Part 12 (2/2)

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

PHILADELPHIA

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

Away froood, well paved, and laid with fine broad causeways of brick: the handsohts of marble steps to the doors would look still better if well polished; the ood kind, and co the hot season, mineral waters, (chiefly soda,) soreat abundance;--the first thing every American who can afford five cents (about threepence) takes, on rising in the lass of soda water: many houses are open for the sale of it, and so so attached to water potations it is not surprising that these people should stand in -ainst the canine species that carts are sent round the town both here and at New York every two or three days, attended by fellows ar they meet, and receive I a put an {32} end to in this manner, for which fifty dollars had been offered since my arrival; the cold blooded wretches first enticed hi fear, came up to be caressed, they despatched hieons For this I obtained no redress

Accompanied Mrto the handsome public library presented to Philadelphia by Dr Franklin;[10] and of which his ungrateful countrymen make use, while they are as silent as his statue over the entrance if the worthy donor is htly;--the fact is, he was too good and too shrewd for the his philanthropic bequest oftradesh my informer added that several who had been assisted from the fund had not subsequently been fortunate in trade: that is probably according to the old adage ”lightly co to business: the original sum was four thousand dollars, and it has now increased to sixteen thousand[11]

14th Visited the Penitentiary: this institution has been so fully described by others that it is not necessary to give more than an additional testimony to the truth of its admirable {33} plan; unfortunately, the prison is at this time so full, (five hundred are in confineht, those whose crinitude; but a new prison is building which will enable them, when finished, to correct this evil: the utmost cleanliness prevails, with order and industry; indeed, the whole had the appearance of a well-regulated ular debtor and creditor account is kept with each individual, who receives, at the ters, hich he may be enabled to maintain hiulation We afterwards viewed the Hospital for Lunatics, where the sa conducive to the health and recovery of the patients pervade every part; no appearance of gloo, but all calculated to inspire the arden which, besides providing fruits and vegetables to the house, affords a pleasant walk to the convalescent; and in front of the building, encircled by a beautiful collection of trees, leranate, &c, stands the statue of Willia in his hand the Charter of Liberties

[Illustration: Little Brandywine, Pennsylvania]

This is not a cheap country for the _stranger_: {34} either boarding-houses or taverns heunknown;) and in such establishh: but the _inhabitant_ must, it would see prices will shew, and the lowest are not stated:--Meat, good at six cents[12] a lb, excellent Tea for one dollar a lb, Sugar (loaf) for eleven cents a lb, Soap at ten or eleven cents a lb, and other groceries cheap in proportion Of Wines, Port we buy for two dollars the gallon, Claret one and a half the gallon, Sherry two and a half

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

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

21st With a strong but light carriage, called here a Dearborn waggon, for on driven by my servant, I left the City about noon of such a day of heat as we had never until lately experienced: in consequence of which h fever, and I {35} never saw hiain; but he recovered, and came back to the house I had left in search ofbutchers destroyed hiallon De over the pavement, another cross adventure happened, whichsent the baggage waggon forward the first stage, and there happening to be two roads and two inns with the san at about the sa e slept the first night therefore ignorant of what had happened to him; however he crossed over, and to ourthe ostler to call ht ”call s of independence!--But I will say this for the A my stay one other oath was uttered it is the most I heard

24th At Lancaster, Pensilvania[13] We left Philadelphia on the 21st, and have travelled through a country well cultivated and still i as we advanced, until, near this town, it breaks into hill and dale, woodland and pasture, for to the eye but water; actually {36} it is, we are told, exceedingly atered We adood crops of red clover-seed, and the wheat stubbles clearly showing that heavy crops had been carried;--the beautiful Indian corn just shooting into ear, green and luxuriant, greatly relieved the eye; the oats alone (not yet harvested) looked short in the straw and bad, oere told to their quick ripening and want of rain The clu way to strong post and rail, and in a few spots to the live hedge, which looked beautiful

[Illustration: Bridge at Colu the centre of a fine valley of cultivated land, grandly skirted by the pris in general are excellent, bespeaking the inhabitants to be at least rich in comforts; which are after all true riches The horses of Pensilvania have been frequently praised: they are indeed excellent; uniting strength of fralish charger as seen in paintings; they are by no land The roads as yet we do not feel inclined to praise, for they are abo; yet they seem to have been formed at some cost, in some parts, I ae except of the strongest kind (and their construction here is adainst the perpetual concussions they receive It isout the roads of this new country, the space allotted for them had not been thrice their present width, which would have left an ample su it better both for convenience and ornament; but in this and toobetter plans, and i by our errors, have servilely copied those of the old country

To the sa idleness remarked by Mr Birkbeck we too must bear testiwe suppose fro their independence The black population of all shades, from the deepest to nearly white, still appears considerable as we proceed

Lancaster is a very respectable toith a handsome court-house, &c

Slaye manufactory of rifle barrels is carried on here, ood rifle may be had complete for twelve or {38} fourteen dollars, clu exactness It was s put up to auction; the auctioneer, riding or driving up and down the streets, with stentorian lungs proclaie on sale, and receiving the biddings as he went on: a ranting preacher's exertions are nothing compared with this man's

[Illustration: Susquehannah River at Columbia]

[Illustration: Place of Worshi+p and Burial Ground at Ligonier Town, Pennsylvania]

29th At Cha over the beautiful Susquehannah by a close bridge of one , to this town the roads are at present wretched, even dangerous; and the settlers, Ger broke a buckle of one of the traces, we applied to a blacksht with a thunder-stor, we tied up the harness as well as we could, wasting plenty of hearty bad wishes upon the cursed s on the road joined us in, though they could not assist us; and proceeded so, to a tavern kept by one of the above wretches where ere absolutely refused adot to the door of another, when the thunder in tremendeous peals burst over us {39} accompanied with torrents of rain; here we bolted in determined to be received, and found ourselves in thewhiskey and s It was the bar or tap-room, and as no offer was e, and a little disapprobation being consequently shewn by so the storm, told us we had better drive on to the next town, if we disliked his acco to be drenched in rain for his ill huth I got ood supper and beds, though with the usual co, which they positively refused to let us have; observing, wepossessed of thirty-five thousand dollars in property, and said, that land noorth one hundred dollars per acre was bought by his father for four dollars

Tired of such abominable inns and the keepers of them, we have noice boiled the kettle in the woods and breakfasted upon the contents {40} of our canteen, a plan we have much enjoyed, and recommend to all travellers in this country whose convenience it may suit The scenery is beautiful, the land pretty well cultivated and finely interspersed oodland; the harvest, except Indian corn or ot in, and seems to have been abundant Man alone here stands an object of disgust How strangely to our circuh untutored set of naked savages, another race of little less than savages (clothed savages) has succeeded; who, in all probability, will in their turn give place to a third of some intellect and refinement; themselves driven from their paternal hearths by the insolence of an aristocracy, the intolerance of a state religion, or the craving de for the into this fine portion of the earth, the letters and refined manners, which alone it wants to lobe

We are now ascending the first range ofthe eastern frorand and ancient monarchs of the forest have only been ree of the {41} traveller The Oak, the Chestnut, the Locust and various other trees tower aloft in their pri froed roots, ready to follow,--emblems these of the lot of humanity!