see but little of it. At eight o'clock we again proceeded, and at ten
got sight of Baltimore, eight or ten miles distant. As we approached
Baltimore the bay became narrower, and the land, on both sides, so
very low, the trees seemed to grow out of the water. The country more
cultivated, and the people employed in getting in their harvest. We met
a large steam vessel, and passed her at about twenty yards distance.
There were two chimnies, from which issued a large quantity of smoke,
a wheel on each side forced her forward; the forecastle was much like a
common ship; the stern was covered with a canvas awning, to shelter the
passengers from sun or rain; it was open on the sides: she moved along
very majestically.
{16} Shortly after, a surgeon came on board, to examine the health
of the passengers and crew; he expressed much satisfaction at their
appearance. He was a venerable looking old man, of about 70 years of
age, and a native of Britain.
At three o'clock we anchored near Fell's Point, Baltimore, and in the
evening went on shore; but returned on board to sleep. The weather fine
and very hot.
7th. At noon we went to the Custom-House to enter our luggage; in the
afternoon some of our fellow-passengers, with ourselves, engaged a
house at Fell's Point, at 10 dollars per month.
8th. We removed to our house, and hired a cart to take our luggage from
the vessel, at 25 cents a load. Paid at the Custom-House, 37 dollars,
75 cents; expences, one dollar, 40 cents.
Trade at Baltimore extremely dull, and paper credit very bad, except
some few banks.
Accounts are kept in dollars and cents; {17} a dollar is of the value
of 4_s._ 6_d._ English; but in Maryland and Pennsylvania, it is called
7_s._ 6_d._; in New York, 8_s._; and in all the western country, 6_s._;
but it is of equal value in all the states; it is the shilling that
differs; 100 cents make a dollar; a cent is a trifle more than an
English half-penny. Dollars are divided into halves, quarters, eighths,
and sixteenths, thus 100 cents make a dollar, 50 cents half a dollar,
25 cents a quarter of a dollar, 12½ cents the eighth of a dollar,
and 6¼ cents the sixteenth of a dollar. The shillings are different,
as follows:--
1_s._ is The dollar
Illinois, Virginia, Kentucky, &c. 16⅖ cents ----- 6_s._ 0_d._
Pennsylvania, Maryland, &c. 13⅓ cents ----- 7_s._ 6_d._
New York, &c. 12½ cents ----- 8_s._ 0_d._
These different denominations of the parts of a dollar are troublesome
to strangers, and might be avoided, by counting in dollars and cents
only; as there are no shillings in America, but only dollars, halves,
quarters, eighths, and sixteenths, mostly Spanish coin, and some 10 and
20 cent {18} pieces of American and Spanish coin. Cents and half cents
of copper are used in the eastern, but not in the western states; few
cents being to be found west of the mountains.
The morning after we were settled at Baltimore, we opened some of our
packages, and found them in good order. In the afternoon, I took a walk
with a person I had known in England; he went to purchase some milch
cows; we went three or four miles through the woods, to a Mr. Slater's,
who had a 100 oxen and cows, of good size and shape, but of different
sorts; his stock ran mostly in the woods, as he had but little cleared
land. When we arrived, we found Mr. Slater with his men cutting wheat
in a field of 25 or 30 acres; the wheat was of good quality, but not
a large crop, not more than 14 or 16 bushels per acre. They cut it
with scythes, some follow to tie it up and set it up in heaps, rather
than shocks; the cutting, binding, and setting up, all done in a very
slovenly manner. The wheat, {19} after Indian corn, was ploughed in
ridges of about four feet wide, and sown before the Indian corn was got
in, a practice very common in America; and the stalks of Indian corn
cut down in the winter or spring, and left in the wheat. The land, a
poor clay, very wet in winter. As Mr. Slater purposed bringing his cows
to Baltimore market, the next day we returned, and passed his house, a
very good brick building, pleasantly situated, having a fine view of
the bay of Baltimore, a quarter of a mile distant. The out-houses and
negroes' houses much out of repair. The manure was but little attended
to, being scattered in all directions, although the soil stood so much
in need of it. We saw one field of very poor oats and some weak Indian
corn. The orchard contained much fruit, apples, peaches, and late
cherries, the early ones were over. We had a fine view of the bay and
part of the city; and the mouth of the Patapses River and a fort near
it;[75] and the {20} numerous vessels sailing up and down the bay.
[75] Woods probably here refers to Fort McHenry, at the mouth of the
north-west branch of the Patapco. This star-shaped brick fort was begun
in 1794, when war with England seemed imminent. It was named in honor
of James McHenry, secretary of war under Washington. During the War of
1812-15 (September 13, 1814) it was bombarded by the British; and his
joy at seeing the flag wave from the ramparts throughout the attack,
inspired Francis Scott Key to write the "Star-Spangled Banner."--ED.
We passed a fishing party of ten or twelve; they were taking some
refreshment on the shore; one of the gentlemen was a native of England;
but his parents left Cornwall when he was an infant: we took some
whiskey and water with them. The woods we passed resembled English
pleasure grounds, except there was a greater variety in the trees and
shrubs. In this walk a greyhound dog that accompanied us, attracted
much notice from all we met; few of whom had ever seen one before. One
of the passengers in the Resolution brought over some ferrets; they
also excited much attention, and a person wished to purchase one, to go
into a collection of animals, and offered a great price for it; but no
bargain was made when we left Baltimore. I have never seen or heard of
any other ferrets in America.
There are many new buildings in Baltimore, and some now going
on. Baltimore {21} street is a noble one, wide, straight, and of
great length, crossed at right angles by many other good streets;
Baltimore-street running east and west, the cross streets north and
south. As the city was planned before the buildings had made much
progress, it is very regular, and should the plan ever be completed, it
will be a large and noble city. There are some good shops, (in America
called stores), but not equal to those of London.
As no burial grounds, butcher's shops, or slaughter houses, are allowed
in the city or at Fell's Point, many of them are on a hill, north east
of Fell's Point. There are three burial grounds, all badly kept, one
belonging to the catholics; I did not learn to what sects the other
two belonged. The butcher's shops are on the top of the hill, in an
airy situation; here they kill their meat, and carry it to the daily
markets. At some distance from the burial grounds, there is a noble
looking hospital, some rope walks, and brick yards.
{22} Across the top of the hill, some intrenchments were thrown up
during the late war, to stop the progress of the British troops when
they landed near Baltimore, but they did not advance so far as these
intrenchments.
A man on the hill with porter for sale recommended it as of good age,
it having been brewed _three whole_ days. Malt liquor not much drank,
except by the English.
Towards the north-west, the land better than to the north-east, but
still poor and rocky. Yet there is a great variety of soils in and near
Baltimore. I was informed by a person who belonged to the society
of Friends, that he had lived here a great many years, and had been
concerned in most of the buildings; he said he believed there was not
so convenient a place for building a city in the universe, as far as
regards the finding the materials on the spot. Trees of many sorts grew
where the city now stands, fit for building; {23} free-stone in great
plenty; also shells and lime-stone for mortar; abundance of sand and
clay, that made excellent bricks. The land being uneven, it required
some labour to form the streets, but as most of the little hills were
composed of sand or free-stone, a great part of them came into use, and
the remainder served to raise the streets against the bay.
I was informed, there were thirty thousand inhabitants or upwards, but
the number did not increase as during the war.
Trade being bad, most of the new buildings at a stand, to the great
disappointment of many of the emigrants from Europe. But to those who
came in the Resolution, it was of no great moment, as we most of us
intended going westward before we left England, and not to stop in the
sea-ports; and there were but few mechanics on board. Several vessels
with emigrants arrived a short time before us, and there were three a
few days after us; amongst them, one small American vessel from Havre
with a {24} hundred and sixty-nine English, chiefly from Portsmouth
and its neighbourhood; fifty-four days from Havre to New York, where
some of them landed; the remainder came on to Baltimore, which place
then contained many emigrants in want of work; some without money to
take them up the country; and some with no inclination to go up; and
some without either. A person who comes to America is most likely to
succeed by moving from the sea-ports, they being very full of people.
Labourers in agriculture, and many trades, are sure of work in the
western country; but some from Europe have very erroneous opinions of
America, in thinking that, when they arrive, they shall find every
thing without any trouble; others think they cannot ask too much for
their labour. I have known men dissatisfied with 6_s._ per day, who in
England must have worked much harder for 2_s._
Many hackney-coaches and one-horse carts for hire, with very fine
horses in {25} them, much better than the horses for the same purposes
in England. The horses have much blood in them, and would not disgrace
a nobleman's carriage; those that bring provisions to market are of the
same description, light and active, and would make good hunters. The
hackney-coaches are open on the sides, on account of the heat of the
climate, with leather curtains, to let down in wet weather; the drivers
principally negroes. But the carmen mostly English, Scotch, or Irish,
but most of the latter.
The person with whom I went to Mr. Slater's, purchased of him at the
market two cows and calves for 71 dollars, (15_l._ 19_s._ 6_d._), the
cows young and very kind, and when fat, might weigh about 560 lbs.
each; the calves eight or ten days old.
There is a market for horses and beasts, &c. twice a-week at Baltimore,
and one every day, except Sunday, there and at Fell's Point, but there
are two on Saturday, one in the morning, the other in the {26} evening,
at each place, for the sale of flour, meal, meat, fish, butter, cheese,
vegetables, and fruit, consisting of pine-apples and cocoa-nuts from
the West Indies. Sweet and water-melons, apricots, peaches, prunes,
plums, limes, lemons, oranges, cherries, currants, whortleberries,
blackberries, fox-grapes, apples, pears, earth-nuts, and walnuts. The
fruit in general good and reasonable; and vegetables the same, with
the exception of cabbages, and they were very dear, owing to the dry
season. Pine-apples 3¼_d._
Fell's Point has many pumps, but few of them possess good water; there
was one near us a very good one, called Jackson's pump. The badness of
the water, its low situation, and the quantity of stagnant water, were,
I think, the chief, if not the only causes of the fatal fever that
broke out soon after we left it; nay, I rather suppose it had commenced
before we quitted it, as many people were ill, and some died most days
during our stay. But the city {27} standing higher, with good springs,
it is much healthier.
The first Sunday after our arrival, we went to the episcopal church,
the building was lofty, light, and airy, with five stoves to warm it in
winter; the pews were painted a light colour, with mahogany coloured
rails. The service much as in England. The psalms for the day, or a
selection at the choice of the minister. Prayers for the president and
general government, instead of the king, &c. There was a fine organ.
The congregation was a very genteel one, and as the heat was great,
all the ladies used fans, mostly made of feathers. In the afternoon
there was a thunder-storm and some rain, preceded by a very high wind,
for about ten minutes; and as the weather had been extremely dry, the
dust was driven in such clouds, as almost to make it totally dark.
Much colder in the evening; and some of us went to the Methodist
meeting; it was numerously attended, the manner much the same as in
{28} England; the preacher, who had a strong voice, made the most of
it. Towards the close of the service, two men, each with a bag at the
end of a long stick, made a collection for the minister, &c.; and
while they were so employed, a man with a long beard, and a leather
girdle about his loins, (as the prophet Elijah), stood up, and begged
to say a few words. First, he reproved the minister for taking money,
and then declared himself a preacher sent from God to warn the world of
its wickedness, and to inform the people, that before the crop of the
year 1818 was consumed, "Time should be no more." I sat very near him,
and he stood on one of the seats, that he might be heard the better,
but he spoke so rapidly, I could not hear all he said, but I heard him
reprove the minister, and all present; at length he was persuaded to
sit down, and the preacher again went on. It being late we went home,
as did some others. This man was deranged, constantly attending the
markets, preaching and {29} prophesying the end of the world. He was
often surrounded by a large concourse of people, to hear him; but few,
if any, gave any credit to his testimony. He often got insulted by the
crowd, but the magistrates did not interfere, but left him to do or
say what he pleased. Some of our party went to the African meeting.
There are many different religions in Baltimore, and all appear to
live together in great harmony. As there is no religion established by
law, all are equal in this respect, except the poor negroes, who are
not allowed to attend divine worship with the white inhabitants. And
although I disapprove of slavery in every point of view, in none so
much as in their not being allowed to worship the Almighty with the
other inhabitants, I think the treatment of the slaves at Baltimore was
mild, but still they were slaves, and at the mercy of their owners, if
fellow-creatures and Christians can be called the property of others.
But thank God, I never yet considered any person had that right; {30}
and as that was my opinion, I could not settle in a slave state, to
disgrace myself and family by the horrid practice of slave keeping.
On the 15th there was a very heavy thunder-storm, the thunder was
extremely loud, attended by heavy rain, the streets near us looked like
rivers; indeed, when the rain ceased, the boys waded in the one before
our house for some time. I was informed by several of the inhabitants,
that they had seldom heard such thunder, or seen such rain before. This
evening, and two other evenings, we had a very disagreeable scene in
an alley near us. It was that of an Irish howl or wake, in which the
mourners made a dreadful noise, crying and howling; we could hear them
enquire, "Why their dear sister died;" "whether she wanted any thing;"
"whether her friends were unkind to her," &c. &c. As the mourners made
pretty free with whiskey, the noise increased as the night advanced.
The watch several times {31} ordered them to be quiet, and they always
obeyed for a short time, but soon began again.
Many of the principal people in Baltimore are Catholics, as well as
numbers of the lower order of Irish, many of whom were recently arrived
from Ireland. Irishmen are numerous every where in the States, but I am
informed generally of a higher description than those in Baltimore and
in the sea-ports.
One of our company, going out one morning before it was light, to call
some of his fellow-passengers to go for a day's shooting, was taken
into custody by the city-watch, and taken to the watch-house, but
finding he was a stranger, he was liberated; he staid till day-light,
and then called his companions and went out, but found no game.
The Americans are not reserved in their manners, they do not scruple
asking a stranger any question, nor do they appear to mind answering
any that may be asked {32} them. Many of them seemed to like the
English amongst them very well, others are more jealous of strangers.
On the 14th, I put some letters in the post for England, for which I
paid 18¾ cents., about 10_d._ each. I saw a beggar in Baltimore
street, the first I saw in America. We did not purchase any fruit,
although it was very cheap, on account of its being unwholesome for
people just arrived from Europe.
As I could not settle all my business, several who came over with
us, and had been residing in the same house, left us on the 17th for
Pittsburg; they hired a waggon to take them and their luggage, for four
dollars and a quarter per hundred pounds weight. As they purposed going
to the English settlement in the state of Illinois, we expected to see
them when we got there; but they stopped at Evansville in Indiana,
and hearing of an English settlement ten miles distant,[76] they went
there; and I have seen nothing of them since, except one, who has
arrived at Wanborough.
[76] This English settlement centered about the present town of
Inglefield. Its name is a tribute to the memory of the first Englishman
to settle in the region, John Ingle, who in 1818 emigrated from
Huntingdonshire. Englishmen came in increasing numbers during the years
1818-20, but soon thereafter hard times put an end to immigration to
this part of Indiana.--ED.
{33} In one of my walks, I saw upwards of twenty very fine red and
white oxen, belonging to a butcher on the hill above Fell's Point, fine
and clear in their horns, though most of the beasts I have seen in
America are rather thick in their horns; they were very fat, and might
weigh from 600 lbs. to 700 lbs. each, of the value of from 30 to 35
dollars each.
As we understood it was difficult for large boats to go from Pittsburg
to Wheeling, the water being low, we agreed with a Mr. Merchant, for
the carriage of ourselves and luggage to the latter place, a distance
of 280 miles, for the sum of 350 dollars, (78_l._ 15_s._); this was
for nine people, and upwards of 6000 lbs. of luggage. We had two
waggons, with six horses and one driver to each waggon; the manner of
travelling in them is very different from that of England. Here they
are hired to take passengers, luggage, goods, &c. to any part of the
United States, by the 100 lbs. weight. The drivers look after their own
horses,-- {34} buying hay, Indian corn, chopped straw, ground rye, &c.
at the taverns. Looking after their own horses prevents their setting
out early in the morning, so they take their breakfasts before they
commence their journey. They then travel till noon, when they stop for
a short time, and then go on till sun-set or after; therefore they have
no time in an evening to clean their horses. The waggons are lighter
than English waggons, with a pole instead of shafts. The drivers ride
the left-wheel horse, with reins to the other two pair; they seldom
walk, and when they do, they always mount should a bad piece of road,
or a difficult log-bridge come in their way, as they can see to guide
their horses much better than when on foot. A trough is screwed behind
the waggon, containing a small mattress, a blanket or two rolled up,
and a water-pail. When stopping to bait, or for the night, the trough
is placed on the pole of the waggon, and the horses are tied up to it,
where they stand in all weathers. They mostly water {35} their horses
out of their pails, seldom letting them go into the water to drink, if
ever so convenient.
Having settled all my money transactions, and got our luggage ready,
we took leave of our fellow-passengers, not expecting ever to see them
again; and in the afternoon of the 22d of July we left Baltimore. The
country but little cultivated, but many fruit trees; for some distance
from Baltimore, the land poor and stony; we first took a turnpike road,
but soon quitted it. We saw many waggons to and from Baltimore to the
westward. We had our own bedding with us, which we generally made use
of at the taverns, never hiring more than one or two beds. The weather
very hot.
23d. Breakfasted at the tavern, charge for nine breakfasts, a gallon
of tea the evening before, beds, &c. 4 dollars 31¼ cents., nearly
(19_s._ 6_d._) We passed this day a poor, rocky, hilly country, many
huckleberries in the woods, 23 miles to a {36} tavern, where we slept.
Wheat and rye mostly harvested. Hay, some housed, and some cutting;
it was timothy grass, and extremely ripe; it was put up in very small
ricks, and not thatched. The fences were of rails, laid on each other
in a zig-zag form, thus, [Illustration]; having laid one row, they
begin again on the first, and rise up from six to nine rails high;
which make a strong fence against all sorts of cattle. The expense of a
rail fence is not great where timber is plentiful. The price of cutting
and splitting rails is from 3_s._ to 4_s._ 6_d._ a hundred. Generally
a hundred, laid eight rails high, will make about six rods of fence,
so that including cutting, casting, and putting up, the expense may
average at 14_d._ a rod.
24th. We were charged for breakfasts, beds, &c. 3 dollars 31¼ cents.
We passed through a country similar to that on the preceding day, till
near the town of Liberty, 40 miles from Baltimore, a small neat place,
of fifty or sixty houses. This was {37} the first town or village we
had passed, by the road we came. From Liberty to Frederic town, a
much better country; Frederic town is a large place, with many good
brick buildings in it.[77] It is said to be the largest town in the
States, that does not lie on a navigable river. From thence to Elders
town, soil pretty good. This day we travelled 22 or 23 miles. We now
mostly provided our own dinners and suppers, and took our breakfasts
at the taverns. These breakfasts consisted of several of the following
articles: chickens, hams, veal-cutlets, beef-steaks, roast pork, and
several sorts of fish; various kinds of hot bread, viz. wheat and corn
bread, buck wheat cakes, and waffles, a sort of soft cake, said to be
of German origin; butter, honey, jelly, pickles, apple-butter, and the
following dried fruits: peaches, cherries, apples, &c. And for one of
these breakfasts they generally charged us 25 cents, (1_s._ 1½_d._)
In the above, I should have included tea or coffee.
[77] For the early history of Frederick, see A. Michaux's _Travels_,
volume iii of our series, note 70.--ED.