Travels in the United States of America eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 124 pages of information about Travels in the United States of America.

Travels in the United States of America eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 124 pages of information about Travels in the United States of America.
her a women of colour, and produce a bill of sale, he would make a slave of the child as well as the mother!  The emigration from Ireland has been this year very great; I left a large vessel[Footnote:  These vessels frequently belong to Philadelphia, but land their passengers here, as there is a direct road to the back parts of Pennsylvania.] full of passengers from thence at Baltimore:  I found three at Newcastle:  and there is one in this city.  The number of passengers cannot be averaged at less than two hundred and fifty to each vessel, all of whom have arrived within the last six weeks!

While the yellow fever was raging in this city, in the year 1793, when few vessels would venture nearer than Fort Miflin; a german captain in this trade arrived in the river, and hearing that such was the fatal nature of the infection, that a sufficient number of nurses could not be procured to attend the sick for any sum, conceived the philanthropic idea of supplying this deficiency from his redemption passengers! actuated by this humane motive, he sailed boldly up to the city, and advertised[Footnote:  I have preserved this advertisement, and several others equally curious.] his cargo for sale:—­

“A few healthy servants, generally between seventeen and twenty-one years of age; their times will be disposed of, by applying on board the brig.”

Generous soul! thus nobly to sacrifice his own countrymen, pro bono publico.  I never heard this honest german was properly rewarded; but virtue is it’s own reward, and there is no doubt but the consciousness of having performed such an action is quite sufficient; at least, it would be to

Yours, &c.,

* * * * *

Boston, September 23rd, 1797.

DEAR FRIEND,

I set out for New York on the afternoon of the 16th.  We had a pleasant journey, over a rich and well cultivated tract of country, to Bristol.  We soon after crossed the Delaware, in a scow constructed to carry the stage and horses over in a few minutes, without even taking the latter from the carriage.  We then entered the state of Jersey, and slept at Trenton, which we left before sunrise the next morning; a circumstance I regretted, as I wished to see the falls of the river Delaware in that neighbourhood, which I am informed are worthy the attention of a traveller.

Our journey across the Jerseys was pleasant; but the land is by no means so rich as on the other side of the Delaware.  Pennsylvania is, in my opinion, justly called the Garden of America, at least of the United States East of the Allegany Mountains.  We dined at New Brunswick, where there is a wooden bridge, with stone piers, thrown over a broad and rapid river.  Our landlord informed us, several englishmen assured him, “It was very like Westminster Bridge.”  Though my conscience would not permit me, exactly to chime with my countrymen, it is but justice to acknowledge, that when the infant state of the country is considered, it is a work of equal magnitude, boldly designed, and neatly executed.

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Travels in the United States of America from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.