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 A VARIETY OF TOPOGRAPHICAL VIEWS 
 
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 IN 
 
 STJROPB AV7D AKSRXCA. 
 
 PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETOR, 
 BY HENRY B. PIERCY & CO. FRINTXURt? 
 
 JVo. 72 Bowery, 
 
 }631 
 
THE 
 
 THE RUINS OF PERSEPOLIS. 
 
 Opposite, the reader ha? h very spirited view of the cele- 
 brated ruins of Persepoh-, the ancient capita! of Persia, 
 which in the days of its prM^pcrity, was one of the wealthi- 
 est, as well a> august cities of the world.*- — The magni- 
 ficent pile of ruins, which re ains after the lapse of so 
 many ages, was the royal palacf of Darius. This grand 
 and stately structure was surrounded with a treble wall. 
 The first was sixteen cubits high, adorned with many splen- 
 did buildings and lofty turrets ; the second was built in the 
 same manner, but was as high again. The third was 
 drawn like a quadrant, four square and sixty cubits high- 
 all of hardest marble and so Cemented, as almost to defy 
 the ravages of time On the four sides were brazen gates 
 with curtains or pallisades of the same metal, one hundred 
 and twenty cubits high, for the double purpose of giving 
 defence to the city, and striking the beholder with terror — 
 these curtains or pallisades were four hundred and ten 
 paces long, and from twenty-one to thirty cubits hjgh. 
 This superb edifice has the walls of three of its sides still 
 standing. The front extends six hundred paces, from 
 Horth to south, while the side reaching from east to west, 
 extends 396 paces — The numerous columns, porticos, 
 stair-cases, images and relievos are exceedingly magni- 
 ficent even in their ruined state, and induce the belief that 
 the Persian empire in all its grandeur, could boast of 
 nothing more glorious, nor have left any thing to posteri- 
 ty, more ast©nishing, than the report and ruins of this once 
 splendid city. 
 
 * It is supposed that Alexander took one hundred and twenty 
 thousand talents of pure gold from the city. The covetous Mace- 
 donian not content with this, robbed the inhabitants of the city and 
 plain of all their valuable goods, and the spoil was so great that it 
 required nearly six thousand camels and mutes to carry it off 
 
 1 
 
The city stood in one of the finest plains of the east ; 
 twenty leagues long by six leagues broad, and within the 
 compass of this plain were more than one thousand vil- 
 lages, adorned with beautiful gardens. Hither the victo- 
 rious Alexander repaired after the sanguinary battle of 
 Abella, in which the Persian sustained so signal a defeat, 
 and taking Persepolis by storm, put its unoffending in- 
 habitants to the sword, or sold them as slaves. Alexan- 
 der durmg his conquest gave himself up to feasting and 
 drinking.; during one of his entertainments one of his 
 mistresses assured him that it would be matter of inex- 
 pressible joy to her were she permitted to burn the stately 
 palace ; in this request she was sustained by the courtiers 
 and courtezans, and the drunken king cried out, let us 
 revenge Greece — and fire the palace. He arose, threw 
 the first brand in\;o the palace, and the harlot who had 
 urged him to the deed applied the second match. The 
 palace was soon wrapped in flames — but the sequel proved 
 that it was not the only building devoted to the destroying 
 element. The flames rolled onward like an overwhelming 
 and resistless deluge ; and in a little while this dwelling 
 place of thousands, presented nothing but aheap of smok- 
 ing ruins— one vast picture of desolation. 
 
NAPOLEON'S TOMB AT ST. HELENA. 
 
 Few individuals of any age or country ever occupied 
 so large a portion of public attention, or so excited the 
 astonishment of the world, as Napoleon Bonaparte, whose 
 unassuming tomb on the barren rock of St. Helena, forms 
 the .subject of the annexed engraving. Thus he who but 
 yesterday might 
 
 * Have stood against the world, now lies he there, 
 And none so poor as to do bim reverence.' 
 
 Napoleon Bonaparte, ' a name at which the world grew 
 pale,' who from an humble situation in life, created a 
 mighty empire, and placed himself at its hi ad, was born 
 at Ajaccio, in the island of Corsica, on the 15th of August, 
 1769. Napoleon was educated at the military school of 
 Brienne, in France. At an early age he eiitered mto the 
 Republican service, and greatly distinguished himself at 
 the siege of Toulon, at the time it was in possession of 
 the English. Though at this time very young, he felt 
 that, 
 
 ' Energy divine of great ambition, 
 
 That can inform the souls of beardless boys, 
 And ripen 'em to men, in spite of Nature.' 
 
 A few years sufficed to place hirn at the head of the 
 French armies and the French republic. In 1804, he 
 was raised to the throne under the title of the Emperor 
 of the French, and crowned by the Pope. — The whole 
 continent of Europe soon owned his power; three of his 
 brothers and a brother-in-law, with one of his Generals, 
 were placed on the thrones of Spain, Holland, Naples, 
 Sweden, and WestphaUa, which was raised mto a king- 
 dom : the Electors of Bavaria and Wurtemburg were 
 created Kings ; the Emperor of Germany was compelled 
 to relinquish the title, and accept that of Emperor of 
 Austria ; and the King ©f Prussia, whose capital was 
 several times in possession of Napoleon, retained his title 
 but as a feudal tenure. Such was at one time the power 
 of Napoleon, until tempting fortune too far, he suffered 
 reverses, and, after the battle of Waterloo, threw himself 
 on the generosity of the British nation— a generosity which 
 consigned him to the Island of St. Helena. From this 
 cruel captivity the hand of death relieved him on the 
 5th of May, 1821, after an illness of six weeks. He 
 
gave directions about his affairs and papers until five or 
 six hours before he died. One trait of character displayed 
 itself in his last moments, which marks the 
 
 * RuUns: possi: !]. srrong in deaih.' 
 As he found his end approach, he was habited, at his own 
 request, in his uniform of field marshal, with boots and 
 spurs, and placed on a camp-bed, on which he was ac- 
 customed to sleep when in health, and pretef red to every 
 other. In this dress he expired. Though Bonaparte is 
 supposed to have sutfered much, his dit<s<>lution was so 
 calm and serene, that not a sigh escaped him, or any mti- 
 mation to the by-standers that it was so t;ear His at- 
 tendants wished his body to be 'anveyed to Europe ; but 
 on opening the wdl, it wus found nat he had left a request 
 that it should be interred in the Island, and pointed out 
 the spot where he wished his remains to rest, in a beau- 
 tiful valley, under the pendant branches of the combined 
 shade of several flourishing weeping willows, near his 
 favorite spring, and not far distant from the place of his 
 residence. The grave was ten feet long, ten deep, and 
 five wide ; the sides and ends are u ailed in with Portland 
 stone ; the top of the grave is elevated about eight inches 
 above the surface of the ground, and covered over with 
 three rough slate stones which had been taken from the 
 kitchen floor of the new house, that had been constructed 
 ibr his residence. The tomb was railed round with green 
 railing, and a sentinel walked round it night and 'iay, to 
 prevent the approach within the railing. There was no 
 inscription upon the tomb. The ground surrounding it, 
 it was understood, was to be laid out as gardens, for the 
 accommodation of those who came to visit the grave of 
 the departed Emperor. 
 
 The cemetery of Napoleon is a singular instance of 
 adaptation to the character of the individual buried — a 
 vast rock rising out of the ocea';, alone, towering, un- 
 shaken and magnificent ; a perlect emblem of the genius 
 of the man, as it must appear in future history. When 
 the feminine apprehension of the magic of his name, or 
 hatred to his ashes, that consigned them to such a grave, 
 instead of bringing them to Europe, has subsided, and his 
 virtues and vices are duly weighed, unvrarped by modern 
 prejudices, his name, connected with his gigantic exploits. 
 
will still more resemble the rock of St. Helena rising 
 * majestic 'mid the solitude of time.' 
 
 Shortly after the death of Napoleon, Captain Lockerby 
 was at St. Helena, and visited his humble tomb — While 
 he was ruminating on the narrow spot, that contained all 
 that remained of him that awed the world, he observed 
 some ladies, who, on their way from India to England in 
 the Moira, had landed and were urged by similar curiosity, 
 to visit the tomb. 1 hey had brought refreshments with 
 them, and sat on the grass. One of them approached 
 the well (which it was well known was a favorite of Bona- 
 parte) and drew some water, which they drank Whether 
 the water tasted uncommonly sweet after that to which 
 they had been so long accustomed on ship-board, or they 
 conceived the Emperor had, in his rocky prison, relin- 
 quished the garb and * high imaginations' of the monarch, 
 and assumed the manners and frugality of the anchorite, 
 Capt. L., is unable to decide ; but on drinking a draught, 
 one of those ladies seriously observed ' How happy Bona- 
 parte must have been to have such delicious water to 
 drink !' Capt. L., could not help smiling at the philosophy 
 of the female, who could find in a glass of pure water an 
 antidote for the loss of health and liberty, and power, and 
 domestic affection. The ladies filled their empty bottles 
 at the well, observing that they would carry some of the 
 chrystal beverage to England. Capt. L. followed their 
 example, and brought a bottle of it to Liverpool. 
 
 We capnot better conclude our notice of this subject 
 than by the following lines, written by a young poet (Mr. 
 C A. Hulbert,) on 
 
 THE GRAVE OF NAPOLEON. 
 
 The tempest is hush'd, and the Eagle is dead ! 
 
 His thunderbolts fly, and his wings clap no more ! 
 The plumes lo uar and to victory led, 
 
 For ever lie folded on Helena's shore. 
 
 lint where is the tomb that should mark the repose. 
 Of that bright flaming Comet on History 's'pages ? 
 
 Or the shrine which the bay and the laurel crown strews. 
 Where the song echoes loudly — the wonder of ages ! 
 
 Beneath the deep shade of a mute willow only, 
 O'er his still honor*d relics pale History weeps : 
 
 And a letterless stone, midst its mountains so lonely, 
 Alone marks the spot where Napoleon sleeps. 
 1* 
 
8 
 
 A few heartfelt tears at hi* burial fell, 
 
 But no orphan, or parent, or widow, was therCj 
 
 And friendship alone op'd its clear enrystal well, 
 To water the willows which mourn for him here. 
 
 But tears do not speak all the anguish of grief, 
 'Tis deeper, when pain stops the springs of the eye ', 
 
 When the heart is confined and deprived of relief. 
 In the sweet balm of nature, the tear or the sigh. 
 
 And the soldier still heaves in hi» soul that deep sigh. 
 When he thinks on His glory, remembers His wars, 
 
 .\nd with mourning of sorrow which never can die. 
 Still honors His name, and is proud of his scars. 
 
 Immortal with man when mausoleum are rotten, 
 While Genius is honored, and conquests enhance, 
 
 He shall need not the praise of the early forgotten, 
 His fame is impress on the bosom of France ! 
 
 Barren Isle ! thou dost hold in thy sea beaten bosom, 
 His ashes — be proud of the treasure that's there j 
 
 'For pilgrims for ages shall scatter their blossom, 
 'Till thy deserts smile lovely, thy rock become fair. 
 
CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON. 
 
 The Gapitol of the United States is situated on an area 
 enclosed by an iron railing, and including 22 1-2 acres — 
 the building stands on the Western portion of this plat, 
 and commands, by the sudden declivity of the ground, a 
 beautiful and extensive view of the city, of the surround- 
 ing heights of Georgetown, &c., and of the windings of 
 the Potomac as far as Alexandria. The dimensions of 
 the building are as follows 
 
 Length of Front, 352 feet 4 inches. 
 
 Depth of Winus, 121 do. 6. do. 
 
 East projection and steps, 65 do. 
 
 West do do. .83 do. 
 
 Covering- 1 1-2 acre, and . . .1820 do. ' 
 
 Height of Wings to top of Balustrade, 70 do. 
 
 Height to top of Centre Dome, . . 170 do. 
 
 The exterior exhibits a rusticated basement of the height 
 of the first story ; the two other stories are comprised in 
 a Corinthian elevation of pilasters: as-d columns — the co- 
 lumns 30 feet in height, form a noble advar4cing Portico, 
 on the East, 160 feet in extent — the centre of which is 
 crowned with a pediment of 80 feet span : a receding 
 loggia, of 100 feet extent, distinguishes the centre of the 
 West Front. 
 
 The building is surrounded by a balustrade of stone 
 and covered with a lofty Dome in the centre, and a flat 
 Dome on each wing. 
 
 The representatives' room is in the 2d story of the South 
 wing — is semi circular, in the form of the Ancient Grecian 
 theatre — the chord of the longest dimension is 96 feet — 
 the height to the highest poiot of the domical ceiling 
 is 60. This room is surrounded with 24 columns of va- 
 riegated native marble, from the banks of the Potomac, 
 with capitals of white Italian marble, carved after a speci- 
 men of the Coriiithian order, still remaming among the 
 ruins of Athens. 
 
 The Senate Chamber in the North wing is of the same 
 semi-circular form — 76 feet in its gi'eatest length and 46 
 high— a screen of Ionic columns, with capitals, after those 
 of the Temple of Minerva Pohas, support a gallery to the 
 East, and form a loggia below— and a new gallery of iron 
 pDlars and railings ot a hght and elegant structure projects 
 iVora the circular walls—the Dome ceiling is enriched 
 
10 
 
 with square caissons of Stucco. The Rotunda occupies 
 the centre, and is 96 feet in diameter, and 96 high. This 
 is the principal entrance from the East Portico and West 
 stair, and leads to the legislative halls and library. This 
 room is divided in its oircuit into panels, by lofty Grecian 
 pilasters or anice- which support a bold entablature, orna- 
 mented with wieaths of olive — a hemispheiicai dome rises 
 above, filled with large plain caissons, like those of the 
 Pantheon at Rome. The panels of the circular walls are 
 appropriated to paintings and has relievos of historical 
 subjects. Passing from the Rotunda, Westerly, along the 
 gallery of the principal stairs, the Library room door pre- 
 sents itself. This room is 92 feet long, 34 wide, and 36 
 high ; it is formed into recesses or alcoves for books on 
 two sides, by pilasters, copied from the Portico of the 
 Temple ©f the Winds at Athens — a light svair in each 
 corner of the room leads to a, second range of alcoves, 
 and the whole is covered by a rich and beautiful stuccoed 
 ceiling. This room has access to the Western loggia, 
 from which the view of the city and surrounding country 
 appears to great advantage. Besides the principal rooms 
 above mentioned, two others deserve noiice, from the 
 peculiarity of their architecture — the round apartment un- 
 der the Rotuado, enclosing 40 columns supporting ground 
 arches, which form the floor of the Rotundo. This room 
 is similar to the substructions of the European Cathedrals, 
 and may take the name of Crjpt from them ; the other 
 room is used by the Supreme Court of the United States — 
 of the same style of architecture, with a bold and curiously 
 arched ceiling, the columns of these rooms are of a massy 
 Dorick imitated from the Temples of Poestum. Twenty- 
 five other rooms, of various sizes are appropriated to the 
 officers of the two houses of Congress and of the Supreme 
 Court, and 45 to the use of committees ; they are all 
 vaulted and floored with brick and stone. — Three prin- 
 cipal stair cases are spacious and varied in their form : 
 these, with the vestibules and numerous corridors or pas- 
 sages, it would be difficult to describe intelligibly ; we 
 will only say, that they are in conformity to the dignity 
 of the building and style of the parts already named. The 
 building having been situated originally on the declivity 
 of a hill, occasioned the West front to show in its elevation 
 one story of rooms below the general level of the East 
 
11 
 
 front and the ends ; to remedy this defect, and to obtain 
 safe deposits for the large quantities of fuei annually con- 
 sumed, a range of casement arches has been projected 
 in a semi-circular form to the West, and a paved terrace 
 formed over them : this addition is of great utility and 
 beauty, and at a short distance exhibits the building on 
 one uniform level — this terrace is faced with grass bank, 
 or glacis, and at some distance below, another glacis with 
 steps leads to the level of the West entrance to the Por- 
 ter's Lodges — these, together with the piers to the gates 
 at the several entrances of the square, are in the same 
 massy style as the bases nent of the building ; the whole 
 area or square is surrounded with a lofty iron railing, and 
 is in progress of planting and decorating with forest trees, 
 shrubs — gravel walks and turf. 
 
12 
 NAPOLEON'S PILLAR. 
 
 In the centre of the Place VenHome, in the most splen- 
 did quarter of Paris, stands the famous triumphal pillar 
 which Bonaoarte erected to cooimemorate the success of 
 his arms in Germany, in the campaigne of i805. Its 
 total elevation is one hundred and thirty-five feet, and the 
 diameter of the shaft is twelve feet. It is in imitation of 
 the pillar of Trajan at Rome, and is built of stone, covered 
 with bas-reliefs, (representing the various victories of the 
 French army,) composed of twelve hundred pieces of 
 cannon taken from the Russian and Austrian armies. The 
 bronze employed ia this mwnuoient was about three hun- 
 dred and sixty pounds weight. The colurrm is of the 
 Doric order. The bas-reliefs of the pedestal represent the 
 uniforms and weapons of the conquered legions. Above 
 the pedestal are festoons of oak, supported at the four 
 angles by eagles, in bronze, each weighing five hundred 
 pounds. The bas-reliefs of the shaft pursue a spiral 
 directioii from rhe bas to the capital, and display in chro- 
 nological order the principal action?! of the caiDpaign, from 
 the departure of the troops from Boulogne -hj the battle 
 of Austerlitz. The figures are three feet high ; their 
 number is .raid to be two thousand, and the length of the 
 spiral b'^nd eight hundred and forty feet.-— Above the cap- 
 ital is a ffallery, which is approached by a vvindiiig stair- 
 case w:thin, of one hundred and seventy-six steps. 
 
 Upon the capital is the followiiig inscription : 
 
 Monument e'eve a la gloire de ia grande armee. 
 
 JAR NAPOLEON LE GBaKD. 
 
 Commence je XXV Aout 1806, termine 
 
 le XV Aout 1810, sous la direction 
 
 de D. V. Denon, 
 
 M. M. J.-B. Lepere et L. Gondoin, architectes. 
 
 Over the door leading to the staircase is a bas-relief, 
 
 upon which is the following inscription, 
 
 Neapolio. Imt. Aug. 
 
 munumentum belli germanici. 
 
 Anno m. d. cccv. 
 Trimestri. SPaTIA. ductt. suo. 
 
 PROFLIGATI. 
 
 EX. iERE. CAPTO. 
 
 GLORIiE EXEUCITUS. MAXIMI. 
 
 DICAVIT. 
 
NAPOLEON'S PILLAR. 
 
 See Page 1; 
 
13 
 
 The capital of the column is surmounted by an acrote- 
 rium, upon which formerly stood the statue of Napoleon, 
 measuring eleven feet in height, and weighing five thou- 
 sand- one hundred and twelve pounds. The white flag 
 now waves upon its summit, surmounted with an immense 
 fleur-de-lis: The platform upon which it rests is of white 
 marble surrounded with palisades. The total expense of 
 this sumptuous monument was 1,500,000 livres. 
 
 It is not altogether incurious that the above column 
 occupies the area of a fine equestrian statue, in bronze, 
 of Louis XIV. The statue, and horse, were together 22 
 feet in height, and other dimensions in proportion. The 
 entire group was cast at once, and was the largest work 
 of the kind ever attempted in Europe. It weighed 70,0001b. 
 and the total cost was 750,000 livres. On the marble pedes- 
 tal, which supported it were recorded the principal actions 
 in the life of Louis Quatorze, who unfortunately erected it 
 in a time of great scarcity, so as to impoverish his own 
 finances ; and a few days after the ceremony of its dedi- 
 cation, a beggar's wallet was found suspended from the 
 shoulders of the magnificent monarch. Of course, such 
 an item of extravagance did not escape the destroying 
 hand of the revolution, and in August, 1792, it was entire- 
 ly demolished. How the republicans subsequently re- 
 conciled the erection of the present pillar on the precise 
 site of Louis's extravagance, and that too at double the 
 cost, is not for us to determine. 
 
 The Pillar of Place Vendome is justly considered one 
 of the noblest ornaments of the'French metropolis. The 
 form of the Place is octagonal, and the dimensions 550 
 feet by 420, and the style of the surrounding buildings is 
 a basement surmounted by Corinthian pillars. Here re- 
 sides the Chancellor of France. The area is crossed by 
 the Rues de la Paix and Castiglione, two of the most 
 beautiful streets in Paris, and among the public improve- 
 ments of Napoleon's reign. 
 
 When Victory's Gallic column shall but rise, 
 Like Pompey's Pillar in a desert's skies. 
 The rocky isle that holds, or held his dust, 
 Shall crown the Atlantic like the hero's bust, 
 And mighty Nature o'er his obsequies, 
 Do more than niggard envy still denies. 
 
 BiRON. 
 
14 
 WOODLAND HOUSE, KENT, (ENGLAND.) 
 
 This charming little villa, the seat of John Julius 
 Angerstien, Esq. is situated on the north side of Black 
 Heath, within a quarter of a mile of Greenwich Park to- 
 wards the village of Charlton, in Kent. The situation is 
 delightfully picturesque, and commands a pleasing but 
 distant view of the Thames. The gardens which are not 
 very extersive, communicate with a small paddock, and 
 the whole has a very neat and agreeable, if not an elegant 
 appearance. 
 
 The house was erected for the present proprietor, Mr. 
 Angerstien, in the year 1774, by Mr. Gibson, the architect, 
 and really does considerable credit to that gentleman's 
 abilities. The face of the buldingis si beautiful and ap- 
 parently very durable stucco ; and the front which has a 
 handsome portico, is enriched by two niches, one on each 
 side, containing elegant statues representing the young 
 apollo, arxi the Dancing Fawn. Immediately over the 
 niches are two circular bassorelievos, with a semi-circular 
 window in the centre. The apartments are handsomely 
 htted up, and furnished with suitable elegance. 
 
15 
 
 ANCIENT TEMPLE OF SEKKET. 
 
 The town of Sekket, to the north of which the above 
 temple is situated, is an ancient town in Egypt, erected 
 on tlie slope of two opposite mountains. A wide road, 
 which at times becomes the channel to a torrent, separ- 
 ates it in the middle. The ancient ruins cover a space 
 of about a quarter of a league in length ; as to the style 
 of the modern houses they are well built, though of rough 
 stone^ and talc, of the same nature of the mountain. — 
 Very few are found with one story ; the windows and 
 doors are very small, numbers of them stand detached, 
 and are banked or embanked against the, mountain. — 
 There is generally one large room for entrance, and four 
 smaller ones in which stone benches h;ive often been 
 placed ; in the interior is a small cellar cut in the rock, 
 the pavement or flooring is of stone, roughly executed. — 
 The roofs of the building have been destroyed. The 
 town was doubtless designed for the workmen in the 
 Emerald mines, which lie not far from this town, and 
 which the ancient Egyptians used to work. 
 
 A little to the north of this town, are two temples cut 
 out ot the solid rock of the mountain. The rocks which 
 compose the mountain consists principally of talc, which 
 is a kind of a soft rock having a shining appearance. This 
 engraving is a representation of the largest of these tem- 
 ples, which has four exterior columns and two others on 
 the frontispiece that decorates the entrance. To arrive 
 at the interior we first ascend a stair case, and farther on 
 are three steps to penetrate into the sanctuary, at the side 
 are tvv^o little saloons, one of which contains an isolated 
 altar in the middle. In the sanctuary is another larger 
 altar. Outside of the temple to the right and left, are two 
 little sanctuaries in front of the whole building. In the 
 engraving there is only one of them to be seen. At the 
 entrance are two columns, the cornice over it is orna- 
 mented with a globe arfd two serpents. The subject is 
 i^gyptian, but the sepulchre is evidently Grecian. In the 
 temple is seen a Greek inscription traced in red charac- 
 ters on the wall. 
 
 2 
 
16 
 
 SCENE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 
 
 We are indebted to a friend for the interesting scene 
 in the Highlands given above. — ** West Point is deserv- 
 edly considered as the point of strongest attraction on the 
 Hudson. The scenery of the river for some miles above 
 and below is superior to any views on that magnificent 
 stream ; the historical re< ollections associated with the 
 spot and its neighborhood, possesses, also, the deepest 
 interest of the many by which nearly the whole line from 
 New- York to the end of the Highlands is consecrated. 
 From the river, as you pass in the steamboat, no idea can 
 be formed of the extent of the establishments appertaining 
 to the Military School, or of the noble and spacious area 
 in which they are situated. That area must be visited m 
 order to be known and enjoyed. It is bounded on two 
 sides by hills of a most imposing aspect, from one of 
 which frowned, in days of yore, Fort Putnam, now a ruin, 
 resembling, in the distant prospects, the relics of elevated 
 towers, which the traveller in England and Wales has so 
 often occasion to admire. The early morning and the 
 evening atmosphere of West Point, in the sumnfer, is 
 truly delightful. When the sun is above the horizon, it 
 may be thought that the grounds are deficient in shade, 
 even with every allowance for the clear space required 
 by the Cadets. From one side of the area you contem- 
 plate, far below, the river, in some of its most beautiful 
 windings ; from other parts open the finest vistas of the 
 Highlands and the water, which is generally studded 
 with sloops, the white sails of which shining in the sun, 
 add considerably to the picturesque efliects of the whole 
 scene : and the variety is more advantageously increased 
 by the frequent passage of the stupendous steamboats, 
 and the majestic safety barges, their decks crowded 
 with passengers." 
 
Q 
 
17 
 THE BOA CONSTRICTOR. 
 
 The great Boa is the largest of all the serpent tribe ; it 
 is frequently from thirty to forty feet in length, and of a 
 proportionable thickness. The ground color of this snake 
 is t)f a yellowish gray, on which is distributed along the 
 back a chain of large reddish brown, and sometimes red 
 varigations with other smaller and more irregular marks 
 and spots. The number of joints in the back bone are 
 numerous beyond what one would imagine ; amounting to 
 170 from tho head to the tail. They serve to give the 
 back-bone a surprising degree of pliancy, but this is still 
 increased by the manner in which each of these are lock- 
 in each other ; the bones play one within the other like a 
 ball and socket so that they have the full motion upon 
 each other in every direction. The number of ribs are 
 still greater than that of joii ts in the back, bemg 290 m 
 all. These ribs are furni-^hed with muscles four in num- 
 ber, which being mserted into th*- head, run along to the 
 end of the tail, and gives the animal great strength and 
 agility in all its rtiotions. 
 
 The Boa is fouied in South America ; it is also a native 
 of the larger Indian Islands, and of the burning deserts of 
 Africa. In the island of Java, we are assured that one of 
 these monsters has been known to kill and devour a 
 Buffalo. The serpent had for somt^ time been waiting 
 near the brink of a pool in expectation of its prey when a 
 buffalo was th - first animal that appeared. Having dart- 
 ed upon the aifrighted beast, it instantly began to wrap 
 liim round with its voluminous twisting, and at every 
 twist the bones of the buffalo were heard to crack almost 
 as loud as the report of a gun. It was in vain that the 
 animal struggled and bellowed ; its enormous enemy en- 
 twined it so closely that at length all its bones were 
 crushed to pieces, and the whole !)ody was reduced to one 
 uniform mass; the serpent then untwined its folds in 
 order to swallow its prev at leisure. To prepare for this 
 and also to make it slip down the ttiroat the more smooth- 
 ly, it was seen to lick the whole body over and then cover 
 it with a mucilaginous substance. It then began to swal- 
 low it at the end that affc>rded the least resistance, and in 
 the act the throat suffered so great a dilatation, that it 
 took in at once a substance that was thric^ its own thick- 
 ness. 
 
18 
 BROOKLYN, (L. I.) 
 
 This cut presents a .spirited view of the western section 
 of the village of Brooklyn, as se*^n from the iiei^hborhood 
 of Fulton ferry, N. Y. ; and, assuming ihat whatever re- 
 lates to the origin and progress of so flourishing a setile- 
 merit, must necessarily prove intere>ting ; we have 
 ventured lo dilate somewhat upon its hist(^ry. 
 
 Brooklyn is situated in Kings County, Long Island, 
 and is directly opposite New- York, vv<th .vhich it runs 
 nearly parallel, stretching along the East River -rom the 
 bay ff.>ni(ing its western boundary, i< r about a mile and a 
 half, in 9 compact line of store houses, inanufactories and 
 dwelling ; indeed, so rapidly has it mcreased of late, mat 
 it may be regarded as a reflection, if we may use a figure, 
 of the proud city opposite. According to Furman'- Notes, 
 the township, \vas formerly attached to a powerful Sach- 
 emdom, and ore the Indian name of Matowcas. 
 
 in lv467, being in possession of the Dutch, it obtained 
 the name of Breucklen, nor does the orthography appear 
 to have been changed until after the revolution. As an 
 amusing contrast to the present value of the soil, we will 
 here introduce an abridged copy of the Indian bill of sale, 
 or deed of conveyance, the entire of whicti is contained in 
 the notes before alluded to. ' To all people to whom 
 tliis writing shall come, Peter, Elmohar, J<»h, Makaqui- 
 quos, and Shamese send greeting : Whereas, they doe 
 lay claiuie to the land now in the tenure find occupation 
 of some of the inhabitants of Breucklen, as the true Indian 
 owners Ihereof ; Know Yee, that for a certaine sum of 
 wampum and t>ther g )ods,expres'?ed in the annexed Sche- 
 dule, u to p.s the Said Sachems in hand payd by Mon- 
 sieur Machiell Hainelle and others, We doe give grant 
 and sell u'tto the said parties, all that tract of land withm 
 the jurisdiction of Breucklen,' &c. &c. The inventory, 
 or schedule referred to, was as follows. ' The payment 
 asjreed upon iTor the purchase of the lauds within the 
 jurisdrcti/j!' of Breucklen, conveyed this day by the Indian 
 proprietors, is viz : 
 
 100 Guilders Seawant 
 
 12 Tun strong Beer 
 
 2 half Tuns of good Beer 
 
 3 Guns with each a pound of powder and lead propor- 
 tionable — 2 bars to a gun 
 
 4 Match coats.' 
 
19 
 
 FINGAL'S CAVE. 
 
 The following sketch is extracted from a * Journey to 
 the Hebrides ;' the author, speaking of his first view of 
 this stupendous work of nature, observes : ' The gran- 
 deur and majestic simphcity of this vast hall,* the obscu- 
 rity which reigns there, and which increases still more 
 tlie solemnity of the basaltic pillars, the rolling waves 
 striking against the walls, and v^ hich in breaking agamst 
 the bottom of the cavern produced a noise at tames 
 similar to the rolling of distant thunder, the echoes re- 
 sounding from the vault repeating and prol nging all the 
 sounds with a kind of harmony ; all these features united 
 produce in the mind a sensatio^i which invited us to medi- 
 tation and to religious awe. 
 
 Absorbed by the imposing view which we enjoyed, we 
 could hardly cease contemplating the black walls of the 
 cavern, the vast ocean, the mosaic pavement, and the 
 ocean, which is seen prolonging at a distance across the 
 gothic arch which forms the entrance of the vault. 
 
 In addition to the pleasure I experienced from the 
 beauty of the cave, were impressions which added still 
 more to its charms; among these are the sentiments excit- 
 ed by its situation in the midst of a tempestuous sea, and 
 sheltered from the destroying hand of man in a small isle, 
 for a long period^ unknown and continually beaten by 
 floods and tempests : the idea of the possibility that 
 subterraneous fires might formerly have contributed to 
 its formation the distant view of the isle of lona : but 
 above all, the idea recalled to the mind by the name of 
 Fingal ! Fingal, Ossian, and his bards assembled per- 
 haps in former times under these vaults ; the heavenly 
 music of their harps accompanied the sound of their 
 voices, and mixing with the hoarse winds and waves, it 
 has perhaps more than once re-echoed these cavities. 
 Here they sung their wars and their victories ; here they 
 commemorated the deeds of those heroes whose shades 
 their imagination depicted to them by the pale light of the 
 moon at the entrance of this solitary cavern ! 
 
 * Length of the Gave from the rock without . 371 feet. 
 
 Breadth at the mouth ' 53 
 
 Breadth at the farther end .... 20 
 
 Heighth of the arch at the mouth . . . 117 
 
 Heighth at the farther end 70 
 
20 
 BEDFORD MINERAL SPRINGS. 
 
 Since the accidental discovery of the Bedford Minera 
 Springs, in 1804, iheir reputation has bet^i gradually in 
 creasing : every successive year furnit^hes some new fact 
 by which their value, in the treatment of. diseases, is be- 
 coming li ore important, and their usefulness more exten- 
 sive. The active properties of the waters, their moun- 
 taneous situation, the purity of the air, and the healthiness 
 of the region round them, are sure pledges, that their cele- 
 brity will long justify the estimation in which they are 
 held by ihe public. 
 
 The situation of these springs, and the neighboring 
 scenery, have been described in the.Port FoHo, for June, 
 1811. The writer of that article gave a partial analysis 
 of the waters ; and enunserated most of the diseases, in 
 which it has proved useful. 
 
 In that paper it is conjectured, that the two springs^, 
 which rise contiguous are of the same origin. It has been 
 ascertained that those fountains 'differ in temperature and 
 chymical properties. The south spring, or Fletcher's, as 
 it is usualh called, is four degrees colder than the princi- 
 pal spring ; containing less iron, and operating more 
 easily and mildly, as a laxative ; giving less excitement 
 to the vascular system, and therefore, to be preferred, in 
 certain states of the body. 
 
 The Sulphur Spring, which is about fifty perches east 
 from the main fountain, is not yet reclaimed from the 
 creek, in which it rises ; but this labor will soon be ac- 
 complished. 
 
 In addition to these, a very pure, and strong chalybeate 
 spring* has been discovered, and opened for use, two 
 miles distant from those already described, it rises east of 
 Bedford in the same valley, and is connected with the 
 boarding-houses by a pleasant road. 
 
 Hence it appears, that in the neighborhood of Bedford, 
 situate on the great Pennsylvania turnpike-road, now ma- 
 king from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, there are four medi- 
 
 * On opening this fountain, a complete skeleton of the Mam- 
 moth was discovered among the mineral deposits of the spring, 
 about four feet under the surface — one of the jaw bones of whicii 
 remains nearly entire, and is deposited in the academy at Bedford, 
 for the inspection of the curious. The remaining parts of the skel- 
 eton, became immediately decomposed, on being exposed to the air. 
 
21 
 
 cinal springs of very active, but different ingredients ; 
 three of which, "it is ascertained, are of the first import- 
 ance, in the cure of chronic diseases ; and it i^ beheved 
 that the fourth, when reclaimed, will be of equal value 
 and interest These springs are connected with the At- 
 lantic aiid western cities and towns, by the great western 
 road which passes through Bedtbrd, along the southern 
 extremity of Pennsylvania. Over the most rugged parts 
 of this road, a turnpike has been made ; and it is believed, 
 the whole of it will be completely finished in two years. 
 Ten miles of the roughest part of the. road i>bm Cham- 
 bersburgh to Bedford, in which it crosses the JNorth 
 Mountain, has been graduated, paved, and compleced, 
 since the last bath season. 
 
 In the last year the proprietor of these springs, with his 
 usual Uberahty, conveyed them to five managers, in trust, 
 for the pubhc ; empowering them to receive certain fees, 
 for the use of the waters, which are to be expended in 
 rnaking convenient and elegant improvenients for the ac- 
 commodation of visiters. Many valuable improvements 
 have been made. In the early part of last summer, a 
 large and elegant building, containing two ranges of 
 plunging and shower baths for ladies and gentlemen, was 
 erected. The managers are, at this time, erecting a large 
 and commodious house, containing likewise, two ranges 
 of warm baths, with steam machinery, for heating, the 
 water, which will be finished by the 10th of June next. 
 
 The flat grounds contiguous, have been drained, and 
 the inequalities are about to be levelled ; — a considerable 
 portion of these grounds will be enclosed by a fence, and 
 improved by planting of trees and shrubs — by walks, 
 grass-plots, &c. These improvements willl)e finished in 
 Juue. In addition to the former boarding-house, the pro- 
 prietor has erected a very large stone building, which will 
 also be completed in June, — and he has engaged an active 
 and intelHgent gentleman to superintend those houses. 
 
 The number of visiters, who have entered their names 
 in the bath-book, in 1810, amounted to about three hun- 
 dred : since that time they have increased to five hun- 
 dred and upwards, annually ; the names of servants are 
 not entered. The whole number, including servants, and 
 those who escaped the vigilance of the bath-keepers, may 
 be estimated at eight or nine hundred. 
 
 The season begins about the middle of June, and con- 
 
22 
 
 tinues until the middle of September ; during which tinic% 
 the houses at the springs and in the town, are thronged 
 with strangers from all parts of the union. 
 
 Since the dscription of the Bedford Mineral Sprino-s 
 was published in the Port Folio, in 181 1, it has been as- 
 certained that the water of the principal spring contains 
 in each point, fifteen grains of magnitia, five grains of iron 
 and sulphur, and six grains of calcareous earth : the po- 
 portion of the acid have not been discovered ; but it is 
 found that the water contain sulphuric, muriatic and car- 
 bonic acids : — of the latter, a very small portion. 
 
 It was the design of the managers, to have had the 
 waters of the various springs accurately analyzed, before 
 this time ; but all the springs not being in preparation, 
 they have deferred it to a future day, when their analysis 
 shall be given to the public. 
 
23 
 NEW-YORK DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM. 
 
 This elegant building, which has leen constructed for 
 an Asyhnn, i:^ situate d on a piece of rising ground, about 
 three and a half miles from the centre of the thickly set- 
 tled part of tiie city,, and a mile and a half froui the suburbs, 
 aWdUt midway between the East and North Rivers. From 
 the site oftiie buiifhnj/, there is a beautiful and command- 
 ing prospect of the surrounding country. It is sufficiently 
 remote from city to enjoy the benefit of the country, and 
 it is near enough to partake of the conveniences and faci- 
 lities afforded by a dense population, and to avoid some 
 of the inconveniences. 
 
 The Asylum is erected near the centre of a lot of five 
 acres, one oj* w hich was given in fee to the Institution, 
 and the remainder leased at a moderate rent, and for si 
 long term, by the Corporation of the city. This ground, 
 with the adjoining five acres which the Directors proposed 
 to lease, will afford ample means for horticultural employ- 
 ment, and the supply of the Institutioti with vegetables 
 and milk. 
 
 The building itself is a plain structure of brick, covered 
 with a coat of stu«-co resembling marble. Its architec- 
 tural appearance is chaste and elegant,without superfluous 
 ornament, having an elevntion of three stories above the 
 basetnent. The basement story contains a large dining 
 room, two studies for the pupils when out of school, kitch- 
 ens and store rooms, with other conv^'nience^. On the 
 first floor above the basement story is a large central 
 school-rooiii, and on either side, family rooms, another 
 smaller school-rOr.Ai, and an apartment for the Directors, 
 On the next floor is a second and large central school- 
 room, capable of accommodating more than one class by 
 a temporary partition. On either side are family bed- 
 rooms, and two others to be reserved ihr the sick of the 
 different sexes The third story is entirely appropriated 
 for dormitories ; the males in on? end, and the females in 
 the other, separated by two brick partitions and intervening 
 rooms for teachers and others. 
 
 The superficial area of the Asylum is a parallelogram 
 of 110 feet by 6Q. Its front has a southern aspect, with 
 a portico supported by six wooden columns. In the rear 
 of the building are separate yards for the pupds, and a 
 shed the whole length of the Asylum. In the easterly 
 
24 
 
 and^ westerly ends of this shed two rooms have be^n \ 
 finished, which will answer for store rooms >r work shops, i 
 The other out-houses are two separate structures, 30 feet . 
 by 25 each, and tv^o sto« ies high, calculated for a stable | 
 and work shops, under one of which is a vegetable cellar ! 
 for the Institution. 
 
 In planting aud constructing this Asylum and the ne- i 
 cessary out-bui diugs, the Directors have spared no pains 
 nor labour to render every thing convenient and oommo- 
 dious for the ticcommodation and benefit of the Deaf and 
 Dumb. ' 1 
 
25 
 NAVYrYARD, BROOKLYN, (L. I.) 
 
 This engraving is a correct view of the Navy- Yard at 
 Brooklyn as seen from the village ol Williamsburgh. It 
 contanis forty acres of ground, which were ceded to the 
 United States in 1801, in consideration of the sum of 
 §40,000. 
 
 Within the enclosure are two Ship houses. Store house 
 and Chapel, Amoury and Smith's shop, Barracks, Officers' 
 lodge, and the residence of Com. Chauncey. 
 
 The vessels built at this Yard, are 
 
 Oliio, built in 1820. 110 guns. 
 
 C Lexington, 1825, IS guns. 
 
 Sloops of War < Vincennes, 1826. 18 guns. 
 
 ( Fairfield, 1828. 18 guns. 
 
 \ The Sabine and Raritan ; frigates of the first class t© 
 carry sixty-four guns, now on the stocks. 
 
 The number of vessels of war in the United States 
 Navy is 39. Of these 7 are ships of the Ime ; 7 frigates 
 of th^ first class ; 3 frigates of the second class ; 15 
 sloops of war, and 7 schooners. Twenty-two of these 
 are in commission. Five ships of the line and six frigates 
 are building. 
 
 Naval Sketches — Cooper. — Cooper, the American 
 novelist, a man of unquestionable genius, and himself a 
 naval officer, (but whether an officer of high rank, we 
 know not) has given us some spirited, even splendid pic- 
 tures of naval life. His individual characters are all 
 sopiewhat exaggerated, which is a great pity, for they are 
 well conceived and contrasted ; but his descriptions of 
 all sorts of manoeuvres, in all sorts of weather, and at all 
 hours of day and night, are at once truly nautical, and 
 truly poetical. We never were more interested in our 
 lives than in his account of the escape (after a running 
 fight) of the American frigate and sloop from one of his 
 Majesty's squadrons. The bearing down of a ninety- four 
 gun ship, through a stormy and clouded night, is magnifi- 
 ceiit. Cooper exults, as he ought to do, in the glory of 
 the American Stars ; yet he is not unjust to the charac- 
 ter of our navy, and there is nothing about him of the 
 braggadocia. He has doubtless been both in battle and 
 in wreck, aud is a man who would despise a cork-jacket. 
 We hope he has not a wooden ieg — but if he has may he 
 dot and go on for half a century. He seems a man wor- 
 thy of having sailed with Decatur. — Blackwood's Mag\ 
 
26 
 JERSEY CITY, (N. J.) 
 
 The natural advantages and rapid improvements of this 
 place entitle it to a Utile notice. It is an island — the tide 
 waters flow all around it, and is connected vv th the main 
 tend by a causeway. It is very healthy ; contagious or 
 epidemical diseases are very seldom knov»^n there. The 
 streets are wide and run at right angles ; the centre of the 
 city being elevated, gives considejable descent each way 
 to the rivtr. Some handsome rows of brick buildings 
 are already erected, and near fifty-two houses have been 
 built this last year. Several large manufactories are in 
 full operation The water is excellent, scarcely inferior, 
 if any, to the celebrated Knapp'.-, Spring in New- York. 
 Much ambition and entBrpnse has re<'ently shown itself 
 in the inhabitants for regulating the streets and curbing 
 the side walks according to the survey of Mr. Beach, 
 (chief engineer of the Morris canal,) which is adopted by 
 the Corporation as their standard for improving the city. 
 
 There are a iiumber of good hotels and livery stables ; 
 a very convenient, safe, and well conducted ferry ; two 
 commodious steamboats, upon the low pressure principle, 
 with strong copper boilers — cross every fifteen minutes, 
 from break of day until after dark, to the foot of Court- 
 landt-street ; this affords great advantage to those who 
 transact business in the lower part of the city of New- 
 York, over the many thousands who are obliged to live in 
 the distant suburbs of that great metropolis. 
 
 Harsimus, distant half a mile from the ferry, contains 
 an extensive and fertile tract of land, for gardening, a^ 
 offers much inducement to the daily supplies of the New- 
 York markets, from its proximity, and the cheapness with 
 which such establishments could be formed, in comparison 
 with those on York and Long Island, The rich and high- 
 ly cultivated township of Bergen, one mile from Jersey , 
 City, is becoming annually more and more in requisition 
 for the supplying of New-York markets ; its convenient 
 distance and eligible situation will ever render it very 
 valuable. 
 
 Mr. Fulton owned a large part of Jersey City, and took 
 a deep interest in its prosperity ; he had a magnificent 
 plan for a public gartlen, which was intended to surpass 
 every thing of the kind in the United States ; but his ever 
 to be lamented death arrested its execution, and deprived 
 
27 
 
 not only this place, but the whole nation, of a noble bene^ 
 factor. The site at present reserved for the public gar- 
 den, on the south side of the town, embraces several acres, 
 and is the most admirable situation that could have been 
 selected for that purpose. 
 
 The Morris Canal is now rapidly advancing to its com- 
 pletion, and no doubt will be brought down to Jersey City 
 the next season, in time to furnish large quantities of Le- 
 high Coal, and upon such reasonable terms as to make 
 that article of great demand. This place as an indepen- 
 dent port of entry, would possess many advantages ; and 
 relieve New-York from a share of its heavy coUectional 
 burthens. 
 
 Railways for taking up vessels could be constructed on 
 the east side of this place, in the most desirable situation 
 for convenience and despatch of business. The Southern 
 mail leaves Jersey City every day besides a number of 
 ^ther lines to different parts of the United States. 
 
 Americus. 
 
28 
 THE BASIN AND FORT OF CHAMBLY, 
 
 The following account of our correspondent's journey 
 from Q,'i''bec to Boston, will be interesting, we have no 
 doubt, to every rea; er. He says, having cross- 
 ed tae Sorel or Richlieu river, at its mouth, which, 
 on account of the great evaporation and soakage of Lake 
 Champlain, is extremely narrow and flows very slowly, I 
 advanced as usual, along the winding banks of that plea- 
 sant ■ tream. As appears to be the case with most roads 
 near the rivers in Canada, this runs close upon the edge 
 of tt^ie bank, following the various bendings, without any 
 regard to short cuts. Comfortable cottages, briskly alive 
 with their occupants, who are joyfully sporting or busily 
 engaj^ed upon the glassy declivities, stand upon either 
 shore ; and the eye at every short space is saluted by the 
 shining tin-covered roofs of populous villages. Canoes 
 are paddling about the water by Canadians ; and rigged 
 vessels of considerable burthen aie wafted up and down 
 the tide, or lying moored at the wharves. 
 
 Passing in succession a number of small villages, 
 some of the churches of which are the largest in the coun- 
 try, and are commonly built in the Gothic style, with tall 
 and triple spires, I came in the evening to St. Antoine. 
 where the inn might be called remarkably good for a Ca- 
 nadian Auherge. 
 
 From St. Antoine, T passed through small collections 
 of stores and dwellings, to the foot of the high and rug- 
 ged mountains of Boleil, which jut so suddenly above the 
 level plains of those parts, and attract the notice of people 
 at an extreme distance. 
 
 After receding a little from the river, and crossing a 
 rapid creek, I advanced within sight of the beautiful basin 
 of Chambly ; a large circular expansion of the Sorel, 
 about two miles over, and having its borders finely cul- 
 tivated and decked with white farm-houses. Nearly op- 
 posite §tood the antique towers of the fort or castle of 
 Chambly, and adjacent the barracks and the spire of the 
 English church, in the village of Chambly, [of which the 
 annexed is a spirited view.] On the left of the fort, tke 
 waters of Champlain were dashing precipitately down the 
 rocky channel, and furiously foaming where they disem- 
 bogue, of a sudden mingle gently with the deep undis- 
 turbed waters of the basin. The wild outline of the 
 
29 
 
 Scotch Mountain towards St. John's, abruptly rose above 
 the vari^^gated ^odds of the back grounds. 
 
 Chambly is populous aud very agreeaHly situated. The 
 venerable fortress, which the French builr, in 1711, is an 
 object of the highest interest. It is in the form of a square, 
 forty (^eet high, and two hundred on each side, and having 
 projections at the corners like towers, with three tiers of 
 caiinoM. A broad archway and portcuihs on one side, 
 waa guarded by sentinels, who permitted me to Ijnter and 
 survey the interior. In the middle is an uncovered rect- 
 angle. The walls are about thntv'-five feet thick, with 
 vaulJs, rooms, and windows, hk<^' ranges of . uildings. I 
 found the open area strung with soldier's garments, which 
 the 'vo nen were busily washing. In 1775, Vi 'nlgomery, 
 on his way to Q H^bec, attacked and capt ired this fo»*t 
 
 Tvelve :r>iles hence, continuing cio-e to the rapid and 
 noisv torrent, I entered the important but ill- built town of 
 St. John's, and remained there d«irmg th ■ nijjht. Be- 
 yond this, vessels from Lake Chamnlaiii catJnot pene- 
 trate.. The lands around it are a d'^ad unproductive I^vhI. 
 Most of* the business is carried on by Imericaas, who nre 
 as num v-ous here as French Canadians. Haifa mile 
 further, upon the bank, is an old earthen tort with a gar- 
 rison, which, like that -f Charnbly, has experienced the 
 fate of being taken and retaken by French, English and 
 Americans. 
 
30 
 
 From ^A Tour to the, Lakes.'' 
 
 THE VALLEY OF THE MOWHAWK. 
 
 This beautiful district of country displays a variety of 
 scenery, that cannot fail to arrest the attention of every 
 traveller. From the Cahoes to the flats of Herkimer, the 
 grand, the picturesque, the gentle and the terrific, are 
 successively presented. The charms of nature are height- 
 ened by contrast with the charms of cultivation ; and the 
 spires of village churches shooting above the distant 
 shrubbery, the mingled colors of towns that are fast im- 
 proving, together with the constant reiteration of the 
 sound of horns from passing stage coaches and canal- 
 boats, indicate that we are in one of the richest, as well as 
 one of the most beautiful parts of the state of New- York. 
 
 Proceeding west from Schenectady, the Mowhawk 
 soon appears ; and that agreeable combmation of moun- 
 tain, river, hill and plain, which fascinates the eye of the 
 painter, and warms the bosom of the poet with inspira- 
 tion, opens full in the prospect. 
 
 Here spreads a sreen expanse of plains, 
 
 Where sweetly pensive silence reigns j 
 
 And there, at utmost stretch of eye, 
 
 A mountain fades into the sky ; 
 
 Wiiile winding round, diffus'd and deep, 
 
 A river rolls with sounding sweep. — Hallet. 
 
 Whether it is the peculiar climate of the valley, or whether 
 it was only the effect of fancy, there appeared to me a 
 softness — a union of tint — blending in the clear rays of 
 the afternoon's sun, such as the distinct outlines of Ame- 
 rican scenerv seldom display. As the luminary slowly 
 descended to the hills on the southern side of the river, 
 clouds gradually formed in the sky,and assumed a variety 
 of dazzling and fanciful shapes and colors. The stream 
 extente^l broad before me as I advanced, interspersed 
 with numerous bush-clothed islands : abrupt hills lifted 
 their brows at a distance brig^ht and majestic in the 
 declining rays, or di.i and dusky beneath the shadows of 
 the clouds. A bold shore on the opposite side -f the 
 Mohawk, presented its verdant declivities, where laborers 
 were busily repairing a breach of the great canal, piling 
 up embarkments of earth and stones, and vociferating to 
 the oxen wearily dragging their loads ; whilst the thunder 
 of the rocks they were blasting, rebounded frop^ hill to 
 hill, and rolled in frightful echoes along the ravines of the 
 
31 
 
 surrounding mountains. At one moment the mellow 
 beams of the setting san were dartin^? through the Jrees 
 between the river and the road ; and at another moment 
 the vapors gathering heavily and black overhead, sud- 
 denly poured down a torrent of ram. i'he sho vvvr passed, 
 and behind me a perfect rainbow, of the most vivid hues, 
 sublimely stretched across the heavens, with one extrem- 
 ity resting on th<^ hills, and the other on the now agitated 
 waters of the Mohawk. 
 
 At Amsterdam, whici is fifteen miles from Schenec- 
 tady, I stopped at a small inn, so situated, that 1 could 
 still enjoy from it a continuation of the prospect, v^/ith 
 which I had been so much pleased during the afternoon. 
 As I sat reclining upon a seat before the door, looking 
 upon the Mohawk, and reflecting upon the warHke na- 
 tives of that name, who had flourished, the proud posses- 
 sors of this region, and whose canoes on this stream, had 
 formerly been heard to sound with their paddies to the 
 notes of the wild music of the tribe, there accidentally 
 approached an old Indian, and sat dov/n a little distance 
 from the inn. An Indian warrior, bending under a we ght 
 of years, is to me an object worthy of great respect and 
 veneration. I can never see one of our aboriginal coun- 
 trymen, without recurring to the ancient Grecian worth- 
 ies, and deliberating whether Ajax or Nestor was not a 
 similar looking p ;rsonage. 
 
 The old Indian surveyed me for a leLgth of time, with 
 a peculiar expression on his furrowed countenance, but 
 without saying any thmg. At this moment two persons 
 came out, who immediately accosted him in the haughty 
 language of beings of a superior order. He answered in 
 English, intermingled with sentences in his own native 
 tongue, and with the most expressive gestures, that he 
 was journeying towards the city of Albany, to attend the 
 treaty making by his tribcj from Oneida, with the proper 
 officers at that place. Their treaty concerned the sale of 
 a great portion of their lands in this state, that they might 
 purchase a space one hundred miles long, and twenty 
 broad, on the northern shores of Lake Huron, These 
 men told the Indian, that the treaty must have been con- 
 cluded, as some of his brethren were upon their return. 
 *' Still I go to Albany," said he, in a broken and tremu- 
 lous language ; " still I go to Albany, whither I have 
 3* 
 
32 
 
 often gone, a young warrior prepared for battle. Johnson, 
 the friend of Indians, taught me to speak good American. 
 I have fought for the British; but when they made war' 
 upon the Americans, I fought for Amercicans. 1 fol- 
 lowed the great Montgomery into Canada. Much have 
 I fought. More than three score and ten winters have I 
 seen ; but bad white men do not love me." He bared 
 his head, and a few white locks tell around. 
 
 I could not help contrasting the probable characters of 
 the poor old Indian, and his interrogators ; and as I re- 
 flected on the pursuits of the latter, perhaps (to judge 
 from their manners) in games, horse-races, and sensu- 
 ality, though now talking like lords to a slave, whilst the 
 other had endured hardships in defence of their liberty 
 and in siipf>ort of the honor of his tribe ; the preference 
 came of itself, due to the humble blanketed native. They 
 brought him glasses of water and whiskey, of which, alas! 
 all Indians are too fond. He tasted the liquor and sat it 
 down. Asking him how he was esteemed among his own 
 people, he said he received the respect of a chief; and 
 inquiring his opinion of a future state, he took the glass 
 of water, and pointing with it upwards, intimated that 
 good men went to Heaven, but bad men, pointing to the 
 glass of whiskey, go down to destruction. I gave him 
 some money, which he wrapped in the corner of his sash, 
 telling me I should prosper in this life, and the . Great 
 Spirit would honour me in the next, because I compas- 
 sionated the circumstances of an old Indian. 
 
 After leaving Amsterdam, in the morning, and passing 
 on to Tripe's Hill and Caughnawaga, the scenery assumes 
 more of a wild and mountainous aspect. Huge cliffs 
 rear their precipitous sides four and five hundred feet 
 direct from the road-side. Wild birds scream fear- 
 fully from the rocks above, whilst loose fragments seem 
 to totter from their heights, ready to crush both horse and 
 rider beneath an overw helming weight. Turning a silent 
 angle of a precipice, close upon the margin of the river, 
 we behold at once a scene entirely different from the wild 
 grandeur of that by which we have just been enveloped. 
 It is within a few miles of Canajoharie,^ consisting of the 
 finest union of islands, meadows, rich farm lands and re- 
 ceding hills. The engraving accompanying this article 
 is designed to give a feint representation of this part of 
 
33 
 
 the valley of Mohawk. On the left, the mountain called 
 the Nose, may be partly distinguished ; along the foot of 
 which, the canal has been excavated with considerable 
 labor. A path here conducts up the mountain to the en- 
 trance of a deep and intricate cavern. 
 
 Beyond the village of Palatine, situat'-d upon the Gar- 
 oga creek, as we advance towards LiUle Falls, the valley 
 becomes much contracted. To give a complete descrip- 
 tion of the pass at Little Falls would be a hopeless un- 
 dertaking : an actual visit to the spot could alone give a 
 person an adequate idea of its rugged sublinity. Lofty 
 granitical ridges composed of fragments piled upon frag- 
 ments in wild irregularity, enclose us on every side. At 
 first the river is perceived, dark and calm as midnight, 
 flowing among the hidden depths of caverns, which earth- 
 quakes may have opened, or the dastiing waters have 
 stove asunder, or which the silent stream may have 
 slowly worn, draining the onc«^ extensive lakes to the 
 westward. As we wind our toilsome way to the top of 
 the cliff, and survey the rugged glen, a deep roar draws 
 our attention; all of a sudden, the descending current, 
 white, surging, dashing, and roaring, opens upon our 
 gaze, and adds tenfold interest to the horrific sights 
 above, below, and around us. Tall hit kories and sugar 
 maples shake their threatetung branches upon airy 
 heights, and from eve»-y fissure among the immense 
 blocks heaped high and umiii;<cnt above the Falls, luxu- 
 riant shrubs and bushes depend, and scatter their innume- 
 rable flowers upon the surface of the Mohawk. The 
 current is divided by a towering rock or island, forming a 
 double catarac, on either side equally rapid and tortuous. 
 
 Not only the works of nature are at thi.> place surpris- 
 ingly grand, but the W' rks oi" man also are worthy of 
 particular notice. Nature trembles ou her throne, as 
 man undermines her empire, and penetrates throug-her 
 adamantine barriers. The aqueduct leading from the 
 canal over to the village of Little Falls, is a piece of 
 workmanship that would do credit to the greatest archi- 
 tects in Europe ; and the canal itsel*', has been here cut 
 into the solid granite along the place under the rocks, 
 where it was impossible formerly to find space even for a 
 footpath. 
 
34 
 
 BUTMENTS OF GENESSEE BRIDGE. 
 
 The bell t -lied from a Gothic spire, as I entered the 
 populous and fast increasing village of Rochester, upon 
 the Genessee. That river pas-es through the town, 
 dividing ^t into tvi^o paris, conner^ted by two lengthy 
 bridges ; and continuing a little further, suddenly rolls its 
 whole volume down a precipice of ninety-six feet, when it 
 expands, gently flows a mile and a half, and again dashes 
 head! »ng dosvn another precipice of seventy-six ket. 
 Near this latter catar^c, perched upon the edge of most 
 tremendous gulf, stands the forsaken village of Carthage, 
 which, like Carthage of old, remains a monument of 
 fallen grandeur, a mournful contrast to the Tunis of the 
 Genessee,that already assumes the commerce of the great 
 inland sea of Ontario, 
 
 Substantial stone mills and manufactories are seen in 
 great numbers, arranged upon the baiks of the never fail- 
 ing-stream. Viewed t^oai the hill, Rochester presents a 
 gay picture of some important commercial city ; its 
 stone, brick, and wooden h >u.ses, the great canal running 
 across the river upon a strong and costly aqueduct, the 
 spires, the meeting houses, the hotels, in short all we be- 
 hold, causes the mind to recur to the scenes of Bable, 
 erecting an establishment which shall defy the rage of 
 time. I procured a man to show me the way, down a 
 rugged and slippery path to the higher falls. It com- 
 menced raining excessively ; yet the view of these beau- 
 tiful falls, was a gratification, which richly paid for the 
 inconvenience of the wet apparel. The ledge or preci- 
 pice extends obliquely, half a mile across the channel of 
 the river, and loses itself in the opposite perpendicular 
 banks. Nearest the east side, where the angle is acute, 
 falls the broadest sheet of water, pitching orver with aston- 
 ishing velocity and noise. The exposed bed of the 
 stream, covered with shrubby trees, intercepts its course 
 on the top of the ledge, and forms another smaller cata- 
 ract at the further extremity. 
 
 From this place I went along the west bank of the Gen- 
 essee as far as Carthage, /ind descending a declivity to 
 the verge of a broad and deep gulf, in the bottom of 
 which could be seen the river dwindled in appearance to 
 a little brook, I obtained a partial view of the Lower Fal!. 
 
I,, 
 
^5 
 
 and observed the remaining butments of that wonderful 
 "flying bridge," which the enterprising inhabitants of 
 Carthage long since threw in one astonishing arch, from 
 the summit of one bank to the other. The building of 
 this bridge is one of the great Archimidean undertakings 
 of the modern age. When told of these remaining but- 
 ments, I expected to find them substantially constructed 
 of stone fitted to receive the bulky beams of the arch ; 
 instead of which, there stood close upon the crumbling 
 brink, on either side, a rickety frame work, more like the 
 skeleton of what some people call a xjankee meeting house, 
 or air castle., than the support of a bridge. Judging from 
 the butments, the undertaking must have been airy in- 
 deed; and in confirmation of this, a ijentleman informed 
 me, (creditably perhaps,) that a sudden gust of wind on a 
 blustering day, lifed the bridge from its two extremes, 
 and carrying it through the air, laid it upside down, in 
 the bottom of the gulf, where the spring current of the 
 Genessee soon bore it in triumph nito lake Ontario ! The 
 toll-gate, closed,and the toll-keeper's house are still stand- 
 ing and look as if lately built ; which might prove that the 
 bridge did not fall through age. From the surface of the 
 river to the arch, was one hundred and ninety-eight fe^U 
 During its erection an overseer fell from the top and was 
 dashed to pieces. 
 
 Down a gully which rains have worn in the bank, a 
 path winds to the bottom, where a fine view is to be had 
 of the Lower Fall. The vvater with a loud roar and con- 
 siderable spray, rolls down a broken and contracted part 
 of a ledge, similar in some degree to that of the Upper 
 Falls, with the exception of its being much more uneven. 
 High over our heads the stupendous sides of the chasm 
 rises to a terrifyiiig elevation, and the distant butments 
 rear their outstretched arm> to the skies — tottering aloft 
 upon the wind-shaken brows of each precipice. Adjoin- 
 ing the Falls a spacious arched grotto is deeply scooped, 
 under which the water so 4ately turbulent finds rest in %. 
 deep, silent, revolving pool. 
 
36 
 FALLS OF CHAUDIERE RIVER/ 
 
 On Saturday, sailinff across the river to Point Levi', I 
 proceeded alone towards the great Falls of the Chaudiere, 
 a large river which has its source on the borders of Maine 
 and empties into thr St. Lav* rence, !^'ix miles above Que- 
 bec. The tid^ was low, and for the sake of variety I 
 clambered aloig tile sharp jutting n>cks of ihe shore, 
 which 1 found on this side t-> be irregular and highly in- 
 clined to strata of red slate and grey waeke. The road 
 crossed a rapid stream, at the month of which is Cald- 
 well's great lumber e-iiblishinent, and continues near the 
 v/ater with ^ jine of ii-b'iilt houses on one side^ to the 
 capacious inh^t of the ' \h;i'jdiere. 
 
 In the abser^ce of the ferryman, a mademoiselle of 
 about seventeen, ruddy and beaufiful, and oeatly attired, 
 seized the paddles of the can>e, and at my request, rowed 
 me with great velocity, d considerable distance up the 
 river, to the f>»ot of rhe lofty banks of the opposite shore. 
 Whilst I scramb!:^d up th banks of the stec^ ascent, she 
 pushed rhe (igbt bark into the' stream again, and alter- 
 nately braudishi jg a paddle and striking the water, sang 
 a lively ditty m her native language : the Uiclodious 
 strains .»f her voice floated soft over the water: she ap- 
 peared lik ■ the gay genius ■''' the stream, thus sporting i 
 amidst majestic cliffs anu hidden dells ; the sweet inelody 
 of her voice at length died away in the distance, and an | 
 interposiiig crag t ^k the gliding naiad out of my view. | 
 
 Three niles farther, breaking through the ■ oods and ' 
 fording- a small creek, first was seen, white clouds of i 
 mist, that ascended and evaporated above the trees, ac- i 
 companied with a bad noi-e hke distant thunder ; and next 
 the broad river faliuig in 'umultuous confusion down a 
 precipice of one hundred and thirty-five feet : a triformed i 
 catara-'t, >ra;)ching hke the neck of a triple-headed Cer- | 
 beres, and mixing their dark stained waters together in i 
 one broken agitated pool. This, though not the grand- 
 est, is one of the .nost beavUnai cataracts in the world. , 
 The stream of Montuiorenci is but a rivulet compared | 
 with the Chaudiere, and n 'tv/ithstanding its surprising 
 height, does not strike the beholder with half the aston- 
 ishment, nor afford half the pleasure, which a prospect of : 
 these falls must create. At the place of descent the river j 
 
f 
 
 IP^'TV? 
 
 Tv,^"'^/ '' 
 
37 
 
 ;, iS about two hunded yards wide, and lower down it is 
 I broader^ with rocks and angular points projecting from 
 either shore. "The bed descends with numerous ledges 
 running evenly across, and ccasioning appearances of 
 several water-falls in minia:- le. A charming stillness 
 I reigns over all the surroundmg hiiis heo groves, which 
 I nature possesses uncontrolled and i-Mil pres^erved from the 
 fire and steel of her great enemy, man. Nothing but the 
 sullen roar of the great_ cataract is heard. The maple, 
 spruce and hemlock, stand nobly waving upon the bor- 
 ders above and below, and cast a dull .shade over the hol- 
 lowed banks, and weed covered rocks, and swift running 
 waters. ^ 
 
 I proceeded a few miles up the Chaudiere, highly grat- 
 ified with the wild beauty of its banks, and the surging 
 breakers of its rapids ; and desc( nding a little valley, or 
 dale, dark with the heavy umbrage of evergreens, among 
 the trunks of which a brook could be perceived glistening 
 here and there at the bottom, I found upon the opposite 
 slope, a spot where, among grots and graceful shelves, 
 the hermit might rejoice to spend his d^ys, and the fabled 
 nymphs of the grove, or the faries of shakspear's fancy, 
 might gladly repose. 
 
 rocks on rocks pil'd, os by magic spell, 
 
 Here scorch'd with lightnino, there with ivy green, 
 Fenc'd from the north and west, this savage dell. 
 
 The large varieties of green moss, white moss and lich- 
 ens, made each stone a downy couch witli a covering not 
 less than twelve inches thick, compact, yielding and lux- 
 uriant. I mounted to the top of the rock, and suddenly 
 burst upon a Canadian, with his blue cap and homespun 
 suit, who was cutting down trees, and was at first startled 
 at seeing me ; by an easy tract which he pointed out, I 
 recovered the road, and returning next mornmg towards 
 Pointe Levi, entered again the frowning battlements of 
 Quebec. 
 
 In the afternoon I repaired to the great cathedral in the 
 upper town, which has within, very superb gilt decora- 
 tions and well executed paintings, but in general, the 
 Catholic chapels of Lower Cai-ada, after viewing their 
 exterior, disappoint our expectations when we come to 
 enter their doors. This has a lofty front and is a vene- 
 rable pile of buildings, adjoining the seminary of the 
 priests and facing the public market place. The ailes 
 
38 
 
 were crowded, and seats nearly filled ; presenting a mix- 
 ed concourse of all nations and conditions. The great 
 altar was occupied by nearly two hundred priests in their 
 white robes and black cowls, whose voices, as they de- 
 voutly bowed and chaunted, rose in one universal peal, 
 echoing around the walls and arches,and (prejudice aside) 
 inspiring the most unconcerned auditor wi'h religion and 
 pure devotion. 
 
a _»_. 
 
 — '. _ — = — -._ 
 
 „ „ 
 
 3 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^^M 
 
 
 iFi^^H 
 
 ^^9 
 
 
 V, . .-^I^^^^^l 
 
 
 nm^^^P 
 
 ^^^^H 
 
 
 ^^^^H 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 araMK/- • ^"j^^^^^W^S^'^^^^^ 
 
 « 
 
 
 H^H^^^^^^^^^^H 
 
 
 .. 
 
39 
 51ETREAT OF DR. JOHNSON IN STREATHAM PARK. 
 
 This is an interesting relic of genius, altiiough its claims 
 are of an unostentatious charactoi. 
 
 The engraving represents a secluded site in a beautiful 
 park attached to a villa at Streatham, formerly inhabited 
 by Gabriel Piozzi, who mamed the aGcomplished widow 
 of Mr. Thrale. During the life time of the latter, Dr. 
 Johnson frequently resided here ; and the above rustic 
 retreat was the favorite resort of the philosopher during 
 his hours of meditation ; for 
 
 'Tis most true. 
 
 That musing meditation most effects 
 
 The pensive secrefcy of desert cell, 
 
 Far from the cheerful haunt of men and herbs, 
 
 And sits a? safe as in a senate house : 
 
 and the fact of Streatham House having been a hospitable 
 asylum for Johnson, and a ' peaceful hermitage' for his 
 * weary age,* leads us to one of the most interesting por- 
 tions of the illustrious man's biography. 
 
 Johnson's instroduction to the Tbrales, about the year 
 1765, was a good piece of fortune for the former. Mrr 
 Thrale was an opulent brewer, and M. P. for Southwark ]; 
 both he and Mrs. T. conceived such a paf tiality for John- 
 son, that he soon came to be considered as one of theit 
 family, and had an apartment appropriated to him, both in 
 their town-house and their villa at Streatham. Boswell 
 says: — ' Nothing could be more fortunate for Johnson 
 than this connexion. He had at Mr, Thrale's ail the 
 comforts and even luxuries of life ; his melancholy wag 
 diverted and his ii regular habits lessbned by association 
 with an agreeable and wsll ordered family. He was treated 
 -with the utmost re.^pect, and even affection.— The viva-. 
 city of Mrs. Thrale's literary taik roused him to cheer- 
 fulness and exertion even when >ey were alone. But 
 this was .lot often the case, for he found here a constant 
 succession of what gave him the highest enjoyment, the 
 society of the learned, the witty, and ths eminentin every 
 way, who were assembled in numerous companies, called 
 forth his wonderful pnv^erK, and gratified him with admi- 
 ration to which no man could be insensible.' 
 
 Mr. Thrale died in 1781, and the loss of his friond 
 deeply affected Johnson ; his health decliiiod ; and after 
 4 
 
40 
 
 a lingering illness, he died happy. Some years after Mrs. 
 Thrale (then Mrs. Fiozzi) published a volume of * Anec- 
 dotes' of the doctor ; but they had been stigmatized as 
 often * unfaithful and inaccurate.' One of the latest por- 
 traits of Johnson is by that pleasant anecdotist of the 
 present day, Mrs. Hawkins. * When first I remember 
 him,' says Mrs. H., * I used to see him sometimes at a 
 little distance from the house, coming to call on my father ; 
 his look directed downwards, or rather in such apparent 
 abstraction as to have no direction. His walk was heavy, 
 but he got on at a great rate, his left arm always fixed 
 across his breast, so as to bring his hand under his chin, 
 and he walked wide, as if to support his weight. Getting 
 out of a hackney-coach, which had set him down in 
 Feet-street, my brother Henry says, he made his way up 
 Bolt-court in the zig-zag direction of a flash of lightning, 
 submitting his course only to the defluctions imposed by 
 the impossibilities of going farther to right or left. His 
 clothes hung loose, and the pocket on the right side swung 
 violently, the lining of his coat being always visible. I 
 can now call to mind his brown hand, his metal sleeve- 
 buttons, and my surprize at seeing him with plain wrist- 
 bands, when all gentlemen wore ruffles : his coat-.sleeve 
 being very wide, showed his linen almost to his elbow. His 
 wig, in common, was cut and bushy ; if by chance he had 
 one that had been diest in seperate curls, it gave him a 
 disagreeable look, not suited to his character. I certainly 
 bad no idea that this same Dr. Johnson, whom I thought 
 rather a disgraceful visitor at our house, and who was 
 never mentioned by ladies but with a smile, was to be one 
 day an honor not only to us but his country.' 
 
 Streathim Park was sold by auction in iS16 : but its 
 celebrity still lives in the reminiscenes of roadside tourists. 
 The village of Streatham, too, about five miles south of 
 the metropolis, is among the most picturesque of its sub- 
 urban attraction?. The notoriety of its mineral spring, 
 hke that of Epsom and many similar places, is almost for- 
 gotten ! but Ihe neighborhood is one of great optilence, 
 Bind its villas display no ordinary taste and splendor. 
 
41 
 NEW-YORK MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE. 
 
 The first building occupied for a public Exchange was 
 erected m Broad near Pearl street, in the year 1752, by 
 John Watts, Esq. and his associates. There it remain- 
 ed until its removal in 1799. A pier extended in front of 
 it aa far as Water-street, with projections on the east and 
 west sides thereby forming a spacious and secure dock. 
 
 It was durinor our revolutionary contest, that a Mr. 
 Smith in 1780, opened a Coffee House in Wall-street, 
 which was a favorite place of recreation, resort and amuse- 
 ment, of nufnerous British officers. Upon this spot a 
 company i'l 1794 — 5, erected the Tontine Coffee Hous^ 
 at an expense of $t2, 787 01, which was frequented and 
 used as an exchange until May 1827, when the Merchant's 
 Exchange was first opened. 
 
 This fine building so justly considered one of the no- 
 blest examples of the taste, enterprise, and pride of ]S«w- 
 York, was commenceo 1825 — Its front in Wall- street 
 (from whence the annexed view was taken) is 114 feeU 
 and its depth extendittg to Exchange place, 150 feet. — 
 The main body being two stories high— and an attic story 
 «ver the front, which is composed of white marble, pro- 
 cured eighteen miles north 'f this city. 
 
 The basement story «>n the south east side is chiefly 
 ♦ccupied as the Post office. The other compartments 
 are allotted to newspapers, lottery, and various vocations. 
 
 There is a large Corridor which leads to Exchange 
 Place, and you reach Wall street by a flight of steps. — 
 The grand flight of nine marble steps ascending from 
 Wall-street is twentv-seven and a half feet in length, with 
 pedestals at each end of the Grecian order projecting 
 three feet, whith are pannelled and moulded, on which are 
 iron posts to sustain the ornamented lanterns at the top, 
 in which gas-lights are now used. 
 
 The Portico is ornamented with four Ionic columns, 
 twenty-seven feet high and three feet four inches in dia- 
 meter, each of one entire block of marble, and weighing 
 eigliteen tons. They were quarried and brought in a 
 rough state to the building and there worked. They are 
 surmounted with an entablature on which rests the attic 
 story and the cupola ; and behind the Colonnade is a 
 semi-elliptical recess through which are the Corridors 
 leading to the various parts of the buildmg. 
 
42 
 
 The CoTonnade extends across the Vestibule and forms 
 a massive screen, which is a distinguishing feature of the 
 effective beauty of this edifice, reminding the poet and the 
 scholar of the Tempie of Illyssus, to which it is said to 
 have been indebted for many of itt Architectural beauty. 
 
 The Vestibule on the first door behind the Colounade 
 is flagged with marble laid in a diamond form, eighteen 
 inches square — and passing from that through the central 
 doors, leads into the ' Principal Koom,' which is in the 
 centre of the building, and is used as an Exchange for 
 Merchants — it is of an oval form eighty five feet long — 
 fifty-five feet wide — and forty-five feet high— with tour 
 Ionic fluted columns, and eight pilasters — supporting a 
 full sized entablature and antes with an arch resting upon 
 the two opposite columns at each angK*. The arches 
 support a screen which forms the terminating line between 
 the vaulted ceihng of the centre, and the alcoves at the 
 end. 
 
 The ceiling is divided into pannels, and ornamented — 
 those of the centre being an oblong square — and those of 
 the ends radiating from a centre : on the north side of the 
 room is a correct and very exceUent timb piece — -on the 
 south side and unraediately opposite is a Wind Indicator^ 
 regulated by machinery on the roof above. The * Coup 
 D^oeiV of the room is magnificently grand and imposing^, 
 and reflects great credit on the skill and talents of its dis- 
 tinguished Architect M. E. Thompson. 
 
 The usual hours of transacting business are from one 
 to three P. M. Ten dollars per annum being paid, entitle 
 each merchani- who habitually resorts there, to the use and 
 ^^livileges of the Exchange. 
 
 There are various doors leading out of this room tooffi- 
 ces adjacent, and three arched doorways to the vestibsde 
 in the rear, a room thirty-six by forty and used for auction 
 Sales from 10 A. M to 2 P. M. 
 
 From the Vestibule in the front, the ascent into the 
 Saloons of the second and attic stories is by a flight of 
 winding steps, which is lighted by a sky light from the 
 roof. 
 
 The diameter of the cupola is twenty -four feet, it^ height 
 above the attic s{o?y to the top of the dome is sixty feet, 
 and sixty feet above the pavement of the street below — it 
 has an exterior panel work forming a very imposing 
 aspect. 
 
?;- ^ ./• 
 
 43 
 
 From the most elevated part of the dome the view is 
 very fine of the surrounding country for more than twenty 
 miles. The Hudson and East River, with the numerous 
 islands in the great bay that spreads its ample bosom to 
 the south and west, present one of the most pleasing pros- 
 pects in the world. 
 
 The purchase of the ground occupied by this vast 
 structure, and its erection cost $^230,000 — it was com- 
 pleted in three years in consequence of which many de- 
 sirable and valuable improvements have taken place in its 
 immediate vicinity. 
 
 The stock is divided into two thousand three hundred 
 shares of ^100 each, and bears a fair premium in the Mar- 
 ket. HiSTORIUS. 
 
 4* 
 
44 
 
 :falls of montmorencl 
 
 Although Quebec is a stirring seaport, with money 
 circulating in great plenty, and strangers thronging into it 
 every day; yet it is not in the least famous for its encoiir- 
 ageroent of public amusements. 'I'he smallness of its 
 population may account for the neglect of these. My 
 time llierefore beginning to grow tedious, J proposed an 
 excursion to the Falls of Montmorenci, or Moranci, to 
 which the gemlemen whom I befor mentioned, desired to 
 bear me company. The weather in this northern climate 
 was already beginning to grow intensely cold. Incessant 
 rains had been falling for the last five weeks, which 
 changed by reason of the cold into sleet and snow. The 
 collections of water about the streets were frozen half an 
 inch in thickness, and snow whitened the tops of the 
 neighbouring mountains. On the morning of Thursday 
 we started, and were so fortunate as to see the sun rising 
 in the horizon without a cloud. 
 
 A lengthy bridge crosses St. Charles' river, which, 
 wben the tide recedes, is but a narrow stream, and when 
 the tide attains its fall height, looks as wide as the St. 
 Lawrence itself. As we passed over it, the tide was out, 
 large ships lay scattered over the dry beach, and carts 
 were driving upon the occasional roads thus afforded. 
 The whole distance hence to Montmorenci, (eight miles) 
 is one continued street of little one storied houses, built 
 and arranged exactly similar to those spoken of, in the 
 upper parts of the province. This is called the village of 
 Beauport* As it is situated at some height upon the gra- 
 dual slope of the land towards the St. Lawrence, a view 
 is obtained from any part of the village of Quebec, the 
 harbor, the course of the river, and the island of Orleans. 
 
 We were treated with the greatest affability and cour- 
 tesy by the Canadians, into whose dwellings we made 
 excuses every little way to jyeep. Their arrangements 
 are remarkably neat and economical. Fiefore we reachei 
 the celebrated cataract, the sky became of a sudden over- 
 cast, and a heavy shower of snow in small round globules 
 commenced falling. But it coased in a little time, and 
 the remainder of the day, with the exception of a violent 
 north-west blow, was extraordinary clear and pleasant. 
 
 Crossing over a toll-bridge above the falls^ we had tjie 
 
45 
 
 curiosity to creep under the banks, which rise sixty feet 
 on each side, to the verge of the precipice, in order first 
 to survey the immense aiiyss into which the river dashes. 
 The rains had swollen the current of Montmorenci to a 
 great height ; the clay and impurities of the soil being 
 washed down the banks, imparted a deep crimson tinge 
 to the water, which, breaking into foam against the rocks, 
 presented very pleasing appearances. In the middle Of 
 the stream, rocks project like a small island just above 
 the precipice. 
 
 We descended the high and steep bank of the river 
 St. Lawrence, which is divided into two channels at this 
 place by the Isle of Orleans ; and walking on the beach 
 around the point of the gulf or cove, which the Montmo- 
 renci has in the course of time scooped into the land, we 
 came full in sight of the majestic sheet of water, dashing, 
 roaring, foaming from its giddy height down to the level 
 where we stood. The Falls of Montmorenci exceed 
 those of Niagara by nearly one hundred feet, and are the 
 highest in North America. Failing over the rough face 
 of the precipice, -which runs in a straight line from sideto 
 side of the'cove, and furiously boihng from the beginning 
 of its leap to the bottom, it emits a thin ethereal spray 
 from its whole confused surface, and fills the broad gulf 
 with rolling volumes of mist. High upon the edge of the 
 cliffs on the left, an aqueduct carries a small portion of 
 the stream along the mountain to the wheels of a large 
 establishment for sawing timber. The fissures of the 
 rock break into the bank, and the aqueduct is supported 
 over them by wooden props. Higher than the aqueduct, 
 great forest trees tremble on the verge X)f the gulf, ap- 
 pearing from below like diminutive shrubs. We contem- 
 plated the striking scene with silent wonder for several 
 minutes, and then endeavoured to advance nearer the 
 foot of this tremendous cataract. 
 
 The composition of the rock around the place where 
 we stood, is a stratified fetid limestone, operated upon by 
 the weather in such a manner, as to crumble into fin« 
 scales and dnst, which slide continually down, and as- 
 sume (with the exception of color, which is black) the ap- 
 pearance of soft sand banks. The wind blew fiercely 
 against the crumbled sides of the hills, and carried show- 
 ers of clu.st and large pieces of stone mth great velocifv 
 
46 
 
 directly into our faces. Providing ourselves in the best 
 manner possible again^^t this incoivenience, we proceeded 
 to a great black rock, which hides behind it part of the 
 bottom of the falls, and forms the point of what may be 
 called the inner cove. Spray hovers over this rock, snd 
 pours constant rains upon its ghstening, yet rugged top. 
 The sun was behind us. Our eyes were almost blended 
 with the brilliant and transparent rainbows ; which were 
 complete circle8, ourselves the centre, increasing or dimi- 
 nishing in diameter, according to our distance from objects 
 in front. Ascending the rock with great danger of fall- 
 ing, and getting ourselves drenching wet, we clambered 
 over it on our hands and feet into the inn«^r cove. 
 
 Now secluded amidst fearful craigs, shut from the rest 
 of mankind by surrounding and overhanging rocks and 
 the dense clouds of the roaring water-fall, a sensation 
 of pleasing awe, and admiration of that great Cause 
 whose works confound the judgments of erring man, 
 spreads over our minds, and raise in our imagination, 
 thoughts, which no words can describe. Whilst my com- 
 panions were closely engaged in drawing a view of the 
 falls from this position, I endeavoured to express some 
 idea of the grand scene, in the exalted strains of poetry^ 
 in which, however, I was far from doing jiistice to the 
 sublimity of the scene.* Tolumes of mist dart from the 
 
 * Where Ontario's waters drag, 
 
 Slow their course through northern lands ^ 
 Where upon the Diamond crag, 
 Proud embattled Quebec stands ; 
 
 From the cleft, 
 
 Which age has reft, 
 Where the giddy mountain lours ; 
 
 Boldly sweeping 
 
 Trembling, leaping, 
 Down the Montmorenci pours. 
 
 , Plunging — who descends those rockf, 
 Like the silver beams of night? 
 Crash on crash — tremendous shocki! 
 Who the Taults of Hela freight? 
 Winged on high, 
 Mad vapors fly ; 
 Blustering showers strangely hi«jl! 
 Dirae there. 
 And Iris here, 
 QleMXO above the dark abjss. 
 
47 
 
 foot of the catarac, like the wheels of chariots flying in 
 succession, and boundiritf, as they roll to a distance, slowly 
 rise up«n the atmosphere and meet the incumbent clouds 
 of the heavens. At iiuervals the spray flies into the in- 
 ner cove, and as if by magic p<«wer, it casts a spell of 
 enchantment before our vision, in th«^5 dazzling circle'? of 
 the bow. A whirl poorTevolves beneath our feet, boiling 
 and bubblinsj in constant agitation, and carrvmg around 
 floating logs and bushes which chance only removes from 
 their revolutions. 
 
 With great exertion and no small degree of danger 
 from the stones driven over the precipice by the wind, 
 and from one of whah my comrade received a violent 
 blow on the should ;r, we ibllowed the rivulet wnich ori- 
 ginally formed the iKiier cove, and climbi»'g through nar 
 row crevices where it di^appeais from «ight, we regained 
 once more the top or the heii^his <>f Montmorenci. Vv e 
 remained till late in the afternoon, rambling about tbe 
 ftills, walking to objects worthy ofattention in the vicinity 
 — and to Loretto, an Indian village, not far distant, butoi 
 which nothing peculiar can be said; and then returned 
 under the rays of a bright full moon to the city of Q' ehec. 
 The industrious Canadians were seizing the opportunity 
 of good weather, and art'ially ploijghing until a very late 
 hour, by means of the brilliant light which the moon af- 
 forded. 
 
 Mingling round the crumbling verge, 
 
 Erst the glittering blade was reareilj 
 Shall above the wRiideritig surge, - 
 Warriors of the woodlands cried — 
 
 Lo i ' host 
 
 Fr^'in Bii lilt's coast,^ 
 Where the Druid barons rule, 
 
 Stems yon tide, 
 
 Ou" tV, titers pride, 
 Fight, brave Hurons, fight for Gaul, 
 
 Valor met. Nor ever more 
 
 Snow white does M nanci fall j 
 Now his torrent looks of gore , 
 Now the eniangUr] .sj<irits how]. 
 
 Floods rebounJ, 
 
 And clouds i.>l! round, 
 As the crash of anoieof t; ^^er8 ; 
 
 Deep astounriing, 
 
 Dii^tant sounding 
 Load th« Montmorenci roara. 
 
48 
 
 LAKE GEORGE. 
 
 Lake George is thirty-four miles long, and its greatest 
 breadth fowr. At the «outh end it is only about one mile 
 broad ; and the great^^st depth is sixty fathoms. The 
 water is reu»arkable for its purity — a fish or a stone may 
 be seen at the depth of twenty or tbirty feet. It ia doubt- 
 cdly supplied by springa from below, as the water is coldest 
 near the bottom. It contains trout, bass, and perch. 
 There are deer in the neighboring forest. The outlet 
 which leads to Lake Champlain contains three large fills 
 and rapids. The lake never rises more than two feet. 
 
 The three best poims of view are at Fort George, a 
 place north of Shelving Rock, fourteen miles, and another 
 at Sabbath-day point, twelve miles, from the head of the 
 Lake. The last view is taken southward, the other two 
 northward. 
 
 This beautiful basin with its pure crystal water is bound- 
 ed by two ranges of nmuritains, which in some places 
 ising with a bold and hasty ascent from the water, and in 
 others descending with a peaceful sweep from a great 
 height to a broad and level margin, furnished with a charm- 
 ing variety of scenery, which every chatjge of weather, as 
 svell as every change of position presents in new and 
 countlesti beauties. The intet mixture of cultivation w>th 
 the wild scenes of nature is extremely agreeable ; and the 
 undulating surface of the weli titled farm is often con- 
 trasted with the deep shade of the native forest, and the 
 naked, weather beaten cliffs, where no vegetation can 
 dwell. 
 
 The islands are an important feature in the scenery of 
 the Lakes. They are yet unnumbered, and as different 
 in their size and varied in their appear-ince as countless 
 for their multitude. Some are bare and rocky, others 
 invested with verdure ; some rise from the water with a 
 green and gentle swell, others overhang it with a broken 
 precipice. !'o a stranger who visits Lake George under 
 a clear look, and sails upon its surface when the morning 
 or evening sun throws over it a slanting light, the place 
 seems one of the most mild and beautiful oi> earth ; but if 
 he should have an opportunity to witness the solemnity 
 with which a storm approaches, and the fury with which 
 the elements often wage their war among these wild and 
 
■;['-K5;'^?|^j7 ■ ' V * - 
 
49 
 
 desolate mountains, it will seem to have lost its original 
 character, and to present only the sublime and the terrible 
 aspect of nature. 
 
 The preceding print may afford some idea of the charm- 
 ing scenery ; but no exertion of art can produce any thing 
 fit to be called a resemblance of such a noble exhibition 
 of the grand and beautiful features of creation. 
 
 This beautiful Lake was first named Lake Sacrament 
 by the French, as it is said, either because the water was 
 used by the priests to supply their founts, or because its 
 purity rendered it peculiarly fit for that purpose. The 
 transparency of the water «eems to add a richness to the 
 pljce. > 
 
 There is hardly a region in the w orld where the din and 
 bustle of military operations would seem more entirely 
 opposed to the character and impression of the natural 
 scenery that at Lake George. The lofty amphitheatre 
 of mountains which surround it, raise their heads to a 
 sublime elevation, as if to seclude the place from the 
 notice of the world, and to contain within its bounds the 
 calm enjoyments of the few who tread its romantic shores. 
 — But even in this far and still retreat. War has often 
 intruded with her thrilling trumpet and her flashing steel ; 
 and though the pure lake long since has lost the hue of 
 her crimson currents, the traces of her iron foosleps will 
 ong remain upon the sloping margin. 
 
 
so 
 
 THE FALLS OF WILBERFORCE IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS 
 
 The Falls of Wilberforce, one of the most romantic 
 natural scenes that the Arctic regions presents, was dis- 
 covered during the late voyage <«f Captain Franklin to 
 the shores of the Polar Sea. When the loss of his guides, 
 (he want of provisions, and the severity of the season, 
 compelled Captain Franklin to relinquish the survey of 
 the coa?t he determined on returning by way of the Arctic/ 
 Sound, where he had found the animals more numerous 
 than at any other place, and entering Hood's river, to 
 advance up that streani, as far as it was navigable, and 
 then to construct small canoes out of the materials of the 
 large ones, which could not be carried in crossing the 
 barren grounds to Fort Enterprise. 
 
 Hood's river rises in Esquimaux Land and runs into 
 Arctic Sound. It is from one hundred to two hundred 
 yards wide, and bounded by steep banks of clay. The 
 shoals and rapids in the river are so frequent, that the 
 party could make but little progress. Captain Franklin, 
 describing the difficulties they had to encounter in ascend- 
 ing this river, in his Journal of the 26th of August, 1821, 
 says ; ' We walked along the banks the whole day, and 
 the crews labored hard in carrying the canoes, thus lighten- 
 ed, over the shoals, and dragging them up the rapids, yet 
 our journey, in a direct line, was only about seven miles. 
 In the evening we encamped at the lower end of a narrow 
 chasm, through which the river flows for upwards of a 
 mile. The walls of this chasm are upwards of two hun- 
 dred feet high, quite perpendicular, and in some places 
 only a few yards apart. The river precipitates itself into 
 it over a rock forming two magnificent and picturesque 
 falls close to each other. The upper fall is about sixty 
 feet high, and the lower one at least one hundred, but 
 perhaps considerably more, for the narrowness of the 
 chasm into which it fell prevented us from seeing its bot- 
 tom, and we could merely discern the top of the spray far 
 beneath our feet. The lower fall is divided into two by 
 an insulated column of rock which rises about forty feet 
 above it. The whole descent of the river at this place 
 probably exceeds two hundred and fifty t'eet. The rock 
 is very fine felspethose sandstone. It has a smooth sui** 
 
PALLS OP WILBERFORCE IN ARCTIC REGIONS, 
 
51 
 
 face and a light ^-ed color. I have iiamed the magnificent 
 cascades * Wilberforce Falls,' as a tribute of my respect 
 for that distinguished philanthropist and christian. Messrs. 
 Back aud Hood took beautiful sketches of this majestic 
 scene, which are combined in the annexed plate.' 
 
 It is from the plate, to which Captain Franklin thus re- 
 fers in his valuable Narrative, that our present correct and 
 spirited view of the Falls bf Wilberforce is engraved. 
 
52 j 
 
 THE PALLS OF NIAGARA. J 
 
 I 
 
 Niagara Falls in \ iagara river, are about equidistant be* 
 tween the lakes Erie and Ontario. The river Niagara forms | 
 the boundary of the United States and Upper Canada, ' 
 the line of which is defined by the n^ain channel of that 
 river. i heFalls of iViag:ira have very deservedly at- 
 tracted much notice and have been often and well des- 
 cribed. To coriceive a just idea of the Fails, it must be 
 understood that the level of Lake ^ rie is elevated above 
 that of Lake Ontario ab<'Ut SiiO feet : and thai the sur- 
 face of the land is pretty uniformly level, from Buffalo 
 to Fort Niagara, with the exception of two steepsof une- 
 qual descent. These steps or terraces, extend far from 
 the E., and terminate at Black Rock and Lewiston, if in- 
 deed they are not to be traced also into Canada. They 
 are not ridges, but rather rocky ledges, that bound the 
 northern extremities of plains, as those descend toward 
 the level of Lake Ontario. 
 
 The immense voluuic of water that forms a river of a 
 mile wide, running with a current of more than 3 miles 
 an hour^ can only be conceived by those who have seen 
 large rivers, and have indulged in some habitual re- 
 flection I had enjoyed these advantages, and had 
 read many good descriptions of Niagara Falls, before 
 I had an opportunity to consult the impressions derived 
 from personal inspection ; and still the scene was al- 
 together new to m®, when I stood and gazed, and won- 
 dered at the sight. A broad, rapid river, poured at once 
 down a precipice of more than 150 feet, into an awful 
 chasm of about three quarters of a mile wide, and near 
 300 feet deep, reckoning from the surface of the river 
 bank! The first effect of this sight is absolutely in- 
 describable. My head became giddy, and it seemed to 
 me that every nerve was affected in the same way with 
 those of the head : nor was it till after some minutes that 
 I dared crawl along to the brink of the awful precipice, 
 from which 1 designed to take a nearer view. — This 
 was from the Table Rock, on the Canada shore, imme- 
 diately below the great Fall. The form of the Fall is 
 nearly that of a semi-circle, with the longest line on the 
 E. side of the grand central stream, or Horse Shoe-Fall* 
 and may be near 700 yards in circumference ; and th« high 
 
.54 
 
 Fall on the American side, includina: the whole space, 
 about 380 yards. Other estimate-, sav less, and some 
 also sav mor<5, but until I have an opp srtiinity for another 
 admeasurement I nust c >mpute the vhole circumfer- 
 ence as J4:0 yards. On the E. side of Goat Island, 
 there is also another Island ot'p^^rhaps 20 yards, between 
 whi .:h is a s <iail sho^t of water, pisfht or ten yards broad. 
 With thv3 exception o 350 yards The whole space is oc- 
 cupied by sh- ■t'.of t-iliing water. The height of the fall 
 on the American side, is 164 feet : on the Canada side 
 150, the results of several caref;!l admeasurements. At 
 the mouth of the Chippewa cr • k, on the Canada side, 
 2 1-2 miles above the great Fall the river is near 
 two isiies broad, and from this place the current is very 
 rapid with a descent variously estimated probably, about 
 90, or perhaps 100 feet. — Opposite this rapid on the Amer- 
 can side, stands the village of Ma Chester, one hundred 
 rods above the Fall. The best near view is from Goat 
 Island, to which there is a br Hge ; but to obtain a just 
 idea of the country, with a whole view of Niagara, it should 
 be approached from lidk-^ Ontario. The spray that rises 
 from the water at the foot of the Falls, reaches a lofty 
 height, more or less curved to the horizon, according to 
 the direction and force of the wind. But it always serves 
 as the mediu'i ^or beautiful rainbows, when the weather 
 is Hiir. The sound is heard at various distances ; extend- 
 ing five, eight, ten, tvv*^nty, and even thirty miles ; when 
 wafted by a gentle breez^^ I have once heard it thirty tniles, 
 in a direct line ; and I think that in 1797, I approached 
 within five miles without hearing any of that roar, which 
 soon became tremendou-, from a change wind. 
 
 It will be observed, that the main body of the water 
 descends at the Horse- shoe Fall, where it is also very 
 d-^^ep ; and running with a very strong current, it does not 
 pitch im sediately downward, but curves in a white sheet 
 to the level of the river below, advancing about 50 feet 
 from the perpendicular of the cataract. The Fall on the 
 Amf^ican side, on the contrary, drops almost perpendi- 
 cularly, in a much thinner sheet Below the Falls, the 
 surfa ^e exhibits a singular unevenness, where the water 
 arid f .arn force up large spherical figures that burst ou 
 the top, discharge a cloud of spray, and subside, to be 
 immediately succeeded by others, in constant and rapid 
 
53 
 
 succession. This appearance of sicourse the most remark- 
 able, just below the centre of the Horse-shoe Falls, where 
 the currents above, rushing together, have also forced 
 down the greater proportion of air. 
 
 I have said above, that tke great northern terrace of the 
 high plain meets Niagara river at Lewiston, and along the 
 foot of this i-s the Alluvial Way, separately described. 
 Lewiston is just at the foot of ihis terrace, and here must 
 have been, originally, the Falls of Niagara, now eight miles 
 higher up the slream. The corresponding strata of rotsk 
 aiid earths, with every geological feature, carry irresistibjie 
 evidence of this prodigious excavation. In the autumn 
 of 1796, it is said a shock of an earthquake was felt here, 
 when a large piece of the rock that iormed the Cataract, 
 fell, aijd perceptibly changed the form of its curvature. 
 Indeed it were altogether incredible to suppose this im- 
 mense body of water should descend thus, and not be 
 constantly wearing away the rocks that lie in its way. 
 How long it may have taken to cut this vast chasm, is of 
 no importance. 
 
 Since the above was published, I have had a Winter 
 View of these Falls, under favorable circumstances. As 
 I approached ihem by sleighing, on turning Sturgeon 
 Point, on the shore of Lake Erie, at a distance of twenty- 
 six miles from tlse Falls, (forty-six by the road,) I plainly 
 saw the spray rising in splendid columns. ]t was a very 
 cold day, the wind strong from the N., and the sun, per- 
 fectly unclouded, was near the horizon, every circum- 
 stance combining to (avor the view. On the last day of 
 Jan. when every thing that winter could do, had been 
 done, I again saw the Falls, surrounded by a magnificence 
 that summer never exhibits. The wind, and spray, and 
 frost, had covered the snow with a crust of solid, white 
 ice, from one to eighteen inches in thickness, on all the 
 approaches to the falls, and the limbs of the over-hanging 
 trees were bent down or broken ; the river was closed, 
 every where, save where tossed with the utmost rapidity 
 of motion, white with foam, — and no water could be seen 
 only at the Bapids and Falls. Yet in all this terrific array 
 of the majesty of the elements and the stupendous of 
 nature, myriads of wild Ducks, were seen, sporting on 
 
55 
 
 the foaming torrent. They Were descending in streams, 
 on the wing, and would alight on the water in the Rapids., 
 float over the perpendicular Fall, descend about one half 
 of the distance, take wing, and again remount to the 
 Rapids ! This was new to me, — but Col. Whitney, who 
 keeps an excellent Hotel at the Falls, and who was with 
 me, told me such occurrences were by no means rare, for 
 a few w^eks, in the extreme cold of winter. 
 
 5* 
 
UPPER CHASM OF FALL RIVER. 
 
 The State of New- York, in the variety of its scenes, 
 the great number of its lakes, and the beauty of iis moun- 
 tains, rivers, and water falls, stands unrivalled above 
 every other State in the Union. Manj of its copious mi- 
 neral fountains and its lofty cascades have attracted tra- 
 vellers from distant quarters of the globe — and many 
 others as extraordinary, are still embosomed amidst the 
 impenetrable forests of the western regions, unseen by 
 man — or, if newly exposed by the hand of cultivation, 
 still viewed with careless indifference by the passing rus- 
 tic, with the sound alone of crashing rocks and prowling 
 beasts to disturb their uniform tranquilitv. Even on the 
 well frequented rout to the grand falls of Niagara and the 
 larger lakes, are places in which nature wields her scep- 
 tre with unbounded beauty and sublimity ; the tourist, un- 
 informed of the scene, or else indifferent about a place as 
 yet little known, hurries onward, contenting himself with 
 the cursory description of some neighboring inn-keeper. 
 
 Ithaca is a place of this description. As the outlet of 
 Cayuga lake has, in process of time, worn away the rocky 
 bed over which its waters descend to the Oswego river, 
 the surface of the lake has lowered, and left at its head, 
 an alluvial plain, and at its northern extremity, the wide 
 marshes ofCayuaga and Montezuma In every other 
 part, the banks rise loftily to the height of three or four 
 hundred feet, impressing the mind with the idea of a great 
 cleft in the earth, half filled with water. Upon the plain 
 where, twenty-five years ago, only a few huts of solitary 
 back-woods-men were to be seen, now stands the popu- 
 lous village of Ithaca. Enclosed on almost every side by 
 beautiful mountains, surrounded by the most fertile lands, 
 situated on one of the great western turnpikes from New- 
 burg, and at the head of a navigable lake, which commu- 
 nicates with the Grand Canal, this flourishing village bids 
 fair to become, in manufactures, population, and exten- 
 sive buildings, one of the first ornaments of the inland 
 country. From the bottom of a deep valley or ravine, wom 
 between the mountains. Nine-mile Creek, as it is term- 
 ed, runs west of the village through the plain, and makes a 
 navigable channel for two miles to the lake. The Casca- 
 dilla, a romantic brook, tumbles from a hollow chasm, 
 
frr^' ' • 
 
 UPPER CHASM OF FALL RIVER. 
 
 Seg Pftge 51 
 
57 
 
 and continues east of the village till it unites with Fall 
 River. In the rocky substance of the highest part of the 
 mountain, lialf a mile east of the Cascadilla, a dismal 
 gulf gapes dijrk and wide, and, far within the shaggy cliffs 
 steep after steep, in sucessive leaps, Fall River rolls its 
 cwrrent four hundred and thirty-eight feet downwards to 
 the plain. This is the tremendous scene, which those 
 who have had opportunities of comparing with other re- 
 remarkable places, assert to be superior to all of them, in 
 the sublimest touches of nature, and to afford full as much 
 pleasure to the beholder as the irequented Falls of JN'ia- 
 gara ; an assertion which was confirmed in my opinion, 
 when I arrived at Niagara, a few days after, and saw 
 that cataract with little moie admiration than this remark- 
 able "place excited. 
 
 Unless ropes are used it is impossible to enter the se- 
 cond falls of Fall River,by any other means than the canal 
 and raceway. Even this method is so dangerous that 
 very few attempt it. 
 
 We made a circtiit around the mills, ascended part 
 way up the hill, and poising ourselves upon a loose, ill- 
 supported line of boards, penetrated the artificial cleft, 
 when, turning suddenly, we emerged directly over the 
 pond, a few yards in front of the first falls. Scarcely able 
 to balance ourselves upon this giddy height, we look 
 down with terror ; whilst the foaming falls of the stream 
 sound in our ears, and the rugged cliffs hang threatening 
 over our heads. Continuing along the raceway, here 
 clambering under the rocks, and here hanging by the 
 roots of treets, we drop ourselves at last at the water's 
 edge, where it is necessary to take off shoes and stock- 
 ings and wade with the greatest care along the slippery 
 brink of the stream, where a wrong step might immerge 
 a solitary adventurer in a watery grave. 
 
 There is a piece of ground in the gulph which the ri- 
 ver does not cover. Square fragments are scattered 
 over it in heaps, as if some antique edifice had lately fal- 
 len to the dust, and Nature, pleased with its demolition, 
 had strewed among the stones, her sweetest flowering 
 shrubs to conceal it wholly from the world. From this 
 place is obtained the noblest view of the dreadful objects 
 by which the spectator is enveloped. Like the moulder- 
 ing walls and pilasters of some lofty palace of ancient 
 
58 
 
 Greece, upon the projecting cornices of which the face 
 of magnificence still smile*^ throughcrumbling stones and 
 adventitious weeds ; so the vast ciaigs of the chasm 
 mount stupendous on the right hand and on the left ; 
 their nodding heads stoop to view their broken founda- 
 tions ; their bush-crowned summits lift on high the half- 
 rooted-heinlocka ; with pile upon pile, which the indus- 
 trious hand of man seems to have heaped, stretches from 
 end to end of the long vista of rocky colonades. The 
 second falls strike the sight, tumbling in a snow-white 
 sheet down a perpendicular of fifty-two feet, and sending 
 in the air clouds of foam and vapor. A hollow roar re- 
 sounds from each grot and gloomy crevice ; the length- 
 ened noise runs through the ranges of the gulf, and echoes 
 among the natural cloisters. To look back from the falls, 
 to see the high piles of Nature's masonry, rising more 
 than two hundred and fifty feet, the extended ranges of 
 pillars, the distant hills of the country, and the clouds and 
 endi<^ as firmament beyond the gap, we feel conscious of 
 our msignificnace, and shrink with awe and astonishment 
 from a sight of so much grandeur and magnificence. 
 
 -Nature, throwing wide 
 
 Her veil opaque, discloses with a smile, 
 The author of her beauties. 
 
59 
 
 CATARACT OF THE NILE. 
 
 The following descriptioa of this great Cataract on the 
 river Nile, or as it is sometimes called the Cataract of 
 Alata, is taken from the travels of Mr. Bruce. 
 
 The first thing our traveller was shown was the bridge, 
 which consists of one arch of about 25 feet broad. Frag- 
 ments of the parapets remained, and the bridge itself, 
 seemed to bear the appearance of frequent repairs, and 
 many attempts having been made to rnin it ; otherwise, 
 in its construction, it was exceedingly well designed. The 
 Nile here is confined between two rocks, and runs in a 
 deep trough with great roaring and impetuous velocity. — 
 Leaving the bridge he passed up the stream above half a 
 mile before he came to the Cataract, through trees and 
 bushes of a delightful appearance. 
 
 The Catnract itself was the most magnificent sight that 
 Mr. Bruce had ever beheld. The height has been rath- 
 er exavrgerated ; the measuring is indeed very difficult, 
 but by the position of long sticks and poles of different 
 lengths and different heights off the rock, he thmks that it 
 is about 40 feet from the vvater's edge. The river had 
 been considera 'ly increased by rains, and fell in one sheet 
 above half an English mile in breadth, with a force and 
 noise that was truly terrible ; and which stunned and 
 made him f >r a time excessively dizzy. A thick fume or 
 haze covered the fall around, and hung over the course of 
 the river, both above and below, marking its track, though 
 the water was not seen. t'he river though swelled with 
 rain- preserved its natural smoothness, and at a distance 
 far as the eye could discern fell into a deep pool or basin ; 
 the stream when it fell, seeming part of it lo ran back 
 with great fury upon the rock. 
 
 Mr. Bruce observes, the sight was so imposing, that 
 ages added to the greatest length of human life, would 
 not eradicate it from his memory ; it struck him with a 
 kind of stupor, and a total forgetrulness of vvbi^ie he was, 
 and indeed, for a time, of every other consideration. 
 
 We can readily imagine the feelings of our traveller on 
 his first view of this stupendous work of nature. A 
 scene at once so awfully sublime — so magnificent to the 
 sight, and so fearfully astounding to the hearing, is calcu- 
 lated to overwhelm ihe mind w'ith an unutterable awe, 
 and indeed so to confuse and disarrange the ideas, as to 
 render contemplation utterly impracticable. 
 
60 
 NORTH CAPE. 
 
 North Cape is situated in Lon. 25° 0' 45" E. Lat. 
 71 « 11" 30" N. It is the most northerly point of the 
 European continent, and is an enormous rock, or mass 
 of r)cks projecting in a north- westerly direction far into 
 the sea, exposed to all the fury of the tempest and the 
 waves ; it is every year crumbling into the ocean that 
 washes its base. 
 
 Here every thing appears sterile, solitary and sad. In 
 the surrounding scenery, no sign of vegetation gladdens 
 the eye of the traveller, and no note of the feathered 
 songster breaks the dread sdence ; yet here man's abode 
 is found. The sun for three months in the year is not 
 seen ; during vvhicn period, the inhabitants, who only re- 
 side here for the benefit afforded by the fishing business, 
 are blessed with no other lisfht than what is produced by 
 the Jiurorahorealis, or the dim lamp, fed by their daily 
 occupation. During the other nine months of the year, 
 the sun just skims along the horizon, producing a contin- 
 ual day, and marking by the various shadows, as well the 
 hour of midnight as of noon. 
 
 It is perhaps worthy of notice, that although the pic- 
 ture here given of this inhospit ble clime, would seem 
 sufficiently terrific to prevent man's fixing his habitation 
 on this spot; yet climes stiil more, if possible, inhospita- 
 ble and dreary, are subject to his visitation, and tempora- 
 ry habitation at least, either from motives of gain, or the 
 more urgent motives of curiosity. 
 
 It is worthy of remark in this place, that the American 
 side of the frozen Atlantic, is much colder than the Eu- 
 ropean side of the same ocean. The English settlement 
 at Fort Prince of Wales, in Hudson's bay, lying in Lat. 
 SS*^ 47 30" is almost as cold, as sterile and as desolate, 
 as North Cape ; althouijh North Cape is about nine hun- 
 dred miles nearer the pole than this settlement. This 
 difference in the temperature on the shores, and which is 
 found to prevail to the same extent, in the interior of the 
 two continents, has long engaged the attention of scienti- 
 fic nen. And various have been the catises assigned for 
 a difference, so well ascertained, and so considerable. 
 But perhaps the most reasonable, and in fact, the only 
 one which to me has ever appeared adequate, is to be 
 
61 
 
 ^QUght for in the great and prevailing currents of air pro- 
 duced by the great and prevailing currents of the ocean. 
 
 It is well known that the Gulph stream, deriving its 
 supply and its force from the great current, settmg west- 
 wardly from the coast of Africa, through the meridian 
 ocean, (if I may be allowed the term,) pours an immense 
 volume towards the north; and that by the shapiugof 
 the shores of our continent, this column takes a northerly 
 direction, pushing its waters far north — that, gradually 
 bending its course, more and more easterly and south- 
 easterly, it finally passes down the coast of Ireland and 
 England. 
 
 Having lost its caloric in the cold regions of the north, 
 it proceeds south, along the coast of Africa, gradually ac- 
 quiring warmth in its course ; again to make up the sup- 
 ply of that great mass of water necessary in this grand 
 pulsation of the mighty deep ; again to acquire heat in 
 its passage to the Gulph of Mexico, and again to lose 
 its heat on the coast of Norway, England, &c. W. 
 
62 
 ROCK BRIDGE, VA. 
 
 The ever venerated Jefferson, speaks of this Bridge 
 as being one of the most sublime of the productions of 
 nature. It is on the ascent of a hill, which'Seems to have 
 been cloven through its length by some great convulsion. 
 It is in heighi two hundred thirteen feet, in breadth fifty at 
 the bottom, and niaety at the superior part. The passage 
 over it is sixty feet in width, and the thickness of the mass 
 at the summit of the arch, is about forty feet. A portion 
 of this arch, 13 composed of earth, vvhicii affords growth 
 to many large trees, — the remainder with the hill on both 
 aides is a solid rock of limestone. The arch approaches 
 to the semi-eliptical ibrm, but the larger axis of the elipsis 
 which would be the cord of the arch, is many limes larger 
 than its transverse* The sides of the bridge are parapets 
 of fixed rocks. 
 
ROCK BRIDGE, VA. 
 
 SceriigeU^. 
 
63 
 VIEW OF THE RIVER JORDAN. 
 
 Jordan is a river of Palestine, rising from lake Phiala 
 in Anti-Libanus. It runs under ground fifteen miles, 
 then breaks out at Peneura, passes through Samachronite 
 lake, anciently called Meron, six miles long and four 
 broad. Two miles after its leaving the lake is a stone 
 bridge of three arches, called Jacob's Bridge, supposed 
 to Ivave been built before the days of Jacob. After sepa- 
 rating Gahlee from Tracontis it passes through a vast and 
 most horrid desert receiving the Carith, and many other 
 tributary streams, and empties itself into the Dead sea. 
 It is a very rapid river, generally about four or five rods 
 wide, and nine feet deep, and except in freshets, runs two 
 yards below the bank of its channel. The banks of this 
 river are lofty and covered with trees, its waters are yel- 
 lowish and turbid, i he exaggerated, or if you will, the 
 grand ideas which history and travellers usually give us 
 of distant objects have accust med us to speak of the wa- 
 ters of Palestine with a respect which amuses our imagi- 
 nation. We are fond of saying the river Jordan, the riv- 
 er Orontes, the river Adonis, &c. If, however, we wish 
 to preserve towards their proper signification, we shall 
 hardly find in this country any other than rivulets. The 
 channels of the Orontes and Jordan, the two most consid- 
 erable are scarcely sixteen paces wide at their mouths,, 
 the others do not merit to be mentioned. 
 
 If the river Jordan was in this country, we should call 
 it nothing else than the Jordan Creek. If the rains and 
 melted snow give them some importance in the winter, 
 their course is only to be discovered during the remainder 
 of the year, by the round stones and fragments of rocks 
 with which their beds are filled They are nothing but 
 torrents and cascades, and it may be conceived that from 
 the proximity of the mountains, among which they rise to 
 the sea, their waters have not time to collect in long val- 
 leys to form rivers. The obstacles opposed by these 
 mountains in several places at their issue have formed 
 «ionsiderable lakes, such as those oi Antioch, Aleppo, 
 Damascus, Hoala, Tabaria, and that which is honored 
 
• 64 
 
 with the name of the Dead sea, or lake of AsphaititeSy 
 and into which the river Jordan empties itself All these 
 lakes except the last, are of fresh water, and contain sev- 
 eral species or fish different from those we are acquainted 
 with. Lake Asphaltite, alone contains neither animal 
 nor vegetable life. We see no verdure on its banks, nor 
 are fish to be found within its waters. 
 
65 
 BAY OF QUEBEC. 
 
 This engraving is an accurate view of the bay ot 
 Quebec, and the surrounding scenery. From SiHiman's 
 Tour, we have collected the following description : — On 
 the right, is the high promontory, situated on the western 
 side of the Montmorenci, and constituting the counter- 
 part to that exhibited in a former print ; the ship, and 
 saw-mill, and two adventurers, on the top of the preci- 
 pice, give some idea of its height. From the mill, we 
 see the aqueduct passing along the hill ; after it begins to 
 descend from the heights, it is covered on the top, with 
 thick plank, strongly bound by tim >er, to prevent the wa- 
 ter from overflowing, for the steam is so copious, as com- 
 pletely to fill this hollow box, through which the water is 
 hurried with a frightful velocity. On the left is Point 
 Levi, opposite to Quebec, and distant from the observer 
 five or six miles ; at the foot of this promontory, we see 
 a little settlement, a port in miniature, and numbers of 
 ships contiguous. In the extreme distance, are the hills 
 about the mouth of the Chaudiere river, and beyond it ; 
 they are from twelve to fifteen, and even twenty miles ^ 
 distant, and are situated oajhe right bank of the river St. 
 Lawrence. 
 
 In the middle of the view, on the right is the city of 
 Quebec, exhibiting a part, both of the upper and lower 
 town. We see the upper town, with its crowded show of 
 houses and spires, and with the flag and telegraph on 
 Cape Diamond, surrounded by its military wall, and dis- 
 tant four or five miles ; the wall passes along upon the 
 very edge of the precipice of naked black rock. Imme- 
 diately at the foot of this precipice, is a continuation of 
 the lower town with its quays, ships, and ware houses, 
 and on its extreme right, we see the steep ascent to the 
 palace gate. The promontory, on the right of the Mont- 
 morenci, intercepts the view of Beaufort, and of the beau- 
 tiful slope from it to the St. Lawrence ; nor do we see 
 the declivity of the city of Quebec to the north and west ; 
 from the highest parts that are in view, it declines very 
 rapidly in that direction, towards the Charles River ; and 
 this part is extensive and populous, and includes the fine 
 suburb of St. Johns. The front of the town, towards 
 the St, Lawrence, is circular, presenting its convex side 
 
66 
 
 to the rivers, in the form of the exterior curve of an am- 
 phitheatre. 
 
 Quebec, and its environs, present as magnificent 
 scenery as can well be imagined. — Towers and spires — 
 walls and rocks — cascades and precipices — swelling 
 hills, and luxuriant vallies, and w oody mountains—beau- 
 tiful villages, and numberless solitary villas, and white 
 cottages — with grand river, and crowding fleets, are all 
 united to delight the spectator. Such scenes wo¥ild b€- 
 esteemed very fine in any country. 
 
67 
 MOUNT VESUVIUS. 
 
 Extract of a letter from an officer onboard the United States Frigate 
 Java, Port Mahon, dated September 23, 1829, to a gentleman in 
 Washington city : 
 
 " We arrived here a few days ago, from a pleasant 
 cruise on the coast of Italy, A.frica, &c. visiting the prin- 
 cipal cities in the island of Sicily, Malta, &c. but all I 
 have seen bears no comparison with the grand city of 
 Naples, which for the splendor of the scenery that sur- 
 rounds the many monuments of ancient pride and gran- 
 deur which are in its vicinity, or the vices and luxuries of 
 its court, stands preeminent. On going ashore the first 
 object to which we directed our attention, was visiting the 
 grand and noble theatre of St. Carlos, which surpasses 
 any thing I have ever seen in its splendid and gaudy de- 
 corations and numerous company of performers. 
 
 * At twelve o'clock at night, four of my brother officers, 
 with myself, left the city, and proceeded to a small village 
 at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, where we procured asses, 
 and with our guides, commenced our toilsome progress to 
 the top of the mountain, among immense beds of lava, on 
 a road whose surface was much more broken than any 
 thing I had ever before seen. The night was rather dark, 
 and at intervals we could see the grand and awful sight of 
 Vesuvius, belching forth its flames, which it continues to 
 do for minutes at a time. From being unaccustomed to 
 it, we felt rather insecure, and indeed, when there were 
 so many examples of its devastation around us, it is not to 
 be wondered at that we should think of apparent danger ; 
 but the inhabitants pay no kind of attention to it. On ar- 
 riving at the hermit's dwelling, which is on the spine, we 
 found the door closed, and all hands wrapped in sleep, 
 [three o'clock A. M.] We, however soon induced the 
 hermit to rise from his slumbers. We found within seve- 
 ral Russian officers, who were bound to the top of the 
 mountain as well as ourselves ; as it was very foggy they 
 had concluded not to go, but we Yankees were not to be 
 put off by trifles ; so, after refreshment, we proceeded on, 
 and they followed, and after one hour of great toil we 
 reached the crater ; and indeed, I considered myself well 
 compensated for the labor of ascending. * The crater is 
 very large and is horrid in its appearance. It was smok- 
 er - 
 
68 
 
 ing very much, and at times throwing up fiery cinders;— 
 and on approaching too near, ^^e were almost suffocated 
 with the smell of sulphur. The prospect below us was 
 very beautiful ; indeed, we sav every thing within many 
 miles around including Naples, its beautiful bay, and the 
 many pretty villages in its vicinity. After remaining long^ 
 enough to see every thing satisfactorily, we descended in, 
 much less time than we had ascended. On our return, 
 we visited the city of Pompeii and H^culaneum, which 
 were destroyed by an eruption of the mountain in the 
 year 79 of the Christian era. There are many splendid 
 remains in Pompeii of its former magnificence and gran- 
 deur, which I have not room, in the limits of a letter, to 
 mention : and in fact my powers of description are inade- 
 quate to the task. 
 
69 
 MARINERS' CHURCH IN PORTLAND. 
 
 We present a very spirited view of the Mariner's Church 
 lately erected in Portland, Maine. We are indebted to 
 the Sailors' Magazine for the following account which 
 appeared in that interesting journal, while the building was 
 in an unfinished state. After stating that sea-faring men 
 in that port, had for several years enjoyed preaching dur- 
 ing the summer months^ and that much inconvenience 
 was experienced for the want of a suitable building, &c., 
 the account says — * Being thus situated, many of the 
 friends of seamen thought the time had arrived, when 
 strenuous efforts should be made to have a permanent 
 place of public worship for this class of men.' — Acting 
 under this impression, subscription papers were circulated 
 for donations in money to erect a Mariners' Church in 
 Portland, and about four thousand dollars were readily 
 obtained. Application was then made to the legislature 
 of Maine to incorporate a board of trustees of the Ma- 
 riners' Church in Portland, which was readily granted, 
 and sixteen persons incorporated as a board of trustees. 
 One of the objects of this board of trustees is to have a 
 school connected with the chapel, in which navigation, 
 arithmetic, writing and book-keeping are to be taught gra- 
 tuitously to seamen, when on shore. The legislature with 
 a liberality becoming a legislature of a commercial state, 
 also granted to the institution a half township of land, 
 the proceeds of which is to be appropriated in giving in- 
 struction to seamen in their particular profession. Having 
 proceeded thus far prosperously, the trustees began to 
 make inquiries for a suitable lot of land on which to erect 
 the church, always keeping in view the particular class 
 of persons for whom it was to be erected. They also had 
 in view in selecting the spot an eligible site for rents, in- 
 tending to have the lower stories occupied for stores, the 
 rents of which should in time support the institution. After 
 laboring for some time to procure a site, we almost gave 
 up in despair. About this time our town was visited by 
 a fire, which swept off a large number of buildings, and 
 among the rest those which we had labored to purchase. 
 We renewed the negotiation, and for eighteen thousand and 
 five hundred dollars purchased our lot. We immediately 
 commenced making contracts for the erection of the build- 
 
70 
 
 tng. One of our first contracts was for granite for the 
 front of the building which was to have been delivered to 
 us by the 15th of June last, 1828, but which was not de- 
 livered until the 15th of November.— Owing to this dis- 
 appointment, we have nt been able to complete but a 
 small part of the building. We have about two thousand 
 per year rented, and hope to obtain for the rentable part 
 three thousand five hundred dollars, leaving a chapel about 
 forty by sixty -five feet, and of sufficient height for galleries, 
 should they be wanted. Also, one school-room twenty 
 by thirty-five, and a library-room twenty by eleven ; and 
 also two rooms for the marine society of about thirty-five 
 by twenty, and sixteen by fifteen ; and another room for 
 a high nautical school of about eleven by twenty. Our 
 whole building covers all the space between Long and 
 Commercial wharf, at the head of both, fronting on Fore- 
 street ; eighty-two feet on Fore-street and extending 
 down Long wharf seventy feet. The sides on Long and 
 Commercial wharves form a basement story and make 
 good ship chandlery and grocery stores, the first story o^ 
 Fore-street is finished for a market house, &c,' 
 
r^^ 
 
71 
 YORK SPRINGS, ADAMS' Co. PENN. 
 
 The York Springs, in Pennsylvania, were so named 
 from having been situated in what was originally a part 
 of York county ; but they now lie in Adams' county, which 
 was taken from York, and made into a separate county 
 in the year 1800. York Springs is distant about 106 
 miles east by S3uth from Philadelphia. The route is 
 through the fine counties of Chester, Lancaster, and 
 York; a range of cultivated country not exceeded for 
 wealth or be.iuty in our land. The turnpike from York 
 to Gettysburgh, crosses the turnpike eight miles and a 
 half from the Spnngs, so that the access from two princi- 
 pal cities to this delightful and salutary spot is perfectly 
 easy and safe. Descending the Baltimore road the visi- 
 tor comes suddenly on the Springs situated at the foot of 
 a steep hill with the Bermudian creek flowing in the cen- 
 tre of a narrow valley. The principal mineral Springs 
 lies on the southeast side of the Bermudian, which flows 
 immediately by the enclosure, and was originally a deer 
 lick. Within the recollection of many of the old neigh- 
 bors, the white hunters, but little more civilized than 
 their predecessors, the Indians, used to lurk under the 
 covert of the rocks and thickets by the Springs, to make 
 sure of their unsuspecting victims, such as deer and 
 other kind of game ; which, guided by unerring instinct, 
 flocked to the pool whose water they delighted in, and 
 whose mud they liked for the salt it contained. The 
 brutes that now belong to civilized man, display the 
 same avidity for the waters of this Spring ; crossing in 
 numbers the clear flowing creek to reach the vent of the 
 Spring, where they are observed to drink in almost un- 
 credilable qi.ujitities. It was this marked propensity 
 which induced John Fokes, Esq. one of the earhest own- 
 ers, to have the qualities of this water inquired into. 
 Enough was ascertained without a regular analysis to 
 show that it contained ingredients highly valuable for 
 their medicinal effects, and the country people around 
 viewed the Spring with little less veneration than is be- 
 stowed on the far-famed relic of some Catholic shrine. 
 
 The water of the York Sulphur Spring, possesses no- 
 thing of that nauseous taste, which make? it a task to 
 drink that of many of the other mineral springs. It is 
 exceedingly light and palatable, and although containing 
 
72 
 
 little or no fixed air, it can be drank in extraordinary 
 quantities. 
 
 As yet, the public is in possession of no particular 
 standard of utility by which the resorts of watering pla- 
 ces might in some measure be regulated. The faculty 
 themselves, appear to be frequently at a loss at which 
 to send their patients to. In England, the mmerai 
 springs are steadily and regularly frequented, for experi- 
 ence has proved, that all mineral waters act gradually 
 on the constitution, and that it is to perseverance the 
 patient must look for ultimate and permanent relief. In 
 this country, it is otherwise, miracles are too often ex- 
 pected, and if by a few weeks trial a cure is not effected, 
 the restlessness of indisposition takes the patient to ano- 
 ther place where he is equally unsuccessful. 
 
 In the list of watering places, Ballston and Saratoga, 
 in the State of New York, are at present in most favor. 
 Independent of the intrinsic merits of their waters, the 
 delightful tour up the Hudson river, with the contiguity 
 to the enchantment of lake scenery, must always attract 
 to them a crowd of invalids, as well as an overflow o| 
 gay visitors, 
 
73 
 RUINS OF THE THEATRE AT TAORMINi, 
 
 WITH A DISTANT VIEW OF MOUNT ETNA. 
 
 In Taormina, a city of Sicily, are the ruins of a Thea- 
 tre, which are placed on a high mountain projecting into 
 the sea. The art, the taste, the magnificer-'e of the an- 
 cients, were combined in this spot, where they erected 
 a theatre, the remains of which still compose the finest 
 sight in the world. Placed upon the highest seats, you 
 perceive, through the porticos which adorn the stage^ 
 Etna, the ancient port of Venus, the shore on which 
 stood the Altar of Apollo, the towns of laci, Leontini, 
 and Syracuse, and the boundless sea. If this ruin in 
 its present state moves and elevates the Si»ul, what must 
 it have been when at the back ol the same theatre you 
 might see the lava of the volcano threaten the shore^ 
 and its fires light the stage, while the mind and the eyes 
 were struck at once ; the latter by the storms of the 
 ocean, the former by the griefs of Electra and the mis- 
 fortunes of the Atrides. Where could the Cyclops of 
 Euripides be better represented 1 since Etna, emitting 
 clouds of smoke, appeared at the back of the stage. It 
 is easy to show that the theatre of Taormina was^ cased 
 with marble, and that it might contain from twenty-five 
 to thirty thousand persons. 
 
 The small village of Mola is situated above the mo- 
 dern Taormina. These remains, as well as those of a 
 ruined fortress, which crowns a work of still greater ele- 
 vation, seem as if they had been the model for the 
 bold pencil of Salvator Rosa. Like all the little towns 
 in Cicily, Taormina is dirty, ill paved, and with streets 
 so narrow, that two persons can scarcely walk abreast. 
 This city has always been an important military post ; 
 consequently we find at every step Greek ruins, Roman 
 walls, and Saracen towers ; the caitus, briers, and ivy, 
 overgrow these useless works, while pines and palms 
 gracefully wave above the ruins. 
 
74 
 MALTON, YORK COUNTY, ENGLAND, 
 
 The town of Malton, is situated in the North Riding 
 of the county of York, at the distance of two hundred and 
 seventeen miles from London. It is divided into the Old 
 and New town, by a stone bridge, over the river Derwent, 
 which was made navigable to this place, and from thence 
 to the river Ouse, in the first year of the reign of Queen 
 Anne. 
 
 New Malton has been so called ever since the time of 
 king Stephen, in whose reign it was rebuilt by Eustace 
 Fitz-John ; who also erected and endowed a priory for 
 Gilbertine Canons, about the year 1 1 50, at Old Malton, 
 some remains of which may yet be seen. It was de- 
 dicated to the Virgin Mary and its value at the time of 
 the general dissolution was reckoned to be one hundred 
 ninety-seven pounds and nineteen shillings. There was 
 also a castle at Malton, in the reign of Henry the I., traces 
 of which are still visible. The town which is populous, con- 
 tains three parish churches, is a borough by prescription, 
 governed by a bailiff, and sends two members to parlia- 
 ment. It had the honour to be represented in parliament 
 by that celebrated statesman the Hon. Edmund Burke. 
 The spire of the church seen in the engraving, and 
 which appears unfinished, was left in its present state 
 through a dread of overbalancing the whole structure by 
 its extreme ponderosity, had it been completed on the 
 plan which the architect at first evidently intended. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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