Travels Through North America, v. 1-2

Worcester and Northampton.-Sojourn there,

ester, distant forty miles. The mail-coach, like the diligence stage, consists of a long calash with three benches, each capable of containing three persons. The top

are not even nailed upon the beams, so that I began to be somewhat fearful, especially as the carriage drove rapidly over. About two miles from Worcester we crossed a lake called Guansiganog-pond, on a wooden bridge one-fourth of a mile in length. The banks of this lake are covered with wood, and present a very handsome appearance. On our way, we were overtaken by a considerable thunder-storm, which settled the dust, and procured us a pleasant evening. We arrived at Worcester about 7 o'clock, and alighted at an excellent tavern. This town contains about four thousand inhabitants, and consists of a principal street, with an avenue shaded with old elm trees, and of several bye-streets, which, like the preceding, are altogether unpaved. The houses, generally built of wood, and but few of brick, are all surrounded with gardens, and stand at a considerable distance from each other, so that the town appears like a village. It has four churches, a bank, and three printing-offices, each of which furnishes a newspaper. There are also printing-offices in many of the villages through which we passed, as well as a fire-engine in each. In the evening we paid a visit to the governor of Ma

troyed by fire. The soil is not particularly fertile. We observed numerous blocks of granite, which may be hereafter usefully employed, the large for building, and the small upon the roads. The villages which we passed on our way are Leicester, seven, Spencer, five, Brookfield, seven, Ware, eight, Belchertown, nine, and Madley, ten miles. They are most of them small places, consisting generally of frame houses, standing at a distance from each other, which are very neat and comfortable; each village has a frame church and a school-house. Stores are observed in most of these places, and in Belchertown there is even a fashionable one. The churches are usually provided with long sheds, in which the carriages and horses of the members of the church are protected from the heat and weather during the service. Ware, situated on the river of the same name, which is crossed by a wooden bridge rather better built than usual, was laid out about three years since; it is a neat, flourishing place, and belongs to the Dexter family in Boston, who have established a woollen and cotton manufactory here, the workmen of which, above three hundred in number, form the inhabitants of the place. Mr. Dexter, of Boston, had entrusted me with an important packet of papers for his brother, who resides in Ware, which I delivered in person. We found Mr. Dexter with his beautiful wife, at his neat and well arranged cottage, situ

eniences. Elm trees stand in front of the house, and a large reflecting lamp illuminates the house and the yard. This, with the beautiful warm evening, and the great number of people, who reposed on the piazza, or went to and from the house, produced a very agreeable effect. The people here are exceedingly religious, and, besides going to church on Sundays, they go thrice during the week. When we arrived, the service had just ende

introduced one of his professors, Dr. Beck, of Heidelberg, a step-son of Dr. De Wette, of Weimar, who teaches the Latin and Greek languages. Another German professor, whom,

rcises, for which a place is provided in the woods, with the necessary apparatus, form a principal part of the instructions of this seminary. The boys are entirely excluded from the world; but that they may not become too much estranged, Mr. Cogswell accompanies them annually in various pedestrian tours through the surrounding country. I visited Mr. Bancroft at his room. Both these gentlemen entertain the warmest enthusiasm for Germany and the German method of instruction, and are determined to regulate every thing according to that system. Mr. Bates, a lawyer introduced to us by Mr. Cogswell, returned with us to town, and showed us the church, court-house, and a collection of minerals, in the possession of Dr. Hunt,

oach, into which we were crowded, somewhat like those that were shut up in the Trojan horse. We arrived about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and again found an excellent tavern, which was provided with a piazza. Our ride passed through

exception that they are somewhat shorter, while the bayonets are rather longer. The barrels and bayonets are browned, as Dupin has described at full length in Travels through Great Britain. We examined the works throughout. There are several houses, and the machines are propelled by water. They finish annually fifteen thousand muskets, each of which costs the government on an average eleven dollars. How much might be saved, if, as in other countries, muskets were made by private workmen! The arsenal in which these muskets are preserved and packed in chests, each containing twenty pieces, was destroyed by fire about a year and a half since, but having been rebuilt, it consists at present of a centre building for the offices, two isolated wings for the preservation of the different arms, and of several other adjacent buildings for the necessary workshops. These buildings form an oblong

the stage-office, and were much pleased at the clean and comfortable appearance of the houses and inhabitants. It was so cold early in the morning, that a large fire which we found at this house, was quite comfortable. The road through the wild romantic valley, generally ascending, and along the river, was rather bad, and often very narrow; instead of a railing, there were only trunks of large trees, which were permitted to decay in a very unjustifiable manner. The bridges also were as badly built as those of which we have already complained.

an, thirteen miles distant, we left the state of Massachusetts, and entered that of New York. The other villages which we passed after our departure from Canaan, were Chatham, six miles, Nassau, or Union Village, four miles, and Schoodie, five miles. The distance from Springfield to Albany is eighty-one miles. The above villages have a neat and comfortable appearance, and the fields were in

Dutch in 1614, under the name of Fort Orange, and received its present name after it came into the possession of the English, in honour of the afterwards unfor

e pavements were so bad that I was obliged to complain immediately upon our arrival, and this I was subsequently forced to repeat; the streets were also very crooked. We visited several bookstores, which appeared to be well furnished, and then took a walk to the new basin, into which the canal empties. It is separated from the Hudson by a dam which runs parallel with the river, and is four thousand feet long, from three to four hundred wide, and ten feet deep. The dam is built of strong rafters, which form its two walls, the intervals of which are filled up with earth and stone. It is connected with the bank of the river by several high wooden bridges, in the centre of which there are drawbridges for the passage of boats. The building of this dam cost one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. It was divided into lots, and sold separately, on condition that store-houses should be erected upon it: in consequence of this they have realized the sum of one hundred and ninety thousand dollars. In my opinion, the managers of the canal, at whose expense the basin and the two canals have been built, would have done better, if they had kept the dam an

ve occurred, serve to increase this evil report. From this reason, as well as on account of the disagreeable motion of the steam-engine, many persons were unwilling to risk their lives, so that they have attached a safety-barge to one of the steam-boats. This is a real floating hotel, furnished with the greatest luxury. In the ladies cabin there are even silk curtains. Besides this, the ladies have a separate toilette and parlour. The gentlemen assemble in the dining

deck is a round house, in which six horses work, turning a horizontal, which moves two common wheels between the boats, provided with paddles, as in the steam-boats. The

the intention of the inhabitants shortly to remove the seat of government to Utica, which is situated farther to the west, and in a more central part of the state. The capitol is built of brown sand-stone, and in a quadrangular form; in front it is ornamented with large steps, and four Ionic columns of white marble. The halls of the different branches of the legislature are spacious, but exhibit nothing remarkable. In one of the halls is a full length portrait of Washington, and

vassals who were obliged to pay a certain rent, and to render certain services to the owner. The eldest of the Van Rensselaer family has always borne the title of patroon, and enjoys certain feudal prerogatives, for which the family are indebted to the great popularity