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

At a second visit, we first went on board the steam-frigate, Fulton the First; this vessel is entirely disarmed, and serves as a receiving ship. She is a floating battery, and was to carry thirty thirty-two pounders. Her sides are six feet thick, made of oak timbers, which are fixed upon and crossing each other, so that the vessel may be compared to a floating block-house. Her machinery resembles that of a team-boat: she has two parallel keels, between these an engine of one hundred and twenty-horse power is fixed, and one large wheel is moved by it. The vessel is very spacious: in several places reverberatory furnaces may be added, in order to heat balls red-hot. Before this frigate was dismantled, she carried two small masts with triangular sails, but the commodore has substituted large masts with the usual sails, for the instruction of the sailors. The machinery had been taken out for some months, and placed in an arsenal on the wharf: the place it had occupied was covered with boards, to make a common deck for the sailors. Since that time an upper deck has been built, upon which are comfortable state-rooms for the officers. This frigate has been spoken of as a real miracle; that she presented towards the enemy a forest of swords and lances, and threw a stream of boiling water, &c. all of these are stories. Her construction during the latter part of the war with England was merely an experiment, though it caused the English a great deal of anxiety. All competent judges with whom I conversed concerning this vessel, objected to her and were of opinion that this large body could only be used to defend straits. She never was at sea, and some feared that she would be unfit for it. Moreover, as the navy-board at Washington having objections to the further application of steam to ships of war, it is probable that they will discontinue the building of more steam-frigates, although the machinery of a second is already finished and placed in the magazine.

We were likewise on board of the two ships of the line, Ohio and Franklin. The Ohio is of a new construction, and has not yet been in service; the Franklin and Washington, however, have already made several voyages. The sides of the Ohio are thicker than those of the other ships, and her decks higher: all these men of war have not the modern round, but broad sterns, in each of which is a battery of twelve guns. Only one of the frigates, still standing on the stocks, has an elliptical stern, which unites the defensive power of the round, with the elegance of the broad sterns.

Every thing appears to be in an improving state at the arsenal. In the house where the office of the commodore and his agents is kept, there is a hall fitted up as a chapel; this serves during the week as a school-room for the midshipmen; we found these young gentlemen engaged in their mathematical studies, under the direction of the chaplain.

In the harbour we visited two Liverpool packet-ships, the William Thompson and the Pacific. Every regular mode of communication between two places, by stages, steam-boats, &c. is here called a line. Two years since, I saw the packet-ship Cortez, at Liverpool, and admired her elegant arrangements; but these two vessels were far superior to her in regard to elegance and comfort. Both have a large dining room, and in its centre a long mahogany table; on both sides of the dining room are the state-rooms, each of them containing two beds one above the other, and a wash-table. In this cabin there are ten of these state-rooms, five on each side, and, besides, near the windows in the stern of the ship, there are two state-rooms having but one bed, so that twenty-two gentlemen may be accommodated. The mizen-mast passes through the cabin and table. The cabin is lighted partly by the windows in the stern and partly by a large skylight; the state-rooms receive their light by patent deck-lights. There is another room in front of the dining room, for the ladies, near the mainmast, where the motion of the vessel is the least felt; on each side of their room, are two state-rooms, for eight ladies. The sides of the dining room and ladies cabin are of mahogany and curled maple, with elegant looking-glasses. In the Pacific, between every two state-rooms there are columns of white marble. All the settees are of mahogany covered with black horse hair cushions, and the floors of both cabins are richly carpeted. The stairs which lead into the dining room, are likewise of mahogany and covered by a shelter, under which sea-sick passengers may sit on benches. There is likewise a roof over the poop, where passengers may walk and be sheltered from the rain and sun. The passage from New York to Liverpool costs but thirty guineas, for which price passengers are perfectly accommodated. Each packet is of about five hundred tons, and they sometimes make the passage in seventeen days. On the 1st and 16th of each month, one of the eight vessels of this line leaves New York for Liverpool, and on the same day another leaves Liverpool for New York.

On the first Sunday of my stay in New York, I visited the new Lutheran church, with the consul, Mr. Zimmerman. The service was in English, because there are at New York but few descendants of German parents who understand the German language. Dr. Schaeffer preached: he is a native of Philadelphia, and the son of a German clergyman; his sermon was good and not too long, but after the sermon came a lamentation upon the miserable state of the church funds, which was not particularly edifying. There appeared to be a deficit of eighteen thousand dollars, which the consistory tried to make up by subscription, to which the congregation was invited to contribute. Dr. Schaeffer’s congregation formerly belonged to an older Lutheran church, still existing in this city, but they parted from the latter and established a new church, though rather in too extravagant a style, as their expenses were disproportioned to their income. The minister besides complained of his own small salary, and implied that an augmentation would not be unpleasant to him, as he stood in need of it.

It is a difficult matter to ride in a carriage through the streets on Sunday, because there are chains stretched across in front of the churches, to prevent their passage during service. The land of liberty has also its chains![15 - [This unwarrantable and exasperating usurpation of extending CHAINS across the public highways is not attempted by all religious sects. Through the good sense of congregations it has been entirely relinquished in some of our cities. That it is productive of more dislike to churches and churchmen than of any other result, is a truth which will one day be profoundly felt.] – Trans.]

In this manner eight days soon elapsed, and amusement was not wanting, as my mind was occupied with interesting and useful novelties. I passed my time in cheerful and pleasant company. At dinner and evening parties I continued to make interesting acquaintances with men of different occupations and professions. I observed that the families I visited were richly furnished with silver, china, and glass; the fine arts also contributed to the ornament of their apartments. At the evening parties we commonly had music and dancing. The dinner parties consisted generally of from twenty to thirty persons, whose conversation was generally refined. In New York, as well as at all other places, where English customs prevail, the ladies leave the table during the dessert, and the gentlemen keep their seats; however, nobody is obliged to drink, unless he feels inclined. Every one rises and leaves the house without ceremony. The servants are generally negroes and mulattos; most of the white servants are Irish; the Americans have a great abhorrence of servitude. Liveries are not to be seen; the male servants wear frock coats. All the families complain of bad servants and their impudence, because the latter consider themselves on an equality with their employers. Of this insolence of servants I saw daily examples. Negroes and mulattos are abundant here, but they generally rank low, and are labourers. There are but a few slaves in the state of New York, and even these are to be freed in the year 1827, according to a law passed by senate of the state. There are public schools established for the instruction of coloured children, and I was told that these little ape-like creatures do sometimes learn very well. In the city there are several churches belonging to the coloured population; most of them are Methodists, some Episcopalians. A black minister, who was educated in an Episcopalian seminary, is said to be a good preacher. But there is in this country a great abhorrence of this class of people, who are obliged to live almost like the Indian Parias. In the army they are only employed as musicians, but are never admitted to be soldiers. Soldiers are not even allowed to be of mixed blood![16 - [Blacks are shipped as seamen in the navy of the United States, where they stand on the same level with white seamen.] – Trans.]

Colonel Bankhead, of the second artillery regiment, who was on the recruiting service in this city, offered to show me the fortifications for the defence of the bay of New York. We sailed in a boat, along with General Swift and an engineer, first to Governor’s Island, opposite to New York.

Upon this small island is a fort of red sandstone, called Columbus; it consists of four bastions, which, on the city side, has still a covered work between two of the bastions, but further below, in the Narrows, new fortifications have been built, and therefore Fort Columbus is considered useless and is neglected. In the interior are the barracks and arsenals, the former in very good order, and inhabited by a company of artillery. I found a bible in each room, and was informed that it was a present from the New York Bible Society.

West of the fort, near the river, there is a tower after the style of Montalambert, called Castle Williams. This was commenced in 1803, and finished in 1811. Colonel Macrea of the artillery in the fort, received me with twenty-one guns. The officers have lodgings and gardens on the glacis of the fort; there is likewise a wooden barrack, which serves in time of war for a battalion of infantry; a large two-story brick house with a piazza, is intended for the head-quarters of the commanding general. Opposite to Castle Williams, are two small islands; on each of them is likewise a battery, called Fort Wood and Fort Gibson. These batteries appear but small, and the principal defence will be at Castle Williams, where also I observed furnaces for heating shot. From this spot there is a particularly fine view of the city.

We then sailed along the western shores of Long Island, to the straits called the Narrows, a thousand yards wide, and formed by the shores of Long Island and Staten Island. They are defended by Fort Tompkins on Staten Island, and Fort La Fayette on Long Island. We visited the latter; it is built on rocks in the sea, two hundred and fifty yards distant from the shores, so that it forms an island. It is a square building, and erected after a plan of General Swift. From the outside it has the appearance of a Montalambert tower. The outside of the walls is of red sandstone, but their interior of gneiss; it was garrisoned by one company of artillery. During peace a shed was built over the platform, and a garrison stationed here during the present hot summer.

Fort Tompkins stands on a height opposite to Fort La Fayette, and on the shore of Staten Island is a battery which defends the Narrows by a raking fire.

On Long Island is another hill near the village of New Utrecht which commands Fort La Fayette, and in the vicinity there is a bay, where the English and Hessian army landed in the year 1776, when coming from Staten Island to take possession of Long Island. In order to defend this spot sufficiently they are about to build a very strong fort designed by General Bernard, resembling Fort Francis, near Coblenz, (on the Rhine.) The casemates, calculated for dwellings as well as for defence, are to be built under the ramparts, whose front face will be three hundred and seventy-five feet long: they are to be covered with earth, and a common rampart erected on top of them. In front of this is a covered way in the ditch, lower than the ramparts, with six guns, three on each side, for the defence of the ditch, &c. They were just beginning to build this fort, which is to be called Fort Hamilton, and the engineer-officers thought that it would not be finished in less than four years. The government has experienced the disadvantage of those buildings which were built by contract, and this well-arranged work will therefore be built under the immediate direction of government. General Bernard is a Frenchman; he was engineer at Antwerp, and obtained the attention and favour of the Emperor Napoleon by his great knowledge and modesty, who appointed him his aid. In 1815, he entered the service of the United States, at the recommendation of General La Fayette, and was appointed in the engineer corps under the title of assistant engineer, with the salary of a brigadier-general, but without wearing the uniform of the engineer corps, nor having any rank in the army.

He is a great acquisition to the corps, and I was somewhat astonished at the cool and indifferent manner in which they spoke of this distinguished engineer. The cause, however, of this coolness, undoubtedly is to be found in a silly misconception of patriotism; for the general is a foreigner, and frequent experience has shown that a foreigner in military service seldom enjoys satisfaction. Two new fortifications are to be built outside of the Narrows on rocks, in order still better to defend the entrance to New York, by firing crosswise at vessels, and are intended to serve as advanced posts to Forts La Fayette and Tompkins.

A gun-maker, by name of Ellis, received a patent for making repeating-guns; I visited him in company with Mr. Tromp. A repeating musket will fire frequently after being once loaded; it consists of a long tube, in which touch-holes are bored at certain distances, according to the number of shots it is intended to discharge. The musket is charged in the usual way, a piece of sole-leather is put upon the load, on this another charge, and again a piece of leather, &c. until the required number is introduced, according to the size of the tube. For each of these loads, whose height is known by a mark on the rod, there are touch-holes made on the right side of the tube, each of them closed by a valve. A box is attached to the lock, which primes itself, and moves downwards from the highest touch-hole to the lowest, until the shots are gradually discharged, one after the other, and in the same manner the valves of each touch-hole must be opened. This instrument was very interesting to me. Mr. Ellis has also made an experiment of his plan for the use of American troops, but it seems to me that such a tube would be much too long and too heavy, and the loading would consume too much time, not to speak of the difficulty of drilling a man to use this curious weapon. This idea struck me, and my opinion was confirmed as soon as I tried Mr. Ellis’s gun. The experiments I made with it, proved to me that particular care would be necessary in using it without danger. A musket of this nature, containing five charges, fired the two first separately, and the last three at once!

We also went with Mr. Tromp to several private wharves on the East river; the largest of these belongs to Mr. Bayard, my banker. On one of the wharves there was a frigate on the stocks, of sixty-four guns, intended for the Greeks; they worked very industriously, and hoped that she would depart for her destination next year. She was built of Carolina live oak like the government vessels. The advantage of this wood is said to be, that in addition to its durability, when balls strike it, they simply make a hole, without many splinters, which latter generally disable more men than the shot themselves. At another wharf lay a frigate of sixty-eight guns, with an elliptic stern; she was built for the republic of Colombia, and is nearly ready for sea; she is built like a ship of the line. Her gun-deck was so high that I could stand upright in it.[17 - [The duke, it will be recollected, was rather above six feet in height.] – Trans.] On the upper deck the guns were disposed of in an irregular row, which gave this frigate still more the appearance of a ship of the line. The three masts raked somewhat like those of a schooner, which was said to be more fashionable than useful. When we came on board they were just finishing the officers cabins; they were built of mahogany and maple, roomy, and the state-rooms long, so that the officers are very comfortably situated. The cabins as well as the mess-rooms were below deck, therefore not in the way during an action. In the battery were only the rooms of the captain. There were also two other men of war on the stocks, of smaller dimensions, which are also said to be intended for Colombia. The guns of all these ships were manufactured at Mr. Campbell’s foundry, near West Point.

The house of the American Bible Society, to which I was accompanied by Mr. Eddy, was built by voluntary contributions of its members, and has been three years finished. It is four stories high, built of red sandstone and brick, and cost twenty-two thousand dollars. In the basement story is the office and place of deposit for bound bibles, which lie on shelves, ready to be sent away. The English bibles are sold at one dollar and forty cents, and the Spanish, of which a great number are printed and intended for South America, for one dollar and fifty cents. They also sell a great many new testaments separately.

In the office I saw a great collection of old and new bibles; among them I observed Walton’s Polyglot, of which I had already seen a copy in the library of Harvard College, near Boston; an old bible, printed in Switzerland, in the old German text; also a new very elegant folio bible, printed at Zurich; one in Irish, with the most singular type; a bible half in the Sclavonic and half in the Russian language; in showing the latter they told me that bible societies were prohibited in Russia; also two bibles in Chinese, one printed at Calcutta, and the other at Macao. The printing-office and the bookbindery of the society are in the second, third, and fourth stories of the building, and are in charge of a bookbinder and printer under certain contracts. In the garret they dry the fresh printed sheets. The English and Spanish bibles are stereotyped; they have now in operation twelve or thirteen presses; these presses are made of iron and very simple, but without a drawing a description of them would be unintelligible. To every press there is a workman, and a boy whose business it is to ink the form. At the bookbindery several women and girls are engaged to fold the sheets. These persons work in the third story, and in order to separate them entirely from the males, there is a separate stair for them to ascend. The large hall where the members of the bible society meet, is decorated with two portraits, one of Governor Jay, and the other of Dr. Boudinot, first president of the society.

The high school was also built by subscription; in this building three hundred boys are educated, not gratuitously, as in Boston, but by a quarterly payment, according to the class the boy is in. In the first class every child has to pay three dollars, in the second, five, in the third, seven dollars; the mode of instruction is the Lancasterian. In the lower classes are small children, some only four years old; they learn spelling, reading, writing, and the elements of arithmetic. The boys are generally commanded by the sound of a whistle, like sailors; they rise, seat themselves, take their slates, and put them away, form classes in order to change the different courses of instruction, all of which is done at the whistle of the instructors. In the middle class education is more extended; the children are instructed in grammar, English, Latin, history, geography, physics, and make likewise considerable progress in mathematics. In the highest class the boys are instructed in the higher mathematics, and are prepared to enter college. As I entered the school they were just receiving instruction in geography. The teacher asked, where is Weimar? The answer was, on the Rhine. The instructor then informed the children of the meritorious share my forefathers had in the Reformation, and praised the encouragement given in modern times to literature in Weimar. He spoke altogether with great enthusiasm of German literature, and concluded by wishing that the time might soon come, when instruction in the German language should be given at this school. As I left the room the scholars spontaneously applauded me, and I confess I was affected by it. In this higher class the orders are also given with a whistle, combined however with a small telegraph, which stands on the desk of the principal. This school, which is only seven years old, is already in possession of a very handsome mineralogical cabinet, and a small philosophical apparatus.

The institution for juvenile offenders is situated out of town; it is for children condemned by the court to imprisonment, and are thus confined in a separate prison to improve their principles by education. When they are improved, and have some education, they are then bound out to a farmer in the country, but if they are of an untameable disposition, and need stronger control, they are then disposed of as sailors. The girls are bound out as servants in the country. In order to have a good location for this institution, the society bought, of the United States government, a building, heretofore used as an arsenal, but become useless to the government on account of its distance from the water. It has existed but one year, and has at present forty-four juvenile delinquents. The sexes are separated, and each child occupies a distinct chamber. During the day they are mostly employed in learning, and in domestic occupations. As the building was not sufficiently large to receive all the offenders, a new one was built in the rear of the first, which the boys were employed in erecting. One of the boys who had escaped twice, walked about with an iron chain and heavy iron ball secured to his leg. A young man of respectable family, sixteen years old, who was imprisoned for his great propensity to stealing, was employed as a sub-instructor, account-keeper, and sub-overseer of the institution. Hopes are still entertained that he may be reclaimed.

From this institution, Mr. Eddy led me to another establishment, also founded and supported by voluntary contributions, viz. the Orphan Asylum. The house, in which there are one hundred children of both sexes, is in a very healthy situation; the rooms are large, and the children sleep in wards, which contain twelve beds. They are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, particularly in mental calculation, and at the age of twelve years they are bound out to farmers. Several of the boys were very expert in mental calculation, and solved the following questions with great facility: – How much is three hundred and twenty multiplied by three hundred and forty; how many days constitute three years seven months and twenty-one days? The manner of instruction is Lancasterian. The principal directors of this institution are Friends, among whom Mr. Collins is said to be the most distinguished.

With Mr. Eddy, I also visited the state-prison, which contains about five hundred and fifty prisoners of both sexes, and can receive seven hundred. The building stands in the village of Greenwich, was built about twenty years, and at that time stood quite insulated; since that period the population has so rapidly increased, that Greenwich is united with New York, and three sides of the prison are surrounded with rows of houses; the fourth faces the Hudson river. In front of the house are the offices and stores, behind this are two courts, which are separated by a church; one yard is for males, and the other for females. The dwellings surround the yards, and are three stories high. The prisoners sleep eight in a room, on straw mats, covered with woollen blankets; every sleeping room is separately locked; the eating-hall is spacious; the fare, good brown bread, soup, and three times a week meat; on other days, fish. The workshops are in appropriate buildings, partly built of wood, standing in separate yards. You find among them all kinds of handicrafts, and all domestic utensils and clothing are manufactured. Articles intended for sale, are generally wooden ware, brushes, and other household utensils. The prisoners receive no money, and if they are backward in working, or otherwise behave ill, they are subjected to solitary confinement, which soon brings them to their senses. There is nothing to object to this building, except that the stairs are of wood, and there is otherwise too much wood about the house, which appears to me dangerous, in case of fire.

On the second Sunday of my stay in this city, I went with the consul, Mr. Zimmerman, to a German Lutheran church, where the venerable Mr. Geisenheimer, performed the service in the German language. It was a curious accident, that, when I entered the church, they sung an ancient hymn, which was composed by Duke William, of Saxe-Weimar. My ancestor certainly never expected that one of the unworthiest of his descendants should, for the first time in his life hear, in the new world, that he had composed church music, and that this hymn should originally greet his ears in New York. The church is very old and inelegant; the congregation was plain: however, they are not in debt, and the church is moreover said to possess a good fund. The organ was good, and the performance of the organist pleasing.

I twice visited the theatre; in Chatham Theatre, situated at the extremity of a public garden, they performed the melo-drama of the Lady of the Lake tolerably well. I was much pleased with the inside of the theatre, and particularly with the decorations; it was full of people, and the heat extreme. Ladies of the first fashion do not go often to the theatre. In the pit persons pulled off their coats, in order to be cool. At the Park Theatre, so called because it is situated near the Park, the drama of William Tell was performed, and the after-piece of Love, Law and Physic. The first is by no means an imitation of Schiller’s drama, but entirely dressed up in English taste, with a full share of battles. Whenever any observation was made in favour of liberty, the pit applauded. The decorations were very handsome, and I was pleased with the internal arrangement of the theatre, but the spectators were not numerous. The visitors of the theatre are entirely unrestrained; the gentlemen keep on their hats in the boxes, and in the pit they make themselves in every respect comfortable.

On the afternoon of the third of October, there was a great procession of negroes, some of them well dressed, parading through the streets, two by two, preceded by music and a flag. An African club, called the Wilberforce Society, thus celebrated the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in New York, and concluded the day by a dinner and ball. The coloured people of New York, belonging to this society, have a fund of their own, raised by weekly subscription, which is employed in assisting sick and unfortunate blacks. This fund, contained in a sky-blue box, was carried in the procession; the treasurer holding in his hand a large gilt key; the rest of the officers wore ribands of several colours, and badges like the officers of free masons; marshals with long staves walked outside of the procession. During a quarter of an hour, scarcely any but black faces were to be seen in Broadway.

Mr. J. R. Livingston, a very respectable citizen of New York, whose country seat is at Massena, near Redhook, about a hundred miles up the Hudson river, near the little town called Hudson, invited me to visit him, and be present at a ball. I accepted the invitation, especially as I was informed I should find assembled there the best society, who generally reside during the summer in the country.

The Grymes’ family, which arrived at New York not long after me, were likewise of the party. Consequently we left New York on the 5th of October, on board the safety-barge Lady Van Rensselaer, for Albany. As Mr. Livingston had invited several other persons of the best families of New York, who were all on board, good conversation was not wanting. About half past five we started, but did not long enjoy the beauties of this noble river, as it soon became dark. During night we were awakened with the unpleasant news that the leading boat had run ashore in a fog. After five hours of useless exertion to get her afloat, we were obliged to go on board the steam-boat Henry Eckford, passing up the river. This boat was old, and no longer used for conveying passengers, but as a tow-boat. She had vessels attached to her, on both sides, laden with goods, which gave her the appearance of a ferry-boat. Though not very pleasantly situated on board of this boat, we had a good opportunity of observing the magnificent banks of the river after the fog disappeared. Instead of arriving at eight o’clock, A. M. we did not reach our place of destination till five o’clock P. M. We were received by the owner, a gentleman seventy-six years old, and his lovely daughter. The house is pleasantly situated on an elevated spot in a rather neglected park. Our new acquaintances mostly belonged to the Livingston family. I was introduced to Mr. Edward Livingston, member of congress, the brother of our entertainer, a gentleman, who for talent and personal character, stands high in this country. He resides in Louisiana, and is employed in preparing a new criminal code for that state, which is much praised by those who are acquainted with jurisprudence.

In the evening about eight o’clock, the company assembled at the ball, which was animated, and the ladies elegantly attired. They danced nothing but French contra-dances, for the American ladies have so much modesty that they object to waltzing. The ball continued until two o’clock in the morning. I became acquainted at this ball with two young officers from West Point, by the name of Bache, great grandsons of Dr. Franklin. Their grandmother was the only daughter of this worthy man; one is a lieutenant of the artillery at West Point, and the other was educated in the same excellent school, and obtained last year the first prize-medal; he was then appointed lieutenant of the engineer corps, and second professor of the science of engineering, under Professor Douglass. On the following day we took a ride in spite of the great heat, at which I was much astonished, as it was so late in the season, to the country-seat of General Montgomery’s widow, a lady eighty-two years of age, sister to the elder Messrs. Livingstons. General Montgomery fell before Quebec on the 31st of October, 1775. This worthy lady, at this advanced age, is still in possession of her mental faculties; her eyes were somewhat dim. Besides her place of residence, which is handsomely situated on the Hudson river, she possesses a good fortune. Adjoining the house is a small park with handsome walks, and a natural waterfall of forty feet. I observed in the house a portrait of General Montgomery, besides a great number of family portraits, which the Americans seem to value highly. According to this painting he must have been a very handsome man. At four o’clock in the afternoon we left our friendly landlord and embarked in the steam-boat Olive Branch, belonging to the Livingston family for New York, where we arrived next morning at six o’clock.

During the last day of my stay at New York, I received two interesting visits, one from the Prussian consul at Washington, Mr. Niederstetter, and the other from a Piedmontese count, Charles Vidua, who has made several journeys through Scandinavia, Turkey, Asia Minor, Palestine, Egypt, &c. and is now travelling through America. Afterwards I paid a few farewell visits. At Mr. Eddy’s I found a whole society of Quakers, men and women; they took much pains to convince me of the excellence of their sect, and seemed not disinclined to adopt me as one of their members; at least they desired me to read the letter of an English sea-captain, who resigned his situation as a captain in the British navy, and turned Quaker. Mr. Eddy gave me likewise Barclay’s Apology for the Quakers, in German, to read and reflect upon.

CHAPTER XI

Journey to Philadelphia. – Stay in that place. – Bethlehem and Nazareth

On the 10th of October we left the city of New York in the steam-boat Thistle, which conveyed us to New Brunswick, through a thick fog which lasted all day. For several days past we had smoky, warm weather, which was ascribed to the burning of a forest in the state of Maine.

The shores of New Jersey seemed flat and swampy, resembling very much the Dutch banks. As we approached New Brunswick, the banks of the Raritan become higher. On our arrival, eight stages were already waiting for us, having each four horses, and the passengers were so numerous that each stage carried from eight to nine persons; we had hardly time to have our baggage packed, and consequently could see nothing of the neighbourhood. We continued our journey through New Brunswick, apparently a busy and well built place, thirty miles by land to Trenton, on the Delaware. The road led through a hilly country, but carefully turnpiked, several pits being filled up to make the road even. This road is formed somewhat according to the manner of German turnpikes, of small beaten stones, with side-roads and ditches. The neighbourhood is mostly woody, consisting of chesnuts and oaks. The forest has been regularly cleared of undergrowth, and has a cleanly appearance. In places where wood has been felled, the land is well cultivated with corn and fruit trees. Most of the good-looking houses we passed were provided with cider-presses. About four o’clock, P. M. we arrived at Trenton, and immediately embarked in the steam-boat Philadelphia.

I was very sorry for this great hurry, because I should have liked to have examined Trenton; it is a very handsome place, and was to me particularly interesting, on account of General Washington’s crossing the Delaware above Trenton, in the winter of 1776-77, and attacking a troop of Hessians, of whom he took one thousand four hundred prisoners. The Hessian Colonel Rall fell in this engagement. This was one of the best fought battles of the American war. There is, moreover, at Trenton, a remarkable bridge crossing the Delaware. It consists of five great suspended wooden arches which rest upon two stone abutments, and three stone piers. The difference between this bridge and others consists in this, that in common bridges the road runs over the tangent, but in this bridge, the roads form the segment of the arch. The bridge is divided in two roads in order that wagons may pass without meeting, and has also side-walks for foot-passengers.

The banks of the Delaware are hilly, well cultivated, and covered with elegant country-seats and villages. The neighbourhood, and the breadth of the river reminded me of the river Main, near Frankfort; unfortunately we could not enjoy this handsome landscape, because as soon as we arrived on board, we set down to dinner, and afterwards it became dark. Amongst other little towns, we passed Bordentown, where Count Survilliers, Joseph Buonaparte, ex-king of Spain, has a very handsome country-seat, and Burlington. About eight o’clock, P. M. we reached Philadelphia. Mr. Tromp, who left New York a few days before, came immediately on board, and conducted us to the Mansion House, where, though we were not so elegantly lodged as at New York, we found every thing neat and comfortable. Next morning we drove out early, in order to get acquainted with the city, which contains more than one hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants, and to observe some curiosities. We went up Market street over the Schuylkill. In the middle of this broad Market street or High street, the first objects we perceived were the market-houses; the long, straight, uniform streets, which appeared to be endless, seemed singular to us: they are mostly planted with poplars, and all provided with paved side-walks. In point of showiness of stores and bustle, the streets of Philadelphia are far behind New York.

The two bridges over the Schuylkill are of wood; Market street bridge, consists of three covered arches of very strong wood-work, which rest upon two stone piers, and two stone abutments. These piers and abutments are built upon a rock; the pier on the west side must have cost a great deal of labour, because the rock on which it stands, is dug out forty-one feet below low-water mark. It is said, that this pier required seventy-five thousand tons of stone. The length of this bridge including the piers, is one thousand three hundred feet, whereof the wood-work takes up five hundred and fifty feet; the extent of the middle arch amounts to one hundred and ninety feet, and the two others, each one hundred and fifty feet. A company, in the year 1798, began this bridge, and finished it in six years. At the east end of the bridge is an obelisk, which contains the following inscription: that besides the cost of the ground on which this bridge and its appendages stand, and which amount to forty thousand dollars, there were two hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars expended in building it; about a mile above this bridge there is another over the Schuylkill, which was finished in 1813, and cost one hundred and fifty thousand dollars; it is also of wood, and consists of a single arch, whose segment amounts to three hundred and forty feet, four inches; a toll is paid for crossing both bridges.

Somewhat north of the last bridge, and on the left bank of the Schuylkill are the water-works, by means of which the whole city of Philadelphia is supplied with water, even to the tops of the houses if wanting. The water of the Schuylkill is raised by aid of a dam; the water runs into a basin behind the dam as in a mill-pond; hence it drives by its fall three wheels, each of them sixteen feet in diameter, which are in an appropriate building. These wheels work three horizontal pumps, which force the water through iron pipes into the reservoir, ninety-two feet above the surface of the river. Within twenty-four hours, four million gallons of water can be pumped into the reservoirs. From these basins the water is conveyed by iron pipes into every part of the city. At certain distances there are hydrants, where hoses can be screwed on in case of fire. Generally, one wheel and one pump are worked, the others are kept in reserve, and are only used in case an extra quantity of water is needed, or in case of fire. This work has now been in operation for two years; it was designed by Mr. Graff, an hydraulic engineer; the whole establishment cost four hundred and thirty-two thousand five hundred and twelve dollars; the daily expenses, including two overseers, are five dollars. The dam has also rendered the upper part of the Schuylkill navigable, and in order to unite the upper with the lower part of the river, a canal with a lock to it, has been opened along the western side of the dam.

A high square pyramidal tower attracted our attention; it is a shot-tower, one hundred and sixty-six feet high. The melted lead, which is thrown through a tin box, whose apertures are suited to the size of shot wanting, falls from the whole height into water; while falling it forms itself into shot and becomes cold as it falls in the water. The different numbers of shot are intermixed; in order to separate the perfect from the imperfect shot, they put them in a flat basin, and by a certain motion in an oblique direction, the perfectly round ones roll down into a receiver, whilst the imperfect remain in the basin. After this they throw the good shot into a box of the shape of a bureau, with rockers like a cradle; the drawers have perforated tin bottoms, the upper drawer has the largest holes, and the lower the smallest; when the upper drawer is filled with shot, it is locked, and then the whole box is rocked for some minutes. Through this the shot is separated according to the size, and I believe there are fourteen different numbers. In order to give the shot a perfectly smooth surface, they throw it into a box which is attached to a wheel turned by water, and in this manner they are rolled for some time. They are then packed according to their number, in bags, and carried into the warehouse.

In front of the state house, whose lower floor is used as a court room, we saw a great assemblage of people; we heard it was the election of the common council. This state house is remarkable in an historical point of view, as being the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed, on the 4th of July, 1776, and in which the first Congress assembled, until its removal to Washington City. From the public houses in the vicinity, flags were displayed, to give notice what political party assembled there; hand-bills were sent all over town into the houses, to invite votes. From the tenor of these bills one might have concluded that the city was in great danger. The election, however, to our exceeding astonishment, passed over very peaceably.[18 - Here is one of the bills.Sir,The enclosed Federal Republican Ticket, is earnestly recommended to you for your support, This Day. Our opponents are active – Danger threatens – Every vote is important – One may be decisive. Be therefore on the alert – vote early for your own convenience, and the public good. Bring your friends to the poll, and all will be well. The improvement of the city is carefully regarded – good order and tranquillity abounds – general prosperity is every where apparent. Then secure by your vote This Day, a continuance of the present happy state of things.Our mayor is independent, faithful, and vigilant: —Who will be mayor if we fail!!! Think on this and hesitate no longer, but vote the whole of the enclosed ticket.(Naturalized citizens will please to take their certificates with them.)Tuesday, October 11th, 1825.]

The Bank of the United States, which is situated in Chesnut street, is the handsomest building that I have yet beheld in this country; it is built of white marble, after the model of the Parthenon at Athens; its entrance is decorated by eight Doric columns, and large broad steps. White marble is very common here; the steps of most houses are made of it. The railings are generally of iron with bright brass knobs; even on the scrapers at the doors I observed these bright brass knobs. The private houses are generally built of brick, the kitchens, &c. are commonly in the cellar. I observed here a very good contrivance, which I also remarked in various cities of the United States, that there are openings through the foot-pavement, covered by a locked iron grate, which serves to throw wood, coal, &c. in the cellar, so that they need not be carried through the houses.

I visited several bookstores; the store of Messrs. Carey, Lea & Carey appeared to be well assorted; Tanner’s is the best mapstore.

The Philadelphia Museum was commenced by an artist, Charles Willson Peale, and was subsequently incorporated as a joint stock company. The most remarkable curiosity it contains is undoubtedly the famous skeleton of the mastodon, which has rendered this museum so celebrated. The height of the shoulders is eleven feet; the length of the animal, including the stooping of the back, from the point of the head to the tail, measures thirty-one feet, but in a straight line seventeen and a half feet; its two large tusks are ten feet seven inches long; one of the back teeth, – for there are no front teeth, – measures eighteen and a half inches in circumference, and weighs four pounds ten ounces. The whole skeleton weighs about one thousand pounds. I was somewhat astonished that the knee of the fore-foot bends backwards and not forwards.[19 - [This surprise originated from the almost universal mistake of considering the elbow of animals as a knee. The anterior extremities of animals are in all respects analogous to those of the superior extremities of man; hence the second joint from the shoulder blade uniformly bends backward like the human elbow. It is not longer ago than the year 1810, that the present Sir Everard Home, whose pretensions as a comparative anatomist are well known, almost quarrelled with Mr. Peale, in presence of Sir Joseph Banks and Dr. Heavisides, for insisting upon the similarity of the anterior limbs of animals to the human arm!] – Trans.] This skeleton was found in a swamp in the state of New York, and there is a painting representing the colossal machine and building, by which the skeleton was removed from the swamp. For the sake of contrast, they have put the skeleton of an elephant next the mastodon. Under its foot is the skeleton of a mouse.

The academy of fine arts is a collection of paintings and statues. The best works which we saw belong to Count Survilliers. Among these was the count’s own portrait, robed as king of Spain, the portrait of his lady, and his two daughters, while yet children, all painted by Gérard of Paris. There were four busts, one of Madame Mère, the queen of Naples, Madame Murat, the princess Borghese, and the empress Marie Louise; and last of all a statue, representing the infant king of Rome, all by Canova. Amongst other paintings I observed several from the Flemish school, very few Italian, but some very fine pieces by Granet, which represented the interior of an Italian cloister. Two large paintings, one representing the children of Niobe by Rehberg, and the other the raising from the dead by touching the bones of the prophet Elisha, by the American painter Allston; both have merit, but I was neither pleased with the colouring nor execution. The statues are mostly casts, copies of the most famous antiquities. I observed, however, amongst them, the Venus of Canova.

In wandering through the streets I was struck with a building having a dome similar to the Roman pantheon; it was a Baptist chapel. I accordingly entered; the interior arrangement was very simple, and offered nothing remarkable. In the midst of the chapel is the baptismal font for baptising grown persons; it is a marble bath, something in the manner of the bath in the palace of Weimar. While speaking on this subject, I will notice the various sects that have churches in this city. 1st, Catholics; 2d, Protestant Episcopal; 3d, Presbyterian; 4th, Scotch Presbyterian; 5th, Covenanters, or Reformed Presbyterians; 6th, Baptist; 7th, the Methodist; most of the coloured people belong to the latter sect; 8th, the Friends or Quakers; 9th, the Free Quakers; 10th, German Lutheran; 11th, German Reformed; 12th, Dutch Reformed; 13th, Universalists; 14th, Swedenborgians; 15th, Moravians, or United Brethren; 16th, Swedish Lutheran; 17th, Mount Zion; 18th, Menonists; 19th, Bible Christians; 20th, Mariners Church; 21st, Unitarians; and 22d, Israelites; and all these sects live peaceably in the vicinity of each other.

A merchant, Mr. Halbach, to whom I was introduced, took a walk with me to two gardens adjoining the city. One of these belongs to a rich merchant, Mr. Pratt, and is situated upon a rocky peninsula, formed by the Schuylkill, immediately above the water-works. The soil consists mostly of quartz and clay. The owner seldom comes there, and this is easy to be perceived, for instead of handsome grass-plots you see potatoes and turnips planted in the garden. The trees, however, are very handsome, mostly chesnut, and some hickory. I also observed particularly two large and strong tulip trees; the circumference of one was fifteen feet. In the hot-houses was a fine collection of orange trees, and a handsome collection of exotic plants, some of the order Euphorbia from South America; also a few palm trees. The gardener, an Englishman by birth, seemed to be well acquainted with his plants. Through a hydraulic machine the water is brought up from the river into several basins, and thence forced into the hot-houses. There was also in the garden a mineral spring of a ferruginous quality. From several spots in the garden there are fine views of the Schuylkill, whose banks, covered with trees, now in the fall of the year, have a striking and pleasant effect from the various hues of the foliage. The other garden, called Woodlands, belonged to the Hamilton family. The road led us through the village of Mantua, which altogether consists of country-seats, and where Mr. Halbach also has his country residence. Woodlands has more the appearance of an English park than Mr. Pratt’s country-seat; the dwelling house is large, and provided with two balconies, from both of which there is a very fine view, especially of the Schuylkill and floating bridge. Inside of the dwelling there is a handsome collection of pictures; several of them are of the Dutch school. What particularly struck me was a female figure, in entire dishabelle, laying on her back, with half-lifted eyes expressive of exquisite pleasure. There were also orange trees and hot-houses, superintended by a French gardener.

The navy-yard, which I visited with Mr. Tromp, was shown us by a lieutenant of the navy and major Miller of the marines; at the same time I became acquainted with the naval architect, Mr. Humphreys, who is considered one of the most skilful in his department in the United States. Three years ago he visited England and its dock-yards by order of the government. This navy-yard is not very large, for although ships are built here, yet they do not leave the yard perfectly equipped, as the Delaware is too shallow for completely armed ships of the line. On the stocks there was a ship of the line and a frigate yet incomplete, which, however, could be made ready for sea in a short time. The former is to carry one hundred and forty guns, and is said to be the largest vessel ever built. The frigate was of sixty-four guns. Each vessel had an elliptic stern, and was under cover. The house which covered the ship of the line is so large that I counted on one side one hundred and forty windows. Between the two houses the keel of a sloop of war is to be laid.[20 - [The Vandalia, recently launched.] – Trans.] There was no man-of-war here in actual service, but a small steam-brig in ordinary, called the Sea Gull, which had returned a few months ago from the West Indies, where she had been cruising after the pirates; she was now condemned as unseaworthy, and used as a receiving ship. Philadelphia is inhabited by many Germans and descendants of Germans; some respectable people among them have formed themselves into a German society, which has rendered great services, particularly to the unfortunate Germans who arrived here some years ago in great numbers. When those gentlemen heard of my arrival, they invited me to a dinner, given in honour of me. It took place on the 15th October, in the Masonic Hall, a large building, erected by the freemasons of this place, whose basement story contains a very handsome hall, which serves for public entertainments. The table was set for seventy persons; every thing was splendid.

Before dinner I was introduced to all the guests present; the descendants of Germans had almost forgotten their mother tongue; some of them were lawyers, some merchants, and some mechanics. At the dessert, several toasts were drank in honour of America and Germany, and also in honour of me; I of course thanked them in a short speech. Our waiters were blacks; even the music was performed by blacks, because white musicians will never perform at public entertainments. After every toast the music struck up; but our virtuosi were only acquainted with two German pieces. After drinking my health, they played “a dish and a song,” &c; and after the toast was given of “the German Athens,” they played “Oh thou dear Augustin,” &c. After the regular toasts by the president, Mr. Wampole, were finished, volunteer toasts were drank, ad infinitum. I soon retired to call upon Mr. Walsh, to whom I was introduced by letter.

At Mr. Walsh’s I found a numerous assembly, mostly of scientific and literary gentlemen. This assembly is called “Wistar Party;” it is a small learned circle which owes its existence to a Quaker physician, Dr. Wistar, who assembled all the literati and public characters of Philadelphia at his house, every Saturday evening, where all well-recommended foreigners were introduced. After his death, the society was continued by his friends, under the above title, with this difference, that they now assemble alternately at the houses of the members. The conversation generally relates to literary and scientific topics. I unexpectedly met Mr. E. Livingston in this assembly; I was also introduced to the mayor of the city, Mr. Watson, as well as most of the gentlemen present, whose interesting conversation afforded me much entertainment.

Mr. Shoemaker accompanied us to a Quaker meeting. The Quakers, as is well known, have no parsons, but sit quietly assembled until the spirit moves some one. The individual thus excited, then preaches, ad libitum, whether male or female. The meeting was very quiet when we entered, and remained quiet for more than an hour; the spirit moved no one; at last this fatiguing sitting terminated, and we went home unedified. The church, or rather the meeting-house, is very simple, without the least ornament; the whole hall is filled with benches, and on an elevated form sit the elders of both sexes, with those who are in the habit of preaching.

A Quaker, Mr. Vaux, is at the head of several public institutions in Philadelphia. I was introduced to him by Mr. Eddy: he received me kindly, although using the appellation “thou,”[21 - [“Thou,” in German, is only used in addressing individuals of the lowest degree.] – Trans.] and promised to show me these institutions. The first objects we saw in his house, were paintings and copperplates referring to the first settlement of the Quakers in this state, and a model of a monument which is intended to be erected to the memory of William Penn. The model represented an obelisk, and was made of part of the elm tree under which this great benefactor of mankind concluded his treaty with the Indians.[22 - This took place on the banks of the Delaware, in Kensington, near Philadelphia. The elm tree was struck by lightning, a few years ago and destroyed.] After that we drove to the new penitentiary, a prison which was built near the water-works.