Part 16 (1/2)

This was strange, but not so particularly unaccountable as at the tiht it; for, I afterwards learned he had not sown either one or the other, although he ventures to put forth this year in one of the American newspapers, what in charity ill suppose a day-drea mental deception, in the form of a letter in which he expresses hi mislaid the journal,) ”We have now about as many acres {118} of corn sown as there are settlers, that is seven hundred”

Now, from the best inquiries I could make, there was not then two hundred and fifty acres sown in the whole settleround not a rood! Therefore, it may be truly said, that the colony was still for its existence depending for bread upon the exertions of those who, froht corn and flour for the market In corroboration, I will here insert an extract froreat bleacher near Manchester, and a friend of Mr B, who had lately paid him a visit Mr H writes, ”The whole of his operations had been directed hitherto (and wisely in , and other i way but s that he cannot purchase, and purchase too with row them”

This Mr Hulme knew the comforts and cheapness of Philadelphia, and itsat Boulton-house Prairie; besides, he evidently sneers, as much as a friend can, at the choice of situation Mr B has made, because it appears not to possess any {119} of the capabilities for mills, &c: he adds, ”I was rather disappointed, or sorry at any rate, not to find near Mr Birkbeck's any of the means for machinery, such as waterfalls, minerals, and mines; some of those however he may yet find”

Thus has Mr B chosen to build a house, plant a garden, and dwell in a situation where he cannot grow corn so cheap as he can purchase it, and have it conveyed at a considerable expence from the settlement of Harmony,[41] distant above twenty miles; in a situation too, which if it have any recoriculture, for others it has none that are yet discovered This may be to the taste, and it may suit the purse of Mr B, and no one could fairly find fault with hi himself; but, when he steps beyond this line, and publishes plausible representations to induce others to seek fortune and independence in such situations, he is then doing that which he has no right to do, and has much to answer for: he has led people into this wilderness where, for any thing he has done, they may in vain look around for the expected shelter; they will see only Mr B's house and garden, and perhaps {120} two or three log huts which at present constitute the whole of the nen of Wansborough; in short, he seeht of himself and to have falsified his public promises I believe it to be a fact that the colony could not have outlived the winter of 1818, but that the whole must have been dispersed or starved, had it not been for the exertions of Mr Floho perceived in ti want, and at considerable trouble and expence obtained a sufficient and tily against land-jobbing; yet if I areat profits by it,--he has entered as many as thirty thousand acres, which he now disposes of in lots as high, where he can, as four dollars per acre; it seems indeed to be his only business, to carry on which with better success he has given to others, it is said, an interest in the concern to find out and bring in purchasers of ment One of these jackals, reported to be so e said thus much of an individual who has become noted for promissory books, and who therefore deserves to be noted for non-performance, let us turn to the contemplation of that which has been acco, but who have done much Mr Flower, ably assisted by his father and in conjunction with a few others, has formed the settle the miserably unprovided state in which I found it,towards rendering the place habitable Aed resolutions, they had determined, that in future all the houses should be substantially built of bricks, for the ood clay in the neighbourhood

A neat covered market, and place of worshi+p, as before observed, had been finished and opened to the public; to which I have to add that a roo house and tavern were half up; a store (shop) pretty well supplied was opened; a right has been already mentioned: besides this trade many other artisans had come in, and the chief as a sufficiency of the several materials of their business to work upon; but fair expectations may be entertained that, ere this account shall be published, the place will have become well supplied withthe essential of water

It clearly appears, that at present the {122} produce of the earth can be _bought_ cheaper than it can be _grown_ here; but let us look forward to the period when this shall not be the case, and the ti exist:--What then will be the prospect of a market that the settler will have for the produce, which shall be hbourhood? It is this,--at about twelveof a tavern and two or three houses, situated upon a creek co with the Wabash river; to this creek, (theboats to colish settlee, all the corn and other exportable produce must be hauled by land; to be conveyed in boats down to Shawnee town on the Ohio,[42] (sixty miles,) and thence down that river and the Mississippi to New Orleans: there to be shi+pped either for Europe, or for the eastern ports of America It must be obvious then, that the price which can possibly be allowed to the western grower, in order to meet the eastern farmer on equal terms in his own market, must ever make the business of the first a comparatively bad one: and as it is thus in the Aht fro so ation safer;--but against this reater fertility of the western country, and the less price of the land per acre: but it will never do--These advantages, if granted, are her price of all the imported articles of colish settlement must be, that in the common course of events, the time may arrive when the population will be sufficient tothat period, they ned to sink their i the foundation of future fortune for their posterity Meanwhile, it may have attractions for ious or political, froeneral turn of mind, or misfortunes met with elsewhere; to such it et that the comforts of life are more than cent per cent dearer (and many are not to be obtained at all,) than they are in the eastern States; and that for this cause, more than the climate it is, that health is far more likely to be preserved in the old settled country, than here

The strange heterogeneous ic {124} pen of Morris Birkbeck, is truly ludicrous

A many others, a couple now attend to the store at Albion who lately lived in a dashi+ng style in London not far froht over her white satin shoes and gay dresses, rich carpets, and every thing but what in such a place she would require; yet I understand that they have accommodated thear, whiskey, &c, with tolerable grace, and at least ”do not seem to mind it” At Bon Pas we sat down to a wild turkey with a party a as an _exquisite_, so coenies, I should have thought _it_ had been pounced upon while lounging along Rotten-rohirled through the air, and for sport set down in this wilderness to astonish the natives: the whole has truly a ht keep his court at this anoh to his full content

Let us now bid adieu to the English settle which are, frothe road to the German settlement called Harmony, and will only stop the wheels to{125} buildings, which Mr Flower has erected; also of his flock, consisting of upwards of four hundred sheep, which has been collected in a very short space of tiland; these feed during the day upon the prairies, and are brought into the yards at night _for safety from the wolves and bears_[43] A yoke of fine oxen too were daily plowing for hi a considerable breadth of it for cultivation:--But thoughmany of their comforts with them, and attract others, yet after all that can be said of this place it is at present a bad concern; from which it ith no set away; and many,--h with rueful faces, for they were obliged to stay, having spent their all to get there

HARMONY

From Bon Pas (the future Emporium of the commerce of New Albion!) we soon crossed the Wabash at a ferry of difficult approach; for the {126} river banks are steep and high, and the descent is therefore rather dangerous for a carriage; we got over safe however, and then keeping the river close on the right, arrived in the evening at the Gerood tavern, neatness itself, but furnished in the very plainest manner, and beyond a three cornered arm chair, there was not a piece of furniture which could excite the repose of indolence or the indulgence of luxury After a plain repast, accoood beer and a bottle of white wine, both the produce of the colony, (for the last we paid one dollar,) we sallied out to take a view of a place which could afford such good cheer Before we proceed to exareat ceoods_--While the rest of iven up to a selfish principle; while each one is a them truly as if he were never to part with theuidance of their spiritual pastor M Rapp, are shewing to the world the practicability of what they estee in the utmost harmony with a strict communion of property

All the products of the earth, which all contribute their share of labour {127} to produce, are deposited in the common stock, whence each one receives whatever may be required for his comforts Indeed, what my host at the tavern toldwe can want” says he, ”for our co short of a pure religious principle (certainly not worldly interest,) could keep such a co so is at first view highly gratifying; it gives proenerally adopt it

Should it stand the test, itconviction to all, what some think _now_ must be the universal belief; at least _christians_ must be convinced that the institution of property, with all its attendant ”hard words, jealousies and fears” is incoood-will towards men,” and prescribes mutual love and benevolence as essential to happiness here and hereafter

This colony, (though they ad their principles and sub them,) is composed chiefly of poor Gerovernion, and the fruits of their industry:--{128} In their leader they place implicit confidence, and obey him with promptitude; he directs the labours of the day as well as their religious duties; and in neither is there any perceptible distinction made between the members of his own family and his flock The sao to the labours of the field To shew the extent of their reliance on, and obedience to hi fact is sufficient: soon after the co the serious difficulties which would arise from too quick an increase of their numbers, told them it was necessary that for the present they should not have any more children He was obeyed for the necessary period; but the interdiction has been since removed and plenty of children were to be seen in proof of it Mr Birkbeck has misrepresented this temporary order as a fundamental law of the society, and takes occasion to condemn the the distress which would have certainly ensued from the want of sufficient provisions

Let us now take a view of this interesting colony The site is obviously well chosen on a good soil, rather elevated, and at a sufficient distance froe of a healthy air: the streets are of spacious width crossing each other at right angles, and lined with Lombardy poplars: the houses, which at leisure are to be replaced by others of es of a pleasing picturesque plan, and very neatly thatched; to each is attached a garden, a yard, a shed, and out-house for the cow and other purposes, the whole having an air of great comfort Near the inn in a square open space stands the church, which, though for On one side this square is the house of the pastor, the e, and finished in the best style of workmanshi+p Of the same material they have also built a spacious store which contains articles of grocery, hardware, and indeed every thing that the inhabitants of the surrounding country require, and with these it seeuarded with close iron-barred s, and its general appearance corresponding, I inquired what occasion _they_ had for a prison? This caution is no coe stearind corn, card wool, saw boards, &c: they have also thrashi+ng reat power and indeed {130} a vast variety of other s ample for school instruction, and in short, (for, to enu them,) they seem to possess every corapes both black and white; and they were fast covering the hills of sandy soil in the neighbourhood with new vineyards It was the Indian-corn harvest, and the young woe circle, were e the cobs into baskets, which theshoulders We contemplated this scene with much pleasure and then proceeded to take a view of the country around the settlereat extent, and soheat looking luxuriantly and pro abundance

[Illustration: The Church at Harmonie]

The whole here described, and probably ht escape observation, has been effected in the short period of five years and a half!--They may fairly take for their motto _vis unita fortior_, for they have accomplished wonders by it; far more than money could have effected with mercenary workmen, and far better too, for here is no interest to deceive the eh inclined, {131} Iprinciple which seems to strike at the root ofthat its practicabilitycharacter, I shall therefore take leave of the subject with a few more observations, which will end what I have to say respecting this quiet industrious people They keep no accompts of the several branches of their industry;--an annual taking of stock is all they think necessary; which is done in order to know the extent of their resources, and that they may be able to calculate their sufficiency to the wants for the year

There was, Ithe place, which I amatic German character than to their institutions There is too, a depression of spirit which hangs about every ave him birth, from those early scenes of childhood upon which his eye first rested with delight, and froain” Expatriated communities, like plants removed froenial soil they in tiain spread abroad their leaves, and flourish

{132} Music they have, for we heard a grand pianoforte well played; they h I saw none; and their language, which I did not understand, precluded conversation, for no one, except lish or French The women, to use the phrase of a polite man, are the _least handsome_ I ever beheld: the Colony therefore ues, and thus be free froto their own ideas a happy people; and did they possess a little ht have lived a them, which is more than I felt inclined to do in any other society we met with

_October_ 3d We were now considerably above four thousand inal intention that we should winter at Vincennes, on which account various necessaries had been sent froht with us; but I had already nearly _seen enough_, and having been infor from what I had seen,

(Of hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent _river banks_ --------_Morasses_ vast and desarts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven;)

{133} that the roads of Indiana were seldo of the year, and not until the beginning of su passed in the western country, e home or the further delay of another year; which would be too long a detainer froetting back before winter to one of the eastern ports, whence, if necessary, wethe winter, or otherwise to stay till spring Not to lose ti back to Vincennes toColony of Har to drive thirty hout the whole of h not once to lose the way; a circu directions whenever they could be obtained--a plan that cannot be too strongly recoh difficult countries Let them not be content with directions from one individual, but ask every one they maya person, and within half a mile after have foundHarht full directions; but people who know a country are hardly ever sufficiently circuer