Alida Part 50

CHAPTER XXVII.

Revolving years have since rolled on apace, Since patriots here, convened to form we're told, The school to train the military band, And Putnam's fortress still we may behold.

The season was now far advanced. Alida and her brother felt uneasy at being so long separated from their father. The rest of the party were anxious again to see their friends in the city. After tarrying a few days at Forsyth's Hotel, they determined to proceed on their way back again to New-York without delay.

[_Travels_ (chapter IX begins):

As the season was so far advanced, I wished to reach New York without delay.]

They therefore concluded to travel soon, and visit Lake Champlain to its southern extremity, then to Saratoga, Albany, taking the Catskill mountains by the way, and inspecting the famous military school of West Point.

[_Travels_:

We therefore concluded to travel soon, and visit Lake Champlain to its southern extremity, then to Saratoga, Albany, and further down the Hudson to New York, taking the Catskill mountains by the way, and inspecting the famous military school of West Point.

The greatest breadth of Lake Champlain, which contains several large islands, is six miles. The sh.o.r.e on the right, belonging to the state of New-York, is low and covered with trees; the other belongs to Vermont, and is more mountainous. As night approached, they were prevented from beholding this beautiful part of the country; and were also, with regret, prevented from seeing the battle-ground of Plattsburgh, at which town the vessel made a short stay during the night, and then proceeded to Burlington, in Vermont, and towards morning pa.s.sed by the ruins of Fort Crown Point, which lie on a hill.

[_Travels_:

The greatest breadth of Lake Champlain, which contains several large islands, is six miles. The sh.o.r.e on our right, belonging to the state of New York, is low and covered with trees; the other belongs to Vermont, and is more mountainous. As night approached, we were prevented from enjoying this beautiful part of the country; I was also with regret prevented from seeing the battle ground of Plattsburgh, at which town the vessel made a short stay during the night. Some American custom-house officers came on board, without, however, inquiring after our baggage, and this was a new and not disagreeable circ.u.mstance.

The same night we stopped at Burlington in Vermont, and the Grymes'

family left us here to go to Boston. I expected to meet this interesting family again in New York in fourteen days. Towards morning we pa.s.sed the ruins of Fort Crownpoint, which lie on a hill.]

At this place the Lake is very narrow, and resembles a river. The sh.o.r.es are generally covered with bushes and pine trees, are hilly, and afford a pleasing prospect. They now pursued their journey as far as Lake George, and arrived at the village of Caldwell. The sh.o.r.es of the Lake are very hilly, the heights are all covered with trees, and are not above eight hundred feet high. There are several islands in the lake, generally covered with wood, and the scenery around is very handsome.

The level of the lake is about three hundred feet higher than that of Lake Champlain. The stream which flows from the former into the latter lake, forms, in its course, a succession of small cascades.

[_Travels_:

At this place the lake is very narrow and resembles a river. The sh.o.r.es are generally covered with bushes and pine trees, are hilly, and afford a pleasing prospect....

From Ticonderoga we went in a stage three miles further to Lake George, through a very hilly country. The level of this lake is about three hundred feet higher than that of Lake Champlain; the stream which flows from the former into the latter lake, forms a succession of small cascades, and turns several saw-mills. We arrived at the northern point of Lake George, and entered the steam-boat Mountaineer, which was ready to depart; it was ninety feet long with a machine of sixteen horse-power.

Lake George resembles the Scottish lakes. It is thirty-six miles long, and never more than five miles broad. The sh.o.r.es are very hilly, the heights are all covered with trees, and are not, as it seems to me, above eight hundred feet high. There are several islands in the lake, generally covered with wood.... The scenery is very handsome.... At the southern extremity, however, lies the village of Caldwell, founded about twenty years ago, which, besides a very good and large inn, where we took lodgings, contains several neat houses....]

They left Caldwell at eight o'clock the next day, in two inconvenient carriages, and pa.s.sed through a very uninteresting, deep, sandy road, in a hilly part of the country, covered with th.o.r.n.y trees, on their route to Saratoga Springs, to which the whole fas.h.i.+onable world of the United States repair in summer, and the fas.h.i.+onables have here the same mania which prevails in other countries, to visit the baths in summer, whether sick or well. The distance is twenty-seven miles. On their pa.s.sage was seen but one interesting object, the Hudson falls, which river they had left at Albany, and reached again nine miles from Caldwell, coming from the west.

[_Travels_:

We left Caldwell at eight o'clock the next day, September 11, in two inconvenient carriages, and pa.s.sed through a very uninteresting, deep, sandy road, in a hilly country, covered with th.o.r.n.y trees, on our route to Saratoga springs, to which the whole fas.h.i.+onable world of the United States repairs in summer, for the fas.h.i.+onables have here the same mania which prevails in other countries, to visit the baths in summer, whether sick or well. The distance is twenty-seven miles. On our pa.s.sage, we saw but one interesting object--the Hudson falls, which river we had left at Albany, and reached again nine miles from Caldwell, coming from the west.]

These falls are, however, under the name of Glenn's Falls. A village of the same name is built in their vicinity, on the rocky sh.o.r.es of the river. The princ.i.p.al fall is forty feet high. These falls are not to be numbered among the largest, but among the handsomest in the United States. A constant mist arises from them, and, as the sun shone very brilliantly, several rainbows were seen at the same time. In the rock, as at Niagara, were some remarkable and deep cavities. At the base of the small island which divides the chief fall into two parts, a remarkable cave appears below the falls, leading to the other side of the rock. The Hudson is partly navigable above Glenn's Falls, and two miles farther up, feeds a navigable ca.n.a.l, with thirteen locks, which runs seven miles north of the Hudson, and there joins Champlain ca.n.a.l.

[_Travels_:

These falls are known under the name of Glenn's Falls. A village of the same name is built in their vicinity, on the rocky sh.o.r.es of the river.... A single rock, on which, also, a saw-mill stands, divides into two parts, the princ.i.p.al fall, which is forty feet high. But there are, both above and below the princ.i.p.al falls, a number of smaller falls, which we could approach with ease, as the water was very low. These falls are not indeed to be numbered among the largest, but among the handsomest falls which I have seen. A constant mist arises from them, and, as the sun shone very brilliantly, we saw several rainbows at the same time. In the rock, as at Niagara, we observed some remarkable and deep cavities.... At the base of the small island, which divides the chief fall into two parts, a remarkable cave appears below the falls, leading to the other side of the rock.... The Hudson is partly navigable above Glenn's Falls, and two miles further up, feeds a navigable ca.n.a.l, with thirteen locks, which runs seven miles north of the Hudson, and then joins Champlain ca.n.a.l.]

The party arrived at Saratoga at two o'clock in the afternoon, and stopped at Congress Hall. The greater part of the company had already departed, among those who remained was the governor of the state of New-York. They were introduced to his Excellency. The gentlemen conversed with him freely, and found him intelligible and refined, and scientific in his conversation.

[_Travels_:

We arrived at Saratoga at two o'clock in the afternoon, and stopped at Congress Hall. The greater part of the company had already departed, so that but forty persons remained; among these was the governor of the state of New York, the celebrated De Witt Clinton. I was immediately introduced to his excellency, and very well received by this great statesman.]

[[During the period spanned by _Alida_ (1811-1816), the governor of New York was Daniel Tompkins.]]

In the evening the company a.s.semble in the large hall in the lower story, and pa.s.s away the time in music, dancing or conversation, where they witness all the politeness, refinement, and hospitality that characterize the Americans.

[_Travels_:

.... In the evening the company a.s.sembles in the large halls in the lower story, at this season, alas! by the fire, and pa.s.s the time in music, dancing, or conversation....]

The waters of the different springs are generally drank, but baths are also erected. High Rock spring flows from a white conical lime-stone rock, five feet high. The water is seen in this spring in constant agitation. So much fixed air escapes from it, that an animal held over it, as in the Grotto del Cane, near Naples, cannot live above half a minute.

[_Travels_:

The different springs, which do not lie far from each other in a swampy ground in the same valley, are called Hamilton, Congress, Columbia, Flat Rock, Munroe, High Rock, President, and Red Spring.

The water is generally drank, but baths are also erected. High Rock Spring flows from a white conical limestone rock, five feet high, in which there is a round aperture above, about nine inches in diameter, through which the water in the spring is seen in a state of constant agitation. So much fixed air escapes from it, that an animal held over it, as in the Grotto del Cane, near Naples, cannot live above half a minute....]

In a few days they left Saratoga Springs, in a convenient stage, to go to Albany, thirty-six miles distant. They pa.s.sed through a disagreeable and sandy country. The uniformity was, however, very pleasingly interrupted by Saratoga Lake, which is eight miles long.

[_Travels_:

The governor had the kindness to give me some letters for New York, and a letter of introduction to the Shakers of New Lebanon.

Furnished with these, we left Saratoga Springs, September 12th, at 9 o'clock, in a convenient stage to go to Albany, thirty-six miles distant. We pa.s.sed through a disagreeable and sandy country. The uniformity was, however, very pleasingly interrupted by Saratoga lake, which is eight miles long....

At the small town of Waterford they pa.s.sed along the left sh.o.r.e of the Hudson on a long wooden bridge, to avoid a bad bridge over the Mohawk.

They proceeded on their route in the night on a very good road, and pa.s.sed through Lansingburgh and Troy. The latter is very handsomely built, and many stores were very well lighted up in the evening. Here they returned to the right sh.o.r.e of the Hudson, and reached Albany at ten o'clock at night.

[_Travels_:

At the small town of Waterford we pa.s.sed along the left sh.o.r.e of the Hudson on a long wooden bridge, to avoid a bad bridge over the Mohawk. We proceeded on our route in the night on a very good road, and pa.s.sed through Lansingburg and Troy. The latter is very handsomely built, and many stores are very well lighted up in the evening. Here we returned to the right sh.o.r.e of the Hudson, and reached Albany at 10 o'clock at night.

At eight o'clock next morning they took pa.s.sage on board the steam-boat, to go down the river as far as the town of Catskill, at the foot of Pine Orchard. The company ascended the mountain, which is twelve miles high, in stages. They reached Pine Orchard a little before sunset. The building on the mountain for the accommodation of visiters, is a splendid establishment. Alida was truly delighted with the landscape it presented in miniature; where large farms appeared like garden spots, and the Hudson a rivulet, and where sometimes the clouds were seen floating beneath the eye of the spectator.

[[This paragraph does not appear in _Travels in North America_.]]

The next morning they again took the steam-boat at Catskill to go to Hudson, twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which they reached about noon. This city appears very handsome and lively. On the opposite side of the river is Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream between the two places, rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a ca.n.a.l was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now pa.s.ses with ease and rapidity.

[_Travels_:

At ten o'clock we embarked on board the steam-boat Richmond. The banks of the Hudson are very handsome, and here and there well cultivated. From Albany to New York it is one hundred and forty-four miles, and to West Point ninety-six. Hudson, a place twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which we reached at noon, seems to be very handsome and lively. We remarked in the harbour several sloops, and on sh.o.r.e some brick stores, five stories high. On the opposite side of the river lies Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream between the two places rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a ca.n.a.l was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now pa.s.ses with ease and rapidity.]