CHAPTER XIV.

_Departure from Washington.-- Fredericktown.-- Harper’s Ferry.--

Blue Ridge.-- Staunton.-- Natural Bridge.-- Wier’s Cave.--

Charlotteville.-- University of Virginia.-- Monticello.--

Richmond.-- Jamestown.-- Norfolk.-- Fort Monroe.--

Fayetteville.-- Columbia._

On the 15th of November, I set out from Washington with Mr. Huygens,

jr., who was desirous of accompanying me by permission of his father.

I had hired a carriage with four horses to Harper’s Ferry, about fifty

miles from Washington, where we were to arrive in two days. The road was

for some miles very good, but afterwards it became bad and rugged and

continued so the rest of the day. We left the District of Columbia, and

again entered the state of Maryland. The country through which we were

passing was hilly, covered with wood, and in some places cultivated;

single large houses belonging to tobacco planters, and in their vicinity

small ones for the negro slaves, were scattered here and there. We went

through only one decent place called Rocksville. About seven o’clock in

the evening we reached an inn called Scholl’s tavern, situated in the

township of Clarksburg, distant from Washington twenty-five miles.

Next morning we left Clarksburg; it was pretty cool, and the road as

rough as before. It was fifteen miles to Fredericktown, over a hilly and

rocky country. Sometimes we saw handsome prospects on the mountains of

the Blue Ridge, which we were approaching. The houses that we passed by,

were like those of yesterday; the negro houses mostly of wood, with

clumsy chimnies, built close to the house. The Monocacy river we passed

at a ford within four miles of Fredericktown. This is one of the

principal places in the state of Maryland, and is situated in a well

cultivated country surrounded by hills. It has about five thousand

inhabitants, and is built very regularly. At the entrance of one of the

streets stood a wooden triumphal arch raised in honour of General La

Fayette. The inscriptions were already nearly effaced by the weather.

I had hardly alighted at the tavern, when I received a visit from a

clergyman of this place named Dr. Schaeffer, a son of a preacher of the

same name in Philadelphia. This gentleman accompanied me to see Mr.

Schley, whom I had known in Saratoga, and afterwards we went to a

Lutheran church, a very plain building. We ascended the spire in order

to have a view of the town and surrounding country. The country appeared

to be very well cultivated; their principal agricultural object is

tobacco. There are four churches, Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic and

Methodist. The public buildings are the Court-house and prison.

Harper’s Ferry was yet twenty-one miles distant from Fredericktown. The

country grew at every moment more hilly, and the road rugged and worse;

as we were approaching the Blue Ridge, we often alighted and walked.

We met with several herds and flocks, which are driven from the western

states to different seaports for sale. The wagons we met were generally

carrying products of the west; they were large wagons with five stout

horses. Every horse had on its collar a set of bells, consisting of five

different tones, which made a very singular music.

Meanwhile, our road passed mostly through forest; we went through but a

single insignificant village called Newton. The mountains grew higher

and more rocky. At last we came again to the Potomac, which we had left

the day before, and enjoyed many fine views.

This country reminded me of Pranen, near Dresden. It was night when we

arrived on the left bank of the Potomac, opposite to Harper’s Ferry;

we were obliged to wait for a considerable length of time for the

ferry-boat. When this came, we saw it was conducted by an intoxicated

negro; even the ferry-boat itself was very bad; however, we fortunately

crossed the shallow river, passing amidst pieces of rocks, and perceived

at some distance up, three piers standing in the river, on which the

next year, a bridge was to be built. Having crossed, we came into the

state of Virginia. At Harper’s Ferry, we took our lodgings in a neat

tavern; and I had here the pleasure to see Dr. Weise, from Dresden, who,

as soon as he knew I had arrived, came to see me. I take the liberty of

inserting here the following description of this country, by THOMAS

JEFFERSON, in his “Notes on the State of Virginia.”

“The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the

most stupendous scenes in nature. You stand on a very high point of

land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the

foot of the mountain an hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left

approaches the Potomac, in quest of a passage also. In the moment of

their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder,

and pass off to the sea. The first glance of this scene hurries our

senses into the opinion, that this earth has been created in time, that

the mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow

afterwards, that in this place particularly they have been dammed up by

the Blue Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled the

whole valley; that continuing to rise they have at length broken over at

this spot, and have torn the mountain down from its summit to its base.

The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah, the

evident marks of their disrupture and avulsion from their beds, by the

most powerful agents of nature, corroborate the impression. But the

distant finishing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very

different character. It is a true contrast to the foreground. It is as

placid and delightful, as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountain

being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft,

a small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the

plain country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult

roaring around, to pass through the breach and participate of the calm

below. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and that way too the

road happens actually to lead. You cross the Potomac above the junction,

pass along its side through the base of the mountain for three miles,

its terrible precipices hanging in fragments over you, and within about

twenty miles reach Fredericktown, and the fine country round that. This

scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the

neighbourhood of the Natural Bridge, are people who have passed their

lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been to survey these

monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken

the earth itself to its centre.”

The morning after my arrival at Harper’s Ferry, I visited Mr.

Stubbersfield, director of the gun manufactory, to whom I was

recommended by the secretary of war, and he showed me the establishments

under his orders. The workshops are in seven large stone buildings, of

which the interior partitions, with regret be it spoken, are of wood.

The buildings stand in rows, four at the foot of the mountain, and

opposite to them, three on the bank of the Potomac. At the entrance of

the street which they form, is Mr. Stubbersfield’s office, from which he

can overlook the entrances of all the buildings. The machines are moved

by water-wheels. All the buildings are two stories high; in the lower

part are the forges, and in the higher stories, workmen who use no fire

in their work. In the working of iron I saw nothing new. The iron

employed for barrels, comes from Juniata, in the state of Pennsylvania,

and is in plates, of which each is calculated for one barrel. The steel

is German, called Halbach’s steel, furnished by Mr. Halbach, of

Philadelphia. Every gun must pass through one hundred and twenty hands

before it is ready. A particular workman is appointed for every part and

paid for it separately, when the work has been duly examined, and proved

to be good. A skilful and diligent workman can gain two dollars per day.

When the workmen have prepared all the parts of a fire-lock, they

deliver them to a man who examines, tries them, and puts them together.

The barrels are turned by means of rings, which can be rendered smaller

or larger. The machinery for making gun-stocks was the most interesting

to me, because it was formerly a very laborious work. A piece of iron is

screwed upon a piece of wood, which has been made in the form of a

stock, at the place where the barrel is to be placed. After this the

piece is screwed into the machinery; in a parallel direction to it a

piece of iron is screwed, having the same form that is to be given to

the stock. The planing is performed by means of a wheel, to which are

adapted ledge-planes. The operation begins with the muzzle, and ends

with the breech of the gun. The gun-stock moves together with the iron

model, each round its axis, having a parallel direction with the axis of

a plain wheel of brass, which is rubbing on the iron model, and

following all its prominences and cavities. This wheel is also put in

motion and drawn towards the breech by means of an endless screw; during

this motion it planes the gun-stock off, and gives it the proper form.

This operation lasts six or seven minutes, and there is nothing to

prevent it from turning at the same time another gun-stock on the other

side. The gun-stock being duly formed, is taken out of the machinery,

and another put in its place; then the iron piece is taken away from the

turned gun-stock, it is fixed in a cramp, and applied to a bore-plane

for making the groove to receive the barrel.

This manufactory, and that of Springfield, the only ones belonging to

the government, furnishes at present in time of peace, fifteen thousand

guns yearly. These guns are generally browned by the process indicated

by Dupin, also, the rings and bayonets, the last of which are kept

bright by the British.

Mr. Stubbersfield conducted me also to the arsenal, in which the

finished muskets are delivered, and are either here preserved, or packed

up in cases by twenty, and sent to other arsenals. In the interior of

the arsenal, every thing is of wood, notwithstanding the great

importance of being fire-proof, as it contains such a large capital.

There were eighty-four thousand guns. If the value of one be estimated

only at thirteen dollars, it makes the sum of one million and ninety-two

thousand dollars.

From the arsenal, we were conducted to a new manufactory, half a mile

from the town, where Mr. Hall’s patent guns are constructed under his

own direction. He not being present, I was not fortunate enough to find

any body to explain the machinery, which appeared not yet in full

action. Dr. Weise, went with us to a mountain above this place, called

Jefferson’s Rock. The prospect from it is really very fine; it agrees

with the description, yet I believe I have seen finer landscapes in

Germany. From that place also, the town can be surveyed, the houses of

which appeared to be rather scattered; of its fifteen hundred

inhabitants, three hundred are working in the gun manufactory. The

ground for the most part belongs to the government, and well recommended

persons obtain permission to build upon it. On an elevation, near

Jefferson’s Rock, a large building, three stories high, has been

erected. The first story was intended for a church, the second for a

Lancasterian school, and the third for a free mason’s lodge. I suffered

very much from a very cold wind, which brought with it a little snow.

In the evening, Dr. Weise came to me with a bridge builder, who was a

native of Reuslingen, who came here thirty years ago as a baker, and

then had learned the art of constructing mills and bridges. The second

bridge on the Schuylkill, above Philadelphia, built of a single arch, is

of his invention, and the next year he was to build one here over the

Potomac.

On the 19th of November, we left Harper’s ferry in a clear, but very

cold morning, and set off on a journey to the Natural Bridge, which is

one hundred and seventy-five miles distant. We rode in an ordinary

stage. The improvement of stages, appears not yet to have extended

beyond the Blue Mountains, because we were obliged to be contented with

one, which was in every respect very uncomfortable. The way led us

through a hilly country and was very bad. We went for a considerable

distance on rocks; on the road, a great many loose stones were lying,

and I was surprised, that our miserable vehicle was not broken to

pieces. At break of day, we arrived at a small place called Smithfield,

eighteen miles from Harper’s ferry. A couple of miles farther, we came

to warm Sulphur Springs, the water of which has the taste of spoiled

eggs, like that of Aix-la-Chapelle. It seems to be very little known, as

there is no enclosure around it, and no houses near. A lucky chance will

no doubt make it known, and I should not be surprised, were I to come

hither again in fifteen or twenty years, to find at this spot an elegant

watering place, somewhat like Saratoga Springs. The road continued

through a forest of oak, chesnut, acacia, and cedar trees; houses were

seldom met with. We forded many creeks, the most considerable of them is

called Cedar creek. We observed also some grist-mills. It froze pretty

hard, so that the borders of the creeks were covered with a pretty thick

ice, and large icicles hung on the sluices of the mills. Eleven miles

beyond Smithfield, we came to Winchester, a very nice country town,

where the houses are mostly of masonry, and form a long principal

street, intersected by other smaller ones; it has a market-house, and

many stores, which appeared to be very well provided. Here we changed

our stage for a better one, although still very inconvenient. The wood

of which it was constructed was hickory, which has a great deal of

elasticity.

From Winchester, we went to Stephensbury, eight miles farther, to

Middleton, then to Strasburg, six miles, and at last to Woodstock,

twelve miles, where we passed the night. This place is sixty-one miles

distant from Harper’s ferry. We reached our night-quarters in the

evening about six o’clock, in a very cold night and a fine moonshine.

The places between Winchester and Woodstock were not considerable,

except Strasburg, which is more ancient than the others, and appears to

have a larger population. The houses are generally of wood and covered

with shingles, although a great number of stones are found here. The

country became at last very fine. On our left we saw the Blue Ridge,

from which we now withdrew at every moment. Another ridge, in a parallel

direction with the former, called the Northern Ridge, rose suddenly

between us and the Blue Ridge, which soon entirely disappeared. On our

right there was another ridge of mountains, it was an arm of the

Alleghany Mountains, and we went through a valley at least ten miles

wide. The formation of these parallel ridges is very singular, and no

instance occurs of it in the other parts of the world. The country was

pretty well cultivated, and by the exterior appearance of many

country-houses, we were induced to believe their inhabitants enjoyed

plenty. The enclosures of fields are here, for the most part, the

above-mentioned old fences, yet next to the houses they are of masonry

carefully formed. As it appeared, they travel here much on horseback.

On account of great distances between the plantations, almost all the

ladies can ride on horseback; we met several of them elegantly dressed,

and also black women. The race of horses of this country, appears to be

a very strong one. They use also oxen for drawing; to many carts were

put two oxen, and before them two horses. On the 20th of November, we

left Woodstock at half-past two o’clock in the morning, in a very

miserable stage, and proceeded to Staunton, seventy-one miles distant,

on a still more rugged road than that of yesterday; in this place we

passed the night. The places on our way were mostly insignificant: only

Shryock, New Market, Big Spring, and Harrisonburg, deserve to be

mentioned; the last of them is said to have from eight to nine hundred

inhabitants. The greatest part of the houses were wooden ones, and but a

few of masonry. This part of the state of Virginia does not bear

comparison with Massachusetts, New York, or even Pennsylvania. The great

number of slaves in this state, makes also a very bad impression.[I-34]

The largest part of the country is not covered with wood, and appears to

be well cultivated. As for the rest it is very hilly, and on our left

hand we had all day the ridge of North Mountains, of which, however, we

could not see much, owing to the fogginess of the weather. We crossed

many streams at fords; these streams were rather torrents. We crossed

the Shenandoah near its source. About seven o’clock in the evening we

reached Staunton, and took our lodgings in an unpleasant tavern. This

long and uncomfortable journey, in an extremely bad stage, and upon a

very rough way, made me quite uneasy, and my young travelling companion

more so, for he seemed not to be very much accustomed to such fatigues.

I suffered, however, this want of comfort with a great deal of patience.

[Footnote I-34: [“Let it never be forgotten that a part of the

quarrel of the Americans with the government of Great Britain,

arose from the determination of the former not to tolerate the

farther importation of slaves; an importation absolutely forced on

them by England, in consideration of the vested rights of the

Royal African Company!!! With an admirable grace does England

upbraid America with tolerating slavery,--a curse by her inflicted

on her colonies.” --_London Literary Chronicle, June 7th,

1828._]--TRANS.]

On the 21st of November, we were obliged to stay in Staunton, because

the stage goes only every other day to the Natural Bridge, which is on

the road to Knoxville and Louisville, and this bridge being too far

distant from Staunton, we could not, with a hired carriage, go there,

and return within two days. We employed the leisure forced upon us in

examining the country. The town itself is small, has about one thousand

six hundred inhabitants, and consists, properly speaking, of but two

principal streets, intersecting each other at right angles. The greatest

part of the houses are of wood, covered with shingles. Staunton is the

chief place of Augusta county; the court was in session, and on that

account a great many lawyers were present. The town is surrounded by

hills and covered with wood, as far as I could observe in the foggy

weather, which lasted all day. The Shenandoah here is but a small brook;

opposite the town is a limestone rock, having many cavities. I was told

they were very spacious. I tried to creep in, but found the entrance so

narrow and low, that I was obliged to give it up. I had obtained from

Mrs. Weightman, in Washington, a letter of introduction to Dr. Scheffey,

her brother-in-law, and the most renowned lawyer in the place.

I delivered it, and received a visit from this gentleman. He came with

several of his brother lawyers, and among them three generals of militia

were introduced. Dr. Scheffey himself was a major, and almost every

inhabitant of distinction is invested with a rank in the militia. The

custom being here to call one another by their military rank, one is

tempted to believe himself transported to the head-quarters of some

army! In conversing with these gentlemen, I observed with astonishment

the aristocratical spirit which the Virginians possess. I was astonished

to hear them praising hereditary nobility and primogeniture! In the

evening I went to see Dr. Scheffey, and we spent the time very

pleasantly over a good glass of wine, and in rational conversation.

The next morning, I left my baggage in Staunton at half past two

o’clock, in a miserable stage, in order to go to the Natural Bridge,

upon a very bad road. We passed only two decent places, Fairfield and

Lexington, the last is the chief town of Rockbridge county, and has a

court and high school. On account of a fog, which lasted all day, we

could see but little of the country, which in some parts of Rockbridge

county becomes very mountainous. We forded two small streams, called

Middle river and Buffalo creek, over the last there is a wooden bridge,

which is made use of only at very high water. Our travelling company was

not the most agreeable, it was composed of two Americans, who did not

open their mouths, and of an Irish resident, who talked the more for the

silence of the others; all this was disagreeable enough. At times he

became interesting, when he had cheered his heart with whiskey. We

passed by many very handsome country-houses; at one of them we saw eight

large black eagles sitting on a fence, they were fed by the care of the

proprietor. The inhabitants seem not very fond of shooting, for I saw

snipes in Fairfield, which flew even into the yard of the tavern. Game

is here very abundant, a deer costs about a dollar and a half.

In the afternoon we reached a lonely tavern, situated in the mountains

called Natural Bridge, which is fifty miles distant from Staunton.

I availed myself of the short time the sun remained above the horizon to

hasten to the Natural Bridge, which is a mile and a half distant from

the tavern, and for the sake of which I had made so great a circuit and

suffered so many fatigues. A young negro slave from the tavern was our

conductor; the way lead through mountains overgrown with wood. At last I

stood upon a rock whence I could overlook the cleft and the bridge just

before me. In Jefferson’s Notes, that learned man gives a description of

the bridge, which is as follows:

“The Natural Bridge, the most sublime of Nature’s works, though not

comprehended under the present head, must not be pretermitted. It is on

the ascent of a hill, which seems to have been cloven through its length

by some great convulsion. The fissure just at the bridge, is by some

admeasurements, two hundred and seventy feet deep, by others only two

hundred and five. It is about forty-five feet wide at the bottom, and

ninety feet at the top; this of course determines the length of the

bridge, and its height from the water, its breadth in the middle is

about sixty feet, but more at the ends, and the thickness of the mass,

at the summit of the arch about forty feet. A part of this thickness is

constituted by a coat of earth, which gives growth to many large trees.

The residue, with the hill on both sides, is one solid rock of

limestone.--The arch approaches the semi-elliptical form, but the larger

axis of the ellipsis, which would be the chord of the arch, is many

times longer than the transverse. Though the sides of this bridge are

provided in some parts with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have

resolution to walk to them, and look over into the abyss. You

involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet, and

peep over it. Looking down from this height about a minute, gave me a

violent head-ache. If the view from the top be painful and intolerable,

that from below is delightful in an equal extreme. It is impossible for

the emotions arising from the sublime, to be felt beyond what they are

here: so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it

were up to heaven! The rapture of the spectator is really indiscribable!

The fissure continuing narrow, deep, and straight, for a considerable

distance above and below the bridge, opens a short but very pleasing

view of the North Mountain on one side and Blue Ridge on the other, at

the distance each of them of about five miles. This bridge is in the

county of Rockbridge, to which it has given name, and affords a public

and commodious passage over a valley, which cannot be crossed elsewhere

for a considerable distance. The stream passing under it is called Cedar

creek. It is a water of James’s river, and sufficient in the driest

seasons to turn a grist-mill, though its fountain is not more than two

miles above.”

I confess that I am no poet; yet I was very glad to have taken the

trouble of coming hither; this rock-bridge being certainly one of the

greatest wonders of nature I have ever beheld; and I have seen Vesuvius

and the Phlegrean fields, the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, the Island of

Staffa, and the Falls of Niagara! The brook under the bridge was almost

dry; the most majestic view is from below.

On the 23d of November we left the wretched tavern at the Natural

Bridge, and returned to Staunton in a crowded stage, in which were four

gentlemen from the state of Tennessee, members of congress, going to

Washington. I took my seat as usual alongside the coachman, where I had

more room and fresh air. We returned as far as Lexington by the road we

left it. Having stopped for a short while here, I was the object of much

curiosity to the German descendants who are settled here. The town of

Lexington was first established about forty years ago, and it now

contains eleven hundred inhabitants. In its vicinity upon a hill, is a

large arsenal covered with zinc, belonging to the United States.

From Lexington we took another road which led us through the

considerable villages of Brownsburgh and Middleburgh. The road was in

some places very bad, and terribly rough; but we sometimes found a side

road, which in that dry season was still very good; it ran generally

through a forest. We saw lonely houses and met with many travellers on

horseback, several of them were well dressed white women. All our

coachmen in this state were whites; I was surprised at this, knowing

that black coachmen could be had at a cheaper rate, and was told that in

this state, blacks were not allowed to drive the mail stage.

On the 24th of November, after nine o’clock in the morning, we set out

from Staunton in a hired coach, in order to pass by a circuitous route

the celebrated Wier’s cave, and thence continue our journey to

Charlotteville, whither we had sent our heavy baggage by the stage.

As far as Wier’s cave, eighteen miles distant, we had a good country

road. We took our lodgings in a lonely house belonging to Mr. Mohler,

a German from Pennsylvania, of Saxon origin. The way was through a

hilly, woody country; many breaks in the earth presented limestone

rocks, and announced the proximity of caves. For a sportsman this

country must be delightful, for we saw in the woods two flocks of

partridges, which left the road, only to give way to the passing

carriage, and then settled at not more than ten paces from us. On the

banks of the creeks we saw a great number of snipes. Mohler’s house is

situated on a considerable creek, called the South river, which by means

of a canal, works a grist-mill and forge.

The grist-mill belongs to a miller, who has also a whiskey distillery,

and upwards of one hundred acres of land, with four negro slaves. He

cultivates wheat, some rye, and a great quantity of Indian corn. His

mill, a large stone building, is arranged very compendiously, and

reminded me of the large steam-mill at Baltimore. There are only two

pairs of stones, one for wheat, and the other for Indian corn. The

boulted flour is conveyed to the upper floor by means of elevators, and

spread upon it by a rake, which has a circular and horizontal motion, in

order to cool it. He sends his flour packed up in barrels to Richmond,

and even to Baltimore. The industrious Mohler has connected with his

grist-mill, a saw-mill, and a mill to break flax, which is likewise

cultivated, though not in a large quantity; this year, on account of the

dryness, it has failed.

The entrance of the cave is about a mile and a half from Mohler’s house,

and is situated in the middle of a steep side of a mountain on the bank

of the South river. We crept down the hollow, every one provided with a

taper, and came directly into a space where we could stand up; there

were some beautiful stalactites, mostly in columns. This place is called

the antichamber. Then we arrived at a hall called dragon’s room, from a

stalactite, which is said to have the form of a dragon. Several of the

stalactites are not unlike waterfalls; one of them is called Niagara

Falls.

The following gallery is called the Devil’s gallery, from a figure

standing in it; yet I found in this figure more resemblance to a statue

of the virgin, than to that of a devil.

A whole stratum of the stalactites detached from the roof of the cavern,

was as it were, suspended between heaven and earth, and afforded a fine

view, especially as a new formation of stalactites took place between

the roof and the suspended stratum.

A narrow hollow passage leads into a more spacious cavern called

Solomon’s Temple; here are very singular and mostly foliated transparent

stalactites, hanging from the roof down to the floor. Not far from that

cavern is another, named hide-room, in which the stalactites hang down

in form of hides in a tannery. Then we came into another vault, which is

called the drum-room, because if a stone is thrown against the

stalactites, they give a sound resembling that of a drum. Some of the

stalactites having the form of sticks, and ranged in circles, produce

all the sounds of an octave, if struck with a stick. You pass afterwards

through a narrow passage, by an opening, which looks like an antique

tomb in ruins, and is called Patterson’s grave, in commemoration of an

individual of that name who fell in there. By means of a rather rotten

ladder, you come now into a very high smooth saloon, eighty feet long,

called the ball-room, in which benches are placed; I was told that

visitors having ladies with them, entertained themselves here very often

with dancing. Then you ascend another ladder, and creep on all fours

through a narrow hollow, which has been partly enlarged by a mine, when

you arrive at a natural, but very slippery staircase, called Jacob’s

ladder, which you descend; then passing through a narrow dungeon, you

get into a more spacious room, named Senate-chamber, when by means of a

rotten ladder you reach a long gallery, called Washington-hall, from a

large stalactite standing in the middle of it, and having the form of a

statue, which is called Washington’s statue.

Not far from this statue, there is a small fountain, the water of which,

though very thirsty, I did not venture to drink, having some days since

experienced bad consequences from drinking water from limestone rocks.

Next to this hall, is a place in which the stalactites covering the

rock, have a shining crystalline-like surface, wherefore this vault is

called the diamond room. Farther on, you get in a large saloon called

the dining room, in which the stalactites represent something not unlike

a side-board set with bottles and tumblers. In Washington-hall there is

a heap of this filtered stone, called the hay-stack, and over it hangs

another stalactite, having the form of a rake.

From the dining room, we passed into the last cave, that had been

hitherto visited, by the name of Jefferson’s-hall, in which are seen

several clefts, and I am persuaded that a new passage could be easily

opened, and new caves discovered. In different spots of the cavern,

where the crust of the stalactites is broken, we saw hollows, which have

not yet been examined. Such an undertaking, seems the more worth while,

as this cave is probably in communication with the Madison’s cave, which

was discovered by Jefferson, many years ago, and is in the same

mountain; its entrance being only three hundred yards distant from that

of Wier’s cave.

Wier’s cave was discovered in the year 1806, by a German farmer named

Wier; Madison’s cave is not any longer visited; it is said also, that

its finest stalactites have been destroyed by the indiscretion of

strangers.

My attention in Wier’s cave, was particularly attracted by plates, which

came off from the roof of the cavern, and hang from it, so that new

stalactites have been formed between them and the roof, the last giving

the others a very singular form. One of these plates looks like a large

shell of mother of pearl,--another, like a looking-glass. The cave is of

course damp, from the dripping of water, but it is less so than I

expected, and less than is the case in such caves in Germany and

England. The temperature was pretty high, and the air very pure. Our

candles burnt with a bright flame, and we felt no difficulty in

breathing.

From Jefferson’s hall, we began our rather difficult retreat, and came

again into day-light, which was already decreasing.

We spent the rest of the evening with our friendly landlord, by a

chimney fire; he had a bible in folio, printed in Nuremberg in the year

1765, with the portraits of my ancestors, the Grand Duke William IV.,

the Grand Duke Bernhard, and others.

It was interesting to me, to be reminded of my family in such a way,

when in the interior of Virginia, and beyond the Blue Ridge.

On the 25th of November, we set out for Charlotteville, thirty-two miles

distant, passing over the Blue Ridge. The road is through a country

little cultivated, and without a single village; and the number of

separate houses could scarcely be more than a dozen. After we had gone

about five miles, we arrived at the western base of the Blue Ridge,

which affords an agreeable view, being overgrown with wood up to the

top. Then we entered a narrow valley, and when the road began to ascend,

we alighted and walked over the mountains. I was surprised to find the

road less steep than I expected, and it was also pretty good. From

elevated places, the day being not so foggy as the preceding ones, we

had many fine views of the mountains. The wood consisted of oak trees,

and different kinds of nut trees; here and there were colossal fir,

larch, Weymouth’s pine and acacia trees. Evergreen rhododendrons, for

which some amateurs in Europe spend a great deal of money, are growing

here in abundance, also wild vines, which wind themselves round the

trees. The prospect on the mountains would have been more pleasant, had

there been some marks of human dwellings, but we saw only two miserable

log houses, inhabited by dirty and ragged negro families, on the whole

tract for eight miles over the mountains; and we met but a few carts

loaded with flour.

Having crossed the Blue Ridge, we arrived at a good-looking country

house, and a mill called Brown’s Farm, situated at the base of the

mountains, and took our dinner there. This house is surrounded by fields

belonging to it, and from its piazza there is a very fine view of the

mountains. From this place we had yet twenty miles to Charlotteville.

The road became less hilly, at least we had no more mountains to cross;

however, the road continued very rough, and we were rudely jolted. About

eight o’clock in the evening we reached Charlotteville, in which the

houses appeared to be scattered. In its vicinity is a new establishment

for education, called University of Virginia. The next morning we went

to see the university, which is one mile distant from the town.

This establishment has been open since March, 1824, and it is said to

have already one hundred and thirty students; but a spirit of

insubordination has caused many of the pupils to be sent away. The

buildings are all new, and yet some of them seem to threaten to fall in,

which may be the case with several others also, being chiefly built of

wood. The interior of the library was not yet finished, but according to

its plan it will be a beautiful one. The dome is made after the model of

the Pantheon in Rome, reduced one half. This place is intended for

public meetings of the academy: but it is said that an echo is heard in

case of loud speaking, which renders the voice of the speaker

unintelligible.

Under the rotunda are three elliptical halls, the destination of which

is not yet entirely determined. The set of columns on the outside of

this building, I was told is to be a very fine one; the capitals were

made in Italy.

As for the rest, the ten buildings on the right and left are not at all

regularly built, but each of them in a different manner, so that there

is no harmony in the whole, which prevents it from having a beautiful

and majestic appearance.

The garden walls of the lateral building are also in crooked lines,

which gives them a singular but handsome appearance. The buildings have

been executed according to Mr. Jefferson’s plan, and are his hobby; he

is rector of the University, in the construction of which the state of

Virginia is said to have laid out considerable sums of money.

We addressed a gentleman whom we met by chance, in order to get some

information, and we had every reason to be satisfied with his

politeness. It was Dr. Dunglison, professor of medicine. He is an

Englishman, and came last year with three other professors from Europe.

He showed us the library, which was still inconsiderable, and has been

provisionally arranged in a lecture room; it contained some German

belles lettres works, among others a series of Kotzebue’s calendar of

dramatical works. It was said a great quantity of books was coming from

Europe.

The university is situated on a hill in a very healthy situation, and

there is a very fine view of the Blue Ridge. President Jefferson invited

us to a family dinner; but as in Charlotteville there is but a single

hackney-coach, and this being absent, we were obliged to go the three

miles to Monticello on foot.

We went by a pathway, through well cultivated and enclosed fields,

crossed a creek named Rivanna, passing on a trunk of a tree cut in a

rough shape, and without rails; then ascended a steep hill overgrown

with wood, and came on its top to Mr. Jefferson’s house, which is in an

open space, walled round with bricks, forming an oblong, whose shorter

sides are rounded; on each of the longer sides are portals of four

columns.

The unsuccessful waiting for a carriage, and our long walk, caused such

a delay, that we found the company at table when we entered; but Mr.

Jefferson came very kindly to meet us, forced us to take our seats, and

ordered dinner to be served up anew. He was an old man of eighty-six

years of age, of tall stature, plain appearance, and long white hair.

In conversation he was very lively, and his spirits, as also his hearing

and sight, seemed not to have decreased at all with his advancing age.

I found in him a man who retained his faculties remarkably well in his

old age, and one would have taken him for a man of sixty. He asked me

what I had seen in Virginia. I eulogized all the places, that I was

certain would meet with his approbation, and he seemed very much

pleased. The company at the table, consisted of the family of his

daughter, Mrs. Randolph, and of that of the professor of mathematics at

the university, an Englishman, and of his wife. I turned the

conversation to the subject of the university, and observed, that this

was the favourite topic with Mr. Jefferson; he entertained very sanguine

hopes as to the flourishing state of the university in future, and

believed that it, and the Harvard University near Boston, would in a

very short time be the only institutions, where the youth of the United

States would receive a truly classical and solid education. After dinner

we intended to take our leave, in order to return to Charlotteville; but

Mr. Jefferson would not consent to it. He pressed us to remain for the

night at his house. The evening was spent by the fire; a great deal was

said about travels, and objects of natural history; the fine arts were

also introduced, of which Mr. Jefferson was a great admirer. He spoke

also of his travels in France, and the country on the Rhine, where he

was very much pleased. His description of Virginia is the best proof

what an admirer he is of beauties of nature. He told us that it was only

eight months since he could not ride on horseback; otherwise, he rode

every day to visit the surrounding country; he entertained, however,

hopes of being able to re-commence the next spring his favourite

exercise. Between nine and ten o’clock in the evening, the company broke

up, and a handsome room was assigned to me.

The next morning I took a walk round the house, and admired the

beautiful panorama, which this spot presents. On the left, I saw the

Blue Ridge, and between them and Monticello are smaller hills.

Charlotteville and the University lay at my feet; before me, the valley

of the Rivanna river, which farther on, makes its junction with the

James river, and on my right was the flat part of Virginia, the extent

of which is lost in distance; behind me was a towering hill, which

limited the sight. The interior of the house was plain, and the

furniture somewhat of an old fashion. In the entrance was a marble stove

with Mr. Jefferson’s bust, by Ceracchi. In the rooms hung several copies

of the celebrated pictures of the Italian school, views of Monticello,

Mount Vernon, the principal buildings in Washington and Harper’s Ferry;

there were also an oil painting, and an engraving of the Natural Bridge,

views of Niagara by Vanderlin, a sketch of the large picture by

Trumbull, representing the surrender at Yorktown, and a pen drawing of

Hector’s departure, by Benjamin West, presented by him to General

KOSCIUSZKO, finally, several portraits of Mr. Jefferson, among which the

best was that in profile by Stuart. In the saloon there were two busts,

one of Napoleon as first consul, and another of the Emperor Alexander.

Mr. Jefferson admired Napoleon’s military talents, but did not love him.

After breakfast, which we took with the family, we bid the respectable

old man farewell, and set out upon our return on foot to Charlotteville.

Mr. Jefferson tendered us the use of his carriage, but I declined, as I

preferred walking in a fine and cool morning. In the afternoon we left

Charlotteville, in a tolerably good stage, in order to go to Richmond,

the chief town of Virginia, distant eighty miles. A student was our

travelling companion, and so we had plenty of room. But the stage went

only ten miles to a small tavern situated in a wood, and kept by Mrs.

Boyd. We passed by not far from Monticello, crossed the Rivanna at a

rather deep ford, and remained for some miles on its left bank. The

banks were high and rocky in some places. The road was, for the greatest

part, through a wood, hilly and rough; in some places it was what they

call causeway.

On the 28th of November we set out at half past two o’clock in the

morning, by moonlight and very cold weather, and went seventy miles to

Richmond. The stage was better, and the road was also better than

formerly. Notwithstanding that the country continued hilly,

a considerable portion of the road was causeway, for the greatest part

of logs, and the country uninteresting. When we approached James river,

along the banks of which we went for some miles, the country grew finer,

and had it been more settled I would have compared it with that on the

Elbe, above Dresden. The ground was in the beginning loamy, then sandy.

We changed horses at isolated taverns. Gordonsville and Goochland were

the only villages through which we passed, and in these villages too the

houses were very scattered, and almost all of them of wood. We rode on

the left bank of James river, and passed by a navigable canal, which is

said to extend in land about eighty miles above Richmond, and appeared

to have been constructed with great care; the wooden bridges were neatly

constructed and solid; an aqueduct of two arches, which conducted the

canal over a brook having high banks, was well built. About eight

o’clock in the evening we reached Richmond, a town of about seventeen

thousand inhabitants of both colours. To judge by the houses, Richmond

must be a wealthy place. We took our lodgings in the Union Hotel,

a large and well-furnished inn. I felt really happy at finding myself

once again in a considerable place, as I was almost unaccustomed to such

a sight.

We could not depart on the 29th of November, as no steam-boat went in

the direction we wished to take. My design was to go to Yorktown, to see

the remains of an English fortification of the revolutionary war, and

Fort Monroe near Old Point Comfort, and then to travel on farther to

Norfolk, to see the navy-yard, thence to hasten to the south, in order

to make up for the time I spent in Virginia. I took a walk through the

town, to look around, for there was nothing else remarkable to be seen.

The town lies on the left bank of James river, and consists of two

streets, running parallel with the river, and of several insignificant

alleys. The main street, which lies next to the river, is finished, the

other does not contain many houses; the former is probably a mile long,

paved, and has side-walks made of bricks. As they burn coal here, the

city looks nearly black. In the western part of Virginia, they only use

wood. The blacks seem to compose the most numerous part of the

population of that place. It is here where James river becomes

navigable; above the city, navigation is carried on by the

above-mentioned canal, which here joins the river, after having gone

through a large basin, at whose wharves they were yet working. This

canal descends in the city from a considerable height, by means of eight

locks; the sides of the canal between the locks are only made of plank.

On the hill where those locks begin, there is a pretty large basin,

which serves as an harbour for the boats coming from the countries

above, and bound for Richmond. In the vicinity of this basin, I saw a

hollow formed by rocks and full of wooden huts, which were inhabited by

negroes, and exhibited a true picture of human misery. This hollow has

the form of a funnel. In rainy weather, these poor people must probably

suffer a great deal from dampness. Below the locks, you cross James

river on a wooden bridge resting on wooden trestles. From this bridge

you go over a side bridge to a small island, containing a public garden,

and lying in the middle of the river; above the island a ledge of rocks

crosses the river and forms a small cataract; farther up there are said

to be several other falls in the river.

On a hill which commands the city, stands the state-house, called the

capitol, surrounded by a newly laid out garden; it reminds one of the

Maison Quarrée, at Nismes in France. On one of the smaller sides of the

parallelogram there is a portico of eight Ionic columns. But these

columns are of wood only, and have, when closely inspected, a rather

decayed appearance. On the two long sides, the building has entrances

with steps. In the hall in the middle of the house, there is a full

length marble statue of President Washington, somewhat tasteless. It

represents the great man in uniform; the right hand reposing on a cane,

the left arm on fasces, to which a sword is hanging, and against which

the plough leans. In one of the lateral chambers the court of the United

States was assembled, to try a captain of a merchant vessel, and a

Frenchman by birth. This man had twice sunk his ship, in order to get

the insurance money for it. At one of these sinkings, a lady lost her

life, and on that account the captain was accused of murder. I was sorry

I could not fully understand the debates and speeches of the advocates,

as I heard that the person under trial had the best lawyers for his

defenders. The decision did not follow.

Behind the capitol stands the court-house, a massive building with a

portico of four Doric stone columns; in the interior of the building I

saw nothing farther remarkable. At several booksellers I asked in vain

for the plan of the city and the surrounding country, also for a

description of the canal.

We intended to leave Richmond at three o’clock in the morning of the

30th of November, and set out on our projected tour. But, as the

ordinary stage was repairing, they put us in a small carriage with only

two horses, in which it was impossible to carry our baggage. As I would

not part with it, I gave up the tour which I had concluded on, and left

Richmond, in the morning at eight o’clock, on board the steam-boat

Richmond, to descend the James river to Norfolk. In the mean time, I had

an opportunity of noticing the particular manner in which the negroes

are treated. I wished to employ my leisure in writing; when I entered

the room, I found several slaves wrapt up in woollen blankets, sleeping

on the floor by the chimney-fire; upon inquiring, I was told that slaves

never receive a better bed.

We had one hundred and twenty-two miles to Norfolk, and reached that

city between nine and ten o’clock in the evening. During the whole day

the weather was not clear; on the banks of the meandering James river,

which grows gradually larger, there was not any thing remarkable. The

travelling company was not large, and was composed of incommunicative

persons: I could not exchange a word with any of them. There was no

opportunity of writing, as the engine communicated such a quivering

motion to the whole vessel, that I could hardly hold my pen, and spent

my time in reading. Towards evening we perceived a large stone building

on the left bank, the only remains of James Town, the first English

settlement in Virginia. The following romantic story is related. An

Indian princess, Pocahontas, daughter of a powerful Indian chief on the

banks of this river, whose name was Powhattan, fell in love with the

English Captain Smith, who was the commander of the first settlement at

James Town. This Indian princess swam across the river in a stormy

night, in order to give notice to her lover of the conspiracy of her

father and the principal chiefs, against his life. In this manner she

saved the new settlement, and also twice afterwards under the same

circumstances. However, her lover fell at last into an Indian ambush,

and was to become a victim of the Indians. Then she laid her head down

with his on the block, and once more saved his life. This scene is

represented by a bas relief, which is in the large rotunda in

Washington. Captain Smith was a married man, and on that account could

not, when returning to England, take his benefactress with him; he made

her believe that he was dead, and secretly went on board a ship. Some

time afterwards, Pocahontas married Rolf, who succeeded her lover in the

command of the settlement, and followed him to England. She met once, by

chance, with her first lover in the street, whom she believed to have

been dead, and soon sunk into such a melancholy state, that she left

England, embarked for America, and died on the passage.[I-35]

[Footnote I-35: She left an only son by her marriage with Rolf,

who settled himself in America, and had two daughters. From these

are descended the families of Randolph and Robinson, and from

these the family of Claiborne, consequently the two eldest

children of Mrs. Grymes, Charles and Sophrone are descendants of

the unfortunate Indian princess. In the two families, Randolph and

Robinson, the eldest son is named Powhattan, and the eldest

daughter Pocahontas. At New Orleans I became acquainted with a

member of the Robinson family who had formerly been governor of

Louisiana.]

In very disagreeable weather we landed at Norfolk, a city of ten

thousand inhabitants, and took our lodgings in Carr’s Hotel, a tolerably

good tavern. I made acquaintance with Mr. Meyau, the French Consul,

a very pleasant man. In his company I went the next day to Fort Monroe,

distant fourteen miles from Norfolk. We went in the Baltimore

steam-boat. It fortunately happened that our steam-boat, with the

steam-boat Richmond, were engaged to tow the frigate Constellation into

Hampton Roads, which could not sail on account of a feeble breeze. This

road is intended to be the principal rendezvous of the United States

navy, and is advantageously situated; it commands the Chesapeake bay,

which is to be connected by a large union canal with the Delaware, and

consequently with Philadelphia, so that the ships built in the navy yard

can go into Hampton Roads, where they will be armed.

On a point of land called Old Point Comfort, in the above mentioned

road, on which also is a light-house, lies the principal Fort Monroe,

and before it upon the sand-bank Riprap, a small casemated fort called

Calhoun, to command the road or rather the passage from a nearer point.

To prevent this position from being turned on its right wing by a land

army, all the dry points between Norfolk and the surrounding

impracticable marshes are to be fortified, and a large central arsenal

with dry-docks is to be erected farther backwards in the bay, in order

to receive a whole fleet after a battle, and fit it out there. The

frigate Constellation, under the command of Captain Woolsey, was

designed for the West India station, called the pirate station; the

principal object being to suppress these wretches. The frigate is one of

the oldest ships, and served in the last war, but being blockaded in

Hampton roads, could not come to any engagement. She is what they call a

thirty-six gun ship, but carries forty-eight pieces, thirty-two

pounders, and caronades of the same calibre. The guns were almost all

from the captured English frigate Macedonian.

We passed by a small fortified Island, called Crany Island, and by a

fort on our right, both rendered useless, since Fort Monroe was built,

and their works will be demolished; we approached the Constellation, our

steam-boat on her left side, where she was made fast with cables. The

steam-boat Richmond did the same on the right of the frigate. Captain

Woolsey finding that I was on board of the boat, had the kindness to

invite me on board the frigate. His cabin was in the forepart of the

gundeck; and was very neat, having four guns in it. The after-cabin was

arranged as a parlour and contained two cabinets, all tastefully

contrived. The officers had their lodgings below, as in a ship of the

line. I was very much pleased with the great neatness and general order

that prevailed. Even by the sentry at the captain’s door was placed a

spit-box, and every thing of iron or copper, shone like mirrors. Instead

of the ordinary and very often incorrect hour-glasses of our ships,

there was by the sentry a chronometer, for the purpose of calling the

hour. We came on board, as the last anchor was lifted, and then

proceeded, being towed by the two boats till we came opposite Fort

Monroe; where, on account of the feeble breeze, the anchor was dropped,

and the steam-boats continued on their way.

Captain Woolsey gave us a boat with twelve oars, under the command of a

midshipman, to carry us to Fort Monroe. A guard composed of thirty

marines was under arms, and made a military salute, whilst the frigate

saluted me with seventeen guns. When we landed we stopped at a very good

tavern, where we found two majors of artillery. After dinner we went to

survey the fortress, which General Bernard planned; but the work was yet

far from being completed. The fortress consists of a bastioned heptagon,

which can be attacked from land, but by a single front. The sides facing

the sea, are entirely casemated, and every gun has its particular arch.

On the most dangerous side where the ships of the enemy can approach the

land, there is on the counterscarp, a casemated coast-battery protected

by the fire of heavy guns on the rampart. This battery on the

counterscarp was built temporarily of wood, like a block-house, and

served the garrison for quarters. The coping is of granite, found in the

vicinity of Washington. The arches are of brick. The government does not

build by contract, but by measure, what the French call _au mètre cube_;

whereby it obtains good work. The masons work only is performed by hired

workmen, mostly by blacks; other work is done by military prisoners, who

have been condemned by court martial to public labours. The garrison

consists of eleven companies of artillery, which form a provisional

regiment, and are under the command of Colonel Fenwick, and

Lieutenant-Colonel Eustis. The first officer I became acquainted with,

at General Brown’s in Washington, where he is still residing. To the

latter I was recommended by Lieutenant-Colonel Bankheard from New York.

Mr. Eustis invited me to stay till to-morrow, in order to show me his

regiment; but I was obliged to decline his invitation on account of

time.

We availed ourselves of the opportunity, which the steam-boat Potomac

presented coming from Washington to go to Norfolk, and went on board of

her in a boat rowed by artillerists. About nine o’clock, P. M. we landed

in Norfolk, all day we had disagreeable rainy weather. I designed to

stay longer in order to see the navy-yard in Gosport, a mile distant

from Norfolk; Mr. Meyau would accompany me. The landlord, who was

willing to derive as much advantage as possible from my presence, had

advertised in the papers, he would on that day give a dinner of

turtle-soup, game, wild ducks, &c, but it was written in the book of

fate, that I should not partake of these dainties. On inquiring, I was

told that the mail stage was the only ordinary means of communication

with the south, and went only on Tuesdays and Fridays to Fayetteville,

and consequently if we did not leave Norfolk in half an hour, we should

be obliged to wait until the next Tuesday. This not at all agreeing with

my travelling plan, and as a hired coach could not be procured, I packed

up my baggage in great haste, bid the friendly Mr. Meyau farewell, and

left Norfolk at half past ten o’clock in the mail stage, connected with

the Baltimore steam-boat.

We went sixty-eight miles to Murfreesborough, where we arrived about

eleven o’clock in the evening. We crossed at first two small inlets of

the bay, on very long wooden bridges, passed through Portsmouth, a small

place near the navy-yard, where I saw the ship of the line Delaware, and

the frigate Macedonian, taken from the British, in ordinary, but had no

time to examine this very interesting establishment. We had scarcely

left this place when we entered a forest, through which we travelled

during the day. The country is a large marsh, called the Dismal Swamp,

crossed by a sandy road. The forest is very thick, and consists of oak

trees, among which I noticed the live oak, cypress, cedar and pine

trees; on the marshy spots there are evergreen trees, and bushes of the

Portuguese laurel and holly; here and there were also magnolias, and

large wild vines around the trees. This variety of vegetation must look

very fine in the summer season, however I was told that at that time

flies and mosquetos were very troublesome, and that there are also a

great many snakes. This marsh is said to be full of bears, which,

however, never attack men. In Suffolk, twenty-eight miles from Norfolk,

a small place, having wooden houses, and situated in the middle of the

forest, we took our dinner. The wheat bread became scarce by degrees,

and in its place we had a sort of cakes made of Indian corn. On the

other side of Suffolk, we passed by a cotton plantation, the first I

saw. It was already night when we passed the boundary and entered on the

territory of North Carolina. We crossed the rivers Nottoway and Meherrin

in bad and narrow ferry-boats, which were very dangerous, as the night

was very dark. Candles and lamps seem to be here very scarce; for the

few houses that we passed by were lighted with torches of pine: we took

some of them to light our way. Our journeying was very unpleasant, on

account of a rainy and very dark night. We alighted in Murfreesborough

at a tolerably good inn.

On the 3d of December, at two o’clock, A. M., we set out in dreadful

rainy weather, which lasted all day, and travelled as far as Emerson’s

tavern, seventy-five miles distant. The country still continued woody as

yesterday, and in frequent marshy spots, presented to the eye a very

pleasant variety by the evergreen trees and bushes. In some places the

country was somewhat cultivated; that is, there were some plantations

where cotton and Indian corn were raised. Such a plantation consists

only of wooden buildings; in the middle is the house of the planter,

with a piazza; on its right and left are log-houses for negro slaves,

and barns for corn and cotton. Horses are kept in very spacious wooden

stables; cows and pigs in the open air within an enclosure of worm

fences. Only fattening beasts are kept in stables. In many plantations

we saw cotton-gins, in which the seed is separated from the cotton by

means of a cylindrical hackle. These mills are worked either by water or

horses. The cotton cleaned from its seed is put into a large chest,

pressed in, and packed up. In the chest is a bag, which receives the

cotton; the cover of the chest is moveable, and is pressed on the cotton

by means of a screw turned by two horses; afterwards the cover is taken

away, the bag closed, and the bale which it forms fastened with ropes;

such a bale weighs on an average three hundred pounds. This is a very

troublesome work, and only two bales can be made in a day. If instead of

that awkward machine, they would make use of Brahmah’s water press,

a great deal of time, expense and power would be spared. The bagging

made use of is wove in England. We crossed the Roanoke river in a rather

bad ferry-boat. The banks of the river are really picturesque, and

covered with a variety of southern plants, which reminded one of a park.

We dined at a very good tavern in a small town called Tarborough,

situated on the river of the same name. We had already crossed this

river, and were delighted with its fine banks. Our lodgings were at a

solitary plantation, where we arrived at eight o’clock in the evening;

the house was entirely of wood, except the chimney. It was rather

transparent; they assigned us a garret for a sleeping place, and through

the cracks in the floor we could see into the room below. If fire once

breaks out in such a house, it cannot be saved. In the morning we passed

by the smoking rubbish of a school-house, which burned down in an hour;

the brick chimney alone was standing. The log-houses of the negro slaves

in particular are very open, and present by night when lighted with pine

splinters a very singular appearance. The road was thoroughly sandy;

however, it was interrupted by log causeways, which are made over the

marshy spots, in passing which in the mail stage we were shaken to

pieces. The small town of Tarborough where we dined, is said to contain

eight hundred inhabitants, is regularly built, has broad streets, but

its houses are of wood. I saw but two built of brick; had there been

more brick houses, I should have compared this pleasant place to a

village in Holland.

The next morning, at three o’clock, we left our airy lodgings and went

eighty-six miles to Fayetteville. During the day we travelled through a

thick forest, and did not meet with a single village; we saw some lonely

plantations of corn and cotton. During several days we saw different

species of birds, unknown to me, especially a great many large vultures,

called buzzards, the shooting of which is prohibited, as they feed upon

carrion, and contribute in this manner to the salubrity of the country.

We crossed the Neuse, a rather wide river, in a narrow and clumsy

ferry-boat. On the banks of this river, are many evergreen trees and

bushes. The oak trees are here not very high, but there is a great

variety of them: thirty-seven species are enumerated; chesnut and nut

trees are not so numerous; we were told they were common only in

mountainous countries. At a short distance from Fayetteville, where we

arrived about nine o’clock, P. M., we crossed Cape Fear river, by a long

covered bridge, consisting of hanging lattice work, of which I saw a

very good model in the patent-office at Washington. As I was very much

fatigued with the uncomfortable travelling, I intended to stay one day

in Fayetteville, a flourishing place of about four thousand inhabitants.

But I was told that no opportunity would occur sooner than three days

for Charleston. Therefore I resolved to continue our journey next

morning. A new difficulty now arose; the mail stage going directly to

Charleston, had only two horses, and could not take my baggage, whilst

the mail for the above city passing through Columbia, South Carolina,

drives four. Although the first was the direct road, and the second a

circuitous one, I resolved to take the latter.

On the 8th of December, at three o’clock in the morning, we set out from

Fayetteville, and travelled for fifty-seven miles to Cheraw, in the

state of South Carolina, where we arrived at seven o’clock in the

evening. Our travelling company was increased in Fayetteville, by Mr.

Davis from Columbia, a young gentleman very well educated. The weather

was pretty cold, but not rainy. The way continued still through forests,

and was very sandy. We saw little interesting, except the vegetation.

We discovered new plants progressively as we advanced to the south, for

instance, jessamines and a tree hitherto unknown to me, called pride of

China, melia azedarach, which is generally seen near the houses; there

were also gum-trees. We crossed several rivers, the most considerable of

which were the great and the little Pedee, near Cheraw. In this place I

met with Commodores Bainbridge and Warrington, and Captain Biddle; these

gentlemen were appointed commissioners by the government, to determine a

place for a naval establishment on the Gulf of Mexico, becoming every

day of greater importance to the United States. They came from Pensacola

to Savannah by sea, whence they went to Washington by land. Commodore

Warrington, however, was to return to the Gulf of Mexico, where he

commanded the station. I was very much pleased with their acquaintance

and spent the evening with them. On the 6th of December, at three, A. M.

we left Cheraw and went to Camden, sixty-eight miles. We continually

rode through a thick wood. It had frozen very hard the preceding night,

and the cold continued still in the morning; but the sun appeared, it

grew warmer, and the day became very fine, as in spring. The increasing

blue of the sky, indicated that we were rapidly advancing towards the

south. The plants were much the same, but the magnolias of different

kinds, became gradually larger. Our meals showed us that we were in a

country, were rice is cultivated.

Black creek and two branches of Lynch’s creek were the most considerable

streams. The country on these creeks, on account of their evergreen

vegetation pleased me very much. The ground was sandy, and we went very

slowly on. We breakfasted and dined in solitary frame houses, which

stand upon pillars built of bricks, and permit the air to pass under

them, the walls of these buildings are so thin and disjoined, that the

daylight finds access every where. At the openings for windows, there is

nothing but shutters. It would be a good speculation to establish a

glass manufactory in this country, where there is such a want of glass,

and a superabundance of pine trees and sand. About eight o’clock in the

evening we reached Camden, a flourishing place, where we found a very

good abode. The nights were very clear; some time since I saw quite new

constellations, whilst the old ones disappeared by degrees.

On the 7th of December, at three o’clock in the morning, we set out in

severe cold weather for Columbia. The road was as on the preceding days,

but the country grew more hilly, the sand more yellow, and mingled with

clay. We crossed the Wateree river in a small boat with much difficulty.

We reached the river by break of day. The driver often blew his horn,

nevertheless we had to wait about half an hour for the ferry-boat. At

last it came, manned by two negroes. But scarcely was the carriage in it

when another misery began. We were sitting on a bench, and the negroes

were obliged to work for half an hour before we were again afloat.

Finally, we reached the opposite shore, but the negroes were so awkward,

that they took more than a quarter of an hour, to place the boat in such

a situation as to permit the carriage to get out. We reached Columbia

about one o’clock in the afternoon, and took lodgings at Clark’s hotel,

a large but merely tolerable house. We were obliged to content ourselves

with the narrowness of our lodgings, for the legislature of the state

was just assembled in that place, and all the houses were full. It is

only forty years since the city was laid out; it contains four hundred

inhabitants, is situated very pleasantly upon an eminence, below the

confluence of Saluda and Broad rivers which form the Congaree by their

junction. The town is built very regularly, contains a great number of

brick houses, and its streets, crossing each other at right angles, are

one hundred feet broad; though not paved, they are provided with large

side-walks, and rows of pride of China trees. In the surrounding gardens

of many elegant private houses, I saw a great number of evergreen trees,

mostly laurels, and also some pretty high _yucca gloriosa_, which they

call here palmetto. In Columbia there are many well-provisioned stores,

and there seemed to be a great deal of life in the place. At the common

table where many of the deputies were dining, I made acquaintance with a

Mr. Washington, from Charleston, to whom I had letters from Baltimore.

He made me immediately acquainted with several of the members of the

legislature. The governor of the state, Mr. Manning, sent me his

compliments by Mr. Butler, his aid, and invited me to an evening party.

Towards the evening Mr. Washington, a distant relation of the president,

and son of Colonel Washington, distinguished in the revolutionary war,

accompanied me to see Judge Desaussure, one of the principal men of this

city and state, to whom also, I had letters, and found in him a

respectable old gentleman. His father was a native of Lausanne, in

Switzerland, and uncle of the celebrated naturalist Desaussure. I met at

his house a large company of gentlemen, who had dined there, and became

acquainted with the governor, a very fine man. After the company had

retired, Judge Desaussure accompanied me to one of his step son’s,

Colonel Blanding, civil engineer, who has the reputation of being a man

of great knowledge. The habit of chewing tobacco, practised by several

of the gentlemen, and in which they indulge even when in the society of

ladies, appeared remarkable to me. The society was numerous, and

composed of many ladies; I became acquainted with two Professors of

Columbia College, Messrs. Henry and Nott; the first is acquainted with

the French and German languages, he has translated Niebuhr’s Roman

History into English. Mr. Nott studied in England and France, resided

for some time in Ghent, and married a lady of Brussels. From Mr.

Blanding’s house we went to the governor’s, where again a large company

was assembled to a ball. No other dances but cotillions were danced,

in the manner of the tedious German quadrilles; the band consisted of

negroes. The governor, who in this state is elected for two years, and

his lady, did the honours exceedingly well; he introduced me to all

present, gentlemen and ladies. The acquaintance I made with a Frenchman,

Mons. Herbemont, was very interesting to me; he has been an inhabitant

of the United States for more than forty years, was formerly Professor

of Botany in Columbia College, and now lives upon his income. The

company remained together until the evening.

On the next morning I received visits from Messrs. Desaussure and

Herbemont, who came with the design of showing me the few curiosities of

the city. We went at first to see the water-works, which provide the

whole city with water. In a hollow place there is a basin, or rather a

reservoir, to which several fountains have been conducted. From this

reservoir the water is pumped by means of a steam-engine having two

horse-power, and driven into the city, which is situated one hundred and

thirty feet above it. The water is distributed in the different parts of

the town by pipes, which are in the middle of the streets. At different

places the tubes are provided with fire-plugs, constructed according to

the plan of Mr. Blanding.

Afterwards we went to see the state-house, a large wooden building,

which will probably in a few years be replaced by one of stone. In one

of the halls of the state-house, the senators, forty in number, were

assembled under the presidency of Mr. Johns; in another were the hundred

and twenty representatives: the speaker was Mr. O’Neil. The halls are

very plain. The senators as well as the representatives, sit in a

semicircle, and the speaker in a more elevated place in the middle.

During my presence, the debates in both chambers were on no interesting

subjects, therefore I did not stay long. In the senate chamber hung two

pictures of no great excellence, by an artist of Charleston: the battle

of Eutaw in the revolutionary war, under General Greene, and the defence

of the lines at New Orleans, by General Jackson. In a few days an

interesting object was to be taken into consideration, namely, the

question if the government of the United States have the right to lay

out canals and public roads in the different states of the union, or

not! Reasonable men conceive that the government must have the power to

execute such works; on the other hand, the short-sighted, from certain

envy between the states, dispute this right with the government. The

jealousy between the states seems to take the upper hand. The state of

South Carolina intended to make a public road, leading from Charleston

westwards to the state of Tennessee; this road would have passed for

some miles through the state of North Carolina, the state of North

Carolina opposed its execution, under the pretext that the road would

not bring sufficient profit to the last state, although the two first

states would have executed it at their own expense. The true reason of

this opposition is said to be that the advantage of that road to the

state of South Carolina, was grudged by the other states.

From the state-house we went to Columbia College; it is an university,

but has neither medical nor theological faculties. There are six

professors. Dr. Cooper is the president, with whom I became acquainted

last summer in Boston: on his return home, he was taken sick in

Richmond.

The number of students was one hundred and twenty, who live in two large

buildings, opposite each other; between them is the house of the

President, and on both sides the houses of the professors. We paid a

visit to Mr. Vanuxem, Professor of Natural History. He showed us the

collection of minerals belonging to the college, but not so interesting

as the collection of minerals of South Carolina, made by him last

summer. There were several fine tourmalines, emeralds, pyrites

containing gold; a new kind of metal called Columbian, asbestus and

different specimens of primitive rocks. There was also pure gold from

North Carolina, which was only discovered about six years ago. When at

Cheraw, I was willing to make an excursion to the gold mine, but it

would have taken me a couple of days. I was told, gold is found in a

slime, which is dried up and then sifted, the gold dust remaining in the

sieve. But miners are expected from Germany, and at their arrival, they

will begin a regular exploration. It is said, that at present the

company has a profit of twenty dollars a week. I visited also the

library, which was not considerable, and did not contain any thing

remarkable. On this occasion I made acquaintance with a Mr. Elliott, who

had published a Flora of the state of South Carolina; he extolled the

botanical treasures of that state. A small observatory was shut up;

perhaps they would not show it to me, because there were but few

instruments.

In Mr. Herbemont’s garden, we saw some very interesting plants and

trees; magnolias, gardenias, pomegranate and other fruit trees, which he

had grafted in a very singular manner one upon another; date palm trees

and fig trees, raised from kernels, and a great number of evergreen

laurel trees.

A mile from the city, on the left bank of the Congaree river is a canal

three miles in length, to avoid some rapids, which are in the river.

This canal has four locks, and the difference of the level of the water

above and below them, is thirty-six feet. Two are built of granite,

which is obtained close to the canal. Several blocks have been blown up,

to make way for the canal. The other two are of brick, and the mason

work appeared to me to have been well executed. They were just building

a wooden bridge over the Congaree, in order to lead to Augusta; the

bridge was to be supported by eight piers of stone. They are made of

granite without any lime or cement.[I-36] The exterior stones were

chiseled and connected with cramp-irons. The undertaking was contracted

for at seventy thousand dollars.

[Footnote I-36: Because they would be obliged to bring it from the

northern states at a great expense.]

Not far from the bridge are several cotton plantations belonging to the

wealthy family of Taylor. On one of these fields the harvest was just

making by fifty-eight negroes of both sexes. They take the cotton by

hand from the capsules, look at it, that no withered leaves may be

attached to it, and throw it into bags, which are hanging before them;

afterwards they shake the cotton from the bags into baskets which are

prepared for that purpose. These negroes made a very disagreeable

impression upon me, especially when some of the women asked Mr.

Herbemont for some chewing tobacco. I saw here some fine oak and pine

trees, the latter are very abundant in all the woods we lately passed

through. They have extremely long leaves; the young shoots particularly

have a fine appearance. The leaves are more than a foot in length, and

the shoot looks like the bunch of horse-hairs on the caps of the

Prussian grenadiers. On the trees hangs a long moss-like plant called

Spanish beard. They pick up this plant, put it into water, to rot the

grayish bark, and employ the black fibres which then make their

appearance, like horse-hair, for making mattresses, which are even

exported to Europe. Finally, we saw several aromatic and medicinal

herbs, for instance, the _monarda punctata_, the juice of which, mixed

with that of an onion, is said to be very efficacious in gravel

complaints.

The Lunatic Asylum of Columbia is situated in an open place out of the

city. It consists of a principal building adorned with a portico of six

columns. In this building are lodgings for the inspectors, offices, and

rooms for persons of moderate fortune. Two wings are connected with the

principal building, and form obtuse angles with it, each of them is

three stories high, in which the lunatics are placed. By degrees, as the

income of the establishment increases, other wings will be built, and

the whole will form an octagon. There is on the principal building a

spire, from which is a very extensive view, though you see nothing else

but woods. The distempered in mind will find here many conveniences when

the buildings are completed: namely, good rooms, gardens, and walking

places on balconies, inclosed with high walls.

A Catholic chapel in Gothic style has been built in Columbia by

subscription, but the amount collected, being not sufficient, a lottery

has been opened to obtain the deficiency! Next to the chapel is a

theatre, which likewise is unfinished by the undertaker, on account of

insufficiency of funds.

At Professor Henry’s, a very agreeable society assembled at dinner. At

that party I observed a singular manner which is practised; the ladies

sit down by themselves at one of the corners of the table. But I broke

the old custom, and glided between them: and no one’s appetite was

injured thereby.

I spent one evening at a ball given by Mr. Taylor, a rich proprietor, at

one of his plantations. I found there a numerous and splendid society.

But the music was of a singular kind; for the blacks, who two days ago

played very well at the governor’s, were now drunk, and could not make

their appearance. This was the reason that the whole music consisted of

two violins and a tamborine. This tamborine was struck with a terrible

energy. The two others scraped the violin, in the truest signification

of the word; one of them cried out the figures, imitating with his body

all the motions of the dance. The whole of it amused me much; for the

rest, I was astonished at the great plainness of the house. Besides the

first room, there were three rooms open, which had white walls, and were

without window-curtains.

END OF VOL. I.

* * * * *

* * * *

* * * * *

TRAVELS

through

NORTH AMERICA,

during the

YEARS 1825 AND 1826.

* * *

By His Highness,

BERNHARD, DUKE OF SAXE-WEIMAR EISENACH.

* * *

IN TWO VOLUMES.

* * *

VOL. II.

* * *

PHILADELPHIA:

CAREY, LEA & CAREY--CHESNUT STREET.

* * *

1828.

Skerrett--Ninth Street,

Philadelphia.

TRAVELS, _&c._