A summer journey in the West

Preface

'tfiis little book assumes to be nothing more than a note book of all that passed before the observation of the author, during a summer tour of four thousand miles, through the great lakes ; the prairies of Illinois ; the rivers Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio ; and over the Alleghany mountains to New York. Since she has been ' urged by friends to print,' the author has added to her notes and letters, some little information regarding the western States, in hopes her book may be af use to future tourists and emigrants, who will here find an account of the distances, pricesy and conveyances, throughout the author's route. Anxious to guard against errors, information acquired upon the road, has been compared with the best Gazeteers, Accuracy, in a newly settled country, is difficult, and accounts differ much ; still the author trusts the traveller who may honor her by taking her book for his guide, will not be far mis-led. ?

J^ew Yorky May, IS^L

A SUMMER JOURNE'V

"I write that which I have seen." — Le Baum.

T

Letter I

My dear E. — The variety of scenes which have passed before my eyes since I last beheld you, and the crowd of new ideas acquired thereby, have not obliterated your Shaksperian adieu from my mind:

" Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply see'st Some rare note-worthy object in thy travels,"

were your last words — in consequence of this desire, I hereby send you all I deem note-worthy. With what delight did I find myself once more upon the Hudson ! Although so often seen, to me it is still lovely, for custom cannot stale its beauties. I pass along this river as through a gallery of cabinet pictures. The sunny vista and romantic a:len of Gains-

"14 A SUMMEU JOITRNEY IN THE "WEST.

borough — the frowning cliff and murderous dell of Rosa — the Dutch cottage of Teniers — the Italian villa and graceful trees of classic Weir — cattle, as if just sprung from out a Berghman and grouped upon the shore, or standing ' in the cool translucent wave,' their 'loose train of amber-dropping hair,' not being 'braided with lilies,' but occupied in flapping the flies away ! — all these, and many more are placed side by side before me as I float alono-.

You have never seen this famed stream, and I w'ill therefore describe it to you minutely. Mine will not be ' notes by the w'ay,' nor ' crayoning,' nor ' pencil sketches,' but perfect Daguerrotype likenesses of all I see.

With a bold rush our steamboat was free of the wharf and out into the stream. Ascend now to the upper deck with me and you will obtain a fine view of the city of New York and its noble bay. Upon one side lies the city with its mass of houses, churches, and vessels 5 beyond is Long Island. Observe what a pretty back ground is Stateii Island: its numerous white buildings show well against the green elevated ridge behind them ; then turn your eye to the opposite side and you will behold New Jersey, with its pretty city, and villages, and churches j and in the center of all this is the glassy water covered with steamboats, brigs, ships of war, and vessels of all sizes, and dotted wdth pretty fortress islets. Hoboken with its neat church and romantic colonade are passed, and the rugged cliffs of Weehawken rise upon our left as we ascend the river. These cliffs are the commencement of the Palisade rocks, which soon retreat into the interior to arise a^ain above. Bull'^

Ferry (worthy of a better name,) next appears, with Fort Lee, pretty rural retreats, whose white houses, churches, and fences, are pencilled as with white chalk upon the river's green and sloping bank.

From the east side, turret and spire have passed away, and villages and country seats adorn the shores until we arrive at Spuyten Duyvel creek, rendered famous by the redoubtable Van Corlear, who swore he Avould pass it in spigt den Dayvelj and also as being the boundary line of Manhattan Island. To a hasty observer, the shores beyond this are as lonely and wild as if we were hundreds of miles from any city ; but if you will fix your eyes steadily upon the woodlands which line the river banks, you will catch glimpses, between the trees, of Grecian portico, Yankee piazza, or Dutch gable, telling of many a summer haunt of the city's 'tired denizen.'

Upon the west side the Palisade commences, a perpendicular Avail, or to speak more scientifically, 'a columnar escarpement, ' from three to eight hundred feet high, and two miles broad, thus continuing for twenty miles along the New Jersey side of the river. As you dabble in geology, I must not forget to tell you these rocks are of the trap formation, passing into green stone. Under it are layers of slate, sandstone, and grey limestone, much of which is used in the city and its neighborhood. Sloops were lying at the foot of the rocks, as we passed, taking in their load of sandstone flagging, or roofing slate for the use of the citizens. These sloops, which carry masts sixty or seventy feet high, show the height of these cliffs, as when seen anchored below them they appear like skiffs. A few stone-cutters have erected cottages upon the rocks, which might be taken for children's houses. Shrubbery is seen in some spots, while a green fringe of trees is waving from the summit. These rocks have stood the brunt of that mighty torrent which wise men tell us once rushed over the country from the north-west, as if some lake had burst its barrier — for bowlders washed from the Palisades are seen in various parts of Manhattan Island and Long Island. To the alluvium brought down by this flood, we are indebted for Manhattan Island and Staten Island. What a pity 'wise saws' are out of fashion, or I could lengthen my epistle by telling what ' modern instances ' these islands are, of the 'good' brought down by 'ill winds.'

As we are both now tired of these Palisades, it is verjr pretty of them to retire as they do, into the country, making a fine back ground to the rich land lying upon the river's bank, adorned with several picturesque townlets. These are Nyack, reclining upon a verdant slope ; Haverstraw, nestled under a high, green promontory ; and Tappan, which ought to have been first mentioned. This is, however, but the ' landing ' of the town of that name, lying a few miles in the interior, and whose 'heavens' ought to be 'hung with black,' for the sake of the talented and unfortunate Andre, whose silver cord was here untimely loosed.

Tiie river swells out into a broad lake, called Tappan sea, which ought to be spelled Tap-pann Zee. The west side I have described, except that from these towns the ground rises into an elevated green ridge of Haverstraw, and then descends gracefully to the water, ending in a low level spot, covered with a rich velvet sward, dotted with groups of oaks, and evergreens, among which a silver rivulet winds its happy way. This is very prettily called Grassy Point. Upon our right hand we have smooth, lawn-like slopes, over which the buildings of Yonkers, Tarrytown, and Dobbs' Ferry (harmonious sounds,) are straggling, or reposing in graceful groups upon every gentle swell. Sing Sing, with its long range of prisons, is before us j so called, I suppose, that the inhabitants of those abodes may have something cheerful about them. It is a lovely spot commanding a beautiful view of the river scenery — so lovely that I am almost tempted to be wicked^ that I may be ordered to reside there, and sit like a Naiad sing singing upon a

" diamond rock, Sleeking her soft alluring lock."

That is all very well, you will say, when the rock is already cut out for you to sit upon 5 but where one is obliged to hew out one's own rock, as do these woful sing-singers, it would be as well to abandon the place to the heroes who there do congregate. They quarry a white granular limestone which is used as building material. The antique Dutch church looks very well, seated upon an eminence ; and Wolfert's Roost, with its Dutch points and gables, the residence of the celebrated Irving^ is another interesting object upon this shore.

Look behind you quickly, if you would take a last farewell of Staten Island, whose dark outline has, until now, filled up the back ground, although we are thirty miles from it. As we turn towards the narrow outlet between Stoney and Verplanck's Points, the Palisades are sweeping around to the east, and rapidly shoving

18 A SUMMER JOURINEY IN THE WEST.

in their side scene between us and the Island. Now it is gone, and the Narrows are fast being covered, through which you might, if your eyes could see so far, descry the green ocean and its gallant barks. The river now seems a lake behind us, upon whose bright bosom a fleet of vessels, like a flock of birds, are skimming, and ducking, or reposing upon the water. Two Points defend the entrance to the Highlands : Stony Point on the west, a bold rocky promontory, formed of fine horneblend granite rock, and surmounted by a light-house, Verplanck's on the east presents a small village, containing a pretty fanciful hotel, and some lordly dwellings upon the elevated ground above. These are now behind us, and we find ourselves in the Grand Pass of the Highlands. Beautiful creations they are — high, green cones, sweeping gradually down to the water's edge, where they sometimes appear a verdant precipice nearly two thousand feet high J or projecting their spurs into the river, and crossing each other so that the Hudson must wind hither and thither to follow the tortuous path between them. Various lights give new beauties to these hills. It is pleasant Avhen the sun shines broad and bright upon them, to penetrate with your eye their green recesses, or endeavor to distinguish whether those bushes on the summit are indeed trees or no ; and again when a cloud passes, running rapidly over the surface, the effect is very beautiful. As we were near the centre of the Pass, the sun was obscured, and a heavy shower clothed every thing with gloom. — Through the sombre light they seemed like giant mastadon or mammoth of olden times, couching down upon each side, musing upon the changes which have taken place upon this diluvial earth. The rain has ceased, and the mist has all retired into the mountain caves, save on one spot near the summit, where it lowering stands, like one of Ossian's ghosts, whose wont it is, he tells us, to ' fly on clouds, and ride on winds.' Or, it may be the wandering spirit of some red warrior who has perished on these shores, and now haunts the scene of his former triumphs.

Upon a promontory jutting out from the river, are situated the Military Schools of West Point. It is a summer's day well spent to ramble over that pretty spot. If you care not for the Schools, nor to see the orderly young cadets, you may admire the monument dedicated to Kosciusco, or walk in his garden as they call the spot where he used to ' sit on rocks' and muse upon the sweets of Liberty — or you may climb up to that ruined fortress crowning the summit of the mountain which overhansfs the Point. From thence you have a fine view of all the rugged, cultivated, wild, adorned and varied country for miles around — and of that broad silver stream bearing upon its waters many a graceful vessel. The dusky peaks and dells, and undulations of the several mountains around are here distinctly seen.

The Dunderberg, where is the thunder's home, raises its frowning head at the right, followed by Bare Mountain, Sugar Loaf, Bull's Hill, Crow's Nest, Butter Hill, Breakneck Hill, and many others bearing designations equally euphonius. Among these hills, beside West Point, are many spots famous in the history of our country. Do not be afraid, I am not going to begin ' In the year 17 — ' nor tell of the iron chain which bound Anthony by the nose to the Fort

20 A SUMMER JOTTRNEY IN THE WEST.

opposite 5 nor arouse your indignation by pointing to the chimneys of Arnold's house ; nor make you sad by speaking again of Andre ; nor arouse your patriotism by relating the deeds here done in times of old. Let the past be by-gones ; and turn to the present whose sun is shining down upon the pretty village of Cold Spring opposite to us, and upon that romantic white chapel dedicated to 'Our Lady of Cold Spring,' which is so tastefully perched upon a rock washed by the Hudson's waters. At West Point is a depot of fossil enfusoria, and sulphur has also been found. Shooting out of the Highland Pass, we find ourselves in a broad expanse of water, presenting some of the prettiest views to be seen upon the river. Seated upon the elevations of the left bank are many towns ; Newburgh being the most conspicuous as it is the largest: and it is built upon a high cliff of argillaceous slate, thus displaying its numerous houses and churches to advantage. The opposite shore presents a beautiful green mountain wall, the highest peak of which is 1689 feet above the river. At its foot reposes the smiling town of Fishkill.

I must not linger thus by the way. Remember I have four thousand miles to travel and the summer is passing. Imagine then to yourself a broad and beautiful river, skirted with cultivated country with often a mountainous back ground, and rich with ' summer's green emblazoned field' — and wafting upon its waters river-craft of all forms, from the lazy whaler returning after a four year's cruise, to the little pleasure yacht. There are many towns on this river, one of which, Poughkeepsie, is rendered famous as being the place where Washington, Hamilton, Jay and Chancellor

Livingston met, to compose the Constitution of the United States. The city of Hudson is agreeably situated upon the summit of a slaty clifi^ commanding a view of the Catskill mountains, and the town of Athens on the opposite bank of the river. Imagine, scattered like gems upon the borders of the stream, pretty villas of Grecian, Gothic and nondescript styles, the homes of the Livingstons, Dewitts, Ellisons, Verplancks. Van Renselears, Schuylers, and other gentlemen of taste and wealth. I saw nothino" of those Dutch elves and fays which the genius of Irving has conjured up, among the dells and rocks of the Hudson— those creatures are unfortunately out of fashion ; and one might as well look for them as for high heeled shoes. Perhaps they will come in with the ancient modes. If I thought so, I would immediately order hoop, train, cushion, buckle, high heel, and all the odious costume which rendered my ancestresses so hideous. Alas I fear the 'mincing dryades' with high crowned hats, are all departed — and no more —

" On the tawny sands and shelves,

Albany appears at great advantage seated upon a side hill, presenting a mass of imposing buildings surmounted by many a tall steeple, and crowned by the Capitol and City Hall, from whose gilded dome the evening sunbeams are brightly streaming.

I have said nothing about my gallant bark, nor my company — the first a large and rapid steamboat, arranged with satin cushioned and canopied saloons — the latter a mixture of all countries and sexes.

But we are at the wharf and I must put up my papers. Adieu.

LETTER IK

June 15th, 1840.

My dear E. — We shall of course remain in Albany during the Sabbath for the pleasure of worshipping that kind Friend, who has showered upon us the blessings we are now enjoying. In the morning we walked

to the church of a Baptist clergyman, Mr. W h,

who has been long celebrated as a very interesting preacher. This church is a handsome marble structure, surmounted by a dome, and adorned by a colonade of pillars in front. The lecture room is below, and we ascended to the chapel, a neat apartment with a good pulpit and commodious seats. Mr. W. sprang from an obscure station, being a mechanic, and therefore could only obtain a common education. What he is, he has made himself, or rather was made by the Holy Spirit ; for we all know how religion refines and elevates the intellect of man, as well as his affections. After his conversion he rapidly improved, and now one is astonished at the beauty and purity of his language. He is not an animated preacher, nor does his forte lie in arousing a sinner ; but he shows forth the.

'truth and beauty of religion, and expounds the Gos pel doctrines with a power and grace, and clearness, \vhich fascinate the hearer. This church is always crowded by the elite of Albanian society of all sects, and by the strangers who are in the city.

In the afternoon we attended service in an old Dutch church, one of the oldest in the city. It is built of brick, and boasts two spires which give it a singular appearance. The interior is richly fitted up, with gilded chandeliers and many comforts and elegant "conveniences. Here we found ourselves surrounded by the old Dutch families, whose fathers emigrated from Holland and settled themselves here ; among them Avere the family of the Patroon. I looked around with pleasure upon the sober benevolent faces of the congregation, for I have always felt a very kindly sentiment toward our Dutch brethren. The peaceful, even tenor of their lives ; their contented spirit, their industry and integrity entitle them to our most ' golden opinions.' The Rev. Mr. Y ,who officiates

here, is an able, solid, preacher, well versed in the fundamental truths of Christianity.

I am happy to say, the people of this city, are a very moral and religious people. This applies also to the ' first society' — which is a singularity in city history. Beneath their influence theatres, dissipation, and extravagance cannot thrive. Already I seem to breathe freer, although so little distant from New York ; whose atmosphere, rank with foreign luxuries, is like a hot house over-crowded by fragrant exotics ; stifling us with perfume.

We admire this city, which hoAvever we have only been able to see in our odds and ends of time. Its situation is very fine, it contains many handsome buildings, and it is generally kept very neat. A broad street through the centre leads up to a pretty square, surrounded by several imposing buildings — the Capitol occupies a fine position here ; it is of dark stone, with a neat marble portico supported by four ionic columns. The City Hall on the opposite side of the square, is a noble edifice, built of white marble from the quarries of Sing Sing, surmounted by a gilded dome. The view from this dome is beautiful; embracing the city at your feet — green hilly country, dotted with country seats and towns, among which is the city of Troy — the noble Hudson, winding among this country and a back ground of mountains. The new State Hall is a pretty building — the Exchange, is a huge mass of granite, giving one a great idea of the extent of business which requires so large a structure for its mer* chants.

What a different place is this to the town which stood upon this two hundred years since. Then the only public building was a quaint old Dutch church, with painted glass windows ; adorned with the coat of arms of those ancient worthies, who, clad in trunk hose and steeple crowned hats, sat demurely below. There are but few of the ancient dutch houses left, and these are daily falling before the yankee spirit of improvement — which improvement by the bye some* times merely amounts to alteration. At this city is the southern termination of the great Erie Canal.

Letter III

My dear E. — We arose at an early hour, and after looking into some of the public buildings we returned to breakfast. This dispatched, we drove to the rail road depot, an ugly building at the head of State Street where we alighted and stood in a large barn-like apartment, among men and trunks and boys — the latter screaming, Albany Argus'— 'Evening Journal !' — and amonor all sorts of confusion, until we were seated in the cars. Soon however, two fine horses, to whom I render my thanks, dragged us out of the barn into open day-^up through the square, over the hill, to the Locomotive Depot, giving us on the way many sweet little back views of Albany and its pretty country and river, and the round tops of the Catskills in the blue distance beyond. The snort of a steampipe, and perfume of grease and smoke, announced the vicinity of our locomotive ; and, as if to show off its paces, the engineer whirled the hideous thing back and

forth before our — at least my — nil admirari eyes.

'26 A SUMMEK JOimNEY IN THE WEST.

Our horses Avere unhitched — the engine attached, and away we rushed, leaving our fine steeds gazing after us with tears in their eyes, to see themselves outdone by a great tea-kettle.

There are many pretty villas along the road; breathing places for the heated citizens below, which I would describe to you ; but dashing along at sixteen miles an hour speed I can only catch a glimpse of white pillar and portico when the next minute we are three miles away. You must expect no description of the country when I am on a rail road, for the scenery is all blurred, like a bad lithograph. I only saw groups of pine trees rushing past and several bright dots which I suppose meant wild flowers when we came in sight of Schenectady, an antique dutch town. Before entering it I was struck by the vision of two immense tarred ropes walking deliberately beside our car, and discovered we were upon an inclined plain, descending which, cars of stone were brought up at the other end of our ropes. Our steam horse was once more exchanged for one of flesh and we set off upon a jog trot. Near the city we passed a canal basin in which lay several canal boats, for the Erie Canal passes through here. We entered the city, crossed the end of a long street filled with bright looking shops, where people and horses were frisking about in the morning air, — when another large depot received us in its barn-like expanse. The Ballston and Saratoga train entered at the other end, and you may imagine the charming confusion as the people of both trains jumped in and out the carriages, marched and counter marched until they had settled down into their several seats.

W^e were not suffered long to look upon this pleasant picture, for at 9 o'clock we were on our way to Utica. We could see but little of Schenectady while passing through it, but it looked well at a distance. Upon an eminence above the town stands Union College a fine building of grey stone.

Schenectady, is an Indian name spelt by them Schan-naugh-ta-da J meaning 'the Pine Plains,' a fitting name, for the pine is universal here. This town has been the property of many different nations — the Mohawk, the French, the Dutch, and the English having each in succession ruled its destinies.

After leaving the town, we entered at once the glorious valley of the Mohawk which runs nearly westerly, and whose course we followed eighty miles to Utica. There may be lovelier vailies in the world, but certainly not another like this, for it is unique in its kind. Imagine a long green valley covered with rich farms — through its centre a bright transparent river, having a rail road on one bank and a canal on the other ; while a range of hills frame in the picture on each side. So straight is this valley, that canal, river, and rail road run parallel, and within sight of each other nearly all the way.

It was one of June's sweetest morningfs when we passed the shores of the pretty Mohawk, and I was never weary of gazing down into its smiling face, as we glided along ; or of watching the lazy canal boat dragging its rich freight at the foot of those soft green hills opposite ; or, of peeping out the coach at the rugged cliffs, which reared their bare heads far above our road.

There are many little villages on this route, where we stopped to refresh ourselves, or to fill the engine. The first was Amsterdam a small Dutch settlement. Near this place stands a handsome stone edifice which is renowned in the annals of New York as the residence of Grey Johnson and his brother Sir William, the dreamer. At these towns there are hotels, and at other spots refreshment houses, built at the road side, where you are allowed a few minutes to rest. You are shown into large rooms set out with long narrow tables, bearing loads of coffee, oysters, cakes, , pies, fruit lemonade, etc., — you pile your plate with good things, stir around your coffee or tea, when tingle 1 goes the bell 'all aboard!' rings in your ears, and you have just time to put your 25 cents into the attendants hands and yourself in a car when puff! and away you go. Some of these towns are pretty, as St Johns, Fonda, Canajoharie, Herkimer, and ^many others. — What hungry people these travellers are ! at every refreshment station the tables were crowded and at the signal they rushed into the cars each with a cake or pie, or apple, to finish at his leisure. We may say with Horace,

One would imagine he was speaking of our little Fonda, which is here pronounced as Horace spells it. It was named after the celebrated Col. Fonda.

Fort Plain is a pretty place on the other bank of the river -, here I longed to ' stay one turn' to hammer a specimen from the encrinal lime-rock which is found there. The little falls of the Mohawk is a delightful place. The river here forces its way through a rocky country and falls over successive ledges of rock in pretty cascades. The beauty of the scene does not consist in altitude, but in number and variety of these saults ; and the foaming river rushing over its rocky bottom or winding around its tiney islets, and in the towerino; cliffs around it. The villaore is seated upon each side of the river, connected by a handsome marble aqueduct leading to the canal basin, and by a neat bridge for carriages. The scene as we approached was very pretty. You see a frame work of rugged cliffs, enclosing a noisy rushing river with numerous cascades, its shores crowned with white buildings, and spanned by a noble bridge ; the canal boat is seen creeping at the foot of the hills opposite, while the steeples, court house and hotels, are peeping from the trees which cover the sloping bank at our right. Perched upon every jutting point and grouped around the shores were many shanties occupied by the children of Erin who have kindly volunteered to make our rail roads and canals.

When the train stopped before the hotel, instead of the usual sound of ' Newspapers,' or ' Nuts,' or ' Apples to sell,' I heard young voices asking if we wanted some diamonds ! Surprised, I looked out and beheld several little girls holding up small boxes containing Quartz Crystals. We of course became purchasers, and found among them some very perfect and pure. ' Where do you find these 1 ' I asked. ' Oh, all among the cliffs ma'am,' she answered in the Hibernian tongue — ' and if its stop ye wud, I'd show ye to the diamond holes where I often dig up the ful of my pocket.' We observed this was a large town, having several churches, dwellings, a handsome court house, and many large manufacturers. Geologists tell us this was one shore of that lake of which the highlands were the southern boundary. How it came to wear through these hills and run away to the sea no one can ever know. The rocks here are limestone, principally ; but I observed there was with it some fine granite. There was an old man among our passengers, who had lived here ' when all this was a wilderness.' He amused us with some stories of past times ; one of which I think interesting enough to tell you. Here it is to fill up the page.

During the War of Independence there were two brothers, who, although they were brothers, could not think alike ; they joined opposite sides in the war. It happened while the Division under Gen. Herkimer was destitute of arms, ammunition and clothing, he heard of the approach of the English troops. Fight he could not ; fly he would not ; and he was seeking some stratagem to better his situation, when fortunately, for him, the English brother having strayed too near his camp was taken up as a spy. The brothers, who had been long separated met once more ; but it was a bitter meeting, for one was a prisoner and condemned to die. In spite of their different sentiments they loved each other. The prisoner earnestly entreated his brother, who was the General's Aid, to use all the influence in his power to save his life. The Aid was conscious he could not succeed unless he made the ' worse appear the better reason ;' for his brother had been fairly captured as a spy, and in consequence of some bloody deeds of the enemy, his life was to be forfeited. With a heavy heart and darkened brow he entered the General's tent.