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                       NOTES ON A TOUR THROUGH
                         THE WESTERN PART OF
                             THE STATE OF
                               NEW YORK




                             PHILADELPHIA
                               1829-30





Two Hundred Copies reprinted October, 1916, from The Ariel,
Philadelphia, 1829-30, for George P. Humphrey, Rochester, N. Y.

No.




[We have been politely favored with a manuscript journal of a very
intelligent traveller, kept during a tour through the most thriving
counties of the state of New York. We give an extract below, and shall
continue to furnish others until the whole shall have been published.
The journal will be found to contain the observations of a sound,
practical farmer, and a lover of the works of nature as well as those of
art. We recommend it to the attention of our friends in the country, and
to readers generally; believing it well worthy of an attentive
perusal.]




NOTES ON A TOUR THROUGH THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK




_Extract No. 1_


_May 5th._--Left Bristol Pa., at eight o'clock, in the Steamboat
Trenton, for New York. About ninety passengers were on the way-bill, not
one of which I knew. Amongst our number was the celebrated Miss _Clara
Fisher_--famed for her aptitude in personating variety of character,
having wonderful powers of mimicry. She is certainly a very interesting
girl, and attracted much attention; but the gaze of strangers was
evidently very disagreeable to her, and she apparently coveted not much
scrutiny. Nothing occurred on our route worth notice. Having had a
pleasant passage, we arrived at New York about five o'clock.

I took my lodgings at Mrs. _Man's_ boarding-house, No. 61, Broadway.
After making some improvement in my appearance, such as brushing up my
hat and coat, and brushing off my beard, I issued forth into the
splendid avenue, where all the beauty and fashion of this gay city daily
promenade, to enjoy the pleasure of a walk. After walking and walking,
and walking further, until my feet exhibited an alarming regiment of
_blisters_, I wended my tedious way back to my lodgings--took a peep at
the medley of boarders that thronged the house--looked at (but did no
more than _taste_) the shaved dried beef and prepared bread-and-butter
on the supper-table--for the former was cut in true Vauxhall style, one
pound to cover half an acre, and the latter was only alarmed by
butter--sipped a dish of tea, and made my escape to bed, ruminating on
the horrors of an empty stomach tantalized by a New York supper.

_May 6th._--Got up early, fresh and active--had a good night's rest, in
spite of a slim supper--paid for that and my bed--_one dollar_--just
four times as much as the whole was worth. Pushed off to the North
America steamboat, and took passage to _Albany_--fare, two dollars. The
night boats, as they are called, that is, the boats which go in the
night, are some of them as low as one dollar, board included; but you
lose the pleasure which even common minds must feel when gazing on the
glorious scenery that fringes the borders of the mighty Hudson, and
which, to a stranger, fully makes up the difference. The North America
is a splendid and superior boat, far surpassing all others that ply upon
the Hudson, and ploughs her majestic course through the waves at the
rate of fifteen miles an hour. I should estimate the number of
passengers on board to-day at _three hundred_, all of whom had the
appearance of belonging to the higher order of society, as the
low-priced boats are favored with the rabble, who move about here so
often, and in such numbers, as to give those boats a good support. We
left the wharf about seven: and again I looked around me, but in vain,
to find in this dense crowd one familiar face with which I might claim
acquaintance. I was therefore forced to look on, without having a single
friendly bosom with which I might reciprocate those impressions of
pleasure which the occasion was so aptly fitted to inspire. The grand
Pallisadoes, the Highlands, and the abrupt sinuosities of this noble
river, were calculated to awaken in my mind a sense of the fraility of
my nature, and the greatness of a God. After passing Newburg, the
scenery became entirely new to me, as that place had heretofore been the
limit to my journeys. After leaving this spot, many very beautiful and
highly cultivated _seats_ are passed, on the east side of the river.
They rear their captivating forms in the very bosom of apparently
primeval nature, on some imposing point or eminence; and as the boat
swiftly passes, are alternately hid and opened to the view. As we
approached the Catskill mountains, which are much the highest I have
ever seen, the celebrated mountain house, called _Pine Orchard_, was
pointed out to me by a gentleman on board. It is located on one of the
most elevated points, and is distant twelve miles from the river. Its
appearance is very much that of a small white cloud in the midst of the
heavens, and is in the highest degree wild and romantic. But I came to
the conclusion, after gazing at it a considerable time, that the fatigue
of climbing to the summit, (more than 2,000 feet high,) would be
infinitely greater than the pleasure which its airy situation could
afford.

After leaving the city of _Hudson_, the country gradually sinks, on each
side, and appears in some places tolerably fertile--but I much prefer
looking at, to living on, such a soil.

We arrived at _Albany_ about eight in the evening: but, it being dark
and rainy, I left the boat immediately, and took up my abode at Welch's
Connecticut Coffee-House. As the rain kept me in doors, I went to roost
early, and got a comfortable night's rest.

_7th._--Got up with the sun, to allow time to survey the place, as my
stay was limited. The first, and in fact the only object worthy of
particular notice, (at least that I saw,) is the spacious Basin of the
great _Clinton_ Canal--improperly called _Erie_ Canal. This is formed by
a section of the river, taken therefrom by means of an extensive wharf
running parallel with the shore, about one hundred yards from the same,
and in length about three quarters of a mile, having a lock at the lower
end, to receive and let out vessels of considerable burden. This wharf,
if I may so call it, is about thirty yards wide, having extensive
store-houses built upon it, from one end to the other. Several bridges
are thrown across the Basin, opposite to some of the principal streets,
in order to facilitate the communication with the wharf. It is truly
astonishing to behold with what ease vessels may be loaded and unloaded.

Albany is certainly in a very thriving condition. But I did not see one
building that could be called a splendid edifice. Even the state Capitol
is nothing more than a plain, and not _very large_, but substantial
stone building. Yet its situation is very commanding, and embraces a
fine view of the greater portion of the city. There is a very pretty
representation of _Justice_, on the top of the cupola, holding a pair of
scales in her left hand, and a drawn sword in her right. The other
public buildings that may be thought conspicuous, are, the Academy,
Lancasterian School, and several churches with handsome steeples. The
beauty of the place is greatly lessened by the many old Dutch buildings,
with their gable ends fronting the streets. But it is much larger than I
had supposed, and upon a general view, is rather a handsome city than
otherwise. The Hudson at Albany is about as wide as the Delaware at
Trenton, but much deeper.

I had contemplated taking my passage at Albany, on board a canal boat;
but was dissuaded therefrom in consequence of the tediousness of the
passage, to _Schenectady_, having