Travels Through North America, During the Years 1825 and 1826. v. 1-2

Unluckily for me, my port-folio also remained behind among my other baggage. I suffered therefore, the whole forenoon of the next day the most excessive tedium, and was obliged to remain in noble idleness. I went to walk in the woods, gaped about at the pretty flowers, and the amazing variety of butterflies; came back, seated myself in Mr. Dunn’s store, and viewed the steam-boats going down the river. At length in the afternoon, Böttner arrived, with my baggage in a one-horse cart, splashed all over with mud, as he had been obliged to lead the restive horse all the way by the bridle. The poor fellow bivouacked in the woods yesterday, from one o’clock in the morning till four in the evening, when by chance the shepherds of New Harmony passed by, and gave Mr. Owen an account of Böttner’s situation, upon which old Dr. M‘Namee had come out with his one-horse vehicle, and brought back the baggage and its guard. By Mr. Owen’s kindness, the cart was on this day sent on, with my effects.

Now my earnest desire was to get away as quickly as possible. To be sure, the splendid view of the Ohio and its banks by the light of the moon, regaled me in the evening; but the residence in this place was too inhospitable and uninteresting; besides I suffered the whole afternoon and evening with tooth-ache, and symptoms of fever. But how were we to get away? During the night a steam-boat passed, going up the river, but she kept to the left bank where the deepest water was, and took no notice of Mount Vernon. About nine o’clock on the 23d of April, another steam-boat, the General Wayne, came up, bound in the same direction. A flag was hoisted, to give notice that passengers wished to come on board, we waved our handkerchiefs, but the vessel did not regard us, and passed on. To kill time, I went with Mr. Riley to Major Dunn’s store, where we told stories about steam-boats to keep off ennui as well as we could, but in vain. In the evening I heard much concerning Rapp’s society, from a German mechanic, who had belonged to it, and who had left it as he said, because Rapp refused to let him have the inheritance of his father-in-law. We heard psalmody in the court-house, for the religious inhabitants of the place, mostly methodists, hold Sunday evening prayer meetings without a clergyman. The day was upon the whole quite warm, and towards evening we had to contend with numbers of mosquetoes. To prevent in some measure their coming from the woods, where they harboured, fires were kindled about the place, and likewise before the houses. The situation here must be an unhealthy one, for not only was I annoyed during the night with head-ache and fever, but Messrs. Huygens, Riley, and Johnson, complained of being unwell. With the exception of some miserable, filthy lodgings in Canada, I do not recollect in any part of the United States, even among the Creek Indians, to have found myself so wretchedly situated in every respect, as here. The food, furnished in small quantity as it was, was hardly fit to be eaten; the only beverage was water, which it was necessary to mix with ordinary whiskey; the beds very bad; and the whole house in a state of the most revolting filthiness.

On the morning of the 24th of April, came the hour of our deliverance. The steam-boat General Neville came up the river after seven o’clock. We dispatched a boat to tell them that several cabin passengers waited for them in Mount Vernon. Immediately the vessel steered for our shore, and took us in.

We were extremely rejoiced at our escape from this disagreeable place. The boat had come from St. Louis, and was bound for Louisville. She was but small, containing sixteen births in her cabin, and had a high-pressure engine. Luckily, however, we found but three cabin passengers on board. We started immediately, and the banks of the river here and there low and subject to inundation, gratified us very much by the fresh green of the trees. We passed by some considerable islands. One of them, Diamond Island, is about three miles and a half long and above a mile broad, and must contain several thousand acres of excellent land. Afterwards we saw upon the left bank, here pretty high, the little town of Henderson, in Kentucky. Eleven miles and a half higher, we saw Evansville upon an eminence on the right shore, still an inconsiderable place, but busy; it being the principal place in the county of Vandeburg, in the state of Indiana, lying in the neighbourhood of a body of fertile land, and is a convenient landing place for emigrants, who go to the Wabash country. Upon the same shore are seen several dwellings upon the fresh turf, shaded by high green trees. Close below Evansville, a small river called Big Pigeon creek falls into the Ohio. In its mouth we saw several flat boats, with apparatus similar to pile-driving machines. These vessels belong to a contractor, who has entered into an engagement with the government, to make the Ohio free and clear of the snags and sawyers lying in its current. This work was discharged in a negligent manner, and the officer to whom the superintendence was committed, is censured for having suffered himself to be imposed upon. I remembered having seen models in the patent-office at Washington, of machines which were intended to effect this purpose. Seven miles and a half higher up, Green river unites itself to the Ohio on the left bank. Of this the Western Navigator says: “that it is a considerable river in Kentucky, navigable about two hundred miles, and rises in Lincoln county.” On board our boat we did not find ourselves comfortable, either in respect to lodging, or the table. All was small and confined, and in the evening we were much annoyed by the mosquetoes. My mosqueto bar, purchased in New Orleans, assisted me very much as a defence during the night.

During the night, we stopped several times to take in wood, and once to repair the engine. An overhanging tree, which we approached too nearly, gave us a powerful blow, and did much damage to the upper part of the vessel. I had no state room, and therefore obtained no sleep during the constant uproar. The banks became constantly higher, and more picturesque in their appearance. They were frequently rocky: in several rocks we observed cavities, which with the houses built in front of them, produced a pleasing effect. Upon the right bank, was a little place called Troy; several settlements, composed of frame houses, instead of logs. Towards evening we saw upon the left bank, the mouth of a little stream, Sinking creek. Upon the right shore of this creek, is a group of houses called Rome, and on the left a little place, named Stevensport; both places are united by a wooden bridge, resting upon one high pier. I spent nearly the whole day on deck, to regale myself with the beautiful landscapes surrounding us. Between several turns of the river the country is so shut in, that one would suppose himself sailing on a lake. The agreeable sensations caused by the beautiful country, and the mild spring temperature which surrounded me, upon the whole compensated for many of our privations. We indeed were in want of every thing but absolute necessaries. I met an acquaintance indeed; one of our fellow travellers who had formerly been a clerk of the English North West Company, and had remained three years at the posts of the company in the Rocky Mountains, and on the Columbia river; but this person had acquired so many of the habits of the savages, that his company was in no wise an acquisition. I was also, as well as all the other gentlemen who had been in that unlucky Mount Vernon, tormented with constant pains in the limbs, and our coarse food was so bad, that it was hardly possible to consume it. There was neither wine nor beer on board, nor any acids, so that water and whiskey, were the beverages to which we were reduced. For many years I had never undergone such gastronomic privations, as in the western parts of America. The Ohio appears to contain many good and well tasted fish, but it seems that the people here prefer the eternal hog meat, and that mostly salted, to every thing else, for until now I had seen no fish in these regions, at least none procured for eating. In the night, we advanced on our voyage without stop or accident.

On the morning of the 26th of April, we saw the mouth of Salt river, which, as the Western Navigator says, is a considerable river of Kentucky, about one hundred and thirty yards wide at its mouth, and navigable one hundred and fifty miles. Twenty miles above this, the little town of New Albany lies on the right bank, which promises to be a flourishing place. It has a factory of steam-engines, which finds good employment here. On the bank, a newly-built steam-boat was lying, waiting for her engine. These engines must be built very strong, proportionably too powerful for the tonnage of the vessel, on account of the stiffness of the current. They of consequence suffer a violent shock from it, and can only be used about three years. An island in the river divides it into two narrow channels, in which there are rapid currents. Above the island is the foot of the Falls of Ohio. At the present high stage of water, the descent does not strike the eye, and vessels are able to pass up or down the river over the falls. Ours, which went no farther up, stopped on the left bank at Shippingport, opposite New Albany, two miles below Louisville.

Shippingport, is an insignificant place, which is supported by the lading and unlading of vessels. We found several hackney coaches, which carried us and our baggage by land to Louisville, where we took up our abode in a large and respectable inn, called Washington Hall, kept by a Mr. Allen. The Western Navigator has the following remarks upon this neighbourhood: “The rapids of the Ohio are, in a natural as well as a political regard, a point well deserving of attention. In low states of the water, they are the termination of navigation by steam-boats, and the last place in the descent of the Ohio, where any considerable impediment occurs in its course. A number of infant towns have already sprung up on both shores of the Ohio, in the neighbourhood of this point, Jefferson, Clarksburg, and New Albany, in Indiana; Louisville, Shippingport, and Portland, in Kentucky. Among these is Louisville, the principal, with a population of three thousand souls; while new Albany contains about one thousand, Shippingport six hundred, and Jeffersonville five hundred inhabitants; all these are thriving situations. Inclusive of the towns and neighbourhood, there is a population of ten thousand people in this vicinity. In the year 1810, Louisville contained only thirteen hundred and fifty-seven inhabitants; it exceeds beyond a doubt its present estimate of five thousand, and will still increase. It is the seat of justice for Jefferson county, Kentucky, contains a prison, court-house, and the other essential buildings, besides a theatre, three banks, of which one is a branch of the United States Bank, a market, several places of worship, and three printing-offices. Louisville lies in 38° 18’ north latitude, and 5° 42’ west longitude from Washington.”

Louisville, at least the main street of it, running parallel with the Ohio, has a good appearance. This street is rather broad, paved, and provided with foot-walks; it contains brick buildings and several considerable stores. In our hotel, I renewed my acquaintance with Major Davenport, of the sixth regiment of infantry, whom, together with his lady, I had known in Washington, at General Brown’s, and who is here on recruiting duty. It fell out luckily enough, that the post-master here, Mr. Gray, had just married his daughter, and in compliment to her gave a splendid party, to which I received an invitation. I repaired to it with Major Davenport, and found an extremely numerous, and, contrary to my expectations, even an elegant society. It was a real English rout, so full that many of the guests were obliged to remain on the steps. I was introduced to most of the ladies and gentlemen, was forced to talk a good deal, and found myself very much annoyed by the heat prevailing in the rooms. About eleven o’clock, I reached home heartily fatigued.

In former years, when the state of Kentucky was an integral part of Virginia, Louisville consisted of a stockade, built as a protection against the hostile Indian tribes, who then still inhabited the banks of the Ohio. It received its name as a mark of respect for the unfortunate King, Louis XVI. This is attributable to the Canadian traders, who established this post to secure their trade. By degrees white settlers joined them, and thus the town commenced, which at first suffered much from the Indians. It is five hundred and eighty miles distant from Pittsburgh, one hundred and thirty-one from Cincinnati, and thirteen hundred and forty-nine from New Orleans. I took a walk with Major Davenport through the town, and to the new canal. It consists of three streets running parallel with the Ohio, of which only the first or front one is built out completely and paved; and of several cross streets which cut the former at right angles. It has several churches, tolerably well built; a new one was began, but on rather too large a scale. The pious funds were exhausted; therefore a lodge of freemasons undertook the finishing of this grand house, and kept it for their own use. The canal is destined to light vessels over the Ohio, when they cannot pass the falls on account of low water, and are obliged to discharge their cargo. It is apprehended however, that the money invested in the canal will not yield a great interest, as the time of service, for which the canal is required does not extend beyond three months. During six months of the year the Ohio is so low, that not a solitary boat can navigate it, and when it rises, it becomes so high, that the rocks which produce the rapids are covered, so that vessels can go up and down without danger. The labour on the canal has been commenced about six weeks. The banks in the neighbourhood of the canal are high, and present a beautiful prospect over the rapids, and the adjacent region, which is well cultivated and bounded by woody hills.

A second walk with Major Davenport, was directed to the north side of the town, where several respectable country houses are situated, all built of brick; and then to a handsome wood, through which a causeway runs, which is used by the inhabitants as a pleasure walk. The wood contains very handsome beech trees, sugar maples, sycamores and locust trees, also different species of nut-bearing trees.

The state of Kentucky is involved at this period in considerable confusion. A son of Governor Desha, was arrested on a charge of having robbed and murdered a traveller the year before; was tried and found guilty by two different juries. For the purpose of screening his son, as was reported, the governor had changed the whole court, and filled it anew with his own creatures. There was a prodigious excitement through the state at this arbitrary stroke of authority. It was torn by parties; I was assured that political struggles, often terminating in sanguinary conflicts, were the order of the day; nay, that this division had already given occasion to several assassinations. It is said to be almost as dangerous to speak upon the political relations of the state, as to converse upon religion in Spain.

A merchant from Lexington, Mr. Wenzel, a native of Bavaria, made me acquainted with an architect, Barret, from New York, who has the superintendence over the canal that is going forward. I received some more particular intelligence from this person concerning the work. The expense was estimated at three hundred and seventy-seven thousand dollars. The labour on it began this March, and is to be concluded in the month of November of the following year. The length of the canal amounts to nearly two miles. It commences below Louisville in a small bay, goes behind Shippingport, and joins the Ohio between that place and Portland. Its descent was reckoned at twenty-four feet. Three locks, each at a distance of one hundred and ninety feet from each other, will be located not far from the mouth near Shippingport, and the difference of level in each will be eight feet. The breadth of the locks was fixed at fifty feet, to admit of the passage of the broadest steam-boat, on which account also the interval from one lock to the other was made one hundred and ninety feet. Above the highest lock on both sides of the canal, dry docks will be constructed for steam-boats to repair in. The sides of the canal are only walled with masonry between the locks. The banks above are in a terrace form. One advantage this canal has, is that the bottom consists of rock; the depth to which it is hewed or blown out, must be throughout fifty feet wide. The rock, however, which is broke out here is a brittle limestone, which is not fit for water masonry, and of course does not answer for locks. The rock employed for this work is a species of blue stone, brought out of the state of Indiana, and a bulk of sixteen square feet, four feet deep, costs four dollars delivered at the canal. To dig this canal out, twenty-seven feet of yellow clay at its thickest part, then seven feet thick of yellow sand; from here fifteen feet thick of blue clay, must be passed through before you come to the rock, where there are ten feet thickness still to be dug away. As for the lock gates, they were to be made only of timber, and none of the improvements introduced in England, either the elliptical form of the gates, or the iron frames were to be employed. Moreover, I observed from the profile of the work, the incredible height of the river, which often raises itself fifty feet over places fordable in the last of summer.

Upon the following day I took a walk with Dr. Croghan and Major Davenport, down the canal to Shippingport, and witnessed the labour in removing the earth for the canal. The soil intended to be dug out, was first ploughed by a heavy plough, drawn by six oxen. Afterwards a sort of scoop drawn by two horses was filled with earth, (and it contained three times as much as an ordinary wheel-barrow,) it was then carried up the slope, where it was deposited, and the scoop was brought back to be filled anew. In this manner much time and manual labour was saved.

Several steam-boats lie at Shippingport, among them was the General Wayne, which had arrived at New Orleans in five days voyage from this place; had stopt there five days on account of unloading, and reloading, and had made her return trip from New Orleans to Louisville in ten days; consequently had moved against the stream one hundred and thirty-five miles daily. Several hackney coaches waited here from Louisville, expecting the arrival of the steam-boat George Washington, which was looked for every minute. The country is highly romantic. We found ourselves on an eminence upon the bank, where a large substantial warehouse had been built jutting over the river. Before us was the foot of the falls; opposite an island overgrown with wood, to the right the falls, and Louisville in the back ground; to the left on the other shore, New Albany, and all around in the rear, a green forest of the finest trees.

On our return we passed by a large deserted brick building. It is called the Hope Distillery, and was established by a company of speculators to do business on a large scale. After the company had invested about seventy thousand dollars, several of the stockholders stopped payment. One of them procured the whole at auction for three thousand dollars, and would now let any one have it for less. In the year 1817, the desire to buy land and build upon it, had risen to a mania in this place. Dr. Croghan showed me a lot of ground, which he had then purchased for two thousand dollars, and for which, at present, no one would hardly offer him seven hundred. He has hired a German gardener, who has laid out a very pretty vegetable garden on this spot, which will yield considerable profit by his industrious management.

Dr. Ferguson, a physician here, carried us to the hospital. This edifice lies insulated upon a small eminence. The building was commenced several years ago, and is not yet finished. The state of Kentucky gave the ground as a donation, and bears a part of the expenses of building. As the establishment is principally used for the reception of sick seamen, congress has given the hospital a revenue from the custom-house in New Orleans. The hospital consists of a basement story, three stories above, and wings, which each have a basement and two stories. In the basement of the centre building, are the kitchen, wash-house, the store-rooms, &c., and in the upper story, the chamber for the meeting of the directors, the apothecary’s room, the steward’s dwelling, and the state rooms for patients paying board and lodging. In the third story a theatre for surgical operations will be arranged. In the wings are roomy and well aired apartments for the white patients, and in the basement, those for the negroes and coloured persons. Slavery is still permitted in Kentucky. There has been until now only one apartment habitable, in which twelve patients are lying. These have cleanly beds, but only wooden bedsteads. When the building is thoroughly finished, it will contain at least one hundred and fifty persons with comfort. Such an establishment is extremely necessary for such a place as Louisville, which is very unhealthy in summer.

I made with Major Davenport an excursion into the country, to the very respectable country-seat, Locust Grove, six miles from Louisville, belonging to Dr. Croghan and a younger brother, and inherited from their father. Close by the town we crossed a small stream, which falls here into the Ohio, and is called Bear Grass creek. This serves the keel and flat boats as a very safe harbour. From the bridge over this, the road goes several miles through a handsome wood on the banks of the Ohio, past country-seats, and well cultivated fields, behind which fine looking hills arose. The wood consisted mostly of sycamores. We observed five that sprung from one root; two are quite common. The trees are very thick. We measured the bulk of the thickest sycamore, and found it twenty-seven feet four inches in circumference. I never recollect to have seen such a mammoth tree. Locust Grove itself lies about a mile from the river, and is, as appears from its name, surrounded by those trees. We found here the doctor, his brother William Croghan, with his young wife, a native of Pittsburgh, and a fat, lovely little boy, who strikingly reminded me of my sons.

At a party in the house of Mr. Use, a rich merchant and president of the branch of the United States Bank here, we met a very numerous and splendid society. Cotillions and reels were danced to the music of a single violin, and every thing went off pleasantly. We remained till midnight, and the company were still keeping up the dance, when we left them.

Dr. Ferguson was very much occupied in vaccination. The natural small-pox had made its appearance within a few days, under a very malignant form, in the town. On this account every one had their children vaccinated as speedily as possible; even those who were prejudiced against vaccination. In the evening, I went with Major and Mrs. Davenport to the house of Mrs. Wilson, to tea, whose daughter, fifteen years of age, had been married above a month. The young females marry much too early here, quite as early as in Louisiana.

There were two pieces represented at the theatre for the benefit of a Mrs. Drake; Man and Wife, a favourite English drama, and a farce called Three Weeks after Marriage. We were present on this occasion. The proscenium is very small; a confined pit, a single row of boxes, and a gallery. It was well filled; as Mrs. Drake was very much a favourite with the ladies here, all the boxes were full of the fashionables of the place. The dramatic corps was very ordinary with the exception of Mrs. Drake. Most of the actors were dressed very badly, had not committed their parts, and played in a vulgar style. One actor was so intoxicated, that he was hardly able to keep his legs.

I was furthermore witness to a revolting spectacle in Louisville, from which I escaped as quick as I was able. A pregnant mulatto woman was offered for sale at public auction, with her two children. The woman stood with her children on a bench at a coffee-house; the auctioneer standing by her side, indulged himself in brutal jests upon her thriving condition, and sold her for four hundred dollars!

CHAPTER XXIII

Cincinnati, interior of the State of Ohio. – Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania

On the 30th of April I was very agreeably surprised by a visit from Colonel Wool, returning from an inspection on the Red river, the Arkansas, and New Orleans: he had ascended the stream in the steam-boat Washington, and arrived in the night at Shippingport. Being on his return to Washington, he took his passage on board the steam-boat Atlanta, for Pittsburgh. As this boat stopped at Cincinnati, whither it was my intention to go, I immediately concluded upon continuing my journey in the same boat, to enjoy as long as possible the society of so estimable a friend. We went on board between ten and eleven. The Atlanta was crowded with passengers, but we were fixed very comfortably and neatly. The greater part of the passengers were from Natchez, who came with the intention of spending the summer in the healthier northern states. Among them was Major Chotard, who was going with his family to New York, whence he intended to embark for France; and Abbé Martial, a Frenchman, who had kept a boarding-school in New Orleans for a long time, and was at that time employed by the Bishop of Kentucky in Bairdstown, on whose account he was to travel in France and Italy.

Our trip up the river was very pleasant. The weather was fine; the shores of the Ohio became more and more interesting the higher we ascended the stream. In the afternoon, we perceived on the right shore the little town of Madison, situated on an eminence. It appeared to be in a flourishing condition, and contained many brick houses; a multitude of well-dressed persons were standing on the shore. Towards evening we passed the mouth of the Kentucky river on the left shore. The Kentucky river, according to the Western Navigator, is a beautiful river in Kentucky. It originates in the Cumberland mountains, is two hundred miles in length, one hundred and fifty of which are navigable. Its mouth is one hundred and sixty yards broad, and proves to be an excellent harbour for boats. The town occupies a very pretty situation; above its mouth, and farther down lies Prestonville. The flourishing town of Frankfort, the seat of government, is situated about sixty miles from the mouth of the river. The former is five hundred and twenty-four and a half miles distant from Pittsburgh, fifty-seven and a half from Cincinnati, and fifty-five and a half from Louisville. Shortly after leaving Louisville, we were followed by another steam-boat called the General Marion, towards evening it reached, and wanted to pass us; a race took place, which discomposed us considerably, and became dangerous to a high degree. The boilers, being soon over-heated, might have burst and occasioned a great disaster; during this time we were so close together, that the railing, as well as the roofs of the wheels knocked against each other. The danger increased as night drew on, and particularly so as there were a great number of ladies on board, who were crying in a most piteous manner. One of them conducted herself most distractedly; she fell into hysteric fits, wanted to throw herself in the water on the opposite side of the boat, and could scarcely be prevented by three strong men. The heating of the boilers of the General Marion had been so violent, that they ran short of wood, and to their great confusion, and our extreme satisfaction, they were not only left behind, but were overtaken by the slow steam-boat Ohio: thus the Atlanta obtained a brilliant victory. Ten miles above the mouth of the Kentucky river on the right shore, is the little town of Vevay, built and inhabited by Switzers. They planted vineyards, which it is said give them a good revenue. I regretted very much that we passed them by night, and thus were deprived of the view of Vevay. On the left shore is a small village called Ghent, in honour of the treaty concluded in that city, in Flanders. I regretted not to have been able to visit that place, if only on account of the name. Without farther accident we went on the whole night, and next morning found ourselves opposite to the mouth of the Great Miami, which joins the Ohio from the right shore. This stream forms the boundary between the states of Indiana and Ohio, and the Western Navigator makes the following observation concerning it. “The Great Miami is a considerable river, which takes its sources in Allen, Logan, Shelby, Merion, and Drake counties. It runs southerly through Miami and Montgomery counties, and receives in the last two considerable rivers, on the left the Mad river, and on the right the south-west fork. On entering Butler county the Miami takes a south-westerly direction, and flows into the Ohio at the south-west corner of this state, and the north-east one of Indiana. Its course is one hundred and twenty miles. Its sources situated between 40° and 41° lat. are in the vicinity of the Massassinaway, a branch of the Wabash, the Auglaize and St. Mary’s, which are branches of the Maumée and the Sciota, its course is in general rapid, but without any considerable falls, and runs through a large and fertile valley which is partly submerged by high water. Near Dayton, about seventy-five miles from its mouth, the Miami receives on the east side the Mad river; from this place boats carrying three and four thousand barrels, may run into the Ohio during high water. The trial of ascending Mad river is seldom made, the stream being too rapid and there being a great many sand-banks and dams. The Miami has a diameter of one hundred and fifty yards during forty miles. ”

We found the shores of the Ohio well cultivated, with orchards and Indian corn: we observed several very pretty country-seats. These shores are mostly elevated, and at the distance of about a mile we could perceive a chain of hills covered with woods, which made a fine prospect. Towards ten o’clock in the morning we reached Cincinnati, four hundred and forty-nine miles from Pittsburgh, one hundred and thirty-one from Louisville, and fourteen hundred and eighty from New Orleans. It is situated on the right shore of the Ohio, and built at the foot of a hill, which is surrounded by a half circle of higher hills covered with forests. This city presents a very fine aspect. The hills on the opposite side likewise form a half circle, and in this manner the hill on which Cincinnati is built, lies as it were in a basin. On the left shore, the Licking river flows into the Ohio. This, says the Western Navigator, is a considerable river in Kentucky, which, originating not far from the sources of the Cumberland and running about two hundred miles in a north-westerly direction, flows into the Ohio opposite Cincinnati. The towns of Newport and Covington, the former immediately above, and the latter below the mouth of Licking river, are beautifully situated in Campbell county, Kentucky: Newport contains a military depot of the United States. The shores near Cincinnati are rather steep, and to render the loading and unloading of boats more convenient, they are paved and provided with rings and chains of iron.

Before we could land, the health officers came on board to seek information respecting the health of the passengers, as great fears were entertained in Cincinnati of the small-pox, which was raging in Louisville. We took lodgings at Mack’s, a good hotel, near the shore. Shortly after our arrival, I took a walk in town with Colonel Wool and Major Foster, of the sixth regiment, who came here to recruit. We visited some bookstores. The town contains about fifteen thousand inhabitants, and consists mostly of brick houses. Some of the streets run parallel with the Ohio, and others form a right-angle with them, which makes them very regular; they are wide, well-paved, and have side-walks. Those streets which cross in the direction of the river, ascend and lead to the top of the hill, from which there is a view resembling a panorama. Here they were building a large Catholic cathedral, which was commenced during the last year, and would probably be finished the next: it will be an ornament to the city. The Bishop, Mr. Fenwick, had been travelling for some years past in the Catholic countries of Europe, and had collected considerable contributions for the construction of this cathedral. The old cathedral, a modest wooden building, stands yet in the rear of the new one; it is to be demolished when the former is finished. Cincinnati was settled in the year 1788, round an old fort, called Washington. The first settlers came from New England. The settlement did not succeed until 1794, when General Wayne subdued the Indians. In 1815, it contained six thousand five hundred, in 1818, about nine thousand, and in 1826, about fifteen thousand. Cincinnati is the most important city of the western states. There are two Presbyterian, two Methodist, one Episcopal, one Baptist, one Swedenborg, and one Quaker church, and the Catholic cathedral. There are three markets, and several museums. We visited the principal one, called the Western Museum, but did not meet with any thing new: several Indian dresses, weapons, pipes, a human scalp, a dried human head from the South Sea Islands, the head of an Egyptian mummy, manuscripts on papyrus from the sarcophagus of the mummies, several ancient and modern coins, the last consisting mostly of foreign gold coins, and some objects of natural history; a handsome collection of birds, many of them European, several quadrupeds, some minerals, as well as an indifferent collection of butterflies. We also saw some oil paintings,[59 - These had been presented to Bishop Fenwick by Cardinal Fesch, for his cathedral, and were only here, until they could find their place in the Temple of God.] scarcely worth mentioning, and finally some show-boxes.

To my great regret, Colonel Wool left us this day, to continue his journey up the river, on board the Atlanta. Having seen on the map of the city of Cincinnati, the indication of some Indian mounds, I went in search of them, but was unsuccessful, for the very good reason that the hills had been demolished and in their place houses built. After this I called on Bishop Fenwick, but he was not at home. I here met with a clergyman who was a native of Hildesheim, his name was Rese, who was educated in the Propaganda in Rome. This man showed me the old and new cathedral. The former is built of wood, resembling a German village church; in its interior the splendid episcopal seat is particularly distinguished. The altar had but few ornaments with the exception of four silver chandeliers which the Queen of Etruria gave to Bishop Fenwick for his church, and a gilded tabernacle a gift from Pope Pius VII. In the sacristy there were no ornaments, with the exception of two gilded frames with relics. The new cathedral is a spacious and lofty building: they were building the choir, in which an organ made in Pittsburgh was to be placed. There was to be a large vault under the altar, destined for the sepulture of the bishops and clergymen. The church had not as yet any bells, with respect to these, the clergy expected some contributions from Italy. The vicar-general of the bishop was Abbé Hill,[60 - [Brother of Lord Hill.] – Trans.] he had formerly been a captain in the British service, and having become a Catholic while in Italy, entered the Dominican order. He was said to be a good orator.

Deer creek runs into the Ohio above the town – two wooden bridges lead over it. This brook was very inconsiderable, and could be leaped over, but it was evident from its steep shores that it swelled sometimes to a great height. On the other side of this creek is the highest hill in the vicinity. From its summit there is a delightful prospect over the city and valley, the centre of which it occupies. This view, even in Europe, would be considered as very handsome. I found on the top a great quantity of reddish limestone with shells, an evident proof that this part of the country was formerly covered by the sea. Among the gentlemen who favoured me with their visits, I remember a General Neville, from Pittsburgh, whose father had been adjutant to General La Fayette during the revolutionary war. Mr. Symmes,[61 - [Peyton Symmes, Esq. receiver of the land office.] – Trans.] brother of Captain Symmes, author of the theory that our planet is hollow and inhabited, drew very well, and had collected the likenesses of all the persons visiting Cincinnati who had interested him: he had the kindness to include my portrait in his collection. Some of these gentlemen conducted me to see the remains of Indian antiquities which are yet existing, but which could scarcely be recognized. We ascended an Indian mound, which is about thirty feet high, situated in a garden. One part of it had been cut off, but nothing being found in it, they began to plant it with trees. I had resolved on travelling in the interior of the state of Ohio, in order to convince myself of the condition of this country, which has been inhabited but thirty years by a white population. I therefore renounced the comfortable travelling on the Ohio for the inconvenient passage by land. To be enabled to travel at my leisure, I hired a carriage with four horses, at six dollars per day, and left Cincinnati on the 3rd of May, at eleven o’clock, A. M. We rode that day twenty-one miles, to the lodgings of the governor, Mr. Morrow, to whom I had letters from Governor Johnson, of New Orleans. The road led through a hilly and well-cultivated country. The fields separated by worm fences adjoin each other, and contain good dwelling-houses and barns. Their extensive orchards mostly contain apple and peach trees. I had not seen before any place in the United States in so high a state of cultivation. But alas! the rain had made the roads so muddy, that it was with difficulty we proceeded. Fourteen miles from Cincinnati we reached a little country town, Montgomery, of very good appearance, surrounded with handsome fields. A few years past there were nothing but woods here, as the roots which still exist bear testimony. They cultivate Indian corn and wheat, which is said to succeed better here than in the state of Indiana. The dwelling of the governor consists of a plain frame house, situated on a little elevation not far from the shore of the little Miami, and is entirely surrounded by fields. The business of the state calls him once a month to Columbus, the seat of government, and the remainder of his time he passes at his country-seat, occupied with farming, a faithful copy of an ancient Cincinnatus; he was engaged at our arrival in cutting a wagon pole, but he immediately stopt his work to give us a hearty welcome. He appeared to be about fifty years of age; is not tall, but thin and strong, and has an expressive physiognomy, with dark and animated eyes. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and was one of the first settlers in the state of Ohio. He offered us a night’s lodging at his house, which invitation we accepted very thankfully. When seated round the chimney fire in the evening, he related to us a great many of the dangers and difficulties the first settlers had to contend with. They suffered mostly from the Delawares, the Indians then living there. They had to place their houses in a state of defence. There are at present scarcely any Indians in the state of Ohio, and it is not now necessary for the inhabitants to guard their crops and cattle, or to tremble for their lives. The governor told us that the increase of population in the state of Ohio was almost incredible. In the year 1800, it amounted to two hundred thousand inhabitants, in 1810, between four and five hundred thousand, in 1820, about eight hundred thousand, and it is to be expected that at the next census of 1830, it will pass one million. Very few of the settlers brought any thing with them, it was therefore necessary that they should do every thing by their industry and exertion. The state had not yet been able to undertake any public works, roads, &c. The two canals which were constructing, were the first great work which they had attempted. We spent our evening with the governor and his lady. Their children are settled, and they have with them only a couple of grandchildren. When we took our seats at supper, the governor made a prayer. There was a bible and several religious books lying on the table. After breakfasting with our hospitable host, we took our leave at nine o’clock, and rode fifteen miles to Union Village, a settlement of the Shakers. The road was again hilly, and the country as well cultivated as that we saw yesterday; we passed through a country town of good appearance, Lebanon, which lies only four miles from the Shaker Village.

Towards three o’clock, P. M. we reached Union Village, and as the Shakers do not allow any taverns nor public houses, we were received with great hospitality into one of their private dwellings; we had a clean and very nice apartment. Soon after our arrival, we were visited by a great number of the brothers, who looked at us in a very scrutinizing manner, and asked us a great many questions. The inquisitiveness of these people resembles very much that of the monks, to whom they bear a strong resemblance. I remarked among them two old persons named M‘Naman and Houston, on account of their sensible conversation; they had formerly been Presbyterian clergymen, and are now a sort of church-wardens to the congregation. This sect consists of six hundred members, and is of more recent origin than the one in the state of New York, containing mostly people of limited fortune. It had to contend in the commencement with great difficulties, and was not in so flourishing a condition as the one in New Lebanon. The produce of their labours is scarcely sufficient for their wants, they have therefore not been able as yet to establish stores, which are so productive to their fellow believers in New Lebanon. Their houses are good and clean, they are almost all of brick, and distant from each other. Each house has a stone staircase leading to two doors, separated only by a window. The right one is for the men, and the left for the females or sisters, and so the right side of the house is destined for the brothers and the left for the sisters. In the rear of the dwelling-houses, some of which contain sixty members, there is a separate building for the kitchen and dining-room, and for the workshops. The houses are surrounded with sods, over these boards are laid leading to the pumps, stables, wash-houses, &c.; along the side-walk and the road through the village, there are also boards for the pedestrian. At six o’clock in the evening, the members take supper in the adjacent refectories; I was permitted to look at them. Two long tables were covered on each side of the room, behind the tables were benches, in the midst of the room was a cupboard. At a signal given with a horn, the brothers entered the door to the right, and the sisters the one to the left, marching two and two to the table. The sisters in waiting, to the number of six, came at the same time from the kitchen and ranged themselves in one file opposite the table of the sisters. After which they all fell on their knees making a silent prayer, then arose, took hold of the benches behind them, sat down and took their meal in the greatest silence. I was told this manner was observed at all their daily meals. They eat bread, butter and cakes, and drank tea. Each member found his cup filled before him – the serving sisters filling them when required. One of the sisters was standing at the cupboard to pour out the tea – the meal was very short, the whole society rose at once, the benches were put back, they fell again on their knees, rose again, and wheeling to the right, left the room with a quick step. I remarked among the females some very pretty faces, but they were all without exception of a pale and sickly hue. They were disfigured by their ugly costume, which consists of a white starched bonnet. The men likewise had bad complexions. During the whole evening I was visited by the brothers, by whom I was completely examined; among them were two Frenchmen of the name of Conchon, father and son, who told me they were very well satisfied. The son had perfectly adopted the humble manner of the monks, did not open his eyes, and in explaining the principles of their sect according to the bible, he maintained that they were the only Christian sect who followed the true spirit of the gospel. Respecting their political regulations, they are entirely founded on perfect community of goods, and renunciation of all private property; they live in a perfect equality. It will be found that Mr. Owen has borrowed the greater part of the laws of his new social system from the Shakers, with this difference, that the Shakers are united by the tie of religion, and the hope of a better life, which is entirely disbelieved by Owen.

It is known that a part of the worship of the believers in mother Ann Lee, as the Shakers call themselves, consists in dancing. The bible gives us several examples of worship by dancing – king David danced before the ark. Mother Ann Lee, founder of this sect, taught that God should not only be worshipped with the tongue but with the whole body, and in consequence she introduced jumping and dancing in her divine service. This is practised publicly in church, accompanied by the singing of hymns composed for the purpose – strangers are admitted as spectators. Their church consists of a plain and spacious room, but not near so large as the church at New Lebanon. On the mornings and evenings during the week, there are private dancing prayers in the dwelling houses. The walls of the rooms of the brothers and sisters consists of large folding doors, which, when opened, form with the corridor one large room, in which they dance and jump. Our presence putting them under some restraint, there was no dancing in the evening, which was a great disappointment to us. Delicacy prevented my inquiring after the dance. At nine o’clock in the evening every one retired. I was shown to a very good and clean room.

The following day, 5th May, several brothers called upon me. Among them was a German, the only one belonging to this sect. His name was Christian Bockholder, a native of Neuwied on the Rhine. He is a small, weakly man, who was converted to this sect but six years ago, and who seemed much pleased, particularly with the good order, tranquillity, and peace, which reigns among them; but he observed that this life not suiting every one, it was necessary to try it carefully before becoming a member; he had lived six months among them before being received. Finally he remarked, that notwithstanding every one was free to leave the society when he thought proper, it would be very wrong to do so, as when once accustomed to it he would be utterly unfit for the world. At nine o’clock, when we left Union Village, they, to our surprise, refused to receive either pay or presents, and nothing now remained but to return verbal thanks for their hospitality, after which we parted. We rode twenty-six miles to Xenia, a small country town, where we arrived after five o’clock, P. M.

We rode through a very fine and cultivated country, which originally consisted of woods. We saw at least every five hundred paces with an habitation or some fields. Those forests which still remain, are chiefly composed of oak, ash, sugar-maple, plane, shumac, and dogwood trees; the latter bears handsome white flowers. I did not find the vegetation so much advanced as in the states of Indiana and Kentucky. We suffered very much from the bad roads, a greater part of which were log causeways. I walked a great part of the way. We forded several little rivulets and creeks, among them the Little Miami; we found a tree laid across without a rail, intended as a bridge. At several of these we saw some flour and saw-mills, and passed several small and new settlements, with neat brick houses and large barns. The handsomest is Bellbrook. Xenia, where we found a good tavern, is situated very agreeably. The streets are large, and cross each other at right angles: most of the houses are of brick, and are situated at a certain distance from each other. The number of inhabitants is about eight hundred, who farm and carry on different trades. This little place has two printing-offices, a Latin school, and several stores. In the centre of the town is the court-house, built of brick. Xenia is the chief town of Green county. Next to it is a massive jail. In an excursion we made the following day, May 6th, I remarked one of the machines for preparing flax, of which I bought a copyright at the patent-office in Washington. It was worked by a single horse, and did the work of five men, besides which the flax does not require any rotting. After nine o’clock we departed, and rode eighteen miles to Springfield. We stopped on our way at a small village, Yellow Springs, to see the spring from which this place derives its name. The village occupies a woody elevation on the shore of the Little Miami, rushing through a deep rocky valley. The place is small, and was bought by a society of twelve gentlemen, under the direction of Mr. Lowndes, a friend of Mr. M‘Clure. These gentlemen intended to found a sect upon Owen’s system; there had been one established here previously, but dissolved on account of the majority of them being worthless creatures, who had brought neither capital, nor inclination to work. Mr. Lowndes, whose acquaintance I made, said that he expected new and better members. The locality is healthy and favourable for such an establishment. The spring originates in a limestone rock, the water has a little taste of iron, and deposits a great quantity of ochre, from which it takes its name. The spring is said to give one hundred and ten gallons of water per minute, which is received in a basin, surrounded with cedar trees. The yellow stream which comes from the basin, runs a short distance over a bed of limestone and is afterwards precipitated into the valley. These limestone rocks form very singular figures on the edge of this valley; the detached pieces resemble the Devil’s Wall of the Hartz.

They had no baths fitted up, as yet there is only a shower-bath. The former will most probably be established, when it becomes a place of public resort. Mr. Lowndes told me that it was their intention to take more water in, and to have some walks established in the vicinity, to which the surrounding country is very favourable. Following Mr. Lowndes’ advice, we took a roundabout way of one mile and rode to a saw-mill called Patterson’s mill, to see the lesser falls of the Little Miami. I had no reason to repent it, as I was richly rewarded with one of the finest prospects I ever beheld. The Little Miami forces itself for the length of a mile with most singular windings through a rocky dale at least fifty feet deep, which in many places is but eighteen feet wide, it forms little cataracts, and suddenly disappears for a short distance. Large cedar trees shade this precipice, which makes it very gloomy, and contribute in a great measure to the peculiarity of this imposing scene of nature. The rocks are very steep, and are connected by a bridge, on which one looks from the dizzy precipice into a real abyss. Following a narrow path, I went down to the water and found myself almost in obscurity. I felt entirely separated from the world, and was scarcely able to preserve the consciousness of my own existence. I experienced a peculiar feeling on again perceiving the day-light. Following the course of the rushing waters I reached Patterson’s saw-mill, where the men working for their daily bread, recalled me to human life. Near the saw-mill a dam forms an artificial waterfall, making a very handsome effect, being about twenty feet high. The saw-mill has a horizontal water-mill of the same description as those which I had previously seen in the United States. With a strong fall of water these wheels have more effect, and are cheaper than those used in other countries. The road from the mill to Springfield was bad, mostly by causeways, and I was again compelled to walk a greater part of the way. Springfield is the chief town of Clark county, and lies partly at the foot of a hill and partly upon it, at the confluence of two creeks, the shores are so marshy that I believe it would be possible to cut turf there. The town contains fifteen hundred inhabitants, nearly all the houses are built of brick, the streets are wide and right-angled, they are not paved; the principal street has a side-walk of brick. In the centre of this little town is a court-house built of brick, and having the form of an octagon; next to it stands a jail. The place is surrounded with orchards, meadows and well cultivated fenced fields. A chain of hills end in a point behind the town, not far from the confluence of both creeks. On this point are four insulated hills, which are said to be Indian mounds, three stand on the edge of one of the creeks, and at some distance is the fourth, which is quite detached from the others. The latter is the highest, its elevation is more than one hundred feet above the level of the valley; from this hill the eye commands a view over Springfield, the whole surrounding valley, the union of both valleys and the woody heights encircling the whole, there are clusters of blooming and high black thorn bushes growing in the meadows, which produce a good effect. This place seems to be opulent, it contains several good stores, and depends chiefly on the breeding of cattle and agriculture. We were very comfortably lodged at the inn at which we stopped.

On the 7th of May, at nine o’clock, we left Springfield on a beautiful Sunday morning, and curiosity had assembled a crowd of people before our inn, to gaze at such wonders as we were. We went twenty-three miles on the road to Columbus, until we arrived at a single tavern, called Pike’s. The country was less cultivated than we had seen since leaving Cincinnati; we saw however, several fine orchards and fields; all the settlements are new, and the habitations mostly consist of log-houses; we met several carts filled with well-dressed country people and several of both sexes on horseback, they were all going to church at Springfield. The road was generally very bad, and over many log causeways, kept in bad order. Beyond the woods, we saw vast tracts of meadow ground, on which only a few trees could be seen, but there were very handsome black thorns in flower. On the meadows numerous cattle were grazing, we passed two with a great number of sheep, and hogs were always plenty; the breeding of cattle is carried on to a great extent; quantities of cheese and butter are made here for sale; the cattle are drove to the eastern states, or the meat is salted and sent to New Orleans. We observed a great many partridges of a large kind, which they call pheasants[62 - [Tetrao Umbellus, L.] – Trans.] here; the forests abound with wild pigeons. We reached our lodging place, Pike’s tavern, about four o’clock in the afternoon. It is situated amidst meadows[63 - These meadows are designated in America, by the name of prairies, and extend over large tracts of land in the western country; they are covered with high grass; trees grow very sparingly on them, while the surrounding forests exhibit the most beautiful trees; the soil of these prairies generally consists of turf-moor.] and consists of two log-houses erected close behind each other, they resemble those of the state of Georgia, differing only in being better suited for a colder climate, as the crevices are filled with clay. Our landlord only began his establishment five years ago; he came from Massachusetts. Towards evening we saw a fine drove of cattle belonging to him, and in which his fortune chiefly consisted. Next morning we left our abode where we had been better lodged than we had expected, and went twenty miles farther to Columbus. The road was worse than any I had ever met with, consisting generally of log causeways, which are badly assorted and have large holes between them. We were barbarously jolted about, and therefore I went more than half the way on foot; the soil principally consists of a black meadow ground, marshy, with little wood and less cultivated. It is said to be unwholesome during the summer; the houses are scattered and in a bad condition. At one mile from Columbus, is a small place called Franklinton, having several brick houses and a court-house. Its increase was at one time promising, but Columbus prevents its future advancement. Columbus is situated on the high left bank of the Sciota; we forded this river, which was perilous, as the water ran into our carriage; there was a wooden bridge formerly between Franklinton and Columbus, but it was broken down a year ago; trees are growing very fast in the woods in the vicinity, but the wood is without strength and becomes rotten as soon as it attains its growth, which makes it impossible to depend on the duration of wooden buildings. Columbus is the chief town of the state of Ohio, and contains about one thousand eight hundred inhabitants, and three churches; one Presbyterian, one Lutheran, and one Methodist. In the year 1812, there were nothing but forests, and in the same year the lots of the city with the wood were sold, upon which they immediately commenced building. It is astonishing how this place has since increased, and still continues to improve – the streets are wide, and cross each other at right angles. The principal street running parallel with the Sciota, is about one hundred feet wide, having side-walks, and a considerable number of brick houses – the adjoining streets are not yet much occupied. In building the principal streets, one of the Indian mounds has been opened, and nearly destroyed. A great number of human bones were found, remains of urns, and an owl carved in stone, but very clumsy; with the clay of which the mound was made, bricks were burned which served for the construction of the state-house; this building contains the offices of the state, and the United States court. These three buildings stand near each other at one end of the principal street, each of them having two stories – the state-house as well as the court, are situated at the sides of these long offices, which gives them the appearance of barracks; they have steeples and galleries, from which the course of the Sciota, receiving a mile above the town the Whetstone river, can be followed with the eye to a great distance over the fertile plain on the right shore of the Sciota, where Franklinton is situated, and is a very handsome sight. The Sciota originates in the state of Ohio, runs one hundred and eighty-two miles, and flows in the Ohio between Portsmouth and Alexandria, its mouth is one hundred and fifty yards wide; it is navigable one hundred and thirty miles and upwards. The Whetstone, which it receives above Columbus, is at certain times navigable for nine miles. About five miles above Columbus, on the left shore of the Sciota, is a quarry of white sandstone, which resembles marble until polished, after which it turns grey. Columbus contains three printing-offices, each of which issues a newspaper. There are also bookstores, one of them belongs to Mr. Kilbourn, author of the Ohio Gazetteer; this book having been of great use to me, during my journey through this state, I wished to see the author of so useful a work, an attention with which he appeared much pleased. Respecting the three newspapers, I found their number great for so small a place, but I heard that only one, which is in some measure the official paper of the state, was much read, and had many subscribers; the other two having but fifty, and could only maintain themselves by advertisements, &c. I met in Columbus with a Mr. Doherty, whose acquaintance I had made in Cincinnati, and who conducted me to see the town. There is nothing remarkable in the public buildings above mentioned; the state penitentiary interested me much more; it is well situated, appears to be well arranged, and contains one hundred and fifty-two convicts; the principal building is on a rising ground; in the rear are several yards where the workshops of the prisoners are situated, they are clothed in a dress part grey and part white, and sleep two together, in airy but narrow cells, on straw mattresses; during the day they are employed in the workshops, or in the work of the house. They have a large refectory, where their meals, consisting of meat and vegetables are served up in wooden plates; each prisoner is obliged to work at the trade which he understands, and he who is acquainted with none is obliged to learn one, being permitted to choose which he prefers. All the clothing used in the house, as well as the cotton cloth, are made by the prisoners, who receive no payment; there is also a wheelwright shop in operation, as well as blacksmiths, coopers, cabinet-makers, comb-makers, saddlers, and gunsmiths, who make very good rifles: the articles manufactured by the coopers consist chiefly of buckets and barrels, made of white and red cedar wood; there is a store attached to the prison, where all these articles are exposed for sale. I understand that the prison maintains itself, and causes but a trifling expense to the state. The favourite solitary confinement in dark and subterraneous cells is used as a capital punishment. A couple of prisoners who had tried to escape and were retaken, wore an iron collar with a horn attached to it; the prison has been in use ten years, during which time, ten men only had escaped, nearly all of whom had been retaken: the prisoners are so well treated, that I was assured that several of them stole again, after having served their time out, in order to return to their prison. It is worthy of notice that during ten years, two white females only, were committed to this prison; the yards are surrounded by a large and high wall, where sentries keep watch day and night with loaded muskets. We left Columbus on the 9th of May, at eight o’clock in the morning, and rode to Circleville, a distance of twenty-six miles. The road passes along the left shore of the Sciota, through a woody and rather uncultivated country, two days of rain had softened the ground considerably; fortunately we met with very few log causeways; we forded two small rivers which flow into the Sciota, called Big-Belly creek, and Lower Walnut creek. We passed a small place, Bloomfield, consisting of small frame houses, and reached Circleville towards two o’clock, P. M. Circleville is built in one of the old Indian forts, whose origin, as well as that of the nation which erected it, is buried in utter darkness. The circular part immediately joins the square, and communicates with it by means of a single outlet. The square fort has eight outlets, and in the rear of each of them there is a little mound, which appears to have served as traverses for the defence of the entries; the round fort has two parallel ramparts separated by a ditch. The quadrangular fort has but a single one, where there are no traces of a trench; the diameter of the circular fort, taken between the exterior ramparts, is one hundred and ninety-six rods; both of them are twenty feet high, taken from the base of the ditch; the inner one is filled up, and the exterior is dug from the ground; the fortress consists of clay, the latter of sand and flintstone; the rampart of the square fort is ten feet higher, and of clay; the length of one side of the square is fifty-four rods; the town, containing six hundred inhabitants, is for the greatest part built inside of the round and square fort, of which it occupies the fourth part of the surface. In its centre is a round space, in the midst of which stands a court-house of brick in the shape of an octagon. Circleville is the chief town of Pickaway county. From this circular place four principal streets run towards the north, south, east, and west; in order to open them, the double round wall has unfortunately been partly demolished; the selfishness of the inhabitants goes so far that they take the clay of the inner wall and the square fort to burn bricks of it; this little town was founded in 1812, at the same time with Columbus, but has not increased much since; the houses are generally of wood. The prison alone is of solid construction, built of free-stone.

On the outside of the circular fort, on the hill opposite the quadrangular fort, is another hill ninety feet high, that commands all the neighbouring parts, which appear to have been a burying-ground – a great number of human skeletons of all sizes having been found there; they were all in a horizontal position, the heads being turned towards the centre of the hill. With the skeletons were several stone axes, and oval, polished black stones, having a hole in their centre, probably to fix them on a string, to be worn as ornaments or talismans.

In the centre of the circular fort, where the court-house now stands, there was formerly another hill, on the eastern side of which are the remains of a semicircular pavement, made of pebble-stones, the same which are found in the bed of the Sciota; the top of the hill is of thirty feet diameter, and has a flight of steps leading to it; two human skeletons were found there. At the natural level of the ground a great number of stone arrow-heads, which were so strong that they must have belonged to lances. A great quantity of wood ashes and hard burnt bricks induce the belief that the bodies were burnt; there was a looking-glass made of mica membranacea. More minute details of these antiquities, as well as all the others which have been found in this state, are described in Mr. Caleb Atwater’s Archaelogia Americana. I paid a visit to this gentleman, who resides here; he is a great antiquarian, and exists more in the antiquities of Ohio, than in the present world. I spent the evening with this interesting man, and was very agreeably entertained; he possesses a collection of objects which were found in different mounds; it contains fragments of urns, arrow-heads of a large size, battle-axes made of flintstone, and several human bones. Mr. Atwater likewise possesses a very handsome collection of minerals, among which I found some interesting petrifactions of wood and plants, in particular, the whortleberry plant. He offered to send to the university of Jena a collection of these petrifactions which are found near Zanesville, in this state, and for which he desired to obtain some German minerals. I must not omit to mention, that on the hill, outside of the circular fort, is a small wooden house nearly destroyed by storms, which commands a view of all the surrounding country. It had been a house of ill fame, but being visited one night by a violent storm, it was abandoned by its inhabitants, to the great edification of the whole town.

The 10th of May we rode nineteen miles, from Circleville to Chillicothe, formerly the capital of Ohio, situated on the right shore of the Sciota. Our way led us through a handsome and very well cultivated country; we saw fine fields, good dwelling-houses, orchards, and gardens; also several mills, turned by the water of the Sciota, and several other little creeks; some of these mills are at the same time fulling, flour, and saw-mills.

The forests are chiefly of sugar maple, plane, and different kinds of nut trees: the road was tolerably good, the weather fine and warm; there is a covered wooden bridge which crosses the Sciota not far from Chillicothe; this bridge runs at least five hundred paces on piers, over a meadow which is sometimes inundated by the Sciota. We were comfortably lodged at Watson’s hotel, in Chillicothe. This town, like Philadelphia, lies between two rivers – the Sciota may be considered as the Delaware, and Paint creek rivulet takes place of the Schuylkill: the streets are large, at right angles, and without pavement, but have side-walks: a great part of the houses are built of brick; there are several fine stores. Over the whole prosperity and liveliness appears to reign. Chillicothe is the chief town of Ross county; it contains a court-house, built of freestone, which, at the time it was the seat of the state government, was used for the senate house; the representatives met in the building now used for the court offices: there is also in this city a jail, and a market-house of brick. I received visits from several of the most distinguished inhabitants, among them was a lawyer, Mr. Leonard, Dr. Vethake and Colonel King, son of the celebrated Rufus King, the American minister to London, and son-in-law of the former governor of this state, Mr. Worthington: the latter lived at a country-seat two miles from Chillicothe, where he enjoyed his rents and the revenue of his considerable property, in the midst of an amiable family and an agreeable old age, free from cares. His son-in-law invited us to his father’s house; we accepted his invitation and rode in Messrs. Leonard and Vethake’s company, towards evening, to the country-seat; our road led us through a beautiful and well cultivated valley, near a little Indian mound, and through a forest of beach, maple, chesnut and hickory trees; finally we rode through handsome fields, where here and there we saw groups of white thorn. The governor’s house is surrounded with Lombardy poplars; it is constructed in the style of an Italian villa, of free stone, with stone steps on the exterior, is two stories high, and has two wings, having a court in front of the centre building containing honeysuckles and roses: on one side of the house is a terrace with flowers and kitchen vegetables; this garden was arranged by German gardeners who keep it in very good order: behind the house are large clover fields, and to the right the farm buildings. Governor Worthington occupies himself with the raising of cattle, particularly sheep; he had a flock of one hundred and fifty merinos. I understood that they were numerous in the state of Ohio. Colonel King and his highly accomplished lady, came to meet us; the governor and his lady soon appeared: he has travelled a great deal, has been a long time in public offices, and was for several years a member of the United States’ senate; his eldest son was travelling in Europe, another son was in the military academy at West Point. He has ten children, on whom he expended a great deal for their education; the evening passed rapidly in instructive and interesting conversation, the hospitable governor insisted on our passing the night at his house; the house is very commodious, the furniture plain, but testifies the good taste and easy circumstances of the owner. I arose early next morning and took a walk in the governor’s garden, I ascended to a platform on the roof to take a view of the surrounding lands, but there is as yet nothing but woods covering the greater part of the country. Fires, which were burning in some places, were proofs, that new settlers were clearing the woods; from this platform the governor can overlook the greater part of his property, containing twenty-five thousand acres of land; by this means he has the greater part of his workmen under his control; the ground consists of low hills, and it is only towards the east in the direction of Zanesville, that more considerable elevations are perceived. I took breakfast with the worthy governor and his family, and found here, as at Governor Morrow’s, that the father of the family, observed the laudable custom of making a prayer before sitting down. After breakfast we took leave of this respectable family, whose acquaintance I consider as one of the most interesting I made in the United States, and returned to town. Chillicothe contains from two to three thousand inhabitants, who subsist chiefly by farming, raising of cattle and retail commerce; they had also commenced establishing woollen factories, and possessed a bank; it was formerly a branch of the United States Bank, but doing too little business, was suppressed by the mother bank in Philadelphia. We visited two churches, one Methodist and one Episcopalian, the former was rather large, both of them were very plain and contained nothing worthy of remark. We paid a visit to Mr. Hufnagel, a native of Würzburg, an elderly man who had experienced misfortune, and who is now established as a butcher and trader in cattle, and finds himself in easy circumstances; he appeared to be very much delighted at my visit, and received us very heartily in his well arranged house, situated in an orchard. Between two and three o’clock, the stage took us to Colonel King’s house, where we dined, in order to drive us eighteen miles to Tarleton; we took leave of him with grateful hearts; the road ran through a well cultivated country, which is very hilly and presents several picturesque situations; ten miles from Chillicothe on a hill, is a small village, Kingston, with farms of a good appearance, and several mills. Towards sunset we reached Tarleton, a handsome little spot of about twenty houses, and took our lodgings at a very good tavern, kept by a Pennsylvanian German. I had lost my pocket-book, probably by one of the hard jolts which our stage had received; it contained several papers of importance. It was found one mile from Chillicothe, and by its contents I was known to be the owner; a man set out in the night to bring it to me; at midnight this man arrived in Tarleton, had me called up, and safely returned me my pocket-book. I was so much delighted to recover it, that I expressed my thankfulness in every way I could. On the 12th of May, we left Tarleton at two o’clock in the morning, and rode to New Lancaster, which is sixteen miles; we arrived between seven and eight o’clock, and took our lodgings at Steinman’s hotel; the mail stage which went that day to Zanesville, had only two horses and took no passengers, I therefore resolved to stay until the following day, as it was said there would be a stage with four horses, and I found no cause to repent it. New Lancaster has its name from the city of Lancaster in Pennsylvania, and was founded by Pennsylvanian Germans, who were joined by many German emigrants, particularly Wurtembergers, and some Switzers, all of whom were pleased with the good climate, the fertile soil, which requires but little cultivation and manure, and above all, by the cheap living and profitable earnings. New Lancaster is the principal town of Fairfield county, and is handsomely situated on the side of a hill on the Hockhocking river, not far distant from its source; it contains nearly two thousand inhabitants, living by retail commerce, farming, and cattle raising. Since 1822, the culture of tobacco has also been introduced; this tobacco is called yellow, and is esteemed; I understand that it sells very well in Holland. The streets of the town are wide and rectangular; the court-house is a brick building; there is also a market-house of brick, and above it a lodge for freemasons. Shortly after my arrival, I received the visits of several of the German and half German inhabitants, among the latter I remarked Judge Dietrich, a native of Philadelphia, an agreeable, plain and well-informed man; he offered to be my guide through the town, which I thankfully accepted. He introduced me to several of the merchants, whose well-furnished stores I visited. Such a store in America contains a great variety of articles: all kinds of dry-goods, porcelain, earthenware, glasses, stationary, implements of husbandry, iron wares, saddlery, and spirits; the latter are only by wholesale; also school-books, bibles, and psalm-books. I observed in almost all the cities in the state of Ohio, that German translations were affixed to all the signs over the stores, in large golden letters, which is not only a proof that a great many Germans inhabit the state, but also that they are good customers. We saw an English and German printing-office; the latter was under the direction of a German, Mr. Herrman, who publishes a German newspaper under the title of Der Ohio Adler,[64 - [The Ohio Eagle.] – Trans.] the English printing-office likewise publishes a paper; the type for the German paper is from the foundry in Philadelphia, and cannot be said to be elegant; it is true there is generally but little elegance to be observed in German type. I read in Mr. Herrman’s office about twelve different German papers, published in the United States; they were mostly written in a corrupted German; the only well written one, was edited in Philadelphia, by Mr. Ritter.

Judge Dietrich conducted me to a cloth manufactory belonging to Mr. Risey, whose machinery is moved by the waters of the Hockhocking. It was of recent date, and furnished cloth of middling quality; the want of a sufficient quantity of water made it necessary to divide the manufactory into different parts, at different situations; one was occupied by the machines for carding wool, and some by looms; the wool was spun by country women. We visited the county jail, a brick building, the interior has partitions made of strong beams, separating obscure cells; a dark and miserable hole called the dungeon, was destined for solitary confinement; there was but a single prisoner, and for debt. Mr. Dietrich introduced me to a Mr. Sherman, judge of the supreme court, who is one of the most respectable inhabitants of the place. He invited me to tea, and I met with a very agreeable society; we all took a walk to Mount Pleasant, two miles from town, which on three sides presents steep cliffs; this mountain is only accessible from one side, through a forest and hollow between rocks. From the top of the mountain the town seems to lay below your feet, and is surrounded with fenced fields; this point being one of the highest in this hilly country, the prospect would be very handsome if the eye could perceive any thing but woods. Next morning some Swabian farmers came to see me; I was sitting at my writing-table when they entered; they sat down without taking off their hats, and conversed very sensibly; I understood from them that they were very much pleased with the country, and that they felt conscious of being honest and useful men. At eight o’clock we went into the mail stage, an uncomfortable box, in which we rode thirty-six miles to Zanesville, on a rough road with many causeways leading through a hilly region, so that we had to stop at least forty times. It was very warm and dusty during the day; the land was less fertile than what we had previously seen in the state of Ohio, containing more clay and sand; we arrived in the district of the coal and salt mines, both of which articles are found in the vicinity of Zanesville. We passed between New Lancaster and Zanesville the insignificant places of Rush-hill, Somerset, Union town, and Jonathan’s creek; Rush-hill is in a pretty situation on Rush-creek, a strong rivulet which works several mills; it consists of about thirty houses, some of them of brick. Somerset, half way from New Lancaster to Zanesville, contains four hundred inhabitants, it is on an elevated situation and is the chief town of Perry county. Jonathan’s creek has given its name to the little village situated on both of its shores; the true name of this creek is Maxahala; it is very convenient for mills. We met with two herds of beautiful cattle, which had been brought from Chillicothe, and were driving to the eastern seaports for sale; towards six o’clock we arrived in a well-cultivated district, our road led us through orchards and neat houses; finally we arrived at Putnam, a little place situated on the right shore of the Muskingum, opposite Zanesville. We crossed the river by a covered wooden bridge, resting on five stone piers. The Muskingum is one of the most considerable rivers in the state of Ohio, it begins in the most northern part, runs in a southerly direction, waters several counties, and empties by a mouth twenty-five yards broad, into the Ohio at Marietta; it is navigable from Zanesville upwards; below, the mill-dams prevent the navigation. On account of the new canal which is to unite the Ohio with Lake Erie, on which they were working, though slowly, for want of funds, the navigation on this river will cease.

In Zanesville we took good lodgings at Hughes’ hotel; there must be a great number of travellers, as in the principal street we could count seven other taverns. Zanesville contains three thousand inhabitants: its streets are large and straight, a great number of brick houses, upwards of twenty stores, two printing-offices, and two glass-houses, where common window-glass and bottles are manufactured, which are well paid for in the vicinity; this town has been for some time the chief town of the state of Ohio, and is now the principal place of Muskingum county; the court-house is a large brick building, in front of it was erected a triumphal arch in honour of General La Fayette, but he did not pass here. We returned in the evening over the bridge to Putnam, to deliver letters to Mr. Ebenezer Buckingham. On this occasion I found that the length of this bridge was about two hundred and seventy-seven ordinary paces; it is divided in two parts, the wagons keeping the right side. Putnam consists of a single street, running along the river, behind which is a rocky elevation; the street afterwards forms an angle, leaving the river and looses itself in a picturesque valley between fields and orchards. This place has six hundred inhabitants, a great many brick houses, and presents a flourishing appearance. Mr. Buckingham is one of the most respectable inhabitants, and has a large store in which he keeps all articles that may be required here; he received us in his store, and gave us much information relative to Zanesville, Putnam and its vicinity; the ground is not so fertile here as in other parts of the state, but kind Providence has indemnified them in some measure with salt, and coal-mines; the salt springs were previously known to the Indians, but not used by them. When the country became inhabited by a white population, they bored to the depth of two hundred feet and found abundant salt springs, some of them were deeper; the openings being made larger, walled cisterns were fixed to collect the running water. The salt is boiled in large kettles, after which it is made to run over flat reservoirs, where it is cooled, and the salt separated; this is the same method which is followed in England, and which I had seen in the salt works of Northwich; having heard this description, and the springs being four miles distant, I gave up the idea of visiting them. A great many petrifactions and impressions of plants are found here, some of which I had seen at Mr. Atwater’s, in Circleville.

On the next day, Mr. Buckingham came for me, to introduce me to his family, consisting of his wife and three daughters, very good children; the eldest was nine years old, his only son was a cadet in the military school at West Point. The house in which he resides at Putnam is at some distance from his store, is two stories high, built of brick with a stone porch; in front of the house is a space planted with trees and flowers separated from the street by an iron railing with large stone posts. In the rear of the house is a kitchen garden and orchard; the house is very convenient and furnished with taste and well-directed luxury. All this was interesting to me, because I heard from Mr. Buckingham that twenty-nine years since, he emigrated as a poor man from the state of New York to that wild country, and on the spot where his property now stands he had himself felled the trees, and built a log-house in which he lived several years; he owes his welfare to his integrity, his industry, and economy. In his business, he informed me money was a rare thing, which he seldom saw; the greatest number of persons who buy articles from his store, pay for them in corn, beef, lard, corn meal, vegetables, fruits, &c. This is, however, the case with most of the stores in the western states, and give the merchants considerable trouble to sell them. I accompanied Mr. Buckingham and family to the Presbyterian church in Zanesville, a large brick building, which was very full and very warm. I understood very little of the sermon; the singing was excellent, without organ or any musical accompaniment. In the centre of the church was a long table, as a greater part of the congregation were communicants. Mr. Buckingham and family partook of this religious rite. I took a walk through the town, and visited a second bridge crossing the Muskingum, situated above the first; this bridge is more ancient than the first, and likewise rests on five stone piers; it is covered and made of wood, but badly constructed and in a decayed condition. It does not run in a straight line, but forms an obtuse angle, in order to reach a point of land which is produced by the union of the Licking with the Muskingum, from this angle of the bridge, another begins, which goes towards the point of land; this is not roofed; this bridge leads to the Newark road, meanwhile the covered branch is directed to the New Lancaster road. Since the construction of the better bridge below, the older one is very little used. The prospect from it over the Muskingum and Licking is very handsome. Both of them have, not far from their junction, high dams forming waterfalls, and on all the four shores mills for flour, oil and sawing. The Licking begins at the junction of three little rivers in Licking county, and has some falls above, where it unites with the Muskingum, which have been used for mills. At two o’clock we returned to our mail stage; the weather being very hot, we rode but twelve miles, to an insulated house called Dugan’s tavern, where we arrived between five and six o’clock, and met with tolerably good quarters. The country is woody and very hilly, the road was so bad that we had to stop frequently, and for this reason I again went the greatest part of the road on foot, in spite of the heat and dust; the next day we travelled in the same manner to Fairview, forty-eight miles distant, along a very hilly country, bad road, rocks, causeways, and so many rapid declivities, that we had to stop thirty times. We passed through Salt creek, Cambridge, Washington, and Frankfort. Salt creek lies on a small river of the same name, over which there is a bridge. Cambridge is a flourishing place of about seventy houses, on a height situated on Will’s creek, which is crossed by a plain wooden bridge of one hundred and seventy-five yards, which passes over a low meadow; this town is the chief place in Gurnsey county, and contains a court-house and several stores. We arrived on a court day, and the tavern was filled with lawyers. Will’s creek runs through many windings, about one hundred and fifty miles, and flows into the Muskingum; it is in some seasons navigable to Cambridge, in boats of seventy-five feet length. Washington and Frankfort are small places, of which nothing can be said. On the road, especially near dwelling houses, were several large open buildings constructed with beams to dry the yellow tobacco. The country is mostly covered with woods. The ground consists of yellow and red clay, &c.

Fairview, which we reached towards five o’clock in the evening, is a little place containing about twenty houses, most of them frame; it is situated on an elevation commanding an extensive prospect, whence it derives its name. We met here with part of the great national road which leads from Washington city to Wheeling, and is to be continued as far as St. Louis. It is a turnpike road, dug out six inches deep, and is covered six inches thick with small stones, having a ditch on each side; they were working slowly at it: Fairview is now at the end of the road.

On the 16th of May we left Fairview, in a beautiful starlight and warm night, and continued our journey sixty miles to Washington in Pennsylvania. The country was hilly. The two last villages we passed in the state of Ohio, were Morristown and St. Clairsville. Both places are small, but well situated on elevations, and surrounded with fields and orchards. St. Clairsville is the chief town of Bellmont county; it contains a court-house, jail, market-house, and printing-office, which issues a newspaper; also several stores. The houses are merely of wood. The nearer we approached to the Ohio, the handsomer was the country. Finally, we came to a romantic dale, through which flows in a serpentine direction a rivulet called Indian Wheeling, which joins the Ohio opposite Wheeling. We frequently rode along the new national turnpike road, on which they were working rapidly. This road carefully avoids the numerous hills, cuts through several of them, and has, where it is requisite, solid stone bridges. It was said that it would be finished in the autumn. When arrived at the Ohio, which runs between hilly shores, partly covered with woods, partly cultivated, twenty-nine miles from Fairview, we crossed over the river and arrived at a considerable woody island, and crossed the left arm in a horse-boat, which took us to Wheeling, a town containing two thousand inhabitants, built on a terrace along a steep and high hill. Thus we left the state of Ohio, an important and daily increasing state, which, with the exception of the bad roads, had pleased me very much. We entered the state of Virginia, of which a part runs like a wedge between the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. In Wheeling we took the stage on the great national road to Washington in Pennsylvania, which is twenty-nine miles distant. We soon ascended a high mountain, from the top of which we could discover on one side the beautiful valley of the Ohio, the woody mountains bordering the valley, and the town of Wheeling with its orchards and gardens on the other; a deep valley along which the Wheeling creek runs in a picturesque manner. The national road gradually descends this steep hill, forming the western border of the valley, continues in it and goes over a handsome stone bridge across Wheeling creek. A neighbouring family who profited considerably by the construction of the national road, have erected at the bridge a monument in honour of the secretary of state, (H. Clay,) who was the chief promoter of it in congress. This monument consists, as far as I could perceive in my hurry, of a statue of liberty, coarsely sculptured in sandstone, placed on a clumsy pedestal ornamented with inscriptions and bas relief. Monuments erected to living persons have always something suspicious; they generally exhibit that vile adulation to which the Dutch give a characteristic name.[65 - Knopendraayerye.] I was greatly surprised to find such sentiments in this country, and to see them tolerated. The national road, which is finished seven years ago, requires considerable repairs, or at least to be kept in better order. Since it has been finished nothing has been done to it. The tracks are deep, and the road is very rough. The stage we rode in was of the description made in the north-eastern states, which are the best and most convenient I had met with since October last year. We changed horses twice in West Alexandria and Claysville. We passed several little places through a well cultivated country, over some stone bridges of sumptuous construction. Fifteen miles from Wheeling we left the state of Virginia, and entered the state of Pennsylvania partly known to me, and which I now intended to cross from its western to its eastern extremity. We arrived at Washington at ten o’clock at night, and left there at one o’clock on the morning of the 17th of May, the weather being cloudy. Abandoning the national road, we turned to the left towards Pittsburgh, twenty-five miles from Washington. To Cannonsburg, a distance of seven miles, the road was tolerably good, but after this it became bad, and I was compelled, in conformity to my old custom, to walk a great part of the way.

To the cloudy night succeeded a fine warm morning, and a picturesque valley where handsome houses and mills cheered the spirits. The mountains are filled with coal and several openings penetrating into them, prove that this important fuel is not neglected. We finally came to the left shore of the Ohio, and before us was Pittsburgh covered by a black cloud of smoke. This city is situated at the confluence of the Alleghany and Monongahela; both these rivers after their union form the majestic Ohio. The water of the Monongahela is much more muddy than that of the Alleghany, and both rivers are distinguished separately at a great distance. The situation of Pittsburgh, as well as the Ohio valley, resemble in some measure the environs of Liege, on the Meuse, with the exception that the mountains of the Meuse are higher than these. We passed through a little village called Birmingham, where are salt-works, a glass-house, and iron-works, and arrived at the bridge which crosses the Monongahela. This bridge is marked on the map as projected, but has been finished for six or seven years. It is of wood resting on five stone piers, and consists of six arches of very solid construction, being covered and divided in two parts. A fine of fifteen dollars is exacted of those who ride on horseback or carriage faster than a walk; there are also foot-walks. Pittsburgh contains fifteen thousand inhabitants – it has not a pleasing appearance, containing a great number of wooden buildings, all of a smoky colour from the smoke continually ascending from the numerous manufactories. Pittsburgh reminds you of an English city, and therefore is called the American Birmingham. It was nine o’clock, A. M. when we arrived, and took lodgings at the Mansion-house, kept by Colonel Ramsay, a good hotel, and a very polite landlord.

CHAPTER XXIV

Pittsburgh. – Economy. – Mr. Rapp and his Society

I was scarcely settled here before I received a visit from two German residents, Mr. Bonnhorst, a justice of the peace, and Mr. Volz, a merchant. These gentlemen accompanied me to indicate the most remarkable places and manufactures of the city.

We visited a French glass-cutter, a very skilful man, who does a good business; passed by the court-house, which is built opposite the market-house in a half circle, and stopped at the glass factory of Mr. Bakewell, in which fine flint glass is blown and ground. This crystal is as clear, and nearly as good as the English. The processes used in such a manufactory are known; but I wondered at the celerity with which the different articles are made. Glass-cutting, as is well known, is a difficult work, and requires skilful artists, which are still rare in this country, and very dear. We visited a paper manufactory belonging to Mr. Baldwin, which is arranged in the usual manner: thence we went to an eminence which overlooks the city, called Grant’s Hill, after an English General Grant, who, during the seven years’ war, was slaughtered here along with his troops, by the Indians.

The French, about the middle of the preceding century, had built a fort on the point of land, immediately at the confluence of the two rivers, called Duquesne. The English found this fortification annoying, and hence arose the occurrences which subsequently produced the seven years’ war. This place has the highest interest to every European soldier. General Grant wished to obtain possession of Fort Duquesne, and besieged it from the height which still bears his name. He however kept a miserable guard, was surprised, and paid with his own life, and that of his men, for his negligence. From this hill, one may behold, at a view, the three vallies of the Alleghany, Monongahela and Ohio.