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

About a mile from Northampton we passed the Connecticut river, five hundred yards wide, in a small ferry-boat, which, as the night had already set in, was not very agreeable. At Northampton we took lodgings at Warner’s Hotel, a large, clean, and convenient inn. In front of the house is a large porch, and in the first story a large balcony. The gentlemen sit below, and the ladies walk above. It is called a piazza, and has many conveniences. Elm trees stand in front of the house, and a large reflecting lamp illuminates the house and the yard. This, with the beautiful warm evening, and the great number of people, who reposed on the piazza, or went to and from the house, produced a very agreeable effect. The people here are exceedingly religious, and, besides going to church on Sundays, they go thrice during the week. When we arrived, the service had just ended, and we saw some very handsome ladies come out of the church. Each bed-chamber of our tavern was provided with a bible. To-day I observed also a new mode of delivering letters and newspapers. The driver of the mail-coach throws the letters and newspapers, with which he is entrusted, before the houses where they are to be left; he sometimes throws them even into open fields, along the lane leading from the main road to the house.

About two years ago, Messrs. Cogswell and Bancroft established a boarding-school at Northampton. The day after our arrival, 11th of August, Mr. Cogswell paid me a visit, and introduced one of his professors, Dr. Beck, of Heidelberg, a step-son of Dr. De Wette, of Weimar, who teaches the Latin and Greek languages. Another German professor, whom, however, I did not see, directs the gymnastic exercises. Both these gentlemen conducted us to the institute, which is situated on Round Hill, about a mile from Northampton.

Northampton contains about four thousand inhabitants, and its buildings are, apparently, very much like those of Worcester; it has one bank, a court-house, prison, and a printing-office. From Mr. Cogswell’s institute, you have a magnificent view of the fertile and well-cultivated valley of the Connecticut river, which, in this place, winds between two lofty mountains, Holyoake and Mounttoby. On the left, the lofty mountains of New Hampshire present a beautiful prospect. In 1824, this institution had but forty pupils, and in 1825, it numbered no less than seventy-four, so that Mr. Cogswell is obliged, although he has three large houses belonging to his establishment, to erect a fourth and larger one. The gymnastic exercises, for which a place is provided in the woods, with the necessary apparatus, form a principal part of the instructions of this seminary. The boys are entirely excluded from the world; but that they may not become too much estranged, Mr. Cogswell accompanies them annually in various pedestrian tours through the surrounding country. I visited Mr. Bancroft at his room. Both these gentlemen entertain the warmest enthusiasm for Germany and the German method of instruction, and are determined to regulate every thing according to that system. Mr. Bates, a lawyer introduced to us by Mr. Cogswell, returned with us to town, and showed us the church, court-house, and a collection of minerals, in the possession of Dr. Hunt, in which I admired particularly two specimens of American beryl and several specimens of rock-crystal. On our return to the tavern, I received a visit from a physician, Dr. Seeger, who was educated with Schiller in the military school at Wirtemberg. He wished to become acquainted with me on account of my father, for whom he expressed the highest veneration. I must acknowledge, that, in a country so far from my native land, this afforded me the most sincere gratification, and my acquaintance with the worthy Dr. Seeger, who has been an inhabitant of the United States during the last forty years, and who is universally esteemed as an honest man and a good physician, I shall always remember with pleasure and satisfaction.

At Springfield, twenty miles from Northampton down the Connecticut river, is the government armoury. We left Northampton, to visit this establishment, under the most oppressive heat, with five ladies and two gentlemen in the stage-coach, into which we were crowded, somewhat like those that were shut up in the Trojan horse. We arrived about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and again found an excellent tavern, which was provided with a piazza. Our ride passed through a well-cultivated region of country, along the right bank of the Connecticut river; Indian corn, millet, and potatoes were observed in considerable abundance, in some places we also observed hemp, and sometimes, though seldom, hops.

Springfield is situated on the left bank of the Connecticut river, over which, close by the town, is a wooden bridge, five hundred yards long, and built in a very awkward style. Springfield has much more the appearance of a city than Worcester and Northampton, for there are at least some stone houses situated so closely together that they form a street. Colonel Lee had the goodness to take us in his carriage to the manufactory of arms, of which he is the director. It is situated about a mile from Springfield, in a very beautiful valley, on a rivulet. It employs daily two hundred and seventy-four workmen. These are settled in the vicinity of the manufactory, form a kind of colony, and have a school for their children. They are also obliged to distinguish themselves by their good moral deportment. The muskets for the American army are made on the improved French model of 1777, with the exception that they are somewhat shorter, while the bayonets are rather longer. The barrels and bayonets are browned, as Dupin has described at full length in Travels through Great Britain. We examined the works throughout. There are several houses, and the machines are propelled by water. They finish annually fifteen thousand muskets, each of which costs the government on an average eleven dollars. How much might be saved, if, as in other countries, muskets were made by private workmen! The arsenal in which these muskets are preserved and packed in chests, each containing twenty pieces, was destroyed by fire about a year and a half since, but having been rebuilt, it consists at present of a centre building for the offices, two isolated wings for the preservation of the different arms, and of several other adjacent buildings for the necessary workshops. These buildings form an oblong square, of which the proper armoury forms one of the short sides; on the other, oppositely to the centre building, is Colonel Lee’s neat and beautiful dwelling. The houses belonging to the arsenal are built of brick externally, while internally every thing is of wood; and as, during the winter season these buildings are heated with wood, there appeared to me to be much danger of fire. I remarked this to Colonel Lee, who appeared to participate in my apprehensions. After our return to the tavern, Mr. Calhoun, with whom we had become acquainted through Mr. Bates, introduced us to several gentlemen of the town, and took us in the evening to a musical party at the house of a Mr. Dwight, where we found the fashionable part of society assembled. The ladies sang very well, and played on the piano-forte several pieces from “Der Freischutz,” an opera which is at present a favourite in America.

We had determined to go on the 12th of August to New Lebanon, to visit the Springs and the Shaker’s village, but the Fates had decreed otherwise. We left Springfield at two o’clock in the morning in the stage, rode over the bridge, through Westfield, which, as far as we could judge in the dark, is a handsome village, and arrived at day break in a romantic valley, on Westfield river, whose waters fall over huge rocks. At Russel, which is situated in an uncultivated valley, seventeen miles from Springfield, we partook of an excellent breakfast at the stage-office, and were much pleased at the clean and comfortable appearance of the houses and inhabitants. It was so cold early in the morning, that a large fire which we found at this house, was quite comfortable. The road through the wild romantic valley, generally ascending, and along the river, was rather bad, and often very narrow; instead of a railing, there were only trunks of large trees, which were permitted to decay in a very unjustifiable manner. The bridges also were as badly built as those of which we have already complained. The forest trees were very handsome, but many of them are destroyed for the cabins of the new settlers. These dwellings, like the log-houses, are built of the trunks of large trees. Amongst the few settlers whom we observed there, were several negro and mulatto families. The villages of Chester, Bucket, and Lee, through which we passed, consist of but few houses; Lee, however, appears to be a flourishing village. At this place we left the mountains, and again entered upon a better cultivated region, in which we observed stubbles of wheat and rye.

Exceedingly fatigued in consequence of the great heat, and the number of passengers in the stage-coach, I was anxious to procure a carriage in order to visit New Lebanon, distant fourteen miles; but the person of whom I inquired was so extortionate as to ask ten dollars. I determined, in order to avoid a new yankee trick, to prosecute my journey in the stage-coach, direct for Albany. At Canaan, thirteen miles distant, we left the state of Massachusetts, and entered that of New York. The other villages which we passed after our departure from Canaan, were Chatham, six miles, Nassau, or Union Village, four miles, and Schoodie, five miles. The distance from Springfield to Albany is eighty-one miles. The above villages have a neat and comfortable appearance, and the fields were in a good state of cultivation. Upon our arrival at Schoodie the night was just setting in, but unfortunately we were lighted by a burning house upon an eminence not far off. At the village of Greenbush, near Albany, we crossed the Hudson or North river in a horse-boat, and upon our arrival in the city took lodgings at Cruttenden’s boarding-house, on an eminence near the capitol or state-house.

Albany contains about fifteen thousand inhabitants. It is situated upon the right bank of the Hudson, and extends westward upon an eminence. It was built by the Dutch in 1614, under the name of Fort Orange, and received its present name after it came into the possession of the English, in honour of the afterwards unfortunate King James II. who was then duke of York and Albany. Some of the Dutch houses are still standing, and several of the streets retain their original names.

At the tavern we met with a Mr. Jackson, from New York, who had arrived at the same time, and who was accompanied by his sister and his son, Columbus, a sensible lad about ten years of age. Mr. J. is a teacher. In consequence of the vicinity to the Ballston, Saratoga, and New Lebanon springs, and the fashionable season, the hotel was so full of strangers, that I was obliged to sleep with Mr. Tromp, in a small chamber. On the following morning, at the public breakfast, I again met with Mr. Jackson and Columbus, and as he was acquainted in Albany, I accepted of his invitation to take a walk through the city. It is old and in some parts appears to be in a state of decay. During the late war with England it was in a quite flourishing state; but since the peace it has suffered considerably, in consequence of some heavy failures and a great fire. Albany has received a new impulse, an increase of commerce, and expects to reap the most happy results from the Erie Canal, which has been lately established, and which commences here, and runs a distance of three hundred and sixty-two miles to Lake Erie, as well as from the canal from Lake Champlain. The pavements were so bad that I was obliged to complain immediately upon our arrival, and this I was subsequently forced to repeat; the streets were also very crooked. We visited several bookstores, which appeared to be well furnished, and then took a walk to the new basin, into which the canal empties. It is separated from the Hudson by a dam which runs parallel with the river, and is four thousand feet long, from three to four hundred wide, and ten feet deep. The dam is built of strong rafters, which form its two walls, the intervals of which are filled up with earth and stone. It is connected with the bank of the river by several high wooden bridges, in the centre of which there are drawbridges for the passage of boats. The building of this dam cost one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. It was divided into lots, and sold separately, on condition that store-houses should be erected upon it: in consequence of this they have realized the sum of one hundred and ninety thousand dollars. In my opinion, the managers of the canal, at whose expense the basin and the two canals have been built, would have done better, if they had kept the dam and rented it. Being built of wood, which is more or less subject to decay, as they are to erect nothing but store-houses upon it, it is to be feared that in the course of ten years it will tumble down in consequence of the pressure, or that they will be obliged to repair it in great measure, or perhaps completely rebuild it with stone. As stone is very cheap here, and sawed in the prisons, they should have originally built the dam of stone. The present one seems to me to have been but badly executed. In the basin we saw a travelling bookstore in one of the canal-boats. Mr. Wilcox, who established it about two years ago on the Erie Canal, travels backwards and forwards several times a year, and is said to do considerable business. He had just returned to get a new assortment of books. Most of the books which he sells at the villages in the neighbourhood of the canal are ancient authors, some medical and religious, and a few law books and novels. This gentleman, formerly a merchant in Albany, entirely supports his family, who reside with him in his boat, by this fortunate speculation. I purchased of him an excellent map of the state of New York.

A few hours after, we visited some of the steam-boats which ply between Albany and New York. The largest, called the Car of Commerce, is provided with excellent apartments, and makes her trip in nineteen hours. This vessel is extremely elegant, but my friend Tromp is of opinion that the English steam-boats are superior in machinery. In fact, in this country, the American steam-engines are not celebrated for the safety of their boilers; and several explosions which have occurred, serve to increase this evil report. From this reason, as well as on account of the disagreeable motion of the steam-engine, many persons were unwilling to risk their lives, so that they have attached a safety-barge to one of the steam-boats. This is a real floating hotel, furnished with the greatest luxury. In the ladies cabin there are even silk curtains. Besides this, the ladies have a separate toilette and parlour. The gentlemen assemble in the dining room. The whole boat is surrounded by a piazza, which, in warm weather, must be extremely pleasant. The name of this safety-barge which carries passengers at four dollars, is Lady Clinton, in honour of the wife of the governor of New York, De Witt Clinton. We also visited the Constellation, another beautiful steam-boat, which has no safety-barge. There are also steam-boats for the purpose of towing the common sloops, &c. up and down the river, called steam-tow-boats.

Finally, we examined the horse ferry-boats. These boats consist of two vessels joined together, have a common deck, and are of an elliptical form. Upon the centre of the deck is a round house, in which six horses work, turning a horizontal, which moves two common wheels between the boats, provided with paddles, as in the steam-boats. The carriage, and twenty-two two-horse carts crossed at the same time, standing on both sides of the round house. There are two rudders, one at the stern, the other at the bow.

The trade in timber and boards is one of the capital branches of internal trade. We saw a great quantity of both on the wharves, and at the dam. At dinner we became acquainted with the Spanish consul of Boston, a worthy young man, who was educated in France. After dinner we took a view of the capitol, or state-house, situated upon a small eminence, and at a short distance from our inn. Albany is the seat of government and the capitol of the state of New York, but it is said to be the intention of the inhabitants shortly to remove the seat of government to Utica, which is situated farther to the west, and in a more central part of the state. The capitol is built of brown sand-stone, and in a quadrangular form; in front it is ornamented with large steps, and four Ionic columns of white marble. The halls of the different branches of the legislature are spacious, but exhibit nothing remarkable. In one of the halls is a full length portrait of Washington, and in another, that of the late Governor Clinton, an uncle of the present governor.9 On the top of the capitol is a cupola, from which there is a beautiful view of the city of Albany, and the valley of the Hudson, which is bounded on the right by the Catskill mountains, and on the left by the mountains of Vermont. On the dome is a wooden statue representing justice, to the back of which is secured a heavy lightning-rod, so that witlings remark that she is standing in the pillory.

At Albany are some remains of the feudal system. The Van Rensselaer family, one of the oldest of the Dutch emigrants, obtained the country around Albany at the time it was first settled, as a fief; it was divided into different portions, and some of these were leased to vassals who were obliged to pay a certain rent, and to render certain services to the owner. The eldest of the Van Rensselaer family has always borne the title of patroon, and enjoys certain feudal prerogatives, for which the family are indebted to the great popularity they have enjoyed ever since the revolution, though every recollection of the feudal system is repugnant to the genius of the American government. By the people in the neighbourhood, the house of the old General Van Rensselaer is always called the manor of the patroon.