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

The museum is not so extensive as that of Philadelphia; still it contains some very interesting objects, which however, I had not time to examine sufficiently in detail. The museum is arranged in two stories of the buildings; the first contains various quadrupeds and birds, I perceived a specimen of the duck-bill animal from New South Wales. The birds are all indigenous, and are described in Wilson’s Ornithology. The collection of American insects and butterflies is very handsome; among them are several centipedes, large scorpions, and the mammoth spider from South America, which kills the humming bird. These insects are well preserved in frames of white plaster. The plaster is cast on moulds, the insect is put into the cavity, and fastened by pins stuck in the plaster while it is sufficiently hot to destroy the moths which may have entered the cavity; finally, they are hermetically secured beneath watch crystals. There is also a handsome collection of Indian antiquities, weapons and other objects; among these arms were a great number of arrow-heads of flint, such as I had seen among the Tuscaroras; farther, a great number of toys, and other trifles; a skeleton of the mastodon, but not so complete as the one in Philadelphia, forms part of this museum; the large teeth are missing, but the lower jaw bone[28 - [This is the only perfect lower jaw of the mastodon ever found, and the lover of Natural History must regret the extreme carelessness of the proprietor or superintendent of the Baltimore Museum, which has allowed so valuable a specimen to be mutilated. The London Medical Society was once in treaty for this jaw bone, at the price of three hundred guineas.] – Trans.] is particularly well preserved; two weeks previous to my visit it had fallen down along with the chain by which it had been suspended from the ceiling, and had broken in two.

There is also here, a very handsome collection of minerals. It is to be regretted that so many rare things are not better arranged, and separated from mere trifles. The city library was founded by subscription; it contains about fifteen thousand volumes; I asked to see Humboldt’s splendid work on Mexico; the library does not contain any thing very remarkable. Mr. Thomas, a Friend, one of the philanthropic public characters to whom I was introduced by Mr. Vaux, of Philadelphia, conducted me to a steam-mill, situated near the basin. It seems to me that such a mill is well worth imitating, especially in Flanders, where running water is so scarce. The machine which moves the wheels was made by Bolton and Watt, of Soho, in England, and is of sixty horse-power. This mill has eight pair of stones, of which there are commonly but four worked at a time; most of the work, which in general is done by men, is performed by machinery connected with the steam-engine; a long and horizontal chest leads from the interior of the mill to the wharf, where the vessels with grain lie; from the vessel, the wheat is poured in one of the extremities of the chest, or rather channel, along whose whole length a spiral screw runs, which by turning brings the grain to a large reservoir in the mill. By another piece of machinery the wheat is conveyed to the upper part of the house and thrown into a wire cylinder, where it is perfectly fanned, and is thence conducted to the hoppers; the flour falls into a common reservoir, whence it is conveyed to a bolting machine. The fine flour passes through a trough to a place where it is spread by a horizontally revolving rake, to be cooled; after this it runs by a spout to the ground floor, where it is packed in oaken barrels. A workman fills the barrel with a shovel, pushes it on an iron ring forming part of a scale, to weigh it, underneath a wooden block, which acted upon by a lever presses the flour into the barrel; this block, after being sponged in the common way, is again ready for immediate use. Two hundred barrels of superfine flour can be furnished daily by this mill, which works night and day; twelve workmen are sufficient to attend to all the operations. The owner said he could do with fewer, but was unwilling to dismiss them. The engine has three boilers, one is unemployed, to be cleaned and to be in reserve in case of an accident; from the roof of the mill there is a fine prospect over the city and harbour.

Mr. Thomas, who is one of the trustees, accompanied us to the Alms-house, nearly three miles distant from town, which was erected four years ago, at the expense of the state of Maryland. The house consists in a centre building, composed of the dwelling of the superintendent, office, and store-house; farther off are two insulated wings, the one for the men, the other for the females and children. The latter are brought to the Alms-house by their parents, or they are the children of disorderly parents taken up by public authority. Several of the paupers are intrusted with the care of these unfortunate creatures; two schoolmasters, who, by drunkenness, had been reduced to beggary, and lived as paupers in the house, taught them to read and write. I observed, with regret, that they were both armed with whips. The poor sleep in large airy rooms, the sick excepted, who are in separate infirmaries situated in the wings of the building; each one has a separate bed. Some infirm females only were in separate apartments, where three or four occupied one room. Each wing has three stories and one under ground, containing the kitchen, the wash-house, and bake-house; the bread used here is white and very good. Their meals are excellent: four times a week they have meat, twice vegetables; and on Fridays, as there are many Catholics, herrings. The building contains two large court-yards, with all the shops necessary for several mechanics, a large kitchen garden and all its dependencies of husbandry. It is situated on an elevated ground of cleared woods, a considerable number of acres of land appertaining to it, are cultivated by the poor. They are employed according to their strength and capacity, particularly in working for the house and in making their clothes. All the articles not used by the establishment are sold. Every poor person on entering the house, is shorn, takes a bath, and is clothed. For his clothes he becomes a debtor to the establishment, and cannot be dismissed until he has paid for them by his labour. The directors decide at this time if such a person is able to make his living in an honest manner, and resolve upon his discharge. Those who conduct themselves ill in the house are punished by solitary confinement. If they are sick on entering the house, two physicians, who are attached to the establishment, visit them daily and alternately; four students, also, from the medical college lodge in the house, and two of them are constantly present. For lunatics there are appropriate cells on the ground-floor.

I was twice in the Catholic Cathedral, the first time on Sunday, October 30th. The desire of hearing good music, decided me on going to this church, and I had no occasion to repent it. At the beginning of the service, I remained standing near the door, but being perceived, was conducted to a pew near the altar. The archbishop was sitting on an elevated chair, under a canopy. The music was particularly good, both in composition and execution. There were ladies attached to the choir, and it was a lady who played the organ. The charity sermon, by Mr. Wheeler, on charity and on the pleasure of doing good, was very edifying. This text had been chosen to move the hearts of the congregation, in behalf of the Catholic poor-school. Several days after, I returned to the Cathedral, in company with Mr. Vallenilla, (attached to the Colombian legation, and who had lately been married here,) to see Dr. Fenwick consecrated bishop of Boston. The church was crowded; it was with difficulty we obtained seats in a gallery opposite to the choir. A mass, composed by Cimarosa, was executed under the direction of Mr. H. Gilles, in a masterly style. I do not remember to have heard such good music for a long time. The best female voices were those of Mrs. French, Mrs. Gilles, and Miss Olivia Donaldson, sister-in-law to Mr. Vallenilla. The ceremony lasted very long. I remained from ten o’clock until two, P. M. and then left the church; the service continued until three o’clock. The archbishop himself officiated, in pontificalibus, with a mitre of cloth of gold and his gilded crosier-staff. He was served by the bishops of Charleston and Philadelphia, who wore mitres of cloth of silver. The first, Mr. England, delivered a long sermon, with a strong Irish accent, of which I did not understand much, except that he drew a comparison between a republican state citizen and a good Catholic: he spoke with much vehemence, and was very declamatory. It is said that this prelate is one of the pillars of the Romish church, in the United States.

I found the society very agreeable in Baltimore; at dinners every thing was unceremonious, and the conversation very instructive and lively; the evening parties afforded excellent music; the ladies in general are very handsome, and sing very well. It was at one of these evening parties, given by Mr. Henry Gilles, that I made the acquaintance of General Bernard and his lady, Baroness Serchenfeld of Bavaria. His acquaintance gave me great pleasure. I found him a very plain, modest and interesting man.

In paying Mr. Thomas my parting visit, I met his father, eighty-eight years old, and in full possession of his mental faculties. I entertained myself a long time with him. Among other topics, he related to me, that he had seen the spot which the city of Baltimore now occupies, a forest inhabited by Indians.

CHAPTER XIII

Stay in Washington, from the 2d until the 15th of November, 1825

On the morning of the 2d of November I received another visit from Mr. de Vallenilla. He showed me a golden medal, which had formerly been coined by the town of Williamsburg in Virginia, in honour of President Washington, and a very well made miniature of that great man, painted by Stewart, to which was appended his hair. The medal was in a box made of wood from one of the trees standing near Washington’s tomb. The medal and miniature were intended by Washington’s family as presents for President Bolivar, and Mr. de Vallenilla was to set off within a few days for Caraccas, in order to present them to his patron, the liberator Bolivar.

In the public stage I left the friendly city of Baltimore, with which I was extremely gratified, accompanied by Mr. Huygens, for Washington, the seat of government of the United States, distant thirty-nine miles. The weather was good and tolerably warm. The stage travelled slowly, and we did not arrive before five o’clock in the evening. The road was principally a turnpike, kept in a very good state. The country belonging to the state of Maryland is for the most part hilly, covered with wood of large-leaved oak and pine trees, appearing but very little settled. The ground is sandy; the fields are planted with Indian corn and tobacco. The country is for the most part uniform; we did not pass through a single decent village. The difference between this country and the northern states is very striking. The houses are a great deal smaller, and of an inferior construction than the worst log-houses in the state of New York. The most of these small houses are inhabited by negroes, who generally had a very tattered appearance. We crossed several creeks over good wooden bridges, and six miles from Washington, near Bladensburg, we crossed the east branch of the Potomac, by two wooden bridges. It was here, that in the year 1814, an engagement between the English and the Americans took place, in which the American militia is said to have displayed no very great degree of courage. In consequence of this affair, the English marched into Washington, and burned the capitol and the President’s house.

I had not formed a great idea of Washington city, but what I saw was inferior to my expectation. The capitol stands upon an elevation, and is to be considered as the centre of the future city. Up to this time it is surrounded but by inconsiderable houses and fields, through which small houses are also scattered. From the capitol, several avenues, planted with trees, extend in different directions. We rode into the Pennsylvania avenue, and eventually came to the houses, which are built so far apart that this part of the city has the appearance of a newly-established watering place. The adjacent country is very fine, and there are several fine views upon the broad Potomac. We passed by the President’s house; it is a plain building,[29 - The Duke of Leinster’s Palace served as the model for this building; that, however, is one story higher.] of white marble, situated in a small garden.

The president resides in the middle building; the four others are occupied as public offices. They are built of brick.

The plan of Washington is colossal, and will hardly ever be executed. According to the plan, it could contain a population of one million of inhabitants, whilst it is said at present to have but thirteen thousand. To be the capitol of such a large country, Washington lies much too near the sea. This inconvenience was particularly felt during the last war. It has been proposed to transfer the seat of government to Wheeling, on the Ohio, in the western part of Virginia.

Quite early next morning I received a friendly visit from the French minister, Baron Durand de Mareuil, whom I knew in Dresden, nineteen years ago, and afterwards as French minister at Naples, and met him in the same quality at Brussels. General Macomb, commander of the engineer corps of the United States, paid me a visit, and I was much delighted with his interesting conversation. Lieutenant Huygens also came, with whom I rode to Georgetown. This small town is amphitheatrically situated on the Potomac, whose right bank, covered with wood and partly cultivated, presents a pleasant view. Georgetown is separated from Washington, or rather from the ground on which it is to stand, by a small river called Rocky Creek, which empties into the Potomac, over which there is a bad wooden bridge. I returned to Washington with the minister, in order to be introduced to several of the highest public officers, and to the diplomatic body. At first we went to the office of Mr. Clay, the secretary of state, one of the most celebrated American orators. He is a tall, thin man; I found him in mourning for one of his daughters, of whom he has had the misfortune to lose three in a short time. Afterwards we went to see the president, who received us very kindly, and treated me as an old acquaintance. The house of the president, as already mentioned, is built of white marble. In the interior there is a large hall with columns. We were received in a handsomely furnished apartment. Beautiful bronzes ornamented the mantels, and a full length portrait of President Washington hung upon the wall.

From the president’s house we went to the office of the war department, to visit Mr. Barbour, the secretary, whom, however, we did not find, and thence to the navy department, to see the secretary, Mr. Southard. This officer is reputed to be one of the most learned men in the United States. The four offices are all built alike, very plain, with wooden staircases; their interior resembles a school-house. There are no sentinels nor porters; in the building for the war department a woman kept a fruit shop. Even the president himself has usually no sentries, and only during the night the marines from the navy-yard keep guard before his house.

We next visited Baron Mareuil, and I was very glad to renew my acquaintance with his amiable lady. His house stands quite insulated, like a country dwelling. The houses stand generally so widely distant in Washington, that the plan of the city exhibits more streets than houses. We made our last visit to the Russian minister, Baron Tuill, and the English minister, Mr. Vaughan, but found neither at home. At five o’clock I dined at Baron Mareuil’s, who gave a diplomatic dinner in honour of the King of France’s name-day. I found the greatest part of the diplomatic body assembled, and observed the French legation, particularly, was very numerous. It was composed of the consul-general Durand de St. André, brother of the Baron Mareuil, the vice-consul Thierry, the secretary of the legation De Bresson, the Count Ganay, and Mr. De Sonntag, a step-son of the Baron Mareuil, who was attached to the legation, and of Mr. Laborie, who, however, did not appear. Of the Russian legation, I found Mr. De Wallenstein, whom I had known in Boston, and who is very much esteemed and beloved here on account of his sensible conduct and good character, but particularly on account of his solid acquirements and correct views. The president, it is said, entertains a high opinion of him. I saw likewise Baron Maltitz, of the same legation, who married an American wife some months ago, also the Chargé d’Affaires of Brazils, Chevalier Rebello. I also became acquainted with the secretary of the treasury, Mr. Rush, who was for many years ambassador to England, and I met too with Mr. Brent, the under secretary of state. The ladies present, were only Mrs. De Mareuil and Mrs. De St. André. The dinner was truly splendid.

The number of our acquaintances soon increased, and pleasant and interesting parties ensued. At the same time we saw what was remarkable in Washington and its vicinity.

With Messrs. Huygens, father and son, we rode to the navy-yard, which is under the command of a commodore. The commodore was just gone travelling, therefore, we were accompanied on our tour by Captain Booth. In this navy-yard ships are only built and refitted; after that they descend the Potomac into the Chesapeake Bay, and go to Norfolk, where they are armed. At the time of our visit there were but two frigates in the yard, called forty-four gun ships, but mounting sixty-four pieces: the Congress, an old ship, which was repairing, and the Potomac, an entirely new ship, which has been launched, but subsequently hauled up and placed under a roof.

Upon the spot where the frigate Brandywine, which carried Gen. La Fayette to France, was built, the keel of a new frigate was laid, and at the same time the foundation for a house over this new ship was begun. The ground being very moist, this building is erected on piles. Opposite the entrance of the navy-yard, stands a rostral column of white marble with allegoric figures. It was erected by the officers and midshipmen of the navy of the United States, to commemorate the death of their comrades who fell in the attack of Tripoli. The English, at the time of their taking possession of Washington, on the 25th of June, 1814, broke the fingers of one hand belonging to the allegoric figure representing America, and destroyed the stylus in the hand of the muse of history. This inscription has been added to the column: “mutilated by the British.” At the foot of the monument stand two Spanish brass twenty-four pounders, taken by the Americans at Tripoli.

In this, as well as in other American navy-yards, there are several buildings. I found large forges where chain-cables are made, and tried in the same manner I had witnessed two years ago in Newbridge, South Wales. All the old copper taken from the ships is melted, and with an alloy of brass, converted into utensils of every description used on board ships; a steam-engine of fourteen horse-power moves a saw-mill, consisting of two large and several smaller circular saws, as also, machines for block-making, which however, can by no means be compared with Brunel’s block machine in Portsmouth; in the little arsenal are the muskets, swords, &c. I observed a contrivance on the locks of the guns to insulate the priming, and secure it in damp weather. I saw also a kind of repeating musket with two locks, one behind the other. With such muskets, by means of the anterior lock, twelve consecutive discharges can be produced, and these being over, the gun is loaded again like an ordinary infantry musket, and fired by means of the lowest lock. After the anterior lock is fired, all the remaining shots incessantly follow, and cannot be withheld at will, as it is the case with the repeating gun bought by me in New York, already described. It is yet unknown how this successive firing can be obtained. Captain Booth showed me also double screws of his own invention, the object of which is to supply the place of ordinary lanyards for ships. This officer has obtained a patent for his contrivance, and it has been adopted, for experiment, in the frigate Brandywine; in the same navy-yard is a laboratory, under the arsenal, where the necessary fire-works for the artillery are made. The place seemed to me to be ill chosen, since an explosion that may easily happen in such an establishment, might cause most terrible consequences to the navy-yard.

Over the Potomac there is a long wooden bridge, built upon ordinary cross-beams. I measured it, and found it to be fifteen paces broad, and one thousand nine hundred long. My paces being to the ordinary ones in the relation of four to five, it may be assumed that it is about two thousand three hundred and seventy-five paces in length. It required nineteen minutes to walk from one end to the other. Every foot-passenger pays six cents. This bridge astonishes by its length, but not at all in its execution, for it is clumsy and coarse. Many of the planks are rotten, and it is in want of repair; it has two side-walks, one of them is separated from the road by a rail. It is lighted by night with lanterns. It is provided with two drawbridges, in order to let vessels pass. It grew dark before I returned home, and was surprised at the stillness of the streets, as I scarcely met an individual.

Patents of invention are issued from the patent-office; whoever wishes to obtain a patent for an invention, is obliged to deliver a model or an accurate drawing of it. These models are exposed in an appropriate place, where they remain until the expiration of the time for which the patents are granted; they are then put into the lumber-room. Among such models, there certainly is a great number of things of little importance, as for instance, a contrivance for peeling apples; there are also ninety-six models for making nails in different ways, but some of them very remarkable. The most interesting models of machinery seemed to me to be those intended to remove mud from the bottoms of rivers, and canals, or to make them deeper. One of them consists of an ordinary steam-boat; with her they go to the spot where they are to work; arrived at the spot they cast anchor, stop the two water-wheels, and with an apparatus which is moved by the engine, draw the mud from the bottom. According to another model, the same operation can be performed by means of a draw-wheel. A great many models are intended to separate seed from cotton, to beat, spin, and weave it; none of them, however, are reputed to be superior to the known English machines.

Of steam-engines and steam-boats there are a great many models of very singular form, also steam-boats with rotatory motions; they however do not answer the purpose. I saw patterns of railways, and models of machines to draw boats from a lower canal into a higher one, by help of an inclined plane. Then two models of floating covered batteries. One of them was an oblong case, in which is fixed a steam-engine, giving to two long iron bars a rotatory motion. These bars, like two clock-hands, projecting off the deck, are intended to keep off a boarding enemy. A model to compress leaden bullets, in order to give them more weight. A great number of household and kitchen apparatus, fire-places of different descriptions, an earth-augur for seeking water, fire-engines of various kinds, a fire-proof roof, contrived by a German, several machines to make bricks, instruments by means of which, in navigating the Mississippi, trees lying under water can be taken hold of and sawed to pieces without stopping the vessel in its course, machinery to bore holes in rocks, and others to hoist rocks out of water; the machine contrived in London by Perkins to print with steel; models of book printing-presses; models for combing wool, and dressing woollen stuffs; fan-mills; leather manufacturing instruments, and among others, an instrument for splitting hides; a great number of agricultural instruments, namely, a great many ploughs for every kind of soil, invented by Germans; machines for mowing grass, for thrashing and cutting straw. Among the most important machines, I will mention one for making blocks, which is considered not to be inferior in any respect to that of Brunel, in Portsmouth, and another which renders steeping of flax unnecessary, and yet fits it after fourteen days drying to be broken and heckled. For permission to take a copy of the machine, one must pay ten dollars to the inventor. I ordered two copies; one for the Agricultural Society of Ghent, and another to present to my father. Several fine models of bridges, especially of hanging ones, among others, one of the bridges in Trenton, near Philadelphia, and another of that near Fayetteville, in North Carolina; also one of a hanging bridge, under which is suspended a canal passing over the river. Respecting arms I did not find much improvement. There was also a triangle of steel, weighing six pounds, upon which three different hammers struck, to supply the place of church bells. This ringing is said to be heard at a great distance. It has been introduced in several places to assemble the people.

The patent-office is in the same building with the post-office. They pointed out to me two large gilt frames with the arms of France and Navarre. They hung before the catastrophe of 1814, in the house of the president, and contained full length portraits of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, which were presented in 1783, by those unfortunate monarchs to the United States, at their especial desire. Both portraits suddenly disappeared, and it is believed that it happened in 1814, when the English made their unexpected visit to Washington, and burnt down the house of the president.

The patent-office is under the direction of Dr. Thornton,[30 - [Since deceased. His place is supplied by Dr. Thomas P. Jones, of Philadelphia.] – Trans.] who is an able draughtsman. Under Dr. Thornton, a Swiss is employed, whose name is Keller, a very able mechanic, and inspector of the model room, who explained every thing to me. Dr. Thornton was so kind as to accompany me to a sculptor, who, by means of casting a mould upon the face, obtains a striking resemblance, and has made busts of the first American statesmen, &c.

I arranged a party to the Falls of Potomac, with Mr. De Bresson, sixteen miles distant, where we were accompanied by Mr. Huygens, Jr. On the 6th of November, at nine o’clock, we left Washington and went five miles upon a very rough road, along the left bank of the river, which is at first very broad. Both shores are hilly and covered with wood, for the most part hickory and different species of oak. Of the primitive woods nothing is to be seen, for generally the wood is second growth. The banks soon became rocky, and we observed even in the river some projecting rocks. On the left shore they have dug a canal, this, however is too narrow, and only navigable by long boats, resembling the Durham-boats on the St. Lawrence river. In these boats, wood, lumber, stones, especially mill-stones, and the harvest from the upper countries, are carried to Washington.

Five miles above the city, we went over, on a hanging bridge, to the right shore. The chains consist of bars of wrought iron. The bridge itself is of wood, as well as the two cross-beams standing on its extremities, through which the chains are passed; these cross-beams form a kind of entrance, having an Egyptian appearance. The length of the bridge is about one hundred and sixteen feet, its breadth sixteen feet. A rather high toll is paid for passing it; we paid a dollar and a half for a carriage with two horses, for going and coming. The road, passing almost incessantly through a wood, became a little better after we arrived at the other side of the bridge. It was called a turnpike road, but still it continued hilly. We passed but a single inn, and saw but a single country house, which belonged to Commodore Jones, whose daughter became a Catholic and a nun, in a convent at Georgetown; this occurrence produced a great sensation in the United States. Most of the people we met with, were tattered negroes, who humbly saluted us. We were now in the state of Virginia, in the vicinity of the falls; when the road became very bad, we left our vehicle and went on foot through the forest, to see this natural curiosity, whose noise made us sensible of its proximity.

The river runs here over a rocky bed, and is about three hundred paces wide; in the dry season it is a great deal narrower. It forms several distinct falls, none of them above fifty feet high. They recall to memory Glenn’s Falls on the Hudson, between Lake George and Saratoga. We crept about in the labyrinth of broken rocks, not without danger or difficulty, in order to obtain different views of these falls. The sun was shining upon them at the time, and afforded us the sight of several rainbows; we soon felt ourselves richly rewarded for our pains.

In order to avoid these falls, a canal with locks has been made on the right shore. The canal passing through the rocks, is in some places dug down more than fifty feet. We, unfortunately, had chosen Sunday for our excursion; the inhabitants were gone to church, and there was nobody to give us the necessary explanations. There was no vegetation on the rocks about the falls, except some broom and single clover. We saw also upon the rock a creeping cactus plant, resembling the cochineal cactus, with small pear-shaped fruit, which contained a purple-red slimy juice. This plant gave me the first sign of my approach to the south. We returned to Washington by the road we came. Notwithstanding the late season, it was as warm as in midsummer.

The capitol is a really imposing building. When it is once surrounded by handsome buildings, it will produce a fine effect. It is built of white marble, and has three domes; the largest is over the rotunda, and the two smaller over the wings. The capitol stands on an acclivity, and in front is three stories high, and on the back, which is opposite the president’s mansion, four stories high. In front is the entrance, with a portal of Corinthian columns; on the back part there is a large balcony, decorated with columns. The entrance under the portal is a little too low.

In the centre of the building, under the principal dome is a large circular hall, receiving light from the roof. Pictures are to be placed in this hall, under the bas-reliefs. One of these represents the deliverance of Captain Smith, commander of the first English settlement in Virginia, by the Indian Princess Pocahontas; another is an allegory, representing the landing of European emigrants. Behind this hall is a large saloon, contiguous to the balcony, which contains the library of Congress. During the English incursion in 1814, the library was destroyed by fire; the present library has been gradually collected since, and consists in great part of the late President Jefferson’s books. Under the large hall is a small one, supported by three rows of columns, not unlike a family tomb. It receives its light from above, by a round opening in the floor of the large hall, and serves as a passage. It has been proposed to place there the coffin of the great Washington. No principal staircase is yet built, but a great number of smaller ones. The interior is altogether very angular. Columns and corridors are numerous in all the lateral galleries and saloons; the capitals of the columns are mostly of Egyptian taste, and the models seem to have been taken from the “description de l’Egypte.” In the corridor leading to the senate chamber, are columns, the shafts of which represent a bunch of stalks of Indian corn, and the capitals the fruit of the same plant. In the wings on the right hand side from the entrance, is the senate chamber, the offices belonging to it, the office of the president, and session room of the supreme court of the United States. This, and the senate chamber, are built in a semicircular form. In the centre is a place for the presiding officer. The members of the senate have their seats amphitheatrically arranged; every one has a chair, and before him a small mahogany desk. In this wing are hung the four pictures by Trumbull, which are hereafter to be placed in the rotunda. One of them represents the Declaration of Independence: there is a very fine engraving of this picture; another, the surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates, near Saratoga; the third, the capitulation at Yorktown, and the filing off of the English between the American and French army; the fourth, the resignation of General Washington, and laying down of his commission to congress on the 23d of December, 1783. The portraits are said to be striking likenesses. As to the composition and execution of these pictures, the first makes one think of the pedantic school of Benjamin West, and the other looses by faint colouring. The painter was, moreover, placed under restraint by want of taste in his countrymen for the fine arts, who resemble, in that respect, their English ancestors: the posture of almost every single person having been prescribed him.

In the other wing of the building is the hall of representatives, likewise in form of an amphitheatre, and the offices belonging to it. In this hall is a full length portrait of General La Fayette. The ceiling of this saloon, like that of the senate chamber, and supreme court room, is supported by doric columns, whose shafts are of pudding-stone. The gallery above the principal dome, affords a very extensive view. The principal avenues of the city, which is to be built, all depart from this point, and this view recalls the situation of the castle at Carlsruhe, with this difference, that here no wood, and but few houses are seen.

With the families de Mareuil, St. André, Huygens, and all the French legation, we made an excursion by water to Mount Vernon, the country-seat of the great Washington. Mount Vernon is situated sixteen miles from the capitol, and on the right bank of the Potomac, in the state of Virginia. We hired a steam-boat for the purpose, on board of which we went at half past ten o’clock, at Georgetown. We went across the long bridge through an opening of a double drawbridge, and steered down the Potomac. Washington remaining on our left, had a very handsome appearance from the water, and especially the cape, named Greenleaf’s point, situated at the junction of the east branch with the Potomac, which is fortified, and contains very spacious storehouses. Eight miles below Washington, we stopped at the city of Alexandria, lying on the right bank of this river, in order to obtain a boat for landing at Mount Vernon. Alexandria is one of the three cities of the district of Columbia, which are Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria. This town is said to have a considerable commerce; it has a harbour with wooden wharves, near which I saw several schooners lying, and also two brigs. It is said to contain about eight thousand inhabitants. The streets are long and very straight, crossing each other at right angles. After a stay of twenty minutes, we continued our course. Both banks are hilly, in some places rocky; there is a great deal of gravel, and they are covered with wood. At a winding of the stream we passed by Fort Washington, recently built upon a rock on the left bank, commanding the stream with its batteries. In an oblique direction on the opposite shore, we at last perceived Mount Vernon, beautifully situated. The water near the banks being very low, the steam-boat stopped in the middle of the stream, about a mile from the shore, and we landed in boats. We ascended by a very bad road to a place where cattle were grazing, which I heard was formerly Washington’s garden. Between three oaks and some cypress trees, we saw a coarse wooden door about four feet high, in a very bad piece of masonry. I thought at first it was a spring-house. How great was my astonishment, when I learned that this was the entrance to the sepulchral vault of the greatest man of his time; the ornament of his age; of Washington!

I picked up some acorns fallen from the trees which shaded the tomb; my object was to plant them when I returned home. I took also from this sacred spot a twig of a cypress tree. The tomb is no longer opened, since strangers have nearly cut to pieces the whole of the pall covering the coffin, in order to preserve it as a relic. It was last opened at the time of General La Fayette’s visit.

Thence we went to the dwelling-house, about three hundred paces distant, and situated on a hill, from which there is an extremely fine view of the Potomac. This estate belongs to Judge Washington, who, being absent upon business connected with his office the greatest part of the year, permits his inherited property to decay very much. He has no children. The house is two stories high, built of wood, and without taste. On the side next the river, it has a piazza, and on the other, is the entrance with stone steps, which are almost decayed. By means of a wooden colonade, the house communicates right and left with the wings and household buildings. Farther on, are houses for negro slaves, of whose dirty, ugly, and ragged children, we saw a great many running about. It being Sunday, we had much difficulty in finding access to the house; at last we succeeded in getting into the lower story, which has been left nearly in the same condition it was at the decease of its great possessor. But the number of books belonging to the library, has been increased by many new works by the present proprietor. A great many fine engravings decorate the walls, especially a very handsome Louis XVI. which Washington was presented with by that unfortunate monarch. On the gilt frame above, are the arms of France, and below, those of Washington’s family. In the four corners are the cyphers of the king and G. W. There are also two very good engravings, representing the battle of Bunker’s Hill, and the death of General Montgomery; four views of the attack of Gibraltar and its defence, and a miniature portrait of the great man painted on enamel. One of the keys of the Bastille, sent after its destruction by General La Fayette to Washington, is exposed in a case of glass, under it is a sepia drawing of the demolition of that prison. The furniture and other regulations of the rooms, are very plain; in the eating-room I observed a valuable chimneypiece of Italian marble, with handsome bas-reliefs, and two columns of gallo-antico.

It is known that when General La Fayette was visiting Washington’s burial place, an eagle made his appearance in the air and hovered over the spot until the general had proceeded farther. We also observed to day a very large one, which seemed to observe us from the height; we saw him above us when we were embarking. He seemed to hover over the same spot for a long while, and when the last boat came near the steam-boat, he suddenly left the place, flew towards the wood, and was lost to sight.

In our travelling company, I became acquainted with Count Miot, who had formerly been minister of the interior in Naples, and afterwards in Spain, under Joseph Buonaparte, and now was travelling for pleasure, and to visit his ancient master. Mr. De Mareuil detained all the gentlemen of our party to dinner at his house, and we remained there till ten o’clock, very much pleased. At a ball given by Baron Mareuil, more than two hundred persons, the members of the diplomatic body, the first authorities of the country, and the principal inhabitants, were present. I met with General Bernard, and became acquainted with General Brown, an aged man, whose right side appeared to be palsied. The most interesting acquaintances I made, were those of Commodore Porter, whose name, as well as the important services he rendered to his country, and his late trial, have rendered him known to the world, and of Colonel Roberdeau, of the engineers. I became farther acquainted with Mr. Calvert, who told me his son had studied in Göttingen and had some time ago travelled to Weimar, where he was presented at court and was very well received. The ladies were very elegantly dressed, and danced very well. They danced mostly French quadrilles, but always with the same figures. The music was good, and by the marine band of the garrison. The ball, however, did not last long; I was one of the last to go, and came home at eleven o’clock. The president was not there; he does not accept any invitation in the city. The present president receives even the foreign ministers only when they have been announced by the secretary of state. The president is likewise exempt from returning visits, which he had already the kindness to give me notice of by Mrs. Sullivan, in Baltimore.

Another ball was given by General Brown, in honour of the marriage of Captain Gardner, of the fourth regiment of artillery. The gentlemen I found there were mostly officers of the army. There is scarcely an army in Europe in which the corps of officers is better composed than in the small American army; since in the United States no one can on any account be an officer, if he is not well educated. The officers are exclusively taken from the military academy in West Point; no subaltern officer is promoted. The greater part of the inferior officers who were advanced during the last war, had been dismissed. Such a measure is in this country unavoidably necessary, where none but people of the lowest class enlist as soldiers in the army; without such an interval between the officers and the rank and file, discipline could not be maintained. Therefore, if a young man is seen in the uniform of an American officer, it may with confidence be inferred that he is in every respect fit to maintain his place in the best society.

At the third ball, given by Mr. Huygens, we once more met with a very pleasant company. I conversed a long time with Lieutenant Wolf Tone, of the first regiment of artillery. He is an Irishman by birth, educated in a French military school. He had been formerly in the French service, and is patronised by General Bernard.

At a visit I made to General Macomb and Major Vandeventer, at the war-office, the general showed me many drawings and plans of fortresses and entrenchments, together with two remarkable lists sent in every month from West Point by Lieutenant-Colonel Thayer. One of them contains the names of the best and worst cadets in every class, and the other the names of those who deserve to be rewarded, as well of others who have been punished, with indication of their faults; finally, of those who have been expelled, and the reason of their expulsion. Both lists are put in frames, under glass, and hung up in the general’s office; one is changed every fortnight, and the other every month. I was told by the general, that they saved him frequently from wasting conversation with the parents of the cadets.

The general conducted me also to the topographical office, being under the direction of Colonel Roberdeau. I found there several repeating circles, theodolites and telescopes, made by Troughton and Ramsden; also two transit instruments, destined for the observatory which is still to be built; an instrument by Troughton, which serves for measuring the ten-thousandth part of an English inch, and a model measure of the English yard, French mètre and litre. This gentleman regretted that the old English measures and weights are retained in the United States, instead of adopting, as it has been done in the Netherlands, the new French standard, which is much better.

There were also several good plans of battles and sieges of the revolutionary war, namely, those of the old fortresses Ticonderoga and Crownpoint, on Lake Champlain. I missed the most recent drawings. On the other hand, General Macomb showed me what they call the Indian department, where all business with the Indian tribes is attended to. There we found portraits of a great many Indian chiefs, and several of their wives, who have been at different periods in Washington, in order to compliment the president. They then receive medals according to their rank, which they wear by a riband round the neck. There were also several weapons and different ornaments of tribes I had already seen. Finally, I visited the ordnance department, which is under the direction of a colonel. I saw here a gun invented by Mr. Hall, at Harper’s Ferry, which is loaded from the breech, and with which five sure shots can be made in a minute. With this gun, three thousand discharges had been made, and it has proved very exact; several have been ordered, and one or two companies are to be armed with them in case of war.

At a dinner given by the president, and at which I had the honour along with about forty persons, to be present, were the diplomatic body, the state secretaries, several generals, and other persons of distinction. Among them, I made the acquaintance of Mr. Gaillard,[31 - Since dead.] of North Carolina, president pro tem. of the senate. No ladies were present, because Mrs. Adams was not well. The table furniture was very rich. I was particularly pleased with a service of silver gilt. The eating-room is very spacious, besides which there were two richly furnished rooms open. I remarked several handsome Sèvres, porcelain vessels, and a marble bust of the great Washington, by the Italian sculptor Ceracchi, who was afterwards shot in Paris, on account of a conspiracy against Napoleon’s life. A great chandelier was remarkably fine; it was made for the Emperor Napoleon, and purchased in the year 1815, by the American minister in Paris. The imperial eagles now pass for American.

General Brown,[32 - [Since dead.] – Trans.] during a visit, showed me a large gold medal which was presented to him by congress, on account of his services in the late war. On one side of it is a bust of the general, and on the other a trophy of English arms surrounding a fasces. Four shields bear the names, Sackett’s Harbour, Niagara, Chippewa, and Erie, with the dates on which these places witnessed the general’s deeds. At the foot of the trophy an American eagle is represented, holding in his talons an English banner. This medal is not intended to be worn: the general preserves it in a box. The American citizens are not allowed to wear any foreign decorations; even General Bernard was obliged to lay aside those he had so truly merited. General Brown showed me also a gold box, presented to him by the city of New York, together with the freedom of the city.

On the 14th of November I began to make farewell visits, for the dwellings in Washington are so far distant, that such visits require a great deal of time. On this occasion, I had a long conversation with the secretary of war, Mr. Barbour, and general Macomb, on military subjects. I differed in opinion from the secretary about the efficiency of militia men, of whom he, as their former general,[33 - He had commanded the militia when Governor of Virginia.] seemed to entertain too high an opinion. At Mr. de Wallenstein’s I saw some good instruments; a barometer for measuring heights, and a telescope which he had adopted as a transit-instrument. I found there also Krusenstern’s large Atlas of the South Sea, a fine work on bad paper. Mr. de Wallenstein had translated an astronomical work from the Spanish into English; he had also an English copy of the illustrations of Göthe’s Faust laid open. With General Bernard I conversed for a long while on the science of military engineering. He told me he had served at the defence of two fortresses, and obtained the experience, that there can be no strong defence, without having covered works on the front of attack. Respecting coast batteries, he was of opinion that the best were those which had at least an elevation of thirty feet above the surface of the water, in order that the rebounding shots coming from ships should not attain the breastwork. He considered the establishments for military instruction in this country susceptible of great improvements. He had proposed to establish a military exercise school, to which should be alternately sent battalions of infantry, and companies of artillery; this proposition has not been adopted. The general said also a great deal about the importance of Anvers, and gave me many interesting explanations of Napoleon’s designs in fortifying that place. Finally, the conversation turned on the battle of Waterloo, at which the General had been present as aid to the Emperor. Tears came into the eyes of this gallant man, while speaking of his former master.

On the last day of my stay in Washington, I took a ride with Messrs. Huygens, and Mr. de Bresson; we went to the marine barracks, where, by order of the secretary of war, experiments with Hall’s muskets were to be made. Mr. Hall, who is inspector of the gun manufactory at Harper’s Ferry, was present himself.

Experiments were made on the celerity of firing; Mr. Hall fired with his gun, and the sergeant major of the marines with an ordinary infantry musket. The last could make but four shots in a minute; whilst Mr. Hall made six. He has also applied his invention to ordinary infantry muskets and rifles, and caused them to be constructed at Harper’s Ferry. They cost the government eighteen dollars a piece. An essential improvement would be to introduce percussion fire-locks. Moreover these arms can only be given into the hands of very well exercised men. The government intends to arm the left wing companies with them. For the riflemen or light infantry, this gun seems to be very well suited. I expressed a desire that Mr. Hall would make such a gun for me; but he replied, that being in the service of the government, he was not allowed to make any without particular permission of the secretary of war. The few marines in quarters were paraded under the command of a Lieutenant, and I was received with music and presented arms. The whole of the marine corps is composed of but seven hundred men, who were employed on board the squadrons in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the South Sea, to serve on board the receiving ships, and in the navy yards of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Norfolk. Hopes were entertained, that the next congress would consent to augment this corps to the number of fifteen hundred men, and this augmentation would, no doubt, have a great influence on the improvement of the service.

CHAPTER XIV

Departure from Washington. – Fredericktown. – Harper’s Ferry. – Blue Ridge. – Staunton. – Natural Bridge. – Wier’s Cave. – Charlotteville. – University of Virginia. – Monticello. – Richmond. – Jamestown. – Norfolk. – Fort Monroe. – Fayetteville. – Columbia

On the 15th of November, I set out from Washington with Mr. Huygens, jr., who was desirous of accompanying me by permission of his father. I had hired a carriage with four horses to Harper’s Ferry, about fifty miles from Washington, where we were to arrive in two days. The road was for some miles very good, but afterwards it became bad and rugged and continued so the rest of the day. We left the District of Columbia, and again entered the state of Maryland. The country through which we were passing was hilly, covered with wood, and in some places cultivated; single large houses belonging to tobacco planters, and in their vicinity small ones for the negro slaves, were scattered here and there. We went through only one decent place called Rocksville. About seven o’clock in the evening we reached an inn called Scholl’s tavern, situated in the township of Clarksburg, distant from Washington twenty-five miles.