Part 26 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXIII

_Cincinnati, interior of the State of Ohio-- Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania_

On the 30th of April I was very agreeably surprised by a visit fro from an inspection on the Red river, the Arkansas, and New Orleans: he had ascended the streaht at shi+ppingport Being on his return to Washi+ngton, he took his passage on board the steah As this boat stopped at Cincinnati, whither it wasas possible the society of so estimable a friend We went on board between ten and eleven The Atlanta was croith passengers, but ere fixed very coers were fro the su the with his family to New York, whence he intended to embark for France; and Abbe Martial, a French time, and was at that time employed by the Bishop of Kentucky in Bairdstown, on whose account he was to travel in France and Italy

Our trip up the river was very pleasant The weather was fine; the shores of the Ohio becaher we ascended the streaht shore the little town of Madison, situated on an e condition, and contained many brick houses; aon the shore Towards evening we passed the mouth of the Kentucky river on the left shore The Kentucky river, according to the Western Navigator, is a beautiful river in Kentucky It originates in the cuth, one hundred and fifty of which are navigable Its mouth is one hundred and sixty yards broad, and proves to be an excellent harbour for boats The town occupies a very pretty situation; above itstown of Frankfort, the seat of government, is situated about sixty miles from the mouth of the river The former is five hundred and twenty-four and a half h, fifty-seven and a half from Cincinnati, and fifty-five and a half fro Louisville, ere followed by another stea it reached, and wanted to pass us; a race took place, which discoree The boilers, being soon over-heated,this ti, as well as the roofs of the wheels knocked against each other The danger increased as night drew on, and particularly so as there were a great nu in a most piteous manner One of them conducted herself most distractedly; she fell into hysteric fits, wanted to throw herself in the water on the opposite side of the boat, and could scarcely be prevented by three strongof the boilers of the General Marion had been so violent, that they ran short of wood, and to their great confusion, and our extreme satisfaction, they were not only left behind, but were overtaken by the slow steam-boat Ohio: thus the Atlanta obtained a brilliant victory Ten ht shore, is the little town of Vevay, built and inhabited by Switzers They planted vineyards, which it is said give theretted very ht, and thus were deprived of the view of Vevay On the left shore is a se called Ghent, in honour of the treaty concluded in that city, in Flanders I regretted not to have been able to visit that place, if only on account of the naht, and nextfound ourselves opposite to the ht shore

This stream forms the boundary between the states of Indiana and Ohio, and the Western Navigatorit

”The Great Miami is a considerable river, which takes its sources in Allen, Logan, Shelby, Merion, and Drake counties It runs southerly through Miaomery counties, and receives in the last two considerable rivers, on the left the Mad river, and on the right the south-west fork On entering Butler county the Miami takes a south-westerly direction, and flows into the Ohio at the south-west corner of this state, and the north-east one of Indiana Its course is one hundred and twenty miles Its sources situated between 40 and 41 lat are in the vicinity of the Massassinaway, a branch of the Wabash, the Auglaize and St Mary's, which are branches of the Maueneral rapid, but without any considerable falls, and runs through a large and fertile valley which is partly subh water Near Dayton, about seventy-five miles from its mouth, the Miami receives on the east side the Mad river; fro three and four thousand barrels, h water The trial of ascending Mad river is seldoreat many sand-banks and dams The Mia forty miles”

We found the shores of the Ohio well cultivated, with orchards and Indian corn: we observed several very pretty country-seats These shores are mostly elevated, and at the distance of about a mile we could perceive a chain of hills covered oods, whichwe reached Cincinnati, four hundred and forty-nine h, one hundred and thirty-one frohty froht shore of the Ohio, and built at the foot of a hill, which is surrounded by a half circle of higher hills covered with forests This city presents a very fine aspect The hills on the opposite side likewise form a half circle, and in this manner the hill on which Cincinnati is built, lies as it were in a basin On the left shore, the Licking river flows into the Ohio This, says the Western Navigator, is a considerable river in Kentucky, which, originating not far fro about two hundred miles in a north-westerly direction, flows into the Ohio opposite Cincinnati The towns of Newport and Covington, the former i river, are beautifully situated in Campbell county, Kentucky: Newport contains a military depot of the United States The shores near Cincinnati are rather steep, and to render the loading and unloading of boats s and chains of iron

Before we could land, the health officers ca the health of the passengers, as great fears were entertained in Cincinnati of the ss at Mack's, a good hotel, near the shore

Shortly after our arrival, I took a walk in toith Colonel Wool and Major Foster, of the sixth regiment, who came here to recruit We visited some bookstores The town contains about fifteen thousand inhabitants, and consists mostly of brick houses Some of the streets run parallel with the Ohio, and others forular; they are wide, well-paved, and have side-walks Those streets which cross in the direction of the river, ascend and lead to the top of the hill, fro a panorae Catholic cathedral, which was co the last year, and would probably be finished the next: it will be an orna for some years past in the Catholic countries of Europe, and had collected considerable contributions for the construction of this cathedral The old cathedral, a , stands yet in the rear of the new one; it is to be demolished when the former is finished Cincinnati was settled in the year 1788, round an old fort, called Washi+ngton The first settlers caland The settlement did not succeed until 1794, when General Wayne subdued the Indians In 1815, it contained six thousand five hundred, in 1818, about nine thousand, and in 1826, about fifteen thousand

Cincinnati is the most important city of the western states There are two Presbyterian, two Methodist, one Episcopal, one Baptist, one Swedenborg, and one Quaker church, and the Catholic cathedral There are three markets, and several museums We visited the principal one, called the Western Museu new: several Indian dresses, weapons, pipes, a human scalp, a dried huyptian us of theold coins, and some objects of natural history; a handsome collection of birds, many of them European, several quadrupeds, some minerals, as well as an indifferent collection of butterflies We also saw so, and finally some show-boxes

[Footnote II-23: These had been presented to Bishop Fenwick by Cardinal Fesch, for his cathedral, and were only here, until they could find their place in the Teret, Colonel Wool left us this day, to continue his journey up the river, on board the Atlanta Having seen on the map of the city of Cincinnati, the indication of some Indian mounds, I went in search of theood reason that the hills had been demolished and in their place houses built After this I called on Bishop Fenwick, but he was not at hoyman as a native of Hildesheianda in Rome This man showed me the old and new cathedral The fore church; in its interior the splendid episcopal seat is particularly distinguished The altar had but few ornaments with the exception of four silver chandeliers which the Queen of Etruria gave to Bishop Fenwick for his church, and a gilded tabernacle a gift from Pope Pius VII In the sacristy there were no ornailded frames with relics The new cathedral is a spacious and lofty building: they were building the choir, in which an organ e vault under the altar, destined for the sepulture of the bishops and clergymen The church had not as yet any bells, with respect to these, the clergy expected soeneral of the bishop was Abbe Hill,[II-24] he had for become a Catholic while in Italy, entered the Doood orator

[Footnote II-24: [Brother of Lord Hill]--TRANS]

Deer creek runs into the Ohio above the toooden bridges lead over it This brook was very inconsiderable, and could be leaped over, but it was evident froreat height On the other side of this creek is the highest hill in the vicinity Frohtful prospect over the city and valley, the centre of which it occupies This view, _even_ in Europe, would be considered as very handsoreat quantity of reddish limestone with shells, an evident proof that this part of the country was forentlemen who favoured me with their visits, I reh, whose father had been adjutant to General La Fayette during the revolutionary war Mr Symmes,[II-25] brother of Captain Symmes, author of the theory that our planet is hollow and inhabited, drew very well, and had collected the likenesses of all the persons visiting Cincinnati who had interested him: he had the kindness to include entlemen conducted me to see the re, but which could scarcely be recognized We ascended an Indian arden One part of it had been cut off, but nothing being found in it, they began to plant it with trees I had resolved on travelling in the interior of the state of Ohio, in order to convince myself of the condition of this country, which has been inhabited but thirty years by a white population

I therefore renounced the coe by land To be enabled to travel at e with four horses, at six dollars per day, and left Cincinnati on the 3rd of May, at eleven o'clock, A M We rode that day twenty-one overnor, Mr Morrow, to whom I had letters froh a hilly and well-cultivated country The fields separated by wor-houses and barns Their extensive orchards mostly contain apple and peach trees I had not seen before any place in the United States in so high a state of cultivation

But alas! the rain had made the roads so muddy, that it ith difficulty we proceeded Fourteen oood appearance, surrounded with handso but woods here, as the roots which still exist bear testimony They cultivate Indian corn and wheat, which is said to succeed better here than in the state of Indiana The dwelling of the governor consists of a plain frame house, situated on a little elevation not far from the shore of the little Miami, and is entirely surrounded by fields The business of the state calls hiovernment, and the remainder of his ti, a faithful copy of an ancient Cincinnatus; he was engaged at our arrival in cutting a wagon pole, but he iive us a hearty welcoe; is not tall, but thin and strong, and has an expressive physiognomy, with dark and animated eyes He is a native of Pennsylvania, and was one of the first settlers in the state of Ohio He offered us a night's lodging at his house, which invitation we accepted very thankfully When seated round the chireat ers and difficulties the first settlers had to contend with They sufferedthere They had to place their houses in a state of defence There are at present scarcely any Indians in the state of Ohio, and it is not now necessary for the inhabitants to guard their crops and cattle, or to treovernor told us that the increase of population in the state of Ohio was almost incredible In the year 1800, it amounted to two hundred thousand inhabitants, in 1810, between four and five hundred thousand, in 1820, about eight hundred thousand, and it is to be expected that at the next census of 1830, it will pass onewith the by their industry and exertion The state had not yet been able to undertake any public works, roads, &c The two canals which were constructing, were the first great hich they had atteovernor and his lady Their children are settled, and they have with therandchildren When we took our seats at supper, the governor ious books lying on the table After breakfasting with our hospitable host, we took our leave at nine o'clock, and rode fifteen e, a settleain hilly, and the country as well cultivated as thatyesterday; we passed through a country town of good appearance, Lebanon, which lies only four e

[Footnote II-25: [Peyton Symmes, Esq receiver of the land office]--TRANS]

Towards three o'clock, P M we reached Union Village, and as the Shakers do not allow any taverns nor public houses, ere received with great hospitality into one of their private dwellings; we had a clean and very nice apartreat nu reat many questions The inquisitiveness of these people rese rese them two old persons named M'Naman and Houston, on account of their sensible conversation; they had foryation This sect consists of six hundred in than the one in the state of New York, containing mostly people of lireat difficulties, and was not in so flourishi+ng a condition as the one in New Lebanon The produce of their labours is scarcely sufficient for their wants, they have therefore not been able as yet to establish stores, which are so productive to their fellow believers in New Lebanon Their houses are good and clean, they are almost all of brick, and distant fro to two doors, separated only by aThe right one is for the ht side of the house is destined for the brothers and the left for the sisters In the rear of the dwelling-houses, some of which contain sixtyfor the kitchen and dining-room, and for the workshops The houses are surrounded with sods, over these boards are laid leading to the pu the side-walk and the road through the village, there are also boards for the pedestrian At six o'clock in the evening, the members take supper in the adjacent refectories; I was per tables were covered on each side of the room, behind the tables were benches, in the iven with a horn, the brothers entered the door to the right, and the sisters the one to the left,two and two to the table

The sisters in waiting, to the nued themselves in one file opposite the table of the sisters After which they all fell on their kneesa silent prayer, then arose, took hold of the benches behind thereatest silence I was told this manner was observed at all their daily meals They eat bread, butter and cakes, and drank tea Eachsisters filling the at the cupboard to pour out the tea--the meal was very short, the whole society rose at once, the benches were put back, they fell again on their knees, rose again, and wheeling to the right, left the roo the females some very pretty faces, but they were all without exception of a pale and sickly hue They were disfigured by their ugly costume, which consists of a white starched bonnet TheI was visited by the brothers, by who them were two Frenchmen of the name of Conchon, father and son, who told me they were very well satisfied The son had perfectly adopted the humblethe principles of their sect according to the bible, he maintained that they were the only Christian sect who followed the true spirit of the gospel

Respecting their political regulations, they are entirely founded on perfect cooods, and renunciation of all private property; they live in a perfect equality It will be found that Mr Owen has borrowed the greater part of the laws of his new social system from the Shakers, with this difference, that the Shakers are united by the tie of religion, and the hope of a better life, which is entirely disbelieved by Owen

It is known that a part of the worshi+p of the believers in mother Ann Lee, as the Shakers call theives us several exa David danced before the ark Mother Ann Lee, founder of this sect, taught that God should not only be worshi+pped with the tongue but with the whole body, and in consequence she introduced ju in her divine service This is practised publicly in church, acco of hyers are admitted as spectators Their church consists of a plain and spacious rooe as the church at New Lebanon On thethe week, there are private dancing prayers in the dwelling houses The walls of the roo doors, which, when opened, fore roo the, which was a great disappoint after the dance At nine o'clock in the evening every one retired I was shown to a very good and clean roo day, 5th May, several brothers called uponto this sect His name was Christian Bockholder, a native of Neuwied on the Rhine He is a small, weakly o, and who seeood order, tranquillity, and peace, which reigns a every one, it was necessary to try it carefully before beco received

Finally he re every one was free to leave the society when he thought proper, it would be very wrong to do so, as when once accustomed to it he would be utterly unfit for the world At nine o'clock, e left Union Village, they, to our surprise, refused to receive either pay or presents, and nothing now remained but to return verbal thanks for their hospitality, after which we parted We rode twenty-six miles to Xenia, a small country tohere we arrived after five o'clock, P M

We rode through a very fine and cultivated country, which originally consisted of woods We saw at least every five hundred paces with an habitation or some fields Those forests which still rear-wood trees; the latter bears handsoetation so much advanced as in the states of Indiana and Kentucky We suffered verycauseways

I walked a great part of the way We forded several little rivulets and creeks, a them the Little Miami; we found a tree laid across without a rail, intended as a bridge At several of thesesome flour and saw-mills, and passed several se barns The handsoood tavern, is situated very agreeably The streets are large, and cross each other at right angles: most of the houses are of brick, and are situated at a certain distance froht hundred, who farm and carry on different trades This little place has two printing-offices, a Latin school, and several stores In the centre of the town is the court-house, built of brick Xenia is the chief town of Green county Next to it is aday, May 6th, I reht a copyright at the patent-office in Washi+ngton It orked by a single horse, and did the work of fiveAfter nine o'clock we departed, and rode eighteen e, Yellow Springs, to see the spring froe occupies a woody elevation on the shore of the Little Miah a deep rocky valley The place is sentlemen, under the direction of Mr Lowndes, a friend of Mr M'Clure These gentlemen intended to found a sect upon Owen's system; there had been one established here previously, but dissolved on account of the ht neither capital, nor inclination to work Mr Lowndes, whose acquaintance I made, said that he expected new and better members

The locality is healthy and favourable for such an establishinates in a limestone rock, the water has a little taste of iron, and deposits a great quantity of ochre, froive one hundred and ten gallons of water per minute, which is received in a basin, surrounded with cedar trees

The yellow stream which comes from the basin, runs a short distance over a bed of limestone and is afterwards precipitated into the valley These lie of this valley; the detached pieces resemble the Devil's Wall of the Hartz

They had no baths fitted up, as yet there is only a shower-bath The former will most probably be established, when it becomes a place of public resort Mr Lowndes told me that it was their intention to take more water in, and to have so country is very favourable Following Mr Lowndes'

advice, we took a roundabout way of one mile and rode to a saw-mill called Patterson's mill, to see the lesser falls of the Little Miami

I had no reason to repent it, as I was richly rewarded with one of the finest prospects I ever beheld The Little Miaular windings through a rocky dale at least fifty feet deep, which in hteen feet wide, it forms little cataracts, and suddenly disappears for a short distance