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

We delayed too long with the Shakers to follow our plan of previously visiting Lebanon springs, and reach Albany the same day. We consequently gave up this design and returned to Albany; we were overtaken by the night, and a storm. It was so dark, that the driver could scarcely find the way; he therefore took a lantern against my advice. This was extinguished, and we were in a still worse situation. Two miles from Greenbush the driver left the road, went to the right towards a slope, and almost threw the stage entirely over; it fell on the right side, and my head and arm were injured, though but slightly. On my right side I was much more hurt, and one of my ribs was actually broken, as it was afterwards discovered. Mr. Tromp had his head and one of his hands injured. As we had no baggage, and were but two miles from Greenbush, we resolved to leave the stage where it was, and walked to Greenbush. At about eleven o’clock we reached the river. Not a soul was in the street; the lights were all extinguished, and the ferry boats were on the other side of the river. Our shouting was of no avail; the pain in my side also prevented me from calling. In about half an hour, however, the stage arrived, which the driver had raised with the help of some farmers; and he made such a terrible noise, that at last, after waiting an hour, the ferry boats came to take us to Albany. In riding through the city the jolting of the stage gave me much pain. On leaving the stage at twelve o’clock I could scarcely speak or walk on account of my side, which I had also injured two years previously, on my passage from Ostend to London, and since that time it had constantly retained a painful sensation.

The next morning I awoke with such dreadful pain in my right side, that I could scarcely move in bed. The obliging Sir Michael Clare gave me every assistance. He opened a vein in my arm, took sixteen ounces of blood, gave me a purgative, and ordered embrocations to the side, by which treatment the pain had so much abated in the afternoon, that I could move with more ease. I was, however, confined the whole day to my bed. The Van Rensselaer family showed me much attention. On the second day I could indeed leave the bed, but still not continue my journey. On the third day, September 16th, Sir Michael and Lady Clare left Albany for Boston, whence they were going to New York. My pains had not much abated, but I nevertheless resolved to proceed to New York, as I had read in the papers that the Pallas had arrived there, and as I wished to receive the attendance of Dr. Schilett. I was indeed obliged to relinquish my design of seeing Catskill Mountains, but thought of stopping at West Point to visit the military school.

At ten o’clock we embarked on board the steam-boat Richmond. The banks of the Hudson are very handsome, and here and there well cultivated. From Albany to New York it is one hundred and forty-four miles, and to West Point ninety-six. Hudson, a place twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which we reached at noon, seems to be very handsome and lively. We remarked in the harbour several sloops, and on shore some brick stores, five stories high. On the opposite side of the river lies Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream between the two places rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a canal was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now passes with ease and rapidity. This place affords a very fine view of the lofty Catskill Mountains.

About eleven o’clock at night we arrived at West Point, on the right side of the Hudson, and landed at a wharf furnished with a sentry-box. An artillerist, who stood sentinel, examined us. I afterwards discovered that this rule was made on account of the visits which the cadets receive. We were obliged to ascend a somewhat steep road in order to reach the house, which is prepared for the reception of strangers. A small but very clean room was prepared for us. The building belongs to the government, and is designed for the mess-room of the officers and cadets. The purveyor for this table is bound by contract with government to keep several chambers with beds in order, for the reception of the relations of the cadets, and thus a kind of inn arose.

The morning after our arrival we paid an early visit to lieutenant-colonel Thayer, superintendent of the military school, and were received in a very friendly manner. He has presided over this school eight years. It was founded in 1802, during the presidency of Jefferson. Colonel Thayer has entirely remodelled this institution. During his travels in Europe he visited the French military schools, and has endeavoured to make this resemble the polytechnic school. But he will find it difficult to equal this once celebrated school, as with the best will in the world he cannot find in this country such excellent professors as were assembled in that institution. The cadets, whose number may amount to two hundred and fifty, but at the last examination consisted of two hundred and twenty-one, are divided into four classes for the purposes of instruction. They are received between the ages of fourteen and twenty, undergo an examination before they enter, and must then pass a probationary term of half a year, during which time the mathematics are chiefly studied. After six months the young men are examined on the instruction which they have received, and those only who pass this ordeal continue in the school; the others are dismissed.

Instruction is communicated gratuitously to the cadets, each of whom receives monthly eight dollars from government as wages. A public examination of the cadets takes place every year at the end of June, by a commission, appointed by the secretary of war. This commission consists of staff-officers from the army and navy, members of congress, governors of states, learned men, and other distinguished citizens. After this examination, the best among those who have finished their course are appointed as officers in the army; the very best may choose the corps in which they wish to serve. The others receive stations, according to their capacity, in the following order: engineers, artillerists, infantry, marines. Should even these corps have the necessary number of officers, these young men as supernumeraries, receive full pay. At the examinations also, the cadets advance from one class to another. The names of the five best in each class are made known in the newspapers, and also printed in the army list, which appears every year. This is certainly an encouraging arrangement, and worthy of imitation.

The discipline of the cadets is very rigid; they leave the school only as officers, on which account their noviciate in the corps of cadets serves as a practical school of passive obedience. The punishments consist of arrest, which, however, does not interrupt the course of instruction; but when a case occurs that a cadet is to be punished a second time for the same fault, he is dismissed. The same takes place when after two public examinations he has not learned enough to advance into a higher class.

The day is thus divided in this school: —

From day-break till sunrise.– Reveillé at day-break – roll-call after reveillé – cleaning of rooms, arms and dress – half an hour after roll-call, inspection of the rooms.

From sunrise till seven o’clock.– First class, military engineering. – Second, natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematics.

From seven till eight o’clock.– Breakfast at seven o’clock. – Parade at half past seven. – Class parade at eight o’clock.

From eight till eleven o’clock.– First class, recitations and engineer and military drawing. – Second, natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical recitations.

From eleven till twelve o’clock.– First class, lectures on engineer and military sciences. – Second, lectures on natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

From twelve till one o’clock.– First class, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, lectures on chemistry applied to mechanics and the arts, or mineralogy and geology. – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, studies on the same subjects. – Second, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, lectures on chemistry. – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, studies on the same subject. – Third, French recitations. – Fourth, French studies and recitations.

From one till two o’clock.– Dinner very plain and frugal at one o’clock – recreation after dinner till two o’clock.

From two till four o’clock.– First class, studies and recitations in geography, history, belles lettres and national laws. – Second, landscape and topographical drawing. – Third, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, drawing of the human figure. – Tuesday and Thursday, studies of the French language. – Fourth, French studies and recitations.

From four o’clock till sunset.– Military exercises – inspection of the dress and roll-call at sunset.

From sunset till half an hour later.– Supper immediately after parade – signal to go to the rooms immediately after the supper.

Half an hour after sunset till half past nine.– First class, studies on engineer and military sciences. – Second, studies on natural and experimental philosophy. – Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

From half past nine till ten o’clock.– Retreat beat at half past nine – roll-call immediately after – signal to extinguish the lights and inspection of the rooms at ten o’clock.

TABLE

Of the Sciences taught and the Books used at West Point.

I was surprised to learn that the young men clean their rooms and clothes themselves, as well as make their own beds: only the cleaning of shoes and boots, and carrying of wood may be done by servants. But Colonel Thayer thinks, that if too many servants were in the school, the cadets would have too great an opportunity of remaining in connexion with the world, without the knowledge of the officers. The cadets are divided in four companies, and live in two large massive buildings, three stories high. In the older of the two buildings, two occupy one room; in the other, three are placed in one room. They sleep on mattresses, which are spread out on the floor in the evening, and have always two chambers, one for sleeping and the other for study. – This opens upon a long corridor. The cadets keep their arms also in their rooms. Their uniform consists of a grey jacket, with three rows of yellow buttons, bound with black cords; in winter, grey, in summer, white pantaloons; white leather equipments, as worn by the army, and, for fatigue service, leather caps. The officers wear the uniform of the artillery corps, to which they belong. Notwithstanding the extraordinarily fine situation of the school, the cadets have not a healthy appearance, perhaps because they have too little recreation.

After having seen the rich private library of Colonel Thayer, he took us to the school. We met with a class which was engaged in descriptive geometry. Several cadets, who stood at the board, demonstrated some problems of this science very correctly, and answered with great ease and accuracy some questions and objections, which Professor Davies made to them. We then attended a physical lecture of Lieutenant Prescott, which, however, appeared to be elementary; he explained the principles of the doctrine of heat, and then related the theory and history of the thermometer.

The institution possesses a fine library and a collection of maps, which receives constant additions. We found several of the newest German maps. Colonel Thayer is a man who labours under a disease with which they say I am also afflicted, namely, the bibliomania; on that account I continued a long time in this library. I remarked here, also, a full-length portrait of the former president, Jefferson, by Sully, of Philadelphia, and another of the engineer, General Williams, founder of the school.

The institution possesses four principal buildings. The two largest serve as barracks for the cadets, a third contains the mess-room and inn, and the fourth the church, chemical laboratory, library, and the hall for drawing, in which are some of the best drawings of the cadets. As a model of topographical drawing, they had taken the Montjoui of Gironna, designed according to the Atlas of Marshal G. St. Cyr. They have adopted the French manner of drawing plans; I saw, however, in the library, Lehmann’s work translated into English. A very fine marble bust of the Emperor Napoleon stands in the drawing-hall.

A large level space, consisting of several acres, lies in front of the buildings, forming a peninsula and commanding the navigation of the Hudson, above which it is elevated one hundred and eighty-eight feet. Towards the river it is surrounded with steep rocks, so that it would be difficult to ascend, unless by the usual way. At its junction with the main land, it is commanded by a mountain, whose summit is five hundred and ninety-six feet above the level of the river. This position called to my mind the plain below Lilienstein, in Saxony, opposite to Kœnigstein. On the summit of this mountain lie the ruins of Fort Putnam, so that the plain on which the buildings of the academy stand, is entirely insulated, and may be very well defended as well in the direction of the river as of the main land. During the revolution this fort was erected, like Fort Clinton, and was impregnable. To seize it, the English had recourse to bribery, and General Arnold, who commanded West Point, was on the point of delivering this position to them. This disgraceful treachery was fortunately prevented by the seizure of Major André. The tragical end of the major, and the flight of Arnold on board the English corvette Vulture, which lay at Verplank’s Point ready to receive him, are well known.

The above-mentioned Fort Clinton stood on the eastern point of the level, and was considered as a redoubt. It consisted of a crown-work of three bastions, and the redoubt which the two wings of the crown-work adjoined. The redoubt stands on the extreme point of the rock, and the remains of the battery can still be seen in it, which completely commanded the river, both above and below West Point. The fort is now in a state of dilapidation, and the foundations of the buildings alone, are to be seen. During the revolution, chains were extended here across the river. On the left side, in an oblique direction towards West Point, is another rock, not so high, and similar to a peninsula, washed by the Hudson on three sides and separated from the main land by a morass. Two redoubts stood on this rock, in order to have complete control over the river.

Besides the above-mentioned buildings, several houses and gardens are situated on the plain of West Point, occupied by the officers and professors. Large wooden barracks also stand here, inhabited by a company of artillerists, and some soldiers condemned to confinement in irons, who are employed to blast the rocks. These culprits have a long chain attached to one foot, and the other end of the chain is fastened to a twenty-four pound ball, which they must either drag or carry. Three iron six pounders stand in front of the barracks. The Americans use iron cannon, like the Swedes, and are very well satisfied with them. At another place on the same plain, we saw five six pounders, with which the cadets exercise. Three are French pieces, presented to the Americans by Louis XVI. decorated with the French arms; and the motto, ultima ratio regum. The two other pieces are English, were taken during the revolution, and as an inscription says, were given by congress to General Greene as a reward for his conduct in the south of the United States during the war. His heirs have not yet reclaimed them, and they consequently remain here. A pyramid of white marble not far from these pieces was, according to the inscription, erected by General Brown, to the memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, a pupil of this school, who fell in 1814, at a sally of Fort Erie.

In the evening we saw the cadets exercise; they form a small battalion of four divisions, and are commanded by their officers, and the eldest cadets of the first class, who wear officer’s scarfs, and swords. The young men perform their exercises uncommonly well, and I was gratified at the good order which prevailed. A band of music, paid by the government, belongs exclusively to them, and is said to afford the best military music in the United States. Every one has his taste, but I must confess that even the celebrated music of the English guards, and the American music, are far behind that of the French, Netherlanders, and Germans.

In company with Colonel Thayer, we crossed the Hudson to visit an iron foundry which belongs to a society, whose director is Mr. Campbell, a friend of Colonel Thayer. Two high furnaces are in constant employment, as the foundry furnishes all the iron arms which government requires. One piece had just been cast, and we saw several other pieces cast from a new high furnace. Next to the foundry is a building for boring the guns, in which ten pieces may be bored at once; for this purpose they lie in a horizontal position, the machinery being turned by a large wheel. As, however, in hot and very dry summers, or in very cold winters, the water now and then fails, they contemplate substituting a steam-engine in place of water-power.

Notwithstanding my injured side, I ascended the rocky mountain on which the ruins of Fort Putnam lie. My way led through a handsome forest of oak, beech, chesnut, and walnut trees. The fort occupied the summit of the mountain, was erected in an indented form, of strong granite, and is altogether inaccessible on the side next the enemy. It had but a single entrance, with very strong casemates, and two small powder-magazines. It was built during the revolution on private property; the owner of the ground claimed it, and government were obliged to restore it to him, after which he destroyed the fort. The government afterwards acquired the ground on which West Point stands, as well as the adjoining heights. It appeared to me, if not necessary, still to be useful to build Fort Putnam again, in order to complete the important position of West Point, which can serve in time of war as a fortified camp, or place of refuge for the people, &c. as impregnable as it was before. But to my astonishment, I learned that this would probably not take place, that on the contrary, with regard to the defence of the country, reliance was placed on the fortified entrance of New York, and that in general in the interior of the country no fortifications would probably be made. They appear to think that the impregnability of the country particularly consists in having no powerful neighbours; that England could not send over a strong army, and that even if this should happen, England would be obliged to scatter her strength too much, so that single corps could be subdued with ease. This view appears to me doubtful; I wish from my heart that these excellent people may never find by experience, that they have deceived themselves. But security, when too great, is always dangerous. A very fine view is enjoyed from Fort Putnam of the plain of West Point, and of the Hudson, which here calls to mind the high banks of the Rhine. The view to the north is particularly handsome, in which direction Newburgh, lying on the river, is seen in the back ground. We saw nothing of the Catskill mountains.

We went with Colonel Thayer and the cadets to church. The chaplain of the academy, Dr. M‘Ilvaine, an Episcopalian clergyman, performed divine service. The sermon was very good and sensible, and very well adapted to the young men. He proposed several objections which are made against the superiority of the Christian religion, and refuted them all, by deriving his arguments from the new testament and human reason. I was much pleased with the deportment of the cadets in the church, a deportment which is not always observed in young people in other countries at such times.

The topographical drawings which the cadets make, and according to which they are instructed in fortification, were shown to me by the excellent Captain Douglass, teacher of engineering. The so called modern system, or the Carnmontaigne system, improved by the French engineers, forms the basis of the instruction. Captain Douglass, who also instructs them in the formation of roads and bridges, makes use of Wiebeking. Many of the cadets who do not intend to remain in the military service as officers, being bound to remain but one year in service, after leaving the academy, serve each in his own state, as civil engineers, and perform very essential services. All officers of the army and navy are now supplied by cadets from the academy; for there are no cadets in the regiments, and in time of peace no subaltern officers are promoted.

I was very sorry that we were obliged on the third day after our arrival to leave this agreeable place, which had so extremely pleased me; but I was obliged to go to New York at last! Our West Point friends accompanied us to the steam-boat, and here we took an affectionate farewell. A Captain Randolph, of Virginia, with whom I had become acquainted at West Point, with his wife, went also to New York, so that I was agreeably entertained on board; the boat was so filled with people, we scarcely found room at the dinner-table. The shores continue to be handsome. We passed several handsome places and country-seats, which denoted that we were on the road to a large and flourishing city. At a turn of the river the shores approximate, and here stands a handsome country-seat with a garden, called Verplank’s Point; opposite is a fort, Stony Point, the possession of which was disputed during the revolution by several bloody fights. The situation of Singsing, where there is a house of correction, is very handsome. We saw the offenders engaged in blasting rocks. The stream now becomes broad, and forms two successive bays, the former Haverstraw Bay, and the other Tappan Sea. On the right shore of the latter is the town of Tappan, where, condemned by the court-marshal as a spy, Major André was hung and buried. The English government ordered him to be dug up some years ago, and his remains to be transported to England, if I am not mistaken, to be laid in Westminster Abbey, whilst the remains of General Fraser, who fell like a hero in open battle, at the head of the royal troops, still lies without the slightest memorial in the old redoubt of Stillwater! The tree which grew on André’s grave was also taken to England, and as I was assured, transplanted to the Royal Garden, behind Carlton Palace!!

Below Tappan Sea, the shores again approximate, and the right side becomes very steep, resembling the rocks near Pirna, on the Elbe, and are called the palisades. After sundown we came into the vicinity of New York, the largest city in the United States, which attracts nearly the whole commerce of the country, and now already numbers one hundred and seventy thousand inhabitants. We landed about eight o’clock in the evening, and on account of the incredible number of strangers could not obtain lodgings at five different taverns. At last we were very glad, after much fatigue from running about, to find a miserable bed-chamber in a common and ordinary tavern, the Theatre Hotel, handsomely situated near the park and theatre.

CHAPTER X

Stay at New York

On the ensuing morning, we removed for the present to a French boarding-house, No. 76, Broad street; and I took a first walk through the city, in order to acquire some general knowledge of it. The city is partly built in a regular style; the streets are badly paved, but the side-walks are good, and there are not so many hogs running at large as in Albany. I was particularly pleased with Broadway, the principal street. This is three miles long, very wide, has elegant stores, and very pleasant side-walks. The Park is likewise very handsome, as well as the City Hall, which is situated in its centre, and is called one of the handsomest buildings in the United States. However, I was not exceedingly pleased with it, finding neither there, nor in the churches of this city, a remarkably fine style of building. There is a great number of churches, and most of them have church-yards attached; but for some years past they have interred their dead in cemetries, which are situated out of town. At a church near the Park, I observed a monument in memory of General Montgomery, who died in attacking the city of Quebec; this monument is not very tasteful.[11 - [It was designed and executed in Paris.] – Trans.]

Back of the City Hall is a large building, called American Museum. It contains a number of curiosities from the animal and mineral kingdoms, put up in very good order in two large halls. A considerable collection of American birds occupies nearly the entire walls of one hall; there are numbers of quadrupeds, though less perfect; an interesting collection of fishes very well preserved, and a fine series of turtles, from a gigantic species,[12 - [Improved by having a number of Shark’s teeth placed in its mouth and throat.] – Trans.] seven feet six inches long, down to the smallest; there was likewise a considerable series of crustaceous animals; a small collection of minerals, and these without arrangement. Besides, there were various Indian weapons, dresses, and other curiosities; ancient and modern arms of different nations, &c. a helmet of the first regiment of the Duke of Naussau, found on the field of Waterloo; several Italian antiquities, the most of them small lamps and other trifles. There is a large and exceedingly beautiful specimen of rock crystal, weighing two hundred and twelve pounds, found in a Mexican silver mine. An Indian mummy is likewise very interesting; this was found in the year 1814, near Glasgow, state of Kentucky, nine feet under ground, in a nitre cavern, two thousand yards distant from the entrance; it is in a sitting posture, and was enveloped with deer-skins and Indian cloth. In addition to various miscellaneous articles, there was a number of miserable wax figures and paintings.

The battery, to which I walked, is at the southern extremity of the city and island of New York; there was formerly a Dutch fort here, but it has been pulled down, and the place altered into a public garden, which gives a fine perspective of the entrance of the bay, and of Long Island. West of the battery, in the Hudson river, is a fort, called Castle Clinton, communicating with the battery by a wooden bridge, ninety paces long. This fort forms a semicircle; on the diameter are the former barracks, and behind the walls, which form the semicircle, a battery of twenty-four guns, under casemates. North of this fort, on the same shore, in front of the city, are two other forts of the same description, called North Battery and Fort Gansevoort; being of no use they are abandoned. Castle Clinton is now a public pleasure house. In the barrack is a coffee-house; boxes for parties are arranged within the battery, and on the platform are amphitheatrical seats, because the yard of the fort is used for fire-works, and other exhibitions. From the battery I walked to Brooklyn ferry, and was delighted with the large number of vessels, and the great life and bustle. Brooklyn is situated on Long Island, opposite to New York. The straight, called East river, at Brooklyn, requires about seven minutes and a half to cross it; there are two steam-boats and two team-boats continually crossing. Brooklyn appears to be a flourishing little town, judging by the quantity of stores which are established there. I passed to the left, and after having walked upwards of a mile, spent some hours at the navy-yard, and returned to the city exceedingly fatigued, on account of the great distance.

I went on board of the Pallas with Mr. Hone, president of the Canal Bank of this city, a rich and respectable man, and with Mr. Derviter, a merchant of this city, and a native of Grammont, in Flanders. The Pallas rode at anchor in the Hudson, between New York and Jersey City, a little village in the state of New Jersey, opposite New York, on the right side of the river. Soon after our arrival, boats likewise arrived with some ladies, who had wished to see the Pallas. As the cabin was but small and narrow, the ladies were served, by Captain Ryk, with an elegant luncheon on deck, under an awning; they were some of the most amiable and fashionable ladies of the city, and remained on board till three o’clock, and then went on shore during a pretty heavy storm.

On returning home at night, I observed that the streets were not well lighted. I was afterwards informed, that the corporation of the city was just engaged in a quarrel with the gas-company relative to the lamps; this quarrel protracted the inconvenience, though it was somewhat lessened by the numerous stores, which are kept open till a late hour, and are very splendidly lighted with gas. The gas-lights burn in handsome figures; at a music store, I saw one in form of a harp.

An eminent physician of this city, Dr. David Hosack, who, since his second marriage, is said to have an annual income of twenty thousand dollars, receives every Saturday night, during the winter season, the professional gentlemen of the city, and distinguished foreigners. His library, and collection of engravings, is then opened for the use of the visitors, and a discourse is sometimes delivered. This learned and obliging gentleman, offered himself to me as a guide through the city; I accepted his politeness, and visited several interesting institutions in his company.

The City Hospital was built in the year 1770, by voluntary contributions, and is supported by the interest of its capital, and by the state government. The building is of blue stone, and stands on high ground, in a very healthy situation. An avenue of old and high elm trees leads to it. In the first story is a large room, where the board meet; this contains the library, which is particularly rich in botanical works. In the basement is the kitchen, and several wards for syphilitic patients. They intended to establish a new hospital for these patients, like the lunatic asylum, formerly in one of the wings of this hospital, which is now established out of town. There may be accommodated in this hospital altogether four hundred patients of both sexes. They are attended to by nurses in large wards, each of them containing about sixteen beds. The bedsteads are of wood; upon inquiring why they were not of iron, they replied, they were afraid to use them, on account of the heavy thunder-storms which frequently occur. Six physicians and four surgeons are attached to the hospital, and alternately attend. One physician and one surgeon live free of expense in the hospital, and one of them must always be present for extraordinary cases. The apothecary’s shop attached to the hospital is kept very neatly; however, it appeared to me to be inferior to those in the hospitals of Boston and Montreal.

For the purpose of visiting the newly-erected lunatic asylum, we called upon Thomas Eddy,[13 - [This ornament of human nature, died in the year 1827.] – Trans.] an aged and venerable Quaker, who is at the head of the hospitals, charitable institutions, &c. I was introduced to him at Dr. Hosack’s. We found Mr. Eddy at home, with his two daughters, his son, and partner, who is likewise a Quaker. The family was dressed in the plainest style, and this simplicity joined to the greatest cleanliness, prevailed through the whole house. Mr. Eddy is in possession of a fine library, which he showed us; it contained several splendid works on natural science; among others, Wilson’s American Ornithology, with the splendid supplementary volume published by Charles Lucian Buonaparte, son of Lucian Buonaparte. Mr. Eddy then drove with us to the country-seat of Dr. Hosack, on the East River, opposite the navy-yard. Dr. Hosack, who was formerly married to a sister of Mr. Eddy, accompanied us to the Lunatic Asylum. This is five miles from the city, on a hill, in a very healthy situation, not far from the Hudson River. The road lies between country-seats and handsome gardens, and it is one of the most pleasant places I have seen in America.

The asylum is built of sand-stone, is three stories high, and surrounded by a garden; it was built mostly by subscription, but is likewise supported by the state government. Mr. Eddy is one of its greatest benefactors and patrons. There were one hundred and thirty-three maniacs, by which number the building was almost filled; they were about to enlarge it by two other wings. Besides the meeting rooms for the committee in the first story, there are the apothecary’s shop, and the wards for the poor patients, who have a large corridor and sitting room. One wing of the building is inhabited by the male, and the other by the female patients. There are subterraneous passages from the corridors to the large yard, which is surrounded by walls, and serve the patients for walking, exercise, and play. In the middle of each yard is a shelter supplied with benches, for bad weather. In the upper stories are the rooms for the inspectors, and several other apartments where patients may live separately. In the whole establishment great cleanliness is observed; but still the institution appeared to me less perfect than the asylum of Boston, or that of Glasgow in Scotland. The garden is kept in very good order; there is likewise a hot-house, which is supplied mostly from Dr. Hosack’s collection. On the roof of the house is a platform, from which we had a very pleasant and extensive view.

A Philosophical Society hold their meetings in the same building containing the American Museum. In one of the rooms is a collection of minerals, not yet very extensive, but exhibiting many fine minerals from the northern frontiers of the United States. Another saloon contains a collection of paintings, which do not appear to be very valuable. The best picture was a portrait of the celebrated American painter, Benjamin West, who died in London; this picture is from the masterly pencil of Sir Thomas Lawrence. There are two paintings by Teniers, and two others by Salvator Rosa. I was particularly pleased with one of the latter; an old soldier praying in a wild landscape before a simple cross! Two other paintings are said to be by Rubens: among these I observed a portrait of Rubens, of which the original is in the collection of Mr. Schamp, at Ghent. There are likewise good plaster-casts of the best Roman antiques, of a Venus of Milo, and the three Graces of Canova, and likewise two gladiators of full size by the same artist.

The house of Commodore Chauncey[14 - Commodore of the navy-yard.] is situated on a hill in the navy-yard, which affords a fine view of the wharf and Long Island. The commodore took a walk with me to the wharf. As I left his house, I was escorted by a guard of honour of thirty marines, commanded by a captain; in the meantime the man-of-war Franklin saluted me with twenty-one guns. This mark of respect was quite unexpected in the United States, and of course I was the more surprised and flattered.

In the navy-yard two frigates and two corvettes, not yet named, were building; one frigate was finished, but was still under cover. Both frigates are called forty-fours, but carry each sixty-four guns. These are intended to be thirty-two pounders, which is now the common calibre of the navy of the United States. The vessels are built of live oak, from North Carolina; the timbers are salted in order to prevent the dry-rot. The three ships of the line, Franklin, Washington, and Ohio, were in ordinary; they are called seventy-fours, but the two first are each calculated for eighty-six and the latter for one hundred and six guns. I saw likewise the renowned steam-frigate Fulton the First, of which many fables have been fabricated in Europe. The schooner Shark, of eight guns, was perfectly fitted out, and ready to sail in a few days for the coast of Africa, in order to prevent the slave-trade.