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

I had imagined that no one would take the least notice of me in America, but I soon found myself agreeably disappointed. The morning after my arrival I received an invitation to dine the next day with Mr. Otis, and was visited at the same time by several gentlemen. Captain Henderson and Mr. Dixon, among others, called upon me; the latter introduced me to his wife and his father-in-law, Mr. Homer. This gentleman inhabits a large and handsome house on Beacon-hill, and has two amiable daughters. I was much pleased with the arrangement of this house, and indeed the houses and chambers in general are larger and better adapted for convenience and ease than the English.

In company with Mr. Ritchie I paid a visit to Mrs. Humphreys, whose house is really splendidly furnished. In the evening I visited Mr. De Wallenstein, attached to the Russian embassy at Washington, who resides here during the summer, on account of his health. He is an agreeable and reflecting man. Afterwards I visited Mr. Edward Everett, professor of the Greek language in Harvard University. Mr. Everett had previously written me a German letter, and offered me his services in an extremely friendly manner. He has passed five years in Europe, during two of which he studied at Goettingen, and also visited Weimar. He remembered this with much pleasure, and was particularly pleased with the acquaintance of St. M. v. Goethe. Having been elected a member of congress he resigned his professorship.

Mr. Everett called for me the next day to take me to Harvard University, at Cambridge, three miles distant from Boston. At twelve o’clock we left Boston, though the heat was extreme, and rode over the wooden bridge which connects both towns, and is three thousand four hundred feet long. Cambridge is by no means compactly built, but occupies a large extent of ground. The houses are generally frame, a few of brick, and very few entirely of granite; they are however painted with bright colours and are very pleasing to the eye. Every house has a garden. Many meadows, like those in England, are enclosed with three rails, lying one above the other; Indian corn is cultivated in the fields; the grass was dry and withered.

Harvard University, one of the oldest colleges in the United States, was founded in 1638, by a clergyman named Harvard, who bequeathed it about eight hundred pounds sterling. By means of bequests made since that period, it has now a very large income. The state of Massachusetts supplies the deficiencies without however making any fixed contribution. The university has eight buildings, chiefly of brick, and only one of granite. The Unitarian chapel is in the latter, in which, besides the usual services on Sunday, morning and evening prayers are held, which all the students must attend. In front of the buildings is a large space, surrounded with trees, where the students may amuse themselves. The students are about three hundred and fifty in number, and principally board and lodge in the buildings of the university; a number, however, who cannot find room, or are recommended to families, live in private houses. They are in other respects, as in the universities of England, subjected to a very rigid discipline. The library, which occupies two halls, contains about eighteen thousand volumes. It contains the first edition of the large work on Egypt; a Polyglot bible from the collection of Lord Clarendon; a splendid edition of the Lusiad, by Camoens, with plates from the designs of Gerard, edited by the Marquis de Souza, and printed by Didot at Paris. Only two hundred and fifty copies of this edition were printed, and this copy was given to the university by the Marquis himself. Of manuscripts I saw but few, and these were Greek, which Mr. Everett bought at Constantinople during his travels, and another containing the aphorisms of Hippocrates, which an English schoolmaster copied with so much skill, that it appears to have been printed.4 In the mathematical lecture room I did not observe a very complete apparatus. They have also but few astronomical instruments, and in one observatory there are none. A new electrical machine with a glass globe had but lately arrived from England. The mineralogical collection is under obligations to Mr. Ritchie for most of its finest specimens, which he bought during his travels at Dresden, and presented to the university. A piece of basalt found under ground in this neighbourhood, bears some similarity to the profile of a human face. It is not known whether it be a lusus naturæ or the work of human hands. Does this belong to the remains of an earlier race of men which has vanished from the earth, but which has, not without reason, been supposed by many to have once existed? The other natural collections were of slight importance; there are no collections of insects and butterflies. I saw there also the antlers of two stags, which had become so completely entangled in fighting, that they could not be separated, and in this state they were killed. The chemical laboratory is arranged in a separate house, strongly resembling a chapel. The anatomical theatre has been removed for want of room, from Cambridge to Boston. In the former lecture room, however, there are still several handsome wax preparations made in Florence, among which are two fine full length figures, male and female. The latter represents a pregnant woman, and is separable. Near the chapel is the assembly room of the academical senate, where there are some very handsome engravings. I was surprised to find among these engravings the defence of Gibraltar, by Elliot, and one which represented Admiral Dewinter taken prisoner by Admiral Duncan. I gave the attendant who conducted us two dollars, and he seemed to be so much gratified by my generosity, that when we were in the chapel he whispered to the organist, who immediately played “God save the king,” at which I was much surprised. We were escorted through the botanic garden by Professor Nuttall, an Englishman, who has made several scientific journeys in the western parts of the United States. Among the green-house plants I observed a strelitzia, which had been raised from seed in this country, and also a blooming and handsome Inua gloriosa, and a Hedychium longifolium. The green-house and the garden are both small; in the latter I remarked no extraordinary shrubs or flowers, on the contrary, however, I saw many beetles, which were new to me, with bright colours, and extremely beautiful butterflies. A son of President Adams is one of the students of the university, and also Mr. Jerome Bonaparte, a legitimate son of the former king of Westphalia, by his marriage with Miss Patterson of Baltimore, which marriage, as is well known, was dissolved by the Emperor Napoleon. This young man, who is about twenty years old, bears an excellent character.

My acquaintances increased in number, and I received visits from many distinguished men. Among those who paid me this honour on the third day after my arrival, I must mention the Danish ambassador, Mr. Pedersen, who was travelling with his family in the northern parts of the United States, and was introduced to me by Mr. Ritchie; Mr. Josiah Quincy, mayor of the city, was also present, a worthy and extremely agreeable man, to whom I am under great obligations.

After the gentlemen had withdrawn, I visited the New England Museum, a very pompous description of which had fallen into my hands. This museum is a private establishment, and consists of a mixture of wax figures, musical clocks, stuffed animals, portraits, French caricatures, butterflies, &c. Two articles alone interested me, namely, two living rattlesnakes, and three Egyptian mummies. The snakes, caught near Lake Erie, were lying in a box covered with glass, and received no nourishment but water. They are ugly creatures, of a dark gray colour, with large sharp scales and yellow bellies. Large thick heads, prominent black eyes, and forked tongues. One of them, which was engaged in casting its skin, was for the time blind; it had four rattles, and was receiving a fifth. The attendant irritated it, but we did not hear it rattle. Spirit of hartshorn is said to be very effectual against their bite. The mummies were brought last year in an American vessel from Egypt. One was in the same condition in which it had been when in the coffin, except that the cloth had been taken from the face. The two others were more or less uncovered; their coffins were well preserved. I was astonished to see the fresh colours of the figures painted on them. One of the mummies had two coffins, whence it is inferred that she was a person of high rank. I saw also a Chinese painting, representing all the tortures and modes of death common in China; a shocking and disgusting sight. Finally, I observed a good model of the old bastile of Paris, made of a stone from this building.

The mayor, Mr. Quincy, had the politeness to show us the state prison. This is situated in Charlestown, is of granite, and was built about twenty years ago at the expense of the state of Massachusetts. It consists of a centre building, containing the dwelling and offices of the superintendant, as well as the watchroom, and of two wings, where the prisoners are lodged. Behind the building is a large yard where the prisoners work. It is enclosed by a high wall, with palisades, which is guarded day and night by several sentinels. The prisoners are chiefly employed in cutting and polishing blocks of granite, which are used in Boston and its vicinity. The punishment of every prisoner who is sufficiently robust, commences with this hard labour, which, however, is changed if his conduct merits it, or if he exhibits abilities for some other employment. As stone-cutter, a daily task is assigned to him, which, if not finished, or badly done, is followed by solitary confinement. If he performs more than his task, he is paid for the surplus. Of this sum he can dispose as he pleases when discharged. Newly-arrived prisoners, and those who have conducted themselves badly, are dressed in green and blue, when, however, they conduct themselves properly again, they are freed from this distinguishing habit. Other prisoners work at various trades; supplying at the same time their mutual wants, as shoes, &c. An engraver who was imprisoned for counterfeiting Nova Scotia bank notes, worked in a separate room, and engraved very neat maps. Four prisoners sleep in one cell, which are all tolerably well ventilated, and every prisoner has his own hammock. Black bread and soup constitute the food of the prisoners, who receive besides for breakfast and supper, a portion of syrup and flour, forming a kind of pudding. Besides the usual service on Sunday, they have prayers daily.

A report of the state of the prison from September 30, 1823, to September 30, 1824, which was published by the warden, Mr. Thomas Harris, contains the following results: —

The whole number of prisoners from 1805 to September 30, 1824, was one thousand eight hundred and sixteen; of these there were thirteen hundred and three dismissed, after the period of their punishment had expired; two hundred and ninety-eight were pardoned; fifteen escaped; one hundred and two died; two hundred and ninety-eight remained; of the thirteen hundred and three who were dismissed, two hundred and thirteen were a second time in prison for new crimes, and among these two hundred and thirteen there were twenty-four who had been pardoned.

On the 30th of September, 1823, there were three hundred and eight prisoners; of these eighty were dismissed, ten pardoned, six died, and, consequently, two hundred and twelve remained. To these eighty-six had been added, so that the number of prisoners amounted, September 30th, 1824, to two hundred and ninety-eight, as was mentioned above. Among these there were only three females.

Of these two hundred and ninety-eight, there were fifty-four black or coloured people, and fifty-nine white foreigners, viz. thirteen Englishmen, seventeen Irishmen, eight Scotchmen, four from Nova Scotia, two Canadians, one from the Cape of Good Hope, three West Indians, four Frenchmen, two Swedes, two Italians, one from Green Cape, one Portuguese, one German.

Two hundred and twenty-two were sentenced for stealing, twenty-six for passing counterfeit money, sixteen for burglary, seven for attempted rape, six for attempting to murder, five for being incendiaries, eleven for forgery, and five, among whom were the three females, for robbery.

The prisoners are employed in different occupations; one hundred and twenty-one were stone-cutters, twenty-seven for removing the stone, thirty joiners, eleven brush makers, eight weavers, six shoemakers, ten tailors, &c. There were eleven in the hospital, four in solitary confinement, and three invalids.

The expenses of the prison amounted to forty-one thousand six hundred and ninety-five dollars for the maintenance of the prisoners, clothes, beds, medicine, and materials employed in the labours of the prisoners; and fifteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-six dollars for the officers, &c. Total of expenses, fifty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-two dollars.

The income derived from the labours of the prisoners amounted to fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and thirty-four dollars, and thus the prison was not only of no expense to the state, but produced a profit of twelve hundred and twelve dollars!

After leaving this remarkable building, the mayor accompanied us to Cambridge. A company of volunteers from Boston, the Washington Rangers, were training. The company were already departing when we arrived, but had the politeness to halt and repeat their exercise again. They exhibited much skill. They are somewhat fantastically dressed in green, and armed with long rifles. I became acquainted with the officers, who were all young men of the best families. I also spoke with several Cambridge students, some of whom were dressed in a uniform, belonging to a volunteer company, consisting of students alone.

We then went to Bunker’s Hill, near Charlestown. The space is small, but of great importance in American history. Connected with the main land by a bridge, this field of battle lies on a small island and has two hills, the higher and most northern of which is called Bunker’s Hill; the southern, Breed’s Hill, commands Charlestown and the Boston Roads. In the year 1775, the Americans occupied this hill, and with their artillery, which was placed in a redoubt hastily thrown up, harassed the English garrison in Boston, and the fleet. On the morning of the 17th of June, the English made a sally, left Boston, landed on a point east of the redoubt, where the Americans had left too weak a defence, formed their columns, whilst the artillery in Boston set Charlestown on fire, and attacked the redoubt. This was so well defended, that the English were twice obliged to retreat with very great loss. In one of these unsuccessful attacks, the English Major Pitcairn, who shortly before had commanded the English advance guard at the affair of Lexington, was shot by an American sharp shooter, who still lives, at the moment when he shouted to his soldiers not to be “afraid of these d – d rebels, which were nothing but a crowd of grasshoppers.”

But the English received reinforcements, and renewed the attack. The Americans, on the contrary, had expended their ammunition, and the shot sent to them from Cambridge, the headquarters of General Lee, were too large for the calibre of their pieces. They could obtain no assistance, as an English man of war kept up a fierce fire upon the bridge, the only means of communication with the main land. They determined, therefore, to evacuate the redoubt, and they effected it, though with great loss. At this time an English officer shot Dr. Warren, one of the most distinguished American patriots, who shortly before had been appointed general, by congress. The English did not pursue the Americans farther than Bunker’s Hill, but returned during the night to Boston. The remains of the redoubt are still seen, and on the 17th of June last, the corner stone of a monument was laid, which is to be an obelisk two hundred and ten feet high. One hundred and thirty veterans were present at this ceremony, the last of the seventeen hundred Americans who had participated in this affair.

Finally, Mr. Quincy introduced us, in Charlestown, to a major of militia, who devotes much of his attention to rural economy, and to the breeding of cattle and horses. His whole establishment was interesting. The major showed us, particularly, a noble English bull, from which he had raised very handsome and strong calves, and also a fine English stallion, ten years old.

In these peregrinations I made inquiries after Miss Wright, who, some years ago, published letters on America, which excited much attention in Europe, as well as in America. I was told that this lady with her sister, unattended by a male protector, had roved through the country, in steam-boats and stages, that she constantly tagged about after General La Fayette, and whenever the general arrived at any place, Miss Wright was sure to follow next day, as but little notice had been taken of this lady in Boston, a literary attack was expected from her pen. She is no longer young, and is of tall stature and masculine manners. In general, her letters are not much esteemed, and the flattering terms in which she speaks of Americans and all their institutions, are regarded as overstrained.5

On the 30th of July I went on board the Pallas to attend to the unloading of my baggage. I remained there a few hours, as I found it cooler on board than on shore. The vessel was as they said, full of visitors all day, for Captain Ryk, with his usual liberality, denied access to no one of genteel appearance. Citizens are by no means allowed to visit American vessels of war, unless they are known to an officer, and on this account the curiosity of the inhabitants of this place to see a foreign vessel of war is great.

When I returned to the city, I visited Mr. Quincy, who took me to the Court-house to see the arsenal of the thirteen volunteer companies of this place. One of these companies has been organized ever since 1638; all of these consist of young men of good families, who do not wish to serve in the same companies with the common crowd, but have united, and, in elegant uniforms, compose the flank companies of the battalions of militia. A large hall in the Court-house is appropriated for their exercises, when the weather is inclement. Every company consists of about sixty men. The greater number of the companies are armed like infantry, with bayonets according to the English mode, and the riflemen alone with rifles. Not only the arms of the company, but the swords of the officers are kept in the chambers of the Court-house.

From the Court-house, Mr. Quincy took me to the Athenæum, where the principal journals of the United States are found, and a library of about twenty thousand volumes, which were partly presented and partly purchased. A regular librarian showed us every thing; we noticed particularly several interesting medals, and the collection made by Thomasson in Birmingham, which represents the Elgin marbles. In the vestibule of the house, and in the large reading room, are plaster busts, which Lawyer Thorndike brought from Rome and presented to the Athenæum. The handsome house itself, which is valued at twenty thousand dollars, was given to the society by Mr. Perkins, a brother of the celebrated mechanician in London.

Some days later, August 2, Mr. Quincy had the politeness to show me several hospitals of the city.

The civil hospital was founded about twenty years ago, and is a massive building of granite, with ten Ionic columns of the same stone. The building, founded by voluntary subscriptions, and afterwards enriched by legacies, now supports itself by the interest of the capital and by fees which some patients pay. The administration of the hospitals and other benevolent institutions, is conducted, without charge, by the principal inhabitants, in a very correct and economical manner. The house has a cellar, two stories besides a ground floor, and may contain about eighty sick of both sexes, which are placed in different wings of the building. There were at that time fifty-six patients, under the care of six nurses and a matron. The house is under the direction of a steward, who is at the same time a physician. Those patients who pay ten dollars a week, occupy separate chambers, with separate attendants; others pay only three dollars a week, and many nothing at all. The latter are all in the same halls, which, however, are very light and well ventilated. The sick sleep on beds of hard wood, with good hair mattresses and very fine bed clothes. The steps are of granite, the halls and chambers are planked, and the floors are painted with oil colours. I have seen many hospitals, but none in which the sick were so conveniently and suitably lodged, and none in which cleanliness was so well observed. The kitchen and wash-house are in the cellar. In the former, the victuals are cooked by means of steam, and the latter is arranged like that in the Plymouth Marine Hospital, namely, with very large wooden frames to dry the clothes. The session room of the directors, the anatomical theatre, with some chambers for sick, are in the first story; the dwelling of the matron, and the remainder of the chambers for patients, are arranged in the second story. Two reservoirs of water, which may be raised by pumps, should a fire break out, are situated on the ground floor. Mr. Coolidge, one of the directors, accompanied us, and conducted us also to the lunatic asylum, which is under the same directors.

This building stands on an eminence between Cambridge and Charlestown. A farm-house has been purchased in the neighbourhood, which serves as the dwelling of the steward and head physician, as well as for a kitchen and wash-house. Behind this house two very solid wings have been built, three stories high, one for males, and the other for females. They somewhat resemble prisons, but are concealed by the farm-house, which has a very pleasing aspect, and thus prevents the unpleasant sensations which the institution would otherwise excite in the minds of the unhappy lunatics when they first approach it. A large garden, surrounded with a wall, is attached to each wing, serving as a place of recreation for the patients. A well-lighted corridor runs along each story, at each side of which are the doors of the cells; in these nothing is placed but a wooden bedstead, as in the hospital. Every story has an eating room, and a common hall; in the latter, in which the sick may pass the day, a table is placed with benches, which are nailed to the floor. The infuriated are placed in solitary cells, and when they cannot be subdued, are brought under a cold shower bath. The chambers are heated, as in the hospitals, by means of flues. In this asylum also, in which there were forty patients, the greatest cleanliness prevailed.

On the 3d of August, Mr. Quincy called for me at twelve o’clock, to introduce me, with Captain Ryk and Mr. Tromp, to the elder Mr. Adams, father of the present president. This worthy old man, who was ninety years old, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, lives ten miles from Boston, on his farm at Quincy, revered by his family, and honoured by the whole nation, who regard him as their common father. I was much affected when, as I approached this venerable man who had so efficiently laboured in the cause of American independence, he extended to me his hand. He was still in full possession of his mental faculties, and remembered, not only the things which had occurred long ago, but knew also every thing which had recently taken place, or was now passing. His bodily strength, however, was diminishing, and he felt a weakness, particularly in his legs. He conversed with me about half an hour, especially concerning Holland, where he had been ambassador during the revolution, and the features of his ancient countenance revived again as he dwelt on the fact, that it was owing to him that Holland then declared war against England, and the English ambassador, notwithstanding all his intrigues, could effect nothing. When Mr. Tromp was introduced to him, he remembered his great ancestor, shook his hand in a friendly manner, was much affected, and said to him, “God bless you, Van Tromp!” We left this worthy old man in deep emotion, and congratulated each other on our good fortune in having been introduced to this departing veteran of a revolution, which may well be called salutary.

In his house we saw several good portraits and busts of him, portraits of his wife, who died seven years ago, of his son, the president, and of General Warren, who fell at Bunker’s Hill. We saw also a son of President J. Q. Adams, who is a lawyer at Boston, and with whom I became acquainted some days ago in the Athenæum.