts1 that she could not get possession of the bottle without waking him1 unmoored the canoe1 and swimming out of the creek1 pushed it before her into the swift tide of the river4 ,she then turned its head toward the ,falls and regained the shore4 ,the canoe floated down very tranquilly till it struck the first ridge of the rapids4 ,nearly upset by the shock1 she was flung from side to side by the contending waters1 and the chief started from his slumbers4 ,the first glance convinced him that effort would be vain2 and keeping the canoe upright with instinctive skill1 he drew his bottle from his bosom1 and put it to his lips4 ,the draught lasted him till he reached the turn of the cataract2 and1 as the canoe shot over the glassy curve1 he was seen sitting upright1 with his head thrown back1 and both hands pressed to the bottle4 ,not long ago it was advertised that1 on a certain day1 a large vessel1 freighted with two or three menageries of wild beasts1 and some domestic animals1 would be sent down the ,rapids4 ,the announcement drew together an immense concourse of people from every part of the country1 and1 at the time specified1 the vessel was towed into the stream and abandoned1 with the animals loose on her deck4 ,she kept her way very gallantly till she got to the ,rapids1 when1 after a tremendous pitching for a few minutes1 she stuck fast in the cleft of a rock4 ,the bears and monkeys were seen in the rigging1 but the other animals1 not being climbers1 were invisible from the shore4 ,to the great disappointment of many thousands1 she went over the ,falls in the night1 and of her whole crew the sole survivor was a goose1 who was picked up the next day with no damage but a broken wing1 and has since been exhibited as a curiosity4 ,the ,rapids are far from being the least interesting feature of ,niagara4 ,there is a violence and a power in their foaming career1 which is seen in no other phenomenon of the same class4 ,standing on the bridge which connects ,goat ,island with the ,main1 and looking up towards ,lake ,erie1 the leaping crests of the rapids form the horizon1 and it seems like a battle-charge of tempestuous waves1 animated and infuriated1 against the sky4 ,no one who has not seen this spectacle of turbulent grandeur can conceive with what force the swift and overwhelming waters are flung upwards4 ,the rocks1 whose soaring points show above the surface1 seem tormented with some supernatural agony1 and fling off the wild and hurried waters1 as if with the force of a giant's arm4 ,nearer the plunge of the ,fall1 the ,rapids become still more agitated2 and it is almost impossible for the spectator to rid himself of the idea1 that they are conscious of the abyss to which they are hurrying1 and struggle back in the very extremity of horror4 ,this propensity to invest ,niagara with a soul and human feelings is a common effect upon the minds of visitors1 in every part of its wonderful phenomena4 ,the torture of the ,rapids1 the clinging curves with which they embrace the small rocky islands that live amid the surge1 the sudden calmness at the brow of the cataract1 and the infernal writhe and whiteness with which they reappear1 powerless from the depths of the abyss1 all seem1 to the excited imagination of the gazer1 like the natural effects of impending ruin1 desperate resolution1 and fearful agony1 on the minds and frames of mortals4 ,illustration ,,saratoga ,,lake4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a singular feature of ,american scenery is the great number and beauty of its small fresh-water lakes1 from one mile to twenty in circumference1 fed universally by subjacent and living springs1 with outlet rivers which carry off all that is superfluous1 and with shores always richly fringed with foliage1 and oftenest hilly and picturesque4 ,they lie in the midst of the wild forests1 like silver mirrors1 tranquil and lovely1 mingling a refinement and an elegance with the bold character of the scenery1 which contrasts1 like ,una1 with the couchant ,lion4 ,most of them are feeders to the great lakes and rivers4 ,there are counted fifteen which send their waters into ,lake ,ontario1 from the side of ,new ,york alone1--a fact which gives a fair idea of their numbers1 while it shows the resources1 so difficult to conceive1 of those vast plains of water4 ,saratoga ,lake must depend for celebrity on the campaigns of ,general ,burgoyne1 and its fish dinners4 ,of the first1 the history has been written and read4 ,of the last1 the traditions are oral2 but while appetite returns1 and trout venture to the angler's hook1 the memory will be renewed4 ,the ,springs are distant only three miles2 and hither drive the more luxurious visitors of ,saratoga1 to dine in parties1--those coming early who prefer sympathy with the catastrophe of the fish1 and broiling themselves1 during the morning1 in a flat-bottomed boat among the trout-catchers4 ,there was a gay party on this lake some six or eight years since1 fishing and airing their wit1 under the auspices of a belle of some fame and authority4 ,the boat had been pulled into water of five or six feet depth1 on the eastern side1 and the ladies sat at the ends of their rods1 about forty yards from the shore1 watching their floats1 which lay on the surface of the glassy water like sleeping flies1 but1 as the old fisherman in the bow could have told them1 laughing loud enough to fright even the eels from their appetites4 ,after several hours' bobbing1 without bite or nibble1 the belle above mentioned discovered that her hook was caught at the bottom4 ,she rose in the stern1 to draw it up more easily1 and1 all the party leaning over at the same time1 she lost her balance1 and1 in falling overboard1 upset the boat4 ,for the first minute it was a scene of some terror4 ,the gentlemen were very near drowning the ladies1 and the ladies the gentlemen2 but the old fisherman1 a tall fellow who knew the ground1 and was just within his depth1 quietly walked about1 picking them up one by one1 and giving them a hold of the inverted gunwale1 and so pushed them safely to shore1 suspended round the boat1 like herrings on a hoop4 ,nobody caught cold2 other people had caught fish2 they dined merrily1 and the principal actor in the scene has since been known by the sobriquet of the diving belle4 ,there is an ,indian superstition attached to this lake1 which probably had its source in its remarkable loneliness and tranquillity4 ,the ,mohawks believed that its stillness was sacred to the ,great ,spirit1 and that1 if a human voice uttered a sound upon its waters1 the canoe of the offender would instantly sink4 ,a story is told of an ,englishwoman1 in the early days of the first settlers1 who had occasion to cross this lake with a party of ,indians1 who1 before embarking1 warned her most impressively of the spell4 ,it was a silent1 breathless day1 and the canoe shot over the smooth surface of the lake like a shadow4 ,about a mile from the shore1 near the centre of the lake1 the woman1 willing to convince the savages of the weakness of their superstition1 uttered a loud cry4 ,the countenances of the ,indians fell instantly to the deepest gloom4 ,after a moment's pause1 however1 they redoubled their exertions1 and1 in frowning silence1 drove the light bark like an arrow over the waters4 ,they reached the shore in safety1 and drew up the canoe1 and the woman rallied the chief on his credulity4 8,the ,great ,spirit is merciful10 answered the scornful ,mohawk2 8,he knows that a white woman cannot hold her tongue40 ,saratoga ,lake is eight miles in length1 and a little over two miles broad4 ,it is about eight miles west of ,hudson ,river1 which receives its outlet waters under the name of ,fish ,creek4 ,the same stream1 before its entrance into the lake1 is called by the sesquipedalian title of ,kayaderosseras ,river4 ,with its pretty maiden name it loses its beauty1 and flows forth from its union with the lake1 in a dull and murky stream1 and so drops sluggishly into the ,hudson4 ,ah6 many an edifying homily has been read from a blinder text4 ,illustration ,,the ,,colonnade ,,of ,,congress ,,hall4 7,,saratoga ,,springs47 99 99 99 99 99 ,congress ,hall has for many years held the palm of fashion among the rival ,hotels of ,saratoga4 ,it is an immense wooden caravanserai1 with no pretensions to architecture beyond what is seen in the drawing1 and built with the sole view of affording the average accommodations of packed herrings to an indefinite number of persons4 ,the roominess and liberal proportions of the ,colonnade are one of those lies of architecture common to the hotels of this country4 ,the traveller passes from the magnificent promise of the outside1 to a chamber ten feet by four1 situated in a remote gallery1 visited once a day by the 8boots0 and chambermaid4 ,his bed1 chair1 and wash-stand1 resemble those articles as seen in penitentiaries2 and if he chance to be ill at night1 he might die like a ,pagan1 8without bell or candle40 ,the arrangements of the house are1 of necessity1 entirely gregarious4 ,a bell rings at half-past seven in the morning1 at which every body who intends to breakfast1 must get up2 another bell at eight1 to the call of which1 if he prefers hot omelette to cold1 he must be punctual4 ,dinner and tea exact the same promptitude2 and the latter1 which in other countries is a thing of no circumstance or importance1 becomes1 where you dine at two1 a meal not willingly missed4 8,tea0 is at six or half past1 and consists of cold meats1 hot rolls1 ,indian cakes1 all other kinds of cakes1 all kinds of berries1 pies1 sweetmeats1 and jellies1 coffee and tea4 ,this is not a matter to be slighted after a fast of four hours2 and home hurry beaux and belles from their abbreviated drives1 with a loss of sentiment and sunset1 and with profit to the keepers of stables1 who let their horses 8by the afternoon40 ,after tea1 the gentlemen who dressed for dinner and 8undressed0 for their drive1 dress once more for the evening1 and the spacious ,colonnade is thronged with the five hundred guests of the house1 who pace to and fro for an hour1 or1 if it is a ball night1 till the black band have made an orchestra of the tables in the dining-room1 and struck up 8,hail1 ,columbia60 ,a hoop1 bound with evergreens1 and stuck full of candles1 hangs in the centre of the hall 7ci-devant dining-room72 an audience of all the negroes in the establishment sweetens the breath of heaven as it steals in at the windows2 and1 as the triumphant music returns a second time to the refrain1 the lady ,patroness enters on the arm of the gentleman who has the most stock in the ,bank1 followed in couples by all the gentlemen and ladies who intend to dance or play wall-flower4 ,the black musicians 8vex their instruments10 and keep time with their heads and heels1 as if all their extremities had been hired2 the beaux who were interrupted in their declarations by the last chass1 7if they wish to go on with it17 lead out their partners to take the air and a cold1--perhaps a heart1--on the ,colonnade2 and at eleven1 champagne goes round for the ladies1 and the gentlemen take 8summat to drink0 at 8the bar20 after which the candles burn brighter1 and every body is much more agreeable4 ,congress ,hall is built very near the principal ,spring1 which lies in the westerly edge of a swamp4 ,it was first discovered by the tracks of the deer1 who frequented it so much as to wear paths to it from the surrounding woods4 ,the mineral water is highly medicinal1 and is not unpleasant to the taste4 ,it formerly rose in the bed of a small brook1 but it is now hid under the floor of an open colonnade1 and discharges nearly a gallon a minute4 ,the disengaged gas breaks through in limpid globules1 giving to the surface the appearance of an active simmer4 ,here1 before breakfast1 creep the few who come to ,saratoga for health2 and here1 before dinner1 saunter those who are in need of a walk1 or who wish a tonic for the coming meal4 ,a busy varlet1 with a capital of a hooked stick and two tin tumblers1 drives a thriving trade here1 fishing up the sparkling waters at a cent a glass1 for all comers4 ,when the gentleman has swallowed his muriate and four carbonates#a in proper quantity1 a smooth serpentine walk leads to the summit of a prettily wooded hill1 where he may either grind himself round a circular rail-road in a self-moving chair1 or ramble off to the shade1 for a little meditation4 ----- #a ,the analysis of a gallon of ,congress water is thus stated3-- ,muriate of soda #dga4fjj grains4 ,carbonate of lime #agh4dgd -- ,carbonate of soda #af4ejj -- ,carbonate of magnesia #c4cef -- ,carbonate of iron #f4afh -- -------- ,total #fgf4jjj -- ,illustration ,,albany4 99 99 99 99 99 ,albany is the second city in the ,state of ,new ,york1 in population1 wealth1 and commerce4 ,it stands on the west bank of the ,hudson1 and about one hundred and forty-five miles from ,new ,york by the river1 and near the head of sloop navigation4 ,it is built just over the pitch of an extensive plain1 lying between the ,mohawk and the ,hudson1 and has very much the look of a city sliding down hill4 ,the history of ,albany is not very definite1 touching its first settlement4 ,the probability seems1 that1 in #afad1 the ,dutch erected a fort and trading-house on an island just below the city2 and also1 in nine years after1 a fort1 which they called ,fort ,orange1 on the present site4 ,it would appear to have been canonically christened1 and has been called at different periods ,auralia1 ,beverwyck1 and ,williamstadt4 8,all this time10 says the historian1 8it was known also by the name of #8,the ,fuyck4'0 ,the ,indian appellation in which it rejoiced was ,schaunaugh-ta-da1 or ,once the pine plains4 ,albany is the residence of several of the oldest and wealthiest families in the ,state2 but except this1 it is a mere centre of transit--the channel through which passes the vast tide of commerce and travel to the north and west4 ,the ,erie and ,champlain canals here meet the ,hudson2 and that which is passed up by this long arm from the sea1 is handed over to the great lakes by the other two1--as if old ,enceladus had been turned into a 8worky10 and stood with his long arms between salt water and fresh4 ,the association most people have with ,albany1 is that of having lost a portmanteau there4 ,the north-river steam-boats land you with from three to seven hundred passengers upon a narrow pier1 in the dusk of the evening1 where you find from three to seven hundred individuals 7more or less71 each of whom seems to have no other object in life1 than to persuade you1 at that particular instant1 to go by a certain conveyance1 or to stop at a certain hotel4 ,upon setting your foot on shore1 you find yourself among five or six infuriated gentlemen1 two or three of whom walk backward before you1 and all talking at the pitch which is necessary to drown the deepening hiss of the escape-valve and each other's voices4 ,if you attempt to reason1 you have no sooner satisfied the aforesaid six1 that your route1 your baggage1 and your choice of an hotel1 are matters in which they cannot be of the slightest assistance to you1 than six more take their places1 who must be satisfied as well2 and so on in the same order4 ,if you resolutely shut your lips1 silence is taken for consent2 your baggage is seized1 and disappears before you have recovered from your amazement2 and your only course is to follow the most importunate of your remaining five persecutors to an hotel2 advertise in the next morning's paper for your portmanteau2 and wait in ,albany till it returns from ,canada or ,lake ,erie1 or till you are reconciled to its loss4 ,one of the most amusing scenes in the world1 if it were not so distressing1 is to see a large family of rather respectable emigrants landed by the steamer in ,albany4 ,it is their first step inland2 and with all the confidence of those who are accustomed to countries where a man's person and property are outwardly respected1 they yield their children and baggage to the persuasive gentlemen who assure them that all is right2 and if a passing wonder crosses the mind of the sufferer1 that his route should be so immediately comprehended by a perfect stranger1 it is chased away the next moment by his surprise at the scene of bustle and confusion4 ,at the end of five minutes the crowd thins a little1 and he looks about for his family and effects4 ,a stage coach is dashing off at top-speed in one direction1 with his eldest daughter stretching out of the window1 and crying in vain that there is some mistake2 his two youngest are on board a steam-boat just off from the pier1 and bound eight miles further up the river3 the respectable part of his baggage has entirely disappeared2 and nothing but his decrepit grandmother and the paternal bedstead 7both indebted for their escape to being deaf1 and not portable17 remain of his family and chattels4 ,for his comfort1 the gentry around inform him that his children may be got back in a day or two1 and he may find his baggage somewhere on his route to the west--offering1 for a consideration not very trifling1 to send off an express for either one or the other4 ,albany is the seat of government1 and has a ,state ,house1 of which the historian of ,new ,york remarks3 8,in the structure of this edifice1 the rules of architecture1 whether ,egyptian1 ,hindoo1 ,chinese1 ,grecian1 ,roman1 ,saracenic1 ,gothic1 or ,composite1 have been violated40 ,lately1 however1 a taste for a better style of architecture seems to prevail2 and in ,north ,pearl-street we lately noticed a faade 7we think1 of a new church17 in a very pure and beautiful style4 ,the private houses of ,albany are built1 many of them1 very expensively2 and the city is remarkable for its hospitality4 ,illustration ,,crow ,,nest1 ,,from ,,bull ,,hill1 ,,west ,,point4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is true of the ,hudson1 as of all other rivers1 that1 to be seen to advantage1 it should form the middle1 not the foreground of the picture4 ,those who go to ,albany by steam have something the same idea of the scenery of ,west ,point1 that an inside passenger may have of the effect of the ,brighton coach at top-speed4 ,it is astonishing how much foreground goes for in landscape2 and there are few passes of scenery where it is more naturally beautiful than those of the ,hudson4 ,in the accompanying drawing1 the picturesque neighbourhood of ,undercliff1 the seat of ,colonel ,morris1 lies between the river and the artist1 and directly opposite stands the peak of ,crow ,nest1 mentioned in the description of ,west ,point4 ,crow ,nest is one of the most beautiful mountains of ,america for shape1 verdure1 and position2 and when the water is unruffled1 and the moon sits on his summit1 he looks like a monarch crowned with a single pearl4 ,this is the scene of the first piece-work of fancy which has come from the practical brain of ,america1--the poem of ,the ,culprit ,fay4 ,the opening is so descriptive of the spot1 that it is quite in place here2 and to those who have not seen the poem 7as most ,european readers have not7 it will convey an idea of a production which1 in my opinion1 treads close on the heels of the ,midsummer ,night's ,dream3-- 8',tis the middle watch of a summer's night1-- ,the earth is dark1 but the heavens are bright2 ,nought is seen in the vault on high1 ,but the moon1 and the stars1 and the cloudless sky1 ,and the flood which rolls its milky hue1-- ,a river of light on the welkin blue4 ,the moon looks down on old ,crow ,nest1 ,she mellows the shades on his shaggy breast ,and seems his huge grey form to throw ,in a silver cone on the wave below2 ,his sides are broken by spots of shade1 ,by the walnut boughs and the cedar made1 ,and through their clustering branches dark ,glimmers and dies the firefly's spark1-- ,like starry twinkles that momently break ,through the rifts of the gathering tempest rack4 ,the stars are on the moving stream1 ,and fling1 as its ripples gently flow1 ,a burnish'd length of wavy beam1 ,in an eel-like1 spiral line below4 ,the winds are whist1 and the owl is still1 ,the bat in the shelvy rock is hid2 ,and nought is heard on the lonely hill ,but the cricket's chirp and the answer shrill ,of the gauze-wing'd raty-did2 ,and the plaints of the mourning whip-poor-will1 ,who mourns unseen1 and ceaseless sings ,ever a note of wail and wo1 ,till morning spreads her rosy wings1 ,and earth and skies in her glances glow4 ',tis the hour of fairy ban and spell3 ,the wood-tick has kept the minutes well2 ,he has counted them all with click and stroke ,deep in the heart of the mountain-oak2 ,and he has awakened the sentry-elve1 ,who sleeps with him in the haunted tree1 ,to bid him ring the hour of twelve1 ,and call the fays to their revelry4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,they come from beds of lichen green1 ,they creep from the mullen's velvet screen2 ,some on the backs of beetles fly ,from the silver tops of moon-touch'd trees1 ,where they swing in their cob-web hammocks high1 ,and rock'd about in the evening breeze2 ,some from the hum-bird's downy nest1 ,they had driven him out by elfin power1 ,and pillow'd on plumes of his rainbow breast1 ,had slumber'd there till the charmed hour2 ,some had lain in a scarp of the rock1 ,with glittering rising-stars inlaid1 ,and some had open'd the four-o'clock1 ,and stolen within its purple shade3 ,and now they throng the moonlight glade1 ,above--below--on every side1 ,their little minion forms arrayed ,in the tricksy pomp of fairy pride4' ,the general assembly of the fairies is at last complete1 and they proceed to the trial of the culprit fay1 who has extinguished his elfin lamp and paralyzed his wings by a love for a mortal maid4 ,he is condemned to penances1 which are most exquisitely described1 and constitute the greater part of the poem2 and he finally expiates his sins1 and is forgiven4 ,there is a fineness of description1 and a knowledge of the peculiarities of ,american nature1 in birds1 fishes1 flowers1 and the phenomena of this particular region1 which constitute this little poem a book of valuable information as well as an exquisite work of fancy4 ,just under ,crow ,nest1 buried in the heavy leaves of a ravine1 springs a waterfall like a ,naiad from the depths of the forest1 and plunges down into the river4 ,the rambles in and about its neighbourhood are cool and retired2 and it is a favourite place for lovers from ,new ,york1 who run up in the steamer in three hours1 and find the honeymoon goes swimmingly off there1--the excellent hotel within half a mile supplying the real1 without which the ideal is found to be very trumpery4 ,the marble tomb of a cadet1 who was killed by the bursting of a gun1 forms a picturesque object1 and gives a story to the spot4 ,illustration ,,view ,,below ,,table ,,rock4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the interest of the view under this impending cliff is somewhat heightened by the probability that it will fall into the abyss sometime within the next six months4 ,since the fall of the most projecting part of it1 two or three winters since1 a large and very deep crack has widened around the remaining area of the platform above1 and it is thought that it will scarce survive the next frost4 ,at present1 spite of the threat1 troops of ladies and gentlemen crowd its broad summit at all hours1 walking1 drawing1 gazing1 and philandering1 in the fullest confidence that rocks have bases4 ,and so it will go on1 probably1 till the 8one 7thunder7 too many0 hammers through its crack of doom4 ,the path leading behind the sheet of ,horse ,shoe ,fall1 runs close under the cliff of ,table ,rock2 and between the spray and the small rivulets that trickle over the sharp edge1 or find their way out of the numerous crevices on the face of the precipice1 it is as wet as the lawn blessed with 8perpetual rain0 by the ,witch of ,atlas4 ,we were of a considerable party that visited this ,naiad's palace in the close of the last summer4 ,a small shanty stands at the head of the staircase1 kept by a very civil ,englishman1 who1 with the assistance of his daughter and two sons1 keeps a reading-room and registry1 vends curious walking-sticks cut at ,niagara1 minerals1 spars1 and stuffed scorpions1 besides officiating as guide under the ,falls1 and selling brandy and water to those who survive the expedition4 ,the ladies of the party were taken into a small apartment to change their dresses preparatory to their descent2 and the two smart lads of our conductor soon metamorphosed their cavaliers into as brigand-looking a set of tatterdemallions as could be found in the ,abruzzi4 ,rough duck trowsers1 long jackets of green painted cloth1 oil-skin hats1 and flannel shirts1--the whole turn-out very much like the clothes of the drowned exhibited for recognition at the ,moague in ,paris1--constituted our habiliments4 ,the difference of the female costume consisted in the substitution of a coarse petticoat for the trowsers1 and a string tied over the broad-brimmed hat2--and1 flattery aside1 our friends would have looked at home in ,billingsgate4 ,quite the most formidable part of the expedition1 to them1 was passing in review before some twenty curious persons collected on the way4 ,the guide went before1 and we followed close under the cliff4 ,a cold clammy wind blew strong in our faces from the moment we left the shelter of the staircase2 and a few steps brought us into a pelting1 fine rain1 that penetrated every opening of our dresses1 and made our foothold very slippery and difficult4 ,we were not yet near the sheet of water we were to walk through2 but one or two of the party gave out and returned1 declaring it was impossible to breathe2 and the rest1 imitating the guide1 bent nearly double to keep the beating spray from their nostrils1 and pushed on1 with enough to do to keep sight of his heels4 ,we arrived near the difficult point of our progress2 and in the midst of a confusion of blinding gusts1 half deafened1 and more than half drowned1 the guide stopped to give us a hold of his skirts and a little counsel4 ,all that could be heard amid the thunder of the cataract beside us was an injunction to push on when it got to the worst1 as it was shorter to get beyond the sheet than to go back2 and with this pleasant statement of our dilemma1 we faced about with the longest breath we could draw1 and encountered the enemy4 ,it may be supposed that every person who has been draped through the column of water which obstructs the entrance to the cavern behind this cataract1 has a very tolerable idea of the pains of drowning4 ,what is wanting in the density of the element is more than made up by the force of the contending winds1 which rush into the mouth1 eyes1 and nostrils1 as if flying from a water-fiend4 ,the 8courage of worse behind0 alone persuades the gasping sufferer to take one desperate step more4 ,it is difficult enough to breathe within2 but with a little self-control and management1 the nostrils may be guarded from the watery particles in the atmosphere1 and then an impression is made upon the mind by the extraordinary pavilion above and around1 which never loses its vividness4 ,the natural bend of the falling cataract1 and the backward shelve of the precipice1 form an immense area like the interior of a tent1 but so pervaded by discharges of mist and spray1 that it is impossible to see far inward4 ,outward the light struggles brokenly through the crystal wall of the cataract2 and when the sun shines directly on its face1 it is a scene of unimaginable glory4 ,the footing is rather unsteadfast1 a small shelf composed of loose and slippery stones2 and the abyss below boils like--it is difficult to find a comparison4 ,on the whole1 this undertaking is rather pleasanter to remember than to achieve4 ,illustration ,,lake ,,winipiseogee1 7,,the ,,beautiful ,,lake ,,of ,,the ,,indians17 ,,new ,,hampshire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,indian fights of the celebrated ,captain ,lovewell1 which took place near the borders of this lake1 were not the only feats of courage the early inhabitants of this part of the country were called upon to display4 ,bears1 wolves1 and catamounts1 were enemies as constantly found in their path as the unfriendly ,indian1 and were almost as dangerous4 ,the descriptions contained in the grave historical records of the ,state1 of encounters1 with bears more particularly1 are sometimes sufficiently amusing2 and1 indeed1 whatever the peril to the man1 there is a conventional drollery about the bear which throws a spice of fun into all his contests with mankind4 ,this animal1 in the early days of ,new ,hampshire1 often destroyed the husbandman's hopes by his depredations on the green maize1 of the milky ear of which he is especially fond4 ,sweet fruits1 honey1 and other simple but 8toothsome0 productions of the orchard and farm1 suited bruin equally well1 and he had never recourse to animal food while these were to be procured4 ,the kind of bear most mischievous in this way was the small ,american bear1 with a long and pointed nose1 remarkable for his alertness in ascending and descending trees4 ,they were often found in hollow trunks1 and in clefts of rocks1 and were considered delicious meat by the hunters4 ,among the adventures with this class of their enemies recorded of the first settlers of the ,state1 is an encounter of a ,mr4 ,annis with a bear4 8,one day1 late in ,march10 says the narrator1 8the snow being deep1 he mounted his snow-shoes1 and in company with ,abner ,watkins and their dogs1 set off towards the ,mink ,hills for a hunt1 armed with an axe and gun4 ,in the neighbourhood of the hills1 the dogs were perceived to be very much excited with something in a ledge of rocks4 ,annis left his companion1 ,watkins1 and ascended a crag twenty or thirty feet to where the dogs were1 having no other weapon with him but his staff1 which was pointed with iron4 ,after exploring a little1 he concluded there was no game there of more consequence than a hedge-hog or some other small animal1 and being fatigued laid down in the snow on his back to rest1 reclining his head upon the place he had been examining2 he had but just laid down when he heard a snuffling under his ear2 he started up1 and turning round1 found an old bear pressing her head up through the old leaves and snow which filled the mouth of her den2 he thrust his spear-pointed staff at the bear's briskets1 and thus held the bear which was pressing towards him at his staff's length distance1 and called to his companion ,watkins to come up with the axe and kill the bear1 which1 after some little time1 was effected4 ,after the action was over1 ,annis complained of ,watkins' dilatoriness1 but ,watkins excused himself by saying he could not get his gun off1 that he had snapt1 snapt1 snapt several times4 ,where did you take sight8 said ,annis1 knowing that he was directly between him and the bear2 ,i took sight between your legs1 said ,watkins40 ,many years ago a cub bear was caught by a stout lad near the borders of ,lake ,winipiseogee1 carried into town1 and after proper drilling1 became the playfellow of the boys of the village1 and often accompanied them to the school-house4 ,after passing a few months in civilized society1 he made his escape to the woods1 and after a few years was almost forgotten4 ,the school-house meantime had fallen from the schoolmaster's to the schoolmistress's hands1 and in the room of large boys and girls learning to write and cipher1 small boys and girls were taught in the same place knitting and spelling4 ,one winter's day1 after a mild fall of snow1 the door had been left ajar by some urchin going out1 when to the unutterable horror of the spectacled dame and her fourscore hopeful abecedarians1 an enormous bear walked in1 in the most familiar manner in the world1 and took a seat by the fire4 ,huddling over the benches with what expedition they might1 the children crowded about their schoolmistress1 who had fled to the farthest corner of the room1 and stood crying and pushing to escape the horror of being eaten first4 ,the bear sat snuffing and warming himself by the fire1 however1 exhibiting great signs of satisfaction1 but deferring his meal till he had warmed himself thoroughly4 ,the screams of the children continued1 but the school-house was far from any other habitation1 and the bear did not seem at all embarrassed by the outcry4 ,after sitting and turning himself about for some time1 ,bruin got up on his hind legs1 and shoving to the door1 began to take down1 one by one1 the hats1 bonnets1 and satchels1 that hung on several rows of pegs behind it4 ,his memory had not deceived him1 for they contained1 as of old1 the children's dinners1 and he had arrived before the recess4 ,having satisfied himself with their cheese1 bread1 pies1 dough-nuts1 and apples1 ,bruin smelt a little at the mistress's desk1 but finding it locked1 gave himself a shake of resignation1 opened the door and disappeared4 ,the alarm was given1 and the amiable creature was pursued and killed1--very much to the regret of the townspeople1 when it was discovered by some marks on his body that it was their old friend and playfellow4 ,illustration ,,kosciusko',s ,,monument4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a pretty marble shaft stands on the edge of the broad highland esplanade of ,west ,point1 overlooking the most beautiful scene on the most beautiful river of our country4 ,it commemorates the virtues of ,kosciusko1 who1 during his second sojourn in ,america1 lived at ,west ,point1 and cultivated his little garden1 near the site of this tribute to his memory4 ,kosciusko's first laurels were gained in this country under ,washington4 ,he was educated in the military school at ,warsaw1 whence he was sent1 as one of four1 to complete his education at ,paris4 ,on his return to ,poland1 he had a commission given him1 but1 being refused promotion1 he determined to come to ,america1 and join the colonies in their struggle for independence4 ,with letters from ,dr4 ,franklin to ,general ,washington1 he presented himself to the great patriot1 and was immediately appointed his aid-de-camp1 and later he received the appointment to the engineers1 with the rank of colonel4 ,at the close of the war1 having distinguished himself by his courage and skill1 he returned to ,poland1 was appointed major-general in the army of the diet1 and served as general of division under the younger ,poniatowski4 ,finding1 however1 his efforts for freedom paralysed by the weakness or treachery of others1 he gave in his resignation1 and went into retirement at ,leipsic4 ,he was still there in #agic1 when the ,polish army and people gave signs of being in readiness for insurrection4 ,all eyes were turned towards ,kosciusko1 who was at once chosen for their leader1 and messengers were sent to him from ,warsaw to acquaint him with the schemes and wishes of his compatriots4 ,in compliance with the invitation1 he proceeded towards the frontiers of ,poland2 but apprehensive of compromising the safety of those with whom he acted1 he was about to defer his enterprise1 and set off for ,italy4 ,he was fortunately persuaded to return1 and1 arriving at ,cracow at the very time when the ,polish garrison had expelled the ,russian troops1 he was chosen generalissimo1 with all the power of a ,roman dictator4 ,he immediately published an act1 authorizing insurrection against the foreign authorities1 and proceeded to support ,colonel ,madalinski1 who was pursued by the ,russians4 ,having joined that officer1 they gained their first victory1 defeating the enemy with inferior numbers4 ,his army now increased to nine thousand men1 the insurrection extended to ,warsaw1 and in a few days the ,russians were driven from that palatinate4 ,he obtained some advantage over the enemy in one more contest1 but the king of ,prussia arriving to the assistance of the ,russians1 he was exposed to great personal danger1 and suffered a defeat4 ,from this period he waged a disadvantageous warfare against superior force1 and at last at ,maczienice 7or ,maniejornice71 fifty miles from ,warsaw1 an overwhelming ,russian force completely defeated ,kosciusko4 ,he fell from his horse wounded1 saying ,finis ,poloni1 and was made prisoner4 ,kosciusko was sent to ,russia1 and confined in a fortress near ,st4 ,petersburgh1 where he was kept till the accession of ,paul ,i4 ,this monarch1 through real or affected admiration for the character of the great man1 released him1 and presented him with his sword3 8,i have no longer occasion for a sword1 since ,i have no longer a country10 answered ,kosciusko4 ,in #agig he once more took his departure for the ,united ,states1 where he was received with honour and warm welcome by the grateful people whose liberty he had aided to achieve4 ,he was granted a pension by the government1 and elected to the society of the ,cincinnati4 ,he returned to ,europe the following year1 bought an estate near ,fontainebleau1 and lived there till #ahad4 ,he removed again to ,switzerland1 and established himself at ,soleure1 where he died1 in consequence of a fall with his horse over a precipice near ,vevay4 ,among the last acts of his life1 were the emancipation of the slaves on his own estate in ,poland1 and a bequest for the emancipation and education of slaves in ,virginia4 ,kosciusko was never married4 ,his body was removed to ,cracow1 and deposited with great state in the tomb of the kings beneath the cathedral4 ,the oldest officers were his bearers2 two beautiful young girls with wreathes of oak leaves and cypress followed1 and then came a long procession of the general staff1 senate1 clergy1 and people4 ,count ,wodsiki delivered a funeral oration on the hill of ,wavel1 and a prelate delivered an eloquent address in the church4 ,the senate decreed that a lofty mound should be erected on the heights of ,bronislawad4 ,for three years men of every age and class toiled gratuitously at this work1 and at last the ,mogila ,kosziuszki1 the mound of ,kosciusko1 was raised to the height of #cjjj feet6 ,a serpentine path leads to the top1 from which there is a noble view of the ,vistula1 and of the ancient city of the ,polish kings4 ,the small monument at ,west ,point has less pretension1 but it is the exponent of as deep a debt of gratitude1 and of as grateful and universal honour to his memory4 ,illustration ,,horseshoe ,,falls1 ,,at ,,niagara4 7,,seen ,,from ,,goat ,,island47 99 99 99 99 99 ,niagara is the outlet of several bodies of water1 covering1 it is estimated1 #aej1jjj square miles6 ,dr4 ,dwight considers the ,falls as part of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 following that river back to the sources near the ,mississippi2 and1 doing away with the intermediate names of ,st4 ,marie1 ,detroit1 ,st4 ,clair1 ,iroquois1 and ,cataraqui1 he traces its course through the lakes ,superior1 ,huron1 ,erie1 and ,ontario1 as the ,rhone is followed through the ,lake of ,geneva1 and the ,rhine through ,lake ,constance4 ,in this view the ,st4 ,lawrence is doubtless the first river in the world4 ,it meets the tide of the sea four hundred miles from its mouth1 which is ninety-five miles broad2 and to this height fleets of men of war may ascend and find ample room for an engagement4 ,merchantmen of all sizes go up to ,montreal1 which is six hundred miles from the sea2 and its navigation for three thousand miles is only interrupted in three places1--,niagara ,falls1 the rapids of the ,iroquois1 and the part called the river ,st4 ,marie4 ,the ,st4 ,marie is navigable for boats1 though not for larger vessels2 a portage of ten miles 7soon to be superseded by a ship canal7 conveys merchandise around the ,falls of ,niagara1 and the rapids of the ,iroquois present so slight a hinderance1 that goods are brought from ,montreal to ,queenston for nearly the same price as they would pay by unobstructed navigation4 ,it is necessary to remember the extent of the waters which feed ,niagara1 to conceive1 when standing for an hour only on the projecting rocks1 how this almighty wonder can go on so long4 ,even then1--that these inland seas lie above1 tranquil and unexhausted1 scarce varying their high-water mark perceptibly1 from year to year1 yet supplying1 for every hour1 the 8ninety millions of tons10 which1 it is estimated1 plunge over the cataract1--it affords you a standard for the extent of those lakes1 to which the utmost stretch of the mind seems scarcely competent4 ,the accompanying view from ,goat ,island is of course only partial1 as the ,american fall is entirely left out of the picture4 ,the ,horseshoe ,falls1 as a single object1 however1 is unquestionably the sublimest thing in nature4 ,to know that the angle of the cataract1 from the ,british shore to the tower1 is near half a mile in length2 that it falls so many feet with so many tons of water a minute2 or even to see it1 as here1 admirably represented by the pencil2 conveys no idea to the reader of the impression produced on the spectator4 ,one of the most remarkable things about ,niagara is entirely lost in the drawing--its motion4 ,the visitor to ,niagara should devote one day exclusively to the observation of this astonishing feature4 ,the broad flood glides out of ,lake ,erie with a confiding tranquillity that seems to you1 when you know its impending destiny1 like that of a human creature advancing irresistibly1 but unconsciously1 to his death4 ,he embraces the bright islands that part his arms for a caress2 takes into his bosom the calm tribute of the ,tonewanta and ,unnekuqua--small streams that come drowsing through the wilderness--and flows on1 till he has left ,lake ,erie far behind1 bathing the curving sides of his green shores with a surface which only the summer wind ruffles4 ,the channel begins to descend2 the still unsuspecting waters fall back into curling eddies along the banks1 but the current in the centre flows smoothly still4 ,suddenly the powerful stream is flung with accumulated swiftness among broken rocks2 and1 as you watch it from below1 it seems tossed with the first shock into the very sky4 ,it descends in foam1 and from this moment its agony commences4 ,for three miles it tosses and resists1 and1 racked at every step by sharper rocks and increased rapidity1 its unwilling and choked waves fly back1 to be again precipitated onward1 and at last reach the glossy curve1 convulsed with supernatural horror4 ,they touch the emerald arch1 and in that instant1 like the calm that follows the conviction of inevitable doom1 the agitation ceases1--the waters pause1--the foam and resistance subside into a transparent stillness1--and slowly and solemnly the vexed and tormented sufferer drops into the abyss4 ,every spectator1 every child1 is struck with the singular deliberation1 the unnatural slowness1 with which the waters of ,niagara take their plunge4 ,the laws of gravitation seem suspended1 and the sublimity of the tremendous gulf below seems to check the descending victim on the verge1 as if it paused in awe4 ,illustration ,,the ,,narrows1 ,,at ,,staten ,,island4 99 99 99 99 99 ,almost any land looks beautiful after a long voyage2 and it would not be surprising if the ,narrows1 oftenest seen and described by those who have just come off the passage of the ,atlantic1 should have this reputation4 ,it does not require an eye long deprived of verdure1 however1 to relish the bold shores1 the bright green banks1 the clustering woods1 and tasteful villas1 which make up the charms of this lovely strait4 ,busier waters than the ,narrows could scarcely be found2 and it is difficult to imagine1 amid so much bustle and civilisation1 the scene that presented itself to ,hendrick ,hudson1 when the little ,halve-,mane stole in on her voyage of discovery two hundred years ago4 ,hoofden1 or the ,highlands1 as he then named the hills in this neighbourhood1 8were covered with grass and wild-flowers1 and the air was filled with fragrance40 ,groups of friendly natives1 clothed in elk skins1 stood on the beach1 singing1 and offering him welcome1 and1 anchoring his little bark1 he explored with his boats the channel and inlets1 and penetrated to the mouth of the river which was destined to bear his name4 ,it appears1 however1 that the ,indians on the ,long ,island side were less friendly2 and in one of the excursions into the ,bay of ,manhattan1 his boat was attacked by a party of twenty-nine savages of a ferocious tribe1 and an ,english sailor1 named ,colman1 was killed by an arrow-shot in the shoulder4 ,other unfriendly demonstrations from the same tribe1 induced ,hudson to leave his anchorage at ,sandy ,hook1 and he drew in to the ,bay of ,new ,york1 which he found most safe and commodious1 and where he still continued his intercourse with the ,indians of ,staten ,island1 receiving them on board his vessel1 dressing them1 to their extravagant delight1 in red coats1 and purchasing from them fish and fruits in abundance4 ,at this day there stands a villa on every picturesque point2 a thriving town lies on the left shore2 hospitals and private sanitary establishments extend their white edifices in the neighbourhood of the quarantine-ground2 and between the little fleets of merchantmen1 lying with the yellow flag at their peak1 fly rapidly and skilfully a constant succession of steam-boats1 gaily painted and beautifully modelled1 bearing on their airy decks the population of one of the first cities of the world4 ,yet of ,manhattan ,island1 on which ,new ,york is built1 ,hudson writes1 only two hundred years ago1 that 8it was wild and rough2 a thick forest covered the parts where anything would grow2 its beach was broken and sandy1 and full of inlets2 its interior presented hills of stony and sandy alluvion1 masses of rock1 ponds1 swamps1 and marshes40 ,the gay description which an ,american would probably give of the ,narrows1--the first spot of his native land seen after a tedious voyage1--would probably be in strong contrast with the impression it produces on the emigrant1 who sees in it only the scene of his first difficult step in a land of exile4 ,i remember noting this contrast with some emotion1 on board the packet-ship in which ,i was not long ago a passenger from ,england4 ,among the crowd of emigrants in the steerage1 was the family of a respectable and well-educated man1 who had failed as a merchant in some small town in ,england1 and was coming1 with the wreck of his fortune1 to try the back-woods of ,america4 ,he had a wife1 and eight or ten very fine children1 the eldest of whom1 a delicate and pretty girl of eighteen1 had contributed to sustain the family under their misfortunes at home1 by keeping a village school4 ,the confinement had been too much for her1 and she was struck with consumption--a disease which is peculiarly fatal in ,america4 ,soon after leaving the ,british ,channel1 the physician on board reported her to the captain as exceedingly ill1 and suffering painfully from the close air of the steerage2 and by the general consent of the cabin passengers1 a bed was made up for her in the deck-house1 where she received the kindest attention from the ladies on board2 and with her gentle manners and grateful expressions of pleasure1 soon made an interest in all hearts4 ,as we made the land1 the air became very close and hot2 and our patient1 perhaps from sympathy with the general excitement about her1 grew feverish and worse1 hourly4 ,her father1 and a younger sister1 sat by her1 holding her hands and fanning her2 and when we entered the ,narrows with a fair wind1 and every one on board1 forgetting her in their admiration of the lovely scene1 mounted to the upper deck1 she was raised to the window1 and stood with the bright red spot deepening on her cheek1 watching the fresh green land without the slightest expression of pleasure4 ,we dropped anchor1 the boats were lowered1 and as the steerage passengers were submitted to a quarantine1 we attempted to take leave of her before going on shore4 ,a fit of the most passionate tears1 the paroxysms of which seemed almost to suffocate her1 prevented her replying to us2 and we left that poor girl surrounded with her weeping family1 trying in vain to comfort her4 ,hers were feelings1 probably1 which are often associated with a remembrance of the ,narrows4 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,capitol ,,at ,,washington4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are many favourable points of view for this fine structure1 standing1 as it does1 higher than the general level of the country4 ,besides those presented in the different drawings in this work1 there are views from the distant eminences1 which are particularly fine1 in which the broad bosom of the ,potomac forms the back-ground4 ,the effect of the building is also remarkably imposing when the snow is on the ground1 and the whole structure1 rising from a field of snow1 with its dazzling whiteness1 looks like some admirable creation of the frost4 ,all architecture1 however1 is very much improved by the presence of a multitude of people1 and the ,capitol looks its best on the day of inauguration4 ,the following description1 written after viewing the ceremony of ,mr4 ,van ,buren's induction into office1 will give an idea of the effect of this solemnity on the architecture3-- 8,the sun shone out of heaven without a cloud on the inaugural morning4 ,the air was cold1 but clear and life-giving1 and the broad avenues of ,washington for once seemed not too large for the thronging population4 ,the crowds who had been pouring in from every direction for several days before1 ransacking the town for but a shelter from the night1 were apparent on the spacious side walks1 and the old campaigners of the winter seemed but a thin sprinkling among the thousands of new and strange faces4 ,the sun shone alike on the friends and opponents of the new administration2 and1 as far as one might observe in a walk to the ,capitol1 all were made cheerful alike by its brightness4 ,it was another augury1 perhaps1 and may foretell a more extended fusion under the light of the luminary new-risen4 ,in a whole day1 passed in a crowd composed of all classes and parties1 ,i heard no remark that the president would have been unwilling to hear4 8,i was at the ,capitol a half-hour before the procession arrived1 and had leisure to study a scene for which ,i was not at all prepared4 ,the noble staircase of the east front of the building leaps over three arches2 under one of which carriages pass to the basement door2 and1 as you approach from the gate1 the eye cuts the ascent at right angles1 and the sky1 broken by a small spire at a short distance1 is visible beneath4 ,broad stairs occur at equal distances1 with corresponding projections1 and from the upper platform rise the outer columns of the portico1 with ranges of columns three deep extending back to the pilasters4 ,i had often admired this front1 with its many graceful columns and its superb flight of stairs1 as one of the finest things ,i had seen in the world4 ,like the effect of the assembled population of ,rome waiting to receive the blessing before the front of ,st4 ,peter's1 however1 the assembled crowd on the steps and at the base of the ,capitol1 heightened inconceivably the grandeur of the design4 ,they were piled up like the people on the temples of ,babylon in one of ,martin's sublime pictures--every projection covered1 and an inexpressible soul and character given by their presence to the architecture4 ,boys climbed about the bases of the columns1 single figures stood on the posts of the surrounding railings in the boldest relief against the sky1 and the whole thing was exactly what ,paul ,veronese would have delighted to draw4 8,i was in the crowd thronging the opposite side of the court1 and lost sight of the principal actors in this imposing drama till they returned from the ,senate ,chamber4 ,a temporary platform had been laid and railed in on the broad stair which supports the portico1 and1 for all preparation for one of the most important and most meaning and solemn ceremonies on earth--for the inauguration of a chief magistrate over a republic of fifteen millions of freemen--the whole addition to the open air and the presence of the people1 was a volume of ,holy ,writ4 ,in comparing the impressive simplicity of this consummation of the wishes of a mighty people1 with the ceremonial and hollow show which embarrass a corresponding event in other lands1 it was impossible not to feel that the moral sublime was here--that a transaction so important1 and of such extended and weighty import1 could borrow nothing from drapery or decoration1 and that the simple presence of the sacred volume1 consecrating the act1 spoke more thrillingly to the heart than the trumpets of a thousand heralds4 8,the crowd of diplomatists and senators in the rear of the columns made way1 and the ex-,president and ,mr4 ,van ,buren advanced with uncovered heads4 ,a murmur of feeling rose up from the moving mass below1 and the infirm old man1 emerged from a sick chamber which his physician had thought it impossible he should leave1 bowed to the people1 and1 still uncovered in the cold air1 took his seat beneath the portico4 ,mr4 ,van ,buren then advanced1 and with a voice remarkably distinct1 and with great dignity1 read his address to the people4 8,when the address was closed1 the ,chief ,justice advanced and administered the oath4 ,as the book touched the lips of the new ,president1 there arose a general shout1 an expression of feeling common enough in other countries1 but drawn with difficulty from an ,american assemblage4 ,the sons and immediate friends of ,mr4 ,van ,buren then closed around him1 the ex-,president and others gave him the hand in congratulation1 and the ceremony was over40 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,ruins ,,of ,,fort ,,ticonderoga4 99 99 99 99 99 ,three weeks before the first battle of the revolution at ,lexington1 an emissary was sent to ,canada by the ,committee of ,correspondence in ,boston1 to ascertain the feelings of the people1 and to make such reports as his observations might suggest4 ,his first advice was that ,ticonderoga should be seized as quickly as possible4 ,the 8,green ,mountain ,boys0 were at this time fresh from their resistance to the new grants1 and were immediately fixed upon as the best force to achieve this object4 ,the little army1 already organized under the famous ,ethan ,allen1 assembled at ,castleton1 and the main body1 consisting of one hundred and forty men1 marched directly to the shore of the lake1 opposite ,ticonderoga4 ,it was important to have a guide who was acquainted with the ground around the fortress and the places of access4 ,allen made inquiries as to these points of ,mr4 ,beman1 a farmer residing near the lake1 who answered that he seldom crossed the ,ticonderoga1 and was little acquainted with the particulars of its situation2 but that his son1 ,nathan1 a young lad1 passed much of his time there in company with the boys of the garrison4 ,the boy was called1 and appeared by his answers to be familiar with every nook in the fort1 and every passage and by-path by which it could be approached4 ,in the eye of ,allen1 he was the very person to thread out the best avenue2 and by the consent of the father1 and a little persuasion1 he was engaged to be the guide of the party4 ,the next step was to procure boats1 which were very deficient in number4 ,eighty-three men only had crossed when the day began to dawn2 and while the boats were sent back for the rear division1 ,allen resolved to move immediately against the fort4 ,he drew up his men in three ranks1 addressed them in a short harangue1 and1 placing himself at the head of the centre file1 led them silently1 but with a quick step1 up the heights of the fortress4 ,before the sun rose1 he had entered the gate1 and formed his men on the parade between the barracks4 ,as ,allen passed the gate1 a sentinel snapped his fusee at him1 and then retreated under a covered way4 ,another sentinel made a thrust at an officer with his bayonet1 and slightly wounded him1 but ,allen cut him over the head with his sword1 and he threw down his musket and asked for quarter4 ,standing on the parade-ground they gave three huzzas and aroused the sleepers4 ,allen inquired the way to the commandant's apartment1 hastily ascended the stairs1 and called out with his stentorian voice at the door1 ordering the astonished captain instantly to appear4 ,startled at so strange and unexpected a summons1 he sprang from his bed and opened the door1 when the first salutation of his boisterous and unseasonable visitor was an order immediately to surrender the fort4 ,rubbing his eyes1 and trying to collect his scattered senses1 the ,frenchman asked by what authority he presumed to make such a demand4 8,in the name of the ,great ,jehovah and the ,continental ,congress60 replied ,allen4 ,not accustomed to hear much of the ,continental ,congress in this remote corner1 nor to respect its authority when he did1 the commandant began to speak2 but ,allen cat shore the thread of his discourse by lifting his sword over his head1 and reiterating the demand for an instant surrender4 ,having neither permission to argue1 nor power to resist1 ,captain ,de la ,place submitted1 ordering his men to parade without arms1 and the garrison was given up to the victors4 ,this surprise was effected about four o'clock in the morning on the #ajth of ,may4 ,the remainder of the troops arrived after the fort was taken1 and the prisoners1 consisting of a captain1 a lieutenant1 and forty-eight subalterns and privates1 were sent on to ,hartford under an escort4 ,as soon as the bustle was over1 ,allen sent off a detachment to take ,crown ,point1 a small fortress higher up the lake4 ,strong head winds drove back the boats1 and the party returned the same evening4 ,the attempt was renewed a day or two afterwards1 and the garrison1 consisting of a serjeant and eleven men1 were brought in prisoners4 ,the principal advantage of these captures1 besides the possession of the posts1 was the acquisition1 at ,ticonderoga1 of one hundred and twenty pieces of cannon1 some swivels1 mortars1 and small arms2 and at ,crown ,point1 of sixty-one cannon and some small stores4 ,the ,green ,mountain ,boys were at this time under sentence of outlawry from the ,provincial ,government2 but after the good service they had done at ,ticonderoga1 they were formed into a separate regiment1 and permitted to nominate their own officers4 ,their services to the cause of ,independence are well known4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,fort ,,putnam4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this fort1 which commands the military position of ,west ,point1 and which was considered so important during the revolutionary war1 is now in ruins1 and is visited by all travellers for the superb view which it affords of the sublime pass of the ,highlands4 ,this was the great key which ,arnold's treachery intended to give into the hands of the ,english2 and1 associated with the memory of the unfortunate ,andr1 and with other painful events of the conspiracy1 it possesses an interest which is wanting to other objects of the same description in our country4 ,washington's visit of inspection to ,fort ,putnam1 and the other redoubts on this side the river1 was made only two or three hours before his discovery of the treason of ,arnold1 at that moment as he supposed in command at ,west ,point4 ,the commander-in-chief was expected to arrive the evening before1 and had he done so1 ,arnold would probably never have escaped4 ,having accidentally met the ,french minister1 ,m4 de ,lucerne1 at ,fishkill1 however 7eight miles above71 he was induced to pass the night there for the purpose of some conference1 and set off early in the morning on horseback1 sending on a messenger to ,mrs4 ,arnold that himself and suite would be with her to breakfast4 ,arriving opposite ,west ,point1 near a small redoubt called ,fort ,constitution1 ,washington turned his horse from the road4 ,lafayette1 who was then in his suite1 called out1 8,general1 you are going in the wrong direction2 you know ,mrs4 ,arnold is waiting breakfast for us40 8,ah10 answered ,washington1 8,i know you young men are all in love with ,mrs4 ,arnold1 and wish to get where she is as soon as possible4 ,go and take your breakfast with her1 and tell her not to wait for me3 ,i must ride down and examine the redoubts on this side the river40 ,two of the aides rode on1 found breakfast waiting1 and sat down at once with ,general ,arnold and his family4 ,while they were at table1 a messenger came in with a letter for ,arnold1 which announced the capture of ,andr1 and the failure and betrayal1 of course1 of the whole conspiracy4 ,showing little or no emotion1 though his life hung upon a thread1 he merely said to one of his aides that his presence was required at ,west ,point2 and1 leaving word for ,general ,washington that he was called over the river1 but would return immediately1 he ordered a horse and sent for ,mrs4 ,arnold to her chamber4 ,he then informed her abruptly that they must part1 possibly for ever1 and that his life depended on his reaching the enemy's lines without delay4 ,struck with horror at this intelligence1 she swooned and fell senseless4 ,in that state he left her1 hurried down stairs1 mounted a horse belonging to one of his aides that stood saddled at the door1 and rode with all speed to the bank of the river4 ,a boat with six men was in waiting2 and1 pretending that he was going with a flag of truce1 he pulled down the stream1 and arrived safe on board the ,vulture sloop of war1 lying some miles below4 ,having finished his inspection of the redoubt1 ,washington arrived at ,arnold's house1 received the message1 and concluded to cross immediately and meet ,arnold at ,west ,point4 ,as the whole party were seated in the barge moving smoothly over the water1 with the majestic scenery of the highlands about them1 ,washington said1 8,well1 gentlemen1 ,i am glad1 on the whole1 that ,general ,arnold has gone before us1 for we shall now have a salute2 and the roaring of the cannon will have a fine effect among these mountains40 ,the boat drew near to the beach1 but no cannon were heard1 and there was no appearance of preparation to receive them4 8,what60 said ,washington1 8do they not intend to salute us60 ,at this moment an officer was seen making his way down the hill to meet them1 who seemed confused at their arrival1 and apologized for not being prepared to receive such distinguished visitors4 8,how is this1 ,sir10 said ,washington1 8is not ,general ,arnold here80 8,no1 ,sir10 replied the officer1 8he has not been here these two days1 nor have ,i heard from him within that time40 8,this is extraordinary10 said ,washington2 8we were told he had crossed the river1 and that we should find him here4 ,however1 our visit must not be in vain4 ,since we have come1 we must look round a little1 and see in what state things are with you40 ,he then ascended the hill1 examined ,fort ,putnam and the other fortifications1 and returned to ,arnold's house1 where the treason was at once revealed4 ,this had occupied two or three hours1 however1 and ,arnold was beyond pursuit4 ,washington retained his usual calmness1 though ,arnold was one of his favourite officers1 and had been placed at ,west ,point by his own personal influence with ,congress4 ,he called ,lafayette and ,knox1 showed them the proofs1 and only said to the former1 8,whom can we trust now60 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,state ,,street1 ,,boston4 99 99 99 99 99 ,boston is situated at the head of ,massachusetts bay1 on a peninsula about four miles in circumference1 and is about three miles in length1 and one mile and twenty-five rods1 where widest1 in breadth1 and is connected with the main land at the south end by a narrow isthmus1 called the ,neck1 leading to ,roxbury4 ,the town is built in an irregular circular form round the harbour1 which is studded with about forty small islands1 many of which afford excellent pasture2 and are frequented in summer by numerous parties of pleasure4 ,the harbour is formed by ,nahant ,point on the north1 and ,point ,alderton on the south1 and is so capacious as to allow five hundred vessels to ride at anchor in a good depth of water1 while the entrance is so narrow as scarcely to admit two ships abreast4 ,the entrance is defended by ,fort ,independence1 belonging to the ,united ,states1 on ,castle ,island1 and by ,fort ,warren1 on ,governor's ,island4 ,there is another fort1 called ,fort ,strong1 on ,noddle's ,island4 ,alterations and additions have of late years greatly improved the appearance of ,boston4 ,the streets1 which were formerly almost without an exception narrow and crooked1 have been in a great degree rendered wide and commodious2 the old wooden structures have in the greater part of the city been replaced by handsome buildings of stone or brick4 ,in the western part1 particularly1 there is much neatness and elegance4 ,the splendour of the private buildings here1 is not equalled in any other part of the ,union4 ,the literary institutions of this city are of the first order4 ,the public libraries contain #gj1jjj volumes4 ,the ,boston ,athenum is the finest establishment of its kind in the ,united ,states2 its library contains above #be1jjj volumes1 and a reading-room1 in which the most esteemed periodicals1 from all parts of the world1 may be found4 ,if we add to these the library of ,harvard ,college1 in the neighbourhood1 of #dj1jjj volumes1 making the number of books within the reach of the citizens #aaj1jjj1 it must be allowed that ,boston offers to the scholar a more advantageous residence than any other spot in the western world4 ,,state ,,street1 called ,king ,street in the days of ,stamp-acts and 8the ,regulars10 is the main artery of the heart of ,new ,england4 ,the old ,state ,house1 which stands at the head of it1 was called the ,town ,house1 and was first erected in #affj4 ,it is honourably mentioned in a book of travels1 written in a pleasant vein1 by 8,john ,josselyn1 ,gent40 who visited the colonies in #affc4 8,there is also a ,town ,house10 he says1 8built upon pillars1 where the merchants may confer4 ,in the chambers above they hold their monthly courts4 ,here is the dwelling of the ,governor 7,bellingham74 ,on the south there is a small but pleasant common1 where the gallants1 a little before sunset1 walk with their marmalet madams1 as we do in ,moorfields1 till the nine o'clock bell rings them home to their respective habitations2 when presently1 the constables walk the rounds to see good order kept1 and to take up loose people40 ,the ,state ,house has been twice burnt1 and rebuilt4 ,a council chamber1 ornamented with full-length portraits of ,charles ,,ii4 and ,james ,,ii4 formerly occupied the east end2 and it was in this chamber that ,james ,otis declared before a court of admiralty1 that 8taxation without representation is tyranny10--a phrase which became1 before long1 a slogan in the mouths of the people4 8,then and there10 writes ,president ,adams1 8was the first scene of the first act of opposition to the arbitrary claims of ,great ,britain4 ,then and there1 the child ,independence was born40 ,it was upon a trial of the question of 8,writs for ,assistance10 a power which was required by the ,board of ,trade to enforce some new and rigorous ,acts of ,parliament touching trade2 and ,otis opposed the ,attorney-,general4 8,as soon as he had concluded10 says the historian1 8,otis burst forth as with a flame of fire1 with a promptitude of classical allusion1 a depth of research1 a rapid summary of historical events1 a profusion of legal authorities1 a prophetic glance into futurity1 and a torrent of impetuous eloquence1 which carried all before him40 ,this was the preparation for the resistance to the ,stamp ,act1 and the ,revolution soon followed4 ,state ,street has been the scene of most of the events of a very public nature1 which are recorded in the annals of ,boston4 ,the balcony of the ,state ,house is the popular pulpit1 and hence was read the ,declaration of ,independence1 and from hence declaimed ,colonel ,david ,crockett1 who 8could lick his weight in wild-cats40 ,in #aggj the 8,boston massacre0 took place in ,state ,street4 ,for several days preceding the event1 there had been disturbances between the king's soldiers and the townspeople1 which had put the officers on the alert4 ,the soldiers were collected into the barracks before night1 and sentinels were placed around them at all hours to prevent difficulty4 ,one of these sentinels was stationed in a narrow alley1 and was striking fire against the walls with his sword1 for amusement1 when two or three young men attempted to pass him4 ,having orders to let no one pass1 a struggle ensued1 and one of the young men received a wound on the head4 ,the noise of the rencontre drew together a considerable crowd1 and as but few could enter the narrow scene of action1 the remainder listened to an inflammatory speech from 8a tall man1 with a red cloak1 and a white wig10 in the adjacent square4 ,at the close of the oration there was a general cry 8,to the main guard60 and the crowd rushed tumultuously toward its station in ,state ,street4 ,on their way they passed the ,custom ,house1 before the door of which stood a single sentinel4 ,alarmed at their approach1 he retreated up the steps1 and1 the people collecting around1 he sent word to the barracks1 near by1 that he was attacked1 and a company in a few moments arrived to his assistance1 and formed a half circle round the steps4 ,the captain of the day1 named ,preston1 followed immediately1 and the ,custom ,house1 which stood at the corner of ,state and ,exchange ,streets1 was soon thronged by a considerable multitude4 ,the soldiers were soon pressed upon very closely by the mob1 who were mostly armed with clubs2 and those at a distance soon began to throw snowballs1 followed by fragments of ice1 stones and sticks1 while from every side came the cry1 8,fire1 if you dare60 ,the soldiers soon heard1 or thought they heard1 the order1 and they fired in quick succession from right to left4 ,two or three of the guns flashed1 but the rest were fatal4 ,three persons were killed on the spot1 two received wounds of which they died next day1 and others were more slightly injured4 ,the people immediately dispersed1 leaving the dead bodies in the street1 but returned in a few minutes2 when the soldiers aimed once more at them1 but the commanding officer struck up the guns with his sword4 ,the drum was beat to arms1 and several of the officers1 on their way to join the guard1 were knocked down1 and their swords taken from them4 ,order was soon restored1 and ,captain ,preston delivered himself up for trial4 ,the dead were buried with some pomp1 and when the excitement had subsided a little1 ,preston was tried and acquitted4 ,state ,street is at present a street of banks1 insurance offices1 and similar institutions2 and its side walk serves for the merchants' exchange4 ,the buildings are of granite1 and some of them1 particularly a new bank1 lately erected near ,kilby ,street1 present very creditable specimens of city architecture4 ,illustration ,,niagara ,,falls1 ,,from ,,clifton ,,house4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the most comprehensive view of ,niagara is1 no doubt1 that from the galleries of this hotel2 but it is1 at the same time1 for a first view1 one of the most unfavourable4 ,clifton ,house stands nearly opposite the centre of the irregular crescent formed by the ,falls2 but it is so far back from the line of the arc1 that the height and grandeur of the two cataracts1 to an eye unacquainted with the scene1 are deceptively diminished4 ,after once making the tour of the points of view1 however1 the distance and elevation of the hotel are allowed for by the eye1 and the situation seems most advantageous4 ,this is the only house at ,niagara where a traveller1 on his second visit1 would be content to live4 ,clifton ,house is kept in the best style of hotels in this country2 but the usual routine of such places1 going on in the very eye of ,niagara1 weaves in very whimsically with the eternal presence and power of the cataract4 ,we must eat1 drink1 and sleep1 it is true1 at ,niagara as elsewhere2 and indeed1 what with the exhaustion of mind and fatigue of body1 we require at the ,falls perhaps more than usual of these three 8blessed inventions40 ,the leaf that is caught away by the ,rapids1 however1 is not more entirely possessed by this wonder of nature1 than is the mind and imagination of the traveller2 and the arrest of that leaf by the touch of the overhanging tree1 or the point of a rock amid the breakers1 is scarce more momentary than the interruption to the traveller's enchantment by the circumstances of daily life4 ,he falls asleep with its surging thunders in his ear1 and wakes--to wonder1 for an instant1 if his yesterday's astonishment was a dream4 ,with the succeeding thought1 his mind refills1 like a mountain channel1 whose torrent has been suspended by the frost1 and he is overwhelmed with sensations that are almost painful1 from the suddenness of their return4 ,he rises and throws up his window1 and there it flashes1 and thunders1 and agonizes--the same almighty miracle of grandeur for ever going on2 and he turns and wonders--,what the deuce can have become of his stockings6 ,he slips on his dressing-gown1 and commences his toilet4 ,the glass stands in the window1 and with his beard half achieved1 he gets a glimpse of the foam-cloud rising majestically over the top of the mahogany frame4 ,almost persuaded1 like ,queen ,christina at the fountains of ,st4 ,peter's1 that a spectacle of such splendour is not intended to last1 he drops his razor1 and with the soap drying unheeded on his chin1 he leans on his elbows1 and watches the yeasty writhe in the abysm1 and the solemn pillars of crystal eternally falling1 like the fragments of some palace-crested star1 descending through interminable space4 ,the white field of the iris forms over the brow of the cataract1 exhibits its radiant bow1 and sails away in a vanishing cloud of vapour upon the wind2 the tortured and convulsed surface of the caldron below shoots out its frothy and seething circles in perpetual torment2 the thunders are heaped upon each other1 the earth trembles1 and--the bell rings for breakfast6 ,a vision of cold rolls1 clammy omelettes1 and tepid tea1 succeeds these sublime images1 and the traveller completes his toilet4 ,breakfast over1 he resorts to the colonnade1 to contemplate untiringly the scene before him1 and in the midst of a calculation of the progress of the ,fall towards ,lake ,erie1--with the perspiration standing on his forehead1 while he struggles to conceive the junction of its waters with ,lake ,ontario1--the rocks rent1 the hills swept away1 forests prostrated1 and the islands uprooted in the mighty conflux1--some one's child escapes from its nurse1 and seizing him by the legs1 cries out 8,da-da40 ,the ennui attendant upon public-houses can never be felt at ,clifton ,house4 ,the most common mind finds the spectacle from its balconies a sufficient and untiring occupation4 ,the loneliness of uninhabited parlours1 the discord of baby-thrummed pianos1 the dreariness of great staircases1 long entries1 and bar-rooms filled with strangers1 are pains and penalties of travel never felt at ,niagara4 ,if there is a vacant half-hour to dinner1 or if indisposition to sleep create that sickening yearning for society1 which sometimes comes upon a stranger in a strange land1 like the calenture of a fever1--the eternal marvel going on without is more engrossing than friend or conversation1 more beguiling from sad thought than the ,corso in carnival-time4 ,to lean over the balustrade and watch the flying of the ferry-boat below1 with its terrified freight of adventurers1 one moment gliding swiftly down the stream in the round of an eddy1 the next1 lifted up by a boiling wave1 as if it were tossed up from the scoop of a giant's hand beneath the water2 to gaze hour after hour into the face of the cataract1 to trace the rainbows1 delight like a child in the shooting spray-clouds1 and calculate fruitlessly and endlessly by the force1 weight1 speed1 and change of the tremendous waters1--is amusement and occupation enough to draw the mind from any thing1--to cure madness or create it4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,hyde ,,park4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,hudson at ,hyde ,park is a broad1 tranquil1 and noble river1 of about the same character as the ,bosphorus above ,roumeli-bissar1 or the ,dardanelles at ,abydos4 ,the shores are cultivated to the water's edge1 and lean up in graceful1 rather than bold elevations2 the eminences around are crested with the villas of the wealthy inhabitants of the metropolis at the river's mouth2 summer-houses1 belvideres1 and water-steps1 give an air of enjoyment and refreshment to the banks1 and1 without any thing like the degree of the picturesque which makes the river so remarkable thirty or forty miles below1 it is1 perhaps1 a more tempting character of scenery to build and live among4 ,all along1 in this part of the river1 occur the 8landings10 which are either considerable towns in themselves1 or indicate a thickly settled country in the rear4 ,the immense steamers that ply on the ,hudson leave and receive passengers at all these points1 and1 to a person making the passage for the first time1 the manner and expedition of this operation is rather startling4 ,in the summer time1 the principal steam boats average from five to seven hundred passengers1 and there is usually a considerable number to go ashore and come off at each place4 ,a mile or two before reaching the spot1 a negro makes the tour of the boat1 with a large hand-bell1 and1 in an amusing speech1 full of the idioms of his own race1 announces the approach1 and requests those who are going ashore to select their baggage4 ,this done1 the steamer1 gliding over the smooth water at the rate of fifteen or twenty miles in the hour1 sheers in toward the shore1 and the small boat is lowered1 with the captain in her at the helm2 the passengers are put on board1 and away she shoots at the end of a line gradually loosened1 but still kept tight enough to send her1 like an arrow to her mark4 ,the moment she touches the pier1 the loose line is let out from the steamer1 which still keeps on her way1 and between that moment and the exhaustion of the line1 perhaps thirty seconds1 the baggage is thrown out1 and taken in1 passengers jump ashore1 and embark1 and away shoots the little boat again1 her bow rising clear over the crest of her own foam1 with the added velocity of the steamer at full speed1 and the rapid hauling in of the crew4 ,i never have failed to observe a look of astonishment on the part of the subjects of this hurried transfer1 however used to it by frequent repetition2 and a long sigh of relief1 as they look about on the broad and steady deck1 or tread the ground beneath them if they have gone ashore1 follows as invariably4 ,as the boat is hauled up again1 the negro crier reappears with his bell1 and1 looking the newly arrived group close in the face1 cries out1 as if they were a mile off1 8,all pas'ng'rs as hasn't paid their passage1 please walk to the cap'n's office and sett,l,e-,e-,e660--the whole sentence recited in the most monotonous tone till the last syllable1 which rises suddenly to a ludicrous scream1 prolonged as long as his breath will continue it4 ,many fatal accidents occurred formerly from this practice2 but there is now more care and time taken about it1 and the accidents1 if any1 are rather ludicrous than serious4 ,i was going to ,albany1 some years ago1 on board a very crowded boat1 and among the passengers were a ,german and his wife1 emigrants of the lower class4 ,they had been down stairs at dinner1 and the husband came up in search of his wife1 who had preceded him1 just as a crowded boatful were going ashore at ,poughkeepsie4 ,either fancying it the end of his journey1 or misunderstanding the man who was busy with the baggage1 he threw in his bundle1 and was peeping through the crowd of ladies on the stern for his wife2 when one of the men1 impatient of his delay1 drew him in1 and away he flew to the pier4 ,he sprang ashore with the rest1 his bundle was thrown after him1 and1 as the steamer sped away1 we saw him darting about in the crowd to find his vrouw1 who by this time had missed him1 and was running from side to side1 in quite as great embarrassment on board4 ,the poor woman's distress was quite pitiable1 and when1 at last1 one of the passengers1 who had observed them together1 pointed out to her her husband1 in his flat cap and foreign bleuse1 standing on the receding pier1 with his hands stretched out after the boat1 her agony could no longer be controlled4 ,she was put ashore at the next landing to return by the 8down boat20 but as another boat up the river arrived soon after at ,poughkeepsie1 the probability was1 that he would embark again to follow her1 and they would thus cross each other by the way2 with scarce a word of ,english1 and probably very little money1 they may be hunting each other to this day4 ,illustration ,,village ,,of ,,sing-,,sing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sing-,sing is famous for its marble1 of which there is an extensive quarry near by2 for its ,state prison1 of which the discipline is of the most salutary character2 and for its academy1 which has a high reputation4 ,it may be said1 altogether1 to do the ,state some service4 ,the county of ,west ,chester1 of which this is the principal village on the ,hudson1 has been made the scene of1 perhaps1 the best historical novel of our country1 and1 more than any other part of the ,united ,states1 suffered from the evils of war4 ,the character and depredations of the 8cow-boys0 and 8skinners10 whose fields of action were on the skirts of this neutral ground1 are familiar to all who have read 8the ,essay0 of ,mr4 ,cooper4 ,a distinguished clergyman gives the following very graphic picture of ,west ,chester county in those days3-- 8,in the autumn of #aggg1 ,i resided for some time in this county4 ,the lines of the ,british were then in the neighbourhood of ,kingsbridge1 and those of the ,americans at ,byram river4 ,the unhappy inhabitants were1 therefore1 exposed to the depredations of both4 ,often they were actually plundered1 and always were liable to this calamity4 ,they feared every body whom they saw1 and loved nobody4 ,it was a curious fact to a philosopher1 and a melancholy one to hear their conversation4 ,to every question they gave such an answer as would please the inquirer2 or1 if they despaired of pleasing1 such a one as would not provoke him4 ,fear was1 apparently1 the only passion by which they were animated4 ,the power of volition seemed to have deserted them4 ,they were not civil1 but obsequious2 not obliging1 but subservient4 ,they yielded with a kind of apathy1 and very quietly1 what you asked1 and what they supposed it impossible for them to retain4 ,if you treated them kindly1 they received it coldly2 not as a kindness1 but as a compensation for injuries done them by others4 ,when you spoke to them1 they answered you without either good or ill nature1 and without any appearance of reluctance or hesitation2 but they subjoined neither questions nor remarks of their own2 proving to your full conviction that they felt no interest either in the conversation or yourself4 ,both their countenances and their motions had lost every trace of animation and of feeling4 ,their features were smoothed1 not into serenity1 but apathy2 and1 instead of being settled in the attitude of quiet thinking1 strongly indicated1 that all thought beyond what was merely instinctive1 had fled their minds for ever4 8,their houses1 meantime1 were1 in a great measure1 scenes of desolation4 ,their furniture was extensively plundered1 or broken to pieces4 ,the walls1 floors1 and windows were injured both by violence and decay1 and were not repaired1 because they had not the means to repair them1 and because they were exposed to the repetition of the same injuries4 ,their cattle were gone4 ,their enclosures were burnt1 where they were capable of becoming fuel2 and in many cases thrown down where they were not4 ,their fields were covered with a rank growth of weeds and wild grass4 8,amid all this appearance of desolation1 nothing struck my eye more forcibly than the sight of the high road4 ,where ,i had heretofore seen a continual succession of horses and carriages1 life and bustle lending a sprightliness to all the environing objects1 not a single1 solitary traveller was seen1 from week to week1 or from month to month4 ,the world was motionless and silent1 except when one of these unhappy people ventured upon a rare and lonely excursion to the house of a neighbour no less unhappy1 or a scouting party1 traversing the country in quest of enemies1 alarmed the inhabitants with expectations of new injuries and sufferings4 ,the very tracks of the carriages were grown over1 and obliterated2 and where they were discernible1 resembled the faint impressions of chariot wheels1 said to be left on the pavements of ,herculaneum4 ,the grass was of full height for the scythe1 and strongly realized to my own mind1 for the first time1 the proper import of that picturesque declaration in the ,song of ,deborah3 #8,in the days of ,shamgar1 the son of ,anath1 in the days of ,jael1 the highways were unoccupied1 and the travellers walked through by-paths4 ,the inhabitants of the villages ceased3 they ceased in ,israel4'0 ,west ,chester is a rough county in natural surface1 but since the days when the above description was true1 its vicinity to ,new ,york1 and the ready market for produce1 have changed its character to a thriving agricultural district4 ,it is better watered with springs1 brooks1 and mill-streams1 than many other parts of ,new ,york1 and1 among other advantages1 enjoys1 along the ,hudson1 a succession of brilliant and noble scenery4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,ruggle',s ,,house1 ,,newburgh1 ,,hudson ,,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,newburgh stands upon a pretty acclivity1 rising with a sharp ascent from the east bank of the ,hudson2 and1 in point of trade and consequence1 it is one of the first towns on the river4 ,in point of scenery1 ,newburgh is as felicitously placed1 perhaps1 as any other spot in the world1 having in its immediate neighbourhood every element of natural loveliness2 and1 just below1 the sublime and promising ,pass of the ,highlands4 ,from the summit of the acclivity1 the view over ,wateaman and ,fishkill is full of beauty2 the deep flow of the ,hudson lying between1 and the pretty villages just named1 sparkling with their white buildings and cheerful steeples1 beyond4 ,newburgh has a considerable trade with the back country1 and supports two or three steam-boats1 running daily and exclusively between its pier and ,new ,york4 ,if there were wanting an index of the wondrous advance of enterprise and invention in our country1 we need not seek farther than this simple fact--a small intermediate town1 on one river1 supporting such an amount of expensive navigation4 ,only thirty years ago ,fulton made his first experiment in steam on the ,hudson1 amid the unbelief and derision of the whole country4 ,let any one stand for one hour on the pier at ,newburgh1 and see those superb and swift palaces of motion shoot past1 one after the other1 like gay and chasing meteors2 and then read poor ,fulton's account of his first experiment--and never again throw discouragement on the kindling fire of genius4 8,when ,i was building my first steam-boat10 said he to ,judge ,story1 8the project was viewed by the public at ,new ,york either with indifference or contempt1 as a visionary scheme4 ,my friends1 indeed1 were civil1 but they were shy4 ,they listened with patience to my explanations1 but with a settled cast of incredulity on their countenances4 ,i felt the full force of the lamentation of the ,poet3-- #8,truths would you teach1 to save a sinking land1 ,all shun1 none aid you1 and few understand4' ,as ,i had occasion to pass daily to and from the building-yard while my boat was in progress1 ,i have often loitered1 unknown1 near the idle groups of strangers gathering in little circles1 and heard various inquiries as to the object of this new vehicle4 ,the language was uniformly that of scorn1 sneer1 or ridicule4 ,the loud laugh rose at my expense2 the dry jest1 the wise calculation of losses and expenditure2 the dull but endless repetition of 8the ,fulton folly40 ,never did a single encouraging remark1 a bright hope1 or a warm wish1 cross my path4 8,at length the day arrived when the experiment was to be made4 ,to me it was a most trying and interesting occasion4 ,i wanted many friends to go on board to witness the first successful trip4 ,many of them did me the favour to attend1 as a matter of personal respect2 but it was manifest they did it with reluctance1 feigning to be partners of my mortification1 and not of my triumph4 ,i was well aware that1 in my case1 there were many reasons to doubt of my own success4 ,the machinery was new1 and ill-made2 and many parts of it were constructed by mechanics unacquainted with such work2 and unexpected difficulties might reasonably be presumed to present themselves from other causes4 ,the moment arrived in which the word was to be given for the vessel to move4 ,my friends were in groups on the deck4 ,there was anxiety mixed with fear among them4 ,they were silent1 sad1 and weary4 ,i read in their looks nothing but disaster1 and almost repented of my efforts4 ,the signal was given1 and the boat moved on a short distance1 and then stopped1 and became immovable4 ,to the silence of the preceding moment1 now succeeded murmurs of discontent and agitation1 and whispers and shrugs4 ,i could hear distinctly repeated1 8,i told you so1--it is a foolish scheme4--,i wish we were well out of it40 ,i elevated myself on a platform1 and stated that ,i knew not what was the matter2 but if they would be quiet1 and indulge me for half an hour1 ,i would either go on or abandon the voyage4 ,i went below1 and discovered that a slight maladjustment was the cause4 ,it was obviated4 ,the boat went on2 we left ,new ,york2 we passed through the ,highlands2 we reached ,albany6--,yet even then1 imagination superseded the force of fact4 ,it was doubted if it could be done again1 or if it could be made1 in any case1 of any great value40 ,what an affecting picture of the struggles of a great mind1 and what a vivid lesson of encouragement to genius1 is contained in this simple narration6 ,illustration ,,descent ,,into ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,wyoming4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in looking down on this lovely scene1 made memorable by savage barbarity1 and famous by the poet's wand of enchantment1 it is natural to indulge in resentful feelings towards the sanguinary race whose atrocities make up its page in story4 ,it is a pity1 however1 that they too1 had not a poet and a partial chronicler4 ,leaving entirely out of view the ten thousand wrongs done by the white man to the ,indian1 in the corruption1 robbery1 and rapid extinction of his race1 there are personal atrocities1 on our own records1 exercised toward that fated people1 which1 in impartial history hereafter1 will redeem them from all charge except that of irresistible retaliation4 ,the brief story of the famous ,cornstalk1 ,sachem of the ,shawanees1 and ,king of the ,northern ,confederacy1 is sermon enough on this text4 ,the north-western corner of ,virginia1 and that part of ,pennsylvania contiguous1 on the south1 to the valley represented in the drawing1 was the scene of some of the bloodiest events of ,indian warfare4 ,distinguished over all the other red men of this region1 was ,cornstalk4 ,he was equally a terror to the men of his own tribe1 7whom he did not hesitate to hew down with his tomahawk if they showed any cowardice in fight17 and a formidable opponent to our troops1 from his military talents and personal daring4 ,he was1 at the same time1 more than all the other chiefs of the confederacy1 a friend to the whites2 and1 energetic as he was when once engaged in battle1 never took up arms willingly against them4 ,after the bloody contest at ,point ,pleasant1 in which ,cornstalk had displayed his generalship and bravery1 to the admiration of his foes1 he came in to the camp of ,lord ,dunmore1 to make negotiations for peace4 ,colonel ,wilson1 one of the staff1 thus describes his oratory3--8,when he arose1 he was in no wise confused or daunted1 but spoke in a distinct and audible voice1 without stammering or repetition1 and with peculiar emphasis4 ,his looks1 while addressing ,dunmore1 were truly grand and majestic1 yet graceful and attractive4 ,i have heard many celebrated orators1 but never one whose powers of delivery surpassed those of ,cornstalk on this occasion40 ,in the spring of #aggg1 it was known that an extensive coalition was forming among the tribes1 and that it only waited the consent and powerful aid of the ,shawanees1 to commence war upon the whites4 ,at this critical time1 ,cornstalk1 accompanied by ,red ,hawk1 came on a friendly visit to the ,fort at ,point ,pleasant1 communicated the intentions of the tribes1 and expressed his sorrow that the tide set so strongly against the colonists1 that he must go with it1 in spite of all his endeavours4 ,upon receiving this information1 given by the noble savage in the spirit of a generous enemy1 the commander of the garrison seized upon ,cornstalk and his companion as hostages for the peaceful conduct of his nation1 and set about availing himself of the advantage he had gained by his suggestions4 ,during his captivity1 ,cornstalk held frequent conversations with the officers1 and took pleasure in describing to them the geography of the west1 then little known4 ,one afternoon1 while he was engaged in drawing on the floor a map of the ,missouri territory1 with its water-courses and mountains1 a halloo was heard from the forest1 which he recognised as the voice of his son ,ellinipsico1 a young warrior1 whose courage and address was almost as celebrated as his own4 ,ellinipsico entered the fort1 and embraced his father most affectionately1 having been uneasy at his long absence1 and come hither in search of him4 ,the day after his arrival1 a soldier went out from the fort on a hunting excursion1 and was shot by ,indians4 ,his infuriated companions instantly resolved to sacrifice ,cornstalk and his son4 ,they charged upon ,ellinipsico that the offenders were in his company1 but he declared that he had come alone1 and with the sole object of seeking his father4 ,when the soldiers came within hearing1 the young warrior appeared agitated4 ,cornstalk encouraged him to meet hits fate composedly1 and said to him1 8,my son1 the ,great ,spirit has sent you here that we may die together60 ,he turned to meet his murderers the next instant1 and receiving seven bullets in his body1 expired without a groan4 ,when ,cornstalk had fallen1 ,ellinipsico continued still and passive1 not even raising himself from his seat4 ,he met death in that position with the utmost calmness4 8,the other ,indian10 says the chronicle1 8was murdered piecemeal1 and with all those circumstances of cruelty with which the savage wreaks his vengeance on his enemy40 ,the day before his death1 ,cornstalk had been present at a council of the officers1 and had spoken to them on the subject of the war1 with his own peculiar eloquence4 ,in the course of his remarks1 he expressed something like a presentiment of his fate4 8,when ,i was young10 he said1 8and went out to war1 ,i often thought each would be my last adventure1 and ,i should return no more4 ,i still lived4 ,now ,i am in the midst of you1 and1 if you choose1 you may kill me4 ,i can die but once4 ,it is alike to me whether now or hereafter60 ,his atrocious murder was dearly expiated4 ,the ,shawanees1 the most warlike tribe of the ,west1 became thenceforward the most deadly and implacable foes to the white man4 ,illustration ,,boston1 ,,from ,,dorchester ,,heights4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the pretty peninsula of ,dorchester ,heights1 which seems to throw its arm protectingly around the southern bay of ,boston1 was settled by a company of pilgrims who came out to ,new ,england during the administration of ,governor ,winthrop1 in ,massachusetts4 ,the party consisted of two ,puritan clergymen1 8with many godly families and people0 from ,devonshire and ,somersetshire1 who embarked in the 8,mary ,john10 in the spring of #afcj4 ,the historian states that they had some difficulty in the passage with the master of the vessel1 ,captain ,squibb1 8who1 like a merciless man1 put them and their goods ashore on ,nantasket ,point1 notwithstanding his engagement was to bring them up ,charles river40 ,they obtained a boat1 however1 and1 having laden her with goods1 and manned her with able men 78not more than ten1 well armed1 under ,captain ,southcot1 a brave ,low-country soldier107 they followed the river for about ten miles4 ,after landing their goods on a steep bank1 they were alarmed by the information that there was encamped near them a body of three hundred savages4 ,fortunately they had been joined by an old planter1 who knew enough of the ,indian tongue and disposition to persuade the chiefs not to attack the party till morning4 ,at day-break1 some of the savages made their appearance1 but stood awhile at a distance4 ,at last one of them held out a bass1 and the pilgrims sent a man with a biscuit to exchange for it1 and thus a friendly intercourse was established4 ,not liking the neighbourhood1 however1 they descended the river again1 and an exploring party having discovered some good pasture at ,mattapau 7present ,dorchester7 they settled there4 ,the neighbouring peninsula of ,shawmut 7now ,boston7 was destined to be the principal settlement1 and ,dorchester is at this day a rural suburb of the capital of ,new ,england4 ,the fort which crowns its summit 7from which this view is taken7 is the scene of an important chapter in the history of the ,revolution4 ,boston had been occupied for some time by the ,british army under ,general ,gage1 who sailed for ,england in ,october #aggf1 leaving ,general ,howe in command4 ,after the battle of ,bunker's ,hill1 both armies remained quiet for several months2 ,general ,washington occupying both sides of the ,charles river with about fourteen thousand men2 and the ,english1 besieged in their quarters within the town1 amusing themselves with private theatricals in ,faneuiel ,hall1 varied occasionally with feats of horsemanship from a squadron of cavalry1 who had turned the old ,south ,church into a circus4 ,as the cold became severe1 the ,north 8meeting-house10 an immense wooden building1 was torn down and consumed for fuel1 and the soldiers had made a holiday of felling a gigantic ,liberty-tree for the same purpose4 ,washington became impatient of this inactive situation2 and as soon as the ice in the bay and river became firm enough to allow the passage of troops1 he called a council of war1 and proposed an attack on ,boston4 ,the opinion against the measure was unanimous1 and he reluctantly abandoned it4 ,he soon after determined to take possession of ,dorchester ,heights1 which command both harbour and town1--a step which he knew must bring on a general action1 during which he intended to cross over to ,cambridge with a few chosen men1 and force an entrance into the town4 ,during the two or three preceding nights1 he bombarded the town heavily from his camp1 to divert the attention of the garrison2 and on the night of the #dth of ,march1 a large detachment took possession of ,dorchester ,heights1 and immediately commenced throwing up an intrenchment4 ,the night was mild1 but the ground was frozen almost impenetrably hard2 and it was with excessive labour that a sufficient bulwark was presented by day-light1 to cover them from the shot of the enemy4 ,the morning broke1--and a thin haze1 which magnified the size of the works1 overspread the landscape4 ,the astonishment of ,general ,howe1 at discerning this phantom fortification looming up through the mist1 upon heights which had been bare and desolate at sunset1 was without bounds4 ,the position was so commanding that the town could not be held unless the ,americans were dislodged2 but this seemed1 from the advantages of the ground in favour of the ,provincials1 next to impossible4 ,the ,british commander undertook it with great spirit1 and two thousand troops were embarked on the same day to cross the harbour to the attack4 ,the transports fell down to the ,castle1 a small island just below the town2 but a tremendous storm suspended their operations4 ,the next day a council of war was held1 and it was thought advisable to evacuate the town immediately4 ,the provincials went on completing their fortifications1 undisturbed2 and in a few days ,general ,howe embarked with all his forces1 accompanied by those ,americans who adhered to the royal cause4 ,the embarkation commenced at four in the morning of the #agth of ,march1 and at ten in the forenoon ,general ,washington entered the city at the head of his army4 ,the ,english fleet sailed for ,halifax4 ,they were ten thousand strong1 including the marines2 and left stores to the value of #cj1jjjl4 with several pieces of cannon1 mortars1 c4 c4 ,the view of ,boston from these heights is very commanding4 ,the bay1 with its fortified islands1 stretches away to the right1 beautiful from its shape and from the brightness of its water2 the city1 clustering upon its heights1 rises in graceful lines to the pinnacled ,state ,house2 and the country to the left is all that is lovely in cultivation1 sprinkled here and there with gay and thrifty-looking villages4 ,the calenture of speculation is just now at its height in ,america2 and ,dorchester1 like other places1 is laid out in lots1 and busy with the builders of fancy cottages and hotels4 ,if calculation has not overreached itself1 the suburbs of ,boston will soon sparkle with villas on every hill side within the horizon4 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,faneuil ,,hall1 ,,and ,,adjacent ,,buildings1 ,,boston4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are very few remaining of the many covered1 gable-ended1 top-heavy1 old houses which constituted the compact centre of ,boston in the days of ,english governors4 ,the finest specimens long stood in the neighbourhood of ,faneuiel ,hall2 but1 with one exception1 we believe1 their picturesque heaps of triangles have dropped beneath the merciless hand of speculation and improvement4 ,boston has not grown so thriftily1 or rather so miraculously1 as the capitols of other ,states1 through which the flood of emigration rolls more directly2 but it is certainly the handsomest town in the ,united ,states1 and probably its prosperity is more permanent and solid4 ,its granite houses and fine public buildings are in strong contrast with the description given of it by ,john ,josselyn1 ,gent4 who visited it in #afch1 and afterwards favoured the world with his observations under the title of 8,new ,england ,rarities40 8,having refreshed myself for a day or two on an island in the bay10 he says1 8,i crossed the harbour in a small boat to ,boston1 which was then rather a village than a town1 there not being more than above twenty or thirty houses3 and presented my respects to ,mr4 ,muthrop the governor1 and to ,mr4 ,cotton the teacher of ,boston ,church1 to whom ,i delivered from ,mr4 ,francis ,quarles1 the poet1 the translation of several ,psalms in ,english metre for his approbation40 ,a facetious bookseller1 ,john ,dunton1 visited ,boston some fifty years afterwards2 and1 in a book upon his 8,life and ,errors10 gives a humorous account of its inhabitants in his time4 ,the passage1 which is now commonly made in from sixteen to twenty-five or thirty days1 occupied the unfortunate bibliopole four months2 and he was reduced1 at the latter part of it1 to one bottle of water for four days4 8,when we came within view of ,boston10 he writes1 8we were all overjoyed1 being just upon the point of starving2 we put off to land in the long boat1 and came ashore near the ,castle1 which stands about a mile from ,boston4 ,the country appeared at first a barren waste1 but we found humanity enough when we came among the inhabitants4 ,we lodged the first night at the ,castle1 and next morning we found our way to ,boston ,bay over the ice1 which was but cold comfort to us after we had been stowed up so many months in a cabin4 ,the air of ,new ,england was sharper than at ,london2 which1 with the temptation of fresh provisions1 made me eat like a second ,mariot of ,gray's ,inn4 ,the first person that welcomed me to ,boston was ,mr4 ,burroughs4 ,he heaped upon me more civilities than ,i can reckon up1 offered to lend me moneys1 and made me his bedfellow till ,i had provided lodgings40 ,dunton's book would have sold merrily in our scandal-loving days4 ,its personalities are delightful4 ,the following list of his acquaintance is as good as a portrait gallery4 8,mr4 ,phillips1 my old correspondent4--,he treated me with a noble dinner1 and 7if ,i may trust my eyes7 is blest with a pretty1 obliging wife4 ,i'll say that for ,sam 7after dealing with him for some hundred pounds71 he is very just1 and 7as an effect of that7 very thriving4 ,i shall add to his character1 that he is young and witty1 and the most beautiful man in the town of ,boston4 8,the next was ,mr4 ,king4--,love was the cause of this gentleman's long ramble hither4 ,sure his mistress was made of stone1 for ,king had a voice would have charmed the spheres2 he sang 8,all hail to the ,myrtle ,shades0 with a matchless grace4 8,another acquaintance was ,mr4 ,york4 ,he had his soft minutes as well as other men2 and when he unbent his bow1 7for he was very industrious17 he treated the fair sex with so much courtship and address1 as if loving had been all his trade4 8,i pass to my good friend ,dr4 ,bullivant--both a gentleman and a physician4 ,as a gentleman1 he came of noble family1 but his good qualities exceed his birth4 ,he never practises new experiments on his patients1 except in dangerous cases1 where death must be expelled by death4 ,this is also praiseworthy in him1 that to the poor he always prescribes cheap medicines2 not curing them of a consumption in their bodies and sending it into their purses1 nor yet directing them to the ,east ,indies for drugs1 when they may have better out of their own gardens4 8,i proceed in the next place to ,mr4 ,gouge1 a linen-draper from ,london4 ,he is owner of a deal of wit2 his brain is a quiver of smart jests4 ,he pretends to live a bachelor1 but is no enemy to a pretty woman40 ,dunton winds up his list with an apostrophe to ,mrs4 ,comfort1 the married daughter of his landlady4 8,you may well take it amiss10 he says1 8if ,i should forget your favours to me in your father's house1 your pleasant company to ,ipswich1 your assistance when ,i was ill1 and the noble looking-glass you sent my dear1 and all with a world of innocence40 8,kind ,boston1 adieu6 part we must1 though 'tis pity1 ,but ,i'm made for mankind3 the world is my city4 ,look how on the shore they whoop and they holloa1 ,not for joy ,i am gone1 but for grief they can't follow40 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,the ,,telegraph ,,signal1 ,,new ,,york ,,bay4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the first visitor to the ,bay of ,new ,york1 and the writer of the first description on record1 was ,john de ,verrazzano1 a ,florentine1 in the service of ,francis the ,first4 ,this bold navigator had been for some time in command of four ships1 cruising against the ,spaniards4 ,but his little fleet being separated in a storm1 ,verrazzano determined1 with one of them1 the ,dauphin1 to take a voyage in search of new countries4 ,he arrived on the ,american coast1 somewhere near ,north ,carolina1 and first proceeded south as far as 8the region of palm-trees10 probably ,florida4 ,he then turned1 and proceeded north till he entered a harbour1 which he describes thus1 in a passage of a letter addressed by him to his ,royal master3-- 8,this land is situated in the paralele of ,rome1 in forty-one degrees and two terces2 but somewhat more colde by accidentall causes4 ,the mouth of the haven lieth open to the south1 half a league broad2 and being entred within it1 between the east and the north1 it stretcheth twelve leagues1 where it wareth broader and broader1 and maketh a gulfe about twenty leagues in compass1 wherein are five small islands1 very fruitfull and pleasant1 full of hie and broad trees1 among the which islands any great navie may ride safe without any feare of tempest or other danger40 ,in this harbour ,verrazzano appears to have remained about fifteen days4 ,he and his men frequently went on shore to obtain supplies and see the country4 ,he says in another part of his letter--8,sometimes our men stayed two or three daies on a little island neere the ship for divers necessaries4 ,we were oftentimes within the land five or six leagues1 which we found as pleasant as is possible to declare1 very apt for any kind of husbandry1 of corne1 wine1 and ayle4 ,we entered afterwards into the woods1 which we found so thicke that any army1 were it never so great1 might have hid itself therein2 the trees whereof are okes1 cypresse-trees1 and other sortes unknown in ,europe40 ,these were probably the first ,european feet that ever trod on any part of the territory now included in the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,verrazzano and his crew seem to have had considerable intercourse with the natives1 and generally to have been treated well1 though by his own account he did not always deserve it4 ,speaking of an excursion made by his men somewhere on the coast1 he says3--8,they saw only one old woman1 with a young maid of eighteen or twenty yeeres old1 which1 seeing our companie1 hid themselves in the grasse for feare4 ,the old woman carried two infants on her shoulders1 and the young woman was laden with as many4 ,as soone as they saw us1 to quiet them and win their favours1 our men gave them victuals to eate1 which the old woman received thankfully1 but the young woman threw them disdainfully on the ground4 ,they took a child from the old woman to bring into ,france2 and going about to take the young woman1 which was very beautiful1 and of tall stature1 they could not possibly1 for the great outcries that she made1 bring her to the sea2 and especially having great woods to pass thorow1 and being far from the ship1 we proposed to leave her behind1 bearing away the child only40 ,in a subsequent part of his narrative1 ,verrazzano presents a very favourable picture1 not only of the amenity1 but of the discretion of the aborigines4 8,they came in great companies of their small boats unto the ship1 with their faces all bepainted with divers colours1 and bringing their wives with them1 whereof they were very jealous2 they themselves entring aboard the ship1 and staying there a good space1 but causing their wives to stay in their boats2 and for all the entreatie that we could make1 offering to give them divers things1 we could never obtaine that they would suffer them to come aboard the ship4 ,and oftentimes one of the two ,kings comming with his ,queene1 and many gentlemen for their pleasure to see us1 they all stayed on shore #bjj paces from us1 sending us a small boat to give us intelligence of their comming2 and as soon as they had answere from us they came immediately1 and wondered at hearing the cries and noyses of the mariners4 ,the ,queene and her maids staied in a very light boat at an island a quarter of a league off1 while the ,king abode a long space in our ship1 uttering divers conceits with gestures1 viewing with great admiration the furniture of the shippe4 ,and sometimes our men staying one or two days on a little island near the ship1 he returned with seven or eight of his gentlemen to see what we did2 then the ,king drawing his bow1 and running up and down with his gentlemen1 made much sport to gratify our men40 ,the sail-studded bay of ,new ,york at this day presents another scene2 and one of these same 8gentlemen0 is now almost as much a curiosity here as was ,john de ,verrazano1 only three centuries ago1 to the rightful lords of this fair land and water4 ,illustration ,,peekskill ,,landing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,like most of the landings on the ,hudson1 ,peekskill is a sort of outstretched hand from the interior of the country4 ,it is about eighty miles from ,new ,york1 and the produce from the country behind is here handed over to the trading sloops1 who return1 into the waiting palm1 the equivalent in goods from the city4 ,a sort of town naturally springs up at such a spot1 and1 as a river-side is a great provocative of idleness1 all the ,dolph ,heyligers of the country about seem to be collected at the landing4 ,the neighbourhood of this spot is interesting from its association with the history of the ,revolution4 ,the head-quarters of ,general ,washington were just below1 at ,verplank's ,point2 and the town of ,peekskill1 half a mile back from the river1 was the dept of military stores1 which were burnt by ,general ,home in #aggg4 8,on my return southward in #aghb10 says the translator of ,chastellux1 who has not given his name1 8,i spent a day or two at the ,american camp at ,verplank's ,point1 where ,i had the honour of dining with ,general ,washington4 ,i had suffered severely from an ague1 which ,i could not get quit of1 though ,i had taken the exercise of a hard-trotting horse1 and got thus far to the north in the month of ,october4 ,the ,general observing it1 told me he was sure ,i had not met with a good glass of wine for some time1--an article then very rare1--but that my disorder must be frightened away4 ,he make me drink three or four of his silver camp cups of excellent ,madeira at noon1 and recommended to me to take a generous glass of claret after dinner2 a prescription by no means repugnant to my feelings1 and which ,i most religiously followed4 ,i mounted my horse the next morning1 and continued my journey to ,massachusetts1 without ever experiencing the slightest return of my disorder4 8,the ,american camp here presented the most beautiful and picturesque appearance4 ,it extended along the plain1 on the neck of land formed by the winding of the ,hudson1 and had a view of this river to the south4 ,behind it1 the lofty mountains1 covered with wood1 formed the most sublime back-ground that painting could express4 ,in the front of the tents was a regular continued portico1 formed by the boughs of the trees in full verdure1 decorated with much taste and fancy4 ,opposite the camp1 and on distinct eminences1 stood the tents of some of the general officers1 over which towered predominant that of ,washington4 ,i had seen all the camps in ,england1 from many of which drawings and engravings have been taken2 but this was truly a subject worthy the pencil of the first artist4 ,the ,french camp1 during their stay in ,baltimore1 was decorated in the same manner4 ,at the camp at ,verplank's ,point we distinctly heard the morning and evening gun of the ,british at ,knightsbridge40 ,the curiosity seizes with avidity upon any accidental information which fills up the bare outline of history4 ,the personal history of ,washington more particularly1 wherever it has been traced by those who were in contact with him1 is full of interest4 ,some of the sketches given by the ,marquis of ,chastellux1 who passed this point of the ,hudson on his way to ,washington's head-quarters below1 are very graphic4 8,the weather being fair on the #bfth10 he says1 8,i got on horseback1 after breakfasting with the ,general4 ,he was so attentive as to give me the horse ,i rode on the day of my arrival4 ,i found him as good as he is handsome2 but1 above all1 perfectly well broke and well trained1 having a good mouth1 easy in hand1 and stopping short in a gallop without bearing the bit4 ,i mention these minute particulars1 because it is the ,general himself who breaks all his own horses4 ,he is an excellent and bold horseman1 leaping the highest fences1 and going extremely quick without standing upon his stirrups1 bearing on the bridle1 or letting his horse run wild2 circumstances which our young men look upon as so essential a part of ,english horsemanship1 that they would rather break a leg or an arm than renounce them40 ,after passing some days at head-quarters1 this young nobleman thus admirably sums up his observations on ,washington3-- 8,the strongest characteristic of this great man is the perfect union which reigns between his physical and moral qualities4 ,brave without temerity1 laborious without ambition1 generous without prodigality1 noble without pride1 virtuous without severity2 he seems always to have confined himself within those limits beyond which the virtues1 by clothing themselves in more lively but more changeable colours1 may be mistaken for faults4 ,it will be said of him hereafter1 that at the end of a long civil war he had nothing with which he could reproach himself4 ,his stature is noble and lofty1 he is well made and exactly proportioned2 his physiognomy mild and agreeable1 but such as to render it impossible to speak particularly of any of his features2 so that on quitting him1 you have only the recollection of a fine face4 ,he has neither a grave nor a familiar air2 his brow is sometimes marked with thought1 but never with inquietude2 in inspiring respect he inspires confidence1 and his smile is always the smile of benevolence40 ,illustration ,,lighthouse ,,near ,,caldwell',s ,,landing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this picturesque object is seen to great effect by the passenger in the evening boat from ,new ,york to ,newburgh4 ,leaving the city at five in the summer afternoon1 she makes the intervening forty miles between that hour and twilight2 and while the last tints of the sunset are still in the sky1 the stars just beginning to twinkle through the glow of the west1 the bright light of this lofty beacon rises up over the prow of the boat1 shining apparently on the very face of the new-starred heaven4 ,as he approaches1 across the smooth and still purpled mirror of the silent river is drawn a long and slender line of light1 broken at the foot of the beacon by the mild shrubbery of the rock on which it stands2 and as he rounds the point1 and passes it1 the light brightens and looks clearer against the darker sky of the east1 while the same cheering line of reflection follows him on his way1 and is lost to sight as he disappears among the mountains4 ,the waters of the river at this point were the scene of the brief and tragic drama enacted so fatally by poor ,andr4 ,four or five miles below stands ,smith's house1 where he had his principal interview with ,arnold1 and where the latter communicated to him his plans for the delivery of ,west ,point into the hands of the ,english1 and gave him the fatal papers which proved his ruin4 ,at ,smith's house ,mrs4 ,arnold passed a night1 on her way to join her husband at ,west ,point1 soon after he had taken command4 ,the sufferings of this lady have excited the sympathy of the world1 as the first paroxysms of her distress moved the kind but firm heart of ,washington4 ,there seems to have arisen a doubt1 however1 whether her long and well-known correspondence with ,andr had not so far undermined her patriotism1 that she was rather inclined to further than impede the treason of ,arnold2 and consequently could have suffered but little after ,washington generously made every arrangement for her to follow him4 ,in the 8,life of ,aaron ,burr10 lately published1 are some statements which seem authentic on the subject4 ,it is well known that ,washington found ,mrs4 ,arnold apparently frantic with distress at the communication her husband had made to her the moment before his flight4 ,lafayette1 and the other officers in the suite of the commander-in-chief1 were alive with the most poignant sympathy2 and a passport was given her by ,washington1 with which she immediately left ,west ,point to join ,arnold in ,new ,york4 ,on her way she stopped at the house of ,mrs4 ,prevost1 the wife of a ,british officer1 who subsequently married ,colonel ,burr4 ,here 8the frantic scenes of ,west ,point were renewed10 says the narrative of ,burr's biographer1 8and continued so long as strangers were present4 ,as soon as she and ,mrs4 ,prevost were left alone1 however1 ,mrs4 ,arnold became tranquillized1 and assured ,mrs4 ,prevost that she was heartily sick of the theatrics she was exhibiting4 ,she stated that she had corresponded with the ,british commander2 that she was disgusted with the ,american cause1 and those who had the management of public affairs2 and that1 through great persuasion and unceasing perseverance1 she had ultimately brought the ,general into an arrangement to surrender ,west ,point to the ,british4 ,mrs4 ,arnold was a gay1 accomplished1 artful1 and extravagant woman4 ,there is no doubt1 therefore1 that1 for the purpose of acquiring the means of gratifying her vanity1 she contributed greatly to the utter ruin of her husband1 and thus doomed to everlasting infamy and disgrace all the fame he had acquired as a gallant soldier1 at the sacrifice of his blood40 ,it is not easy to pass and repass the now peaceful and beautiful waters of this part of the ,hudson1 without recalling to mind the scenes and actors in the great drama of the revolution1 which they not long ago bore on their bosom4 ,the busy mind fancies the armed guard-boats1 slowly pulling along the shore2 the light pinnace of the ,vulture plying to and fro on its errands of conspiracy2 and not the least vivid picture to the imagination1 is the boat containing the accomplished1 the gallant ,andr and his guard1 on his way to his death4 ,it is probable that he first admitted to his own mind the possibility of a fatal result1 while passing the very spot presented in the drawing4 ,a late biographer of ,arnold gives the particulars of a conversation between ,andr and ,major ,tallmadge1 the officer who had him in custody1 and who brought him from ,west ,point down the river to ,tuppau1 the place of his subsequent execution4 8,before we reached the ,clove0 7a landing just below the beacon represented in the drawing17 8,major ,andr became very inquisitive to know my opinion as to the result of his capture4 ,when ,i could no longer evade his importunity1 ,i remarked to him as follows3--#8,i had a much-loved classmate in ,yale ,college1 by the name of ,hale1 who entered the army in #agge4 ,immediately after the battle of ,long ,island1 ,washington wanted information respecting the strength of the enemy4 ,hale tendered his services1 went over to ,brooklyn1 and was taken1 just as he was passing the outposts of the enemy on his return4' ,said ,i1 with emphasis1 #8,do you remember the sequel of this story8' #8,yes1' said ,andr1 #8he was hanged as a spy4 ,but you surely do not consider his case and mine alike8' ,i replied1 #8,yes1 precisely similar1 and similar will be your fate4' ,he endeavoured to answer my remarks1 but it was manifest he was more troubled in spirit than ,i had ever seen him before4' ,illustration ,,harper',s ,,ferry4 7,,from ,,the ,,potomac ,,side47 99 99 99 99 99 ,perhaps it will not be uninteresting to the reader1 to vary a little the monotony of description which is entailed upon us by the character of the work1 and give some account of the varieties of sporting on the ,potomac4 ,this noble river abounds in fish1 of which the principal are the white shad1 the herring1 and the sturgeon4 ,the latter is taken in a way that1 as far as we know1 is entirely peculiar to this part of the country4 ,the sturgeon is a noble denizen of the waters1 weighing from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty pounds4 ,his enormous leaps out of the water1 and his alacrity at mounting a cascade1 are accomplishments for which he is1 as the advertisements phrase it1 8favourably known40 ,he has a habit1 however1 of scratching himself against any stationary object he finds in the river1 which has been detected by the ,potomac fishers1 and employed1 very successfully1 to his detriment4 ,a stout line1 with a weight attached to it1 is lowered from a boat1 and a large hook1 of peculiar contrivance1 but without a bait1 fastened to the extremity4 ,the rubbing of the sturgeon against the line informs the fisherman of his neighbourhood1 and1 with a little skill1 he succeeds in hooking him under the belly4 ,the fish makes off with prodigious speed2 the fisherman pays out line1 and casts loose his painter2 and away flies the boat with a speed and suddenness that seems like magic4 ,a mile or so of this hard work is enough for the sturgeon1 who gives out exhausted1 and is easily drawn in4 ,some years ago1 a negro1 celebrated for his skill in this fishery1 incautiously tied the line to his leg4 ,the sudden jerk of the hooked fish pulled him overboard1 and away he went down the stream1 sometimes above1 and sometimes under water1 to the extreme astonishment of some people accidentally passing on the shore4 ,he was an expert swimmer1 however1 and a heavy-limbed athletic fellow1 and by remarkable coolness and courage he succeeded in bringing the sturgeon ashore4 ,it is a singular fact1 that this fish is only good in certain rivers3 those of the ,delaware1 for example1 being considered unfit to eat2 and those of the rivers on either side of it1 the ,hudson and the ,potomac1 considered a great delicacy4 ,it is recorded1 by the way1 that one of these enormous fish descended from an aerial leap into a ferry-boat1 during the revolutionary war1 and falling into the lap of an officer1 seated on the gunwale1 broke his thigh4 ,every passenger up this fine river has seen the sturgeon leaps2 and an ascent of eight or ten feet above the water is not uncommon4 ,the shad and herring are taken by thousands1 in nets1 very much in the usual way4 ,the wild birds that frequent the bosom and shores of the ,potomac1 are very numerous4 ,among them are the swan1 the wild goose1 the red-head shoveler1 the black-head shoveler1 the duck and mallard1 the black duck1 the blue-winged teal1 the green-winged teal1 the widgeon1 and1 last not least1 the far-celebrated canvass-back4 ,this duck1 which we believe is unrivalled in the world for richness of flavour1 is one of a class called drift fowl1 from their habit of floating in the middle of the river when at rest4 ,the two species of shoveler have the same habit1 and are scarcely inferior in flavour4 ,the canvass-back breeds1 it is supposed1 on the borders of the northern lakes1 or on the shores of ,hudson's ,bay2 and in their migrations confine their pasture almost exclusively to the ,chesapeake and ,potomac4 ,they feed1 it is well ascertained1 on the bulbous root of a grass which grows on the flats in these rivers1 and which is commonly known as wild celery4 ,it is said1 that during a hard winter1 some forty years ago1 a strong wind blew so much of the water off the flats of ,james river1 that the remainder froze to the bottom1 enclosing the long tops of this grass so closely in the ice1 that when it broke up1 and was floated off in the spring1 it tore whole fields of it up by the roots1 and destroyed the pasture4 ,since that time1 the canvass-back has never been seen on the river4 ,the bald duck feeds very frequently among these water-fowl2 and not having the power to dive entirely under water in search of food1 he watches for the rising of the canvass-back1 and1 by his superior quickness on the wing1 seizes on the celery the moment it appears above the surface1 and escapes with it to the shore4 ,the canvass-back is often shot from behind blinds of brush1 which conceal the sportsman1 in the midst of their feeding ground4 ,there is a practice1 however1 of tolling them in1 as it is called1 by shaking a coloured handkerchief tied to the branch of a decayed tree4 ,on what propensity of the bird the success of this manuvre is founded1 it would be difficult to say4 ,there is no doubt of the fact1 however1 that they are thus decoyed within gun-shot2 and it is related of an old sportsman on the ,potomac1 that a long queue of red hair1 which he wore in a brush1 and shook over his shoulder1 served the purpose admirably well4 ,perhaps we have yet to discover that birds have curiosity4 ,among the many varieties of wild fowl found on the ,potomac1 below ,harper's ,ferry1 is the wild swan4 ,the young bird is considered a great delicacy2 while the old one is hard and without flavour4 ,in a book on the ,district of ,columbia1 by ,mr4 ,elliott1 there are some curious particulars respecting their habits1 and the manner of taking them4 8,this noble bird10 says the author1 8is seen floating near the shores1 in flocks of some two or three hundred1 white as the driven snow1 and from time to time emitting fine sonorous1 and occasionally melodious songs2 so loud1 that they might be heard1 on a still evening1 two or three miles4 ,there are two kinds1 so called from their respective notes--the one the trumpeter1 and the other the hooper2 the trumpeter is the largest1 and when at full size will measure from five to six feet from the bill to the point of the toe1 and from seven to eight feet from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other1 when stretched and expanded4 ,they are sagacious and wary1 and depend more on the sight than on the sense of smell4 ,on a neck nearly three feet in length1 they are enabled to elevate their heads so as to see and distinguish1 with a quick and penetrating eye1 objects at a great distance2 and by means of this same length of neck they feed in slack tides1 by immersing1 as is their habit1 nearly all of the body1 and throwing only their feet and tails out in three or four feet water1 and on the flatty shores they frequent1 generally beyond gun-shot2 the sportsman availing himself1 however1 of a peculiar propensity 7of which we shall presently speak more particularly7 prevailing with them1 and some of the other water fowl1 often toll them within reach of their fire4 ,the swans remain here the whole winter1 only shifting their ground in severe weather1 from the frozen to the open part of the river1 and dropping down into the salts1 where it is rarely frozen4 ,they get into good condition soon after their arrival in autumn1 and remain fat until toward spring1 when1 a few weeks before their departure 7about the first of ,march71 they gradually become thinner in flesh2 and in the latter part of their sojourn here1 are found so poor and light1 that when shot the gunner gets nothing fit for use but the feathers4 ,whether this circumstance be owing to their having exhausted the means of subsistence at their feeding-places1 or that they are taught by ,him who rules the universe1 in small as well as great things1 thus by abstaining1 to prepare themselves for the long aerial voyages they are about to undertake1 we pretend not to determine with certainty2 there is nothing more wonderful in this1 than in the fact1 which is notorious1 that they1 by exercise1 regularly and assiduously fit themselves for this continuous effort1 to bear themselves through the air to the distance of perhaps a thousand miles or leagues4 ,large flocks are seen every day rising from the river1 and taking a high position1 flying out of sight1 and apparently moving in a circuit to a considerable distance1 again returning to or near the same place1 during the last two or three weeks of their stay4 8,the swan is tolled by a dog1 that is taught to play about within easy call of his master1 at the edge of the water2 the hunter contrives to place himself behind a log1 or some other cover well concealed1 before he begins his operations1 taking care to observe that the direction of the wind is not unfavourable to him1 and that the flock he means to toll is near enough to distinguish such objects on the shore1 and under no alarm at the time4 ,by what motive these fowls are influenced1 we have not heard satisfactorily explained2 but certain it is1 they are very commonly brought in from some hundreds of yards' distance1 in this way1 to within point-blank shot4 ,it is said1 and perhaps truly1 in the case of the dog1 that they fancy themselves in pursuit of some animal1 as the fag1 or mink1 by which their young are annoyed at their breeding-places4 8,the wild goose is yet more wary and vigilant to keep out of harm's way than the swan4 ,he too is sharp-sighted1 but depends much on his sense of smell for protection3 this is so well known to the huntsman1 that he never attempts1 however he may be concealed from this bird1 to approach it from the direction of the wind2 since he would assuredly be scented before he could get within gun-shot1 and left to lament his error1 by the sudden flight of the whole flock4 ,these geese1 towards spring1 often alight on the land1 and feed on the herbage in fields2 and sometimes in such numbers as to do great injury to the wheat fields on the borders of the river4 ,when so employed they are difficult of approach1 always taking a position at a distance from cover of any kind1 and marching in a single and extended rank1 flanked by a watch goose at each extremity2 which1 while all the others are busily feeding1 and advancing with their heads down among the herbage1 moves erect1 keeping pace with his comrades1--his eyes and nose in a position so as to give him the earliest intelligence of the presence of an enemy1 though at a great distance2 and the moment such is perceived1 it is communicated to the whole company by certain tones used for alarm2 and immediately is responded to by a halt1 and the lifting of heads2 and an instant flight1 or a deliberate return to feeding1 takes place1 according as the nature of the danger1 after the examination1 may be considered40 ,illustration ,,caldwell1 ,,lake ,,george4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the future poetry of ,america1 ,lake ,george will hold the place of ,loch ,katrine in ,scotland4 ,the best idea that can be given of it1 indeed1 to a person who has seen ,loch ,katrine1 is to say1 that it is the ,trosachs on a little larger scale4 ,there is the same remarkably clear water in both1--the same jutting and bold shores1 small green islands1 and bright vegetation2 and the same profusion of nooks and bays4 ,it struck me at ,loch ,katrine1 that the waters seemed to have overflowed the dells of an undulating country1 and left nothing visible but the small green hill-tops loaded with vegetation4 ,the impression was owing1 no doubt1 to the reach of the shrubs and grass to the very edge of the water2 and the same thing produces the same effect at ,lake ,george4 ,when the bosom of the lake is tranquil1 the small islands1 with their reflections below1 look like globes of heaped-up leaves suspended in the air4 ,the extraordinary purity of the waters of ,lake ,george procured for it the name of ,lake ,sacrament2 and every stranger is struck with their singular transparency4 ,it is singular1 that the waters on every side of it1--those of ,lake ,champlain1 for example1 of the ,hudson1 and of the whole region between the ,green ,mountains and the ,mississippi1--are more or less impregnated with lime1 while ,lake ,george alone is pellucid and pure4 ,it receives its waters1 probably1 from subjacent springs4 ,the surface of this lake is said to be one hundred feet higher than ,lake ,champlain4 ,another1 and probably a more correct estimate1 makes the difference three hundred4 ,there are three steps to the falls1 which form the outlet into the latter lake2 and the lower one1 when the snow is melting in spring1 is a cataract of uncommon beauty4 ,lake ,george is frozen over from three to four months2 and it is remarked of it1 that the ice does not sink1 as in ,lake ,champlain1 but gradually dissolves4 ,before it became a part of the fashionable tour1 this lake was a solitude1 appropriated more particularly by the deer and the eagle4 ,both have nearly disappeared4 ,the echo of the steam-boat1 that has now taken the place of the noiseless canoe1--and the peppering of fancy sportsmen1 that have followed the far-between but more effectual shots of the borderer's rifle1--have drawn from its shores these and other circumstances of romance4 ,the only poetry of scene which can take the place of that of nature1 is historical and legendary2 and ages must lapse1 and generations pass away1 and many changes come over the land1 before that time4 ,we are in the interregnum1 now1 least favourable for poetry4 ,caldwell is a flourishing town1 built at the end of the lake1 and remarkable for nothing1 in itself1 but a famous hotel1 where scenery-hunters dine4 ,we turn from this too succulent theme1 to give an extract from the works of a grave and eminent divine2 proving1 by its glowing enthusiasm1 the effect of this lovely scenery even on minds of the most serious bent4 8,the whole scenery of this lake is greatly enhanced in beauty and splendour1 by the progressive change which the traveller sailing on its bosom perpetually finds in his position1 and by the unceasing variegations of light and shade which attend his progress4 ,the gradual and the sudden openings of scoops and basins1 of islands and points1 of promontories and summits--the continual change of their forms1 and their equally gradual and sudden disappearance1--impart to every object a brilliancy1 life1 and motion1 scarcely inferior to that which is seen in the images formed by the camera-obscura1 and in strength and distinctness greatly superior4 ,light and shade are here not only far more diversified1 but are much more obvious1 intense1 and flowing1 than in smooth1 open countries4 ,every thing1 whether on the land or water1 was here affected by the changes of the day2 and the eye1 without forecast1 found itself1 however disposed on ordinary occasions to inattention1 instinctively engaged1 and fastened with emotions approximating to rapture4 ,the shadows of the mountains1 particularly on the west1 floating slowly over the bosom of the lake1 and then softly ascending that of the mountains on the east1 presented to us1 in a wide expanse1 the uncommon and most pleasing image of one vast range of mountains slowly moving up the ascent of another4 8,on the evening of ,friday1 the #ast of ,october1 while we were returning from ,ticonderoga1 we were presented with a prospect superior to any which ,i ever beheld4 ,an opening lay before us1 between the mountains on the west and those on the east1 gilded by the departing sunbeams4 ,the lake1 alternately glassy and gently rippled1 of a light and exquisite sapphire1 gay and brilliant with the tremulous lustre already mentioned floating upon its surface1 stretched in prospect to a vast distance1 through a great variety of larger and smaller apertures4 ,in the chasm1 formed by the mountains1 lay a multitude of islands1 differing in size1 shape1 and umbrage1 and clothed in deeply-shaded green4 ,beyond them1 and often partly hidden behind the tall and variously-figured trees with which they were tufted1 rose1 in the west and south-west1 a long range of distant mountains1 tinged with a deep misty azure1 and crowned with an immense succession of lofty pines4 ,above the mountains1 and above each other1 were extended in great numbers long streaming clouds1 of the happiest forms1 and painted with red and orange light1 in all their diversities of tincture4 8,to complete the scenery of this lake1 the efforts of cultivation are obviously wanting4 ,the hand of the husbandman has already begun to clear these grounds1 and will1 at no great distance of time1 adorn them with all the smiling scenes of agriculture4 ,it does not demand the gift of prophecy to foresee1 that the villas of opulence and refinement will1 within half a century1 add here all the elegances of art to the beauty and majesty of nature40 ,illustration ,,centre ,,harbour1 ,,lake ,,winipiseogee4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are several considerable promontories which intrude into ,lake ,winipiseogee1 and on one of them is built the town of ,centre ,harbour4 ,the lake is near the middle of the state of ,new ,hampshire1 of a very irregular form1 and at the western end is divided into three large bays4 ,there are nine townships on its borders1 of which ,centre ,harbour1 the largest1 is on the north-west side4 ,the waters of the lake in some places are unfathomable1 but abound with fish4 ,it will still be some years1 probably1 before the navigation of this body of water will become of much importance4 ,beside the beauty of nature1 which is prodigal on the borders of this lovely lake1 there is little of interest beyond what is found in the recollections of the ,indian wars4 ,penhallow's ,history1 which till lately has been a rare book1 has rescued ,new ,hampshire from the obscurity in which some of the other states remain1 on these curious and interesting subjects4 ,one wonders1 in reading of the critical adventures of the early settlers1 what offset the country could give them against such a frail tenure of life4 8,at one time10 says the journal1 8the people of ,dunstable were advised of a party of two hundred and seventy ,indians that were coming upon them4 ,their first descent was on the #c;d of ,july1 when they fell on a garrison that had twenty troopers in it1 who1 by their negligence1 keeping no watch1 suffered them to enter1 which tended to the destruction of half their number4 ,after that1 a small party attacked ,daniel ,galusha's house1 who held them in play for some time1 till the old man's courage failed2 when1 on surrendering himself1 he informed them of the state of the garrison2 how that one man was killed1 and only two men and a boy left2 which caused them to rally anew1 and with greater courage than before4 ,upon which1 one with the boy got out on the back side1 leaving only ,jacob to fight the battle1 who1 for some time1 defended himself with much bravery2 but overpowered with force1 and finding none to assist him1 was obliged to quit it1 and make his escape as well as he could3 but before he got far1 the enemy laid hold of him once and again2 and yet1 by much struggling1 he rescued himself4 ,upon this1 they burnt the house2 and next day about forty more fell on ,amesbury1 where they killed eight3 two1 at the same time1 who were at work in a field1 hearing an outcry1 hastened to their relief1 but being pursued1 ran to a deserted house1 in which were two flankers1 where each of them found an old gun1 but neither of them fit for service2 and if they were1 had neither powder nor shot to load with3 however1 each took a flanker1 and made the best appearance they could1 by thrusting the muzzles of their guns outside the port-holes1 crying aloud1 #8,here they are1 but do not fire till they come nearer2' which put the enemy into such a fright1 that they instantly drew off40--,penhallow4 8,from thence they went to ,kingstown1 where they killed and wounded several cattle4 ,about the same time1 ,joseph ,english1 who was a friend ,indian1 going from ,dunstable to ,chelmsford1 with a man and his wife on horseback1 was shot dead2 the woman taken1 but the man made his escape4 ,on the #hth of ,july1 five ,indians1 a little before night1 fell on an out-house in ,reading1 where they surprised a woman with eight children3 the former1 with the three youngest1 were instantly despatched1 and the others they carried captive2 but one of the children1 unable to travel1 they knocked on the head1 and left in the swamp1 concluding it was dead2 but awhile after1 it was found alive4 ,the neighbourhood being alarmed1 got ready by the morning1 and coming on their track1 pursued them so near that they recovered three of the children1 and put the enemy in such a terror1 that they not only quitted their plunder and blankets1 but the other captive also3 several strokes were afterwards made on ,chelmsford1 ,sudbury1 and ,groton1 where three soldiers1 as they were going to public worship1 were waylaid by a small party1 who killed two1 and made the other prisoner4 8,at ,exeter1 a company of ,french ,mohawks1 who some time kept lurking about ,captain ,hilton's garrison1 took a view of all that went in and out2 and observing some to go with their scythes to mow1 lay in ambush till they laid by their arms1 and while at work1 rushed on at once1 and by intercepting them from their arms1 killed four1 wounded one1 and carried three captive2 so that out of ten1 two only escaped4 ,a while after1 two of those that were taken1 viz4 ,mr4 ,edward ,hall and ,samuel ,myals1 made their escape2 but the fatigue and difficulty that they went through 7besides the terror and fear they were under of being taken7 were almost incredible2 for in three weeks together1 they had nothing to subsist on except a few lily roots1 and the rinds of trees4 8,it would be an endless task to enumerate the various sufferings that many groaned under1 by long marching with heavy burdens through heat and cold2 and when ready to faint for want of food1 they were frequently knocked on the head3 teeming women1 in cold blood1 have been ript open2 others fastened to stakes and burnt alive2 and yet the finger of ,god did eminently appear in several instances1 of which ,i shall mention the following3-- 8,of ,rebekah ,taylor1 who after her return from captivity1 gave me the following account3--,that when she was going to ,canada1 on the back of ,montreal river1 she was violently insulted by ,sampson1 her bloody master1 who without any provocation was resolved to hang her2 and for want of a rope1 made use of his girdle1 which when he had fastened about her neck1 he attempted to hoist her up on the limb of a tree 7that hung in the nature of a gibbet71 but in hoisting her1 the weight of her body broke it asunder2 which so exasperated the cruel tyrant that he made a second attempt1 resolving if he failed in that1 to knock her on the head2 but before he had power to effect it1 ,bomaseen came along1 and seeing the tragedy on foot1 prevented the fatal stroke40 ,illustration ,,yale ,,college ,,at ,,newhaven4 99 99 99 99 99 ,yale ,college was founded in the year #agjj1 sixty-five years after the erection of the first house in the ,colony of ,connecticut4 ,ten of the principal ministers1 nominated by general consent of the clergy1 met at ,new ,haven1 and formed themselves into a society1 the object of which was to found a college in the colony4 ,at their next meeting each brought a number of books1 and presented them for the library1 and the following year the ,legislature granted them a charter1 constituting them 8,trustees of a ,collegiate ,school in his ,majesty's ,colony of ,connecticut40 ,the principal benefactor of the infant institution was the ,hon4 ,elihu ,yale1 of ,london1 ,governor of the ,east ,india ,company4 ,this gentleman was descended from a family in ,wales1 which for many generations held the manor of ,plas ,grannow1 near ,rexon4 ,his father1 ,thomas ,yale1 ,esq41 came from ,england with the first colonists of ,new ,haven4 ,in this town1 ,elihu1 the subsequent benefactor of the ,college1 was born1 and at ten years of age he was sent to ,england4 ,thence he went to ,hindostan1 and after twenty years' residence1 was made ,governor of ,madras4 ,he returned to ,london with an immense fortune1 was chosen ,governor of the ,east ,india ,company1 and died at ,rexon in #agba4 8,this gentleman10 says the ,college historian1 8sent1 in several donations1 to the ,collegiate ,school1 five hundred pounds sterling2 and a little before his death1 ordered goods to be sent out to the value of five hundred pounds more2 but they were never received4 ,in gratitude for this munificence1 the ,trustees1 by a solemn act1 named their seminary ,yale ,college2 a name which1 it is believed1 will convey the memory of his good works to distant generations40 ,among other benefactors to this institution was the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,berkeley1 ,dean of ,derry1 in ,ireland1 and afterwards ,bishop of ,cloyne4 ,this distinguished divine came to ,america in #agcb1 for the purpose of establishing a college in the island of ,bermuda2 a purpose to which he sacrificed considerable time1 property and labour4 ,he had been promised twenty thousand pounds by the ministry for the completion of this work1 but the sum was never paid1 and the project failed4 ,dr4 ,berkeley then bought a farm in ,newport1 ,rhode ,island1 and while residing there1 became acquainted with the circumstances of ,yale ,college1 and ultimately made the institution a present of his farm1 and sent the ,trustees from ,england 8the finest collection of books that ever came at one time to ,america40 ,since this period ,yale ,college has continued to thrive in means and usefulness1 and it is now1 in the numbers of its students1 and in its practical advantages1 we believe1 the first ,college in the ,united ,states4 ,that of ,harvard1 7founded sixty or seventy years earlier17 is better endowed1 but more expensive and less frequented4 ,it is a curious fact1 in the early history of nations1 by the way1 that the ,act to incorporate ,harvard ,college was passed1 and the ,college in operation1 ten years after the first settlement of the ,colony4 ,the whole amount of fees of tuition at ,yale ,college is about thirty-five dollars a year1 near seven pounds sterling4 ,board and every expense included1 it is thought in ,new ,england that three hundred dollars 7#fjl47 a year is a sufficient allowance for the education of a boy at this institution4 ,the course of study embraces four years1 and the discipline is impartial and severe4 ,instances occur annually of degrees refused1 and degradations of standing in consequence of failures in examination2 and over the morals of the students1 particularly1 the vigilance of the faculty is untiring and effective4 ,perhaps one of the best1 and certainly one of the peculiar advantages of ,yale ,college1 is the extent and excellence of the society in ,new ,haven1 and its accessibility to the students4 ,the town contains near ten thousand inhabitants1 most of them people of education1 connected in some way with the ,college2 or opulent families drawn thither by the extreme beauty of the town1 and its air of refinement and repose4 ,the upper classes of students mingle freely in this simple and pure society1 which1 it is not too much to say1 is one of the most elegant and highly cultivated in the world4 ,polished manners and the usages of social life are thus insensibly gained with improvement of mind2 and in a country like this1 where those advantages are not attainable by all in early life1 the privilege is inestimable4 ,the college buildings of ,new ,haven are more remarkable for their utility than for the beauty of their architecture2 but1 buried in trees1 and standing on the ridge of a sloping green1 they have altogether a beautiful effect1 and an air of elegant and studious repose4 ,few strangers ever pass through ,new ,haven without expressing a wish to take up their abode1 and pass their days1 among its picturesque avenues and gardens4 ,illustration ,,the ,,willey-,,house--,,white ,,mountains4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the particulars of what is called the ,willey ,tragedy are well known to all readers of newspapers4 ,this family lived in the ,notch of the ,white ,mountains1 under the western range1 and consisted of nine persons4 ,they had retired at night1 when a very unusual noise in the mountains roused them from their beds1 and1 in terror at its increasing thunders1 they unfortunately abandoned the house1 and sought refuge in flight4 ,a vast mass of earth and rocks1 disengaged from the precipices above them1 suddenly rushed down the side of the mountain1 and sweeping every thing before it1 divided in the rear of the house1 reunited again1 leaving it unharmed1 and thundered down to the valley1 overwhelming the fugitive family in its career4 ,the manuscript journal of a friend1 who had made two excursions to the spot1 gives us an account of its present aspect4 8,in a short time we came to the well-known house of the ,willey family1 which of course we paused to examine4 ,nothing can be conceived more lonely than this wild place4 ,the mountains tower on both sides of the valley to the height of four or five hundred feet1 with deep channels worn into their sides by the winter torrents2 and in many places the rocks are left bare for acres by the slides of avalanches that have rushed into the valley4 ,the house in which the unfortunate family dwelt stands under the western range of mountains1 and the avalanche came down nearly from the summit4 ,we remained gazing on the scene for some time4 ,the sky above was clear1 and spanned the interval between the mountains1 seeming to rest on their summits1 while a swift breeze drove over the hills below1 in swift succession1 a few thin and fleecy clouds4 ,the wind entered the outer door of the desolate dwelling1 which had been left open1 with a broken chair set against it2 and as it surged back and forth1 violently shut and opened the inner doors1 with a noise that seemed the voice of the very spirit of desolation4 ,the effect was startling and dismal40 ,this is1 we believe1 the most disastrous avalanche on record in this country1 and the only one of any importance1 which was merely a descent of earth and rocks4 ,what is called a cloud-burst is not uncommon in the mountainous regions of the north2 and there are several striking examples recorded4 ,in the autumn of #aghd1 in the latter part of the night1 a deluge of water descended from ,saddle ,mountain1 in ,massachusetts4 ,a family1 which lived in a house at some distance from the foot of the mountain1 not far from a brook1 were suddenly awakened out of their sleep by the united roaring of the wind and the torrent4 ,in their flight they hastily dressed themselves1 and escaped from the house1 the ground-floor of which was by this time six inches under water4 ,when they returned in the morning1 they found the house so completely swept away1 that no part of it was left4 ,the brook1 through the channel of which this flood discharged itself1 had never before1 even in the highest freshets1 approached the house by a considerable distance4 ,subsequent examination of the mountain disclosed that the descent of water commenced not far from the summit2 for two or three rods above the spot where the ground first began to be broken1 the trees and shrubs appear to have been swept away by the violence of the deluge4 ,the broken ground is1 at first1 not more than six feet wide1 but rapidly becomes wider as it descends2 so that within one hundred and fifty feet it is about three rods in breadth1 and in the widest place five or six4 ,towards the lower limit its breadth gradually diminishes1 until it terminates in a gutter1 which in some places is five or six feet deep2 this continues several rods1 and then branches into other channels1 which1 though covered with leaves and moss1 are discernible quite down to the brook at the foot of the mountain4 ,the whole length of the broken ground is about one hundred and thirty rods4 ,towards the bottom there were standing the stumps of large trees1 whose tops were broken off by the deluge2 and above they were entirely swept away1 not leaving a trace4 ,by what means a mass of water1 sufficient for these phenomena1 is collected and suspended over the mountains1 or what occasioned the disruption of the mass of earth and rock which overwhelmed the family in the ,white ,mountains1 are points not easily settled4 ,illustration ,,battle ,,monument1 ,,baltimore4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this monument stands on the summit of a rising ground1 in the centre of one of the best built squares of ,baltimore1 and is a very considerable ornament to the town4 ,it is intended to commemorate the name and fame of those citizens of ,baltimore who fell in its defence in #ahad4 ,an ,egyptian base1 raised to the height of about four feet from the pavement of the street1 is surmounted by a column1 representing fasces1 upon the bands of which are placed in bronze letters the names of the thirty-nine citizens4 ,on each angle of the base are griffins1 and the lower part of the column is ornamented with bassi relievi1 representing scenes of the contest4 ,the whole is crowned by a statue personifying the city1 with the eagle at her side1 holding a laurel wreath4 ,the entire height of the monument is fifty-two feet4 ,the defence of ,baltimore was one of the most spirited of the many gallant actions on our sea-board and frontier during the late war2 and it occurred more opportunely1 as it followed so closely upon the defeat at ,bladensburgh1 which1 though inevitable from the superior numbers of the enemy1 was still accompanied with the mortification inseparable from such disaster4 ,after the embarkation of the troops under ,general ,ross1 7who had bought his victory at ,bladensburgh with the loss of nearly a thousand men17 ,admiral ,cochrane concentrated his fleet1 and made preparations for the attack on ,baltimore4 ,the whole squadron1 amounting to forty vessels1 sailed soon after for the ,patapsco1 and arriving near ,north ,point1 twelve miles from the city1 the ships of the line anchored across the channel1 and commenced the debarkation of troops4 ,by the morning of the #abth of ,september about #h1jjj soldiers1 sailors1 and marines1 were in readiness to march upon the town1 and sixteen bomb vessels and frigates proceeded up the river1 and anchored within two miles and a half of ,fort ,mc,henry4 ,this garrison1 which was mainly relied on for the protection of the city1 was defended by about #e1jjj men1 and a detachment of about #c1jjj was sent on by the ,north ,point road to annoy or engage the enemy at his approach4 ,intelligence soon came in1 that a light corps was advancing2 and two companies of infantry1 with a few riflemen1 and ten artillerists with a single four-pounder1 proceeded half a mile1 and met and engaged the main body4 ,the situation of the ground would not admit of the cooperation of the artillery and cavalry2 and the infantry and riflemen sustained the whole action with great gallantry4 ,the advance of the enemy was checked1 and ,major-,general ,ross and several other ,british officers killed4 ,the detachment now fell back upon the main line of the ,american force1 and after some skirmishing with rockets and artillery at a distance1 the whole force of the enemy pushed forward1 and attacked the two regiments on the left with great impetuosity4 ,these being thrown into confusion1 a general fire was opened upon the ,british line1 and a vigorous action followed1 which lasted till four o'clock4 ,at that hour the ,american force amounting to but about #a1djj1 and the ,british to about #g1jjj1 ,general ,stucker fell back upon the reserve regiment1 and was joined by some other companies1 who took position with him within half a mile of the entrenchments4 ,early the following morning the ,admiral made signals to the ,british officer in command on shore1 that the frigates1 bomb-ships1 and flotilla of barges1 would take their stations to bombard the town and fort in the course of the morning4 ,the land forces accordingly moved forward1 and took up a position two miles eastward of the entrenchments4 ,the day was chiefly passed in manuvring2 but ,colonel ,brooke1 after a vain attempt to make a detour through the country1 concentrated the ,english force directly in front of the ,american line1 drove in the outposts1 and made preparations for an attack in the night4 ,the night was stormy2 and in the morning it was discovered that the enemy had abandoned his position4 ,the troops were re-embarked1 and a bombardment commenced1 which lasted till the following morning1 during which a fleet of barges attempted to storm ,fort ,covington1 but were repulsed with great loss4 ,with the failure of this attempt the undertaking was abandoned altogether1 and the fleet stood down the river4 ,when the bombardment commenced1 the fort opened its batteries upon the ships2 but1 the shot falling short1 the little garrison were compelled to keep their post without retaliation4 ,there were four killed and twenty-four wounded in the entrenchments1 and among the former were two very gallant young men1 ,lieutenants ,clagett and ,clem1 volunteer officers4 ,the entire loss of the ,british could not be ascertained4 ,that of the ,americans on the field was about #aej1 which1 added to those in the fort1 makes a total of #agh4 ,illustration ,a ,,forest1 ,,on ,,lake ,,ontario4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the view over this immense forest was taken in the ,tuscarora reservation1 from an ,indian cabin1 which serves as a sort of halting-place for travellers to ,niagara4 ,we arrived here about noon1 emerging from a tract of deep woods which had darkened the road for several miles1 and glancing off to the right1 discovered that we were following a high ridge1 from which extended1 with a radius of forty miles1 one unbroken sea of foliage4 ,a thin silver line on the very rim of the horizon looked brighter than the sky1 and we found on inquiry that it was ,lake ,ontario1 which1 with its thread of bright light1 forms a limit to what1 else1 were an object as boundless as the sea4 ,an ,indian woman of about forty1 dressed very neatly1 came out to offer for sale specimens of ,indian workmanship1 such as moccasins1 pouches1 c42 and1 among other things1 a beautiful little model of a bark canoe4 ,de ,kalm1 who travelled in this country in #agdi1 gives a very detailed account of the making of a canoe4 ,he was going to ,canada under the escort of a party of ,indians1 who1 on coming to a portage of forty miles1 between the ,hudson and ,lake ,champlain1 7now superseded by a canal17 were compelled to leave their canoe and build another4 8,the making of the canoe10 he says1 8took up half yesterday and all this day4 ,to make such a boat1 they pick out a thick1 tall elm1 with a smooth bark1 and with as few branches as possible4 ,this tree is cut down1 and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees1 or against the ground4 ,with this view some do not fell the trees1 but climb to the top of them1 split the bark1 and strip it off2 which was the method our boat-builder took4 ,the bark is split on one side1 in a straight line along the tree1 as long as the boat is intended to be2 at the same time the bark is carefully cut from the stem a little way on both sides of the slit1 that it may more easily separate4 ,the bark is then peeled off very carefully1 and particular care is taken not to make any holes in it2 this is easy when the sap is in the trees2 and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire for that purpose4 8,the bark thus stripped off is spread on the ground1 in a smooth place1 turning the inside downwards1 and the rough outside upwards2 and to stretch it better1 some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it1 which press it down4 ,then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards1 in order to form the sides of the boat4 ,some sticks are then fixed into the ground at the distance of three or four feet from each other1 in the curve line in which the sides of the boat are intended to be1 supporting the bark intended for the sides4 ,the sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have1 and according to that1 the sticks are either put near or further off4 8,the ribs of the canoe are made of thick branches of hickory1 they being tough and pliable4 ,they are cut into several flat pieces1 about an inch thick1 and bent into the form which the ribs require1 according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat4 ,the upper edge on each side is made of two thin poles1 of the length of the boat1 which are put close together on the side1 being flat where they are joined4 ,the edge of the bark is put between these two poles1 and sewed up with threads of the mouse-wood1 or other tough bark1 or with roots4 8,after this is done1 the poles are sewed together1 and being bent properly1 both ends join at each end of the boat1 where they are tied together with ropes4 ,to prevent the widening of the boat at the top1 three or four transverse bands are put across it1 from one edge to the other1 at the distance of thirty or forty inches from each other1 made of hickory4 8,as the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep out the water1 the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm1 which in that state looks like oakum4 ,some pieces of bark are put on the ribs of the boat1 without which the foot would easily pierce the thin and weak bottom4 ,the side of the bark which runs next the wood thus becomes the outside of the boat1 because it is smooth and slippery1 and cuts the water with less difficulty than the other4 8,the building of these boats is not always quick2 for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm1 and carefully examining it1 it is found pierced with holes and slits1 or is too thin to venture one's life in4 ,that which we made was big enough to bear four persons1 with our baggage1 which weighed somewhat more than a man4 8,all possible precautions must be taken in rowing on rivers with bark canoes2 for when rowing fast1 a broken branch under water would carry half the boat away4 ,to get into it also requires great care1 for the heels may very easily pierce through the bottom40 ,illustration ,,viaduct ,,on ,,the ,,baltimore ,,and ,,washington ,,rail-,,road4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,patuxent1 which is leaped over so lightly at this place by the arches of the ,viaduct1 becomes1 ere long1 a stream which is not only respectable in size1 but most respectable in story4 ,it will ever be associated with the name and fame of the gallant ,barney1 who1 though his exertions could not prevent ultimate defeat1 did much to sustain his country's honour1 and has made his own imperishable4 ,while the ,british squadron was blockading the eastern coast during the summer of #ahad1 ,commodore ,barney sailed from ,baltimore in command of a flotilla consisting of a cutter1 two gun-boats1 a galley1 and nine large barges1 for the protection of the inlets and harbours in the several parts of the bay4 ,on the #ast of ,june1 being at the mouth of the ,patuxent1 he discovered two schooners1 one of which carried eighteen guns2 and immediately gave chase4 ,the schooners were joined1 however1 by a large ship1 which despatched a number of barges to their assistance2 and the commodore sailed up the ,patuxent to avoid being cut off from the ,potomac4 ,the schooners and barges following him1 he engaged and drove them back1 and then anchored within three miles of the seventy-four4 ,in the course of a few days1 the enemy was reinforced by a rasee and a sloop of war2 and joining the barges of these vessels1 they followed the flotilla into ,st4 ,leonard's ,creek1 across which ,commodore ,barney formed his boats in line of battle4 ,a sharp engagement ensued1 the enemy gave way1 and the flotilla pursued them to within a short distance of their shipping4 ,in the afternoon1 the enemy made another attempt with twenty barges and two schooners4 ,after a warm action1 the barges were driven back upon the eighteen-gun schooner1 which1 in attempting to beat out1 was so severely handled1 that her crew ran her aground and abandoned her4 ,on the #bfth1 a corps of artillery arrived from ,washington to the commodore's assistance1 and a combined attack was made on the whole squadron4 ,the action continued two hours2 at the end of which the enemy's ships were driven from their anchorage1 and stood down the river4 ,the cessation of hostilities in ,europe1 enabled the ,british government to send out powerful reinforcements to their fleets and armies in ,america2 and ,sir ,alexander ,cochrane soon arrived with thirty sail1 having on board several thousand men1 under command of ,major ,general ,ross4 ,this force entered the ,chesapeake1 and a plan of attack on ,washington1 ,alexandria1 and ,baltimore1 was adopted4 ,admiral ,cochrane very honourably informed the ,secretary of ,state that he had orders to lay waste all the accessible towns on the coast2 and the fleet1 in two divisions1 soon after approached the capital by the ,potomac and the ,patuxent4 ,in obedience to orders1 ,commodore ,barney blew up his flotilla in the ,patuxent1 and with his seamen and marines1 joined the army under ,general ,winder4 ,general ,ross landed six thousand men at the head of frigate navigation1 and1 with five thousand1 ,general ,winder met him at ,bladensburg4 ,the action commenced at mid-day4 ,commodore ,barney had been placed with his battery in the main road by which the enemy advanced2 and after two or three vain attempts were made to pass him1 the main column fell back in disorder1 and it was found necessary to flank his right4 ,the ,british were gaining ground1 however1 in every other part of the line2 and ,commodore ,barney was soon left with his small force standing alone4 ,general ,ross had now nearly complete command of the field2 the ammunition waggons had been driven off in the disorder1 and the commodore was reduced to a single round of cartridge4 ,he had besides received a severe wound in the thigh4 ,thus situated1 he gave reluctant orders for retreat2 and after being carried a short distance1 he fell1 exhausted with loss of blood4 ,he was soon after taken prisoner1 and removed to the enemy's hospital1 where he was treated1 by the orders of ,general ,ross1 with the greatest kindness2 and1 on his recovery1 released on his parole4 ,after his victory at ,bladensburgh1 ,general ,ross marched directly to the capital1 and proceeded immediately to burn all the public buildings1 library1 c4 ,then1 as now1 ,washington was merely a diplomatic capital1 very thinly populated2 and the few inhabitants were unable to make any show of resistance4 ,no comment is necessary on an act which the ,english nation itself was the first to condemn4 ,the division of the enemy's fleet which sailed up the ,potomac1 consisting of eight sail1 was directed to attack ,alexandria4 ,that small town surrendered1 and obtained a stipulation1 upon very ungenerous conditions1 that their houses should not be entered or destroyed4 ,captain ,gordon1 who was in command1 sailed soon after down the river with a fleet of prize vessels taken from the town1 and a great amount of property4 ,he received some damage from the batteries lower down1 but joined the rest of the squadron in the ,chesapeake1 and accompanied them in their less successful attacks on ,baltimore4 ,we think the 8,city of ,monuments10 as the last-mentioned town is called1 should erect a monument to the memory of ,barney4 8,a ,,tribute ,,to ,,the ,,brave4 8,though furled be the banner of blood on the plain1 ,and rusted the sabre once crimsoned with gore2 ,though hushed be the ravens that croaked o'er the slain1 ,and calmed into silence the battle's loud roar2 ,though ,peace with her rosy smile gladden the vales1 ,and ,commerce unshackled dance over the wave2 ,though ,music and ,song may enliven the gales1 ,and ,joy crown with roses and myrtle the brave2 ,like spirits that start from the sleep of the dead1 ,our heroes shall rouse when the 'larum shall blow2 ,then ,freedom's broad flag on the wind shall be spread1 ,and ,valour's sword flash in the face of the foe4 ,our ,eagle shall rise 'mid the whirlwinds of war1 ,and dart through the dun cloud of battle his eye-- ,shall spread his wide wings on the tempest afar1 ,o'er spirits of valour that conquer or die4 ,and ne'er shall the rage of the conflict be o'er1 ,and ne'er shall the warm blood of life cease to flow1 ,and still 'mid the smoke of the battle shall roam ,our ,eagle--till scattered and fled be the foe4 ,when ,peace shall disarm ,war's dark brow of its frown1 ,and roses shall bloom on the soldier's rude grave-- ,then ,honour shall weave of the laurel a crown1 ,that ,beauty shall bind on the brow of the brave40--,,percival4 ,illustration ,,indian ,,falls1 ,,opposite ,,west ,,point4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this is a secluded and delicious bit of nature1 hidden amid rocks and woods1 on the shore of the ,hudson1 but possessing a refinement and an elegance in its wildness which would almost give one the idea that it was an object of beauty in some royal park4 ,one of the most secret streams that feed this finest of our rivers1 finds its way down through a winding and almost trackless channel2 and after fretting over rocks1 and loitering in dark and limpid pools for several miles1 suddenly bursts out over a precipice of fifty feet1 and fills with its clear waters the sheltered basin seen in the drawing4 ,immense trees overhang it on every side1 and follow the stream still on in its course2 and1 in the depth of summer1 the foaming current scarcely catches a ray of the sun from its source to its outlet4 ,the floor of the basin below the ,falls is pebbly1 the water is clear and cool1 the spot secluded1 and1 in all respects1 ,nature has formed it for a bath4 ,a fair and famous lady1 residing a summer or two since at ,west ,point1 was its first known ,musidora1 and the limpid and bright basin is already called after her name4 ,a large party visiting at a hospitable house1 where the artist and his travelling companion were entertained during the heat of the last summer1 proposed to accompany him on his visit to the ,indian ,falls4 ,excursions on the banks of the ,hudson are usually made in boats2 but it was necessary to see some points of view from the hills between1 and we walked out to the stables to see what could be done for vehicles and cattle4 ,a farm waggon1 with its tail up in the air1 built after an old ,dutch fashion1 which still prevails in ,new ,york1--a sort of loosely jointed1 long1 lumbering vehicle1 which was meant to go over any rock smaller than a beer-barrel without upsetting--was the only 8consarn10 as the 8help0 called it1 which would hold the party4 ,with straw in the bottom1 and straps put across from peg to peg1 it would carry eleven1 and the driver4 ,horses were the next consideration2 and here we were rather staggered4 ,a vicious old mare1 that kept a wheelwright and a surgeon in constant employ1--and a powerful young colt1 half broken1--were the only steeds in stable4 ,however either might be made to go alone1 they had never been tried together2 and the double waggon harness was the worse for service4 ,the 8help0 suggested very sensibly that the load would be too heavy to run away with1 and that if the mare kicked1 or the colt bolted--or1 in short1 if any thing happened1 except backing over a precipice1 we had only to sit still and let them do their 8darndest40 ,we cobbled the harness in its weak spots1 shook down the straw for the ladies1 nailed up the tail-board1 which had lost its rods1 got the cattle in1 and brought up quietly to the door4 ,the ladies and the champagne were put in1 and the colt was led off by the bit1 shaking his head1 and catching up his hind leg2 while the demure old mare drew off tamely and steadily1 8never wicked10 as the ploughman said1 8till you got her dander up with a tough hill40 ,the driver had a chain with a list bottom1 and1 having had some practice in ,charing ,cross and ,fleet ,street1 fingered his reins and flourished his maple whip through the village1 evidently not thinking himself or his driving de la petite bire4 ,the road1 which followed the ridges of the superb hills skirting the river opposite ,west ,point1 was1 in some places1 scarce fit even for a bridle-path2 and1 at every few paces1 came a rock1 which we believed passable when we had surged over it--not before4 ,the two ill-matched animals drew to a wonder2 and the ladies and the champagne had escaped all damage1 till1 as the enemy of mankind would have it1 our ambitious whip saw stretching out before him a fair quarter of a mile of more even road4 ,a slight touch of the whip sent off the colt in a jump1 carrying away the off trace with the first spring2 the old mare struck into a gallop1 and1 with the broken trace striking against the colt's heels1 and the whippletree parallel with the pole1 away they went as nearly in a tandem as the remaining part of the harness would allow4 ,the tail-board soon flew off1 and let out two unsuspecting gentlemen1 who had placed their backs and their reliance upon it2 and the screams of the ladies added what was wanting to raise the 8dander0 of the old mare to its most unpleasant climax4 ,the straps gave way1 the ladies rolled together in the straw1 the driver tossed about on his list-bottomed chain1 the champagne corks flew1--and presently1 as if we were driven by a battering-ram against a wall1 we brought up with a tremendous crash1 and stood still4 ,we had come to a sharp turn in the road2 and the horses1 unable to turn1 had leaped a low stone wall1 and breaking clear of every thing1 left us on one side1 while they thrashed the ripe wheat with the whippletrees on the other4 ,the ladies were undamaged1 fortunately2 and1 with one champagne bottle saved from the wreck1 we completed the excursion to the ,falls on foot1 and were too happy to return by water4 ,illustration ,,columbia ,,bridge1 ,,over ,,the ,,susquehanna4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this fine bridge is a mile and a half in length1 and forms a beautiful span over the broad waters of the river at this place4 ,the many windings of the ,susquehanna make its shallowness and incapacity for navigation less a disadvantage than would have been felt on a more direct water-course2 and the ingenuity and enterprise of the country in the construction of canals1 bridges1 and rail-roads1 have left nothing to desire in the matter of facilities for travel4 ,it is always a reasonable query to any1 except a business traveller1 whether the saving of time and fatigue in the wonderful improvements in locomotion is an equivalent for the loss of rough adventure and knowledge of the detail of a country acquired by hardship and delay4 ,contrast the journey over a rail-road at a pace of fifteen miles in the hour1 through the rough1 the picturesque valley of the ,susquehanna1 with a journey over the same ground ninety years ago1 as presented in the travels of ,peter ,kalm4 ,he was on horseback1 with ,indian guides4 8,about sunset it cleared up1 and we encamped on the east branch of the ,susquehanna4 ,in the night it thundered and rained very fast1 and took us at a disadvantage2 for we had made no shelter to keep off the rain1 neither could we see it till just over our heads1 and it began to fall4 8,one of our ,indians cut four sticks1 five feet long1 and stuck both ends in the ground1 at two feet distance one from another2 over these he spread his watch-coat1 and crept through them1 and then fell to singing4 ,in the mean time1 we were setting poles slantwise in the ground1 tying others across them2 over which we spread our blanket1 and crept close under it1 with a fire before us1 and fell fast asleep4 ,i waked a little after midnight and found our fire almost out2 so ,i got the hatchet and felled a few saplings1 which ,i laid on1 and made a rousing fire1 though it rained stoutly2 and lying down once more1 ,i slept sound all night4 8,in the morning1 when we had dried our blankets1 we kept along the side of a hill1 and looked about us1 not having had such an opportunity for two days1 on account of the forest4 ,the valley differed from all ,i had ever seen before1 in its easy and fruitful ascent and descent1--in its great width1 everywhere crowned with noble and lofty woods1--but above all1 in being entirely free from naked rocks and sharp precipices40 ,a night or two after1 our traveller fell in with a variety of ,indian character ,i never have seen noticed elsewhere3-- 8,soon after we were laid down to sleep1 and our fire almost burnt out1 we were entertained by a comical fellow1 disguised in as odd a dress as ,indian folly could invent4 ,he had on a clumsy vizard of wood1 coloured black1 with a nose four or five inches long1 a grinning mouth set awry1 and furnished with long teeth2 round the eyes were circles of bright brass1 surrounded by a larger circle of white paint4 ,from his forehead hung long tresses of buffalo's hair2 and from the catch part of his head 7his tuft7 hung ropes1 made of the plaited husks of ,indian corn4 8,i cannot recollect the whole of his dress1 but that it was equally uncouth4 ,he carried in one hand a large staff1 in the other a calabash1 with small stones in it for a rattle2 and this he rubbed up and down with his staff4 ,he came in at the further end of the wigwam1 and1 holding up his head1 made a noise like the braying of an ass4 ,i asked ,weisar1 who1 as well as myself1 lay next the alley1 what noise that was4 ,shickalamy1 the chief1 who thought ,i was scared1 called out1 #8,lie still1 ,john6' ,i never heard him speak so much ,english before4 8,the jack-pudding presently came up to us1 and an ,indian boy came with him and kindled our fire1 that we might see his glittering eyes and antic postures1 as he hobbled round the fire4 ,sometimes he would turn the buffalo's hair on one side1 that we might take a better view of his ill-favoured phiz4 ,when he had tired himself1 7which was some time after he had well tired us17 the boy that attended him struck two or three smart blows on the floor1 at which the hobgoblin seemed surprised2 and1 on repeating them1 he jumped fairly out of doors and disappeared4 8,i suppose this was to divert us1 and get some tobacco2 for1 as he danced about1 he would hold out his hand to receive this gratification1 for which1 as often as he received it1 he would return an awkward compliment4 ,after this farce1 we endeavoured to compose ourselves to sleep1 but towards morning were again disturbed by a drunken squaw coming into the cabin1 frequently complimenting us and singing40 ,we doubt if any traveller's journal on the ,mauch ,chunk rail-road can show as diverting a page4 ,there are no incidents now-a-days short of a boiler bursting4 ,illustration ,,genessee ,,falls1 ,,rochester4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the three thousand miles between the ,atlantic and the ,rocky ,mountains1 there may be said to be three water-steps formed by the different levels of ,lake ,ontario1 ,lake ,erie1 and ,lake ,superior4 ,niagara and the ,genessee river fall over the middle step1 the edge of which is formed by the brow of a bed of limestone1 computed to be four hundred and ten feet above the level of ,lake ,ontario4 ,saint ,lawrence may thus be said to take but three leaps from the ,rocky ,mountains to the ocean--an agility which1 one would suppose1 might have saved the holy martyr from his gridiron4 ,the ledge over which these two celebrated falls are precipitated1 comes out of ,canada from an immense distance1 and keeps its course along the shore of ,lake ,ontario1 in a direction nearly due east4 ,at the ,genessee ,falls1 as at ,niagara1 the descent to the lake is between the walls of a tremendous ravine1 the grandeur of which seems to have had no terror for the souls of manufacturers4 ,the thriving village of ,rochester stands round the lip of the fall2 and if you talk to the inhabitants of the beauty of the cascade1 they stop your mouth1 and strike calculation dumb1 with the number of sledge-hammers1 nail-cutters1 mill-stones1 and cotton-jennies1 it carries2 the product per diem2 the corresponding increase of population1 et cetera et cetera--the only instance in the known world of a cataract turned1 without the loss of a drop1 through the pockets of speculators4 ,the ,genessee river rises in the ,alleghany ,mountains1 and it is not for want of poetical names on its banks that it is not a poetical river4 ,its source is ten miles below ,nunda1 between the head waters of the ,owago and the ,cawanisque rivers2 and it runs one hundred and fifty miles1 receiving tribute from the ,canassaraga and ,angelica creeks1 and the ,canesus and ,honcoye outlets4 ,it has a great reputation for fertility2 and along its valley lies the celebrated farm of ,mr4 ,wadsworth1 the agriculturist1 who holds in this country the place occupied in ,england by ,mr4 ,coke of ,holkham--now ,earl of ,leicester4 ,the ,rapids of the ,genessee commence a mile above the ,fall at ,rochester1 and descend1 when there is much water1 with great swiftness and beauty4 ,the first pitch of the stream is ninety-seven perpendicular feet2 after which it goes sullenly on down the ravine--black1 where it is not covered with foam--till1 forty rods below1 it takes another leap of one hundred and six feet1 at a place called ,carthage4 ,we suggested to the landlord that the fall at ,carthage should be called after ,marius1 but he did not see the propriety of it very clearly4 ,the ,genessee ,fall1 like ,niagara1 is gradually backing up4 ,it is computed that the latter wears back a rood every three years--the former much less1 of course4 ,there is little doubt among the geologists1 that the ,genessee at one time ran directly into ,lake ,ontario without much of a cascade1 but that1 on the retreat of the lake1 the surface of which has perceptibly lowered1 the stream began to wear back with the attrition of the fall1 and they are now three miles asunder4 ,an aqueduct of the great ,erie canal runs close across the head of the ,fall at ,rochester1 and is built in full confidence that the cascade will continue the sobriety and order it has hitherto preserved in its retreat4 ,if it were to take a long step up stream of a sudden1 that great vein of the west would breathe more freely than is provided for by the 8weirs and feeders40 ,this aqueduct at ,rochester is a work of some pretension4 ,it is seven hundred and fifty feet in length1 and has twelve piers and eleven arches1 two of which are over ,mill-races4 ,a path is railed off on the side of the canal1 and it forms a picturesque promenade across the bed of the river4 ,the country about the ,falls of the ,genessee was a wilderness in #ahab4 ,now it contains nearly twenty thousand inhabitants1 and is one of the most flourishing towns in the world4 ,in #ahcj1 it supported one daily1 two semi-weekly1 and three weekly newspapers2 and in the single year of #ahbf1 7an age ago1 by the ,rochester reckoning17 it exported two hundred and two thousand nine hundred barrels of flour4 ,it seems to grow visibly before your eyes2 the eternal hammering and clipping of bricks1 and heaps of rubbish1 remind the traveller so pertinaciously that it is in a state of transition only4 ,the hotels are excellent1 and the inhabitants famed for their public spirit1 hospitality1 and enterprise--the latter1 of course4 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,ferry ,,at ,,brooklyn1 ,,new ,,york 99 99 99 99 99 ,brooklyn is as much a part of ,new ,york1 for all purposes of residence and communication1 as 8the ,borough0 is of ,london4 ,the steam ferry-boats cross the half-mile between it and the city every five minutes2 and in less time than it usually takes to thread the press of vehicles on ,london ,bridge1 the elegant equipages of the wealthy cross to ,long ,island for the afternoon drive2 morning visits are interchanged between the residents in both places--and1 indeed1 the east river is hardly more of a separation than the same distance in a street4 ,brooklyn is the shire-town of ,king's ,county1 and by this time1 probably1 is second in population only to ,new ,york4 ,land there1 has risen in value to an enormous extent within the last few years2 and it has become the fashion for business-men of ,new ,york to build and live on the fine and healthy heights above the river1 where they are nearer their business1 and much better situated than in the outskirts of the city itself4 ,the town of ,brooklyn is built on the summit and sides of an elevation springing directly from the bank of the river1 and commanding some of the finest views in ,america4 ,the prospect embraces a large part of ,east ,river1 crowded with shipping1 and tracked by an endless variety of steamers1 flying through the channel in quick succession2 of the city of ,new ,york1 extending1 as far as the eye can see1 in closely piled masses of architecture2 of the ,hudson1 and the shore of ,jersey1 beyond2 of the bay and its bright islands1 and of a considerable part of ,long and ,staten ,islands1 and the ,highlands of ,neversink4 ,a more comprehensive1 lively1 and interesting view is nowhere to be found4 ,historically1 ,brooklyn will long be remembered for the battle fought in its neighbourhood between the ,british and ,hessians under the command of ,general ,howe1 and the ,americans under the immediate command of ,generals ,putnam and ,sullivan4 ,it was a contest of a body of ill-disciplined militia against twice their number of regular troops1 and ended in defeat2 but the retreat conducted by ,general ,washington saved the army1 and relieved a little the dark fortunes of the day4 ,the ,american forces were composed of militia and raw recruits1 and without even dragoons to serve as videts4 ,they were stationed on a chain of eminences running from ,yellow ,hook towards ,hempstead2 and the ,british1 from the ,ferry between ,staten and ,long ,islands1 through the level country to the village of ,flatland4 ,from the last-mentioned place1 a strong column1 led by ,general ,clinton and ,lord ,percy1 marched into the ,jamaica ,road1 through an unoccupied pass in this chain of hills on the right1 and turned the left of the ,american army4 ,general ,grant at the same time attacked the right of the ,americans under the command of ,lord ,sterling1 posted near the ,ferry2 while the fleet commenced a powerful cannonade upon a battery at ,red ,hook1 to draw off the attention of the ,americans from the main attack directed by ,sir ,henry ,clinton4 ,as soon as the ,americans perceived that the enemy had gained the rear1 they were thrown into confusion1 and attacks were made on the centre1 commanded by ,general ,sullivan1 and the right1 commanded by ,lord ,stirling1 and both divisions completely routed4 ,a gallant attempt was made by the latter officer1 which1 though unavailing1 facilitated the retreat of part of the troops under his command4 ,he was himself taken prisoner1 as were also ,generals ,sullivan and ,woodhull4 ,the number of ,americans killed is estimated at four hundred1 and the wounded and prisoners at a thousand4 ,general ,washington1 who had passed over from ,new ,york to ,brooklyn during the heat of the action1 perceived that nothing could be done to turn the fortune of the day1 and that the only thing to be accomplished was a retreat4 ,the ,british were only waiting for a wind to move their shipping into the ,east ,river1 and the next morning might find the ferry in their possession4 ,the ,british were encamped within six hundred yards of him2 and the wind1 until eleven o'clock1 was unfavourable4 ,at that hour it lulled1 and a thick fog covered the bosom of the river4 ,the army commenced their embarkation under this fortunate protection2 and the whole of the forces1 with their ammunition1 provision1 horses1 waggons1 c4 crossed undisturbed4 ,the retreat was discovered by the ,british half an hour after the evacuation4 ,the sound of their pickaxes was distinctly heard within the ,american lines during the embarkation4 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,rail-,,road ,,to ,,utica1 ,,taken ,,at ,,little ,,falls4 99 99 99 99 99 ,before the completion of the ,rail-road1 when travellers to the ,west were contented with the philosophic pace of the canal-boat1 one might take up a novel at ,little ,falls1 and come fairly to the sequel by the time the steersman cried out 8,bridge60 at ,utica4 ,there were fifteen miles between them in those days2 but now 7to a man of indistinct ideas of geography1 at least1 and a traveller on the ,rail-road7 they are as nearly run together as two drops on the window-pane4 ,the intermediate distance is1 by all the usual measurements of wear and time1 annihilated4 ,all this is very pleasant to people in a hurry2 and as most people in our busy country come under that category1 it is a very pleasant thing for the white man altogether4 ,there is a class of inhabitants of the long valley of the ,mohawk1 however1 of whose sufferings1 by the advance of the white man's enterprise1 this is not the first1 though it may be the least1 and last4 ,the poor half-naked ,oneida1 who ran by the side of the once crowded canal-boat for charity1 has not time1 while the rail-car passes1 even to hold out his hand6 ,the ,oneidas have not long been beggars by the road side4 ,they were one of the five tribes confederated under the name of the ,iroquois1 who gloried in having fought their way into the country of the ,mohawks1 and kept their place and possessions in the midst of them2 the latter tribe enjoying the undisputed honour of being an original people on the soil4 ,though merged in a confederacy1 however1 the ,oneidas had their own chiefs2 and a mythology of their own1 which is not a little curious4 ,it will not be mal-apropos1 accompanying drawings of the towns that have usurped their ancient seat1 to give some account of their ideas upon the origin of the earth and the human race4 ,according to the ,oneida1 an unlimited expanse of water once filled the space now occupied by the world which we inhabit4 ,at this time the human family dwelt in a country situated in the upper regions of the air1 abounding in every thing conducive to the comfort and pleasure of life4 ,the inhabitants were strangers to death1 and its harbingers1 pain and disease2 whilst their minds were free from the corroding passions of jealousy1 hatred1 and revenge4 ,at length1 however1 an event occurred which interrupted their tranquillity1 and introduced care and anxiety1 until then unknown4 ,a certain youth was noticed to withdraw himself from the circle of their social amusements3 the solitary recesses of the grove became his favourite walks4 ,care and chagrin were depicted in his countenance1 and his body1 from long abstinence1 presented to the view of his friends the mere skeleton of a man4 ,anxious solicitude in vain explored the cause of his grief2 until1 at length1 debilitated both in body and mind1 he yielded to the importunity of his associates1 and promised to disclose the cause of his trouble on condition that they would dig up by the roots a certain white pine-tree1 lay him in his blanket by the margin of the hole1 and seat his wife by his side4 ,in a moment all hands were ready4 ,the fatal tree was taken up by the roots2 in doing which1 the earth was perforated1 and a passage opened into the abyss below4 ,the blanket was spread by the hole1 the youth laid upon it1 and his wife1 then in a state of pregnancy1 took her seat by his side4 ,the multitude1 eager to learn the cause of such strange and unusual conduct1 pressed around2 when1 on a sudden1 to their horror and astonishment1 he seized upon the woman1 and precipitated her headlong into the regions of darkness below2 then1 rising from the ground1 he informed the assembly1 that he had for some time suspected the chastity of his wife1 and that1 having now disposed of the cause of his trouble1 he should soon recover his usual health and vivacity4 ,all those amphibious animals which now inhabit this world then roamed through the watery waste to which the woman1 in her fall1 was hastening4 ,the ,loon first discovered her coming1 and called a council in haste to prepare for her reception2 observing1 that the animal which approached was a human being1 and that earth was indispensably necessary for its accommodation4 ,the first subject of deliberation was1 who should support the burden4 ,the sea-bear first presented himself for a trial of his strength4 ,instantly the other animals gathered round and scrambled on his back2 while the bear1 unable to support the weight1 sank beneath the surface of the water1 and was1 by the whole assembly1 judged unequal to the task of supporting the earth4 ,several others in succession presented themselves as candidates for the honour1 with similar success4 ,last of all the turtle modestly advanced1 tendering his broad shell as the basis of the earth now about to be formed4 ,the beasts then made a trial of his strength to bear1 heaping themselves on his back2 and finding their united pressure unable to sink him below the surface1 adjudged to him the honour of supporting the world4 ,a foundation being thus provided1 the next subject of deliberation was1 how to procure earth4 ,several of the most expert divers plunged to the bottom of the sea1 and came up dead2 but the mink1 at last1 though he shared the fate of the others1 brought up in his claws a small quantity of earth4 ,this was placed on the back of the turtle4 ,in the mean time1 the woman continued falling1 and1 at length1 alighted on the turtle's back4 ,the earth had already grown to the size of a man's foot1 where she stood1 with one foot covering the other4 ,shortly1 she had room for both feet1 and was soon able to sit down4 ,the earth continued to expand2 and when its plain was covered with verdure1 and traced with streams1 which poured into the ocean1 she erected her habitation on the sea-shore4 ,not long after1 she was delivered of a daughter1 and was supported by the spontaneous productions of the earth1 till the child arrived to womanhood4 ,she was then solicited in marriage by several animals1 changed into the forms of young men2 but they were rejected successively by the mother1 until the turtle offered himself as a suitor1 and was received4 ,after she had laid herself down to sleep1 the turtle placed two arrows on her body1 in the form of a cross--one headed with flint1 the other with the rough bark of a tree4 ,in due time she was delivered of two sons1 but died in child-birth4 ,the grandmother1 enraged at her daughter's death1 resolved to destroy them1 and threw them into the sea4 ,scarcely had she reached her wigwam1 when the children overtook her at the door4 ,she then concluded to let them live2 and1 dividing the corpse of her daughter in two parts1 she threw them up towards the heavens1 where one became the sun1 the other the moon4 ,then first began the succession of day and night4 ,the children speedily became men1 and expert archers4 ,the elder had the arrow of the turtle which was pointed with flint2 the younger had the arrow headed with bark4 ,the former was1 by his malignant disposition1 and his skill and success in hunting1 a favourite with his grandmother4 ,they lived in the midst of plenty1 but would not permit the younger brother1 whose arrow was insufficient to kill any thing larger than birds1 to share in their abundance4 ,as this young man was wandering one day along the shore1 he saw a bird perched on a bough1 projecting over the water4 ,he attempted to kill it2 but his arrow1 till that time unerring1 flew wide of the mark1 and sank in the sea4 ,he determined to recover it1 and plunged to the bottom4 ,here1 to his astonishment1 he found himself in a small cottage4 ,a venerable old man1 sitting there1 received him with a smile1 and thus addressed him3--8,my son1 ,i welcome you to the habitation of your father6 ,to obtain this interview1 ,i directed all the circumstances which have conspired to bring you hither4 ,here is your arrow1 and here is an ear of corn4 ,i have watched the unkindness of your brother1 and command you to take his life4 ,when you return home1 collect all the flints you can find1 and hang up all the bucks'-horns4 ,these are the only things which will make an impression on his body1 which is made of flint40 ,having received these instructions1 the young man took his leave1 and1 in a quarrel with his brother1 drove him to a distant region1 far beyond the ,savannahs1 in the south-west1 where he killed him1 and left his huge form of flint on the earth4 ,the great enemy to the race of the turtle being thus destroyed1 they sprang from the ground in human form1 and multiplied in peace4 ,the grandmother1 roused to furious resentment for the loss of her favourite son1 resolved to be revenged4 ,for many days successively she caused the rain to descend from the clouds in torrents1 until the whole surface of the earth1 and even the highest mountains1 were covered4 ,the inhabitants escaped by fleeing to their canoes4 ,she then covered the earth with snow2 but they betook themselves to their snow-shoes4 ,she then gave up the hope of destroying them at once1 and has ever since employed herself in inflicting lesser evils on the world1 while her younger son displays his benevolence by showering blessings on his race4 ,the reader will have traced the analogy between this and the ,scripture account of the deluge1 c4 ,illustration ,,utica4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this long tradition has left us little room for ,utica1 which truly is among those spots 7said to be the happiest in the world7 with no striking events in its history4 ,it is a pretty and thriving town1 half way between ,lake ,ontario and the ,susquehanna1 and on the great routes by canal1 road1 and rail-road1 to the west2 and in the centre of these radii of communication is fast becoming a focus of wealth and refinement4 ,a high reputation for the latter1 however1 its society has long and deservedly enjoyed4 ,illustration ,,the ,,landing ,,on ,,the ,,american ,,side4 7,,falls ,,of ,,niagara47 99 99 99 99 99 ,the cliff and staircase at this ,landing would be considered highly picturesque any where but at the side of ,niagara4 ,the hundred stairs clinging to the rock1 the wild vines overgrowing the temporary shed under which travellers take shelter from the spray1 the descending and ascending figures1 and the athletic boatmen1 whose occupation of pulling across this troubled ferry requires herculean strength and proportions1 all form a subject for the painter1 which could only be disregarded amid the engrossing scenes of ,niagara4 ,there is another staircase extending down the precipitous front of ,goat ,island1 between the two cataracts1 which is less picturesque in itself1 but much more daring in its position4 ,one marvels at first how it ever was constructed2 but a story told in an old book of travels1 published in ,london in #agej1 shows that human feet have stood on the isolated and quaking cliff below1 and returned again to the summit without the aid of mechanical science4 ,the narrator is a ,mr4 ,peter ,kalm1 a ,swedish gentleman1 then on his travels in ,america3-- 8,it was formerly thought impossible for any body living to come at the island that is in the middle of the ,fall2 but an accident that happened twelve years ago made it appear otherwise4 ,the history is this3--,two ,indians of the ,six ,nations went out from ,niagara ,fort to hunt upon an island that is in the middle of the river1 or strait1 some miles above the great ,fall1 on which there used to be abundance of deer4 ,they took some ,french brandy with them from the fort1 which they tasted several times as they were carrying their canoe around the ,fall2 and when they were in the canoe1 they now and then took a dram1 and so went along up the strait toward the island where they proposed to hunt2 but growing sleepy1 they laid themselves down in the canoe1 which getting loose1 drove back with the stream farther and farther down1 till it came nigh that island that is in the middle of the ,fall4 ,here1 one of them1 awakened by the noise1 cries out to the other that they were gone6--yet they tried if possible to save life4 ,this island between the ,falls was nighest1 and with much working they got there4 ,at first1 they were glad2 but when they had considered every thing1 they thought themselves hardly in a better state than if they had gone down the ,fall1 since they had now no other choice than either to throw themselves down the same1 or to perish with hunger3 but hard necessity put them on invention4 ,at the lower end of the island the rock is perpendicular1 and there is a break in the fall4 ,the island having plenty of wood1 they went to work directly and made a ladder1 or shrouds1 of the bark of linden tree1 which is very tough and strong1 so long1 that it would reach to the edge of the water below4 ,one end of this bark ladder they tied fast to a great tree that grew at the side of the rock above the ,fall1 and let the other end down to the water4 8,so they went down their new-invented stairs2 and when they came to the bottom in the middle of the ,fall1 they rested a little2 and as the water next below the ,fall is not rapid1 they threw themselves out into it1 thinking to swim on shore4 ,hardly had the ,indians began to swim1 before the waves of the eddy threw them with violence against the rock from whence they started4 ,they tried it several times1 but at last were weary1 and being often thrown against the rock they were much bruised1 and the skin of their bodies torn in many places4 ,so they were obliged to climb up their stairs again to the island1 not knowing what to do4 ,after some time they perceived ,indians on the opposite shore1 to whom they cried out4 ,these two pitied them1 but gave them little hopes of help2 yet they made haste down to the fort1 and told the ,french commander where two of their brethren were4 ,he persuaded them to try all possible means of relieving the two poor ,indians2 and it was done in this manner4 ,the water that runs on the east side of the island is shallow1 and breaks in rapids over the rocks4 ,the commandant caused poles to be made and pointed with iron3 two ,indians determined to walk to this island by the help of these poles to save the others1 or perish4 ,they took leave of their friends as if they were going to death4 ,each had two such poles in his hands to set against the bottom of the stream to keep them steady3 so they went and got to the island1 and having given poles to the poor ,indians there1 they all returned safely to the main4 ,the unfortunate creatures had been nine days on the island1 and were almost starved to death40 ,a bridge is now thrown across where these adventurous ,indians made their passage4 ,if the story be true1 it is one of the most gallant feats on record4 ,illustration ,,view ,,from ,,mount ,,washington4 99 99 99 99 99 ,of two attempts to obtain a view from the summit of ,mount ,washington1 the ,,ms4 ,journal from which we have already made extracts1 gives an interesting account of one which the weather rendered unsuccessful4 8,the morning opened with every symptom of a fine day for the ascent4 ,we had an early breakfast1 and started a little before six1 with the intention of first ascending ,mount ,clinton1 and afterwards ,mount ,washington4 ,before we came to the peak of ,clinton1 however1 a thick mist had swept over the mountains1 which grew heavier and heavier4 ,at the beginning of the granite pile that caps ,mount ,washington1 a heavy wind with violent rain came on1 and1 as we climbed upwards1 the storm increased1 and the cold became every moment more intense4 ,in four hours we reached the summit1 thoroughly drenched1 and stiff as icicles4 ,the rain beat across the peak with tremendous force1 and it was with difficulty we could stand4 ,below us was a sea of mist1 around us a howling tempest1 and our only resource was to seek the shelter of a rock1 and seek consolation in the guide's knapsack4 ,though my hands were so benumbed with cold1 and my limbs so heavy with the water which had been driven into every thread of my dress that ,i could hardly raise the food to my lips1 ,i contrived to cut the cork of a bottle of champagne1 and its sparkling contents sent a momentary and grateful thrill through my veins3 when it had passed1 however1 ,i was colder than ever4 8,we found so few attractions on the mountain that we soon began our descent towards ,ethan ,crawford's1 but were so blinded by the tempest that the guide could not at once discover the way4 ,half an hour we wandered about in absolute uncertainty whether we should get down the mountain1 or bide the peltings of the storm through the night4 ,we hit at last upon the path1 and after some sharp scrambling reached the wood1 the friendly shelter of which afforded us a most welcome protection from the rain4 ,the path was execrable1 owing to the heavy rain1 and the trampling of the horses of another party who had gone up before us2 but at four we arrived at our destination1 tired1 cold1 wet1 and hungry4 ,a change of dress1 a roaring fire1 and a substantial dinner1 soon put us in better condition and humour40 ,from a more successful attempt by the same gentleman1 we take the following description of the view from ,mount ,washington4 8,the light streamed down through breaks in the clouds on the scenery below in such masses1 and in such a manner1 as to bring out fully and distinctly all the leading points in the immeasurable panorama4 ,in our immediate neighbourhood1 but far below us1 lay on one side1 ,mounts ,clinton1 ,pleasant1 ,monroe1 and ,franklin2 on the other1 ,jefferson1 ,adams1 and ,madison4 ,on the east and west1 openings were visible1 through which several rivers1 taking their rise in the mountains1 wound their way and widened their valleys toward the lowlands4 ,far in the distance1 chains of hills and mountains1 distinct in outline and beautiful in form1 arose on all sides2 and these were still overtopped by others beyond1 whose blue summits mingled with the sky1 and shut in the overpowering scene4 ,far to the south1 the bright sheet of ,lake ,winipiseogee met the eye1 and with its calm and gem-like beauty1 set1 as it were1 in a frame-work of distant hills1 relieved and contrasted the bewildering and boundless majesty which encircled the mountain4 ,on the west the green mountains of ,vermont1 and on the east the mountains of ,maine1 skirted the horizon1 and seemed to support the heavens4 ,occasionally1 a cloud would rest for a few moments on some distant or neighbouring summit1 but during the whole of our visit the awful head of ,mount ,washington was surrounded by a pure atmosphere and the clearest light40 ,mount ,washington was ascended by several scientific gentlemen in ,july1 #aghd4 ,the historian of the expedition records that one of the company had taken a thermometer from his bosom1 when it stood at fever heat1 and it fell to #dd2 and that1 during the time he was adjusting a barometer and thermometer1 the cold nearly deprived him of the use of his fingers4 ,illustration ,,mount ,,washington ,,and ,,the ,,white ,,hills4 7,,from ,,near ,,crawford',s47 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,white ,hills have a double claim to their title--one founded upon the fact1 that1 for nine1 ten1 and sometimes eleven months in the year1 they are covered with snow2 and the other1 that1 in all clear days1 7the only times in which they can be distinctly seen17 white fleecy clouds resting upon them1 give them a white aspect4 ,when viewed from a neighbouring position1 they are always1 except where snow lies1 or the rocks are naked1 shrouded in misty azure4 ,the height of these mountains has been a subject of much dispute4 ,a scientific gentleman1 whose remarks on physical subjects merit consideration and respect1 supposes the summit of ,mount ,washington to be about seven thousand eight hundred feet above the level of the ocean2 seventy-two feet below the point1 which1 in the latitude of #dd #ae 7that of these mountains7 is the estimated point of perpetual congelation on the eastern continent4 ,this point1 he says1 from the greater coldness of the ,american climate1 cannot exceed1 but must rather fall short1 of what it is in the ,european climate4 ,the climates of ,america are indeed colder than those of ,europe in the same latitude during the winter1 but in the summer they are generally much hotter4 ,nor are the mountains in any part of ,new ,england of sufficient height and extent to lessen materially the degree of heat generally prevailing4 ,the air on the summit of ,mount ,washington1 therefore1 must continually be rendered less cold by the ascent of the intensely heated atmosphere from the subjacent regions4 ,as the whole country partakes of this heat1 the ascending volume1 whencesoever derived1 must be heated to nearly the same temperature4 ,it seems scarcely credible1 therefore1 that the temperature of the atmosphere around the single point of ,mount ,washington should not1 during the summer1 be sensibly raised by the general heat of the country3 for we are to remember that this is the only height in the ,united ,states which approximates near to the region of perpetual frost4 ,the following observations of ,dr4 ,cutler exhibit the state of vegetation on these mountains3-- 8,at the base of the summit of ,mount ,washington1 the limits of vegetation may with propriety be fixed4 ,there are indeed1 on some of the rocks1 even to their apices1 scattered specks of a mossy appearance2 but ,i conceive them to be extraneous substances accidentally adhering to the rocks1 for ,i could not discover1 with my botanical microscope1 any part of that plant regularly formed4 ,the limits of vegetation at the base of this summit are as well defined as that between the woods and the bald and mossy part4 ,so striking is the appearance1 that1 at a considerable distance1 the mind is impressed with the idea that vegetation extends no farther than a line1 as well defined as the penumbra and shadow in a lunar eclipse4 ,the stones that ,i have by me from the summit have not the smallest appearance of moss upon them4 8,there is evidently the appearance of three zones--the woods1 the bald1 mossy part1 and the part above vegetation4 ,the same appearance has been observed on the ,alps1 and all other high mountains4 8,i recollect no grass on the plain4 ,the spaces between the rocks in the second zone and on the plain are filled with spruce and fir1 which1 perhaps1 have been growing ever since the deluge2 and yet many of them have not attained a greater height than three or four inches2 but their spreading tops are so thick and strong as to support the weight of a man without yielding in the slightest degree4 ,in many places on the sides we could get glades of this growth some rods in extent1 when we could1 by sitting down on our feet1 slide the whole length4 ,the tops of the growth of wood were so thick and firm as to bear us currently a considerable distance before we arrived at the utmost boundaries1 which were almost as well defined as the water on the shore of a pond4 ,the tops of the wood had the appearance of having been shorn off1 exhibiting a smooth surface from their upper limits to a great distance down the mountains40 ,on the summit of ,mount ,washington there is usually little or no snow4 ,that which is so long visible in the regions below is blown from the summit1 and the north-western side1 and lies only on the southern and south-eastern1 where it is defended from every cold wind by the precipice above1 and exposed through ,june1 ,july1 and sometimes a part of ,august1 to the full strength of the sun4 ,illustration ,,the ,,park ,,and ,,city ,,hall1 ,,new ,,york4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the first ,stadt ,huys in this city was constructed of stone1 and stood originally at the head of ,coenties ,slip1 facing on ,pearl ,street1 towards the ,east river4 ,it was built as early in the ,dutch dynasty as #afdb1 and became so weakened and impaired in half a century afterwards1 that the court sitting there recommended it to be sold1 and another to be constructed4 ,in #afii1 they sold the old building for nine hundred and twenty pounds1 8reserving only the bell1 the king's arms1 and iron works 7fetters7 belonging to the prison40 ,by the agreement1 leave was granted 8that the cage1 pillory1 and stocks1 before the same1 be removed any time within one year1 and the prisoners in the city hall to remain one month40 8,in front of all these1 on the river1 was placed the ,rondeal1 or ,half-,moon ,fort1 where it probably assisted the party sheltered in the ,city ,hall1 while the civil war prevailed40 ,the new building must have been finished in #agjj4 ,it stood at the head of ,broad ,street1 fronting on ,wall ,street2 and its lower story formed an open arcade over the foot pavement4 ,it was also the proper prison of the city1 and had before it1 on ,broad ,street1 a whipping-post1 pillory1 c4 ,there were also held the sessions of the ,provincial ,assembly1 the ,supreme ,court1 and the ,mayor and ,admiralty ,courts4 ,it was finally altered to suit the ,congress2 and at that time the prisoners were moved to the new jail in the park2 but the ,congress removing to ,philadelphia1 it was again altered to receive the courts and the ,state ,assembly4 8,it was in the gallery of the old ,city ,hall1 on ,wall ,street10 says ,watson in his ,annals1 8that ,general ,washington was inaugurated the first ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,the oath of office was taken in the open gallery in front of the ,senate ,chamber1 in the view of an immense concourse of citizens4 ,there this nobleman of nature1 with his noble height and port1 in a suit of dark silk velvet of the old cut1 steel-hilted small sword by his side1 hair in bag and full powdered1 in black silk hose1 and shoes with silver buckles1 made his pledge on a quarto ,bible1 still preserved in ,st4 ,john's ,lodge4 ,how uprightly1 intelligently1 and disinterestedly1 he executed his task1 history will never cease to tell to his fame and glory40 ,the present ,city ,hall was erected in #ahjc1 at an expense of half a million of dollars4 ,the front and sides are constructed of white marble1 and the remainder of red sandstone4 ,it is a beautiful edifice1 and only wants elevation4 ,when the trees of the park are in full leaf1 it is difficult to get an entire view of it4 ,the park is the centre of ,new ,york1 and its two most thronged and finest avenues form the two sides of it4 ,broadway1 the much crowded and much praised ,broadway1 the ,corso1 the ,toledo1 the ,regent ,street1 of ,new ,york1 pours its tide of population past the western side of the verdant triangle1 and1 just at the park1 its crowd and its bustle are thickest4 ,broadway is a noble street1 and on its broad side-walks may be seen every thing that walks the world in the shape of a foreigner1 or a fashion--beauties by the score1 and men of business by the thousand2 but1 besides every possible ingredient of continental crowds1 there are to be seen in ,broadway two additional classes of peripatetics seen never on foreign pavs but in rare specimens--coloured dandies1 and belligerent pigs4 ,the former take the wall of you1 and the latter1 when the question of passing on one side or the other becomes embarrassing1 escape with great dexterity between your legs4 ,it would be difficult in one day to describe the prevailing style of dress in ,broadway1 for fashions have become unfashionable1 and each man and woman dresses as ,fortune pleases4 ,but here is a picture of dresses in ,broadway a century ago3-- 8,men wore three-square1 or cocked hats1 and wigs2 coats with large cuffs1 and big skirts lined and stiffened with buckram4 ,the coat of a beau had three or four large plaits in the skirts1 and wadding1 like a coverlet1 to keep them smooth4 ,the cuffs were very large1 up to the elbows1 open below1 and loaded with lead to keep them down4 ,the cape was thin and low1 so as readily to expose the close-plaited neck-stock of fine linen cambric1 and the large silver stock-buckle on the back of the neck4 ,the shirts were worn with hand-ruffles1 and sleeve-buttons were worn at the wrist1 of precious stones1 or gold4 ,the little boys wore wigs1 like their elders1 and their dresses generally were similar to those of the men4 ,coats of red plush were very fashionable1 and the breeches were commonly made of this material40 ,we refer the reader to ,watson's ,annals for many curious particulars touching the apparel and habits of the ,new ,yorkers in the early part of the last century4 ,illustration ,,the ,,two ,,lakes ,,and ,,the ,,mountain ,,house ,,on ,,the ,,catskills4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at this elevation1 you may wear woollen and sleep under blankets in midsummer2 and that is a pleasant temperature where much hard work is to be done in the way of pleasure-hunting4 ,no place so agreeable as ,catskill1 after one has been parboiled in the city4 ,new ,york is at the other end of that long thread of a river1 running away south from the base of the mountain2 and you may change your climate in so brief a transit1 that the most enslaved broker in ,wall ,street may have half his home on ,catskill4 ,the cool woods1 the small silver lakes1 the falls1 the mountain-tops1 are all delicious haunts for the idler-away of the hot months2 and1 to the credit of our taste1 it may be said they are fully improved--,catskill is a 8resort40 ,from the ,mountain-,house1 the busy and all-glorious ,hudson is seen winding half its silver length--towns1 villas1 and white spires1 sparkling on the shores1 and snowy sails and gaily-painted steamers1 specking its bosom4 ,it is a constant diorama of the most lively beauty2 and the traveller1 as he looks down upon it1 sighs to make it a home4 ,yet a smaller and less-frequented stream would best fulfil desires born of a sigh4 ,there is either no seclusion on the ,hudson1 or there is so much that the conveniences of life are difficult to obtain4 ,where the steamers come to shore1 7twenty a day1 with each from one to seven hundred passengers17 it is certainly far from secluded enough2 yet1 away from the landing-places1 servants find your house too lonely1 and your table1 without unreasonable expense and trouble1 is precarious and poor4 ,these mean and menus plaisirs reach1 after all1 the very citadel of philosophy4 ,who can live without a cook or a chambermaid1 and dine seven days in the week on veal1 consoling himself with the beauties of a river-side8 ,on the smaller rivers these evils are somewhat ameliorated2 for in the rural and uncorrupt villages of the interior1 you may find servants born on the spot1 and content to live in the neighbourhood4 ,the market is better1 too1 and the society less exposed to the evils that result from too easy an access to the metropolis4 ,no place can be rural1 in all the virtues of the phrase1 where a steamer will take the villager to the city between noon and night1 and bring him back between midnight and morning4 ,there is a suburban look and character about all the villages on the ,hudson which seems out of place among such scenery4 ,they are suburbs2 in fact1 steam has destroyed the distance between them and the city4 ,the ,mountain-,house on the ,catskill1 it should be remarked1 is a luxurious hotel4 ,how the proprietor can have dragged up1 and keeps dragging up1 so many superfluities from the river level to that eagle's nest1 excites your wonder4 ,it is the more strange1 because in climbing a mountain the feeling is natural that you leave such enervating indulgences below4 ,the mountain-top is too near heaven4 ,it should be a monastery to lodge in so high--a ,st4 ,gothard1 or a ,vallambrosa4 ,but here you may choose between ,hermitages1 8white0 or 8red10 ,burgundies1 ,madeiras1 ,french dishes1 and ,french dances1 as if you had descended upon ,capua4 ,illustration ,,trenton ,,high ,,falls4 99 99 99 99 99 ,those who visit these ,falls in the pleasantest season for travelling1 7the time at which the drawing was taken by ,mr4 ,bartlett17 see them when there is the least water2 consequently1 when they are 7as falls7 at their lesser phase of grandeur4 ,it is like seeing a race-horse in the stall1 or a line-of-battle-ship in port1 with sails furled4 ,it is possible that after one of the tremendous thunder-storms which burst upon this climate sometimes in summer1 the glory of the cataract may1 for a few hours1 renew1 and so unite the splendour of full foliage with the flashing of mighty waters3 but this is a chance which the traveller for pleasure will scarce hit or wait for4 ,it should be remembered1 however1 in looking on the drawing1 that it is one of a sleeping lion4 ,the frowning walls on either side1 driven asunder by the plunges of the torrent in more 8yeasty moods10 present a sufficient scale by which to measure its slumbering power4 ,those who live in climes where snow seldom falls1 and more seldom lies through one sunny day unmelted1 can have but a faint idea of a spring freshet in ,america4 ,after the first heavy snow in ,december1 each successive fall adds solidity to the heap upon the earth's bosom1 and the alternate thawing and freezing consolidates the bottom into ice1 and cuts off the heat of the soil from the flakes added almost daily to the surface4 ,till the middle of ,march1 perhaps1 or later1 the sleighing 7,anglic sledging7 is hard and crisp4 ,then the sun draws towards the line1 and with the equinox come soft southern winds1 with sharp changes to the north1 pouring sleet and rain upon the crusty covering of nature2 and1 first of all1 the small streams begin to trickle under the ice1 smothered and faint2 the roads across the hard-frozen rivers crack and grow treacherous2 and the horse1 as they phrase it here1 slumps through in travelling on the highway4 ,as the days grow longer1 the snow gets clammy and heavy1 and drops to the ground1 7undermined by the water17 an acre at a time1 clicking like a troop of morris-dancers4 ,if you 8sit upon a rail0 at noon-day1 and send a dog to run over an untrodden field1 his weight will break it down in large tablets1 like the giving way of a marble floor4 ,then comes the spring thaw4 ,instead of one rivulet to half a mile1 every hill-side sends down a hundred streams1 every road is a brook1 every hollow in the fields an overflowing pond4 ,the benevolent societies which thrive more by the 8widows' mites0 than the rich man's gift1 have learned the secret of these 8small contributions40 ,down they pour1 in troops of legions1 to the beds of the larger water-courses1 8drowning the springs10 overflowing the banks1 and laying every low plain under water4 ,the ice crashes and loosens in the large rivers1 and with the loosening of their frost-bound chains1 the merry dance is led off to the ocean4 ,if you would see waterfalls1 it should be then2 though the foliage is not around them1 nor the sky or the moon-light so genial above4 ,niagara alone1 of all the cataracts1 remains unchanged4 ,he rolls on in his calm sublimity1 spring and autumn1 summer and winter1 the same4 ,his floods seem never to increase by the melting of snow1 nor to be drunk up by the fervour of the sun4 ,if changes he has1 they are imperceptible1 or seen only in the crumbling of rock beneath him1 mountains at a convulsion1 and at intervals of years4 ,trenton is in a wild and not very accessible part of the country1 else it were worth the while of the traveller to see these fine ,falls during the spring4 ,i am very sure that a series of sketches upon the same ground--the same scenes by the same artist1 done when the waters are at the flood1 would not be recognised as at all resembling4 ,the attempt would be curious to the artist1 at least4 ,illustration ,,valley ,,of ,,the ,,shenandoah1 ,,from ,,jefferson',s ,,rock4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this is one of the most harmonious combinations of mountain1 vale1 and river1 to be found in ,america2 we know not whether to call it more beautiful or grand4 ,fine as is all the scenery of this neighbourhood1 however1 it is not till very lately that the current of travel has turned thither1 and but partially yet4 ,harper's ,ferry will soon be a resort for admirers of nature from all nations1 and it may well share the honours of pilgrimage with ,trenton ,falls and ,niagara4 ,steam navigation across the ,atlantic will make our ,new ,world lions as tame as the ,pyramids4 ,it is difficult1 at least for me1 to stand on any eminence commanding a landscape1 wild1 yet formed for a blest human residence1 without seeing in it the forfeited inheritance of the red man4 ,the unpicturesque new village of the white man1 his mill1 or his factory1 does not convey to my imagination an image of happiness2 and ,i regret the primitive rover of the wild1 who neither blackened nature with smoke1 nor violated her harmony with brick and shingle4 ,the tide of sympathy seems turning of late against these oppressed tribes1 and it is not amiss sometimes to remember our own atrocities as well as theirs4 ,what will be thought hereafter of the massacre of the poor ,conestogoes1 as related in the history of these middle regions of our territory6 8,on the first arrival of the ,english10 says the chronicler1 8messengers from this tribe entered into a treaty of friendship with the first proprietary1 ,william ,penn1 which was to last as long as the sun should shine1 or the waters run in the rivers4 8,this treaty has been since frequently renewed1 and the chain brightened1 as they express it1 from time to time4 ,it has never been violated on their part1 or ours1 till now4 ,as their lands by degrees were mostly purchased1 and the settlement of the white people began to surround them1 the proprietor assigned them lands on the manor of ,conestogoe1 which they might not part with2 there they have lived many years in friendship with their white neighbours1 who loved them for their peaceable inoffensive behaviour4 8,it has always been observed1 that ,indians1 settled in the neighbourhood of white people1 do not increase1 but diminish continually4 ,this tribe accordingly went on diminishing1 till there remained in their town on the manor but twenty persons1 namely1 seven men1 five women1 and eight children1 boys and girls4 8,of these1 ,shehaes was a very old man1 having assisted at the second treaty held with them by ,mr4 ,penn1 in #agja1 and ever since continued a faithful friend to the ,english2 he is said to have been an exceeding good man1 considering his education1 being naturally of a kind1 benevolent temper4 8,this little society continued the custom they had begun1 when more numerous1 of addressing every new governor1 and every descendant of the first proprietary1 welcoming him to the province1 assuring him of their fidelity1 and praying a continuance of that favour and protection which they had hitherto experienced4 ,they had accordingly sent up an address of this kind to our present governor 7,john ,penn1 ,esq47 on his arrival2 but the same was scarcely delivered1 when the unfortunate catastrophe happened which we are about to relate4 ,on ,wednesday1 the #adth ,december1 #agfc1 fifty-seven men from some of our frontier townships1 who had projected the destruction of this little commonwealth1 came all well mounted1 and armed with firelocks1 hangers1 and hatchets1 having travelled through the country in the night to ,conestogoe manor4 ,there they surrounded the small village of ,indian huts1 and just at break of day broke in upon them all at once4 ,only three men1 two women1 and a young boy1 were found at home2 the rest being out among the neighbouring white people--some to sell the baskets1 brooms1 and bowls1 they manufactured1 and others on other occasions4 ,these poor defenceless creatures were immediately fired upon1 stabbed1 and hatcheted to death6 the good ,shehaes among the rest cut to pieces in his bed6--all of them were scalped1 and otherwise horribly mangled4 ,then their huts were set on fire1 and most of them burned down4 ,the magistrates of ,lancaster sent out to collect the remaining ,indians1 brought them into the town for their better security against any further attempt1 and1 it is said1 condoled with them on the misfortune that had happened1 took them by the hand1 and promised them protection4 ,they were put into the workhouse1 a strong building1 as the place of greatest safety4 ,these cruel men again assembled themselves2 and hearing that the remaining fourteen ,indians were in the workhouse at ,lancaster1 they suddenly appeared before that town on the #bgth ,december4 ,fifty of them1 armed as before1 dismounting1 went directly to the workhouse1 and1 by violence1 broke open the door1 and entered with the utmost fury in their countenances4 ,when the poor wretches saw they had no protection nigh1 nor could possibly escape1 and being without the least weapon of defence1 they divided their little families1 the children clinging to their parents2 they fell on their faces1 protested their innocence1 declared their love to the ,english1 and that1 in their whole lives1 they had never done them injury2 and in this posture they all received the hatchet6 ,men1 women1 and children1 were every one inhumanly murdered in cold blood60 ,illustration ,,lockport--,,erie ,,canal4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this town1 so suddenly sprung into existence1 is about thirty miles from ,lake ,erie1 and exhibits one of those wonders of enterprise which astonish calculation4 ,the waters of ,lake ,erie1 which have come thus far without much descent1 are here let down sixty feet by five double locks1 and thence pursue a perfectly level course1 sixty-five miles1 to ,rochester4 ,the remarkable thing at ,lockport1 however1 is a deep cut from here to the ,torenanta ,creek1 seven miles in length1 and partly through solid rock1 at an average depth of twenty feet4 ,the canal boat glides through this flinty bed1 with jagged precipices on each side2 and the whole route has very much the effect of passing through an immense cavern4 ,this tract of country is very interesting to the antiquarian1 from the remains of fortifications1 and other probable traces of a race who existed1 and whose arts perished before the occupation of the country by the tribes who lately possessed it4 ,on ,seneca river1 on the south side of ,lake ,erie1 in many different parts of the ,state of ,new ,york1 and in a long chain extending west through the valley of the ,ohio1 down that of the ,mississippi1 and so westward through ,mexico1 are traces of a people who were settled in towns defended by forts1 and altogether far more advanced in civilization than the ,iroquois found here by ,europeans4 ,the region in the neighbourhood of ,lockport and ,torenanta was visited with reference to these remains by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,kirkland1 missionary to the ,iroquois confederacy1 in #aggh4 ,his account is very curious4 ,at a deserted ,indian village1 near the old ,indian town of ,kanawageas1 he discovered an ancient fort4 ,it enclosed about six acres1 and had six gates4 ,the ditch appeared to be eight feet wide1 and in some places six feet deep1 and drawn in a circular form on three sides4 ,the fourth side was defended by nature with a high bank1 at the foot of which is a fine stream of water4 ,the bank had probably been secured by a stockade1 as there appeared to have been a deep covered way in the middle of it down to the water4 ,some of the trees on the bank and in the ditch appeared to ,mr4 ,kirkland to have been at the age of two hundred years4 ,about half a mile south of this1 and upon a greater eminence1 he traced the ruins of another old fortified town1 of less dimensions than the other1 but with a deeper ditch1 and in a situation more lofty and defensible4 ,having examined these fortifications1 ,mr4 ,kirkland returned to ,kanawageas1 and thence renewed his tour westward1 until he encamped for the night at a place called ,joika1 7i4e4 ,racoon17 on the river ,tanawnde1 about twenty-six miles from ,kanawangeas4 ,six miles from this place of encampment1 he rode to the open fields1 and arrived at a place called by the ,senecas ,tegatinaghgwe1 which imports a double-fortified town1 or a town with a fort at each end4 ,here he walked about half a mile with one of the ,seneca chiefs1 to view one of the vestiges of this double-fortified town3 they were the remains of two forts4 ,the first which he visited1 as above1 contained about four acres of ground3 the other to which he proceeded1 distant from this about two miles1 and situated at the other extremity of the ancient town1 enclosed twice that quantity of ground4 ,the ditch around the former1 which he particularly examined1 was about five or six feet deep4 ,a small stream of water and a high bank circumscribed nearly one-third of the enclosed ground4 ,there were the traces of six gates1 or avenues1 round the ditch2 and near the centre a way was dug to the water4 ,the ground on the opposite side of the water was in some places nearly as high as that on which the fort was built1 which might render this covered way to the water necessary4 ,a considerable number of large thrifty oaks had grown up within the enclosed ground1 both in and upon the ditch2 some of them appeared to be at least two hundred years old1 or more4 ,the ground is of a hard gravelly kind1 intermixed with loam1 and more plentifully at the brow of the hill4 ,in some places1 at the bottom of the ditch1 ,mr4 ,kirkland ran his cane a foot or more into the ground1 from which circumstance he concluded that the ditch was much deeper in its original state than it then appeared to him4 ,near the northern fortification1 which was situated on high ground1 he found the remains of a funeral pile1 where the slain were buried1 in a great battle1 which will be spoken of hereafter4 ,the earth was raised about six feet above the common surface1 and betwixt twenty and thirty feet diameter4 ,the bones appeared on the whole surface of the raised earth1 and struck out in many places on the sides4 ,pursuing his course towards ,buffalo ,creek1 7his ultimate destination17 ,mr4 ,kirkland discovered the vestiges of another ancient fortified town4 ,he does not in his manuscript delineate them1 but1 from the course he described1 they might be easily ascertained4 8,upon these heights1 near the ancient fortified town1 the roads part2 we left the path leading to ,niagara on our right1 and went a course nearly south-west for ,buffalo ,creek4 ,after leaving these heights1 which afforded an extensive prospect1 we travelled over a fine tract of land for about six or seven miles2 then came to a barren white oak-shrub plain1 and one very remarkable spot of near two hundred acres1 and passed a steep hill on our right1 in some places near fifty feet perpendicular1 at the bottom of which is a small lake1 affording another instance of pagan superstition4 ,the old ,indians affirm that1 formerly1 a demon1 in the form of a dragon1 resided in this lake1 and had frequently been seen to disgorge balls of liquid fire2 and that1 to appease his wrath1 many a sacrifice of tobacco had been made at that lake by the fathers4 ,the barren spot above mentioned is covered with small white stone1 that appears like lime and clay2 in some spots1 for a considerable distance1 there is no appearance of earth4 ,notwithstanding its extreme poverty1 there are many trees of moderate size4 ,at the extremity of this barren plain1 we came again to the ,tanawande river1 and forded it about two miles above the ,indian town called by that name4 ,this village contains fourteen houses1 or huts2 their chief is called ,gashagale1 nicknamed the black chief4 ,on the south side of the ,tanawande ,creek1 at a small distance1 are to be seen the vestiges of another ancient fortified town40 ,mr4 ,kirkland further remarks1 that there are vestiges of ancient fortified towns in various parts throughout the extensive territory of the ,six ,nations1 and1 by ,indian report1 in various other parts2 particularly one on a branch of the ,delaware river1 which1 from the size and age of some of the trees that have grown upon the banks and in the ditches1 appears to have existed nearly one thousand years4 ,illustration ,,the ,,tomb ,,of ,,washington4 ,,mount ,,vernon4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the current of life seems to be too rapid in ,america to allow time for reflection upon any thing which can possibly be deferred4 ,the monuments are left unfinished on our battle-fields2 the tombs of great men become indistinguishable before marked with a stone2 and the sacred places where patriotism has dwelt1 are rated by the value of their material1 and left to decay4 ,it is difficult to visit ,mount ,vernon1 and feel1 from any mark of care or respect visible about it1 that ,america owes any thing to the sacred ashes it entombs4 ,the family tomb at ,mount ,vernon has once been robbed by a sacrilegious ruffian1 whose ignorance alone preserved for us the remains of ,washington4 ,it has been proposed to ,congress to buy ,mount ,vernon1 and establish a guard over relics so hallowed4 ,why should not this be done1 and a sufficient sum be appropriated to enclose and keep in order the whole estate1 improve the execrable road leading to it from ,alexandria1 and employ persons to conduct strangers over the place8 ,the vault in which the ashes of ,washington repose1 is at the distance of1 perhaps1 thirty rods from the house1 immediately upon the bank of the river4 ,a more romantic and picturesque site for a tomb can scarcely be imagined4 ,between it and the ,potomac is a curtain of forest-trees1 covering the steep declivity to the water's edge1 breaking the glare of the prospect1 and yet affording glimpses of the river1 where the foliage is thickest4 ,the tomb is surrounded by several large native oaks1 which are venerable by their years1 and which annually strew the sepulchre with autumnal leaves1 furnishing the most appropriate drapery for the place1 and giving a still deeper impression to the memento mori4 ,interspersed among the oaks1 and overhanging the tomb1 is a copse of red cedar1 whose evergreen boughs present a fine contrast to the hoary and leafless branches of the oak2 and while the deciduous foliage of the latter indicates the decay of the body1 the eternal verdure of the former furnishes a fitting emblem of the immortal spirit4 ,the sacred and symbolic cassia was familiar to ,washington1 and1 perhaps1 led to the selection of a spot where the evergreen flourished4 ,one of the most interesting associations with the tomb of ,washington1 is ,la ,fayette's visit to it1 as related by ,levasseur3-- 8,after a voyage of two hours1 the guns of ,fort ,washington announced that we were approaching the last abode of the father of his country4 ,at this solemn signal1 to which the military band accompanying us responded by plaintive strains1 we went on deck1 and the venerable soil of ,mount ,vernon was before us4 ,at this view1 an involuntary and spontaneous movement made us kneel4 ,we landed in boats1 and trod upon the ground so often trod by the feet of ,washington4 ,a carriage received ,general ,lafayette2 and the other visitors silently ascended the precipitous path which conducted to the solitary habitation of ,mount ,vernon4 ,in re-entering beneath this hospitable roof1 which had sheltered him when the reign of terror tore him violently from his country and family1 ,george ,lafayette felt his heart sink within him1 at no more finding him whose paternal care had softened his misfortunes2 while his father sought with emotion for every thing which reminded him of the companion of his glorious toils4 8,three nephews of ,general ,washington took ,lafayette1 his son1 and myself1 to conduct us to the tomb of their uncle3 our numerous companions remained in the house4 ,in a few minutes the cannon1 thundering anew1 announced that ,lafayette rendered homage to the ashes of ,washington4 ,simple and modest as he was during life1 the tomb of the citizen hero is scarcely perceived among the sombre cypresses by which it is surrounded4 ,a vault1 slightly elevated and dodded over--a wooden door without inscriptions--some withered and green garlands1 indicate to the traveller who visits the spot1 where rest in peace the puissant arms which broke the chains of his country4 ,as we approached1 the door was opened4 ,lafayette descended alone into the vault1 and a few minutes after re-appeared1 with his eyes overflowing with tears4 ,he took his son and me by the hand1 and led us into the tomb1 where1 by a sign1 he indicated the coffin4 ,we knelt reverentially1 and rising1 threw ourselves into the arms of ,lafayette1 and mingled our tears with his40 ,illustration ,,black ,,mountain--,,lake ,,george4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the mountains on the shore of this exquisite lake consist of two great ranges1 bordering it from north to south4 ,the western range passes westward of the north-west bay1 at the head of which a vast spar1 shooting towards the south-east1 forms the whole of the peninsula between that bay and the lake4 ,both these ranges alternately approach the lake1 so as to constitute a considerable part of its shores1 and recede from it again to the distance sometimes of two or three miles4 ,the summits of these mountains are of almost every figure1 from the arch1 to the bold1 bluff1 and sharp cone4 ,in some instances1 the loftier ones are bald1 solemn1 and forbidding2 in others1 they are clothed and crowned with verdure4 ,it is the peculiarity of ,lake ,george1 that1 while all the world agrees to speak only of its loveliness1 it is surrounded by features of the highest grandeur and sublimity4 ,the ,black ,mountain is one of these2 and there is every variety of chasm1 crag1 promontory1 and peak1 which a painter would require for the noblest composition of mountain scenery4 ,the atmospheric changes here1 too1 are almost always violent2 and storms are so frequent1 that there is scarce a traveller to ,lake ,george in the summer who has not seen it in a thunder-storm4 ,it was remarked to me on this lake by a foreigner1 that1 with all the luxuriance of the vegetation1 the trees seemed small2 and it is a remark that is frequently made by ,englishmen1 who compare the common trees in the woods on the roadside with the oaks left to flourish for centuries in venerating and venerable ,england4 ,the best answer to this remark is contained in a letter1 addressed to a friend in ,england1 by an able writer of this country3-- 8,the soil of ,new ,england is naturally quite as rich and productive as that of ,england3 of this the thrifty growth and ultimate size of our forest-trees is ample proof4 ,few of them1 indeed1 can now be found of this size3 almost all the original forests of this country having been long since cut down4 ,i have seen many of these trees1 and have compared them with the accounts given of forests in many parts of the globe1 and am assured that they will very rarely suffer by such comparison4 ,it may seem strange to you1 accustomed as you are to see forest-trees planted in great numbers1 and preserved with great care1 that the inhabitants of this country should1 so soon after its colonization1 have cut down their forests in this extensive manner4 ,this is one of the ten thousand subjects1 presented to the mind by the existing state of things here1 about which a foreigner must necessarily misconceive4 ,should he travel through ,new ,england he would naturally conclude that the forest-trees failed of arriving at the size which they attain in ,europe4 ,he would1 indeed1 see that they were tall1 and apparently very thrifty1 but small in the girth4 ,i do not mean that they are universally so2 but that this is extensively the fact throughout the southern division4 ,for the reason of it he would be at a loss1 and most probably would attribute it1 notwithstanding the thrifty appearance of the trees1 to sterility of soil1 or1 in the mystic language of ,buffon1 to #8a deficiency of matter4' ,should he be informed that the real cause was the age of the trees1 almost all of which are young1 his perplexity would be increased4 ,on the one hand he would be astonished at the folly of destroying forests in this wanton manner1 without any apparent reason2 and1 on the other1 would be unable to comprehend how these forests renewed themselves without the aid of planting4 ,all this is1 however1 easily explicable4 ,the wood of this country is its fuel4 ,an ,englishman who sees the various fires of his own country sustained by peat and coal only1 cannot easily form a conception of the quantity of wood1 or1 if you please1 of forest which is necessary for this purpose4 ,to this quantity must be added the timber for the uses of building1 in a country where almost all buildings are formed merely of timber2 of fencing1 furniture1 and commerce2 and a prodigious mass annually destroyed in the recent settlements for the mere purpose of clearing the ground4 ,with these facts before him1 he will cease to wonder that forests are very extensively felled in ,new ,england4 ,all these forests renew themselves4 ,the seeds of the forest-trees spring more readily and successfully when left on the surface than when buried in the ground1 even at a very small depth4 ,they will not1 however1 germinate upon a sward3 they demand a soil loose and light4 ,in this state the soil is always kept in forested ground by the leaves deposited on the earth4 ,these also supply the necessary moisture for germination1 and effectually shelter the seeds1 particularly the nuts and acorns1 from the ravages of animals4 ,in this manner1 and by a process totally superior to any contrived by the human mind1 forests are furnished by the ,author of nature with the means of perpetual self-restoration4 8,but this is not the only mode1 nor the most expeditious1 nor that which is principally relied on in this country4 ,when a field of wood is1 in the language of our farmers1 cut clean--i4e4 when every tree is cut down1 so far as any progress is made1 vigorous shoots sprout from every stump2 and having their nourishment supplied by the roots of the former tree1 grow with a thrift and rapidity never seen in stems derived from the seed4 ,good grounds will thus yield a growth amply sufficient for fuel1 once in fourteen years4 ,a multitude of farmers1 therefore1 cut their wood in this manner2 although1 it must be confessed1 there are different opinions and practices concerning the subject4 ,in these two modes the forests in ,new ,england become1 in a sense1 ever-living1 and supply plentifully the wants of the inhabitants40 ,illustration ,,connecticut ,,valley1 ,,from ,,mount ,,holyoke4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the broad open lands1 or intervals1 as they are called in this country1 which border upon the ,connecticut1 contain some of the most sunny and fertile pictures of cultivation to be found on our continent4 ,from the mouth of the river up to its rise beyond the ,white ,mountains1 it is gemmed with beautiful rural towns1 many of them among the first in our country for prosperity1 neatness1 and cultivated society4 ,the history of these towns presents some of the bloodiest traits marked on the early settlements of ,new ,england4 ,the event which gave the name to ,bloody ,brook1 a small village near the southern extremity of ,dresfield1 is among many sanguinary records of the difficulties and dangers of the first settlers in this valley4 ,for a considerable number of years the inhabitants of the valley had lived in as perfect harmony with the ,indians among whom they had settled1 as was possible1 with the great difference between their characters1 principles1 and pursuits4 ,they had purchased their lands at an equitable price1 and in all their transactions with them had observed the strictest equity and humanity4 ,this state of tranquillity was only disturbed by the wide-spreading intrigues of the bold sachem1 ,philip1 whose discernment1 comprehensiveness of views1 and admirable address1 entitle him to the first rank of superiority among the aborigines known in our history4 ,by means of emissaries1 and personal solicitation1 and eloquence1 this renowned warrior succeeded in uniting all the numerous tribes of ,indians within the territories colonized by the whites1 in one extensive conspiracy of extermination4 ,though divided into many tribes1 hostile to each other and perpetually at war1 they joined in this common cause1 and a general war broke out at once in every part of the country4 ,the first symptom in the ,valley of the ,connecticut1 was an abandonment by the ,indians of their fortresses and houses4 ,they were pursued by a party of settlers1 and overtaken about eight miles above ,hatfield2 where a skirmish ensued1 in which nine or ten whites were killed1 and about twenty-six ,indians4 ,several attacks upon the settlements in the valley immediately followed1 repelled always with loss of life2 and on the #cjth of ,may1 #afgf1 a body of six or seven hundred attacked ,hatfield again4 ,the men were abroad in the fields1 but1 reinforced by a small band from ,hadley1 they broke through the ,indians1 and joined the families who had fled to the fortified houses for protection4 ,after a prolonged contest1 they succeeded in driving the ,indians from the settlement1 which was never again attacked4 ,the village of ,deerfield was among those which had suffered most from the first incursions of the ,indians1 the houses having been burnt1 and the town evacuated in consequence4 ,their harvest had been cut about two months before1 and having been stacked in the fields1 escaped the conflagration4 ,about eighty men from the settlements below came up to protect the harvesters in carting it in1 and about three thousand bushels of wheat were thrashed1 loaded upon the waggons1 and had been drawn as far as the brook before mentioned without molestation4 ,the settlers stopped here to gather grasses1 and while thus occupied1 were suddenly and furiously attacked by a body of eight hundred ,indians4 ,captain ,lathrop1 the leader of the party1 ordered his men to fight the ,indians in their own manner1 availing themselves of the protection of the trees2 but the natives1 trained to run from tree to tree1 and to conceal themselves in this sort of warfare with unexampled address and caution1 fought at great advantage1 and soon decided the battle in their own favour4 ,lathrop was killed at the commencement of the attack2 and of the whole number of reapers and armed men1 ninety were killed on the spot4 ,captain ,mosely1 who was at ,deerfield when the enterprise was undertaken1 marched immediately with a small band to the relief of ,lathrop2 but1 when he arrived1 the contest was over1 and the savages1 flushed with success1 were pillaging the dead4 ,forming his men into a close column1 and commanding them to keep their ranks1 he charged the ,indians with the greatest intrepidity4 ,spite of their numbers1 he drove them into a swamp1 and forced his way through the whole body4 ,they then attempted to hang upon his rear1 but with great presence of mind he wheeled and broke through them again4 ,in this manner the fight was continued for five hours4 ,he drove them several miles1 and1 with only two men killed1 and five or six wounded1 succeeded in killing ninety-six of their number1 and returned1 unmolested1 on his way to ,deerfield4 ,the next morning1 the little band went out to bury the dead1 and found the savages again stripping the bodies on the field of battle4 ,mosely drove them once more before him1 and then1 having performed his melancholy task1 heaped a monument of loose stones over the victims1 and returned4 ,the name of the stream1 ,bloody ,brook1 is1 at present1 the only memorial of the catastrophe4 ,illustration ,,view ,,on ,,the ,,erie ,,canal1 ,,near ,,little ,,falls4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the passage of the ,canal1 under the lofty bluff which springs at this place from the edge of the ,mohawk1 is one of the most beautiful of the many beautiful features disclosed to the voyager on this great outlet of the ,west4 ,no traveller sees a greater variety of fine objects within the same distance than the follower of the ,canal from ,schenectady to ,buffalo2 and certainly none sees them with more ease and comfort to himself4 ,the packet-boats are long drawing-rooms1 where he dines1 sleeps1 reads1 lolls1 or looks out of the window2 and if in want of exercise1 he may at any time get a quick walk on the tow-path1 and all this without perceptible motion1 jar1 or smell of steam4 ,of all the modes of travelling in ,america1 the least popular and the most delightful1 to our thinking1 is travelling on the ,canal4 ,one of the descriptions of scenery through which the ,canal passes1 and one which is1 we believe1 peculiar to our country1 is what are called openings4 ,when one of these plains is seen at a little distance1 a traveller emerging from the forest naturally concludes that it is the commencement of a settled country2 and as he advances towards it1 is instinctively led to cast his eye forward to find the town or village of which it is the outskirt4 ,from this impression he will be unable to free himself2 for though given up1 the thought will recur again1 spite of his conviction1 that he is in the heart of a wilderness4 ,at the same time a sense of stillness and solitude1 a feeling of absolute retirement from the world1 deeper and more affecting than any he has ever felt before1 will be forced upon him while roving in these sequestered regions4 ,no passage out of them is presented to his eye4 ,yet1 though the tract around him is seemingly bounded every where1 the boundary is every where obscure1 being formed of trees1 thinly dispersed1 and retired beyond each other at such distances1 that1 while they actually limit the view1 they appear rather to border dim1 indistinct openings into other tracts of country4 ,thus he always feels the limit to be uncertain1 and until he is actually leaving one of these plains1 will continually expect to find a part of the expansion still spreading beyond the reach of his eye4 ,on every side1 a multitude of chasms conduct his eye beyond the labyrinth by which he is surrounded1 and present an imaginary passage back into the world from which he is withdrawn1 bewildering him with expectation continually awakened to be continually disappointed4 ,thus1 in a kind of romantic rapture1 he wanders over these plains with emotions similar to those with which1 when a child1 he roamed through the wildernesses created in ,arabian tales4 ,the origin of the peculiar appearance of these grounds1 ,dr4 ,dwight supposes1 is probably this4 ,the ,indians annually1 and sometimes oftener1 burned such parts of the ,north ,american forests as they found sufficiently dry4 ,in every such case1 the fuel consists chiefly of the fallen leaves1 which are rarely dry enough for an extensive combustion1 except on uplands2 and on these only when covered with a dry soil4 ,of this nature were always the oak and yellow pine grounds1 which were therefore usually subjected to an annual conflagration4 ,the beech and maple grounds were commonly too wet to be burned4 ,hence1 on these grounds1 the vegetable mould is from six inches to a foot in depth1 having been rarely or never consumed by fire2 while on the oak and pine grounds1 it often does not exceed an inch4 ,that this is the effect of fire only1 and not of any diversity in the nature of the trees1 is evident from the fact1 that1 in moist soils1 where the fire cannot penetrate1 the mould is as deep on the oak as on the maple grounds4 ,this mould is combustible1 and by an intense fire is wholly consumed4 ,the object of these conflagrations was to produce fresh and sweet pasture1 for the purpose of alluring the deer to the spots on which they had been kindled4 ,immediately after the fires1 a species of grass springs up1 sometimes called fire-grass1 because it usually succeeds a conflagration4 ,either from its nature1 or from the efficacy of the fire1 it is remarkably sweet1 and eagerly sought by the deer4 ,all the underwood is at the same time consumed1 so that these animals are easily discovered at considerable distances--a thing impracticable where the forests have not been burned4 ,to supply himself with timber for a wigwam1 and with wood for fuel1 was the only use which the ,indian could make of the forest2 and the earth furnished him with nothing but a place for his residence1 his garden1 and his game4 ,while1 therefore1 he destroyed both the forest and the soil1 he converted them to uses most profitable for himself4 ,when these grounds had been often burned1 the seeds and nuts whence future trees would have germinated1 were1 of course1 destroyed by fire4 ,the small number scattered over these plains1 or openings1 grew on spots which were less ravaged by fire1 because they were moist1 or because they were less covered with leaves4 ,illustration ,,hudson ,,highlands1 ,,from ,,bull ,,hill4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this view out from the gorge of the highlands presents a foreground of cliff and shadow1 with their reflections almost folded across in the bosom of the river1 and a middle ground of the village of ,newburgh and the gently-undulating country in the rear4 ,the blue and far-off line of the ,kaatskills shuts in the horizon4 ,there is some very romantic scenery hidden among the undulations just mentioned1 embracing several small rivers1 and a romantic stream1 called ,murderer's ,creek1 a tributary of the ,hudson4 ,mr4 ,poulding1 in his 8,new ,mirror for ,travellers10 gives the following interesting legend in explanation of the name3-- 8,little more than a century ago1 the beautiful region watered by this stream was possessed by a small tribe of ,indians1 which has long since become extinct1 or been incorporated with some other savage nation of the ,west4 ,three or four hundred yards from where the stream discharges itself into the ,hudson1 a white family1 of the name of ,stacey1 had established itself in a log-house1 by tacit permission of the tribe1 to whom ,stacey had made himself useful by his skill in a variety of little arts highly estimated by the savages4 ,in particular1 a friendship existed between him and an old ,indian1 called ,naoman1 who often came to his house and partook of his hospitality4 ,the ,indians never forgive injuries or forget benefits4 ,the family consisted of ,stacey1 his wife1 and two children1 a boy and girl1 the former five1 the latter three years old40 ,the legend goes on to say1 that ,naoman1 in grateful friendship1 gave the wife of ,stacey a secret warning1 that a massacre of the whites was resolved on1 exacting from her a solemn pledge of secrecy1 and advising instant escape across the river4 8,the daily visits of old ,naoman1 and his more than ordinary gravity1 had excited suspicion in some of the tribe1 who had accordingly paid particular attention to the movements of ,stacey4 ,one of the young ,indians1 who had kept on the watch1 seeing the whole family about to take their boat1 ran to the little ,indian village1 about a mile off1 and gave the alarm4 ,five ,indians collected1 ran down to the river side1 where their canoes were moored1 jumped in1 and paddled after ,stacey1 who by this time had got some distance out into the stream4 ,they gained on him so fast1 that twice he dropped his paddle1 and took up his gun4 ,but his wife prevented his shooting1 by telling him1 that if he fired1 and they were afterwards overtaken1 they would meet no mercy from the ,indians4 ,he accordingly refrained1 and plied his paddle1 till the sweat rolled in big drops down his forehead4 ,all would not do2 they were overtaken within a hundred yards of the shore1 and carried back with shouts of yelling triumph4 8,when they got ashore1 the ,indians set fire to ,stacey's house1 and dragged himself1 his wife1 and children1 to their village4 ,here the principal old men1 and ,naoman among the rest1 assembled to deliberate on the affair4 ,the chief among them stated that some one of the tribe had undoubtedly been guilty of treason1 in apprising ,stacey1 the white man1 of the designs of the tribe1 whereby they took the alarm1 and had well nigh escaped4 ,he proposed to examine the prisoners as to who gave the information4 ,the old men assented to this1 and ,naoman among the rest4 ,stacey was first interrogated by one of the old men1 who spoke ,english1 and interpreted to the others4 ,stacey refused to betray his informant4 ,his wife was then questioned1 while at the same moment two ,indians stood threatening the two children with tomahawks in case she did not confess4 ,she attempted to evade the truth1 by declaring she had a dream the night before which had alarmed her1 and that she had persuaded her husband to fly4 #8,the ,great ,spirit never deigns to talk in dreams to a white face1' said the old ,indian3 #8woman6 thou hast two tongues and two faces3 speak the truth1 or thy children shall surely die4' ,the little boy and girl were then brought close to her1 and the two savages stood over them1 ready to execute their bloody orders4 8#8,wilt thou name1' said the old ,indian1 #8the red man who betrayed his tribe8 ,i will ask thee three times4' ,the mother answered not4 #8,wilt thou name the traitor8 ,this is the second time4' ,the poor mother looked at her husband1 and then at her children1 and stole a glance at ,naoman1 who sat smoking his pipe with invincible gravity4 ,she wrung her hands and wept1 but remained silent4 #8,wilt thou name the traitor8 ',tis the third and last time4' ,the agony of the mother waxed more bitter2 again she sought the eye of ,naoman1 but it was cold and motionless4 ,a pause of a moment awaited her reply1 and the next moment the tomahawks were raised over the heads of the children1 who besought their mother not to let them be murdered4 8#8,stop6' cried ,naoman4 ,all eyes were turned upon him4 #8,stop6' repeated he in a tone of authority4 #8,white woman1 thou hast kept thy word with me to the last moment4 ,i am the traitor4 ,i have eaten of the salt1 warmed myself at the fire1 shared the kindness of these christian white people1 and it was ,i that told them of their danger4 ,i am a withered1 leafless1 branchless trunk2 cut me down if you will4 ,i am ready4' ,a yell of indignation sounded on all sides4 ,naoman descended from the little bank where he sat1 shrouded his face with his mantle of skins1 and submitted to his fate4 ,he fell dead at the feet of the white woman by a blow of the tomahawk40 ,illustration ,,villa ,,on ,,the ,,hudson1 ,,near ,,weehawken4 99 99 99 99 99 ,from this admirably chosen spot1 the ,bay of ,new ,york appears with every accessory of beauty4 ,the city itself comes into the left of the picture to an advantage seen from no other point of view1 the flocks of river-craft scud past in all directions1 men-of-war1 merchantmen1 steamers1 and ferry-boats1 fill up the moving elements of the panorama2 and far away beyond stretches the broad harbour1 with its glassy or disturbed waters1 in all the varieties of ever-changing sea-view4 ,it was on this side that ,hudson1 who had felt the hostility of the ,manhattan ,indians1 found a friendlier tribe1 and made his first amicable visit on shore4 ,the ,indian tradition1 springing from that visit1#b and describing the first intoxication they had ever experienced1 is extremely amusing4 8,a long time ago1 before men with a white skin had ever been seen1 some ,indians1 fishing at a place where the sea widens1 espied something at a distance moving upon the water4 ,they hurried ashore1 collected their neighbours1 who together returned and viewed intensely this astonishing phenomenon4 ,what it could be1 baffled all conjecture4 ,some supposed it to be a large fish or animal1 others that it was a very big house1 floating on the sea4 ,perceiving it moving towards land1 the spectators concluded that it would be proper to send runners in different directions to carry the news to their scattered chiefs1 that they might send off for the immediate attendance of their warriors4 ,these arriving in numbers to behold the sight1 and perceiving that it was actually moving towards them 7i4e4 coming into the river or bay71 they conjectured that it must be a remarkably large house1 in which the ,manitto 7or ,great ,spirit71 was coming to visit them4 ,they were much afraid1 and yet under no apprehension that the ,great ,spirit would injure them4 ,they worshipped him4 ,the chiefs now assembled at ,york ,island1 and consulted in what manner they should receive their ,manitto3 meat was prepared for a sacrifice2 the women were directed to prepare the best of victuals2 idols or images were examined and put in order2 a grand dance they thought would be pleasing1 and1 in addition to the sacrifice1 might appease him1 if angry4 ,the conjurers were also set to work1 to determine what this phenomenon portended1 and what the result would be4 ,to these1 men1 women1 and children1 looked up for advice and protection4 ,utterly at a loss what to do1 and distracted alternately by hope and fear1 in this confusion a grand dance commenced4 ,meantime fresh runners arrived1 declaring it to be a great house1 of various colours1 and full of living creatures4 ,it now appeared certain that it was their ,manitto1 probably bringing some new kind of game4 ,others arriving1 declared it positively to be full of people1 of different colour and dress from theirs1 and that one1 in particular1 appeared altogether red4 ,this then must be the ,manitto4 ,they were lost in admiration2 could not imagine what the vessel was1 whence it came1 or what all this portended4 ,they are now hailed from the vessel in a language they could not understand2 they answer by a shout or yell in their way4 ,the house 7or large canoe1 as some render it7 stops4 ,a smaller canoe comes on shore1 with the red man in it2 some stay by his canoe1 to guard it4 ,the chiefs and wise men form a circle1 into which the red man and two attendants approach4 ,he salutes them with friendly countenance1 and they return the salute after their manner4 ,they are amazed at their colour and dress1 particularly with him who1 glittering in red1 wore something 7perhaps lace1 or buttons7 they could not comprehend4 ,he must be the great ,manitto1 they thought2 but why should he have a white skin8 ,a large elegant hockhack 7gourd1 i4e4 bottle1 decanter1 c47 is brought by one of the supposed ,manitto's servants1 from which a substance is poured into a small cup or glass1 and handed to the ,manitto4 ,he drinks1 has the glass refilled1 and handed to the chief near him2 he takes it1 smells it1 and passes it to the next1 who does the same4 ,the glass in this manner is passed round the circle1 and is about to be returned to the red-clothed man1 when one of them1 a great warrior1 harangues them on the impropriety of returning the cup unemptied4 ,it was handed to them1 he said1 by the ,manitto1 to drink out of as he had2 to follow his example would please him--to reject it might provoke his wrath2 and if no one else would1 he would drink it himself1 let what would follow2 for it was better for one even to die1 than a whole nation to be destroyed4 ,he then took the glass1 smelled at it1 again addressed them1 bidding adieu1 and drank the contents4 ,all eyes were now fixed 7on the first ,indian in ,new ,york who had tasted the poison which has since affected so signal a revolution in the condition of the native ,americans74 ,he soon began to stagger2 the women cried1 supposing him in fits2 he rolled on the ground2 they bemoan his fate2 they thought him dying4 ,he fell asleep4 ,they at first thought he had expired1 but soon perceived he still breathed4 ,he awoke1 jumped up1 and declared he never felt more happy2 he asked for more2 and the whole assembly imitating him1 became intoxicated40 ,in descending the river1 after he had penetrated to ,albany1 ,hudson ran his little craft ashore at ,weehawken2 but the ground was a soft ooze1 and she was got off without damage1 and proceeded to sea4 ----- #b ,it is disputed whether this scene of intoxication took place on the present site of ,new ,york1 on the ,jersey side1 or at ,albany4 ,illustration ,,view ,,of ,,meredith1 ,,new ,,hampshire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this beautiful town stands between the two lakes ,winipiseogee and ,sullivan and is deeply surrounded on every side with the most luxuriant rural beauty4 ,the neighbourhood of these exquisite lakes1 studded throughout with small green islands1 burdened with foliage1--the lofty mountains1 near and distant1--the fertility of the soil1 and the healthiness of the spot1 form a nucleus of attraction which gives ,meredith great preference over other towns in ,new ,hampshire4 ,the ,winipiseogee communicates1 by the river of the same name1 with the ,merrimack ,river1 and is near five hundred feet above the level of the sea4 ,this is the only part of ,new ,england1 as far as we are aware1 in which ,indians were regularly hunted by parties who went out for the purpose1 and received a bounty for their scalps4 ,we have alluded elsewhere to ,captain ,lovewell1 who surprised and killed a large party of sleeping ,indians1 and was killed himself afterwards1 in the famous 8,lovewell fight40 ,the following tragedy1 which took place on the ,merrimack1 in what was1 in those days1 the neighbourhood of ,meredith1 shows the provocation to this apparent inhumanity4 ,in the year #afig1 a party of ,indians1 arrayed in their war dresses1 approached the house of ,mr4 ,dustan4 ,this man was abroad at his usual labour4 ,upon the first alarm1 he flew to the house1 with a hope of hurrying to a place of safety his family1 consisting of his wife1 who had been confined a week only in child-bed2 her nurse1 a ,mrs4 ,mary ,jeff1 a widow from the neighbourhood2 and eight children4 ,seven of his children he ordered to flee1 with the utmost expedition1 in the course opposite to that in which the danger was approaching2 and went himself to assist his wife4 ,before she could leave her bed1 the savages were upon them4 ,her husband1 despairing of rendering her any service1 flew to the door1 mounted his horse1 and determined to snatch up the child with which he was unable to part1 when he should overtake the little flock4 ,when he came up to them1 about two hundred yards from his house1 he was unable to make a choice1 or to leave any one of the number4 ,he therefore determined to take his lot with them1 and to defend them from their murderers1 or die by their side4 ,a body of the ,indians pursued1 and came up with him2 and from near distances fired at him and his little company4 ,he returned the fire1 and retreated1 alternately4 ,for more than a mile he kept so resolute a face to his enemy1 retiring in the rear of his charge1 returned the fire of the savages so often1 and with so good success1 and sheltered so effectually his terrified companions1 that he finally lodged them all safe from the pursuing butchers1 in a distant house4 ,when it is remembered how numerous his assailants were1 how bold when an overmatch for their enemies1 how active1 and what excellent marksmen1 a devout mind will consider the hand of ,providence as unusually visible in the preservation of this family4 ,another party of the ,indians entered the house1 immediately after ,mr4 ,dustan had quitted it1 and found ,mrs4 ,dustan1 and her nurse1 who was attempting to fly with the infant in her arms4 ,mrs4 ,dustan they ordered to rise instantly2 and before she could completely dress herself1 obliged her and her companion to quit the house1 after they had plundered it and set it on fire4 ,in company with several other captives1 they began their march into the wilderness2 she feeble1 sick1 terrified beyond measure1 partially clad1 one of her feet bare1 and the season utterly unfit for comfortable travelling4 ,the air was chilly and keen1 and the earth covered1 alternately1 with snow and deep mud4 ,her conductors were unfeeling1 insolent1 and revengeful3 murder was their glory1 and torture their sport4 ,her infant was in her nurse's arms2 and infants were the customary victims of savage barbarity4 ,the company had proceeded but a short distance1 when an ,indian1 thinking it an incumbrance1 took the child out of the nurse's arms1 and dashed its head against a tree4 ,such of the other captives as began to be weary1 and lag1 the ,indians tomahawked4 ,the slaughter was not an act of revenge or of cruelty2 it was a mere convenience2 an effort so familiar as not even to excite an emotion4 ,feeble as ,mrs4 ,dustan was1 both she and her nurse sustained1 without yielding1 the fatigue of the journey4 ,their intense distress for the death of the child1 and of their companions1 anxiety for those whom they had left behind1 and unceasing terror for themselves1 raised these unhappy women to such a degree of vigour1 that notwithstanding their fatigue1 their exposure to cold1 their sufferance from hunger1 and their sleeping on damp ground1 under an inclement sky1 they finished an expedition of about one hundred and fifty miles1 without losing their spirits1 or injuring their health4 ,the weekwarm to which they were conducted1 and which belonged to the savage who had claimed them as his property1 was inhabited by twelve persons4 ,in the month of ,april this family set out1 with their captives1 for an ,indian settlement still more remote2 and informed them1 that when they arrived at the settlement1 they must be stripped1 scourged1 and run the gauntlet1 naked1 between two files of ,indians1 containing the whole number found in the settlement2 for such1 they declared1 was the standing custom of their nation4 ,this information made a deep impression on the minds of the captive women1 and led them irresistibly to devise all the possible means of escape4 ,on the #cast of the same month1 very early in the morning1 ,mrs4 ,dustan1 while the ,indians were asleep1 having awaked her nurse1 and a fellow-prisoner 7a youth taken some time before1 from ,worcester71 despatched1 with the assistance of her companions1 ten of the twelve ,indians2 the other two escaped4 ,with the scalps of these savages1 they returned through the wilderness2 and1 having arrived safely at ,haverhill1 and afterwards at ,boston1 received a handsome reward for their intrepid conduct1 from the legislature40 ,illustration ,,ballston ,,springs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these celebrated springs rise in a valley formed by a branch of the ,kayaderosseras ,creek4 ,in this valley1 and on its acclivities1 is built the village called ,ballston ,spa4 ,the medicinal character of the waters was discovered 7as was said of ,saratoga7 by the beaten track of the deer to the springs at certain seasons4 ,ballston is now a populous village during the summer1 and1 since the rail-road has connected it with ,saratoga1 these two resorts have become like one1 and1 together1 assemble1 during certain months1 the greater proportion of the moving population of the country4 ,a description of the kind of life led at these springs accompanies another drawing in this ,series4 ,at the time of the breaking out of the revolutionary war this part of the country was very thinly settled4 ,the inhabitants for the most part took the continental side2 but at the battle of ,hoosac1 a few miles from ,ballston1 a man was taken prisoner by the ,americans1 whose history exhibits some fine traits of character4 ,he was a plain farmer from this neighbourhood1 named ,richard ,jackson1 and had conscientiously taken the ,british side in the contest4 ,feeling himself bound of course to employ himself in the service of his sovereign1 he no sooner heard that ,colonel ,baum was advancing1 than he saddled his horse and rode to ,hoosac1 intending to attach himself to this corps4 ,here he was taken1 in such circumstances as proved his intention beyond every reasonable doubt4 ,he was1 besides1 too honest to deny it4 ,accordingly he was transmitted to ,great ,barrington1 then the shire-town of ,berkshire1 and placed in the hands of ,general ,fellows1 high sheriff of the county1 who immediately confined him in the county gaol4 ,this building was at that time so infirm1 that without a guard no prisoner could be kept in it who wished to make his escape4 ,to escape1 however1 was in no degree consonant with ,richard's idea of right2 and he thought no more seriously of making an attempt of this nature1 than he would have done had he been in his own house4 ,after he had lain quietly in gaol a few days1 he told the sheriff that he was losing his time1 and earning nothing1 and wished that he would permit him to go out and work in the day time1 promising to return regularly at evening to his quarters in the prison4 ,the sheriff had become acquainted with his character1 and readily acceded to his proposal4 ,accordingly ,richard went out regularly during the remaining part of the autumn1 and the following winter and spring1 until the beginning of ,may1 and every night returned at the proper hour to the gaol4 ,in this manner he performed a day's work every day1 with scarcely any exception beside the ,sabbath1 through the whole period4 ,in the month of ,may he was to be tried for high treason4 ,the sheriff accordingly made preparations to conduct him to ,springfield1 where his trial was to be held2 but he told the sheriff that it was not worth his while to take this trouble1 for he could just as well go alone1 and it would save both the expense and inconvenience of the sheriff's journey4 ,the sheriff1 after a little reflection1 assented to his proposal1 and ,richard commenced his journey2 the only one1 it is believed1 which was ever undertaken in the same manner for the same object4 ,in the woods of ,tyringham he was overtaken by the ,hon4 ,t4 ,edwards1 from whom ,i had this story4--8,whither are you going80 said ,mr4 ,edwards4 8,to ,springfield1 ,sir10 answered ,richard1 8to be tried for my life40 ,accordingly he proceeded directly to ,springfield1 surrendered himself to the sheriff of ,hampshire1 was tried1 found guilty1 and condemned to die4 ,the council of ,massachusets was at this time the supreme executive of the ,state4 ,application was made to this board for a pardon4 ,the facts were stated1 the evidence by which they were supported1 and the sentence grounded on them4 ,the question was then put by the president1 8,shall a pardon be granted to ,richard ,jackson80 ,the gentleman who spoke first observed that the case was perfectly clear2 the act alleged against ,jackson was unquestionably high treason2 and the proof was complete4 ,if a pardon should be granted in this case1 he saw no reason why it should not be granted in every other4 ,in the same manner answered those who followed him4 ,when it came to the turn of ,mr4 ,edwards1 he told this story with those little circumstances of particularity1 which1 though they are easily lost from the memory1 and have escaped mine1 give light and shade1 a living reality1 and a picturesque impressiveness1 to every tale which is fitted to enforce conviction1 or to touch the heart4 ,at the same time he recited it without enhancement1 without expatiating1 without any attempt to be pathetic4 ,as is always the case1 this simplicity gave the narration its full force4 ,the council began to hesitate4 ,one of the members at length observed--8,certainly such a man as this ought not to be sent to the gallows40 ,to his opinion the members unanimously assented4 ,a pardon was immediately made out and transmitted to ,springfield1 and ,richard returned to his family4 ,never was a stronger proof exhibited1 that honesty is wisdom4 ,illustration ,,the ,,narrows1 ,,from ,,fort ,,hamilton4 99 99 99 99 99 ,not quite one hundred years after ,verrazzano's discovery of the ,bay of ,new ,york1 during all which period we have no account of its having been visited by an ,european vessel1 ,hudson made the ,capes of ,virginia on his third cruise in search of the north-west passage4 ,standing still on a northward course1 he arrived in sight of the ,narrows1 distinguishing from a great distance the ,highlands of ,never ,sink1 which his mate1 ,robert ,juet1 describes in the journal he kept as a 8very good land to fall with1 and a pleasant land to see40 ,the most interesting peculiarity of our country to a ,european observer1 is the freshness of its early history1 and the strong contrast it presents of most of the features of a highly civilized land1 with the youth and recent adventure of a newly discovered one4 ,the details of these first discoveries are becoming every day more interesting3 and to accompany a drawing of the ,narrows1 or entrance to the ,bay of ,new ,york1 the most fit illustration is that part of the journal of the great navigator which relates to his first view of them4 ,the following extracts describe the ,narrows as they were two hundred years ago3 the drawing presents them as they are4 8,at three of the clock in the afternoone we came to three great rivers4 ,so we stood along to the northernmost1 thinking to have gone into it1 but we found it to have a very shoald barre before it1 for we had but ten foot water4 ,then we cast about to the southward1 and found two fathoms1 three fathoms1 and three and a quarter1 till we came to the souther side of them1 then we had five or six fathoms1 and anchored4 ,so we sent in our boat to sound1 and they found no less water than foure1 five1 six1 and seven fathoms1 and returned in an hour and a halfe4 ,so we weighed and went in1 and rode in five fathoms1 ose ground1 and saw many salmons1 and mullets1 and rayes very great4 8,the fourth1 in the morning1 as soone as the day was light1 we saw that it was good riding farther up4 ,so we sent our boate to sound1 and found that it was a very good harbour2 then we weighed and went in with our ship4 ,then our boat went on land with our net to fish1 and caught ten great mullets1 of a foot and a half long apeece1 and a ray as great as foure men could hale into the ship4 ,so we trimmed our boat1 and rode still all day4 ,at night the wind blew hard at the north-west1 and our anchor came home1 and we drove on shore1 but took no hurt1 thanked bee ,god1 for the ground is soft sand and ose4 ,this day the people of the country came aboard of us1 seeming very glad of our comming1 and brought greene tobacco1 and gave us of it for knives and beads4 ,they go in deere skins loose1 well dressed4 ,they have yellow copper4 ,they desire cloathes1 and are very civill4 ,they have great store of maise1 or ,indian wheate1 whereof they make good bread4 ,the country is full of great and tall oaks4 8,the fifth1 in the morning1 as soone as the day was light1 the wind ceased2 so we sent our boate in to sound the bay4 ,our men went on land there and saw great store of men1 women1 and children1 who gave them tobacco at their coming on land4 ,so they went up into the woods1 and saw great store of very goodly oakes1 and some currants4 8,the sixth1 in the morning1 was faire weather1 and our master sent ,john ,colman with foure other men in our boate over to the north side1 to sound the other river10 7the ,narrows47 8,they found very good riding for ships1 and a narrow river to the westward10 7probably what is now called the ,kells1 or the passage between ,bergen-,neck and ,staten ,island17 8between two islands4 ,the lands1 they told us1 were as pleasant1 with grasse and flowers1 and goodly trees1 as ever they had seen1 and very sweet smells came from them4 ,so they went in two leagues and saw an open sea1 and returned2 and as they came backe they were set upon by two canoes1 the one having twelve1 the other fourteen men4 ,the night came on1 and it began to raine1 so that their match went out2 and they had one man slain in the fight1 which was an ,englishman1 named ,john ,colman1 with an arrow shot into his throat1 and two more hurt4 ,it grew so dark that they could not find the shippe that night1 but laboured to and fro on their oares4 8,the seventh was fair1 and they returned aboard the ship1 and brought our dead man with them1 whom we carried on land and buried40 ,on the eighth1 ,hudson lay still1 to be more sure of the disposition of the natives before venturing farther in4 ,several came on board1 but no disturbance occurred1 and on the ninth he got under weigh1 passed the ,narrows1 and proceeded by slow degrees up the river destined to bear his name4 ,illustration ,,the ,,notch ,,house--,,white ,,mountains4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a considerable tract of land in ,new ,hampshire was granted to two individuals of the names of ,nash and ,sawyer1 for the discovery of 8the ,notch40 ,this pass1 the only one by which the inhabitants of a large extent of country1 north-westward of these mountains1 can1 without a great circuit1 make their way to the eastern shore1 was known to the savages1 who used to conduct their prisoners1 taken on the coast1 through this gap to ,canada4 ,by the people of ,new ,hampshire1 it was either unknown1 or had been forgotten4 ,nash discovered it2 but ,sawyer persuaded ,nash to admit him to an equal share of the benefits resulting from the discovery4 ,it was1 however1 little advantage to either4 ,they were both hunters1 and with the thoughtlessness of men devoted to that employment1 squandered the property soon after it was granted4 ,the ,notch-house is inhabited by a family of the name of ,crawford1 who have the reputation1 given them by travellers to the ,notch1 of being giants in size and strength4 ,ethan1 one of the brothers living a mile or two further up1 is called the 8,keeper of the ,mountains40 ,a manuscript journal of a pedestrian excursion to ,mount ,washington lies before us1 in which the writer 7a friend of ours1 who is a small ,titan himself1 and whose estimate of thewe and sinew is to be taken with a grain of allowance7 rather sneers at the proportions of the mountain-keeper4 ,after walking from thirty to thirty-four miles a day1 mostly up hill1 our friend and his companion arrive at the ,notch-house4 8,about one o'clock10 says the journal1 8we reached the house of ,t4 ,g4 ,crawford1 where we must remain till we can ascend ,mount ,washington4 ,these ,crawfords are not such giants as ,i had been led to suppose4 ,we have not1 however1 seen ,ethan1 the most celebrated of the race4 8,last night we had a thunder shower1 with sharp lightning4 ,the thunder sounds heavy1 and rumbles or echoes among the mountains with a very impressive effect4 ,just at evening we visited a beautiful cataract called the ,flume1 about half a mile from the house1 and took the finest shower-bath ,i ever enjoyed4 ,to-day the weather is doubtful1 and we shall not attempt the ascent till to-morrow4 ,there is enough in this immediate neighbourhood to occupy a week4 ,the variety and magnificence of the scenery in every direction would satisfy the most ardent lover of the picturesque4 ,crawford is a fine fellow3 his house is excellent1 his trout delicious1 and his neighbours perfectly quiet6 ,the album kept here is an amusing omniana of nonsense and astonishment1 sentiment and piety4 8,after dinner walked over to ,ethan ,crawford's1 and saw the celebrated #8,keeper of the ,white ,mountains4' ,expected to find him a giant1 but were disappointed3 he is a large man1 and strong in muscle1 but ,i have seen fifty larger and stronger in my own town4 ,there is nothing remarkable in his manners or conversation4 ,his voice is stentorian1 and his style is marked by a rude bluntness and an apparent consciousness that something original is expected of him4 ,on our return had a fine view of ,mount ,washington and his fellow-peaks4 ,the monarch's head was capp'd with clouds1 while all the others stood bare1 as if uncovered for respect40 ,another traveller thus speaks of the scenery of this spot3--8,we rode six miles farther1 and came to a farm occupied by a man named ,crawford4 ,here the mountains assumed the form of an immense amphitheatre1 elliptical in its figure1 from twelve to fifteen miles in length1 from two to four in breadth1 and crowned with summits of vast height and amazing grandeur4 ,compared with this scene all human works of this nature1 that of ,titus particularly1 so splendidly described by ,gibbon1 are diminished into toys and gewgaws4 ,here more millions could sit than hundreds there2 every one of whom could look down with a full view on the valley beneath4 8,the south-eastern extremity of this form was1 some years since1 the scene of a melancholy circumstance4 ,a young woman1 who had been employed at ,jefferson1 in the service of ,colonel ,whipple1 had fallen deeply in love with a young man in the service of the same gentleman4 ,at the close of autumn they agreed to go together to ,portsmouth4 ,on some occasion or other she was induced1 before the time fixed for their departure1 to go over to ,lancaster4 ,when she returned1 she found him unexpectedly gone1 and determined to follow him4 ,december was already advanced1 the snow had fallen deep1 and there was not a house for thirty miles on the road4 ,she set out on foot1 and walked twenty-three miles from the house she had left1 and then1 overcome probably with fatigue1 wrapped herself in her cloak1 and lay down under a bush1 where she was found a month afterwards1 stiffened with frost40 ,illustration ,,wilkesbarre--,,vale ,,of ,,wyoming4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this beautiful town is situated on the eastern bank of the ,susquehanna1 opposite the village of ,wyoming1 celebrated in the 8,gertrude0 of ,campbell4 ,like all the towns in this picturesque valley1 it possesses fine points of picturesque beauty1 and exhibits the thrift and agricultural prosperity which1 all over the ,united ,states1 contrast so strongly with the recent and unforgotten tales of the primitive wilderness4 ,there is a book1 of which many copies do not now exist1 entitled1 8,observations made by ,john ,bartram1 in his ,travels through ,pennsylvania to the ,lake ,ontario10 which presents a very wild picture of this part of the country in #agdc4 ,his companions were ,mr4 ,weisar1 a ,mr4 ,evans1 and a ,delaware chief1 called ,shickalamy1 and the object of their journey was to reconcile some differences between the ,english and the different ,indian nations on that frontier4 ,the dignity of their character as envoys from the ,english procured for them a kind reception1 and the sight of many ceremonies not commonly seen by travellers4 ,on their arrival on the banks of the ,susquehanna1 they were entertained by a hunting party of ,indians1 who served them up a roasted bear4 ,apropos to this1 he describes the following superstition3-- 8,as soon as the bear is killed1 the hunter places the small end of his pipe in its mouth1 and1 by blowing in the bowl1 fills the mouth and throat full of smoke4 ,he then conjures the departed spirit of the bear not to resent the injury done his body1 nor to thwart his future sport in hunting4 ,as he receives no answer to this1 in order to know if his prayers have prevailed1 he cuts the ligament under the bear's tongue4 ,if these ligaments contract and shrivel up when cast into the fire1 which is done with invocations and great solemnity1 then it is esteemed a certain mark that the manes are appeased40 ,on the next day's journey1 still following the winding bank of the east branch of the ,susquehanna1 they arrived at an ,indian village1 where the natives welcomed them by beating a rude drum4 ,assisting them to unsaddle their horses1 they invited them into the principal wigwam1 and cut long grass1 and laid it on the floor for them to sit upon4 ,the chiefs then came in with their pipes1 7one of which1 he says1 was six feet long1 with a stone head and a reed stem27 and immediately after they were regaled with roast venison1 of which the morsel of honour was the neck1 given to them for their share1 to ,mr4 ,bartram's great dissatisfaction4 ,a superstitious ceremony took place here1 the description of which is rather curious4 8,they cut a parcel of poles1 which they stick in the ground in a circle of about five feet diameter1 and then bring them together at the top1 and tie them in the form of an oven4 ,in this the conjuror placeth himself1 and his assistants cover his cage over with blankets4 ,to make it still more suffocating1 hot stones are rolled in4 ,the conjuror then cries aloud1 and agitates his body in the most violent manner2 and when nature has lost almost all her faculties1 the stubborn spirit becomes visible to him1 generally in the shape of some bird4 ,there is usually a stake driven into the ground about four feet high1 and painted1 for the airy visitant to perch upon while he reveals what the invocant wisheth to know4 ,sometimes there is a bowl of water1 into which they often look when nearly exhausted1 to see whether the spirit is ready to answer their demands40 ,the next day he encounters another superstition3--8,on our left1 as we journeyed1 we perceived a hill1 where the ,indians told us that corn1 tobacco1 and squashes were found on the following occasion4 ,an ,indian of a distant tribe1 whose wife had eloped1 came hither to hunt1 intending1 with his skins1 to purchase another wife4 ,coming to this hill1 he espied a young squaw1 sitting alone4 ,going to her and inquiring whence she came1 she answered that she came from heaven to provide sustenance for poor ,indians1 and if he came to that place twelve months after1 he should find food there4 ,he came accordingly and found corn1 squashes1 and tobacco1 which were propagated from thence1 and spread through the country2 and this silly story is religiously held for truth among them40 ,he kept on up the valley of the ,susquehanna1 through woods1 where1 as he describes it1 8the tops of the trees for miles together were so close to one another that there is no seeing which way the clouds drive1 nor knowing which way the wind sets2 and it seems as if the sun had never shone on the ground beneath since the creation40 ,it is a description of a complete wilderness1 till he reaches the borders of ,lake ,ontario--a tract of country that1 in ninety years from the time he wrote1 is seamed with rail-roads and canals1 and teeming with towns1 improvement and speculation4 ,illustration ,,squawm ,,lake4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,indianesque1 but not very pretty name1 in which this lovely body of waters rejoices1 has been once or twice changed1 but the force of usage has uniformly triumphed4 ,dr4 ,dwight called it ,sullivan's ,lake1 after ,major-,general ,sullivan1 formerly governor of the ,state2 and the adjoining waters of ,winipiseogee1 he named ,lake ,wentworth1 after another governor2 but both have fallen into disuse1 and the original names have reverted4 ,the great defect in ,american ,lakes1 generally1 is the vast1 unrelieved expanse of water1 without islands and promontories1 producing a fatigue on the eye similar to that of the sea4 ,squawm and ,winipiseogee ,lakes are exceptions to this observation4 ,they are connected by so narrow an isthmus that five hundred dollars1 it is said1 would pay the expense of uniting them3 and their islands together amount1 it is said also1 to exactly three hundred and sixty-five4 ,as this singular coincidence has been remarked of several other lakes1 however1 the assertion seems rather apocryphal4 ,some of the very loveliest scenery in the world lies about these two lakes1 yet they are seldom visited4 ,the country around is fertile1 and sufficiently cultivated to soften the appearance of wilderness1 which it might receive from the prevalency of forest1 and the luxuriance of vegetation2 but the mountains1 which form its back-ground from every point1 shutting it in like an amphitheatre1 seem to seclude it from the flow of population4 ,nature is a capricious beauty1 and1 like most other beauties1 has her best looks1 and her favourable times1 to be seen to advantage4 ,beautiful as she is at ,squawm ,lake in the first plenitude of spring1 she is more beautiful in the first flush over her face of the bright colours of autumn4 ,the autumnal tints of our forests are peculiar to ,america1 but there are some parts of the country where1 for various reasons1 this phenomenon is much more beautiful than at others4 ,the moisture of the land about these lakes1 the extreme luxuriance of the sap in consequence1 and the liability of the whole of this region to sudden changes of temperature1 contribute to its brilliancy4 ,the sharp frost of a single night effects a change very often that seems almost miraculous1 and the multiplication of these gawdy colours in the mirror of the surrounding waters1 the bright golden1 crimson1 and purple islands1 and the gorgeous hill-sides1 all reflected and redoubled1 make it a scene which the imagination never could pre-conceive4 ,from a late publication we extract a description of this phenomenon1 made from observation1 and finished with some care4 8,the first severe frost had come1 and the miraculous change had passed upon the leaves which is known only in ,america4 ,the blood-red sugar maple1 with a leaf brighter and more delicate than a ,circassian lip1 stood here and there in the forest like the sultan's standard in a host--the solitary and far-seen aristocrat of the wilderness2 the birch1 with its spirit-like and amber leaves1 ghosts of the departed summer1 turned out along the edges of the woods like a lining of the palest gold2 the broad sycamore and the fan-like catalpa flaunted their saffron foliage in the sun1 spotted with gold like the wings of a lady-bird2 the kingly oak1 with its summit shaken bare1 still hid its majestic trunk in a drapery of sumptuous dyes1 like a stricken monarch1 gathering his robes of state about him1 to die royally in his purple2 the tall poplar1 with its minaret of silver leaves1 stood blanched like a coward in the dying forest1 burthening every breeze with its complainings2 the hickory paled through its enduring green2 the bright berries of the mountain-ash1 flushed with a more sanguine glory in the unobstructed sun2 the gaudy tulip-tree1 the sybarite of vegetation1 stripped of its golden cups1 still drank the intoxicating light of noon-day in leaves than which the lip of an ,indian shell was never more delicately tinted2 the still deeper-dyed vines of the lavish wilderness1 perishing with the noble things whose summer they had shared1 outshone them in their decline1 as woman in her death is heavenlier than the being on whom in life she leaned2 and alone and unsympathizing in this universal decay1 outlaws from nature1 stood the fir and the hemlock2 their frowning and sombre heads darker and less lovely than ever1 in contrast with the death-struck glory of their companions4 8,the dull colours of ,english autumnal foliage give you no conception of this marvellous phenomenon4 ,the change here is gradual2 in ,america it is the work of a night--of a single frost6 8,oh1 to have seen the sun set on hills bright in the still green and lingering summer1 and to awake in the morning to a spectacle like this6 8,it is as if a myriad of rainbows were laced through the tree-tops--as if the sunsets of a summer--gold1 purple1 and crimson--had been fused in the alembic of the west1 and poured back in a new deluge of light and colour over the wilderness4 ,it is as if every leaf in these countless trees had been painted to outflush the tulip--as if1 by some electric miracle1 the dyes of the earth's heart had struck upward1 and her crystals and ores1 her sapphires1 hyacinths1 and rubies1 had let forth their imprisoned colours to mount through the roots of the forests1 and1 like the angels that in olden time entered the bodies of the dying1 re-animate the perishing leaves1 and revel an hour in their bravery40 ,illustration ,,sabbath-,,day ,,point1 ,,lake ,,george4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the lovely waters of ,lake ,george are known to the ,catholics by the prettier and more appropriate name of ,lake ,sacrament4 ,its singular transparency1 surpassing that of all other lakes in the world1 probably suggested some tradition of its sacredness2 and its water was carried to great distances to supply the consecrated fonts4 ,the singular seclusion of its position1 far aside from the general current of population1 has assisted to preserve its character4 ,loch ,katrine1 at the ,trosachs1 is a miniature-likeness of ,lake ,george4 ,it is the only lake in ,europe that has at all the same style or degree of beauty4 ,the small green islands1 with their abrupt shores1--the emerald depths of the water1 overshadowed and tinted by the tenderest moss and foliage1--the lofty mountains in the back-ground1--and the tranquil character of the lake1 over which the wind is arrested and rendered powerless by the peaks of the hills and the lofty island-summits1--are all points of singular resemblance4 ,loch ,katrine can scarce be called picturesque1 except at the ,trosachs1 however2 while ,lake ,george1 throughout all the mazes of its three hundred and sixty-five islands 7there are said to be just this number71 preserves the same wild and racy character of beauty4 ,varying in size1 from a mile in length to the circumference of a tea-table1 these little islets present the most multiplied changes of surface and aspect--upon some only moss and flowers1 upon others a miniature forest1 with its outer trees leaning over to the pellucid bosom of the lake1 as if drawn downwards by the reflection of their own luxuriant beauty4 ,the forests on the shores of ,lake ,george were formerly stocked plentifully with deer1 who were hunted in rather a peculiar manner4 ,the huntsmen were divided into two parties1 one of which started them from their thickets on the edge of the lake4 ,upon hearing the approach of the dogs1 they invariably took to the water and crossed to the opposite shore1 from which a boat1 directed by a boy stationed in a high tree1 put out to meet them4 ,a few blows with an oar conquered them easily1 and they were towed ashore1 or taken alive into the boat4 ,bears are hunted in the same manner1 except that1 being more inconvenient to close with1 they are usually shot from the boat without ceremony4 ,the race of settlers who were to be found in these neighbourhoods not many years ago--half hunters1 half farmers--has disappeared1 or gone westward with the game4 ,the celebrated theologian1 ,dr4 ,dwight1 gives a graphic account of one of this class1 whom he met in a first visit to ,lake ,george1 somewhere about the year #ahjj4 ,landing on a point to dine1 in his passage up the lake1 he found a huntsman1 with a buck lying beside him4 8,before our departure10 he says1 8we heard the hounds advancing near to us4 ,our new companion instantly took fire at the sound4 ,his eye kindled2 his voice assumed a loftier tone2 his stride became haughty2 his style swelled into pomp1 and his sentiments were changed rapidly from mildness to ardour1 to vehemence1 and to rage4 ,i was forcibly struck with the sameness of the emotions produced by hunting and by war4 ,the ardour of battle1 the glitter of arms1 and the shock of conflict1 could scarcely have produced in a single moment more violent or fierce agitations than were roused in this man by the approach of the hounds1 the confident expectation of a victim1 and the brilliant prospect of a venatory triumph4 ,to him who has been a witness of both objects1 it will cease to be a wonder that the savage should make the chase a substitute for war1 and a source of glory second only to that acquired in battle4 ,our hunter was not exempted1 however1 from the common lot of man4 ,his partner came up with the hounds1 but without a deer6 ,the magnificence of our companion dwindled in a moment4 ,the fire vanished from his eye2 his voice fell to its natural key2 and the hero shrank into a plain farmer40 ,no one1 it has been well said1 understands the character of the aboriginal tenants of ,america1 who has seen them only as vitiated by contact with the settlers4 ,i say vitiated2 for1 if they are not made better by proper protection and cultivation1 they become much worse2 as human nature1 left to itself1 is more susceptible of the contagion of vice1 than of improvement in virtue4 ,the ,indian1 thrown into temptation1 easily takes the vices of the white man2 and1 in such exposure1 his race melts away like the snow before a summer's sun4 ,the wild ,indian1 however1 whose contact with the ,european race has not been enough to vitiate his habits1 or subdue his self-importance--who still prowls the forest in the pride of his independence--who looks upon all nations and tribes1 but his own1 as unworthy of the contemptuous glance of his eye--whose dreams of importance become to him a constant reality1 and actually have the same influence in the formation of his character as if they were all they seem to him--he regards himself as the centre of a world made purposely for him4 ,such a being 7and the wild ,indian is much more than this7 who is not a creature of the imagination1 but a living actor in the scenes of the earth1 becomes at least an interesting object1 if not1 also1 a problem yet to be solved in both moral philosophy and politics1 and in the nature and character of man as a social being4 ,his bearing may be imagined from the following description of the war-dance3-- 8,a hundred warriors now advance1 ,all dressed and painted for the dance2 ,and sounding club and hollow skin1 ,a slow and measured time begin4 ,with rigid limb and sliding foot1 ,and murmurs low the time to suit1 ,for ever varying with the sound1 ,the circling band moves round and round4 ,now slowly rise the swelling notes1 ,and every crest more lively floats4 ,now tossed on high with gesture proud ,then lowly 'mid the circle bowed2 ,while clanging arms grow louder still1 ,and every voice becomes more shrill1 ,till fierce and strong the clamour grows1 ,and the wild war-whoop bids it close1 ,then starts ,,skuntonga forth1 whose band ,came far from ,huron's storm-beat strand1 ,and loud recounts his hunting feats1 ,whilst his dark club the measure beats40--,,ontwa4 ,sabbath-day ,point presents one of the most beautiful of the many views upon the lake4 ,it received its name from ,lord ,amherst1 who landed there with his suite to breakfast on a ,sunday morning4 ,it is about twenty-five miles from the head of the lake4 ,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,printed ,,by ,r4 ,,clay1 ,,bread-,,street-,,hill4 ,,transcriber ,,notes ,misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected4 ,where multiple spellings of names occur1 the majority spelling was used4 ,changes include3 - ,indian ,fall to ,indian ,falls2 - ,bull-,hill to ,bull ,hill2 - ,horseshoe ,fall to ,horseshoe ,falls2 - and ,susquehannah to ,susquehanna4 ,inconsistencies in punctuation have been maintained4 ,some illustrations have been moved to facilitate page layout4 ,a cover was created for this e,book4 ,the end of ,american ,scenery2 ,volume ,i1 by ,n4 ,p4 7,nathaniel ,parker7 ,willis4